Shattered

•Thirteen•

NOW

"We need to talk, it seems," Jack grabbed my hand and squeezed it just as I was about to take my weekend bag upstairs to unpack.

My heart sank but I did my best to play innocent.  "Hmm?"

"Chrissy, I've been sneezing since I picked you up.  You smell like a damn dog."

"Oh, Jack, I'm so sorry, I forgot you're allergic.  I'll wash all my clothes immediately and shower."

Jack's eyes narrowed and he didn't let go of my hand, instead he stepped up to where I was.  "And why do you smell like a dog?"

I felt like he was challenging me, pushing me to crack and spill the truth.

"Trish had a wedding yesterday, so I went on a bike ride around town and checked out a bunch of different places, one of them being the animal shelter."

"Why?"

I shrugged.  "I don't know, I was thinking I could volunteer to help out since I just sit around at home all day."

"Well you can't."

"Yeah, I guess you're right.  Wouldn't work out."

Jack watched my eyes and I smiled, waiting for him to release me.  He leaned forward and kissed me.  "Go shower."

I nodded and continued up the stairs, tugging my bag with me.  He didn't follow.  Instead he stepped out on the back deck, turning the light on since the sun had set hours ago.  I caught him pulling his phone out of his pocket as he closed the sliding glass door behind him.

In the shower alone, I felt like I could finally breathe.  How did I do this before?  How did I lie to Jack's face and keep Tom a secret?  I felt sick, but only just a little.  I ran my fingers over my lips where Tom's had been a few hours ago. 

Tom had lifted me to the counter and I had wrapped my legs around his waist and it felt so normal, so natural. 

After I showered, I dried off and combed out my hair before removing my contacts.  I slipped my glasses onto my nose and quickly dressed, wondering where Jack was.  I went to the window and looked into the back yard.  Down below on the back deck, Jack was sitting on the steps with his head on his knees, his arms hugging his head in frustration.  My heart would not stop pounding.  There was no way I could do this, I had to either tell Jack or end it with Tom, whatever it was.

Jack rose and I stepped away from the window quickly before he saw me.  The light on the back deck went off and I heard the door downstairs slam closed.

Who the hell had he been talking to?

I opened my suitcase and dumped all the clothes into the hamper in the closet and tucked the luggage away.  Jack came into the room and undressed, tossing his clothes into the closet, but missing the hamper completely.  I bent down and picked everything up, shoving each item into the hamper.

"Leave any hot water for me?" He yawned.  "I'm beat.  Gonna shower and then crash."

"Yeah, I wasn't in there long," I answered, but the door to the bathroom was closed before I finished my sentence.

I climbed into the bed and grabbed the remote control.  I wasn't tired, not with images of Tom floating around in my mind.  Kissing him had been a hefty dose of medicine.  The way his stubble felt along my jaw triggered so many memories, just the way he felt against me.  I had to push him away, not wanting my face to get too red before returning home with Jack.

I glanced over to the bathroom door and listened.  The shower had been turned on.  My eyes landed on Jack's phone on the bedside table.

As quickly as I could, I threw the sheets back and scrambled toward it.  Before grabbing it, I listened for Jack.  He was still in the shower, I could hear the splashing.