Dakota
It’s been a week since the block party. A week since I made love with Jack for the second time, and in the forest no less. We were probably within two hundred feet of my mother and my ex doing their own thing, but hey, life takes a weird turn sometimes. Even more strange, I’m not even mad about my mom and Eddie anymore.
Because if I hadn’t discovered the truth about Denise and Eddie, I never would have wound up in Jack’s bed, enjoying his attentions. I never would have really met him, and never gotten to know the incredible man he is. And now, tonight, we’re going on our first real date and I can’t wait. I even took off early from my job at the Red Bean to survey the contents of my closet. What am I going to wear for this momentous occasion?
It shouldn’t matter since Jack has already seen me totally nude in all sorts of revealing positions, but a date is different, and I want to look nice for him. Since it’s summer, I choose a pretty sundress and a pair of sandals. I debate putting my hair up since it’s so hot out, but there’s something about the way Jack looks at me that makes me think he likes my curls, so I decide to leave it down.
I’ve never worn a lot of makeup, so I decide to just go with a little mascara and lip gloss, and then I head out to my car. Since everyone around here knows who Jack is, we’ve decided to meet for dinner at a restaurant called Le Seraviche one town over.
Jack is already waiting outside the restaurant when I pull up. He’s incredibly handsome in a black button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up showing off his strong forearms, and a pair of gray slacks emphasizing the long length of his legs. His black hair is brushed back away from his face, and before I get out of my car, I take a moment to drink in this gorgeous man. I am one lucky girl.
Smiling, I make my way over and immediately he grins.
“You’re so beautiful,” he says, pressing a kiss to my neck.
My cheeks heat up, and at this rate I swear he’s going to think I have a permanent blushing problem. “Thanks Jack,” I murmur. “You look really nice, too.”
He smiles and takes my hand and then leads me inside where a hostess directs us to a private table in the back of the restaurant.
“I thought it would be nice for us to have some privacy,” he says while holding my chair out for me to take a seat.
“Good thinking. This place is amazing,” I breathe, looking around the elegant space. There’s a small pool with a fountain in the middle of the dining area, and the lights are low. White jacketed waiters bustle about, delivering orders, and the other customers are very chic as they speak in hushed voices.
The handsome billionaire sits across from me as the waiter takes our drink orders. “I know the chef here, so I can say with certainty that everything on the menu is good. You’re good no matter what you choose.”
Without really looking at the menu, I say, “I think I’m just going to have a salad.”
My boyfriend frowns.
“Dakota, look at me.” I slowly look up to meet his eyes. “You don’t come to a nice restaurant like this and eat a salad.”
“I know. It’s just, well … my mom says eating calories this late in the day is why I’m so—”
“So what?” His voice is clipped, almost angry, and I look away.
“You know. Denise just thinks I should lose a few—”
“Stop.” Jack gets up and moves his chair so that he’s now sitting next to me instead of across from me. Then, he grabs the seat of my chair and turns it so I’m angled towards him, and runs his hands down my bare arms, and then over my hips to my thighs. If we weren’t sequestered in the back, the other customers would be scandalized by his familiarity, certainly.
But Jack means business. When he meets my eyes, his are dark with anger, and his voice is thick when he speaks. “Your curves are what a woman should be made of. They’re sexy as hell, and I don’t want to ever hear you talking about needing to eat less or losing weight. Your body is perfect. Understand?”
I just stare at him, my heart flapping like it’s grown wings, and electricity runs through my body from his touch.
“Say you understand, Dakota,” he growls.
I nod, blinking to keep myself from tearing up. Maybe the mascara was a bad idea tonight. “I understand,” is my soft reply.
“Good,” he nods. “Now, what do you really want?” he rasps while nodding at my menu.
I stare at Jack for a minute while my heart swells. There is more to this man than how handsome he is. He is kind, giving, and won’t take no for an answer. He supports me and loves me the way I am, without caring what popular culture or other people think. I swallow hard. I’m so lucky to be with this alpha male, and I’ve fallen deeply in love.
Wait, love?
It’s true. I suppose it happened somewhere along the way, slowly and steadily, and now I’m head over heels in love with my ex-boyfriend’s father. Yet, it’s nothing borne of revenge plots or weird fantasies. Instead, I’ve fallen in love with Jack Straithmore because of who he is and because of how well he treats me. It’s that simple.
But right now isn’t the time to tell him. We’re on our first official date, and I don’t want to ruin it by breaking down and confessing my heart. So I merely smile through the tears in my eyes and choose an entrée.
“I’d like the margarita chicken, please.”
