I withdraw my hand, swallowing down, and shift in my seat.
“You should have told me we were just staying at the hotel. I would’ve come over. It’s not too far of a walk.”
He gives me a stupid, but firm look. “I was picking you up, Tru.”
“Okay Mr Bossy … I hope you’re not gonna be like this for the tour.”
“What – bossy?”
“Yes.”
“Well when I know what I want I say it ... or take it.” He tilts his head to the side, staring at me for a long moment.
My legs start to tremble.
I press my knees together.
I flicker a nervous glance at Dave, but his eyes are focussed ahead on the road.
I keep mine ahead too.
And we ride in silence for the rest of the short ride to the hotel. I’m at a complete loss for words after that little exchange.
Dave pulls the car into the hotel’s parking lot and then I follow him and Jake through the lot into the hotel and to the lifts.
I ride up with them both in silence, and leaving Dave out in the hall, I follow Jake into his suite.
I can’t believe it was only yesterday that I was here to interview him and now I’m going to be working for him. It’s crazy.
As I follow him I see Stuart at the far side of the living room, sitting on the sofa reading a magazine. He closes the magazine, dropping it onto the coffee table and stands at our arrival.
“Hi,” I say, feeling a little shy.
I wonder if he knows I’m going to be working for Jake. I’m sure he will, he’s Jake PA. He’ll know everything about him.
Probably some things I don’t want to know.
“Hello again,” he smiles at me.
“Is everything ready?” Jake asks him.
“Yes.”
“Thanks,” he says to Stuart.
Stuart gives him a brief nod, and then heads out of the room leaving us alone
“Come on,” Jake says to me, taking hold of my hand, giving me a fire in my belly again, he leads me across the living room and out onto the terraced balcony.
The air is refreshing on my skin, not chilly at all, and as I step through the door and out from behind Jake, I see there’s a table set up, with two chairs, and it is filled with tiers of little mini cakes. So many different varieties, cupcakes, cream buns, éclairs, cheesecakes, and, oh my god, cream filled muffins, and some I can’t even identify.
I know he said there’d be cake, but I never expected anything like this. And there is also fresh coffee waiting.
In this moment I just love him. Not love him, love him – but love him, oh you know what I mean.
Jake turns seeing my open mouthed expression, and says, “Well you gave up a date with Starbucks for me, it was the least I could do.”
“This is a little better than Starbucks though,” I say, my voice a little hoarse. “Is this birthday present number two?”
He squeezes my hand ever so slightly, and smiles, a mysterious smile and leads me over to the table to sit down.
In the last two days, Jake has done more thoughtful things for me than anyone has ever done in my whole entire life.
He pulls my chair out for me.
“Why thank you kind sir,” I giggle.
He sits down across from me.
I feel all fuzzy and up in the clouds here on this penthouse balcony.
And I also feel like I’m on a date. Which of course I’m not, this is a business lunch, just with lots and lots of yummy scrummy cakes.
I let my eyes roam over the cakes. They look fresh and delicious, and I literally don’t know which one to try first. I just want to take a bite of each one.
Jake laughs at my staring. “You look like a kid in a candy store. You always did have a sweet tooth.”
“There’s just so many too choose from, and they are just so damn cute. Where did you get them from?” I ask.
“Just a little place I know.”
Unable to resist anymore, I nick a bit of cream from the cream filled muffin closest to me, and lick it off my finger.
“Oh my god,” I groan. “This is gorgeous, I think I may have died and gone to cream heaven.”
“So does this win me back my best friend status?”
“I think I might be proposing marriage to you soon, if you keep this up.”
Oh God. It just slipped out. And I can’t take it back.
I know my face is bright red.
Jake grins at me obviously enjoying my discomfort.
“Shall I pour?” I say gesturing to the coffee, anything to change the subject.
“I got it,” he says taking hold of the pot.
Jake pours me a coffee. He looks so funny, sitting there in rock star clothes, covered in tattoos pouring me coffee, while we have afternoon tea together.
“You know Jake afternoon tea isn’t very rock and roll. You’re kind of killing your rock star image.”
“Ssh.” He puts his finger to his lips, doing a comical glance around. “We’ll just have to keep it our little secret.” He grins and hands me over my coffee. “And shouldn’t it be afternoon coffee?” he adds.
I furrow my brow in thought. “Is there such a thing?”
He shrugs, smiling, “If not, then there is now.”
“Jake and Tru’s afternoon coffee, rock star style.”
“Abso-fucking-lutely!” he laughs.
Laughing, I pick the milk up and add some to my coffee, and then help myself to the cream filled muffin I’d already started on.