Jack Who? (Book 1 Draft Version)

PART TWO~CHAPTER : 34

"Tristan?" Keeping my voice carefully neutral, I inquired, Where did you and Daddy go? The day before he left on his trip?"

"Um..." Placing a mixing spoon by the bag of chocolate, he turned, "To eat. Chicken and french fries. Ice cream for dessert."

Momentarily distracted by the site of him crossing with no crutches to climb on a barstool, I asked, "That's all?"

"Mmh hmm."

Unhooking the griddle from over the range, I considered the letter and Tristan's answer as I placed it on a burner to warm. Turning, I asked, "Did Daddy take you somewhere like a doctor's office?"

"Nope."

"Daddy didn't take you anywhere where a nurse or doctor might have put a Q-tip in your mouth?"

"Like when I was really sick with the flu?" At my nod, he smiled. "Daddy did."

"Daddy did what?"

"Tickled my mouth with it. He did it too."

"So you did go somewhere else."

"Nope. While we were eating lunch." Then the confused pucker lifted from his brows. "Daddy had to drop something off, but I waited in the car. Don't worry he came right back. And I could see him through the window."

While Tristan ate, I punched Jack's number, and when I got his voicemail, I ended the call with no message. Checking the time, I saw that most likely he was still doing radio interviews.

"Mmmh. What you got there squirt?" Dax wandered by Tristan sniffing appreciatively. "Thought I smelled pancakes!" Cruising by the stove area, he then pulled open the microwave door, and his disappointment in finding it empty was evident for a second before his face cleared and he reached for cereal.

With an apologetic gasp, I straightened from my slouch against the counter top where I had been absently watching. Dax. "I'm so sorry. I don't know why I didn't—let me—it will only take a minute to—"

"Nope. I'm good. It's cool." Continuing his cereal preparation, he poured on the milk. Then between crunches asked, "You have a good night?"

"Yeah." Smiling, I began to wash up the dishes even though the housekeeper was due shortly. "Thanks for," my glance strayed to Tristan's curious eyes, "Thanks."

"No problem." Instead of carrying his bowl off to do his own thing as he normally did, he took a stool at the island. "You okay?"

"Tired. Stupid Rusty."

"Rusty doesn't mean to wake you up. He just gets excited when the mail comes," Tristan pronounced in his usual defense of the dog.

Dax continued to study me over his bowl. "Because I just wanted to apologize to you about last night. Jack seemed mad. About Em. And I get it. That things have changed now with—" His eyes went to Tristan who was back to watching cartoons on the kitchen screen. "With a little one around. I just didn't think that, you know, since it was so late, that it would matter—"

"I thought you and Randi were a thing." Unable to listen to his halting apology and picture him with Emmajesty, I interrupted.

If my words were rude, I didn't seem to care. Stewing on the woman's tour ultimatum had only made me angrier. Now, knowing the woman had slutted her way inside the house was aggravating. The possibility that she was tipping the paparazzi off was infuriating.

"Randi?" Dax took a second to adapt to the quick subject change then curved a wistful grin. "Randi? I wish. Why? Has she said anything about me?"

Sorry that I had created that spark of hope, I gentled my words. "No. I just had that feeling. I mean, once I saw—I thought it was Randi that I saw."

Suddenly, I realized how much sense it made that Emma had just appeared with no knocking or doorbell that morning of our tour disagreement. The other woman had already been in the house.

"No. I like Randi a lot. But she's out of my league. I really thought Em was until—Well Em and I are just hanging out, you know? She is out of my league too."

"I doubt that." I dryly intoned, and uncomfortable with the conversation, picked up my phone.

With a tight smile to Dax, I hit my voicemail prepared to listen to my mother rant over only being called once since the California move. Instead, it was my brother leaving the message.

My mother had been checked into the cardiac care unit the previous morning and was scheduled for surgery the next day.

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