“Good choice,” he growls, assuaged. “That’s more like it.”
The service at the restaurant is wonderful, and it isn’t long before we both have our food. It isn’t lost on me that Jack never returns his chair to the other side of the table. Instead, he remains sitting close enough such that our knees are constantly touching under the table, but I don’t mind. Something about his presence comforts me and I like having his huge body at my side. It makes me feel at home even here, in this fancy restaurant in a town I don’t really know.
We’re quiet while we eat, but this is a date and I want to get to know him better. “So, what made you go into construction?” I ask in a soft voice. “I mean, obviously it was a smart choice. I think you’re the richest person in the state or something like that, right?”
He laughs, amused.
“I’ve done well with my business, but money isn’t everything, sweetheart, and it certainly wasn’t why I started my company. I just wanted to build homes for people because a home is a place that brings a family together,” he says. Then, he looks off in the distance and smiles ruefully. “Well, at least that’s what they do for the right family.” He shakes his head. “Anyways, I wanted to be the person who helps make that happen for others.”
Something in Jack’s eyes seems sad when he looks at me, even though he’s smiling. I reach for his hand, and he accepts, lacing our fingers together. I can’t believe that this beautiful man isn’t taken. “That’s amazing, Jack. You have a good heart, and anyone would be lucky to call you family.”
He smiles again ruefully. “Yeah, well, my ex-wife Priscilla didn’t agree. I never wanted the big house where I live now. I built that for her, kind of like what that Mughal emperor did with the Taj Mahal, except in my case, it didn’t work. I was trying to make Priscilla happy, but you can’t force anyone into wanting to be a part of something that they don’t want.”
I frown. I know he was married before to Eddie’s mom, but I never knew why she left. It wasn’t something my ex ever talked about, probably because it brought back bad memories.
But I take a deep breath and smile.
“If you don’t like your home, then you should move, Jack. Or build yourself a place that makes you feel happy. Somewhere you feel comfortable.”
He leans over and gives me a chaste kiss, and he’s smiling when he pulls back. “If only it were so simple, sweetheart.”
I cock my head at him.
“I don’t know. It just seems like if you aren’t happy, you should change the things that are keeping you from finding your happiness.”
He sighs and shakes his head.
“Well, there’s more to it than that, but I don’t want to bring down this conversation sweetheart. Maybe another time, but for now, let’s stick to lighter subjects. What about you? How is it working out, living with your mom? Doesn’t it get awkward?”
Now it’s my turn to sigh.
“I’m just living with Denise until I finish my associate’s degree, and it’s not bad because our house is huge and there’s only two of us. So actually, we barely see each other anymore. To be honest, I think my mother is avoiding me. At least before, I’d run into her in the kitchen sometimes, but now, she’s never around. It doesn’t bother me though. It’s fine, and once I get my feet beneath me, I’ll move out.”
He grins.
“Well, I’m glad your mom isn’t in your hair. That must be a relief. But sweetheart, I meant the question in broader terms: what would make you happy?”
“Oh,” I giggle, suddenly flustered. “That’s such a huge question, and I’m not sure I have an answer. I mean, I haven’t decided what I want to do. I’d love to find something where I can help people.” I smile. “That’s a really general statement, I know. But I mean, kind of like how you started Straithmore Construction to give families homes. You wanted to do something that benefitted others, and I’d like to find something like that to do, too.”
Jack pushes my hair behind my ear and presses his hand against my cheek, and I lean into his touch. “You are a beautiful person, Dakota. You know that?”
I smile and bite my lip.
“Thank you. I just wish I had a bit more direction. Right now, I’m speaking in generalities and there’s no way to carry out my dreams because I don’t even really know what my dreams are!”
But Jack isn’t bothered. He merely gives my hand a squeeze.
“Not many people know what they want when they’re your age, honey. Don’t beat yourself up about it.”
“You knew though,” I insert.
“I did,” he nods slowly. “But I’m the exception. Most folks spend their twenties exploring, and that should go for you too. It’s the journey, not the destination. Half of the battle is just figuring out what direction you’re going in, and how you’re going to get there.”
I nod, contentment flooding my soul. The man in front of me is every woman’s dream. He is handsome, but more than that, he’s wise, kind, and doesn’t talk down to me. It would be so easy for Jack to scoff at my lack of concrete action, but instead, he makes me feel better and reassures me that this is normal. No wonder I love him so much!
Suddenly, Jack leans over and presses his mouth to mine in a long, slow kiss that feels like so much more. I never knew a kiss could say so much, but this liplock makes me passionate, and it’s so much better than words.
