It was an insignificant victory, but Jack fist pumped the air like a rockstar as he followed Solana into the kitchen.
The pressure in his head at the sight of Abraham's hands on Solana had been replaced by anger when her best friend found excuses for his schemes and lousy behaviour. Another strike against the man. Jack wasn't afraid to admit to his part in the ploy, but didn't want her to find out that way. He'd much rather control the situation. In the end, however, it worked to his advantage.
Maybe his bad luck streak was over. For the last few months, he'd been in a slump between losing the Stinson Studios deal and not being able to close the Anderson takeover. A friendship deal with Solana wouldn't help the company's profits, but somehow it made him feel richer.
Jack paused in the doorway to admire the view in the small kitchen. Solana kissed her grandmother on the cheek as she squeezed between her and the round, dark-wood table dominating the room. Ximena smiled at the gesture. Her eyes found his, and the smile grew, setting off miniature fireworks in his chest. She winked and flipped a pancake.
A tug on his sleeve drew his attention to Luc. "Sit beside me."
He didn't try to hide his smile. This child wanting to be near him bloomed a simple joy and there was no point in denying it. At least here.
In this house, there was a freedom not available in the outside world. No need to hide from prying cameras, calculate every move, plan every action. There were only three sets of eyes observing him and two of them didn't judge him based on how many zeros were in his bank account or what club he could get them into. Solana still made assumptions about him, most of which were probably true, like being shrewd when it came to business and high expectations from those around him. But some of them he didn't want to be, like being an asshole womanizer. At least not anymore. Well, the womanizer part.
Luc pulled out a chair by the window and as Jack sat down, the feeling of family he'd last experienced as a child nudged at his heart. There were a few misty memories of meals at a table with his parents. His mother elegant and smiling, his father laughing and vivacious. The images transposed over Solana and Luc.
"Blue or Red?" Luc put a hand on Jack's arm.
"Sorry?"
Solana filled in the blank. "What color mug do you want?"
"Yeah." Luc pointed to the mugs already on the table. "Abuela has yellow, that's her favourite. Solana has purple and mine's green. What's your favourite colour, Jack?"
Big brown eyes of innocence regarded him. Embarrassment crept in and the smile receded. "I don't know." A simple question no one had ever asked him. "Black?"
Luc scrunched up his face. "Black isn't a colour. It's a lack of colour. Like a black hole."
Luc was right, black didn't count as a colour. And if he was being truthful, Jack didn't really like black. His closet was full of black suits, shoes, and coats. A hangover from his boarding school days and encouraged by his uncle. "Black is best," was James's favourite cheers before downing his scotch. Black was strong and powerful in the boardroom. Expected and respected. Outside the boardroom, it lent an air of mystery. His car was black, his office furniture, his phone, even the watch on his wrist. Black surrounded and reflected him.
Ximena placed a plate of pancakes in the center of the table. "Luc mi amor, any mug will do."
"No." But he did have a favourite color. One he'd dress his ex-wife in, one he snuck into his wardrobe in the single item that allowed a little expression. He thought of his favorite tie. "I want a red one."
Luc beamed at him, and the admiration from the boy set off additional fireworks. "Good choice. My second favourite colour." The boy darted across the kitchen and pulled a bright red mug from a cart at the end of the counter.
He handed it to Jack. "Do you have a joke for me today?"
Heat singed the tips of his ears, and Jack surveyed the table. Solana had her mug to her lips, but didn't take a sip. Was she laughing at him? Anxiety buzzed at the base of his spine. His eyes met hers and even from across the table, he could make out the lava dancing in them. She wasn't mocking him; she was... happy. The buzz faded and the easiness of being here returned.
He leaned into Luc. "What did the left eye say to the right eye?"
Ximena poured coffee into Jack's mug as Luc looked up to the right. Jack sampled the brew. Did it smell and taste fantastic because it was from his new favourite red mug?
Luc frowned. "I give up."
"Between us, something smells." Jack elbowed Luc.
The boy's nose squished in confusion. Jack tapped his own nose and Luc's eyes flew wide in understanding.
"Very good, Jack." Ximena's praise washed over him. It echoed something from the night before, something Solana said, but he couldn't quite recall what. Still, the words elicited a calm.
She handed him a small jug full of golden-brown liquid. Jack thanked her and poured a stream of syrup on his waiting pancake. Passing the jug to Luc, he picked up his knife and fork and cut up the breakfast item into bite-sized chunks. Raising one to his mouth, he caught Solana watching him. "What?"
Her coffee mug landed on the table. "Never seen anyone dissect their pancakes like that."
