"Hey," Jack called to her as he walked to the front door with John in his arms, "how was your meeting?"
"Ehh," she shrugged out of her jacket and hung it on the hook by the door. "Glad it's over," she said, grinning at John as Jack walked up. She squeezed John's fingers and leaned up to kiss Jack.
"That bad?" Jack asked.
"No," she shook her head and turned back to him from putting her purse down too. "I'll tell you about it over a glass of wine."
He gestured with his free hand, while Lisa moved her fingers, indicating she wanted to hold John. Jack handed him over and winked at Lisa, "I have a surprise for you."
"You do?" Lisa asked, tilting her head.
"Yes," Jack told her. "John and I managed to take a walk into town and buy more wine. How is that for an old cowboy in a strange place?"
Lisa smiled widely, and she held John up to look at him, "Look at that, John. Dad tried something new."
"Yes, I did," he said, "and thankfully the shopkeeper spoke enough English that I muddled through it. All I had to do was to say your name, and he knew what we'd want. Although," he frowned and rolled his eyes, "he did keep saying something about Lisa pere? Some guy took pity on me who spoke better English and said the guy was asking if I was your father," he sighed. Lisa covered her mouth and chuckled. I quickly fixed that, telling this guy who was translating to tell him no, not your father, but I just kept it simple and said I was your husband."
"You did, huh?" Lisa pulled him into a hug and smiled up at him, with John in her one arm. "I like that," she nodded in agreement. "I like my ring too," she smiled widely. "I think since we didn't get a chance to talk about this husband business yesterday, we should now, along with my meeting."
"I like your thinking," he said with a warm smile at her. "Tell you what-I'll get the wine, and you go have a seat with John."
"I'll meet you on the porch," she said in a teasing tone, her eyes glistening as she carried John down the hall. She turned back, and smiled at Jack, "It's le mari or mon mari."
"What is?" Jack shook his head. Lisa smiled and nodded.
"Husband," she told him. "Mon mari is my husband."
He grinned, "Well, I will like being your mon mari."
Lisa had spread out a blanket on the porch and had John on it while she was on the floor next to him. She smiled up at Jack and accepted the glass of wine he handed her.
"Looks delicious, thank you," she told him, gesturing to John.
"He really needs to start more tummy time. I've been bad about that," and as she said that, John struggled and started to cry.
"Oh, Lise," Jack gestured, wanting to pick him up, "I hate watching him cry. He's fine." Jack wanted Lisa to hand her John, and she just smiled at him, watching Jack struggle and squirm as he watched John struggle and squirm.
"You hate watching him struggle a little, don't ya?" Lisa grinned. Jack frowned at her, but he didn't say anything. She just nodded, and they both looked to John trying to push up his head on the blanket.
"He's just a baby, Lise," Jack gestured again.
"I know that," she said sarcastically. "Very well acquainted with him for nine months and still have the extra weight to show for it. He's fine, Jack. He needs to figure out how to hold up his head well. What," she crossed her arms and gave him a look, "you want him to just be pampered through life? I thought he was a Bartlett. Bartletts are tough, no help needed."
Jack sighed and looked away, John still struggling and making noises. Lisa let him go another couple of minutes before she picked him up and pampered him with kisses. She grinned at Jack and handed him the baby. She then stood and moved back to the couch to join them. Jack looked much more relaxed and content now with John in his arms and not struggling on the floor.
"It's sweet," she smiled at him. "I know you love him, but we have to make sure he's meeting these milestones."
"Fine," Jack waved. "Tummy time," he spit out. "What ever happened to just letting a baby be a baby?"
Lisa burst out laughing, leaned over and kissed his cheek. "You, Jack, are a huge softie, and not many see that." Jack just gave her a side-eye glance but didn't say anything.
"So," she cleared her throat, "my meeting."
"How was Dan?" Jack asked, flashing a fake smile at Lisa. She glared at him.
"Dan was the arrogant man he's always been," she sighed. "I do want to talk to you about some changes I'm planning to make."
"What's that?" Jack asked, playing with John's feet as he looked over to her.
"I'm going to back off from the racing side of my business and just focus on breeding right now," Lisa explained. "That was a big part of my meeting today, and I'm happy coming to that decision."
Jack's eyes widened, and he tilted his head at her, "Lise, that's big news. What made you decide that?"
"Well," she cleared her throat and let out a long breath, "when I have race horses, I have to travel-A LOT," she emphasized. "I've done that for a number of years, and to be honest," she shrugged and looked at Jack and John, gesturing to both of them, "I'm looking at the two reasons I want to back off on race horses and just focus on breeding."
"Me?" Jack asked, taken aback. "Lise, I don't want to hold you back."