When he sits back, I’m flustered and breathless.
“Oh my goodness, what was that for?” I ask.
He merely grins and squeezes my hand again.
“Just for you being you, honey. That’s all.”
I laugh and another flood of joy spreads through my chest.
“You are a good man, Jack Straithmore.”
He rolls his eyes playfully.
“Well, I’d like to believe it, but sometimes when I look at Eddie, I’m not so sure. After all, well … he hasn’t turned out so great.”
I nod slowly.
“He’s not the nicest guy.”
Jack shakes his head. “No need to put lipstick on a pig, Dakota. What Eddie did to you was totally unacceptable.”
I sigh. “Yes. It was definitely bad when I walked in on him with my mom, but I should have expected something like that. When I look back on things, if I’m being honest with myself, I know he never cared about me. He didn’t even pretend to be nice to me most of the time, and it was pretty awful spending time with him.”
Jack’s expression is somber.
“I’m not sure where his mother and I went wrong with our son. I apologize on his behalf.”
I squeeze his hand reassuringly.
“It isn’t your fault. I think Eddie just genuinely believed he was better than me.”
Jack looks nonplussed.
“But why would he think that? There’s no basis for that.”
I shrug, a bit embarrassed now.
“Well, you know I’m taking classes at Portland Community College, right? Eddie always looked down on me for going to a two-year school. He said his education was going to land him a real job because he was going to a four-year institution, and I’d be lucky if I even became the manager at the Red Bean.”
Jack flexes his fist on the table. “College isn’t everything, and Eddie isn’t the genius he likes to pretend to be. Hell, I didn’t go to college myself and I made it, so where does he get off sitting on his high horse?”
I sigh, suddenly feeling deflated.
“It doesn’t matter because Eddie’s words didn’t make sense anyways. I’m not even sure that college is right for me, period, and that’s why I’m getting an associate’s. PCC is close by, and tuition isn’t crazy expensive. It seemed like the perfect fit while I figure out what I really want to do with my life. I just didn’t want to force myself through some four-year school and come out on the other side with a mountain of student loans and a degree in a field that I’m not even interested in.”
“That’s smart,” Jack muses. “Way too many people go to some expensive university and rack up debt just because they think that’s what they’re supposed to do. Then they end up working somewhere they hate, or living with three roommates to make ends meet while they work to pay off their massive loan burden.”
I smile at him. “Yes, see, that’s what I don’t want to happen!”
Unfortunately, Jack’s still pensive.
“But I just don’t get how my son can be like this. Eddie didn’t even get into Concordia on his own. All that high and mighty attitude is totally misplaced because the only reason he was accepted is because of his grandfather. My dad, Porter, is friends with the Dean of Admissions at Concordia and Porter literally made a call after Eddie submitted his application. Otherwise, he’d be at community college, too, mark my words. His grades weren’t exactly great.”
“Huh!” I say, totally scandalized. “Eddie never told me that!”
Jack runs his hand through his hair and sighs.
“I’m sorry honey. It looks like there’s a lot you don’t know, and it isn’t all my son’s fault that he turned out to be such an ass. His mother and I divorced about ten years ago and it was a complete disaster. We should have called it quits long before then, and when you drag something like that out, it just gets worse, and not better. In the mess of it all, Eddie got put on the back burner. We didn’t give him the attention he deserved, and if anything, a tiny, scared little boy developed into a tiny, scared little man. I know it’s no excuse for the way he treated you, but I think he’s seeking the attention he never got from us.”
I look down at the table and swallow the lump in my throat. “No, it’s okay. I totally get it – childhood trauma never really goes away without therapy. Besides, don’t be so hard on yourself because it happens a lot. My childhood wasn’t a bunch of rainbows with my parents either. Everyone makes mistakes because no one’s a perfect parent.”
Jack put his hand under my chin and makes me look up at him. “Well, you turned out perfect in my book, honey. You are the sweetest, kindest, most thoughtful woman I know, and beautiful to boot. I’m lucky to have you, Dakota.”
I just smile at him and nod because I can’t believe that this gorgeous man thinks so highly of me. Jack Straithmore can have anyone he wants, but instead, he craves me, a curvy girl with only a faint idea of where I’m going in life.
But the truth is that slowly, I’m beginning to realize what I want. Maybe not with respect to a career, but I’d certainly like to be with Jack. I’d like to live together, have babies together, and maybe even get married. Is that so far-fetched? Looking into his gorgeous blue eyes, I smile happily once more and tell myself that today at least, anything is possible.