"No way. I was about to board for Japan when I heard the news, and instead, I took a detour here."
"Japan? I didn't know you were heading there."
"It was last minute, darling. In fact, your Aunt Macy has left already. There is an upcoming two-week deliberation of an institute, called the SGI. Your aunt follows it religiously, and wanted me to try."
She took another sip and continued, "She thinks it will help me heal and move on in life. She enrolled both of us."
"Wow. That's great mom."
"Yes, but I guess I will cancel it. You need me more here."
"No, please mom, I insist. Carry on. I will keep in constant touch, I promise. In case anything goes south, you can always fly back."
"Oh, darling. I won't be at peace, leaving you alone here."
"No, just trust me. You shouldn't be ditching Aunt Macy at the last minute too. And I am not alone, mom. I have Emma with me." Jake reached out and held my hand, intertwining our fingers together.
"Yes, I can see. Emma, I have heard a lot about you. My son is really fond of you, and I hope it's likewise from your side as well."
"It is Pam. I am very fond of him too." I looked at Jake and gave him my most loving smile.
"I am so happy to see you happy Jake, you two looks perfect together."
"Thanks, mom, it means a lot to us." Something warm and assuring tugged my heart. Having his mom approve our relationship made me happy. Very happy indeed.
"You are right. I think Emma is here to take care of you, so I would rather join Macy in Japan. I will fly out tomorrow morning."
"Great. I will make the arrangements."
"Thanks son, and promise me you will visit me in LA along with Emma, once all this settles."
"I will. I promise".
The rest of the breakfast went pleasantly. Pam talked a bit about my job and parents, and then a lot about Jake's childhood memories. After having breakfast with her, I felt I got to know Jake better now.
I headed back to our room and was looking for my office bag. That's when Jake entered the room as well.
"Well, that went well. See, she loved you." Jake hugged me from behind.
"Did she? Did she say that?" The excitement in my voice became evident.
"Not explicitly, but I know my mom, I could see it in her eyes. She would have never agreed to go to Japan if she didn't trust you."
"Yes, I agree. Aunt Macy is your mom's sister, right?"
"Yes, her younger sister. They are very close. She has been by mom's side ever since dad left."
"That's nice, Jake. It's comforting to have somebody to rely on."
"Yes, absolutely." He gave me a soft kiss on my cheek from behind. Minutes later, my office bag caught his attention, "where are you heading?"
"To work?"
"Nope, not today."
"Hey, I have a lot of pending work on the Norway project." I insisted.
"Yes, I have a lot of conference calls too. But mom is here for a day, let's just work from home today. She is looking forward to spending the rest of the day with us, only if you are comfortable with it?"
"Of course. Sorry, I didn't think about that. Let's have a day in. Anyway, it's the weekend already." I turned around and kissed him softly on his lips.
As planned, we both worked through the day while we had lunch and dinner with Jake's mom. She was excited about Japan.
Aunt Olivia had been at her best service. She prepared everyone's favorite dishes throughout the day. My stomach could explode any minute now. It's been a while since I last ate so much home-cooked food all day, I missed my mom's cooking.
I needed to call my parents soon.
However, spending my first day in Jake's world felt special, heartwarming. Moving in was not that a bad idea, after all. I was relieved to know that Pam scaled up the investigation too, the sooner all this was over, the faster we could get back to our lives.
It was bedtime, and we were both in bed, in each other's arms.
"Jake? Can I ask you something?"
"Anything."
"What did you mean when you said you never planned on taking me to your apartment?" I raised my head and balanced it on my elbow.
"You remember? I thought you would let it slip."
"Nope... tell me, now."
Jake got up as well and turned to my side. He was facing me now. He sighed and finally answered.
"Well... umm, you know I am not very proud of my history with women. That apartment was my bachelor pad. I kind of did a lot of things there."
"You mean, you kind of did a lot of girls there?" I stated with a straight disgusted face. Surprisingly, I was amused and happy at his honesty, but I thought of playing him a bit.
"Yes... if you put it that way." He murmured while dodging eye contact. He was apologetic.
"Gross. You are so gross." I acted as if I was deeply hurt.
"Hey, we discussed this, no more judging on the past. I am sorry, but I am a completely changed man now. I love you, and only you. I want to give you the best, that's why I never took you there. You didn't deserve that place."
Looking at his regretful face, I couldn't control any further, and I finally burst out laughing.
"I was playing you, sorry. Come here. I know what you mean. I love you nevertheless. Thank you for being honest with me, really means a lot." I held his face and planted a kiss on his forehead.
"You are so going to regret messing with me. I got scared for a minute." He sighed in relief and held me even closer. He was about to kiss me when I took a pillow from the side and hit him unexpectedly.
He was taken aback, and I took that as an opportunity to run from him. We were both running around and having a pillow fight in his room. Our giggles filled the room.
Suddenly, I noticed a shadow at the far window.
I stopped and reluctantly went ahead to see who it was. I removed the curtains and oddly found nothing.
"What happened Emma?"
"I thought I saw something... or someone."
"I don't think so. We are very safe here. Come back to bed. We had a long day today."
