by Grace, M. J.
As the next few days are going to be hectic, with Jen and I having appointments regarding the wedding. I thought AJ would want to stay close to home tonight, but much to my surprise, he informs me that he has arranged to go out for a quiet dinner at a well-known prestigious restaurant. Even though I am a little disappointed not to be spending time at home, I appreciate the fact that he wants to make the night special for me.
After we have both taken a little nap, (mine totally unintentional, having fallen asleep through pure jet lag, and sexual exhaustion), we head down into the city, driven by Tiny with Wade riding shotgun. AJ seemingly on edge, and jittery, and I wonder what’s bothering him.
Arriving at the restaurant, we walk through the foyer flanked by Tiny and Wade, and are greeted by the manager, who ushers us to the rear of the room. I presume leading us to a secluded table.
Stopping outside a door, he smiles as he opens it, and stands aside for us to enter.
With AJ’s hand on my back I enter the room, suddenly coming to an abrupt halt, as the room erupts into cheers of welcome home, for the room is filled with people welcoming me back.
All the band are there with their girlfriends, Jason with April, Travis with Naomi, even Zack has an unknown to me, gorgeous lady on his arm. I notice Steve, Joe and the other bodyguard from the airport, who I later discover is called Dave, and finally my eyes fall upon Razor and Jen, and in that moment it all becomes too much for me to cope. My vision blurs as my eyes fill up, the tears overflow, and start flowing down my cheeks. My breath hitches with a sob, and through the tears I watch Jen walking towards me, and suddenly I’m encased in her arms.
“Welcome home Boo.” She says on a sob, and for what feels like forever we hold each other tightly, before looking at each other and laughing through the tears. I turn to glare at AJ standing at my side with a sly and cheeky grin on his face.
“I’ll deal with you later.” I warn him.
“What?” he playfully questions.
“You’ll get ‘what?’ Quiet dinner, eh?” Is my reply.
“Look forward to it babe.” He replies suggestively with a wink, as he walks away with a shout of “Can someone find me and my girl a drink.”
Turning to Jen, I hold her at arm’s length, and look her up and down. She looks good, more than good. She’s happy, content and more importantly in love, and it shows. I look towards the reason for this happiness and see Razor standing at her side, a huge grin on his face.
“Welcome home Boo.” He says quietly as he moves in for a hug. It doesn’t escape me that he calls me by the family name, and I love that he used it. He feels like family. It feels right that he used it, and I swiftly squeeze my arms tightly, hopefully letting him know that I loved that fact.
I turn towards AJ as he arrives at my side, and hands me a glass of champagne.
“Good surprise?” AJ whispers in my ear.
“Wonderful. Thank you.” I smile. “You’ll receive your reward later.” I tell him with a teasing leer, and watch as his eyes darken with the anticipation of things to come later; and I feel a thrill between my legs at the thought.
“One more thing.” He says as he reaches into the inside pocket of his jacket, “I missed your birthday. I had hoped to give you this last week, but that couldn’t be helped. So Happy Birthday my Birdie.” As he passes me a jewellery box.
Stunned, I take the box from him. “AJ?” I whisper. Wondering how he knew it had been my birthday, I open the box to find a stunning Tiffany cuff bracelet. So exquisite it takes my breath away.
“Oh AJ! It’s beautiful. I don’t know what to say.”
“Don’t say anything. Here, let me put it on.” He says, taking it from the box. He fastens the cuff around my wrist, and gently kisses my palm.
“Perfect.” He states. I open my mouth to thank him, only to be interrupted by Steve, who says he needs a quick word with AJ. So we part company, and as he walks away, I hope my feelings are showing on my face, and he realises that I will show my appreciation later, in rather a different way.
CHAPTER 16
I’m drunk. Totally and utterly drunk. I have partied the night away, danced myself stupid and had the best night of my life. I don’t care that my feet hurt. In my usual ritual I had taken off my shoes halfway through the night as I danced, and after drunkenly hunting around the room to find them, they now reside on the floor of the car, where AJ had thrown them.
