Island Hearts (Jenny's Turn and Stray Lady) (5 page)

Now she had to get herself far away from him. Thank God for George!

“Jennifer? Where are you?”

She clenched her hands together, called out, “I’m in here! In the library.” He came around the corner, wet with rain, smiling over something he was about to tell her. “Jake, I’ve got to talk to you about—”

“I’ve got some great footage on that city hall demonstration – just have a look at this video tape!”

Startled, she asked, “What demonstration?”

“A delegation turned up at city hall, leading a cow into the council chambers – protesting re-zoning to put a slaughterhouse in their neighborhood. The whole thing descended into chaos! Police, aldermen, the Mayor! One of the demonstrators threw a pitcher of water at Gerstch, and Gerstch is suing for assault. Can you believe it? Gerstch’s supporters are picketing city hall.”

“And the cow?”

He grinned widely, revealing a deep dimple in his chin. “I think the cows have been arrested – they left, led away by two city police officers. It’s going to hit the National News tonight. I’ve already got it sold to both networks – oh, and that crazy woman who wants to pass a law about couples kissing in Stanley Park is trying to propose a motion to ban cows in city hall.”

“It sounds like a circus.”

“Edit this tape, will you?” He dropped the tape onto her desk. She could see the excitement still gleaming in his dark eyes. “I need a short – about five minutes – for the networks. The sensational stuff, commentary—” He spread his hands out in an all-encompassing gesture of the work he wanted her to do. “You know the routine. Then deliver it for me, please. I’m going over to the North Shore— yes, Charlotte? What is it?”

Charlotte was hovering, holding out a pink slip of paper to Jake. “Your lawyer called – he called twice. He needs your signature on a contract.”

He said briskly, “You call him. Tell him I’ll drop by tomorrow morning.”

“And Monica called,” Charlotte added, revealing a second pink slip.

“I’ll call her later. Remind me when I get back from the North Shore. No!” He waved her away. “Don’t tell me the rest of the messages! Anything that can’t keep ‘till tomorrow?”

Charlotte frowned at the papers in her hands. “Well, no, but—”

“Then leave them for tomorrow. Too busy today. Jennifer, you look after anything that won’t hold. I—”

“Jake—” If she meant to go through with it, she would have to make him listen now. Jenny insisted, “Jake, I’ve got to talk to you.
Now!
”

He shook his head, turning away. “Not now. Tomorrow morning. I’m off now.”

She followed him out through the outer office. “
Jake,
it can’t wait!
“

“Impossible. If tomorrow won’t do, call me at home tonight. Charlotte, send some flowers to Monica for me – and a note.” He stopped suddenly. Jenny was following him so closely that she almost crashed into him. He looked down at her with a sudden, penetrating intensity. “How’s George?”

“George is fine,” she answered impatiently. “Charlotte’s waiting to know what to put in Monica’s note.”

He blinked. “Oh, yes. Ah—” He looked at Charlotte, said, “ ‘Sorry, darling. Can’t get away tonight. Thanks for a lovely weekend.’ How’s that?” he asked Jenny with a smile.

Charlotte turned away. So did Jake. If she didn’t stop him now, it could be days before she got another chance. Desperate to stop him, she found herself shouting, “
Jake! I’m quitting!
”

There was a sudden, total silence as Jenny’s words echoed. Charlotte’s jaw dropped, showing her gold capped tooth. Jake didn’t say a word, just grabbed her arm and dragged her across the office in three short steps, then pushed her into the studio and slammed the door behind them, closing Charlotte out – and Jenny in, alone with Jake.

“All right,” he said grimly. “You’ve got my attention. Let’s have it.”

She took a deep breath. With his eyes boring into her, it was harder to sound firm. She’d
never
seen him look quite so threatening, his cheekbones jutting out sharply under glowering eyes. She remembered suddenly that his Haida ancestors had been warriors feared everywhere on the Pacific coast.
 

