His gaze finally meets mine again and it’s his turn to look shameful.
"Umm, yeah, yes!" I smile slightly. "Sorry about that, I didn't even think about what I was asking you for…in American," does that even make sense? I say as I point at my head, then clamp my arms together in front of myself again. I'm sure he knows my brain is in there, somewhere. Hopefully he knows I do actually own one.
"Yeah, I thought your hand gestures were the best part of it all, to be honest," he is amused, and I know he is playing with me.
I feel my cheeks seriously burning. I need to get out of here. I'm sure he is taking great pleasure in embarrassing me, again. But once again, he is looking me straight in the eye.
"Bad habit of mine, everyone always says I'm very explanatory. I can't help it," I start blabbering.
He is now smiling at me, "It's great, Jennifer. It's good to be explanatory."
I love that glitter of jest in his eyes, but I seriously need to go, "Ok, well it was nice to see you, Mr. Samson..."
"Jack", he interrupts me, "my name is Jack, enough with the formal thing. I keep telling everyone in the office to call me Jack, but no one listens, must be another British thing," he scoffs but is smiling again.
"Oh, well I, it was nice to see you, Jack," I say his name quietly as it doesn't feel right. "I need to dash, but I'll see you on Monday at work. I presume you will be there on Monday seeing that you are still here this weekend?" I smile back at him finding my voice. He really does seem very nice and I know I'm being a bit off key with him. It’s his own fault for being so good looking.
"Yes, I'll be in on Monday. I'm starting to like some of the changes around the office lately, Jennifer." He is looking hard at me with his piercing green eyes, which I find unnerving, but I realise I am more than enjoying this interest he seems to have in me. "So, I thought I'd stay around a bit longer than I had planned to," he finishes, and studies my expression.
"Well, that's great then!" I say with slightly too high a pitch to my voice. I now need to plan my entire wardrobe for next week I think quickly.
"Yes, yes it is," he says, his voice sounds so deep and gravely. “And I will get you your very own eraser,” he says, and winks at me.
I laugh while trying not to sigh inappropriately. I feel myself relaxing slightly, "That would be great, Jack, very handy,” I reply smugly while smiling up at him and ensuring I in no way move my hand. “Well, I best be off then..." I start, then am interrupted again.
Why is everyone interrupting me today?
"Jen, Jen! Can you help me?" Susie shouts to me. I turn and see she is in the car park overloaded with shopping. Finally, my excuse to run.
"Be right there!" I shout back. "I'll see you Monday, Mr. Sa..., I mean Jack! That’s my roommate." I smile up to Mr. Samson, gesture that I need to go help, and give him a little wave, then turn and run over to help Susie before he can reply. Thank goodness that conversation is over.
"Hey Suz, how's it going? I didn't realise you were going food shopping as well as doing some retail therapy. I'd have come with you," I start rambling.
I quickly grab some bags from her car boot when I see another larger pair of hands taking everything from Susie and then some.
"Let me help too, ma'am. I work with Jennifer here. We just ran into each other and discovered we both live here," he says, and hits her with his prince charming smile.
"Oh!" Susie exclaims. She turns to me and raises an eyebrow as Jack is bending over gathering some more bags. I have a moment to shrug and nod at her before he straightens upright again."Have you just moved in?" she asks. “I haven’t seen you around here before and we’ve lived here for a few years.”
"Yeah, I was just telling Jennifer, I live on the top floor, it's not exactly a high rise with only nine floors, but you get great views from up there seeing as it's the highest building for a couple miles around. I think I'm going to love staying here when I'm visiting Aberdeen,” he tells her.
"Oh? So you're not always here then?" Susie enquires. I guess his accent was a giveaway and I’m presuming she has put two and two together and likely realises this is THE guy from work.
"No, no, I'm based in Houston. That's my hometown, but I'm always commuting back and forth to Aberdeen on business and I get fed up of living in hotels all the time. Recently I seem to have been here more than there. I wanted a home away from home, so I decided to buy an apartment and when I was looking this whole block came up for sale, so I just decided to buy it out before it actually hit the market. I think I got lucky, and it also lets me be a little picky on the tenants," he answers her with a friendly smile.
"Ah, so you are the man my dad sold to?" Susie knowingly smiles at him.
Sold to him? Wait, what? Then I recall Jack did mention before that he bought the apartment BLOCK, not just APARTMENT, which is singular, but multiple. I just didn’t think he meant my apartment.
