He never expected he would drive a Porsche, let alone have a wife who owned one. As Jack maneuvered the vehicle out of the airport parking garage, he nodded as he thought about that. Here he was driving a Porsche, one that his wife owned. Crazy how life worked at times. He glanced over and couldn't help but frown slightly at the sight of the empty seat. He was back from France, but with her work, Lisa had to stay another month or so. She didn't have a set return date yet, promising to be home as soon as possible. He already missed her, and he'd only just landed less than two hours ago.
After exiting the parking area, Jack headed toward home, his old body tired from the very long day of travel. Sadly, it was only 9:30 in the morning, so the long day wasn't over yet. He'd left France yesterday, flying into Toronto and then onward to Calgary. Lisa had insisted this was her favorite route and even for the travel-weary Jack, it hadn't been awful. Now, he had no plans to repeat the trip anytime soon. France wasn't his thing, but his brand-new wife did love it there. He cringed thinking about having to go there often, hoping that maybe it could be a once-a-year thing for him. They were independent people and didn't have to do everything together. Besides, he did have a ranch to run, and it wasn't easy to do that from France.
Marion and Amy had flown home as scheduled the morning when he and Lisa had returned from the bed and breakfast. Jack shook his head as he thought about that place, appreciating Lou's thoughtfulness and welcoming of Lisa into their family, but no way he was going back to one. He'd take Lisa's fancy hotels before those because at least you did have some privacy. Their host, Gayle, had been overly friendly and nosy, and how they got away from there without her finding out they'd just married, he had no idea. He had to admit that getting away with Lisa for a couple of days had been very nice, even if they were already in France, away from their everyday lives. There was something though about it being her house that it did feel like a little vacation from their norm, even in France. They'd walked on the beach, had coffee in several coffee shops, taken a good nap-which Gayle had awakened them to let them know she had afternoon tea-no thanks Gayle-take the hint. Really, if he had to explain their time away, it had just been nice, calm, and a good start for them to their new marriage.
After the girls had flown home, Jack had stayed another two weeks, as planned, and now, the beginning of February, he was back to the very cold and very snow-covered Alberta. It had not snowed in over a week, as Marion had told him, but the snow was piled high all around. The roads were clear, the temperatures low. Jack looked to the heating system on Lisa's car and turned it up, also remembering that she had heated seats, which he gladly turned on. They'd left her car at the airport, leaving his truck for Marion to haul feed. His was easier for that than hers with the equipment she always had in it. Jack had told Lisa he'd take good care of her car and would pick her up when she returned, which he know wasn't her favorite; she liked having her car there, but she'd been more than okay with it since it would mean seeing her favorite cowboy as soon as she walked off the airplane. Jack checked the fuel, glad there was still a full tank and thought that it was impressive that after a month plus, the car had started just fine. A Porsche. Life really was interesting.
With it being early in the day and Jack not having had much to eat on the very, very long plane ride, he decided he would stop at Maggie's. He didn't feel like driving home and then trying to wrangle up some breakfast for himself, preferring something quick and hot this morning. Besides, Marion had mentioned needing a new lock set for one of the gates, and he could take care of that in town as well. Yes, a hot cup of coffee and breakfast would hit the spot this morning.
"Jack Bartlett," he was greeted with a huge smile as he stepped into the diner.
"Maggie Duval," he said with a nod back at her and a small smile on his face.
"Well, stranger," she crossed her arms and continued to grin at him, one of those grins that says, 'I know your secret' and then shook her head at him. "So," she smirked at him as he stepped toward a free table over in the corner, "how was France?" Jack eyed her as he sat down. She had followed him to the table after grabbing the pot of coffee, knowing he would want some.
"Oh, you know," he eyed her, waving his hand, "fine." Maggie almost spilled the coffee she was pouring as she laughed at his answer, nodding at his joke.
"As if a trip to France isn't grand enough, you just had to go and shock me to my core. How is my dear friend? Seen her lately?"
