Like You Love Me

Chapter 1

Was he ready to loose her? He knew once she said "I do" there would be no more chance. No more hope that maybe someday he would hold her in his arms. He needed to tell her his real feelings, but could he? Everyday he watched her walk through his house, unaware of his looks from across the room, the thoughts running through his head, and his seemingly joking daily flirting.

"Jack?" a voice woke him from his thoughts.

"Yes?" he asked, looking up from the paper he had forgotten he was reading.

"Jack, what are you thinking about?" Janet asked, sipping her coffee.

"Oh, nothing." Jack lied and folded the paper, setting it aside on the table.

"Oh, come on Jack, you were starring at that picture for 10 minutes!" she laughed and stood, Jack watching her every move as her night shirt moved up and down on her thigh as she reached for the small plates on the top shelf of the cabinet.

"Janet..." Jack started. He tried to work up the courage to tell her, he thought he could, but as soon as her sweet gase met his, butterflies filled his stomach.

"Yes Jack?" she smiled sweetly and plopped a muffin on her plate.

"Umm... never mind. It was nothing."

"Haha, okay!" She laughed, "I think you need some coffee." she handed him her coffee mug before passing through the swinging door into the living room.

Why couldn't he do it? Why couldn't he form his thoughts into words? It had been 11 years since he first laid eyes on his angel, and he had loved her since the very first moment. He loved to see the jealous glint that shined from her eyes as he would hit on Chrissy, just to get Janet's attention. He had never really been attracted to Chrissy, it was just his way of hiding his feeling for Janet. But, now, he thought he was ready. He thought that he could walk up to her and say his true feelings with no problem at all. And he was ready. Now.

Jack stood and marched to the door, pushing it with all his might, and pushing his courage up with it. SMACK! Jack felt the door push back in his direction, as if he had hit something. He opened it again, toward him this time, and tears almost welled up in his eyes as he saw his Janet, clutching her nose and tilting her head up, obviously trying to stop bleeding.

"Janet! Oh my God I'm so sorry!" Jack ran to her, putting his arms around her and walking her to the kitchen.

"I thought I was done having to watch out for doors when Cindy left." Janet joked, and Jack was relieved she wasn't mad at him. He grabbed her a wet cloth and she put it on her nose as he fixed her an ice pack. Once he finished, he sat down beside her and watched her shift the ice pack onto her nose. She was perfect. Her smooth black hair came to about her shoulders, her sweet brown eyes scanning the room until they came to a stop, locking with his. He hadn't noticed he was starring until she said something about it.

"Jack, what are you doing?" she asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.

"Nothing," he lied, breaking his stare and looking in the opposite direction.

Janet took the ice pack off her nose, and realizing she was no longer bleeding, stood up and put the ice pack in the sink.

"Well, I have to go meet Philip; we're picking out chairs for the wedding today." the words 'Philip' and 'wedding' stung Jack in a way that made him wish he could work up the courage to tell Janet what he had always wanted to.

"Do you need anything done here while you're gone?" he stood and followed her into the living room.

"If you could, just water the plants while I'm out, that would be great!" she shouted from her bedroom.

"Ya, sure." he watched her walk to the front door.

"Thanks a lot, hun!" she said before leaving out the door.

"Love ya." he said. He couldn't picture Janet marrying Philip. He was a nice guy, but he wasn't Jack.

An hour later, Jack was in the kitchen making dinner when he heard the doorbell ring.

"Coming!" He shouted, wiping his hands on his apron. Throwing it into a big clump on the table, Jack trotted to the door, finding his best friend Larry on the other side.

"Oh, hey Lare." he said welcoming his friend.

"Jack, you will never believe what just happened!" Larry made his way into the apartment, "I just made us dates with the HOTEST chicks in LA!" he collapsed onto the couch.

"Gee, thanks Lare, but I really don't feel like going out tonight." Jack walked back into the kitchen.

"Jack?" Larry followed him, "You don't feel like going out!? I made you a date with Lindsey tonight! Lindsey Holland! You know, the hot blonde from the Reagle Beagle?"

"Larry, I'm just not in the mood." Jack snapped, putting his apron on and beginning to cook again.

"What is eating you, Jack!?" Larry sat at the table.

"Nothing," Jack didn't turn to face his best friend, he hated lying but he knew Larry wouldn't be able to keep a secret.

"Nothing? Jack, I just told you you have a date with one of the hotest girls in LA and you said you don't feel like going out! Something is up!"

"It's nothing, okay!" Jack snapped, whisking the contents of his bowl harder and harder.

"Fine, I'll just have to tell her you didn't feel like going out today." Larry said in a mocking tone before leaving. Jack new he had hurt his friend by acting the way he did, but at the moment, he didn't care very much. Not telling Janet his true feelings were eating him from the inside out. He would tell her when she got home. He had to and he knew it.

~oOo~