"Oh, your dad?" Mr. Samson asks, "You're Arnie's daughter?" he looks pleasantly surprised.
"Yes!" Susie replies proudly. "I sure am! I'm Susie," she holds her hand out to him. "You must be Jack?"
She is smiling openly at him as he shakes her hand, while I stand and try to get my head around this new information. I had no idea Susie’s dad had sold our apartment. I can’t believe he wouldn’t make me privy to this seeing as it kind of affects me, A LOT. I’m going to have to start flat hunting. A sense of panic starts to overcome me as my mind starts running away, but I consciously try to reign it back in until I can speak to Susie alone. I already feel stupid enough around Jack, I don’t need to add this to my repertoire too.
"Yes, I am!" He smiles back at her. "Susie, I have heard so much about you, but I figured your dad would be able to introduce us before we ran into each other. Your father’s a great guy. I enjoy working with him a lot."
"He is great, isn't he!" Susie agrees looking gleeful. She is very close to her parents, they are wonderful people and have been amazing to me over the years. "I’ll have to call him and let him know we’ve been introduced! Small world you working with Jen and my dad, I didn’t put that together until now,” she looks over at me and mouths ‘sorry’. “Here, let's get this lot upstairs and I'll put the kettle on. Get us all acquainted seeing as we are now neighbours, that's if you have time, Jack?"
"Sounds like a plan," Jack looks over at me and smiles as if looking for reassurance this is ok. “So long as I’m not imposing?” he asks.
“Of course not!” Susie starts walking towards our building with Jack close on her heels. I smile politely back at Jack and try to make it reach my eyes too.
I really wish the ground would open up and swallow me whole. This situation has gone from strange to completely bizarre. I walk after them trying to recall what sort of state I left the apartment in. I think it is still relatively clean and tidy, and I don’t think anything embarrassing is lying around. God, I hope not.
I traipse into our apartment block after Susie and Jack and am trying to think of an excuse to get out of the apartment quickly again, but nothing is coming to me. My mind has gone numb, again. Great timing. We all take the elevator up, making small talk in the confined area. Me, more than aware how much I sweated during my run, trying to make myself as small as possible hoping to high hell I smell of roses.
I get to our apartment door a few seconds after Susie and Jack as I deliberately took my time coming out of the elevator. As I approach, Jack is standing holding the door open for me empty handed. He takes the shopping bags from my hands and grins at me while bending down again to whisper in my ear, "It’s ok Jennifer, relax, I'm not going to bite you."
I exhale slowly and slump my shoulders as he turns and I watch him walk away from me with the bags. He has a really cute bum, however, he hit the nail on its head with that statement.
That is exactly my problem, I really wouldn’t mind - at all - if he were to bite me.
Chapter 7
"So, how long have you been coming back and forth to Aberdeen, Jack?" Susi
e shouts from the kitchen as she potters about putting the groceries away while the kettle works its way to boiling.
"Going on three years now," he replies to her. "We opened our Aberdeen office then. I really love it over here. It's so picturesque, I love the outdoors, and it's a great office environment too. What is it, 'banter' ya’ll call it? I have fun here. Ya’ll have a good work-life balance, and it shows," he grins.
He has a really cute grin.
I can't help it, but I make a snorting noise in my attempt not to laugh out loud. I instantly look over to Jack and he is already looking at me amused. I avert my eyes and busy myself putting some cereal into a kitchen cupboard.
"Banter is a great word, Jack. Nothing better than some good office humour," Susie chuckles, and this time catches my eye and nods, prompting me to say something.
"Yeah, office banter...great," I add monotone, not really sure what else to add. I find the geology department anything but humourous so far. "Would you like tea or coffee, Mr. Sa.....I mean, Jack?" I ask him.
"Coffee would be great, thanks," he answers me.
I had desperately wanted to head straight into the shower, but I also didn't want to appear obviously rude. After spraying some deodorant and perfume over myself, then grabbing an old gray hoodie and covering up a bit, I was now helping Susie unpack her groceries. I grab three mugs out of the cupboard while Jack is milling over by the oak sideboard ogling at a mixture of our framed photographs.
