Page 11 of Jack
He drew in a deep breath, relishing thefresh scent of the garden and the crispness of the morning air.Memories of the previous night lingered, but he tried to push themaway. He wondered what Zuri was doing now, perhaps preparing for abusy day at the club. He shook his head, annoyed with himself fordwelling on her.
With a sigh, he stood up and stretched,feeling the warmth of the sun starting to seep into his skin. Theallure of the pool had faded, replaced by a sense of restlessness. Hedecided to go for a walk around the estate, hoping it would clear hismind and give him a new perspective.
As he strolled through the garden, henoticed how meticulously tended it was, a testament to the dedicationof the staff. He admired the vibrant colors of the flowers, theneatly trimmed hedges, and the orderly rows of vegetables in thekitchen garden. It was all so perfect, yet it felt like a gilded cageto him.
Jason's thoughts wandered to hisgrandmother's stern face that morning, her piercing eyes that sawthrough his every lie. He respected her deeply, yet he resented theconstraints placed on him. What he wouldn't give for a bit offreedom, a chance to live without constant scrutiny.
He reached the edge of the property, wherea small wooden gate led to a path through the woods. He paused for amoment, considering whether to venture beyond the boundaries of theestate. The temptation was strong, but the promise he'd made weighedheavy on his conscience. With a resigned shrug, he turned back,making his way towards the large manor house that loomed in thedistance.
The sounds of the estate surroundedhim—birdsong, the hum of garden machinery, and the occasionalbark of a dog. It was a symphony of a serene life, yet it failed tosoothe his restless spirit.
Jason felt a pang of longing for somethingmore, something beyond the confines of his privileged existence. Heknew he had responsibilities and expectations to meet, but hecouldn't help but dream of a life less ordinary. As he walked back tothe house, he resolved to find a way to honor his promise whileseeking out the adventures his heart yearned for.
He had seen from his room window when hisfather left. Probably going to another one of his endless businessappointments. The man never stops. Never said to him that they shouldgo take in a game or two. Dragging restless fingers through his hair,he headed back. He had missed breakfast and was feeling the hungergnawing at his stomach.
*****
"We could have stayed at the bar."
Zuri watched as her friend's hands movedrestlessly from her coffee cup to the bowl of fruits in front of her.Jazmine had taken just tiny sips of her latte and nibbled on grapes.
"No, we couldn't." Placing a handover the restless one flitting around the table, she forced herfriend to look at her. "Honey, you obviously wanted privacy."
Her smile was spoiled by the shimmeringtears in her eyes. "It's been so long since we've seen eachother."
"And yet it feels like justyesterday." Zuri squeezed her hand lightly. "We kept intouch and that's what matters."
Jazmine nodded and took in a deep breath.The little café was quiet with the morning crowd already goneand too early for lunch. They had selected a corner booth with theview of the streets. It was so different from what she was accustomedto. Heavy traffic, both pedestrian and vehicular. People bustling toand from their various destinations. Splash of lights and colors.Buildings spearing towards the sky. "It's a quaint littleplace."
"You're an urbanite."
Jazmine turned her head to smile at herfriend. "I am, yes. So were you."
Shrugging, Zuri picked up her cup and tooka sip of her espresso. She should have chosen something less likelyto put her into a dizzy spin. She had paperwork to get back to andother things to deal with. But after the phone call, a quietlydesperate one from a friend she had not seen in more than five years,she had left without hesitation. The paperwork will still be there,and her brother could handle whatever it was that needed handling. "Ihave somehow become accustomed to being home." She glanced outat the opposite building. An exclusive clothing store that she hadstepped into quite a few times.
The price was ridiculous, but the qualitywas wonderful. And nothing was wrong with a girl spending a fewhundred on an outfit designed to entice and flatter.
"You were right."
Zuri had waited her out, was waiting herout. From the few calls she had received leading up to this meeting,she suspected that something was wrong. And when her friend hadcalled a month ago to say the divorce was final, she had heard thestrain and the break in the voice.
"About what?"
"You said Ronaldo was all flash and nosubstance."
"Honey, I never meant—"Zuri blew out a breath, her innate honesty making it difficult forher to lie. "I did."
"And you were right." Jazminedrew in a careful breath while tears shimmered in her light blueeyes. Her face was waxy pale and the severity of the elegant chignonat the nape of her neck only highlighted the sharp bones of her face.
Zuri's gaze lingered on Jazmine, herfriend's fragile state tugging at her heartstrings. She wished shecould erase the pain etched into Jazmine's features, but she knewthat healing took time.
As Jazmine took another tentative sip fromher latte, Zuri decided to change the subject to lighten the mood."Tell me, have you been to any good art exhibitions lately? Youalways had an eye for beauty."
Jazmine's eyes brightened slightly at themention of art. "Oh, there was one at the downtown gallery lastweek. They had some incredible pieces by emerging artists. It wasrefreshing to see such raw talent."
Zuri smiled, glad to see a spark ofenthusiasm in her friend. "That sounds wonderful. Maybe we couldgo together sometime. I'd love to see what's new in the art world."
They had a lot in common and that had beenthe core of their friendship. She had met Jazmine while attending NYUand an instant bond had been struck between them. Both of them hadmodeled to finance their education. Zuri had said no to the modelingworld and a lucrative contract, not wanting to be bogged down by thewear and tear of the industry, but her friend had grabbed it withboth hands.