"I like to get all the hard work out of the way." Jack twirled a perfect bite-sized morsel in the air. "It's all fun now."
"You do like your fun." Bubbles of anticipation tickled his chest at her teasing tone. Oh, the fun they could have. Would have.
Never breaking eye contact with her, he wrapped his mouth around his fork and slowly withdrew it. Her lower lip retreated into her mouth and the bubbles frothed and expanded. "Mmmm. This is delicious."
"Good idea." Beside him, Luc proceeded to mangle his pancake, trying to cut it into similar small bits. With reluctance, Jack tore his gaze away from Solana, leaned over and helped the boy chop up the pancake on his plate. A smudge of syrup on his chin didn't mar Luc's infectious grin.
Between bites, Luc asked, "Solly, can Jack come to Abuela Lopez's party?"
"Who's Abuela Lopez?" Jack said.
Sweet syrup spilled over Solana's pancakes. "Luc's other grandmother."
"It's her saints' day today." Luc squirmed in his seat.
"Saint's day?"
"We celebrate the day of the saint we're named after. Luc's is October 18th and mine is the 28th. So we honor it together." Ximena took a bite of her breakfast.
"When's yours?" Jack addressed Solana.
"November 22nd is my saint day. My birthday is July 25th."
"Which I think would be Jack's saint day." Ximena lilted. "Technically St. James."
He turned to Luc. "What does this event involve?"
Luc's face fell. "What do you mean?"
Solana wiped the blob of syrup off Luc's chin. "It's not a formal ceremony. We have a party. You know, food, music, games and family."
"This is Luc's father's family?"
Ximena shot a glance at Luc. "Our family. When you become involved with my flesh and blood, you join the family."
"Please come, Jack." Luc danced on the edge of his chair. "Orlando always beats me at soccer. With you on my team, I'm sure to win."
Jack choked on his coffee, and Luc slapped him on the back. Besides having no idea how to play soccer, he wasn't a team player. At school he'd always been picked last, his tall lanky form not an advantage in anything but reaching high shelves. In his final year, his uncle hired a personal trainer for Jack and soon muscles he didn't know he had bulked up. He was never going to be bulging brawn like Abraham, but his clothes fit him better. And girls started noticing him. The habit stuck.
"Orlando is Luc's cousin and thinks he's the next Sergio." Solana leaned in. "I can outplay the boy."
Jack set his coffee cup down and checked his watch. The morning had slipped away from him, and Wolfe expected him on the golf course at noon. There was a deal of a century that could only be discussed on the greens. "Luc. Can't today. Next time."
"Got a big meeting?" Solana glared at him over the rim of her purple mug.
"Actually, yes."
The mug landed on the table with a thud. "Nice try. It's Sunday. In case you forgot." The lava burned through the green of her irises, not with joy, with irritation.
All the ease of the breakfast table vanished, and Jack's shoulders tightened. Everyone always assumed he lounged around like a playboy with nothing to do but sail his yacht or fly to Vegas. Not the case. "Being CEO means I have responsibilities." The irritation spilled out in the edge of his voice. "I don't get days off."
"Well, maybe you should take one." Her chin rose as she sat up straight. "Today."
"Heart and Sol," Ximena placed a hand on Solana's "If Jack can't come—"
"I don't run away from my commitments." The black cloud of his life outside this kitchen rolled in, layering itself over the brightly coloured landscape, turning everything grey. His knife clattered against his plate. "People depend on me."
Solana's mouth fell open, then closed into a thin line. He had no idea what ran through her mind at this moment. She was completely closed off to him. It irritated him to no end.
"Guess you should get back to them then." She tossed her napkin on the table. "I need to take a shower. Wash off last night."
The fork in his hand took the brunt of his anger as fingers curled around it and squeezed. Infuriating woman. "Guess I will."
He stared at her retreating form and suppressed an explicative when she raised her middle finger in the air before disappearing around the corner.
"It's ok," Luc offered. "You can come next time."
Down the hall, a door slammed. There would be no next time. He'd been a fool thinking he could slip into these people's lives, put on an apron and play house. He undid the apron ties and removed the costume that didn't fit. Never would. "Ximena, thank you for having me in your home."
The chair screeched as he pushed it back and stood. He turned to Luc and the child's smiling face was gone, replaced by wide eyes. Guilt stabbed at the dark cavern in his chest. "Have fun at your party today."
Phone in hand, Jack texted George to pick him up. It was time to get back to real life.
Hey all, DL here. Well, that attempt at friendship didn't last long. Do you think Solana over reacted or should Jack have considered taking a day off?
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