I goofily smile to myself as I place the mugs on the counter, I love these mugs, they are Royal Copenhagen contrast mugs and they don't have handles. They are part china, part rubber and I think they are very cool. Mike's mum sent them over to Susie a while back, one in every colour imaginable. In my opinion, they are like a cup of sunshine, if that were possible. I googled them and they cost a fortune, so I guess she must really like Susie. There isn’t much not to like, so I’m glad. Speaking of which, I know Susie keeps trying to catch my eye, but I'm avoiding her in the hope I can keep my calm a little bit longer. I know I am acting awkwardly. I just can't help it. And I’m pissed off about my apartment situation now too.
"What company is it you work for, Jack?" Susie enquires and nudges me knowing Jack is looking the other way. I take her nudge to mean she knows exactly who he is going on last night’s escapade.
"SER, I work with Jennifer, as I said earlier," he replies, warmly.
"Oh, yes, of course, silly me, you did say that in the carpark," Susie rolls her eyes innocently and I wonder if she has lost the plot.
We finally get all the groceries put past and sit down. Susie has laid out a plate with some shop bought chocolate chip cookies and some homemade shortbread I baked a couple of days ago. Jack is on his third piece of shortbread and it makes me giddy at the fact he obviously likes it. Mental note, I should bake more. I watch the masculine muscles of his jaw as he chews and nearly choke on my tea when he licks some sugar off of his top lip.
Susie hands me a napkin and I smile embarrassed, “Sorry,” I croak, then cough again. Before I know it Jack is beside me patting my back.
“You ok?” he asks, now rubbing my back.
“Yeah...” I whisper. “I’m good, thanks.” I feel his large warm hand rub my back slowly once more, before in an almost delayed action, he moves back to his original seat.
Damn.
As I peel my gaze from the sizzling testosterone in the room, I glance over at Suz and actually do a double take as I realise she is smiling at me and shaking her head very slightly, so only I can see. I mouth ‘shut up’ at her and shoot her some daggers, which only makes her swallow a giggle. I look back at Jack and luckily he’s not aware of our silent conversation.
“So Jack, are you married, do you have a wife, or girlfriend?” Susie asks not so bluntly. “Or maybe you swing the other way?”
I start coughing again and go to get a glass of water. I am going to throttle her once Jack leaves.
Jack grins and runs his hand through his hair, “No, as a matter of fact, I’m not married,” he answers her. “No significant other for me yet,” he answers her tactfully, not answering her latter question. “I take it ya’ll aren’t married either?”
Susie laughs, “No, not married. I am as good as though, I suppose,” she readjusts her sitting position crossing her legs. “I’ve been with my boyfriend Mike for over four years. Jennifer however, is young, free and single, single, single!”
“Thank you, Suz,” I sit down again curling my feet under me haughtily. “I can talk for myself,” I stick my tongue out at her.
“That’s good to know, Jennifer,” Jack looks at me and I sink into my seat a little bit more.
“Yeah, Suz is full of great information,” I smile, rolling my eyes and we all laugh a little.
I mean, how awkward?
“What about you, Susie? Where do you work?” he asks her, thankfully changing the subject.
“I’m finishing up my Masters just now,” she replies.
“Oh, what are you studying?”
“Geography. I’ll be done in the spring time, then I need to get a real job and be a proper grown up,” she smiles.
After a while I start to relax and actually enjoy our mid-morning coffee and chat with our new neighbour. We have discovered he is the second youngest child of four. He has an older brother called Eric, an older sister called Dana, and a younger brother called Marc. I guess his parents like four letter names. He grew up in a place called Rice Village in Houston which is apparently close to Downtown and where the office is. His dad's background is in finance, and his mum is a kindergarten teacher. He loves Bud Light beer, and he thought it was hilarious when Susie and I asked why he would want beer with less alcohol. I mean, what is the point to that? He explained that it is lower in calories than regular beer, but has the same alcohol content. O-K. I'm happy to take his word on that one. Neither of us are beer drinkers. And he loves tex-mex food and told us about his favourite restaurant in Houston that he said he would love to take us to when Susie informed him we also both love Mexican food. I wish he could take us.
I know we need to keep our distance professionally, but maybe we can be friends as well as work colleagues. He is only human after all. Just a very nice looking one, with a very nice body, and a very pleasant face to look at. Those pecks must take some work to be so defined through his T-shirt, and those beautifully toned arms look very strong, I wonder if he would let me touch them sometime.
