Take a Chance

by Simone Jaine

  Then of course there was that bet amongst Jess’s friends at the time that he’d rather forget. He had been cured of meaningless hook-ups after overhearing a pair of them bet they’d outdo a pair of diamond earrings he’d bought on a whim for one of their friends the week before. When asked how many nights the other thought it would take to do better, her friend had giggled and responded “Since she’s finished with him it shouldn’t take more than a weekend but I’m going to keep going until I get a necklace and bracelet to match.”

  With the realisation that he was wasting money on women who couldn’t care less about him Eben felt angry, embarrassed and hurt. Unable to help himself, he had moved purposely up to the women, making them wonder whether he had overheard their conversation. They had given each other a nervous glance but smiled at him.

  “Your friend’s earrings are cubic zirconia,” he had lied charmingly, making their smiles falter “but you two have potential for better.”

  The women’s smiles reappeared and one surreptitiously tried to nudge the other out of the way.

  “I’m sure either of you could earn a matching set of jewellery by the end of the weekend,” he told the women and paused while they beamed at him. “But then I suppose it depends upon the going rates on K’ Road.”

  He then stalked off and it wasn’t until he had almost reached his car that he heard the women’s outraged shrieks behind him indicating what he had said had sunk in.

  From then on he focussed on his heavy workload and became more interested in getting the job done than nights of meaningless sex. He might have flirted with different women at parties Jem attended, in the childish hope that she would realise what she was missing out on but she had attributed his behaviour to his perceived lifestyle which disappointed him, especially since he left the parties early, alone, to work.

  He heeled off his sneakers at the kitchen door and emptied the sand out in the garden by the back steps. It was a lot colder here than Fiji and he needed a shower to warm him up.

  Aunty Beryl was finishing up the dishes when he entered the kitchen and after a warm greeting and finding out that Jess and the children were asleep he decided to clean himself up before catching up with Jase.

  Afterwards, warm from the shower, he made himself a mug of hot chocolate on the way to the home office where Jase looked relieved to see him. After explaining his absence Jase thanked him for preventing him the angst of a wasted journey while Jess was recovering then berated him for making Jem worry.

  Pulling his newly charged cell phone out of his pocket, Eben turned it on and scrolled through the messages. Over three quarters of them were from her.

  “Is the baby okay?” he asked Jase, thinking of the reason she might have made so many calls.

  Jase shrugged. “As far as I know Jem and the baby are fine.” He turned towards his computer screen. “Coco’s had a lot to say to Jess about her and you.”

  “What sort of things?” Eben asked warily. Just because he didn’t like Coco didn’t mean he didn’t care enough to keep on her good side.

  “Dunno,” Jase said, grinning. His smile belied his words. “Jess seems to think we have a problem with the phone batteries. Every time Coco gets into a rant the phone seems to die.”

  Eben smiled in return. He couldn’t see a problem.

  “What are you doing here anyway?” Jase asked. “I thought your first stop would be with Jem.”

  Eben explained to Jase about the men at Jem’s apartment and asked him if he knew who they were. Jase couldn’t think of anyone meeting their description and suggested they ask Jess but added that they had to wait until morning because she was already asleep for the night.

  Eben reluctantly agreed. If he didn’t he would be no better than Coco. Knowing he wouldn’t be able to sleep until he had answers he settled down at his usual computer and started to work.

  The following morning Jem walked into the kitchen to find a tall, blonde man with clearly defined muscles wearing only a towel low on his hips leaning against the bench. She reached up to tousle his hair as she passed by.

  “I still can’t believe you dyed away that magnificent red hair of yours,” she said. “Millions of women would kill to have your natural colour.”

  “I’m not a woman,” he grunted.

  Mornings are obviously still not your best time of day, Jem thought.

  “That’s rather obvious,” she said blandly and reached out to open a cabinet.

  His hand stopped hers.

  “What would you like for breakfast? Take a seat and I’ll bring it to you.”