The evening had started, by everyone proceeding to give me a hug. We had chatted and caught up on each other’s news, and I had been congratulated on the release and future success of my book.
I had then had the shock of my life, when AJ had led me over to a group of people consisting of two women and a man, who he had introduced as his mother Jeanie, a beautiful, stylish woman who clearly knew just what to wear, and in possession of a beautiful smile. His sister Casey, who shared her mother’s smile, looked like a model with a figure to match, and had the most stunning, long raven black hair I had ever seen; and her husband Mitch, a well-built, handsome six foot four inch, blond haired, bruiser of a guy.
I had held my own and hidden my shock. Well, I think I did, as they had all hugged me. I had looked at AJ over his mother’s shoulder as she hugged me, with an expression that let him know we would be discussing this momentous event later. To which he had just grinned at me, thus making me even more annoyed.
We had eaten a sumptuous meal, followed much to my embarrassment, by a cake in the shape of a book being brought out, to everyone cheering. The whole evening had been wonderful, topped by an emotional few minutes, where AJ had stood and tapped his glass to gain everyone’s attention, before giving a speech.
A speech where he congratulated me on the book, even though he confessed to not reading it, and definitely not planning to, much to the amusement of all gathered. He also spoke of his joy at my return to LA. How he had missed me, and lastly how much he loved me. Then, seeing my watery emotional eyes, he joked about locking me up so that I never leave LA again. After which he leant down, wrapped a hand around the back of my neck, and kissed me. Hard.
For a few moments, both of us lost just gazing into each other’s eyes, an unspoken message passed between us, which heightened my anticipation of later, when we would be alone.
When the background music had been turned up, I had grabbed Jen and dragged her to the small dance floor. The minute we hit it, we had done our usual thing, and danced as if totally alone in our own little worlds. When I went back to the table to quench my thirst, AJ had broken off his conversation with Razor to look at me.
“Just saying babe, you dance like a goof.” He laughed.
Being totally inebriated I took immediate offence.
“No, I don’t.”
“Yeah babe, you do.”
I stood for several moments, staring at him with a drunken frown, mentally willing him to change his statement, and when it was perfectly clear he wasn’t going to, in a huff I’d snapped.
“No. I do not.” Only to hear his laughter as I’d walked away. My anger however, didn’t last long. Due to the fact that shortly afterwards, AJ had joined me on the dance floor, and after grabbing me, proceeded to throw me around the dance floor like a pro.
As the night wore on, we laughed, talked, danced and yes, even made out, much to my embarrassment, due to it being in the presence of his family. When at two in the morning, AJ suggested it was time to head home, I had thrown my arms in the air and shouted.
“Yayyyy home time.” At the top of my voice, to which AJ’s response was.
“See total goofball.” Much to the amusement of our friends.
“Will you stop calling me a goofball? I am not a goof.” I slightly slurred drunkenly.
“Okay, you’re a dork.” Was his reply. Which meant, he got the full on treatment of me standing with my hands on hips, and trying in my stupor to give him the evil eye.
Unfortunately, unbeknownst to me, I really did look a dork. A delightfully funny dork, according to AJ
, which he would inform me of the next morning. In fact, he had to remind me of quite a few things the next morning.
*****
I open one eye and just as quickly close it with a groan. I have a herd of elephants trampling round in my head, and I don’t know what spooked them, but I wish they would trample off someplace else and leave me in peace.
Gingerly opening my eye again, I notice the bed next to me is empty. Slowly twisting over onto my back, I raise a hand to my head just to make sure it’s still attached. On hearing a noise to my right, I look to see AJ leaning up against the bathroom door, wearing a towel around his hips, a grin on his face and not much else.
“Morning.” He smirks.
With a groan, I pull the covers up over my head and hide.
“Stop being so chipper. I can’t take it when you’re so chipper.”
Hearing him chuckle, I know he is moving closer, and sure enough within a few seconds, the covers are pulled off me and there is AJ, apparently none the worse for wear. In fact, much to my annoyance, looking damn fine indeed, no sign of a hangover in sight.
