Not Quite Dating (Not Quite #1)(11)
Author: Catherine Bybee

His father grumbled a little more, but finally relented and hung up.

Strange how things had changed over the years. Gaylord had been an absentee father most of Jack’s childhood, building the hotel chain and taking over other, weaker chains, all of which took time and years. With Gaylord’s advancing age came the realization of what he had missed. Now he wanted it back. At least that’s what Jack thought. Had Jack told him the real reason he wasn’t returning to Texas for the holiday, Gaylord would be having his pilot fire up his jet so he could meet Jack’s lady friend.

Jack didn’t need that.

“All set to go, Mr. Morrison,” Sharon told him while she handed back his card and the box. “I went ahead and put in the earrings, no charge. Although it seems crazy charging you for anything at all…considering.”

“It’s all good, Sharon. It’s been a pleasure.” Jack tucked the box under his arm and left the boutique with a smug smile.

Unlike any other time he’d bought something for a woman he was attracted to, this time he’d done it for the sole purpose of making her happy. He wasn’t doing it to find a lover…not completely, anyway. In reality, he hadn’t taken a lover since Heather. Not because Heather broke something inside of him, but because he couldn’t see past the plastic facade the women he’d met wore.

And plastic no longer held any appeal.

Jessie stirred something inside of him that pushed meaningless sex from his mind.

He pressed the elevator button and fished a pass key out of his pocket. He needed to change into his Jack Moore clothes so he could make a certain waitress’s day…or night, as it was. He couldn’t wait to see Jessie wearing the dress that weekend, to see her eyes light up when she saw it for the first time.

He couldn’t wait.

Jessie wiped her hands on a towel before she led Jack into the break room in the back of the restaurant. “I don’t know about this,” she told him, staring at the huge box he held in his hands.

“What’s to worry about? I’m telling you, the guy bought the dress for someone and then never picked the thing up.”

“Why would anyone buy a dress and leave it at the store?” That was crazy. Just staring at the box brought on little waves of anticipation. How long had it been since she’d worn a nice dress? Forever!

“I don’t know, maybe the girlfriend dumped him.”

“Then why wouldn’t he ask for his money back?”

Jack shrugged. “Maybe he was embarrassed. Rich people spend money as if it grows on trees. Don’t shoot your own foot.” Jack’s constant use of clichés made her smile. It must be a Texas thing. “Aren’t you even curious about what’s in the box?”

Curious? Heck, her palms were all sweaty.

Jack waved the box under her nose and said in a singsong voice, “Come on, Jessie…open the box.”

“Oh, give that to me.” She grasped the package out of his hands and sat it on the table in the middle of the room. She tugged on the lid until it pulled free, and gasped.

There, in the delicate gold tissue paper, sat a beautiful black dress that must have cost a fortune. “Oh. My. God. I can’t wear this. It’s too much.” Even as the words left her mouth, her greedy fingers grasped the dress as she lifted it for a better look.

The material slid in her hands. Silk, she mused. Only nothing like anything she owned or had ever worn. Her heart skipped in her chest with the thought of slipping it over her body.

“It’s beautiful, Jack. Why would anyone leave this at the store?”

“You like it?”

“Like it? I love it.” She pushed past him to look in the full-length mirror that hung outside the door to the employee lockers. She pictured her hair up, or maybe down…a little more shadow on her eyes. This wasn’t a little black dress, this was the little black dress that every woman wanted but seldom had. The dress would require a strapless bra, but she had one of those. What was she thinking? She couldn’t wear a dress meant for someone else.

Or could she?

She couldn’t stop smiling at her reflection…at the dress. “Are you sure you’re not going to get into any trouble with this?”

He leaned one shoulder against the frame of the doorway and offered her a sexy grin. “I’m sure.”

Like he’d say otherwise. She watched him through the mirror and questioned him with her stare.

“Did you see the shoes?” He nodded toward the box.

Jessie glanced over her shoulder and saw two strappy heels with tiny rhinestones adorning the edges, perfect for the dress.

“Are they my size?”

“You said seven, right?”

“Yeah.”

She moved back over to the box and gently laid the dress inside. “I don’t know, Jack. This is pricey stuff. I’d hate for you to get caught borrowing it and find yourself canned all on my account.”

“I’m telling you, no one will be the wiser. This dress has been sitting there for months. I’m surprised it hasn’t collected dust. Seems a shame to let it sit in the box instead of being worn by a beautiful lady.”

Jessie passed him a frown. “You’re incorrigible.”

“Been called worse.”

“Still.”

Jack helped her put the lid back on the box. “The party starts at eight this Saturday night.” He fished out a piece of paper from his pocket. “Here’s your ticket.”

She glanced at the embossed paper with the time, date, and place stamped on it. A tiny bit of holly took up a corner. Elegant.

Pam, another of the night servers, poked her head through the break room door. “Getting busy out here,” she said.

“I’ll leave you so you can get to work,” Jack said. “I’ll see you Saturday.”

“As long as you’re sure you won’t get in any trouble.”

Jack rolled his eyes. “I won’t. Promise.”

Jessie slid the box on the top of the lockers and turned for the door.

“Hey, Jack,” she called out to him before he could leave.

He turned and gave her his signature smile, dimples and all. “Yeah.”

“Thanks.”

“Eight o’clock,” he said with a wink.

“Got it.”

He gave her a little salute with the brim of his hat and sauntered his Levi’s-clad butt right out the door.

“Who was that?” Pam asked.

“A-A friend.”