“Let go of me, Jake! You’re hurting my arm. You heard what I said.” She sucked in a deep breath. “I’m quitting. I quit.”

“You can’t quit,” he said flatly. “I won’t let you.”

“You can’t stop me,” insisted Jenny, with a conviction she couldn’t quite feel.

He loosened his grip on her arm, but she knew it would tighten again if she made a move. Impatiently, he said, “Let’s get to the point, shall we? What’s your grievance?”

“Grievance?” She shook her head, confusion showing in her eyes for a moment, then anger. “I’m trying to tell you that I’m quitting – I’ve been
trying
to tell you all morning, but you won’t stay still long enough for me to get out a word!”

He grimaced. “You didn’t have any trouble out there just now. You got your message through. I take it this is about your holidays. I honestly don’t know how we can—”

She stamped her foot in frustration. “
It isn’t the bloody holidays!
Oh, partly I suppose it is – and a lot of other things, too. But it makes no difference now. I’m leaving. I’ll get the organizing done for the Eglinton thing – then
I’m gone
.”

She’d never seen him so much at a loss before. He’d fallen silent, staring at her as if he didn’t know how to handle this. She pushed down a strong urge to change her mind, tell him it was all a mistake.

In the next room, Charlotte was phoning the florists with Jake’s love message for Monica. Staying wouldn’t change that.

She made her voice businesslike. “You were going to the North Shore?”

“
To hell with the North Shore!”
he exploded. “What’s this
really
about? Someone else offered you a job? How much, Jennifer? How much were you offered? If it’s a raise you’re after—”

“It’s
not
money. It’s not another job.”

“Then
what is it
, for God’s sake?!” He turned angrily away from her, then spun back, coming too close. She could feel the violence and frustration radiating off his body in waves.

“Stop shouting at me, Jake!”

He took a deep breath. Jenny’s hands clenched. She’d never seen him so angry before. His blazing eyes made a lie of the flat calmness in his voice. “Why are you leaving?”

Lamely, she said, “I’m going away,” then added, “Sailing. With George.”

“George again?” He glared at her for long seconds, then said, “Fine. Have your fling – your damned holidays! But cut this nonsense about leaving!
You can’t leave!
”

He moved closer. She stepped back, moving around her desk and sinking into her chair. She felt sick, weak from the strain of shouting at Jake and having him shout at her.

“I’m really going,” she insisted, not looking at him. “I’m
not
coming back.”

“Just like that?” He waved an arm, gesturing at her desk, the worktable they often used together. His motion caught her attention and she found herself looking into his eyes, seeing an unexpected vulnerability that was quickly shuttered as he said, “Five years – and you’re just going to leave?”

Tonelessly, she explained, “I’ve got a month’s holiday starting next week. You promised me that last winter. In January, you said—”

“I remember what I said, for God’s sake!”

“
Don’t swear at me!
” she shouted back.

He didn’t lower his voice as he retorted, “You’re in a temper today, aren’t you, my lady? What’s gotten into you?”

“Look who’s talking!” She met his blazing eyes head on. “You’re prowling around like an angry bear – roaring like one, too!”

He paced across the room and back again, demanding, “Are you marrying this George?” He lunged around her desk, grabbing her shoulders and giving a short, rough shake. “
Jennifer, are you?
”

“Damn it, Jake! Let
go
of me! That hurts!” She jerked back from his hands, sending her chair rolling away from him. “And it’s none of your business!” She eyed him warily, nervous of his violent anger.

“Are you marrying George?“

She couldn’t help a nervous giggle. “I don’t think George is going to ask me.” Then her smile died as his face darkened in fury. For a minute she thought he was going to explode, then he stepped back and his face relaxed into a shuttered mask.

“I don’t believe it,” he said flatly. “If someone had gotten through that damned reserve of yours, I’d know it.” He frowned, studying her, asking, “So what is it? It’s not like you to let your love life interfere with your career. There’s got to be more to it.”

