by Alex Dafney
“Sorry about this. I have a hard to handle client at the moment who refuses to deal with anyone in the agency other than myself.” He gives me an impish smile over the screen. I shake my head, focusing on my tasks at hand. “I understand well of hard to deal with clients.” He lets out a chuckle before settling his gaze back on the screen.
We settle into a comfortable silence in each other’s presence. Him working on my computer, me bustling about the kitchen preparing the appetizers. I hear the front door open and don’t bother checking up, assuming it’s Blake. “Who the hell are you?” My spine goes rigid as I hear Remington’s voice behind me. I turn, finding him with his hands planted on his waist staring at Jase.
I watch as Jase pushes the bar stool back, a confident smile on his face, offering his hand to a scowling Remington. “Jase Jackson, and you are?” I watch the two men, a cold sweat breaking out along my skin and I’m not sure as to why. Rem looks down to his hand, then over to me. “Seriously, Abbi? We split up days ago and you already have another man in my place?” I glance down to the floor, my cheeks heating with embarrassment.
“You’re one to talk.” My head pops up when I hear Blake’s voice. He strides into the kitchen, right past Remington and stands at my side, placing his arm around my shoulder. I watch Remington’s face shift, his scowl turning to Blake who stands at my side. “What the fuck, bro?” I feel Blake shrug as he keeps his arm planted around my shoulders.
Remington turns his scowl to Jase who stands on the other side of the counter, giving him a once over before scoffing. “You’re my replacement? At least when I step out, I find a barely legal bombshell.” His words make my stomach churn as Blake’s arm tightens around my shoulders. Jase simply shakes his head at him, a look of disgust on his face, before looking over to me. “I’ll step into the living room. This seems like a private matter.”
Jase takes a few steps before Blake drops his arm from my shoulder, taking a menacing step toward Rem, his eyes never leaving his. “If you don’t mind, Jase, it’d probably be best if you stayed here. If he says one more stupid thing like that, I’m going to need someone to stop me from killing him.” I watch as Jase turns, walking over to Blake’s side and standing next to him, his large arms crossing over his broad chest.
I’m sure I’m watching some sort of man code play out before my eyes, and I know I don’t want it to come to that. “I think it’s time you head on out.” I’ve only heard this tone in Blake’s voice a few times, and after each time fists were thrown. I shake my head, stepping over to stand between the three large men in my kitchen, giving Blake a look as I place a hand to Remington’s chest, pushing him backwards toward the living room.
“Whose side are you on anyway? We’ve been friends since kindergarten!” He yells as I push him with both of my hands toward the living room to get him out the front door. “Abigail’s!” I hear Blake yell behind me, making my heart warm in this shit show of a situation. Remington lets out a huff as I push him backwards toward the door. He plants his feet firmly and I tumble into his chest, him gripping my wrists, staring down at me.
“Is this really what you want? You’re willing to break up lifelong friendships over a quick fuck?” I try to pull my wrists free, but he grips harder. To the point of pain. “Let go of me!” Before I know what’s happening, I’m pulled out of his grip. It’s like time has slowed as I watch Blake slam Remington into the front door as Jase pushes me behind his large frame, taking on a protective stance.
“It’s time for you to go.” Blake grabs his shirt collar as he pulls the door open, thrusting him out onto the porch as he stumbles backwards. Once he rights himself, he stares at Blake, his face clearly pained. “What the fuck?” Blake doesn’t even respond, just slams the door closed in his face. Tears sting my eyes. I never in a million years would have come between their friendship.
As Jase spins around, taking my hands in his own, I glance around him to Blake who is seething. He steps over to us, glancing down at my hands in Jase’s. “Are you alright?” I’m so shocked I don’t even process that Jase is turning my hands, checking for any injury. Once I realize, I quickly pull my hands back, wrapping my arms around my middle and nodding.
I don’t trust myself to speak over the lump in my throat. I spin away from them both, walking back into the kitchen and busying myself with pulling serving trays from the pantry and placing the appetizers. “Abbi.” Blake says my name lowly from behind me. I simply shake my head, willing the tears that sting my eyes to subside as I continue my task.
