Rock Me All Night (13 page)

“I can't. She deserves better.” And she did. She deserved a real white knight. A real Prince Charming who wasn't just a frog underneath. Jack took a step off the porch, but Ray grabbed his shoulder and stopped him.

“I'm not really a DJ,” Ray said.

“Whatever, man, let go.” Jack shrugged off Ray's grip but the man held tight.

“I'm a matchmaker.”

“I think I had a little too much to drink,” Jack muttered.

“Hell, believe me, I wish it was the liquor, but the truth is, I'm here to make sure you don't screw things up with Lauren.”

“I'd like to believe you, Ray, really I would. But why are you here now?”

“There's no rhyme or reason to this thing.
Madon',
I keep trying to figure out the rules, but when Didi sends me to help someone…”

“Your producer is in on the matchmaking thing, too? How much did you have to drink tonight?”

“Not enough,” Ray said. “
Madon',
why can't this ever be easy?”

Jack felt as if he was moving, and the next instant he was standing inside the radio booth. A pregnant Lauren was working, headphones on, playing that
sexy music of hers and laughing as she had a quiet conversation with a man.

“Where the hell are we?”

“The future.”

“So it works out with Lauren and…”

“A guy named Paul.”

Jack felt a stabbing pain in his stomach. Lauren looked happy. Was she really happy? He moved closer to her.

“Can she see me?”

“Uh, no. We're just here to observe.”

Jack didn't stop until he was close enough that her scent wrapped around him. He lowered his head to the top of her curly hair. At least she was happy. That's what he wanted, he realized—Lauren to be happy.

Closing his eyes, he listened to her speaking. She was on the line but not on the air.

“Sure, Paul. You can come home tonight.”

“I'm sorry, babe. It didn't mean anything. It's just that you can't have sex right now.”

Lauren rubbed her forehead. “That's okay.”

Hell, no it wasn't. Why would she allow herself to be treated like that?

“What's going on here, Ray? She's supposed to be happy.”

“She settled for safe,” Ray said.

“This is wrong,” Jack said.

“Yes it is. She belongs with you.”

Jack's hands were shaking. Suddenly he was
standing outside alone on Ty's porch. He sank to the bottom step and stared up at the stars.

He was having one bad trip. He didn't want to see Lauren crying. He didn't want to see Lauren pregnant with anyone's child but his. He didn't want to spend the rest of his life alone without the woman he loved.

He thought about his life. About changing. Leaving behind his new apartment and keeping one car for longer than six months. He thought about waking up with Lauren every day, and a feeling almost like peace spread through him.

Oh, God, nothing scared him more than having to talk to her. To tell her how he felt and acknowledge that he was going to try to be that white knight she'd always dreamed of.

Hell, he had no idea how to even get her to believe him.

L
auren had spent the weekend in Chicago with her family. After having her heart broken, she'd needed to go someplace where she was loved and spoiled. Her mother had danced around the subject and Lauren had realized she wasn't solving anything by running away.

She'd returned to Detroit early Monday morning, going straight to work. It was the day of the Mile of Men, and as soon as they got off the air she was going to confront Jack and make him realize what he was throwing away.

Ray was in early. They were doing a remote broadcast from the revitalized Fox Theatre on Wood
ward Avenue. The lobby was full of the men who'd signed up to be a part of the mile.

Since it was February and very cold outside, they had runners who were taking hot drinks to the men and making sure no one stayed outside for too long. They'd set up warming stations on every block and rotated the men in and out of the heated tents.

Seeing so many people taking a chance on love, searching for the same things she'd always been searching for, made it easier to accept the decision she'd made on the long drive back to Detroit.

Jack might think he couldn't be her white knight, but she was going to convince him that he already was. The white knight didn't have to be perfect.

“Caller, you're on the air.”

“One of the men isn't playing fair.”

“What do you mean?”

“He's on the side of the road, but instead of a number he's wearing a big red heart with a name on it.”

“Whose name?” Lauren asked. This was interesting.

“I couldn't read it. But I thought only available men were supposed to be out there.”

“They are,” Ray said. “Lauren will go check the guy out and pull him from the line.”

“I will?” Lauren asked.

“Yes. I'm not going out on such a cold morning.”

“There it is, friends, Ray King is a creature of his own comfort.”

