Designing Abigail Kilton's Dress - #2 The Impossible Dress

Chapter 2 - It's not a life sentence

Jack found an empty space close to the terminal entrance and carefully guided his black Aston Martin into it. As soon as he killed the engine, Kayleigh felt the anxiety trickle out of her lungs and pollute the air around them. Her fingers were shaking in her lap and her lower lip was almost painful from chewing on it all the way from Jack's apartment. She tried counting to ten, but she couldn't make it past three.

"Baby, you're going to Paris. Why do you look like you just got a life sentence in Holloway?"

"Holloway closed seven years ago," Kay mumbled not lifting her eyes from her restless fingers.

The words came out before she could hold them back and her body only relaxed when she heard Jack's smooth chuckle.

"You spent all weekend working on Abi's dress," he went on logically. "You deserve to go and enjoy yourself as much as anybody else. Besides, I thought going to Paris was your dream."

"It is," Kay admitted wishing she could be as excited about this trip as people expected her to be. "But I always pictured going by myself, just me and my sketchbook and a date for an interview with Dior or something."

"You didn't bring your sketchbook?" Jack questioned, his voice laced with concern.

Kayleigh smiled at his thoughtfulness and finally allowed herself to look at him. "It's in my bag."

Jack's face eased back into his natural smile. "See? That's already one out of three. You can wander off on your own whenever you feel like it. Actually, I recommend it. Just not at night and always keep a tight hold on your purse. And I won't be surprised if you somehow fall straight into that interview."

"How do you do that?" Kay asked after a few seconds of looking back at the man in wonder. "How do you always know exactly what to say?"

He reached over for her hand and pressed her restless fingers to his lips. "I guess you inspire me, Ms Moore."

Just as she was wondering how she was so lucky to still have this man by her side, a familiar, black SUV caught Kay's attention. Jack turned in his seat to see what had caused Kayleigh to retreat back into her shell just as he had managed to coax a smile out of her, and witnessed Marcus and Abigail pulling up beside them. His fingers tightened around Kayleigh's hand instinctively as he turned back to her. He raised his other hand to Kay's chin and directed her gaze back to his before Marcus could catch her watching.

"I don't want to be the petty boyfriend who acts all stupid to assert his dominance," he started in the most serious of tones, "but if you want to climb on my lap and get your revenge on Burrows, I am willing to sacrifice myself."

Kayleigh blinked three times before she burst out laughing uncontrollably.

"What? I'm serious!" Jack said with an impressive straight face. "Come on, Baby. Take me! Take me, right here!"

Kayleigh's laughter filled the car as Jack spread his arms wide open and puffed out his chest like an eagle. She swatted his arm away but he swerved around her and took hold of the side of her face.

"You're going to be fine," he says, pushing her hair out of the way and pulling her closer.

Kay nodded slowly, not fully convinced but admittedly feeling much better. She lifted her face to his at let his slow yet somewhat hungry kiss soothe the flutter in her stomach.

Jack was right. She needed a break. She was going to Paris. How bad could it be?

"Thank you," she told him when they pulled away from each other.

"Ready?"

Kayleigh looked behind him and saw that the car next to them had vacated. She turned towards the entrance and saw the happy couple disappearing through the terminal, Marcus carrying Abigail's bags like the perfect fiancé while Abi was talking on her phone.