(Another chapter. Yay! Can't believe I actually wrote that one so quickly lol. I was pondering about whose POV I want to keep writing. Usually I switch back and forth between Jack and Lisa and I wanted to do Lisa's POV, but it kinda didn't work, so I stuck with Jack's POV which maybe makes more sense in this story. So yeah... enough of explanation. Enjoy. Thanks for all the kind reviews!)

Chapter 6

Was it wrong to count down days already? Did it make him a bad person? Should he tell her that he was thinking of leaving earlier than planned? Should he at least tell her that he wasn't having the time of his life here? Like she thought he was.

His eyes moved across the room to coincidentally meet hers for a brief moment. She smiled at him before turning back to Brenda who was talking vividly. Lisa nodded a few times and responded every now and then. They were certainly having much more of a conversation than Frank and he did.

They were sitting in two leather arm chairs near a big window that overlooked the backyard of the Walker's house while the two women stood in the open kitchen area, a glass of white wine in their hands. They had planned to prepare a cheeseboard ten minutes ago, but lost themselves in an important talk.

The elderly couple were friends of Lisa's. Two Canadians that moved to France about five years ago to spend their retirement in the Mediterranean countryside - tired of the long and rough winters of Saskatchewan.

The house was small in comparison to the rest of the buildings around this area of Toulon, yet provided enough space for two people to live in. A little garden was attached to it that was surrounded by tall hedges and hid the house like an enchanted cottage. While the outside was somewhat shady the inside was bright and open. One big room included and connected the living room area, dining room and kitchen. The ceiling reached all the way up to the roof and let the room appear bigger than it was in it's actual size. A lot of natural wood was used inside and gave a nice contrast to the white colour of the walls. With the cosy fireplace that involved a round coffee table and the two arm chairs the men were sitting in, it was obvious that the two people living here slipped in some Canadian style that was rather uncharacteristic for the southern-French interior design.

Jack doubted that the winters here would get as strong as they were used to to be in need of a fireplace, but didn't complain about the more familiar feeling of home that the house brought along. However, he would have enjoyed to sit here by himself instead of being constantly talked to by Frank.

The man, around his mid-sixties, was younger than him, yet showed quite a health history. It seemed like Frank was glad to have finally found someone to talk to who was a fellow countryman and more over of the same generation – as if Jack would know all about diabetes, hypertension and rheumatism. He was glad he didn't and realized just now how lucky he had been all this time to be so good in health for his age, despite the arthritis during the cold winter months. Alive and kicking most of the time. The last encounter with a doctor was for his annual check up. Once a year. Frank didn't seem to be that lucky. And he was letting everyone know about it.

The second topic revolved around the differences between Canadian and French politics which however quickly ended up in the healthcare system.
Of course, this was probably the only field Frank was most experienced in, Jack thought to himself and dared another look to the women behind the kitchen counter, hoping the time to return to Lisa's residence was coming soon. Unfortunately, they had started to cut some cheese and opened another bottle of wine to fill up two glasses for the male company while still talking intensely.

"...don't you agree?", Frank just asked and caught him in the moment of abstraction which made Jack turn his attention back to him. Frank leaned back in his chair which was the only comfortable position for him to sit due to a big belly that sat on his lap like a ball. He wasn't fat but looked rather well-fed and unathletic which wasn't that uncommon for pensioners. Yet, a little bit of exercise would not only help his build but also his health, Jack assumed yet kept this conclusion to himself. Right now he was busy to remember what Frank had talked about and started to stammer about: "Well, ...you know...I-"

"Wine?", the female voice beside him appeared just at the right moment and Jack turned relieved to the side only to see a glass of white wine dancing in mid-air. Lisa, holding the glass towards him, smiled and squeezed his shoulder with her free hand before it slid around his neck as she settled down next to him on the armrest.

"Thank you.", he took the glass from her, a feeling of great relief washing through him, knowing that the two women were joining them now and he was no longer Frank's only dialogue partner.

"So what are you boys up to?", Franks's wife Brenda asked and tried to sound super youthfully. She was much slimmer than her husband and looked somewhat fragile while standing next to him after handing over his drink as well. A lot of jewellery hung from her body and let her appear wealthier than they actually were.

"Oh I just told Jack here about that stupid Doc at the hospital who treated me like-"
"Oh dear... that story again.", Brenda sighed and Lisa tried to hold back a laugh, her body subtly vibrating against his side.
"I hope he didn't bored you to death, Jack."