I agreed and blamed my paranoia before going to sleep in his arms again.
It seems I had started to imagine things.
Chapter 32
Handling the ex
Emma
We both woke up with a slight knock on our door.
Jake went ahead to answer it. It was Aunt Olivia.
"Son, your mom is ready to leave. She has requested your presence."
"Sure. I will be right outside."
Jake turned around to look at me; my eyes still fluttering open. "Hey, you can sleep in. I won't be long". He gave me a quick kiss before heading out.
It didn't take me long to doze off again. I was then again woken up by a series of soft pecks on my cheeks.
"Good Morning, sleepyhead. It's almost ten am." Jake whispered as he gave me the warmest smile, and then pointed towards a neat breakfast table set in the dining area of the room.
"Crap. I slept again. Weekends usually do that to me." I pouted at Jake, to which he chuckled and then placed a neat table cloth on my laps.
"Are you serving me breakfast?"
"Yes, I prepared for you myself, sit back and just enjoy your breakfast in bed". He paced back and forth from the bed to the table, while serving me some hot coffee along with a plate full of eggs, toast and sausages.
"You are spoiling me."
"You deserve nothing but the best Emm. Now come on, eat." His eyes were full of love and warmth.
I took a couple of bites, and eventually, Jake broke the silence again, "Emma, I need to talk to you about something."
"What is it?" I was confused, my mouth still full of food.
"You remember my meeting with Erica the other day? She had invited us for lunch today. She wanted to make up for her bad behavior and start afresh with you."
"Oh..." That's all I could mutter.
"We can always not go, anything that you
feel comfortable with, your choice." Jake looked at me with hopeful eyes. I hadn't forgotten Erica's insults, but since Jake was already going through so much, it was only fair if I gave her another chance, for his sake.
"I think we should go."
"Are you sure? Last time I checked you hated the guts of that girl." Jake looked surprised at my decision.
"Yes. I still don't trust her, but we should never be too quick to judge someone. If she matters to you as a friend, I want to give her another chance."
Jake gave me a warm smile again, "Thank you, Emma. I appreciate this. We will leave in a couple of hours. Meanwhile, I have a few urgent calls to attend. I will see you in the living room, sharp at noon."
After finishing my breakfast, I took my own sweet time getting ready. As I got out of the shower and was changing in the room, I heard footsteps right outside.
For a minute, I thought that may be someone was in the room already, or either someone was just outside, and soon there will be a knock at the door.
However, when nothing happened, I decided to take a peek. I quickly got dressed and went outside to check who it was, but only found long empty corridors with no single person in sight.
My imagination was genuinely running wild.
***
Jake and I were heading to meet Erica. The entire ride was busy as he had back to back calls, and not to mention, a dozen bodyguards were following us too.
Will it always be this way? Will we ever have privacy?
I was taken out of my thoughts, as Jake softly held my hand, "it will get better, Emma. I assure you".
He wrapped his arms around me, and I just looked at him in shock.
Did he just read my mind?
This was the untold beauty of our relationship. We truly understood each other. I didn't have to say a lot to him; he was attentive and accepted me the way I was.
When we arrived, I was astonished to see Erica's residence. These guys were all super-rich. She had an extravagant bungalow too, outside the massive gate, a brown board with stylish italics read "Murial's".
I gulped in anxiety. I wasn't feeling as confident now. Jake rubbed his hand on my back, gesturing me to calm down. I looked in his blue eyes and immediately felt better. I held his hand, and we both entered her house.
Erica welcomed us at the main door.
"I am so glad you guys came." She greeted both Jake and me with a friendly side hug.
"Thanks for inviting us, Erica," I replied politely.
"Of course! The pleasure is all mine. And what's up with the security Jake? Is the President visiting as well?" She mocked him, and we all let out a laugh.
We all went inside and got seated. Erica was behaving like the perfect host. She started getting our drinks served, which was soon followed by sumptuous food.
"The food was incredible. Did you really cook all this Erica?" Jake asked.
"Yes, not a lot of people know this, but I am a great cook." She gave a small bow while boasting her talent.
"No doubts about that. You are an amazing cook." I joined their conversation, praising her genuine efforts. The food was delicious.
"Thanks, Emma, and I have one last dish specially made for you."
"Really?"
"Yes, this is my way of apologizing to you, I baked you a cheesecake. I saw you have one in Norway. I hope you would like it."
"Wow, you are very observant, Erica. It happens to be one of my favorite desserts."
"Great. Allow me then." She left enthusiastically to the kitchen, and within minutes, she was back with a cheesecake in her hand. We all dived in together. It was terrific.
All through the day today, I was impressed by Erica and her gestures. She was very warm and had put in a lot of effort to make a massive spread of lunch. I felt it would be unfair to continue to judge her, especially when she was trying hard to make amends.
"I love the necklace you are wearing, Emma." Erica's sudden compliment got me out of my thoughts.
"Thank You. It's a gift from Jake". I smiled warmly at him while softly rubbing the necklace with my fingers.
"You have great taste Jacob Richmond. You sure know how to keep your girl happy." She teased him again.
"That's true. Anything for my love." Jake pulled me closer to him, his arm tightly wrapped around my waist.