  “You cook now?” Jem asked, bemused and walked around the kitchen island to the dining table.

  “What’ll it be?” he asked with a twinkle in his eye. “Weetbix, honey puffs, toast?”

  “You can do all that?” Jem asked acting impressed.

  “I’ve learned how to pour milk with the best of them,” he admitted.

  “Then may I please have two pieces of marmite toast cut into big triangles with a mug of hot chocolate.”

  The man paused.

  “Hot chocolate might be a bit beyond me,” he admitted.

  Jem rolled her eyes as she took a seat.

  “I’ll have apple juice then. And remind me to introduce you to Cherie. Her hot chocolate is divine.”

  “What’s with the big triangles?” he asked as he dropped pieces of bread into the toaster.

  Jem looked at him blankly.

  “The toast?” he prompted.

  “Oh. Jess’s kids are very particular about their toast and Eben and I made a game out of it.”

  “Eben again,” he muttered. “Am I going to have to beat him up for knocking you up?”

  “Only as a last resort,” Jem murmured and pulled out the chair adjacent to her for him while she waited.

  A piece of folded up paper sitting on the chair caught her eye. She recognised it instantly.

  My list!

  She had been wondering where it had got to.

  Jem picked up the paper and carefully unfolded it. She immediately saw that it had been altered. Her uncrossed items now read:

  Be the boss of a company

  Live overseas

  Marry Eben

  Have Eben’s babies

  Live happily ever after

  She smiled at his audacity despite herself. By going to this extent to make his intentions clear he obviously meant what he had said. A warm feeling came over her. He would be back and have a good reason for his absence.

  Her eyes narrowed.

  And a very good reason why he hadn’t returned her calls.

  Shortly afterwards the toast was presented to her without the serenade of a smoke detector. It was surprisingly anticlimactic.

  She was halfway through the first slice when the phone rang.

  “I’ll get it!” she announced and cut her guest off in the effort to reach it first.

  “Of course my sister wouldn’t be seeing anyone else,” Jess assured Eben the following morning as she reached for the phone. “You’re going to feel rotten for thinking she’d have another man stay over, let alone two of them.”

  She hit the speed dial number for Jem and held the phone to her ear.

  “Hi Jem,” Jess said when her sister picked up. “I heard you have house guests.”

  “How did I know? The accident made me psychic,” said Jess, then she paused. “Who do you have visiting?”

  Jess looked apologetically at Eben. His stomach clenched. Cherie had helped him make big plans for today and now he dreaded hearing Jess tell him he’d overstepped himself.

  “Really? He’s there with you in just a towel? Don’t worry about getting clothes on him. I can’t see. Put him on the phone!”

  Jess squealed in delight. Obviously the mystery man had picked up and spoken. Eben’s heart plummeted. It seemed Jess was no longer on team Eben’s side.

  “Oh Freddie! You and Ethan have made it just in time but you should have come here first. I hope you haven’t
spoiled the surprise,” Jess said into the phone. She gave Eben a relieved nod then after a few pleasantries were exchanged she reminded Freddie of the time she expected them to show up then said her goodbyes.

  Ethan was a new name to him but Freddie? Eben had heard that name before. Was he an ex-boyfriend who was picking up where he had left off? He started mentally kicking himself for not knocking on her door last night despite feeling scruffily inferior to the well-dressed men who had reached her door first.

  Jess pressed the end call button on the phone and threw it at Eben.

  “Eben you pillock!” she exclaimed. “Her overnighters are Freddie, our brother, and Ethan who is an old friend of his from boarding school!”

  She adjusted her position on the couch just as someone knocked on the door.

  “That’ll be the marquee people. I hope they don’t kill the rest of my Daphne bush this time.”

  Nothing got past that woman, Eben thought as he headed for the front door. There wouldn’t be much time to have everything set up before Jem was due to arrive. He opened the door and smiled.

