The arresting blue eyes swung around to connect with mine. He swallowed. “It’s an apology. For being so rude the other night. I was a jerk.”
“Oh.” I was dumbstruck. Jack had never apologized to me before. The sound was foreign but not without appeal.
“And you were right,” he said. “About a lot of things. If what I’m doing isn’t working, it’s time to try something else. A few nights ago after you’d gone to your room, I took one of those notebooks from the library desk. I’ve been writing longhand.”
“And?”
“It’s helping. It’s like it stimulates another part of my brain.”
Jack had listened to me, taken my advice.
Despite my shock, I managed to reply, “I know, isn’t it incredible?”
He nodded. “I still don’t have an ending, but I’ve got most of a new outline written, and I really like it. I think it’ll work—maybe even better than what I had before. I’ve been writing like the wind since then. And I haveyouto thank.”
Warmth melted through me. “Oh Jack, I’m so happy,”
I hadn’t meant to gush, but it came out sounding that way. His reply was just as effusive.
“Me too. It feels great to know where I’m going again, you know? I was just writing blind before, but now… now I feel like I might be able to make the deadline.”
He laughed. “Who knows? It might still be impossible, but at least I’m enjoying the writing for a change.”
“That’s everything,” I said.
I couldn’t really think of anything else to say because I was feeling a bit dazzled. Smiling as he was and letting himself be free and open, Jack was like a different man. He was actually charming. And he was more handsome than I’d ever seen him before.
Though he looked a little tired, there was a sparkle in his eyes, and his teeth flashed brightly in the candlelit room.
“Well, it’ssomething, which is a vast improvement on nothing,” Jack said and lifted his glass. “A toast—to inspiration.”
I lifted mine as well, clinking the delicate rim against his. “To inspiration. And speed.” I laughed. “So, I guess you’ll be holed up in your office twenty-four-seven, finishing the book?”
He nodded and swallowed. “Mostly. But it’s not healthy to sitallday long. I’d like to get back to my morning beach walks.”
“I love walking on the beach in the morning,” I exclaimed.
He raised one sardonic brow. “I know. I’ve seen you from my window. Mind if I join you tomorrow morning? We can let Harrison sit one out, though he might be jealous. I think he enjoys his exclusive ‘Bonnie time.’”
I laughed. “I don’t think he’ll mind. I have a feeling he might be a bit out of practice when it comes to exercise. He’s usually huffing and puffing when we get back to the house.”
Jack grinned. “I think he’s lost a few pounds. You’re good for him. You’re good for…” he paused before finishing the thought. “… all of us.”
I drowned my smile with another sip of wine. It was the nicest thing he’d ever said to me.
“Thank you. I’m… having a good time… believe it or not.”
It was late when we finished dinner, and in spite of my intentions to keep my wine consumption to “just a little” it felt like I might have had considerably more than that. Somewhere in all the conversation and the multiple food courses another bottle of wine had been opened and poured.
I hadn’t felt it at the table, but I felt it now. At the foot of the staircase, I staggered—just a little, a couple steps to the side, before regaining my balance.
I’d worn another pair of new stiletto sandals from the collection Jack had supplied along with a pretty watermelon red halter dress that matched them.
“You okay there?” Jack asked.
“Perfectly fine,” I said then grabbed the banister, preparing to ascend the grand staircase. Good lord, how many stepswerethere?
As I planted my foot on the first step, Jack’s arm went around my back, and his hand settled at my waist.
