Conflict of Interest

Chapter 12

Following that magical night with Dom on the yacht, and the devastating confrontation that followed the next day, Dom had been texting and calling her several times all week-end trying to talk to her. She had ignored his attempts by turning off her phone. She had secretly wanted him to turn up at her house and felt hurt and confused when he didn't. Did he really mean what he told his father about loving her? If he did surely he would be knocking down her door to see her? Then she realized that she hadn't actually told him that she loved him too.

After spending the whole week-end in bed and eating chocolate while watching trashy TV, Jackie decided that not seeing Dom would be the best thing to do for both of them. What's that saying if you love someone set them free? When she finally turned her phone on later that following Sunday, Dom had left her a voice message.

"Jackie. I know you must be feeling angry about what happened. Please talk to me. I need to know that you are okay? I really do care about you deeply and I won't let my father decide who I should or shouldn't be falling in love with. Yes I said it again, I love you Jackie. Please talk to me. I don't want to fly out to Sydney without knowing that you are okay. I'm really worried about you. I do understand that you maybe need some time so I will wait for you to call. But please don't leave me waiting too long. I meant it when I said I need you in my life Jackie. Please call me!"

Jackie managed to text him back, "I'm Okay, Please don't worry about me." Then she turned her phone off again before crumpling on her bed consumed by more waves of uncontrollable sobs.

***

Dom's heart weighed a ton as he grudgingly stepped onto the plane. He felt like his world had caved in around him and there was no light anywhere that could show him the way out. He had meant every word of what he said in his phone message. The past few days Dom had been imagining what their life would've been like together. He was seeing them raising a family and growing old, but that all seemed to be impossible now. Damn it Dad, Why do you have to go and ruin everything? Jackie would've made me happy. He knew deep down that she had strong feelings for him too. She hadn't said that she loved him but he could tell by the way she looked into his eyes, the way she responded to his touch, that she cared very deeply for him. Well at least she did.

He wanted to see her before he left and make sure that she was okay. He had driven past her apartment several times but couldn't bring himself to turn into her drive-way. He couldn't imagine what she was thinking and was hoping that she wasn't going to end things for good. He also understood that if he had heard a future father-in-law describe him the way Philip had spoken about Jackie, he would've run a mile too. Dom was used to his fathers' rants but Jackie wasn't. Philip could cut deep when he wanted too. He wished he had more time to make her see that they could work. He wasn't prepared to give up on her.

As the plane was making its way out to the runway, Dom was determined to make his racing career a success. He needed to do this to break free of his fathers' supremacy. Being able to rely on himself and not his father, he would be free from the scathing opinion his father had of him. Philip Tyrell seemed to be the nicest person in the world on the outside. But when it came to his son, his expectations were so high that Dom always failed to meet them. Dom never felt good enough. When he was always introduced as Philip Tyrell's son, it made his blood boil. Dom knew that he was capable of achieving so much more than just being Philip Tyrell's son, and this racing opportunity was Dom's way of proving it, and proving to Jackie that he was prepared to lose his family to be with her if that's what it took.

***

It had been three weeks since the last time she had seen Dom. Jackie was burying herself into the dual role of bank consultant and manager. She was enjoying the extra responsibility and the fact that she was too busy to really think about Dom. He had sent a few text messages just to say Hi and ask how things were going, but they hadn't really had any deep and meaningful conversations. She wanted to pick up the phone and call him just to hear his voice. She missed hearing his low sultry sexy tone of his voice and the way it made her feel, but decided that she would keep things professional between them. She was devastated about the prospect of not having Dom in her life, but as time passed she knew that this was the best thing for the both of them. When Dom sent an email with instructions for a money transfer, she felt hollow when she realized there were no endearing sign-offs, or no heartfelt text messages, pleading for her to talk to him anymore. What did you expect Jackie? You totally rejected him after he defended you and poured his heart out. All she could think was that this is the way it should be. It definitely simplified her life. She no longer had to worry about her career prospects being ruined by falling in love with a client, and she didn't have to worry about his father cutting him off.