  Beside the Hire Centre staff member at the door were a couple of familiar faces. Reinforcements were here.

  Chapter 35

  Jem grumpily crossed her arms over her chest from her position in the back seat of her car. Despite Freddie insisting upon driving because he claimed he’d be faster, he seemed determined to take the scenic route to visit their sister. Ethan seemed oblivious as he kept trying to make small talk with her over his shoulder almost as if he was hoping to distract her.

  She’d known Freddie all his life and Ethan for almost two decades. They were up to something and not letting her in on it. Usually she’d be amused and make an effort to figure out what they were up to but their mucking around was cutting into time she could be spending with them as well as Jess, Jase and the kids before her flight. It was ticking her off.

  Jem pulled her cell phone out of her shoulder bag to check the time and noticed she had missed a text message.

  I’m back. Love you, Eben.

  Jem scrolled the message back to see it had been sent in the early hours of the morning. Okay, she’d let him live for not phoning her directly.

  Where have u been? she texted back.

  A minute later her phone dinged and she eagerly read the message.

  Long story. U and baby well?

  Hmm. Okay she’d have to wait to find out the details. With her thumb she keyed back Yes. You?

  Fine but I miss u. Will c u soon.

  She had missed him too and all those messages she’d left on his phone proving it hadn’t seemed to put him off. Hang on. She wasn’t going to be home so she texted back that she would be at Jess’s. Another ding.

  I no. U marry me now?

  Jem studied the ring on her left hand. It looked perfect where it was and she loved it. The fact she had never removed it after he had placed it on her finger told her what she already knew in her heart. She was his.

  She trusted him and it was time to take a chance.

  That didn’t mean she wasn’t going to give him a bit of grief for not knowing his whereabouts the past five days though. Jem thought quickly then sent him a text.

  Will u mow the lawns and take out the rubbish?

  A responding ding had her eagerly reading his response.

  As long as u keep me in beer.

  She smiled. He couldn’t fool her. She’d noticed he didn’t drink that much. Keeping a bottle or two of Speights in the fridge would be no hardship.

  Then how can I resist? Yes.

  Jem sent the text and grinned at the two similar blonde men chatting to each other in the seats in front of hers. Her phone dinged again and she read his message.

  I’m glad I hav it in riting. Hav shown to witnesses. You’re mine and I’m all yours.

  After Alan Jem thought she wouldn’t like someone feeling possessive over her but with Eben it was different. His sentiment showed that it worked both ways. She basked in the feeling of being genuinely loved and the hope she had for their future however it worked out.

  Jem looked up from the phone and noticed they were in Jess’s street and there were a lot of cars parked on either side of the road. She put that down to people going to watch their children play sports on the playing fields a block away. Before she could think of anything to respond to Eben’s last text Freddie stopped the car at the top of Jess and Jase’s driveway and yanked on the handbrake.

  Jase had the front door open before they were even out of the car. Bemused by his enthusiasm she introduced him to Ethan as Freddie pulled a couple of garment bags hanging from the hand rest above the back window. After further greetings between Freddie and Jase they followed Jase through the house to the family room where Jess sat propped up on the couch with a blanket over her lap and a cardigan buttoned up to her chin. The right sleeve was pushed up past the cast on her arm which was covered in childish looking flowers and butterflies. It seemed that Daisy had found where she had hidden the felt tips.

  The bandages Jem had last seen on her sister’s head had been replaced by a fluffy pale pink beanie that was pulled down to her ears. Jess was uncharacteristically wearing makeup which had the benefit of covering the remains of her bruises. She still looked a little delicate but anyone looking at her wouldn’t realise how recently she had come close to dying. Jem thought she must have primped in preparation for Freddie’s visit so as not to overly worry him.

  “Hi there. Look what followed me in,” Jem said and indicated with a thumb over her shoulder to the men behind her. “That’s a beautiful hat. Is it new?” she added, giving Freddie and Ethan a few seconds to adjust to Jess’s appearance without her trademark long chocolate coloured hair.