"Yeah death! I could have been dead. They should strip this guy of his medical license.", Frank grunted and his moustache jumped up and down while speaking. This topic obviously hit a sensitive spot in him.

"Sorry Jack, you better don't listen to this coward here. Moaning is the only thing he is good at." Brenda joked, yet Jack was almost sure to pick out a little tone of seriousness behind this mask of sarcasm. Something she had probably learned during the time of their marriage. Jack knew it all too well from his first marriage to Lyndy. She used to make fun of his vices, too, but he always sensed the true annoyance behind it. It was something only long-term couples would understand and maybe even laugh about it together at the end of the day. Brenda and Frank seemed to be just like that. They knew each other well. Maybe the love wasn't that intense like in the beginning but they had built up a strong bond made out of life-long experiences that would get them till the end of their days.

"Sooo, to change the topic of this conversation," Lisa jumped in and winked at them. "Brenda and I thought of sitting outside. Maybe the boys,", she made sure to stress the last words to emphasize the fun in Brenda's chosen expressions, "want to join the girls?"

Jack looked up at her. She still sat next to him. In this slightly raised position a light beam that had found its way through the hedges and the window danced over her face and highlighted her features in a stunning way. It kissed her skin and put a golden shade upon it. With the white blouse that fit tightly around her upper body she looked like an angel. She was gorgeous in every way and it was yet another time which made him wonder what brought them together in the first place.

It hit him now like a bolt that she was the youngest in this room. And he was the oldest. The young beautiful girl and the old cowboy. What a match.

His eyes switched back to Brenda and Frank. The retired couple that had built up and shared their lives in a 30-year-old marriage. They decided to sell their home, leave family and friends to move to Europe and spend the rest of their time here. Building up a new life. Together. With new friends.

Jack swallowed hard. A feeling of nausea spread in his guts now. He didn't know if he should still call himself lucky to be a much younger woman's boyfriend. What did they share? Five years in which Lisa was constantly travelling and he resisted to change anything in his life. It took him five years to get himself to step into an air plane and follow her for one week. One week and already thoughts of leaving for home earlier crossed his mind. They shared nothing and most of all in those last five years they hadn't built up anything together yet.

Jack felt bad for counting down days already and decided to not let her know of any of those thoughts that were clouding up his head.

v-v-v-

"You have been pretty quiet today. What's wrong?", Lisa stepped from the bedroom onto the balcony and took a seat on the iron bench next to him.

The soft, warm evening breeze blew through her hair and let a few loose strands dance in the air.
They had returned to her house about half an hour ago after spending most of the day at Brenda and Frank's place. While she took some time to refresh herself in the bathroom, Jack had walked upstairs to sit outside and enjoy some alone-time. Time to think.

He just shook his head and looked back at the scenery in front of him. The two-storey villa sat halfway up on one of the hills that surrounded the town of Toulon like a wall. From here the view across the town and all the way across the sea towards the horizon was mesmerizing. The sun was just setting and only a small ball of a dark orange colour was still visible behind some clouds. Jack liked it here much better than the French capital. The noises were different too. Less cars, more sea-life. The wind blew the various sounds of the landed ships from the harbour towards them. Seagulls cried while flying across the buildings towards the sunset.

During his life Jack hadn't experienced much sea. The setting was a nice change but he missed the rough mountains of his home, the wide fields, the ranch sides and the thick forests. Everything seemed so petite over here. He wasn't used to it. He didn't fit into it.

A sigh accidentally escaped his mouth and put an unsettled frown upon Lisa's face. He could feel her worried eyes upon him.

"Tell me.", she bluntly requested.
Another sigh gave him time to think about what to say. Jack didn't want to tell her about his discomfort in France, about his strong homesickness. She was way too happy to have him here. Lisa deserved this kind of happiness because he had put her expectations off by far too long now. Yet, meeting Brenda and Frank made him question everything he had with Lisa and most of all their future together. Jack wanted to have a future with her but only if everything just stayed the same. He hated change. It was hard to deal with it after change had brought so much pain into his life and family.

A side-glance told him that Lisa was still waiting for an explanation. The day wouldn't end without one.

