Chapter Text
Jack Callaghan was still pressed against the wall outside Lucy’s apartment after she had closed the door.
He was kicking himself, he had admitted that she wasn’t his brother’s type, but when she asked whose type she was, it dawned on him that he couldn’t say his.
He couldn’t let those words escape his mouth. This was his brother’s fiancée. Sure, she was beautiful, funny, and easy to be around. It had felt so right being with her that his chest was tight at the thought of someone else being there instead, especially his brother.
He loved his brother, but he doubted that he valued Lucy as much as she deserved.
God, he had been so stupid. He needed to apologize. He turned to knock on the door when it opened suddenly.
A surprised looking Lucy looked at his outstretched hand and said, “You’re still here.”
“I thought I should apologize.” He said, bowing his head a little to look at under hooded eyes.
“You want to come in?” She asked, still hesitant.
“Sure.” He agreed, and stepped into her cozy apartment. It felt like her, the furnishings, the knick knacks scattered about the place. It felt safe.
She motioned for him to sit on the couch and he said, “I like your apartment, it’s very you.”
His smile seemed genuine, but bitterly Lucy replied, “What? Does the apartment not seem like your brother’s type either?”
He shook his head as the guilt rushed back in, “Lucy, that’s not what I meant. To be honest, you seem too…kind to be with my brother.”
She turned from where she was putting away some papers on her counter and faced him, eyebrows raised. She replied, “Now you’re just making up stuff to try and amend your insult, don’t lie.”
He rose from the couch and said, “I’m not lying, every woman my brother has brought home has been stuck up, self-involved, high maintenance, and overall rude…nothing like you.” He finished softly, adding, “You have to understand, it’s hard for me to believe that he landed you. I just hope he knows what he has.” When he finished the last part he ran a hand through his hair in frustration, his other hand propped on his hip.
Her heart swelled, and the magnetic pull towards Jack that she had been feeling all week became almost unbearable to resist. While she was struck by his words, and the way his eyes seemed to dance with something unsaid, she was still racked with guilt.
She sighed and muttered, “I’m not as great as you think I am.”
She heard him step towards her slightly, saying to her back, “I doubt that.”
She turned to find him only a few feet away, and she said, “Well, don’t. You were right, it was all a lie.”
Jack looked dumbstruck as he asked, “What do you mean?”
She hung her head in defeat as she recounted what had brought her to the hospital, why she had lied about being his brother’s fiancée, and why she had kept up the lie. She finished by saying, “I was selfish, I always planned on telling you all, but I hadn’t had a family like that in such a long time. It felt nice to be loved, if only for a little while.”
He walked backwards and landed on the couch, a hand over his mouth. He was speechless.
Her eyes filled with tears as she said, “Please don’t hate me, but I understand if you do. I just…I’m sorry Jack.”
She looked down to fiddle with the scarf still wrapped around her neck when she heard him say, “You don’t love my brother?”
She looked up and said, “Your brother doesn’t even know who I am. I just helped him when he was injured, that’s it.”
“And you’re not with Joe Jr.?” He asked in seriousness.
She had to laugh at that statement, “No, never. God, no. Why is that what you’re worried about? I just told you, that I, a random stranger, decided to become a part of your family because I didn’t have one, and you’re worried about Joe Jr., seriously?”
His face was still morphed in confusion as he said, “I will admit, that was a crazy turn of events. However, you were right earlier, I can’t imagine being alone. So I don’t fault you for…adopting the Callaghan’s for a week.” He gave her a small smile.
They were quiet for a moment before she said, “I’m going to miss being with you all.”
His heart sank at the thought of her not being around anymore. At the mere idea that she wouldn’t be there to push him to start his own business, to laugh with him and see that gorgeous smile of hers.
He cleared his throat and said, “I’m positive that they are going to miss you as well.”
He saw a tear slide down her cheek as she turned sideways, trying to hide it.
He stood then, crossing to her. He reached out tentatively and brushed her tears away, saying, “Lucy, I haven’t been honest either.”
She glanced up into his eyes and asked, “About what?”
He sighed and said, “When I told you that I didn’t think you were my brother’s type, you asked me whose type you were.”
“You didn’t say anything.” She said confused.
“It’s what I didn’t say.” He replied.
She waited, and finally he said, “Lucy, you’re every bit my type and more.” He said with a laugh. “The way you laugh, your personality, the way you care for others, and God, you're gorgeous. I just couldn’t tell that to my brother’s fiancée.”
Her eyes had gone wide, and she was struggling to find the right words. Her face was turning red, and he chuckled in response, running a thumb over her cheek.
Finally, she was able to say, “Jack, I…I think maybe you should go.”
He pinched his eyebrows together, and said, “Did I make you uncomfortable? I’m sorry.”
She erupted in frustration then, “No, that was wonderful and everything I wanted to hear. Don’t you think I have been going just as crazy being around you. Having to pretend like I don’t want you to “lean” or whatever the hell you were saying back there? Jack, I don’t deserve your kindness, and I certainly don’t deserve your…I don’t know, attraction. Do I want to kiss you, desperately. Do you know how much I wanted to tonight? Jack, I’ve been lying to you, to your entire family.”
He was moving then, walking towards her in a way that made her back up just as quickly. When her back hit the wall, she squeaked a little.
She watched as he towered over her, a hand braced on the wall next to her head as he leaned his head down until it was inches from hers and asked, “You wanted to kiss me?”
Her body flushed and when she didn’t reply, he asked again, “Lucy, did you want to kiss me?”
She let herself look into his eyes and she breathed “Yes, so badly.”
His breath was coming heavier as he said, “You deserve the world. My brother would have never seen that, and I’m not saying that I would be able to give you the world. But by God, I want to try. Let me try Lucy?”
She felt frozen, but she asked, “Why Jack?”
“Because I think I’m in love with you. Because I can’t imagine a world without you in it. Because when you said you would miss the Callaghan’s I panicked when I realized you meant me too. Because I never wanted you to love my brother. I want you to love me.” He finished with a heavy breath.
“I do love you.” She said warily.
His eyes widened and before he could react she was gripping his jacket and pulling his mouth down to hers.
She tasted like heaven, he groaned when she opened for him, and soon his hands were at her waist.
He breathed her name between kisses, “Lucy, God, Lucy.”
He turned them so he could walk her back towards her couch, unraveling the scarf from around her neck. They stopped at the edge of the couch, and she shrugged off her coat, and went to push his off his shoulders.
She looked up at him as if to ask for permission. She found a knowing smile on his face as he said, “Lucy, you can do whatever you want.”
Her body went hot at the look on his face. He loved her. Her head was spinning as his mouth came next to her ear and whispered, “I’ve been wanting to kiss you since we busted it on the ice the other day. I almost did.”
His lips met her neck and she sighed in pleasure as he continued to kiss a path downwards. She breathed, “I wanted you to.”
He growled and pushed her back onto the couch, crawling over her.
She reached for the buttons on his shirt and began unfastening them between kisses. When his shirt was open, she brought her hands up and ever so lightly ran her hands up his stomach and chest. Making him puff out a long shaky breath.
A phone rang, and they both ignored it, lost in each other. Until the answering machine clicked on and they both heard a frantic voice say, “Lucy, it’s Mrs. Callaghan, it’s Peter! He’s awake!”