  “Yes. Aunty Beryl finished it for me yesterday,” Jess answered absently, gently stroking the silky feeling beanie as she took in the sight of her younger brother and his friend.

  Recovering, Freddie and Ethan exchanged greetings and careful hugs with Jess who then exclaimed over the change in Freddie’s hair colour to his chagrin.

  There was a knock at the front door and Jase excused himself to answer it. A few moments later he returned to the room with Cherie in tow, carrying a wide shallow box in her arms.

  “Oh good, you’re here,” Cherie said to Jem before Jem could ask why Cherie was there. “If you could just follow me…”

  Cherie walked towards the guest bedroom and after Jem gave a questioning look to Jess who waved her off in return, she followed. The roman blind in the room was down and after setting the box on the bed and switching on the light Cherie closed the door.

  “What’s going on?” Jem asked in bewilderment.

  “Hasn’t Eben explained?” Cherie asked as she moved to the wardrobe.

  “Explained what? I haven’t seen him. Is he coming here too?”

  Cherie muttered something under her breath and paused with one hand on the wardrobe door handle. Then she turned back to face Jem.

  “Maybe this will explain everything.”

  She pulled open the wardrobe door. Most garments had been pushed to one side leaving two gowns hung on padded hangers in the remaining space. One was pale pink, almost identical to the colour of Jess’s beanie and the other was the winter white wedding dress that Jem had tried on and liked the best in the bridal shop last week.

  It took a few moments for the purpose of the dresses to sink in.

  “Are you telling me I’m supposed to be getting married, now?” Jem asked incredulously.

  “Yep.”

  Jem said the first thing that popped into her head “I can’t get married. I have a plane to catch.”

  “There’s plenty of time,” Cherie assured her.

  “But I haven’t even filled in a marriage licence,” Jem protested.

  “Didn’t need to. Jess gave me your details and you signed it amongst other paperwork earlier in the week.”

  Jem narrowed her eyes at her friend. “I trusted you. What else have I signed un
knowingly?”

  Cherie gave a noisy put-upon sigh. “Nothing, I swear. I haven’t had time to decide what you should leave me in your will.” She crossed the foot of the bed to stand in front of Jem. “Look, do you want to marry Eben or not?”

  “I do.”

  “Great! And you’ve got your lines down pat. Just remember that when you’re in front of everyone.”

  “Everyone?”

  Cherie pointed to the window. “Take a peek.”

  Jem walked to the window and nudged the roman blind from the window frame. Outside on Jase and Jess’s lawn sat a familiar marquee.

  “Oh…” Jem began, at a loss for words.

  She let go of the blind and turned towards Cherie. How on earth had Cherie managed to make time to take care of it all? Especially without her knowing. All the planning involved and…

  Jem sank onto the end of the bed, completely overwhelmed by the lengths her friend had gone to on her behalf. And Eben. Cherie wouldn’t have done all this without his involvement. Something sharp dug into her hip. She looked down to see the box Cherie had put on the bed. What was in it?

  Jem lifted the lid and revealed three trailing bouquets of daisies and pink roses.

  “I know. I’m just awesome, right?” Cherie said over her shoulder as she drew the wedding dress from the hanger.

  “I pity anyone who ever underestimates you,” Jem said, impressed by the lengths Cherie had gone to on her behalf. “What on earth can I do to repay you?”

  “Name your baby after me, pretty one,” Cherie answered with a mock evil chuckle.

  “No. Seriously. Setting this all up must have cost a fortune, especially on short notice.”

  “Don’t worry. It’s all taken care of.”

  “By whom?” Jem wondered aloud, thinking that only her mother would have enough money to splash out on this but doubted it as she wouldn’t throw a cent towards it unless the event revolved around what she wanted.

  “Let’s just say that Eben is now marrying you for your money and will be working quite a lot of overtime for a while.”