"We've met quite a few people in the last days.", he started cautiously, trying to figure out where to lead the conversation.
"Yes. So?"
"Nice people. Good friends of yours."
The frown deepened, uncertain of the motives that made him speak about her French friends.
"What do want to say, Jack?"

He turned his head now to look at her. It didn't matter what time it was or in which light she sat, she looked beautiful in everything that surrounded her. The white, tight shirt peeked out from under the beige suede jacket he knew so well. Her hair fell softly onto her shoulders and every now and then was picked up by the wind. The lines on her face however indicated that she was really having a hard time to understand and he needed to choose the next words carefully now.

"Since I came here I keep wondering what on earth makes a woman like you put up with a man like me. It's pretty obvious that we don't share anything at all.", he finally came out and like expected Lisa remained quiet this time. Her frown vanished and left an expressionless look behind.

Had he gone too far with that? He really didn't want to start an argument now. The quietness unsettled him. Maybe it would have been better to keep pretending that everything was hunky dory. They should have this conversation when being back home. Where they could bring a bit space between them to cool off after an hot argument. Here they were glued together 24-hours. Jack didn't know how he could give her some space if she needed it.
Did she need space now?
Lisa was still sitting motionless and it was now on Jack to understand. She was thinking. He could tell. The cogwheels behind her forehead worked feverishly. On what – Jack didn't know.

"You're wrong.", she finally said and he listened up.
"We share something that is much more important and much stronger than all those obvious things people see or think they might see."
"What's that?", Jack asked.
"Us.", her hand landed on his thigh.
"I don't know how to make this clear to you, but I love you, Jack." her words were filled with honesty, "There is nothing and certainly no one that's gonna change it. And...", she smiled and squeezed his leg. "I don't want to have this conversation with you ever again."

"I just can't help thinki-"
"Shh. No, Jack. Stop. Do you think I would have stayed when you didn't mean anything to me? If you weren't good for me? Believe me, I'm not that desperate.", she slightly winked but returned to seriousness quickly. "I'm staying because I want to. Because with you I have something I never had before. I don't wanna lose it."

Her words made him cringe inside, knowing that with his latest thoughts he wasn't that great of an influence to her. He definitely wasn't, but she had no idea of his homesickness, his consistent hate to travel and the anxiety change brought up in him. Yet, Jack loved her back. For all the same reasons Lisa just mentioned. Except that she didn't have anything to hide. He even loved the way how honest she was. Heck, he was crazy about that woman. Although they hadn't built up anything yet, their love was still intense. So intense that Jack put off his negative thoughts for another time. He couldn't bring himself to disappoint her now. The decision to stay the entire week till the end was made silently at that moment. No matter what.

Lisa leaned closer and athirst for her closeness he met her halfway. They shared a simple but meaningful kiss to seal what was just said. After parting, Jack let his lips slide over the corner of her mouth to place more kisses on her cheek and the spot on her neck right below her ear before pulling her into a firm hug. Yes, he felt a bit dizzy. Not only by the different emotions that came back and forth to him today but also by her. Their love for each other was passionate. Something Jack would have never thought of getting a second time in life. Who would have thought that this relationship turned into such a passion. With every year passing by they got closer and closer together.

Minutes passed when Lisa drew herself from the embrace, looked at him one more time and stood up. Her hand waiting in mid-air to be taken.
In silence she led him inside. Leaving the balcony and immersing into a room of sheer privacy.

With the fall of the night, the bedroom had turned dark now. The silhouettes of the furniture were still visible and the white curtains of the four-poster bed flew softly in the incoming wind that passed them from behind. A slight shiver ran down his spine which source wasn't hard to tell.
The time had come and he couldn't waste one more minute to tell her how much he loved her, too.

Yet, the next moment Jack already felt her hands on his chest that started to unbutton his shirt, while she was looking up, her blue eyes still kind of asking for permission to cross the seldom line of intimacy. He took her face in his hands, his thumbs lovingly caressing the soft skin on her cheek on either side. Of course the permission was already given. There was no need of asking. When would they ever get the chance if not here and now? Jack leaned down and captured her lips in a hard kiss that stopped her from fiddling with the front of his shirt. Before she could even get to the end of the button border he had already pushed her backwards to the edge of the bed where they fell softly into the thick layer of sheets. A fall that seemed endless. Jack still felt like falling deeper and deeper into this bed and his arms slid around her body to pull her closer, to hold her in place and keep her safe when they would land on solid ground eventually.