Picking at my pretzel, I looked around. We had blended right in; no one had noticed Blake, so no one was even remotely aware that we were sitting amongst them.
“So,” I said with a smirk, “Who are you when you are at a Yankees game?”
“I’m Blake,” he replied, confused.
“What I mean is, are you New York’s biggest film and TV star Blake Mackenzie, or are you the son of the biggest Yankees player since Babe Ruth Blake Mackenzie?”
“Someone’s been doing some research.”
I smiled. “Amazing what you can find on Google.”
“Amazing,” he said as he laughed.
“So?”
“So what?”
“Which one?”
Sitting back, Blake placed his arms across his chest casually. “I’d like to think people see me as a bit of both,” he replied.
“Show off,” I said, nudging him gently.
“So tonight’s game is huge,” Blake said as he straightened up in his seat, ready to explain everything he thought I needed to know. “This is the Yankees’ derby game, like when Manchester United play …”
“Manchester City,” I offered.
“Exactly.” He nodded. “Do you know how the game works?”
“Well, I played rounders for the county in high school. From what I’ve seen, I don’t imagine it’s too different,” I said over the ever-growing noise.
“Rounders.” Blake nodded amused.
“Yes, there are two teams. The aim is to hit the ball as far as possible and run,” I explained. “Same as this.” I gestured towards the field.
“It’s a lot more complex than just hitting a ball and running,” he laughed.
“Okay. So there are two opposing teams,” I said. “The aim of the game is to score more points than your opponents. The team earn points by completing a full circle around the bases on the baseball diamond. Games are divided into nine innings; innings are then divided into two halves. The visiting team bats at the tops of the innings, and the home team bats at the bottoms of the innings.” I sucked in a deep breath before attempting to continue.
“Google?” Blake asked.
I nodded with a smirk. “Google. Shall I go on?” Just then a huge roar filled the stadium. The man seated behind Blake patted him on the shoulder a couple of times before cheering. Looking up, I noticed the big screen. The camera had stopped still, focused on Blake and me.
“Wow, the disguise certainly did the trick,” I said dryly before forcing a smile for the onlookers.
Blake, being Blake, lapped it up, standing and giving everyone a curt nod, causing even more of an uproar. After a few minutes, the camera scanned, and the screen filled up with other spectators.
A man looking very official approached us in our seats. “MR Mackenzie, we had no idea you were joining us this evening,” he said, taking Blake’s hand in his and giving a firm shake.
Blake smiled. “Dustin, hi. This is my girlfriend, Jo.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he said as we shook hands.
“Likewise,” I replied with a smile.
“If you would both like to follow me, we have your usual seats available in the luxury suite,” he said with a smile.
Blake hesitated. “I kinda wanted to give Jo the real experience, if you know what I mean,” Blake said, looking determined. “But thank you, Dustin, you’ve been very helpful. And next time we will definitely take the suite.”
Dustin smiled. “No problem. It’s good to see you. And if you need anything while you’re here, call me on this number and I’ll be right with you.” Dustin handed me a card which I placed into the pocket of my jacket.
“Thank you,” I said with a smile.
“Enjoy your evening.” Dustin nodded before disappearing back up the steps.
At some point during the game, play stopped and the screen lit up again, this time displaying various messages ranging from “happy birthday” to “welcome home”. My heart was pounding as I waited once more for all attention to be drawn to us. Luckily the camera went to a different couple. The man then proceeded to get down on one knee and propose to his Yankee-loving girlfriend. The whole stadium roared with cheers for the happy couple.
Blake’s grip tightened on my hand as I smiled with happiness for them both.
“Have you stopped breathing,” Blake said with a hint of amusement as he leaned towards my ear.
“Sorry,” I breathed out. “That was just … she was so happy.” I smiled before I shook my head in disbelief when I realized I had just found a marriage proposal at a Yankees game romantic. “How often does that happen?” I asked.
