Page 17 of Unwrapped
Adam kissed Jack as the conversation flowed, happy to be in Jack’s arms and with their friends around them, especially during the season.
“I love you, sweetheart.”
Adam turned and pressed a kiss to Jack’s lips, loving that he could in front of everyone.When he opened his mouth to tell Jack how much he meant to him, Jack’s phone rang.Adam hoped it wasn’t a work emergency.
Jack reached for the phone in his back pocket and laughed when he had to tighten his hold on Adam’s waist and sit up to grab it.But when he glanced at the screen, he paled.Adam reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze, letting him know that he was here.When Jack looked at him, Adam somehow knew who was on the line and kept the curse from slipping past his lips.Barely.
Adam nodded, moving closer to Jack and wrapping him tightly in his arms as Jack answered.
“Hello?”
Everyone stilled at the sound of Jack’s choked voice.Jackson Wright’s voice boomed through the phone and Adam thought he might have growled aloud.
Adam had never liked Jack’s dad and he had a long list of reasons.Jackson had missed most of the milestones in Jack’s life due to his work, but Adam truly believed it was by choice.He skipped every event Jack participated in from baseball to his academic achievements.He didn’t even attend Jack’s graduation from high school or college.Whenever Jack had gone to see his mom during college breaks, he’d taken Adam as a kind of buffer, thinking Jackson wouldn’t berate him in front of his friend.But nothing stopped Jackson from being degrading and demeaning to his son.
Jackson hated it when Jack had gone off on his own, building his own company from scratch, but what had alienated Jack from his entire family was his business had been more successful than Jackson’s.
Jack had created a company based on keeping connections in business and saving as many jobs as possible.His company had expanded several times over the last couple of years.Jack would promote from within before looking elsewhere and would supply a generous salary and benefits.All his employees loved him.He knew the feeling all to well.
Adam snapped back to the conversation when Jack tensed against him.
“What do you want?” Jack’s voice tight and unwelcoming.
“Your mother has passed and the funeral is scheduled for Monday at Trinity West.”
Fuck.The funeral was the day after tomorrow.
Jack clenched his jaw so tightly that Adam worried he’d break his teeth.Adam distracted Jack by turning his hand over and kissing his palm.When Jack looked at Adam, he blew out a breath and relaxed.
“When did she die?”
“Last Monday.I don’t see what that has to do with anything.”
Jack stared absently at Adam and he spotted the hatred he had for his father in the flash of his ice blue eyes, and the sentiment was echoed in Adam as he gathered Jack in his arms.But he also spotted sadness for his mother.The woman who wouldn’t leave Jackson although he treated her more like a servant than his wife.
“Nothing.Nothing at all, father.I will be there Monday.”Jack ended the call and threw his phone on the table.
Adam worried for Jack, who had grown silent in the long minutes that passed since he’d spoken to his father.It wasn’t until Ronan pulled Jack into a crushing hug when Jack snapped back to the present.
“We’re sorry for your loss.If there is anything we can do, just ask.”Ronan hugged him again before Caleb pulled Jack close.The next few minutes, Adam gave a sad smile as every one of their friends pulled Jack close.He’d never been so grateful that they were together when Jack received the news.
“Let’s go home, baby, okay?”
Jack nodded and with another round of hugs and thanks, they both promised they would keep in touch and headed toward the car.Jack’s silence worried him, but he didn’t want to push.He didn’t really get to know Jack’s mother, although Jack had spoken about her in general terms, nothing memorable stood out.
Adam drove home and his concern growing after each mile they covered and he wondered if Jack would be okay.His silence made Adam’s chest ache with sadness for him but also for what he would have to endure during the funeral.
They were silent as they locked up the house and went upstairs to get ready for bed.Adam draped himself over Jack and snuggled his face into Jack’s neck, loving it when Jack wrapped his arms tightly around Adam and held him close.
“Whenever you’re ready to talk, I’m here.I’ll always be here with you, baby.”
“Do you know what I was thinking when he told me?”
“No.”
“I kept thinking about how I’d messed up and lost you.Even if it was a little space in time, I understood I couldn’t live without you.Father sounded like he hadn’t cared one way or the other about mom, the woman he’d been married to for thirty-five years.It was as if he were talking about a stock tip, not his wife.”
Jack cleared his throat and met Adam’s gaze for the first time since he’d gotten the news.
“Although I didn’t have any insight into my parent’s relationship, they were married and that had to mean something.Or at least I thought it had to.But in that moment, I knew I’d been looking at my life completely wrong.It wasn’t what you had, it was who you chose to love and spent your life with.”
Jack turned and kissed Adam, the soft press of their lips filled with meaning.
“I love you and everything else in my life is a bonus.And I know I will never take you for granted again.”
Adam gave him a watery smile.“And I love you, Jack.For the rest of our lives.”
Jack turned and held Adam.Adam loved the feel of Jack’s hot breaths on his neck and he took comfort in his familiar smell and the feel of his arms around the man he loved.They undressed and without bothering with anything else, slid under the covers and held each other tight.Soon, they fell asleep from the exhaustion of the news and the emotions of the night.
