Okay, there I’ve said it. I want Jake.
He’s beautiful and sexy, and flirty. And he’s a rock star. And he was my boy next-door. But of course nothing is ever going to happen.
Because he’s Jake Wethers … and I’m just Trudy Bennett.
And also I have a boyfriend, which is actually reason number one.
Stuart is there waiting with the James Bond car, just like Jake said he would be. His security guy in his car behind, ready to follow us.
The ride back to my place with Jake is a lot quieter than we were in the restaurant.
I’m not really sure why for him. But for me it’s because I feel sad that the night is over, more than likely I won’t ever see him again. Well apart from on the TV that is.
He’s pulls up outside my place way too quickly for my liking.
“Thanks for dinner,” I say taking off my seatbelt, turning in my seat. “I had a great time.”
“Me too.” His voice sounds deeper, huskier in the dark.
It does funny things to me.
I don’t want to get out of the car, I have that same feeling of loss I had when I was leaving him at the hotel, but at least then I knew I was seeing him tonight, but now the night’s over and I don’t have any reason to see him again.
“So, I guess I’ll go in, thanks again for the pizza and beer.”
I reach for the handle, just clicking open the door, when he says, “I’ll walk you to your door. Too many weirdo’s about in London. I want to make sure you get in okay.”
Pushing open the door, I smile to myself as I exit the car. Jake gets out at the same time. My front door is only thirty feet away, I hardly think anything is going to happen to me in thirty feet.
Jake walks me up my path, and I get that feeling of being a teenager again. Butterflies and giddiness. The way I would feel when I was crazy about him back then and, he would look at me and my insides would just go nuts.
I reach my door and fish my keys out of my bag.
Should I invite him in? I guess it would be rude not to. Even though Simone will die of heart failure when she sees him.
“Do you want to come in for a coffee?” I gesture.
He looks at my door, then at my face. “I’ve got an early start tomorrow. I really should get back to the hotel.”
A no then.
“Oh, okay, sure.” I try not to sound as disappointed as I feel.
Not very rock star sounding to need his sleep … Oh God … I was just blown out wasn’t I.
I’m so slow.
But it’s fine because I wasn’t inviting him in for anything other than coffee anyway. Obviously he doesn’t think I’m attractive at all. I mean he sleeps with anything with a pulse. But not me apparently. Not that I would have, but anyway, it doesn’t matter. He didn’t fancy me when we were younger, so why should it be any different now.
‘Because I’m not fourteen anymore. And I’m a little prettier than I used to be back then,’ shouts my inner self.
I suddenly feel like stamping my teenage foot and asking him just what’s wrong with me that I’m not good enough for him now, and why I wasn’t back then.
But I won’t obviously, because that would be way too weird and majorly embarrassing.
“Well, it was really great seeing you again. Surreal, but great.”
Did I just say surreal? Oh God.
He smiles at me, humour clear in his eyes. “Can I have your number? I don’t want to lose contact again.”
“Yes, of course!” My voice has gone way squeaky, totally giving me away. Traitor voice. And my heart is pounding at my ribs, threatening a break very soon.
Jake pulls his phone out of his pocket and I recite my phone number to him, watching as he types it in.
Adele starts to sing in my bag. As I look down, he lifts his phone, gesturing. “And now you have mine.”
I have Jake’s number!
I’m tapping out a happy number inside my head myself right now.
He suddenly leans close to me, lifting his hand, tucking my hair behind my ear, fingers tipping my jaw, he kisses my cheek.
I close my eyes, absorbing the feel and smell of him. Cigarettes, beer and aftershave.
“Seeing you again was way better than I ever thought it could be,” he murmurs.
What?
By the time my eyes are open, he’s already retreating down the path, heading to his car.
He stops near the bottom and turns back as if remembering something. “Oh, Tru, when I said earlier that you looked great, what I actually should have said was that you look beautiful,” he smiles. “I’ll call you soon.”
And then he’s back in his car, pulling away.
I let myself in my flat and fall back against the door, heart still pounding up a storm.
Then the very next thing I do is get my phone out and save Jake’s number to my contacts.
Chapter Seven
“What did you do to that boy last night?”
Vicky is already advancing through the office toward me and I haven’t even sat down yet.
“Because whatever it was, just keep on doing it please.” She grins.
“Eh?”
I’m still trying to recover from last night. It took me hours to get to sleep after my night with Jake, so I overslept. This morning was a rush and the interrogation from Simone prevented me from even grabbing a coffee. I’m also still coming down off my Jake cloud and dealing with the probability of never seeing him again.
I’ll call you soon.
He won’t call. Why would he? And even though I have his number, I’m not calling him. Well not yet anyway.