“Feeling rough?” he enquires.
“I’m dead.” Is my deadpan reply. To which he starts laughing, as he reaches over to the bedside cabinet, where he picks up a glass of orange juice and two tablets.
“Here.” He says, holding out his hand, and at my questioning
look. “Ibuprofen. It will help.”
Tentatively, I sit up, take the glass from him and swallow the tablets, pass him back the glass, and fall back onto the bed.
“How come you don’t have a hangover?” I query. “It’s just not fair that you aren’t suffering like me. I think it’s totally mean that you make me suffer all on my own.”
This remark results in his lying down on the bed laughing, with a reply of, “Such a total goof.” Followed by a full blown account of the events from the night before.
To which my reply, after staring at him horrified for several seconds, is to once again pull the covers over my head, with a plea of, “Please. Kill me now.”
On hearing his laughter, I push the covers back down and try my evil stare, but as it hurts my eyes and head, and it appears to be having no effect whatsoever, I give up, and once again cover my head.
“Just so you know, Mum and Casey love you.” He states.
This brings me sitting upright with such speed it makes my head spin, and I stare at him in a shocked stupor.
“They agree with me that you’re a goof, but they think you’re adorable.”
“Oh my God! Oh my God!” These words being uttered in quick succession, as I push the bed covers off and scramble to climb out of bed; my legs becoming tangled in the covers, tripping me up in my rush to do so.
Reaching out and wrapping an arm around my waist, AJ pulls me back into his lap, and I can feel his body shaking with silent laughter.
“It’s so not funny AJ. Now let me go, quickly.” I say pushing at his arms trying to release myself.
“Birdie calm down. Where are you going?”
“Calm down! Are you mad? I have to call your mother, and beg forgiveness for my behaviour last night. God, she must think you’re dating a drunken lunatic.” I shout, still trying to extricate myself from his hold.
Tightening his arms and giving me a little shake, he rests his chin on my shoulder.
“Birdie. Stop. Honestly, it’s all good. We were all drunk, including my mum. Did you not see her drag Razor onto the dance floor, and try to teach him to jive. Damn, funniest thing I ever saw. Honey believe me, we all had a good time and she loves you, as do Casey and Mitch. I know this, because I heard it straight from their mouths as you were dancing your goofy dance on the dance floor.”
I stop struggling. I do remember that. I also remember we all laughed our heads off about it, including his mum and sister. So now feeling slightly embarrassed about my mini freak out, I focus on the only thing I can think of as a cover.
“It’s not a goofy dance.” I say petulantly.
“Okay, it’s not goofy, but whatever it is Birdie, I love it. It’s you, I love you so I love it. Now give me a kiss good morning, and I’ll go find you some breakfast.”
At the thought of breakfast, my stomach churns, so turning towards him, I give him a quick peck on the lips, and start to pull away, declining breakfast and saying I am going to hit the shower. However, I don’t reach very far, as AJ’s arms tighten around me. So I look down at him quizzically, with a raised eyebrow.
“I said a kiss.” He shares.
“I just did.”
“That was no kiss. That was a peck. Now are you going to kiss me good morning, or do I have to take drastic action to get one?”
“Drastic action?” I ask staring with wide eyes. Receiving no reply, I purse my lips and narrow my eyes before enquiring, “What sort of drastic action?”
“The sort of drastic action that you’re going to enjoy.” He replies with a smile.
“Oh, that sort.” I say breathlessly, feeling ever so slightly excited.
Definitely liking the idea of his form of drastic action, I decide to play along and with a teasing smile on my lips, I pretend to pull away from him. Within seconds I’m flat on my back, and AJ shows me exactly what he means. Which I might add, is not so drastic at all, but absolutely mind blowing, and delayed breakfast.