“Almost every game,” Blake laughed, “but I love how romantic you found that.”
“I suppose I’m in love with the idea of love,” I said, focusing back on the happy couple who were still being broadcast to the crowd. “I wonder what a world where only love existed would be like. You know?” I turned my attention to Blake. “No hate, no jealousy, no complications; just pure, undiluted love.”
Blake squeezed my hand gently before leaning towards me once more. “Do you know that you’ve actually just described the world that I am currently living in?” he said quietly.
Smiling shyly at him, I shook my head. “How do you always know the right things to say to me?”
Blake shrugged casually. “I suppose it’s all part of my plan to fix you.”
The crowd erupted with cheers as the players made their way back onto the field.
“Do you want to go?” Blake asked.
“No.” I shook my head. “What’s a real Yankees experience if you’re going to drag me away before the game finishes?” Blake’s smile mirrored mine before we both turned our attention back to the field “Go Yankees!” I yelled.
The Yankees won, and everyone left the stadium on a high. Blake had made sure I got the full experience, and I had enjoyed it immensely. I found myself smiling happily to myself as we drove back to Blake’s apartment.
“You haven’t stopped smiling since we left the stadium,” Blake said.
“I feel happy,” I said simply before letting my smile drop. “I know that means there’s a good chance that I’m gonna be experiencing some kind of pain soon, though, I suppose.”
“Hey, stop that,” Blake said quietly as he reached over and placed his hand on my knee. “Nothing is going to happen because you have had a good night, okay?”
I didn’t reply. Instead I just tried to focus my mind on keeping that happy feeling that I was beginning to become so accustomed to.
Blake was talking on the phone when I emerged from the bathroom. I too had decided I could give Blake a Yankees experience to finish the night off. I had stripped down to nothing and was wearing only the Yankees jacket that Blake had made me wear and matched it with a pair of four-inch stilettos. I stepped into the lounge and leaned myself against the doorjamb, smiling at Blake as he took in my appearance.
“I’ll let you know,” I heard him say, his eyes not leaving my body, “but Jo starts filming next week, and I’m flying out to Miami on Monday morning, so the timings a bit off.”
“I can’t believe I forgot it’s Dad’s sixtieth,” he muttered as I pushed myself from the doorway and headed over to him. Climbing onto his lap slowly, I placed my legs on either side of his. As I lowered myself onto him, I could tell he was trying desperately not to yell out from the pleasure as I rubbed my bare skin against his growing erection under the thin material of his trousers while licking every inch of the bare skin around his neck.
“Please ask Jo,” I heard his mum say. “We so desperately want to meet her; we can’t wait another three weeks for you to bring her here, and I’m sure she would love a break this weekend before both of your busy schedules.”
I looked up at Blake and mouthed to him “This weekend?”
He nodded apologetically.
“I’ll let you know,” he said, looking at me for my answer. Thinking about it for a moment, I realized that th
is weekend would be our last one together for a good few weeks. Blake was flying out Monday morning, and I would be heading straight for rehearsals; we then wouldn’t see each other for two weeks. But then I remembered hearing Blake say it was his dad’s sixtieth birthday; I felt we really shouldn’t miss that. I also really wanted to meet Blake’s parents, and if things really were going to go well for us both, I needed to know his family too. Blake’s mum was also right, we probably both could do with a break before our busy schedules interrupted our lives.
I nodded to him and whispered, “Say yes.”
“Yes?” Blake mouthed back.
“Yes.”
“You sure?” he whispered as I nodded.
“Well, it looks like we will be seeing you this weekend then, Mom; Jo is nodding for me to say yes,” he said, sounding slightly disappointed.
I heard his mum squeal with delight, and then she shouted to Marti to get Blake’s bedroom ready for us. That made me smile.
Blake said goodbye and hung up the phone. “So you would rather spend our last weekend together for a while with my parents instead of just me, huh?” Blake flung his phone to the table and wrapped his arms around me under the jacket, his fingers brushing my skin lightly, sending goose bumps all over my skin.
