Never Again - 23

Chapter 23 - finding boundaries...

 

Jack was prompt the next morning; annoyingly he looked as though he’d slept for twelve hours and more. Erin was feeling shattered, despite going early to bed her sleep had been restless, and now she was still anything but refreshed. She knew that she as sulking like a petulant child, but that was exactly how he made her feel.

 Sliding in to the passenger seat, Erin tried her best not to scowl, and more importantly not to snap at Jack’s stifled laugh, he obviously was taking great amusement at her discomfort, and she hated that her childish behaviour embarrassed her.

He drove to a car dealership on the outskirts of the city, and immediately started opening car doors and examining the interiors. Within seconds a rather harassed salesman pounced on him, then almost exploded with pleasure when he realised just who the crazy patron was. With the confidence of a guaranteed sale, the salesman - Jonathan, whisked them into the showroom and smothered them with attention. Jack expected it, Erin could tell, but it was all a bit much for her.

As the two men got into debates over the finer points of the specifications of the latest range of cars, Erin excused herself and made for the sunny forecourt. She wasn’t girly enough to choose a car by its colour...but it helped! She also needed a people carrier so she had the room for Barney.

So she made for a row of them, all in different shiny colours, she sat in the driver’s seat and fiddled around, the adjustable mirrors, the stereo, the gadgets that it offered. The next one was black, but the interior was metallic, so much nicer than the previous one, but it had alloy wheels and reminded her of a teenage boy’s wet dream, she was a woman in her thirties!

The fourth one was perfect, black again, but a compromise, if she was going to drive the car, then she’d have the final say, not Ayton Senna who was still ensconced in the showroom.

A young boy immaculately dressed approached, “can I help you miss?”

She nodded, “I like this car, and I’d like to buy it!”

Grinning, he dug in his pocket, “good choice, would you like a test drive?”

Rubbing her hands together enthusiastically, she grinned, “sounds perfect.” Then she caught the keys he tossed her way.

Diving into the driver’s seat, she started the engine and was rewarded with a purr, pulling slowly off the forecourt and onto the quiet street, she honked the horn. Jack’s head snapped up and she couldn’t help but laugh at the look of shock on his face. When she looked at the salesman, or rather boy sat beside her, his name tag read Greg, she saw a similar look of shock on his face.

                “You’re with Mr Reilly?”

She nodded, “for my sins! And YOU’LL be getting the commission on this sale. How does that sound?”

The boy stuttered and she grinned, “Don’t ever change, not everyone wants a smarmy salesman rammed down their throats, Jack loves the attention, but we’re not all like him.” She swung the car around a corner and hit a flat open road, so she squeezed the accelerator.

They were gone a maximum of five minutes, but when they returned it was to some form of chaos. Jack was pacing the forecourt an angry look on his face, Jonathan the salesman looked apoplectic.

                “Can I drive this away today?” She asked Greg.

He nodded, “if Mr Reilly’s paying cash he can do what he wants!” 

                “Good!” She stopped outside the building and turned off the engine, “let’s go finalise!”

Erin could feel the anger emanating from everywhere, but she didn’t care, turning to Jack she smiled, “Greg here says I can drive this away today. I love it!”

                “But we were looking at ordering...”

She shook her head, “Reilly, I want this one! And Greg here is going to sort it out for us. Now!”

Greg was nervously tapping at the computer when she finally found him, “are you in trouble Greg?”

He laughed, “I’ve been waiting months to take a commission off Jonathan, you’re like my fairy godmother!”

Sitting opposite him she laughed, then started to answer his questions.

Jack joined them, a strained look on his face, merely parting with his bankcard when asked. He was angry, she’d overridden him, made him look foolish, but he was so over powering, and Erin was not the sort of woman to tolerate that, he had to learn that about her, and soon.

Emerging into the sun, she thanked Greg for his help, then walked towards her new car. Jack was still silent accompanying her towards the new vehicle.

                “I’m guessing you’re angry Reilly, welcome to my world. If you want to join me for lunch you’re more than welcome, but if not, I’ll presume you need the time to digest my actions.”

With that she jumped in her new car and drove off.

Furious didn’t come close; Jack fired the engine of his SUV and hit the road. If he drove for ten hours he didn’t think he’d calm down. But he knew he couldn’t confront her like this, not now she was pregnant.

After twenty minutes he looked up and realised he was only a few miles from Scott’s home, he relied on Danni far more than was healthy, but she was the only person who understood him. Swinging in to their driveway, he was glad to see their cars parked on the driveway.

Scott opened the door and almost laughed, “Man, you are the only entertainment I’ve needed this last few weeks. What the hell have you done now?”

Jack groaned, “I’ve done nothing...”

Danni having heard their voices came out of the lounge, “so what do you perceive Erin to have done?”

She led the way to the kitchen and filled the coffee machine as the two men sat opposite each other at the kitchen table. At that moment Caitlyn the older of the eighteen month old twins, burst into the kitchen, pointing at Jack she gurgled, “Ack!!” It was as close as either of them got to his name, and he loved it!

Smiling for the first time in what seemed like ages, he pulled her onto his lap and blew a raspberry onto her cheek. She giggled ridiculously, until Sophie her identical yet so different sister joined them. Whenever he was there the two fought for his attention, and he never got bored of them. Scott laughed, and Danni just nodded knowingly.

They got bored soon and headed back into the lounge for more toys, it was then Danni handed him a coffee, “so spill!”

