The reflection of the candle flames dancing in Julie’s eyes mesmerized Jack. Julie sat across from him, eating her garden salad and bread with garlic and olive oil. He missed this; eating with her, talking with her, her smile, her laugh. She looked up and caught him staring. She looked to see if she had spilled something down her front. He tipped his wine glass to her and swirled the merlot before taking a drink. Julie started to say something but the waiter interrupted her when he stopped by to scrape the breadcrumbs from the tablecloth.
“Jack, when you asked me out for dinner I didn’t expect something so nice. A sports bar or that Mexican restaurant you like would have been fine.”
“I know, but I thought you might like someplace a little quieter for a night away from the kids. Plus, I wanted to be able to talk to you.” Jack put his wine glass down and leaned forward. He wanted to reach across and take Julie’s hand, but he wouldn’t push it yet. First, a nice dinner, a conversation about their situation, what he might be able to do to get things back to normal, then he could push it a little. “I miss you, Jules, and the kids. Any thoughts about coming back yet?”
Julie raised her eyebrows. “Yet?” She settled back in her chair and crossed her arms. “Jack, it’s not like the kids and I went on a little vacation and we’re coming back next week. We left for a reason.”
“Yeah, I know. Well, I think I know.” How was he going to get this out of this rut? Trying to find something to do with his hands, he fiddled with the silverware and then grabbed the wine glass again. He tilted the glass from side to side and watched the wine slowly flow down the sides of the glass. “It’s the job. I’ve tried to spend more time with you and the kids and give the cases the time they need.” He looked up at her for some sort of acknowledgement. Getting none, he continued. “If it’s not that, you need to tell me. I’m trying, but I don’t know what’s not working.”
Julie uncrossed her arms and leaned forward. “I was so happy when you got assigned to Minneapolis, Jack. I know what your job is, what it means to you, why it’s important. It’s one of the things I love about you.”
Jack stopped swirling the wine at the L-word.
“Yes, Jack Miller. I love many things about you. But when you came home with the offer from the SAC to move to New York and said you had to think about it…” Julie looked away and gathered a thought. “I had to do something. I thought you got it, that I wanted us to stay here with the kids. No more moves. But, when you said you had to think about it? It just showed me we weren’t on the same page about where we’re at with our lives, what we want. I had to do something. I had to give you something else to think about.”
Jack knew Julie well enough not to say anything. It was best if he just paid attention and let her talk. They sat at the table looking at each other. Jack took another drink of his wine. Julie shifted in her seat. When the awkward silence became painful Jack decided he better say something. “Jules…”
The waiter interrupted him as he swooped in and placed their dinners in front of them. Jack rolled his eyes and glared at the waiter, and Julie giggled. The waiter stepped back and put his hands together. “Will either of you be needing anything else right now? Some more wine, water?”
“No, thanks,” Jack said. Julie held her napkin to her mouth to cover her smile and shook her head.
After the waiter left, Julie put her napkin in her lap. “Did you pay him to come then?” she asked.
“Good timing, huh?”
“Changed the mood, that’s for sure.” Julie held up her wine glass and reached across the table. “Happy birthday, Jack.”
Jack touched his glass to hers and looked into her eyes. “Thanks, Jules. Thanks for coming to an early dinner with me tonight; thanks for being such a great mom to our kids, and thanks for loving some things about me.”
They ate their dinners. Jack tried some of Julie’s salmon and she tried a bite of his steak. They fell into a comfortable conversation talking about the Governor case, and Jack’s new partner, Ross.
“You call him Junior?”
“I’ve had worse nicknames.”
Julie laughed. “I’m saving those for when I really need to get you. I’ll just tell the kids what nicknames you had.”
Jack almost choked on a bite of his steak. “Please don’t. Can you imagine?”
Jack finished eating and placed his napkin on the table. “The Fourth of July’s almost here. What do you say to the family thing at Nicollet Island for the day? Tonight shows we can still get along. It’s a tradition I would love to keep going.”
“Let me think about it.” Julie looked at her watch. “I better go.”
“Yeah, me too,” he said. He stood up and walked Julie to the valet stand out by the front door. They stood at the curb waiting for Julie’s car to arrive. “Give the kids a kiss for me.”
“I will. I almost forgot I have to report back to them. What do you think about getting a dog?”
“A dog? I guess it depends what Grandma and Grandpa think. But I’m OK with it as long as they help take care of it.”
Julie’s car pulled to a stop in front of them. Julie turned to Jack and put her arms around his neck. “Happy Birthday.”
Jack held on to Julie, his arms around her waist. He didn’t want to let go. Her hair brushed his cheek and he could smell a familiar mixture of shampoo and perfume. It was her smell and he missed it.
Julie ended the hug and pulled away. “I have to go, Jack. I’ll let you know about the Fourth.” She took her keys from the valet, got in her car, and drove away.
“Sir?”
Jack pulled his eyes from the taillights of Julie’s car. His Cougar was waiting for him. He tipped the valets, squeezed into his car, and looked at his watch. Time to go pick up Junior and see if they could find Sandy.