“You shouldn’t miss your dad’s sixtieth,” I said honestly.
“You’re right,” he said, disappointed. “Talk about timing, though.”
“Isn’t it you that always says we have forever, though?” I reminded him.
“We do have forever; you’re right.” He smiled back. “Now tell me what I can do for you, coming over here all legs and heels in your new favourite jacket,” he said as his fingers gently squeezed my waist.
“I think you know what you can do for me.” I smiled as I leaned forward and took his mouth in mine. My phone started to vibrate on the coffee table, but both Blake and I chose to ignore it while we were too wrapped up in each other to care. As soon as the phone rang off, however, it started again immediately.
Blake let out a low growl. “It must be important.”
Sighing, I lifted myself from Blake’s lap and picked up my phone from the table. It was Cooper. I was immediately filled with dread; I hadn’t yet told Blake that he had been back in touch with me since that night at Sugar.
“It’s Cooper,” I said quietly as the phone cut off. I lifted my eyes to Blake, who was eying me with suspicion.
“Why would Cooper be calling you?” he said as he stood and took my phone from my hand.
“He’s called me a few times, but I haven’t spoken to him since the day I was going to go back to London, I swear,” I said nervously.
Blake’s eyes lifted to mine. “You spoke to him the day you were planning on going back to London? After what he almost did to you! God, Jo, no! Why would you allow him to speak to you after what he did!” I had never heard Blake raise his voice, but I knew it wasn’t me he was angry with, it was Cooper. “He tried to rape you, God damn it! He would have raped you if I hadn’t have turned up!”
“He feels awful about it all,” I said quickly. “He didn’t know what he had given me until I ended up in hospital; he’s really sorry, Blake, about everything. I could tell that he meant it when he apologized.”
The phone began to ring for the third time, I held my hand out to take my phone, but Blake turned away and put the phone to his ear. He didn’t speak at first; I could vaguely hear Cooper saying my name.
“This isn’t Jo,” Blake said angrily as he turned back to face me. “Now listen to me, you sick son of a bitch, you may have somehow convinced Jo that you never intended to hurt her, but I know different; I saw the whole thing, and I know exactly what you intended to do to her. When you stepped back and started unbuckling your belt, there was only one thing you were thinking about. You would have raped her if I hadn’t stopped you, and you would have killed her too! Don’t you ever, ever call or contact her again, because if you do, I will not stop at breaking your fucking nose next time; I will break every last bone in that worthless body of yours. Do you hear me!” Blake slung my phone onto the chair and stormed into the kitchen, where he took a glass from the cupboard and filled it with whiskey before knocking it back. “You should have told me he was bothering you,” Blake said without turning to face me.
“He wasn’t bothering me,”
“Why are you defending him!” The sound of Blake’s glass hitting the unit startled me.
“I’m not defending him, I swear,” I choked out as Blake turned to face me.
“You feel guilty about Imogen, about Sara even, so you want to defend him.”
“No,” I said, shaking my head.
“You feel guilty that Sara is in rehab and Imogen is dead, so you’re defending Cooper to keep him from prison because if he ended up in prison, you would then feel guilt for him too, when the truth is not a single one of those three are victims; it’s you. You are the only victim in all of this, but you would rather keep someone from prison than admit it!”
“I led him on, Blake; I had been leading him on when we were dancing.”
“You didn’t deserve to almost die because you danced with someone.” Blake grabbed his hair in both his hands. “God, Jo, when will you ever see that nothing that ever happens to you is your fault!”
We stood in silence for a long moment. “I need to go,” I said quietly before turning and walking into the bedroom. Blake was right behind me as I took off my jacket and replaced it with a T-shirt.
“I’m sorry,” he said desperately.