“Shit. Carla and the other girls are about to be here. Do you want me to send everyone home?” I shake my head in response, not looking up to find his eyes in fear that I’ll burst into tears. I hear him walk out of the room and the front door opening and closing. As I place the last of the appetizers on the trays, I let out a shaky breath.
Now that I have nothing to occupy myself the tears in my eyes seem to multiply. I blink rapidly as I stare down at the food on the counter, trying like hell to pull it together before everyone walks through the front door. I feel a strong hand grip my bicep, slowly lowering to grip my hand. Without question I follow behind Jase as he leads me down the hallway, opening my bedroom door and pulling us inside.
He closes the door, dropping my hand and placing his hands on my arms. “Are you alright?” He softly asks. The tears that I’ve been keeping at bay seem to find their way out as I shake my head quickly. He pulls me to his chest, wrapping his strong arms around me as I cry against him. He runs his hand along my back, alternating through my hair.
I’m not sure how long we stand like this before the embarrassment of the situation hits me full force. I push away from him, wiping my fingers under my eyes as I turn away. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what the hell that was.” I hear him let out a small chuckle behind me, just as his hands land on my shoulders from behind. “Do you want to hang out in here for a while? Watch a movie?”
The idea is enticing, but the hostess side of me screams in resistance. I spin so I can look up at him, finding a look of concern on his face. “I should go out and greet everyone.” He raises one eyebrow to me, appraising me before dropping his hands from my shoulders. Gesturing to the door with his hand, he places his other hand on my lower back as I walk toward the door.
He keeps his hand on my back as we walk down the hallway side by side. I turn into the kitchen finding the trays of appetizers have already been taken outside. With a deep breath I head for the door that leads to the backyard where everyone will be. I open the door, pushing it open a few inches and I’m assaulted by happy voices and laughter. “Wait! Rem and Abbi aren’t together anymore?” I pinch my eyes shut, freezing in the moment as I hear Lisa’s voice drift to me.
I don’t know how I’m going to get through this afternoon acting like everything is just freaking fine while I’m dying of embarrassment on the inside. I push the door back closed, keeping my eyes squeezed shut. I feel Jase’s hand leave my back and I instantly feel worse in the moment. Opening my eyes, I glance over my shoulder as my hand rests on the doorknob. I watch as he grabs two wine glasses from the cabinet then walks toward the refrigerator.
I step back into the kitchen to find him pulling a bottle of white wine from the refrigerator. He shuffles the glasses and wine bottle to one hand, draping his arm around my shoulder and leading me back down the hallway. Once we’re in front of my bedroom he drops his arm from around me, turning the doorknob and pushing it open.
I step in robotically, watching as he places the glasses and bottle on the bedside table. He turns back to me, wearing a killer grin as he strides toward me. “Change into something comfortable. We’re having a pajama party instead.” I drop my gaze to his swim shorts before looking up into his dark blue eyes. “You have on swimming attire. Not pajama party attire.”
He gives me a panty dropping sideways grin. “Lucky for you, I brought a change of clothes that are in the car. I expect you to be ready by the time I get back.” He turns before I
can protest, stepping out of my bedroom and closing the door behind him. I let out a heavy sigh as I walk toward my closet. I don’t feel like being around anyone right now, but the thought of having a pajama party with Jase makes the last hour seem an infinite degree better.
I quickly throw on a pair of leggings and a tank top before crawling into my bed and pulling the covers over myself. A soft knock at the door has me glancing over. Jase pushes the door open, looking at me in the bed with a soft smile. “I took the liberty to grab some of the appetizers you made. After smelling them cook all afternoon I had to try some.”
I let out a small giggle as I sit up in the bed taking the plates from his hands. He points toward the bathroom door across the bedroom. “I’m just going to change.” I nod at him as I take a stuffed mushroom from one of the plates he brought, shoving the whole thing in my mouth. As quickly as he entered, he comes back out, wearing a pair of athletic shorts and nothing else.