"So Jennifer, what are you up to for the rest of the weekend?" Jack is looking at me knowingly.
I feel my cheeks redden for the umpteenth time today, "Umm....umm, nothing really," I am flustered as I know he caught me looking at his biceps. "This is my first free weekend in weeks, so I am taking it easy. I'm going to watch movies, read, and do my nails. Catch up on some chores around the house."
I sound so rock n’ roll.
"That sounds very relaxing," he smiles at me with his inevitable eyebrow raised. I'm beginning to think that eyebrow has a problem. "What about you Susie? Any plans?" He turns to her.
"Yeah, I'm actually going to the theatre tonight with my mum," she replies. There goes my idea of another girlie night. "I forgot to tell you Jen, mum got last minute tickets for Dirty Dancing tonight at Her Majesty’s Theatre, so she asked me to go. I can't wait!" She squeals with excitement.
"Ooh, you lucky thing," I smile back.
"What about you, Jack?" Susie asks him.
"I've got dinner with one of our business partners that is also in town this weekend. So work for me over the weekend, unfortunately. I had actually better head out, I need to run into the office for some files I left behind yesterday. I was on my way there when I bumped into ya’ll downstairs. I'm glad to have met you both properly though, and Jennifer, please don't feel awkward about me living here. I won't mention it in the office."
I smile at him and nod. I kind of like the thought of him living on top of me.
Jack left and I made a bee-line for my room. I’v
e ditched the shower idea and am going to laze in the bath. I can't be bothered with Susie's one hundred and one questions that I know she has accumulated since she met Jack. I still can’t get my head around the fact he knows her dad, and she knew of him. I guess it is all coincidence though, she couldn’t have known, and when I think back, I don’t recall telling her his name was Jack. I grab some underwear and my favourite lounge clothes - black stretch yoga pants, a pink hoodie, and black fleecy socks, and go to my en-suite bathroom. Definitely a bonus of living with Susie, we both have our own en-suites. I fill the bath, light my Clean Cotton scented Yankee Candle (I wasn’t joking when I said I have them everywhere), add lots of bubble bath and enjoy soaking in silence.
I relax snuggling into the warmth of the bath. It’s been a hectic and exhausting week. I'm really not sure if I'm going to enjoy working in the geology department. I can’t decide whether Jack is going to make it better, or worse. My tummy does a little flip flop as I think about the six foot plus hunk. I'm not sure what I really have to offer in his department, but I have another three weeks of it to go, and I know I need to suck it up. I forgot to ask Jack exactly how much longer he is going to be here for, my guess is not for too much longer. I feel relieved yet sad at the same time at the thought of him not being in the office. I swear he becomes more and more infectious every time I see him. And that’s only been twice. I think about the way he looks at me, I definitely caught him checking me out today, I know I didn't imagine that. I smile wickedly at the sheer thought that he might be interested in me.
It's been eleven months since I last dated. My boyfriend, Liam and I were together for just over a year. Things were getting pretty serious, or at least I thought they were until he seemed to change overnight. He started going out with his friends more and more, and canceling plans with me last minute. Looking back I realise I was so naive, and he was very controlling. Then one night he invited me over for dinner and I walked in on him with another girl. I wish I could eradicate the entire sordid scene permanently from my mind. I think that is the worst part of it, it just plays over and over in my mind. I haven't dated since, I just don't know how I can ever trust another guy, but I need to get over it. It’s definitely not that I’m hung up on Liam, far from it. I want to start dating again, but the hurting all over again scares me so much. I just wish he had finished it in a more amicable way. It was inevitably coming to an end, I was preparing myself for that, but I was in no way prepared to walk into his apartment to find a girl sitting naked on his sofa with his head going south. I mean, I know he invited me over to eat, but, come on! She was moaning so loudly he didn't even realise I had walked in on them until the door slammed shut when I ran out. He ran out to the landing shouting my name (yeah...ick!), but I was already running down the stairs, and he thankfully never ran after me. I presumed it was premeditated. The bastard. I hate him so much, but I'm glad to be rid of him. We haven't had any contact since. Susie picked up what stuff I had left at his place for me. I didn't ask her to, but she did. I took the liberty of donating everything I had of his to a local charity shop. I figured if he wanted it back, he could buy it. I guess it is about time I got my act together and started dating again though. And my thoughts wonder back to Jack Samson.
Silver City Girl Page 3