"Ahh," he looked up at her with a hidden smile there, "saw her around," he winked. "She sends her best, says she's looking forward to getting home and catching up with you-"
"Oh, I'm sure that's the only reason she's looking forward to getting home," Maggie smirked. "I'd have lost money on any bet that had you returning as you are," she gave him a look, neither saying it, that Jack and Lisa had gotten married, but as one of Lisa and Marion's closest friends, Maggie was one of the only people who did know. "When is she coming home?"
Jack frowned as he answered, "Another month or so. You know how busy she is there over the winter. It was hard coming home, and I never thought I would say that, definitely the company, not the place."
"I bet it was," Maggie gave him a sad smile and squeezed his shoulder. "So, what can I get you this morning? Did you get back last night?"
"Just now, haven't been home, just really hungry," he nodded. "Ahh, let's do your big breakfast special. Eggs over easy, the sausage today, he nodded at her. She returned the nod.
"What kind of pancakes? Blueberry?"
"Sounds great, Maggie. Thanks, and thanks for your discretion," he gave her another nod. "We'll wait to tell people when she gets back."
"Understood," she said squeezing his shoulder. "You're a good one, Jack. You're both lucky to have found each other."
"Have to admit," he said with a shake of his head, "you and Marion were good matchmakers, who would have thought?"
"Well," she winked, "I did, even with all your differences. Deep down, you two are a lot alike. Breakfast coming up. Oh," she turned and pulled the paper off the table behind her, "today's paper while you wait."
"Thanks, Maggie," Jack added as she stepped away. Jack sat back and tried to relax, the warm coffee tasting good to him as tired as he was. He decided to freshen up, and once he returned to the table, he spread out the paper to catch up on the latest Hudson news; he'd been gone for five weeks, and it felt like he'd been gone even longer than that.
Breakfast really hit the spot for Jack, and he'd made small talk with a few old acquaintances as they filtered in and out of Maggie's. He finished eating and then told Maggie at the register about needing a gate latch. She returned with what he needed, and as he finished paying for that, she handed him a cup of coffee to go,
"Wedding present," she grinned, teasing him with the cup. She nudged it at him, "You look tired, Jack. I know traveling isn't your thing, so hopefully this coffee will keep you awake long enough to get you home. Get some rest." She lowered her voice and leaned in with another grin, "Probably doesn't help you left your bride. I'm sure that only adds to your exhaustion," she smirked. Jack rolled his eyes and accepted the cup, waving his hand at her.
"You know, she's already been talking about this girls' night you three are planning for when she gets home."
"Where's home going to be? Ohh, are you moving up to the big mansion?" Maggie's eyes widened, and Jack looked at her, taken aback at the suggestion.
"No, that's not the plan," but he frowned, realizing that there really was no plan. They'd not discussed the living situation, Jack really clueless and not thinking there was one to discuss, but as he stood there, his face reddened slightly realizing that his very independent wife probably had a different viewpoint on their living situation. France had been fine because it was one house, Lisa's house, but now, no, she couldn't expect him to move to Fairfield, could she?"
"Jack?"
He shook his head, "Sorry, Maggie, just tired. Thanks for the coffee."
"Why look who it is-I have heard some interesting rumors about you."
Jack snapped his head to the side but not before Val had slipped her arm through Jack's there and was looking right up at him with pursed lips. Jack eyed Maggie before greeting Val, noting that Maggie had crossed her arms, clearly not a fan of Val.
"Val," he said with a forced smile. "Good to see you."
"Right back at you, stranger. You've been out of town, so I've heard."
He gave a single nod as he picked up the gate latch, eyeing Maggie before he turned to leave, "I'm back as you can see."
"Well, care to walk me to my car, I mean, if you just give me a second? Maggie, a coffee to go," she told her, frowning at Jack. Maggie started to prepare that coffee while Val lowered her voice, still her arm looped through Jack's.
"You went to France with Lisa Stillman? Is this the same neighbor I've known for years who barely likes to leave Hudson? You consider a supply trip to Calgary a long-distance event."