“You haven’t done anything wrong,” I said as I pulled up my trousers. “Don’t you see, Blake? I’m not destined to ever be happy, am I? Just five minutes ago I was happy; now look at us again! And yet again, it is all my fault! ”
“Don’t leave.” Blake took my arm as I headed past him. “You’re going to run again; please, Jo, no more running.”
“Blake, I am going to end up making you miserable. I’m already making you miserable.”
“You never make me miserable, Jo. Sometimes you make me sad, but that’s because you are sad too; you never cause it. I know why you think you should defend people who hurt you, I do, but it’s you that needs defending, no one else. It’s you that’s broken; nobody else. I promised you I would fix you, and I meant it. Please, don’t leave; don’t you run from me again, Jo, please.”
“I just want to be happy,” I said as my eyes filled with tears. Blake wrapped me in his arms and held me against him. “I’m sorry Blake, I am so sorry.” I whispered against his chest.
“No, I’m sorry,” Blake murmured into my hair. “I’m sorry I shouted, I’m sorry I scared you, I’m sorry for everything. Going to my parents’ will do you good. We can have a whole weekend of rest – no one bothering us, no one making you unhappy. Okay?”
I nodded against Blake’s chest. “I’m going to miss you so much when you go away.”
“I wish I didn’t have to go,” he said quietly. “I’m going to worry about you every minute of every day until I’m home.”
“I’ll be fine,” I said unconvincingly, knowing that it was going to be a massive struggle without Blake to lean on. I decided in that moment, however, that it was time for me to toughen up; time I started to stand up for myself. I would begin that while Blake was away. There would be no more hiding away and no more being walked all over. Maybe Blake was right; maybe all the pain I constantly endured wasn’t my fault after all.
14
Casey and I had arranged a day of shopping and spa treatments before my looming trip to meet Blake’s parents. We were meeting for lunch at our favourite bistro before our shopping trip.
I hadn’t seen Casey since the night Christina confessed all about her and Blake. Alex had arrived home the next day, so while Casey spent every waking hour possible with him, I hadn’t moved from Blake’s apartment. While he was home, we sat in our bubble; and while he was working, I spent my days mastering his three ovens and cooking for him. It was bliss. It
was how I imagined my life being if I could ever be truly happy. It was everything that I wanted. But today I would head out, back into reality, back into where pain existed.
The past few days with Blake had been amazing; I had come to realize just how lucky I was having him in my life. He understood me, knew what made me happy and what made me sad, and he always knew exactly what to do to fix that, to fix me.
Walking along the busy streets of New York, I smiled happily to myself that finally my life was beginning to feel complete.
“Jo!” I heard a familiar voice shout to me. “Jo! Wait!”
I knew that voice, and I knew that it was Cooper. I felt his presence at my side as he caught up with me “Jo,” he panted, “wait up.”
I purposely didn’t stop. I continued to walk with Cooper at my side. “You shouldn’t be here, Cooper. If Blake sees you talking to me, he will kill you. You heard him on the phone the other night, and I am not prepared to lose Blake because of you.”
“So you can’t even talk to me now? Come on, Jo, we’re friends.”
“Blake can’t forget what he saw you doing to me, Cooper; surely you would be the same in his position.”
There was a long pause before Cooper spoke again. “I just needed to know that you’re okay.”
“I’m fine; why wouldn’t I be?”
Cooper caught my arm and spun me to face him. “You said we could be friends, Jo; you said things could go back to how they were.”
“Cooper, I was going back to London. Things were never going to be exactly the same between us. But I meant it when I told you I forgave you. I can’t remember much about that night, but I do know that that wasn’t the real you. I don’t know what was going on in your head that you even tried it, but all Blake is trying to do is protect me; he’s just doing what he feels is right.”
“I worry about you,” he said genuinely.
“I’m not yours to worry about, Cooper,” I replied, “but I’m fine.”
“Good.” Cooper smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I just … I just want you to be careful, Jo. I’m happy that you’re happy I really mean that, but please, keep your feet on the ground; remember your past.”
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