*****
Looking in the mirror I survey myself, the Ibuprofen has worked and I feel all but normal. I’m meeting Jen today, and we have a heavy schedule. The first stop is the bridal shop so Jen can show me her gown, and organise my dress. With this in mind, I decided it best if I wear a dress. With undressing and redressing etc., it seemed an easier option than jeans or leggings. So here I stand, wearing a white dress that has red poppies on it. It sounds so loud and garish, but is stunning, and I’ve matched it with strappy sandals, and a shoulder bag.
Pleased with the outfit, I head down to the kitchen, the smell of bacon cooking, becoming stronger the closer I walk. By the time I push open the door and enter the kitchen, my stomach is rumbling and I feel like I haven’t eaten for a week.
AJ is standing at the cooker, and Millie is busily wiping down the counter top. On my entrance, AJ turns and smiles at me, turns back to the cooker and within seconds, turns to me again, holding out a plate, containing the best looking bacon sandwich in the great old US of A. Almost snatching it out of his hands, I hold half of the sandwich, take a huge bite, close my eyes, and relish every single morsel.
Hearing AJ laughing, I open my eyes to see he’s looking at Millie while he does so. Turning towards me, he walks over to the counter and leaning down on his forearms, watches as I take another bite.
“Good?” he asks.
Quickly finishing chewing and swallowing, I nod my head and smile.
“So, so good. You have no idea. Thanks.” After which I proceeded to take another bite of the delicious delicacy. It has to be said, there is just something phenomenal, about eating a bacon sandwich the morning after the night before. Heaven.
Turning away from me chuckling, he grabs two cups of coffee and walks around to sit next to me at the counter. Holding my sandwich out towards him, I gesture as if to ask him did he want a bite, but he shakes his head, and informs me he has already eaten. While I eat, I watch as Millie starts the process of cleaning up the kitchen, and it comes to me, that AJ may make a mean sandwich, but he makes a hell of a mess whilst doing it. Turning towards him, as I still have a mouthful, I tilt my head to the side and pointedly with squinted eyes, look back to where Millie is cleaning up. Making a point that as he made the mess, surely he should be cleaning it up. To which AJ informs Millie, that I am giving him the glare about her cleaning up his mess.
“Oh no Jorgi. See I would rather do the cleaning up and know it was done properly, than have to go over it again afterwards. You know what men are like. No offence AJ.” She states, turning to him with a smile.
On turning back to me, she informs me that it’s really her kitch
en, and the only reason she let AJ cook my sandwich, was because he told her I was feeling off colour.
“Millie’s very territorial about the kitchen.” AJ announces with a smile, and takes a sip of coffee.
Swinging my eyes from his, back to Millie and then back to him and reading their expressions, I swallow the last of my breakfast and state. “Noted.” Which receives smiles from both, as I take a sip of my coffee.
Hearing the door open behind me, I swivel around to watch Tiny and Wade walking in. AJ asks me if I’m ready to go, and grabbing my bag, we all walk out to the front of the house.
I climb into the back of the Range Rover, and Wade climbs in behind the steering wheel, leaving Tiny with AJ.
As Jen and I have a full day, and AJ has a busy schedule, the plan is to meet back at the house this evening, and we will stay home and have a quiet night in.
Reaching into the back of the car, AJ gives me a quick kiss, and tells me to have fun, before closing the door and we pull away. With me giving what I will admit, a goofy kind of wave goodbye as we do so.
CHAPTER 17
I can’t see and I can’t breathe, all due to the pure emotion I am feeling, as I gaze at Jen after she walks out of the fitting room. I have never seen her look more beautiful. In fact stunning, with her happiness shining out of her very soul. Her dress is figure hugging down to her hip, where it kicks out in gentle falls until it lands at her feet. Strapless, it shows her delicate shoulders off perfectly, and all this finery, is topped off by a delicate sheer veil falling down her back.
She had told me she was having her dress designed especially for her, and they have caught the essence that is pure Jen perfectly. Watching as she walks to the podium and stands in front of the mirror, with the assistant arranging the back of her dress, I can no longer hold it in and a sob escapes; drawing Jens attention from her reflection to myself.