"Well, Val, I sometimes surprise myself-"
"Oh, and don't think I didn't hear that Marion and Amy joined you in France," she said giving him a look. "Ashley came home from school talking about how Amy had missed the first couple days back and returned saying she'd been in France. Jack," she frowned with a shake of her head, "what is going on?"
"Here's your coffee," Maggie returned, handing that to Val. She made eye contact with Jack too, "Jack, tell Marion I'll call her later. Good to see you back."
"It is good he's back," Val agreed with a nod. "My car is just down the street," she told Jack, not giving him a moment to argue with her or protest her request.
The two stepped outside, Jack feeling very awkward with Val on his arm. He knew she had a thing for him, even though she knew he'd been seeing Lisa. Val got right to the point as soon as they were outside and walking down the street toward her car.
"Jack, what do you seriously see in Lisa Stillman? A trip to France? You're not into things like that."
"Val, I really don't want to discuss Lisa with you. You know we've been seeing each other."
"You know," she paused and looked up at him with a smirk on her face, "Dan Hartfield and I are friends. He used to be married to Lisa."
"I'm aware," Jack said with a single shake of his head.
"He does business in France too, same area as Lisa. He called me the other day."
"Val," Jack wiped his thumb across his mouth and eyed her, "what are you getting at? I have no interest in anything you and Dan Hartfield discuss. Well aware he does business with Lisa, has for years. They own several horses jointly still."
She sighed and looked down, still talking, "He called with this elaborate tale he'd heard from his stable manager there, about you and Lisa," she said now eyeing him with a frown on her face.
"Can't stand idle gossip, Val," Jack said pulling his hand from hers. "Seems as if you know Marion, Amy, and I were invited to Lisa's place in France. I'm home now, and I do need to get back to the ranch," he told her, holding up the gate latch he'd bought. "Now, if you'll excuse me," he gestured to her car, where he'd managed to slowly walk them forward to it as she'd tried to prod him for information, "I need to get going."
"Where's your truck?" Val looked around, and Jack internally groaned thinking that Val's curiosity would only increase seeing him with Lisa's car.
"I'm parked on the back street," he hooked his hand over his shoulder. "Now, if you'll excuse me, you're safely to your car. Nice seeing you, Val," he told her and tried to move swiftly without seeming like he was running from her. He was so glad Lisa's car was on the back street, away from Val and quickly made his way through the snow, his feet crunching on it where it wasn't shoveled in places on the sidewalk. He had just made it back to Lisa's car and was fumbling with the car keys when Val called to him from her car, now pulled up beside him. Why she was there, he had no idea.
"There's a sight I never expected to see, you in a Porsche, Lisa Stillman's Porsche nonetheless. She's still in France, correct? Well," she continued talking without giving Jack a chance to answer, not that he wanted to, "perhaps what Dan told me is true. Goodness, Jack I thought better of you," she frowned, waved at him in disgust, and then drove away, almost spraying snow slush at him. Jack stood there, dumbfounded, truly dumfounded. What was going on? Did Val know he and Lisa had gotten married? If so, why hadn't she just blurted it out? She was direct like that. It wasn't that they were really keeping their wedding a secret. Sure, her stable crew there knew, but they'd both just expected to share the news together once she returned to Hudson. Val knowing would mean everyone in Hudson would know. Jack finally got into the car and started toward home. A welcome back, indeed.
20 minutes later, Jack was glad to be back at Heartland as he carried his bags into the house.
"Marion," he called out, closing the door as he stepped inside. He stomped off his boots and then sat to remove them before dragging his bag inside.
"Dad!" Marion walked around the corner, a load of laundry in her arms. "Welcome back," she said, putting the laundry down on the table to walk over and hug him. "You were very vague on your return today when I asked, just telling me your flight came in today."
"Sorry," he frowned, now standing, boots off. "You know I'm not much on talking or texting, even worse while overseas."