He groaned, “I bought her a car.”

                “Why?” Scott asked genuinely interested.

He sighed, “she’d driving around in a fifteen year old car that looks to have had more owners than care...she lives alone, she’s pregnant...”

Danni placed a hand on his shoulder, “you care! We get that! But were you tactful? She’s not going to just take you walking into her life bossing her around. Surely you can see that?”

He groaned, and then told them the story of his morning. Scott was guffawing and Danni smirking as he finished.

                “Sounds like she’s got your number Jack! I’m liking this girl more and more!”

Danni nodded, “can’t say I blame her, and I’m glad she’s got the balls to stand up to you! Did you think of her feelings once today?”

He dropped his head into his hands, “I only want what’s best for her.”

Danni nodded, “then tell her, that’s all you can do. You didn’t like her taking control today, but that was exactly what you were doing. Go Erin I say!”

Scott was standing and he clapped Jack on the back, “I’m thinking you need to show her your better side or she’ll be long gone!”

Jack scowled at him, “she offered me dinner so I must be dong something right!”

                “Then why aren’t you there?”

Looking at Danni he realised she was right, Erin knew she’d pushed him, but that was her way of testing boundaries, her attempts to compromise with his heavy arm tactics. He’d not given any consideration to what she wanted, he could see that now, and he didn’t like to taste his own medicine!

Erin knew that he’d join her for lunch, that was a given, but she didn’t know what sort of mood he was in, not that she cared, he had to learn that this was not the way she was happy to live her life. She’d told Michelle all about her new car on the phone earlier; it wouldn’t be so easy to tell her parents, she was still dreading her father’s reaction to the father of her baby. Something else she’d have to confront.

She chosen against hot food, it was a beautiful day, so she’d laid the table in her small courtyard garden with her favourite crockery, she’d baked potatoes and grilled salmon, and it was almost ready, she was just cutting up the last of the salad when there was a knock on the door.

Wiping her hands, Erin made to answer it, and decided that she would take the ignorance course of action; she didn’t really want to rehash the morning’s events.

                “Hi Reilly!” She smiled offering her into her home. It was a welcome greeting, as though she was pleased to see him, really pleased. He loved the sound, not quite as much as when she’d called him Jack, but that had been in a far more intimate situation and one that it seemed she had no intention of repeating.

A million excuses, explanations and reasons were on the top of his tongue, but she turned away from him and led him through to the lounge.

                “I’ve cooked some salmon, I’m presuming you like?”

                “Erin!”

She glanced over her shoulder at the sound of her name; he was stood hands on hips, “I’m sorry. For earlier.”

If he’d spoken in fluent Spanish she couldn’t have been more surprised, she could just nod and accept it, but she wasn’t exactly clear as to what part of earlier he was sorry for. In the end her curiosity won through, “for what exactly?”

He groaned he was hoping to use the apology to ease the tension; the last thing he had intended was to have to explain anything in detail. “I was...I...I didn’t ask you what you wanted, then I was angry when you did what you wanted...I’m not used to it. Ok?”

She laughed, “Not used to what? People having their own mind...” She half closed her eyes, “or women knowing their own mind?”

Groaning he propped a hand against the door frame and looked down at her, “this isn’t easy for me you know!”

She nodded, “nor me. Just because you are the father of this child, it does not give you the right to dictate to me. You have got to understand that! Ok?”

                “I just want to wrap you up in cotton wool and make sure you’re both safe, I know that’s not practical, but that’s the caveman in me, ok?”

Laughing, she reached out and laid a hand on his cheek, “if you try and wrap me in cotton wool I’ll set fire to it!”

He laughed too, “Touché, I am going to try and understand.”

With a nod she reached up and kissed her cheek, “thanks for the car, it’s amazing. I hate being bought, but hey, I figure this baby deserves it!”

                “He does!”

                “He???” she raised an eyebrow, “you reckon?”

They ate the food out in the mid afternoon sun. They got on well when they weren’t arguing, but Jack was careful not to push her too hard, and he had to hide his recurrent desire to force her up against the wall and mash his lips to hers. She really would be angry then.

He stayed until early evening, both sat in the small garden in the glorious sunshine.

                “I’m off to Malaysia in four days, a pre-season tour. I’m worried about leaving you alone.”

She laughed, “poor me! How will I survive?” She placed a hand dramatically on her forehead and swooned.

                “Ok wise arse, I get that you’ll be fine. I feel responsible, ok?”

Giving him a dazzling smile, she replied, “You’re going to spend a long time very frustrated if you keep that up! I’m my own boss Reilly!”

He groaned, he was already VERY frustrated, could he cope with anymore?

When she saw him out, when he finally decided to leave, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her on the lips.

She pulled back and swatted at him, “none of that funny business Mr Reilly!”

Jack could only smile, he’d enjoyed the afternoon with her, and knew she liked his company too, they’d been good together once, and they could be again. Allowing her to push him away, he leaned forward and whispered in her ear, “we’re good together Erin, don’t forget that!”

                “Past tense Reilly, all in the past!” With an equally beaming smile, she closed the door behind him, then out of his sight, collapsed onto the floor. She’d been so tempted to throw caution to the wind, but she couldn’t, it was all wrong.

Sighing, she made for the bathroom, a relaxing bath was in order, Jack was a confusing problem that wasn’t going anywhere, but she needed her wits about her to deal with him that was for sure.