Page 13 of Escape to Egypt
I froze, my mind struggling to make sense of the scene before me. Who was this woman, and why was she here? And why did Snickers look so content, nestled in her lap, gazing up at her adoringly?
Jack turned, catching sight of me in the doorway. He grinned, his eyes lighting up as if this was the most normal thing in the world. “Morning, Charlotte. Hope you like bacon. We’ve got company!”
I forced a smile, trying to mask the confusion—and maybe a hint of jealousy—swirling inside me. “Yeah, I can see that,” I said, clearing my throat, my voice a little shaky. “Mind telling me what’s going on?”
Jack’s grin widened, and he gestured to the woman at the table. “Charlotte, this is Bambi. Bambi Bonanza, meet Charlotte.”
Bambi gave me a dazzling smile, her eyes assessing me with an appraising look that made me feel like I was being sized up for a magic trick. She extended a hand, her nails painted a bright pink. “Nice to meet you, Charlotte,” she said in a voice that was smooth and melodious, with a hint of theatrical flair. “Jack’s mentioned you.”
I shook her hand, still trying to process everything. “Hi…Bambi,” I said, my mind racing. The name was familiar, but I couldn’t place it. I glanced at Jack, raising an eyebrow.
“Bambi and I go way back,” Jack explained, turning back to the stove with a nonchalant shrug. “We used to, uh, work together. She’s in the circus.”
I blinked, trying to hide my surprise. The circus?
Jack continued, “Bambi’s been traveling the world, honing her skills. She’s got a knack for getting out of tight situations.” He shot her a knowing look, and she winked back, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
“Right,” she said, fluttering her long eyelashes at Jack. “I’m a contortionist. I also do trapeze and tight rope, sometimes assist in magic tricks. You may have seen me perform with my troupe. We’re pretty popular, we do shows all over the world.”
“And you two were…?” I let the question hang in the air, unsure how much I wanted to know.
Bambi laughed, a tinkling sound that filled the room. “Oh, we had a little fling back in the day,” she said, waving a hand dismissively. “It was fun, but now we’re just good friends. Right, Jack?”
“Right,” Jack said, turning off the stove and setting a plate of bacon and tray of toast on the table. “Had no idea she was in town until she showed up this morning.”
Bambi laughed again and winked. “I’m always full of surprises.”
I forced a laugh as I joined them at the table. One thing was clear: my adventure in Egypt was definitely getting more complicated by the minute.
Chapter Seven
I sat down at the breakfast table, directly across from Bambi, trying my best not to let the tension in the air ruin my appetite. Snickers, perched on Bambi's lap, was watching us like a tiny, furry referee waiting for the match to start. Jack was at the stove, obliviously humming a tune, flipping bacon, and acting like this was the most normal morning in the world.
“Coffee, ladies?” he called over his shoulder, his voice cheerful and annoyingly casual.
“Yes, please,” Bambi and I said at the exact same moment, our voices colliding in a weird, awkward harmony. We turned to glare at each other immediately, eyes narrowing. Snickers shifted nervously, his eyes darting between us like he was watching a tennis match.
Jack finally turned around, holding up a steaming mug of coffee. “Charlotte, how do you take yours?” he asked, clearly trying to keep things light.
“Cream and sugar, please. And make mine a double,” I said, not taking my eyes off Bambi. There was no way I was going to let her out-psyche me this early in the morning.
Bambi, unfazed, smiled sweetly. “You can just make mine black, Jack honey. I’m watching my figure,” she said with a delicate sip of her coffee, as if she were some kind of dainty princess. Her legs were crossed, showing off the perfect length of them under the table, her silk blouse hugging every curve. I suddenly felt very self-conscious in my borrowed robe, like some kind of drab, unglamorous potato.
Jack finished preparing our coffees, blissfully unaware—or maybe just pretending not to notice the tension. He handed me my mug with a grin. “Here you go, double dose of caffeine for the double trouble in my kitchen.”
I managed a tight smile. “Thanks,” I said, taking a sip. Jack’s eyes lingered on me a moment longer than necessary, and despite everything, I felt a small flutter in my stomach. Damn him for being charming even when he wasn’t trying.
After taking her cup from Jack, Bambi took a dainty sip and sighed dramatically. “Bold and strong. Just like the man who made it,” she purred, batting her eyelashes. Snickers gave a little chattering sound, like he was laughing at some private joke.
I rolled my eyes and focused on buttering my toast. I could see Bambi barely nibbling on a piece of dry toast out of the corner of my eye. How could anyone survive on that? I slathered my toast with butter and drizzled it with honey, taking a big bite to spite her.
“I need to freshen up,” Bambi announced, handing Snickers to me and standing up in a way that seemed designed to draw attention to every curve. She swayed off towards the bathroom, leaving a trail of expensive perfume in her wake, and I frowned, wondering if I’d remembered to pack my deodorant. Snickers swiped some honey from my toast with his finger and licked it happily.
The second she was out of earshot, Jack slid into the chair next to me. He leaned in close, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Look, I swear I didn’t know Bambi was coming. It was a total surprise. I’m really sorry for the intrusion. I’ll try to get rid of her as soon as breakfast is over so we can get back to the pyramid.”
I raised an eyebrow, skepticism creeping into my voice. “Is there really nothing going on between you two now? I’ve got enough drama in my life without adding ex-girlfriend issues to the mix.”
Jack shook his head emphatically. “Absolutely not, Charlotte. I promise. Bambi and I…that was a long time ago. What happened between you and me last night, it was special. I mean that.” His blue eyes were sincere, and for a moment, the tension in my chest eased. I wanted to believe him, to trust that whatever was happening between us was real.