"Well, I'm glad you are back safely. Wish you could have brought some warm weather with you. We're supposed to have incredible wind chills here the next few days. Probably wish you were still in France," she said with a genuine smile. Jack chuckled, dropping his head.
"Well, not sure about that. I mean," he looked up at her, "I'm already missing Lisa, but really glad to be back here. It's good to be home. Can't wait to see Paint, really missed him."
Marion laughed, shaking her head, "I'll be sure to tell Lisa that when I talk to her, that you walked in the door and talked about missing your horse."
"She'll understand," Jack said with a wink and a nod of his head. "Say," he frowned as he collected his bag, "ran into Val in town."
"Oh great," Marion huffed. "What did she want? Wait, you were already in town?"
"Here's the latch," he turned and picked it up off the bench where he'd put it taking off his boots. "I stopped at Maggie's for breakfast, and she latched onto me as I was leaving, insisting I walk her to her car. She was very cryptic, asking about Lisa, commenting that she'd spoken to Dan Hartfield. She didn't come out and say it, but," he pointed with his finger as he nodded, "seemed like she was hinting around she knew I'd gotten married."
Marion grimaced and shrugged, "I haven't heard anything around town, but knowing Val, she could be holding her cards close, waiting for you to get back. Amy and I haven't said a word. I mean, the school knew she was out of town-"
"Yeah," he nodded. "Val alluded to Ashley knowing Amy had been in France. Honestly," he waved his hand, "you know I can't stand gossip. It's not like I'm going to make some big announcement, but Lise and I figured we'd just tell people when she got back. If Val feels she wants to ruin that, I want no part in her gossip, even if it's about me."
"Sorry, Dad," she frowned, reaching over to squeeze his arm. "How was your flight, okay? You look tired, but I know you've been traveling for over a day. See, Canada let you back into the country," she grinned at him. "You were worried about customs and immigration."
"Trip was okay," he told her, gesturing to his bag. "Can't believe I've been gone over a month."
She scrunched up her face, "Let's amend that to can't believe you went to France for a month and came home married."
Jack chuckled as his face reddened again, "Yeah, definitely doesn't sound like me."
"Val should know that," she said with a grin. "Honestly, she should think it's the biggest made-up rumor." Both chuckled at her comment. "Say, Dad-"
"Yes, Marion-" Jack eyed her. "Why do I have the feeling you have some grand idea, and no, if it involves Tim, please, give me a day before I have dealings with him."
"No," she frowned and swatted at his arm, "although, I've been more than supportive of you and Lisa. You could be too."
"You love Lisa," Jack nodded at her. "Not the same thing, and I do tolerate him, did in New York, just need a day to put myself together before I have him around here, please. I know you," he paused and frowned. "Well, let's just say I know you are seeing Tim and trying to figure things out. No, Lisa won't tell me anything, not that I want to know," he eyed her, "but I will always worry, always want the best for you and stress that you're going to be hurt again, but let's not get into that now."
"Thank you," she said with a tight smile. "I appreciate your concern and you staying out of things. Tim has been a great help around here with you gone-"
"I know that too, and I suppose," he rolled his eyes and sighed, "he can join us for supper maybe tomorrow, and yes, I will thank him for the help."
"Good," she smiled. "Already planned that," she patted his shoulder. "I did ask Lisa if she thought you'd be okay with that."
Jack glanced at her and then chuckled, dropping his head as he sighed again. "Already starting, you two ganging up on me."
"No, we just both love you, of course," she made a face as Jack met her gaze, "in very, very different ways," she grinned. "We want all of this to work smoothly, which brings me to my original question."
"Which is?"
Marion waved her hand to the kitchen, "I've been thinking. With you and Lisa now married, we really need to do something to make this feel like it's her space too-"
"Well, that's the thing, we have to talk about our living situation," Jack sighed.
"Wait, what?"
He waved his hand as he explained, "I assume Lisa is moving here, but it was brought to my attention by Maggie, actually," he frowned, "that I married a very opinionated woman who might have her own ideas about where we are living."