She shifted papers on her desk, managed to sound indifferent, almost bored. “If it amuses you to speculate, go ahead.”

“Jennifer, you can’t just take off into the unknown with some man – this isn’t your style, a cheap affair!”

“A
cheap—”
She pushed the chair back again and stood up, facing him, glaring at those eyes as the angry brown fires overtook the coolness she’d seen a moment ago. “Look here, Jake, you’re not my keeper! And you’re the last one to talk about cheap affairs!”

“Well
someone
sure as hell should be your keeper! You’re throwing away your career –
everything
– for a shoddy romance. Do your parents have any idea what you’re doing?”

Her parents! God! She closed her eyes to cover the moment’s hurt at his assumption that her parents would care. “I’m not exactly a child. I’m twenty-eight years old.”

“You’re sure as hell not behaving like it!”

“Thanks a lot!” she hissed, “You’re not interested in my well-being! You’re thinking of yourself. It’ll put your schedule out of whack if I quit.”

“That’s the understatement of the year! It’d be chaos and you know it. How the—”

“Will you stop swearing?”

He glared at her, then took a deep breath. “All right. How would you suggest I go about replacing you?
Damn
it, Jennifer! You’re necessary here!”

“What you really mean,” she said slowly and bitterly, “is that no one else around here wants to give up all their holidays, their weekends and their evenings, just to make sure you keep the commitments you take on. You say I’m giving up my career! Just what am I giving up?” She jabbed a finger hard onto the desk. “A lifetime as your general dogsbody? I don’t go on location any more. I don’t get to film anything except greasy hamburgers – Jake, a couple of years ago you wouldn’t have taken on junk like that! You’re doing more and more, without thinking about the quality of what you’re doing, giving me all the dirty work, and yourself and Hans the assignments that have some excitement. You’re getting bigger, but you’re
not
getting better!”

Silence fell around them as her words echoed in the studio. Jake stared at her, his brown face strangely pale.

“If that’s how you felt, you should have said so long ago, shouldn’t you? Instead of hiding your thoughts behind those green eyes.”

“Jake, I don’t—”

But he was going, turning away, closing that damned door quietly for once, but with a decisive click that made it impossible for her to go after him.

He didn’t even know the color of her eyes, saying they were green. They were hazel, plain old hazel.

She’d always known it would be a mistake to start shouting at Jake, that she would say too much. It was a good thing he’d left when he did, before she said even more.

She felt sick now. She’d seen Jake angry often enough, though usually at other people. He’d never hesitated to speak his mind to anyone; but no matter what Jake had said, she’d kept any angry retorts deeply hidden.

She met George for lunch.

“I’m going nuts!” George confessed over a plate of salad. “I’ve got a shopping list for the boat a mile long, and I can’t find half the stuff I need. Lanterns, for example – you’d think in a city this size I could find brass lanterns for a boat! Are you all right? How did the chieftain take your news?”

“Badly.” She shrugged, smiled unconvincingly and asked, “Shouldn’t you be calling your boat a yacht?”

“Too classy for me,” said her elegant cousin. “I’m a down-to-earth lady.” She shoveled a hefty fork full of salad into her dainty mouth. “Somehow, I thought you’d change your mind at the last minute. Tell me the details. How did the big scene go?”

“As you say, it was a big scene… At first he thought I was blackmailing him for my holidays, then he accused me of taking a job with the competition. He offered me more money.”

“Much more?” asked George curiously. “If he wanted you badly enough—”

“We didn’t get into dollars and cents.” Jake’s angry, frustrated face was burned into her mind. “I said I was going sailing with you. He asked if I was going to marry you.”

George choked on her lettuce.

Jenny said defensively, “Well, I just said George.”

“Your cousin George?”

“No.” she shook her head, smiling slightly. “Just George.”

“Oh!” George smiled, a piece of lettuce dangling just inches from her mouth. “Now why did you let him think that?”

“What difference does it make who he thinks I’m with?”

“He was jealous,” George decided with satisfaction.