"Ahem... Erica, I didn't know you had guests over. I wouldn't have come unannounced." We suddenly were taken aback, as we saw a serious-looking man enter the premises, it was Erica's dad Ben Murial.
"Dad! What a pleasant surprise. When did you return from your meeting?" Erica went running to hug her father.
"I just got back today, I am only here for a couple of days and will be flying out for two more weeks. I thought I should use this opportunity to spend time with my lovely daughter."
"Of course, dad. I invited Jake over for lunch, along with his girlfriend. Her name is Emma." Erica pointed towards our direction, while Mr. Murial gave us an acknowledging nod.
"I am sorry to hear about your apartment Jacob. All the security outside makes total sense." Mr. Murial directed his concerns to Jake in a serious tone.
"Your apartment? What happened Jake?" Erica chimed in.
"Nothing serious. It's all under control now." Jake tried to diffuse the unwelcomed attention he was getting. He didn't seem comfortable discussing his security issues with the Murials.
"Of course, it is a serious matter son. They set your home on fire, Windsons have crossed a line here."
"How do you know all this? Specially about Windons?" Jake was as shocked as we all were at Mr. Murial's knowledge of the situation.
"I have my sources. Nothing in this industry is a secret. In fact, why don't you join me in my study, I have some intel that could be helpful to you in your lawsuit against them."
Jake gave me a tender look, and as I nodded, he felt assured and left with Mr. Murial, leaving Erica and me behind.
"I had no clue all this happened. This is serious shit. Where is Jake living these days?" Erica muttered with genuine concern in her tone.
"We are staying at his family home," I replied spontaneously and immediately regretted giving out an essential detail in a rush.
"We?" She asked with a raised eyebrow. As expected, she didn't let it slip.
"Yes, I sort of moved in with him after the accident." I was getting nervous at her interrogatory tone. I know she loved Jake too. A five-year-old could see through her.
"Wow. That's huge. I am glad Jake have you by his side, especially in such difficult times." Erica's calm response came as a surprise.
"I know. I felt the need to be close to him too." I nodded in agreement.
"Emma, I don't want to play hide and seek with you, you are a pretty smart girl to understand anyway." Erica started in a serious tone, and then suddenly paused to figure the right words.
After a while, she continued, "I liked Jake. I think I loved him, and such feelings don't disappear overnight, you know. He told me he loves you, and I am happy for you guys. But I hope you would be able to move past my last behavior and start afresh."
I listened to her words quietly, trying to read her expressions. She sounded sincere to me, even though I know she was way too arrogant to accept her feelings openly, but at the moment, her words were honest and genuine.
"Erica, I get it, and I am sorry to put you in this situation. Jake is really special, and destiny just got us together. I love him too, a lot. And I appreciate your gesture today. I really do."
"Thanks, Emma, I don't expect us to become best buds, but I see a fresh cordial start for sure. I am happy with that." She forced a funny look, making me grin along with her.
We both chatted a bit after that, and soon Jake joined us as well. We gradually took our leave and headed back home.
***
"I love you, Emma." He whispered.
It was almost late in the evening when we both settled back at Jake's home. We were sitting near his poolside area. It was an outdoor facility, bea
utifully designed and furnished. Jake got us both wine and played some light music in the background.
I was admiring the twinkling stars in the sky. Soon I felt his arms hug me from behind. His chin was resting on my shoulder, and he was kissing my ear.
"I love you too, Jake. I so want to get used to this." I leaned back on him and closed my eyes in contentment.
"Me too. Today went surprisingly well. I think Erica put in a lot of effort, way more than what I expected."
"I agree. We had a little chat when you went to study. She told me how she felt about you."
"She did? I hope she didn't make you uncomfortable."
"No, not as much as I thought. I appreciate her honesty, though."
"You did great today, Emma. You are one sorted woman. You amaze me every day." He said while turning me around to face him. He brushed the back of his hand on my left cheek. "You are so special, Emma. Why didn't I find you sooner?" Admiration danced in his blue orbs, making me shy. He cupped my face and made me look at him. "I love how my words affect you." He gave me a soft, lingering kiss on my lips. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer. Our breathing became uneven as we devoured each other. After a while, we finally parted from our kiss.
"So how many more ex-lovers of yours are going to pop up? Wanting to befriend me, perhaps only to plan and murder me later?"
"Well, firstly, nobody could ever think of touching my girl. However, for my ex-flames, the list is long. Next time, remind me to give you a detailed memo." He winked and laughed. Two could play the game.
"Is that so? Listen carefully, Mr. Richmond." I held both his collars and pulled him towards me. "All jokes apart. I am done handling your exes. I don't like sharing your attention. Today was one of the first and the last. There won't be a next time, ever." My sharp eyes were throwing daggers at him. I was done being the generous girlfriend. He was mine. Period.
"Fuck. You are so sexy when you are jealous, Emm." He claimed my lips again. This time in urgency. His possessive hold on me made me hot, longing for more. I was burning in desire. Our tongues danced in rhythm, and we were both fighting the battle of dominance.
I will lower the moon for you Page 18