She shook her head, "No, this is part of the compromising that I believe we need to have. I'd already decided this about the horses before you even showed up here. I make PLENTY," she emphasized the word, "of money on breeding. I don't need to worry about funds. I do need to worry about being a mom, which is something new and something I am not going to take for granted. I want to do this, Jack, and I want to be around more, home more with John and with you. I'm very much okay with this, and down the road," she paused and shrugged, "if I ever want to get back into the racing side of the business, well, I certainly know how to do it and have the right connections."
"Wow, Lise," Jack whistled. "That is big. I hope you know you could have discussed it with me."
She reached over and squeezed his arm, "I wasn't trying to hide it. I suppose I just have been a little overwhelmed with all else that has gone on these last couple of days," she chuckled, smiling at him. "On that note, though, you will be delighted to know that Dan did buy out the last two race horses we shared, so I will soon be Dan-free at least in the business sense. Obviously, I've been Dan-free in the personal sense for quite some time, but we have both seen that apparently one can never ben Dan-free."
He smiled, "At least it's a start. I'm happy for you, Lise, happy for all of us. Surprised, but happy."
"I wanted to sort of surprise you with the news," she shrugged. "I will still travel some, but it won't be anything like I've been doing. I'll still base out of here for Europe because the diversity of horses across the world is what will really escalate the prices on some of the breeding horses, but I will be home a lot more, able to be a mom much more, and if you would have told me a few years ago that I would be here, I would never have believed it. Having John," she smiled at him and then to Jack, "it's changed everything."
"I know what you mean," he said with a low hum, still playing with John. He looked over to Lisa, "I will love having you around more, able to be home and be with John. That's great, Lise."
"I still need that office," she pointed to him with a huge smile. He winked at her.
"Absolutely because you'll still make millions with your breeding. That's terrific, Lise."
"So," she held her glass toward him, now empty and nodded to it. He chuckled and reached to the side table where he had the bottle and refilled her glass. "Thank you, but let's discuss something else very positive, this idea of being mon mari," she said, accentuating her French accent. Jack started to laugh and nodded to her.
"Well," he smacked his leg, and John jumped slightly at the movement. Jack's face went white as he tried to soothe John. He looked to Lisa with an apologetic face, and she just waved it off.
"Sorry, John," he said, putting the baby on his shoulder. He looked to Lisa, "I was going to say when do you want to get married?"
"The sooner the better before you go and get cold feet or something on me," she smirked. He shook his head.
"No complaints on it being soon, but I can promise, no cold feet. All in, ready to go."
"Well, how soon?" Lisa asked.
Jack shook his head, "Lise, this is your day. You can do whatever you want. I already got the girl," he winked. "I can "I don't have to do much other than show up, say 'I do' and put a ring on your finger, oh," he flashed a smile at her, "and kiss you at the end."
She started to laugh, "That's all you have to do, eeh? I'd say those are pretty important parts, being the groom and all."
He shrugged, "I'm serious. I don't care when it is. You pick what you want. I know women always dream about their weddings."
She frowned, "I don't want a big, fancy wedding. I tried that, and I didn't like it. I just want to be married. We've wasted enough time, years, Jack."
"Not disagreeing," he told her. He gave her a sheepish glance, "I would be okay with just us, no big family event."
Lisa shook her head, "Your family would hate me for doing that, although after all of that with Lou's wedding, the dress debacle, the change in dates, venues, the stress," she shook her head and gave Jack a soft smile. "I know I wasn't mother of the bride, but there were times it felt like it."
He smiled and winked at her, "You were in all senses of the word, if not the technicality of it. I never really did get to tell you how much that meant to me, and I know it meant a lot to Lou, to have you there. You do such a great job of wanting to help, and yeah, we both know at times, wanting to do more, but I appreciate you've been trying not to just take over. You were the mother of the bride in my book, and to be honest," he said with a warm smile, "you'll be the same with Amy, and I really like that."
She smiled at him, but then she made a face and frowned, "I just realized that if that's kind of the role I am in, does it mean that I have to share in it all with Tim? Definitely not interested in hanging around the father of the bride like that."
Jack grinned and laughed, and that got Lisa laughing too. She winked to Jack, "I only fell easily into that role because you're the one who raised those girls and fit into the father of the bride role too. I like sharing that with you."
"Well, I like weddings with you," he nodded. "I don't want to hear everyone's opinions on our wedding, and it sounds like you don't a lot of fuss either."
"I really don't," she said with a smile.
"How about here then?" Jack gestured. Lisa's eyes widened.
"France? I mean, I know I've reminded you, but you hate it here."
He shrugged and picked up her hand to kiss it, "Sounds like something that could change my opinion, marrying this gorgeous woman I love in the place she loves. That sounds pretty great, no matter where it is."