I damn near choke on the chip that I’m chewing as he strides toward my bed, a grin on his face. He bounces onto the mattress next to me, taking one of the plates from my hand. “Did you save me anything?” I slap the back of my hand against his bare chest as I try not to choke on my large bite of food. He lets out a throaty chuckle and it’s almost my undoing.
He places the plate on my lap, shifting up on one elbow as he leans over me, his body pressed against my side. I hold my breath as he grabs the remote from my bedside table and pulls himself back across me, giving me a smirk as he props himself against the headboard. “What are we going to watch?” I pop another mushroom in my mouth, raising one shoulder in a shrug.
“Something funny. And mind numbing.” He lets out a chuckle as he flips through the guide on the TV, settling on some reality show with men and women our age living together in a beach house. We watch in a comfortable silence for a while. Jase places his hand on my thigh above the comforter. “I’m really sorry about what happened earlier.”
I tilt my head back, resting against the headboard and closing my eyes. “Me too. I’m so damn embarrassed.” I pull my hands up and cover my face, a heavy sigh escaping me as fresh tears sting the backs of my eyes. I feel the mattress shift and Jase’s large hands cover mine, pulling them away from my face. His lips dip down into a slight frown as he stares down at me.
“Why are you embarrassed?” I roll my eyes dramatically. “You must have missed the shit show that just went down in my kitchen.” He lets out a huff, gripping both of my hands in his. “You have nothing to be embarrassed about.” He cocks his head toward the bedroom door, his brows pinching. “That asshole on the other hand? He should be embarrassed. He came into your home, uninvited, and blatantly bragged about cheating on you.”
My cheeks heat as I drop my gaze from his. “And I’m the idiot who knowingly allowed him to do it for years.” I whisper. He drops one of my hands, placing his finger under my chin and lifting it slowly. My eyes lock with his, my heart beating wildly in my chest as he stares at me intently. I close my eyes, unable to look into his intense gaze as I wish with everything in me, he looked at me as more than a friend, and would kiss me already.
I feel his soft lips on my cheek. “You’re too damn good for a guy like that.” He says quietly before shifting back to his spot on the bed next to me. I let out a low sigh, mentally kicking myself for my wishful thinking. He’s already made it clear he just wants to be just friends.
Chapter 6
After a few hours of lying in bed, drinking wine, and watching garbage on TV, I’m barely able to keep my eyes open. Somehow, we’ve both shifted under the covers, the room is dark, and I find myself wrapped in his arms, my head planted on his bare chest. I hear my bedroom door open, but keep my eyes closed.
“Hey.” I hear Blake whisper into the dark room as he steps closer to the bed. “She asleep?” I feel Jase nod as he brushes my hair from my forehead. “Yeah. She fell asleep a while ago.” It’s not entirely untrue, I’ve been dozing in and out for hours. “Are you planning on staying here tonight?” I feel Jase nodding. “I’m not leaving her alone in case your asshole friend decides to come back.”
Blake lets out a heavy sigh. “Perfect. I was planning to take the couch for the same reason.” They’re both quiet for a few moments and I’m not entirely sure I haven’t fallen asleep again. “Tell Abbi I’ll be by in the morning to change her locks. I don’t feel comfortable with Rem having a key after his performance today.” I hear the bedroom door close a few seconds later.
Jase pulls the comforter up around me, sliding further into the bed as he pulls me snugly against his chest. I hear the TV turn off, throwing the room into complete darkness. He strokes his hand along my back gently, letting out a heavy sigh. “You’re too good for a guy like that.” He whispers. My lips pull up at the sides as I let sleep take over.
The next morning, I wake up in Jase’s warm embrace. I tilt my head to look at the clock on my bedside table. Just after four in the morning. I place my cheek back to his chest, closing my eyes as I trail my fingertips along his abs, relishing in the feel of his tight muscles. After a few minutes, I extract myself from his grip, sliding to the edge of the bed and carefully standing so I don’t wake him.
He mumbles something in his sleep and rolls to his side as I walk toward the bathroom. After a quick shower I peek my head out the bathroom door to find him still sleeping soundly. I grip the towel around me, tiptoeing to my closet. I quickly slide on a pair of leggings and a tight-fitting tank top before walking across the room, gingerly closing the door behind me once I’m in the hallway.