Marion pursed her lips and nodded, gesturing at Jack, "It took Maggie for you to realize Lisa is opinionated?" She laughed, picking apart his comment.
"No, that's not what I meant-"
"Just teasing you, Dad. Umm, yes, you do need to hash that out, but knowing you both as I do, I foresee you two going between the two properties. You both run these huge ranches for very different reasons. Maybe you have two homes."
"Live at Fairfield?" Jack made a face.
Marion shrugged, "Stranger things have happened, like going to France, marrying someone younger than even me, you know, just a few things I can pick out of the air. So yeah, buck up, Dad. I think you are going to have to give some on this and spend some time at Fairfield. Come on! It's not a hardship. That place is gorgeous. You can slum it over there a few nights a week. What's the alternative? You live here with your gorgeous wife there? Yeah," she started to laugh. "Good one. Amy and I are fine here if you're there half the week. It's like a shared custody," she grinned, smacking his shoulder. "Still," she pointed at him, "we keep getting sidetracked. Here," she gestured to the kitchen again. "Let's talk. You and I are not into material things, especially in the house. I mean, neither of us are very good at throwing out things but that's kind of different. I'm not stuck on like particular kitchen things or plates or anything else."
"Okay?" Jack asked, adding, "Is there a question."
"An observation," Marion nodded. "Lisa's going to be living here, even part of the time, whatever you two figure out. All of this, the dishes, all of it-it's Mom's. I think we need to let some of it be Lisa's, her style, your style combined, whatever, but you really need to think about making her feel at home here. Your bedroom would be another area," she shuddered, "not that I want to discuss that, but come on, Dad. Let the woman have her say in decorating and all."
"So, we need to replace the plates?"
"Well, yeah, whatever she wants. I'm not much into cooking, not like Lisa, so maybe start the conversation. Maybe she wants to bring over things from Fairfield. Maybe she wants to pick out new things, things you two can pick out together, but Dad," she frowned. "She married you, yes, set in your ways, but I'm trying to help you out here. She's going to need her space here, and I know you. You'll just expect her to pull up and drop a horse off and that be it. She has beautiful clothing and needs somewhere to put that, so in this month while your bride is still away," she walked to him and put her hand on his shoulder, looking him in the eye, "let's do some work around here to make this house a home Lisa wants to live in with you. I mean, it's bad enough she's getting a stepdaughter and step granddaughter living here on top of you guys," she winked. "I know as newlyweds you want your privacy-"
"Stop," Jack shook his head. "I don't care how old you are. We're not going there."
"What?" She teased, grinning, smacking his shoulder, "that my dad has a new pep in his step with his very young wife? I'm a woman too, Dad, and believe me, I get it."
"Okay, I'm going to unpack," Jack told her, trying to ignore the conversation.
"Glad my room is at the other end of the house," Marion laughed as she called out to Jack who was dragging his bag through the house. "Talk to your wife about what she wants here, and I don't mean privacy, I mean decorating."
Jack shook his head and continued walking, finally stepping into his bedroom. He took a deep breath and looked around. His room. It was good to be home. Looking around, though, Marion was right, as much as he didn't want to admit his daughter had a good point. Everywhere he looked he saw either the bachelor life or memories of Lyndy. He grimaced, realizing he should have done more before now to neutralize the space. Sure, Lisa knew he'd had a long marriage before he'd met her, but yes, it was time to revamp the space, and yes, probably the kitchen too as far as the dishes and whatever else Lisa wanted. In less than a year, his life had completely changed, and thinking about that, Jack nodded to himself. It was all worth it, change, that is, and while something he never expected, was going to embrace it. Lisa deserved that. He loved that woman so much and wanted to give her the world, so yes, he could at least give her decorating rights in their room. He did have a project this next month, but before he started on that, he desperately wanted a hot shower and a nap. He was old, after all, as his daughter and now wife teased him all in good humor.