Ray winked at her, and Lauren left the broadcast
booth and went out to find the guy who was already in love with a woman. Poor man. He was probably one of those saps who put up billboards declaring their love to a woman because he was afraid to talk to her.

A small crowd had gathered around the man, and as Lauren pushed her way through the crowd, she recognized the camel-colored wool coat that he wore. Recognized the way his hair brushed his collar. Recognized the way he held himself with too much confidence.

“Jack?”

He turned to face her, and she saw in his eyes the truth before she skimmed her gaze down his chest and saw that big red heart with her name on it.

He pushed his way through the people around him and swept her up in his arms. He buried his face against her neck, holding her so tightly that she knew in her heart he was never letting her go.

“I'm so sorry. I know I'm going to screw up. Hell, I'm probably never going to be the man of your dreams, but I can't let you go.”

“You already are the man of my dreams,” she said.

He cupped her face in his hands, rubbing his thumb over her lower lip. “Don't settle, Lauren. Don't accept less than you deserve. Make me be the man you need.”

“I don't have to make you, Jack. You're the only one who sees a frog. I've always seen my Prince Charming. But you were running too fast to notice.”

“I'm not running now, sweetheart. I'm standing still and I need you by my side.”

Her heart was beating too fast and tears burned the backs of her eyes as he lowered his head. He rubbed his mouth against hers and kissed her with a fierceness she recognized deep in her soul.

That kiss said the things she wanted to hear and would make him confess later when they were alone. She tasted his hope for the future, his fears of the unknown and his promises to her.

When he lifted his head, she hugged him tight to her, resting her head right over his heart.

He leaned down and spoke right into her ear. “I love you, Lauren. And that scares me.”

She nodded. She understood fear. She took his hand and led him across the street to the small diner where they'd had coffee that first night. The place wasn't too crowded. They found a booth at the back and Lauren slid into one of the padded seats, pulling Jack in beside her.

“I'm scared, too. What I feel for you…I wasn't letting you go. I was coming back for you today.”

“Good. I'll try, but there will be times when I'm going to screw up.”

“You already said that.”

“I mean it. It's really hard for me to trust in this, sweetheart. And hurting you is the last thing I want to do, so don't let me.”

She hugged him one more time, then smacked
him on the shoulder. “Now that I know you love me, I'm not cutting you any slack. You're mine.”

“I'm yours,” he said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a jeweler's box. He scooted out of the booth and got down on his knee.

Lauren couldn't breathe. He pulled her to the edge of the seat so that he knelt at her feet.

He opened the box and took out a simple white gold band with a large marquis-cut diamond. “Knowing that I'm a frog—that I only pretend to be a prince—will you marry me, Lauren?”

She looked at the ring and the man and knew that if he was the frog then she was the frog princess. She slipped off the bench and knelt beside him, cupping his dear face in her hands.

“Yes.”

He kissed her. Held her tightly to him, his fingers fumbling with the ring and sliding it on her finger while his mouth moved on hers. He lifted his head.

“No more Miss Lonely Hearts.”

She starting laughing, knowing that her life with Jack was going to be one wild roller-coaster ride. But she wouldn't have it any other way.

T
he Porsche was decorated with Just Married signs, and Jack and Lauren emerged from a large reception room. Jack carried her in his arms. I liked this part of my new gig the best.

“Nice job, Ray.”

I glanced over my shoulder. Didi stood behind me in the late-morning sun. She'd stopped wearing those damned ugly dresses and she looked…aw, hell, I shouldn't even think it, but she looked nice.

“Thanks, babe.”

She didn't say anything and I started to feel like a
babbeo.
An idiot. Hell, it wasn't the first time and I knew it wouldn't be the last.

“You know, I think two other couples hooked up from that Mile of Men. Do they count toward my total?” I asked her.

She walked over to me, standing to my right. “Nah, that was too easy.”

“You never cut me a break, do you?” I asked, but I didn't mind. This afterlife gig wasn't what I'd ever have imagined for myself, but there was a certain feeling that came from getting these couples together. It made me feel…good.

“I don't want you to take me for granted, babe,” she said, slipping her hand into mine.

“Babe?”

“Yeah, babe,” she said.

I tried to tug her closer, but she danced away in that teasing way of hers, disappearing in the breeze. I waited until Jack and Lauren drove away, then let myself drift after her.