I make my way to the living room, pulling my yoga mat from the closet before retrieving my phone and headphones from the kitchen, slipping the headphones in on my way back to the living room. I settle on the mat on my bottom, my knees drawn up as I listen to my meditating mix, focusing on my breathing and relaxing my mind.
After an hour I catch movement from the corner of my eye. I’m in a rather advanced pose and don’t want to break my concentration through my breathing exercises. I lower myself to my back, my eyes closed as I take deep, calming breaths. When I open my eyes, a shrill scream comes from my mouth as I jerk the headphones from my ears, gripping my chest with my hand.
So much for my calming breathing. Jase lets out a snicker from his position above me. His feet are planted on either side of me, leaning over me. “I thought yoga was for middle aged housewives.” I open my eyes to find him smirking and offering his hand down to me. I slap his hand away, but he offers it to me once more and I take it, pulling myself to stand in front of him.
“Yoga is for everyone. The housewives have just monopolized it for the past few years.” He raises an eyebrow at me, letting his eyes travel along my body in abandonment. “I just didn’t know it was so… sexy.” I clear my throat, turning away from him to stride into the kitchen. “Blake wanted me to tell you he’ll be by later to change the locks on the house.” I nod before pulling the refrigerator open in search of something for breakfast. “Has Remington ever, uh-“ I glance over to Jase who has a scowl on his face as he rubs the back of his neck with one hand.
I stand up straight, closing the door to the refrigerator as I shake my head. Knowing what he wants to ask. “No. Remington is a lot of things, but he’s never laid a hand on me. I think seeing you here and Blake taking my side just sent him over the edge.”
His brows draw together in a scowl. “That’s not an excuse for the way he grabbed you yesterday.” I let out a deep sigh, dropping my eyes to the floor. “I know it’s not. And I’m not excusing his behavior. Just, he’s never done anything like that before.” I look up to him, my eyes almost pleading. “Can we please not talk about it anymore? I’d like just for one day not to think about Remington, or our breakup, or how screwed up I must be to have hung around for so long.”
He tilts his head to the side, his lips turning down at the corners as his brows knit together. “You’re not screwed up. We’ve all done something stupid for love.” I let out a lo
ud scoff, stepping back and placing my bottom against the kitchen counter as I fold my arms over my chest, raising an eyebrow at him. “Really? I feel like I’m stranded alone on stupid island.”
He throws his head back laughing, the muscles in his chest contracting at the force. I keep my eyes trained on his face, even though I want to soak in every bare inch of his chest. Maybe even lick along his abs. I shake my head, pinching my eyes shut at the thought. What the hell is wrong with me?
I feel his hand gently grip mine and I pull my eyes open, looking up to him. He gives me a sad smile. “Trust me. You’re not on that island alone.” He lets out a sigh, tilting his head up to look at the ceiling. “If I tell you something, you promise it will stay between us?” His head drops and his eyes bore into mine with intensity. I simply nod my head in response.
He drops my hand, taking a step back as he runs his hand through his dark hair, his eyes trained on the floor between us. “I’m sure you remember how I was in high school. Tall, lanky, a geek.” A smile pulls up at the corner of my lips. Those are words I would use to describe him in high school, but he left out thoughtful, caring, considerate, handsome. “Yeah, so, after I moved back to California after the one semester I was here, I spent that summer working out and bulking up. When I went back to school it was like all the girls that had never paid attention to me because I was an art geek suddenly noticed me. One in particular. Natalia. I’d had a crush on her since junior high, but she never saw me.”
He lets out a deep breath, turning his back to me as he fiddles with the coffee maker on the counter. “We started dating my senior year in high school and were together up until six months ago.” He glances at me from the corner of his eye, a sad smile on his lips. “It’s kind of the same story as you and Remington. Except I’m you, and Natalia is Remington.” I watch as he closes his eyes, taking a breath before he continues. “About a year ago, I came home from work late at night to find her in our bed with another man.”