Chapter 387

Jack got nothing but the sound of Kelsey's steady breathing in response.

Next morning, Jack woke up to find Kelsey already awake, lying in his arms and tracing his face with her finger.

Her eyes were full of pure affection, making Jack's heart do a little dance. He couldn't resist and kissed her forehead. "Why are you up so early?"

Kelsey tilted her head and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. "Didn't you say you wanted me to go back with you? Did you get the tickets?"

Jack was caught off guard. "You heard that last night?"

Kelsey nodded. "Yeah, but I was too tired and knocked out."

Jack sat up and grabbed his phone. "I'll get the tickets right now."

"Cool," Kelsey said, tying up her hair. "I'll go freshen up."

Jack nodded. "Alright."

While Kelsey was in the bathroom, the doorbell rang.

Jack went to open the door, and Kelsey leaned against the bathroom door, toothpaste foam in her mouth, watching him.

Jack thought it was room service, but nope, it was Zaire.

"Mr. Jose?" Jack felt like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

Zaire's face was all serious. "Jack, how dare you bring Kelsey to a hotel room?"

Jack didn't back down. "I'll treat Kelsey right, I promise."

"Of course," Zaire said, "Jack, we've known each other for years. If you mess with Kelsey, you'll regret it."

"Zaire!" Kelsey wiped the foam from her mouth and rushed over. "Stop scaring Jack. Did you bring what I asked for?"

Jack looked at Kelsey, surprised she had called Zaire.

Zaire frowned, clearly not happy with Kelsey's protective stance. "This is a man-to-man talk. Stay out of it."

"No way!" Kelsey clung to Jack's arm. "If I leave, how do I know you won't bully him?"

Zaire was fuming. "Bully him?"

Kelsey said, "Yes. Our Jack is very honest."

Zaire gritted his teeth. "Our Jack?"

"Oh, Zaire, just drop off the stuff and leave. Bye-bye." Kelsey grabbed the suitcase and pushed Zaire out.

Zaire was speechless.

Kelsey's suitcase was packed to the brim, not just with her stuff but also with gifts for Liam, Barbara, and even Nancy's brother.

Seeing her thoughtful preparations, Jack felt a pang of guilt and silently vowed to treat Kelsey even better.

After packing, Jack and Kelsey went to pick up Nancy and grabbed Jack's stuff along the way. Then the three of them headed to the station.

Since Jack and Nancy's tickets were bought together, their seats were next to each other.

Kelsey's ticket was a last-minute thing, so she wasn't with them and was several carriages away.

Before boarding, Kelsey turned to Nancy and said, "Hey, can we switch seats?"

Nancy glanced at Jack, who was busy with the luggage, and smirked. "Why should we?"

Kelsey replied, "Because I want to sit with Jack."

Nancy shot back, "Well, I want to sit with Jack too, Ms. Jose. You had him all night. Do you really need him all day too?"

With Jack out of earshot, Nancy dropped the nice act and went straight for Kelsey.

Kelsey wasn't fazed; she knew Nancy's true colors.

"Fine, I'll let Jack handle this," Kelsey said, not wanting to argue, and went to find him.

But when Jack and Kelsey came back, Nancy was already by the window, looking all pained and holding her stomach.

Jack asked, "What's wrong?"

Nancy looked up, wincing. "I think the breakfast messed me up. My stomach's killing me."

Jack asked, "Is it bad?"

Nancy shook her head. "No, I'll just sit here and look at the scenery. It should pass."

Translation: She wasn't giving up her seat.

Jack paused for a moment and said, "You rest here. I'll go to Kelsey's carriage and see if I can switch seats with someone."

"Jack," Nancy grabbed his hand, looking all pitiful. "Don't leave me alone. I'm scared."

Kelsey rolled her eyes, knowing Nancy was faking it just to get under her skin.

Kelsey let go of Jack's hand. "I'll wait for you over there."

Then she walked away.

The train started moving soon after.

Watching the platform fade away, Kelsey pressed her lips together, feeling unsure if Jack would leave the "sick" Nancy to come find her.

Kelsey didn't want to fight, but Nancy kept pushing her buttons, so she wasn't backing down.

The train picked up speed, and several minutes passed with no sign of Jack.

Kelsey sighed, thinking it wasn't worth getting worked up over.

"Excuse me, can I switch seats with you?" A familiar voice suddenly asked.

Kelsey turned around, surprised. It was Jack, politely asking the girl next to her to switch seats.

The girl agreed, and Jack sat down next to Kelsey.

As soon as he did, Kelsey hugged his arm and rested her head on his shoulder. "I thought you weren't coming."

Jack kissed her hair. "You wanted me here, so here I am."

Kelsey smiled, content. "What about Nancy? Aren't you worried about her?"

Jack said, "She's fine. Told her to call or text if anything happens. It's just a few carriages away. I'll be there in minutes if needed."

"Okay," Kelsey said, satisfied.