Getting Married Again. Melinda Curtis

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СКАЧАТЬ excited.” This was the man she’d fallen in love with. The man her heart longed for. The walls around her heart weakened. “You know, she always wanted a brother or a sister. Growing up, I did, too.” Until she’d realized how messed up her life was. Welfare, social workers, humiliation, a father who hadn’t loved her enough to hang around. She’d contented herself with the stingy, conditional love her mother offered. Until she found Jackson and realized there were other kinds of love.

      Only later did Lexie learn that even Jackson’s love was fragile and fleeting.

      Heidi entered the living room, carrying a tray with three glasses. “I got everyone water. We’re out of milk.” This last was said somewhat testily, as if it was Lexie’s fault that they’d drunk the last of the milk.

      Lexie experienced a twinge of guilt that she hadn’t been able to keep as much food in the house since she’d gone on public assistance.

      “Start a movie, Dad,” Heidi commanded, sinking to the floor.

      “And then your dad needs to leave. I’m sure he has lots to do,” Lexie said firmly.

      Jackson stared at Lexie with such a haunted expression in his eyes that Lexie had to look away. She’d barred Jackson from her life for a reason. He’d buried the man she’d fallen in love with underneath a veneer of confidence and easygoing charm.

      She just had to work harder to remember that what she was seeing now was only a rare glimpse of the man he’d once been.

      THE TWITCHES CAUGHT LEXIE’S ATTENTION.

      Propped against the couch at Lexie’s feet, Jackson had fallen asleep soon after the movie started. The twitching had begun about twenty minutes later. Still, he seemed fine, until the movie’s credits started to roll.

      “Don’t. No.” Jackson muttered and turned his head from side to side. “Come back.”

      “Is he having a bad dream?” Heidi asked.

      “Don’t! Alek, no!” Sweat covered Jackson’s brow. His leg bucked, as if fighting to move.

      “Mom?” Heidi scooted closer to Lexie.

      “It’s just a dream.” Lexie put her arm around Heidi’s shoulders. She raised her voice. “Jackson, wake up. You’re dreaming.”

      “The fire! Alek!” Jackson’s face scrunched up as if he were in pain.

      The hair rose on the back of Lexie’s neck. Without thinking, she knelt next to Jackson, placing her hands on his shoulders. “Jackson.” She shook him gently. “You’re dreaming.”

      “Don’t!” He sat bolt upright and gripped her arms above her elbows. Glazed eyes stared into hers.

      “You’re fine. Everything’s fine. It was a bad dream,” Lexie said soothingly.

      A violent shudder rippled through Jackson. He drew a deep breath. Then he seemed to return to wakefulness. At least his eyes blinked. His grip was starting to numb Lexie’s arms.

      “Dad, you’re scaring me,” Heidi said in a small voice.

      “Jackson.” Lexie pulled back slowly until his hands fell away.

      Jackson washed a hand over his face. As quickly as he had snapped to awareness, he was gone.

      Before she realized what she was doing, Lexie had pushed herself up off the floor and was following Jackson out the door. If he left like this, he’d never get to sleep later.

      Jackson was opening the door to his truck when she reached the porch.

      “Wait.”

      The sun had gone down and the blue sky had given way to purple, casting Jackson’s face in shadow when he turned to face her.

      “Wait,” she repeated, hurrying over to him.

      Jackson stood outside his truck, watching her ungainly approach. “You shouldn’t move so quickly.”

      “Then, don’t run out like that.” Lexie panted from the exertion it took to make her body move that fast. “Who’s Alek? What’s wrong?”

      “Nothing. No one.” He wouldn’t look at her.

      Of course he’d say that. Lexie sighed. Why did she expect him to open up to her when he hadn’t done so in years? “I don’t know why I followed you out here. I guess I was worried. Never mind. Some things never change.”

      Jackson stepped after her and caught her hand when she would have returned to the house. Against her better judgment, Lexie found herself facing him in the deepening shadows.

      He clasped her other hand.

      “Jackson—” Lexie warned, even as she felt her heart beat faster at his touch.

      “I’ve missed you, Lex.”

      Uh-oh. This was how she’d gotten into trouble the day they’d signed the divorce papers. “I should go inside.”

      “We’re friends, right? Talk to me.”

      She could hear the smile in his voice. He was turning on the charm, turning the attention from his problems to something he wanted to talk about. For some unexplained reason, Lexie’s voice and motor skills were conspicuously absent. She could only stand and listen.

      “Two hearts destined to be together,” Jackson lowered his voice, quoting a phrase that had been part of their wedding vows.

      The intimacy of the night, the feel of his hands clasped around hers, standing facing each other as they had on their wedding day… Lexie’s eyes filled with tears of regret. She wished the porch light were on so that she could break the spell between them.

      She took a shuddering breath and tried to pull back, but Jackson held on to her.

      Jackson searched the sky above them. “The first stars are beginning to shine, Lex. Tell me, what’s your dream?”

      Lexie’s breath caught in her throat. It was a silly game they’d indulged in when they were younger—wishing on the first star of the evening. She’d wished for another baby, and later, when they learned a second child wasn’t in their future…

      “Do you still wish for a business of your own?” Jackson completed her thought.

      “How can you remember my dreams and not remember the important stuff?” Like Heidi’s birthday or their anniversary.

      “I’ve always told you your dreams are important. Everyone says you should sell those marinades you make—”

      “And call them Hot Shot Sauces. I haven’t forgotten.” She’d given up on making her people-pleasing spicy marinades a paying reality. His dream had always been to be a Hot Shot, like his father. His dream was a reality.

      He cupped her cheek. “I don’t want to argue.”

      “Me, neither.” It felt СКАЧАТЬ