"This is really good," he said after his first bite. "You have to try it."
He scooped up a bite on his fork and reached across the table for me to taste. I opened my mouth and accepted the bite, feeling warmed by the intimacy of the action.
"Wow, that's good," I said. "I can see why this is your favorite restaurant."
I took a bite of my bread pudding and the apple tart was instantly forgotten.
"Oh my God," I said. "You have to try this. It's incredible."
I reached over with a spoonful of bread pudding for Jackson to taste, mimicking his earlier gesture. Jackson guided my hand with his, taking the bite of bread pudding from the spoon. Instead of releasing my hand as he ate the bite of bread pudding, he kept hold of it, gazing at me. He then smiled and turned my hand over that was still clutching the spoon, softly kissing the center of my palm with an open mouth and tasting me with his tongue.
He then released my hand and it fell limply onto the table. I felt boneless as I looked at him, his gesture making my lower body tighten.
"What was that for?" I asked, surprised at how breathless my voice sounded.
Jackson smiled slowly. "I wanted a taste of the sweetest dessert. You."
It was a good thing I was sitting; otherwise, I would have melted into a pool of desire.
"Boy, you sure know how to flatter a girl," I joked, but my voice sounded unsteady. "You must have to beat them off with a stick."
Jackson wasn't smiling at he gazed at me. "There's only one girl I'm interested in. I have a feeling that's not going to change for a long time. If ever."
That's when I realized that Jackson would be my undoing.
Chapter Six
The theater was already bustling when we arrived even though there was still half an hour left before the start of the show. It was a small venue with only about a hundred seats, but the cozy space gave it a convivial feeling, as if friends were gathering to spend an evening together. People had brought their own drinks and were sharing bottles of wine. Jackson greeted numerous people as he guided me to a seat in the front of the theater.
"Go ahead and get ready," I urged as I sat down. "I'm fine. Don't you need to change and get into makeup or something?"
Jackson smiled. "This isn't exactly a big production. It's more of a 'show up as you are and start acting' type of deal."
"Either way, I can't wait to see it! When you're a big movie star I can say that I knew you when."
"If that ever happens, you won't have to say that, because I'm betting you'll be right beside me."
Jackson leaned down and gave me a quick kiss. "Just come backstage afterwards. Enjoy the show."
He walked away and I watched his retreating back as he stopped to talk to multiple people. Jackson had a way with words that left me breathless.
I waited with anticipation, watching people arrive for the show until it was packed to capacity. When the lights darkened signaling the start of the show, it was all I could do to not bounce up and down in my seat in excitement. I couldn't wait to see Jackson onstage.
Claire came out first and she looked beautiful, the stage lights giving her a luminous quality. Her blonde hair was gleaming and her movements were lithe and graceful. There was a single chair and table on stage and she sat down, facing the audience and speaking directly to us.
"Before Matthew, I led a pretty boring life. Here in Bankford, Missouri you don't get much excitement. The biggest news around here was getting a multiplex so that we didn't have to drive to the next town to watch a movie. But I was happy. I liked my job at the local diner, my days filled with chatting up customers and slicing pie. Dating the town deputy wasn't too shabby either. Charlie was kind, good-looking and great in the sack. Life was pretty good and I was happy.
Then Matthew came into town.
Matthew was a stranger, something we don't get too often in Bankford. I served him coffee and a slice of blueberry pie, not realizing that he would change my life.
I don't know if the change was for the better or for the worse. Let me show you what happened. Then you can decide."
The stage darkened and when the lights came back on, the stage was set as a diner and Jackson was onstage. As I watched the story unfold, I couldn't take my eyes off him. He was mesmerizing, his presence commanding the stage, and the audience was quiet and still as they were absorbed in the play. Jackson's intensity rolled off of him in palpable waves. I could feel his exhilaration when his character and Claire's were discovering each other, and his pain and anguish when they were separated.
A part of me had been worried that I would feel jealous watching Jackson and Claire pretending to be in love with each other. Jackson had warned me that they had kissing scenes and I had braced myself for it, not wanting to let it bother me. But as I got involved in the story, I forgot that it was Jackson and Claire on stage. I got wrapped up in the story of Matthew and Annie, Claire's character. I laughed at their missteps of getting to know each other. I cried when they realized that a future together would hurt the people they loved. Until finally it was just Annie on stage by herself again, addressing the audience.
"I still live in Bankford, Missouri. I still spend my days serving pie. But my nights belong to the memories of Matthew. I'm not sure if my life is better or worse now. But I know I wouldn't change a thing. Because for a brief period of time I knew what true happiness was. True happiness was choosing Matthew."
The theater darkened and the audience rose to their feet, cheering. I stood up, clapping loudly, and noticed that I wasn't the only one wiping away tears. The stage lights came back on as the cast came out for their bows. Everyone drew loud applause, but the audience was thunderous as Jackson stepped up for his bow.
I clapped my hands until they tingled. I knew that I had seen something special in Jackson tonight. He had the ability to draw you in and believe everything he was feeling. It was because of his eyes. His eyes had the power to show every emotion he was experiencing, making you experience them as well. The small theater was an unintended benefit since the modest size allowed you to see every nuance of his expression, every shifting emotion of his eyes.
Jackson grinned at the crowd and my heart skipped a beat when he caught my gaze and winked at me. I smiled up at him, feeling ridiculously happy and proud.
After the cast returned backstage and the theater lights came up, I maneuvered my way through the crowd towards the stage. I heard snippets of conversation as I was jostled around and I knew I hadn't been the only one affected by Jackson's performance.