In Too Deep_BWWM Romance

by Erica A. Davis

  “Jamie…”

  “We’ll talk Steven. I need space right now. Please.”

  “Jamie. I love you and I am so very sorry. I’m an asshole. Jamie I’ll give you space but I’m not giving up on us. Take some time but can we please fix this?” he asked.

  “I don’t know,” she answered truthfully.

  She didn’t know what else to say and so she said her goodbyes and hung up. She had told Steven that she would be in L.A. She didn’t know why she said it but it was the first thing she thought of. The Wright L.A. offices seemed as far as she could possibly get from New York and the truth was she didn’t just need emotional distance she needed physical distance too. She was too hurt, too angry. She didn’t know what her next move was but she knew one thing with certainty; there was no just working things out. This would always hang over their heads like a large black cloud. Jamie was not one of those weak women who could just forgive him because she loved him. She had a lot of thinking to do.

  She stared at the ceiling, she could feel the tears coming again. She didn’t fight them. And then just as quickly as it came the tears stopped. Although she would have liked to crawl into bed for a few days, she needed to figure things out. So sitting in the empty room, her heart broken, Jamie did the only thing that made sense. She picked up the phone and called her father. She wanted him to send her to L.A., she could work just as well from there. She needed to get away. Surprisingly, he answered after the first ring.

  “Father,” Jamie said.

  “Hello. I spoke to Steven,” her father announced.

  “I see,” Jamie said stunned.

  She had not expected that. Steven had not wasted a minute.

  “Jamie, you need to go home and work this out,” her father began.

  “Work this out? Did he tell you I caught him with some tramp?” Jamie questioned.

  “Yes. He did. And Jamie I’m not blaming you. Of course not. But if you weren’t working all the time…” James said.

  “I can’t believe you said that. And was that my mother’s problem? That she stayed at home raising me? So which one is it? Working too much or not working enough?” Jamie interrupted.

  “Jamie. I didn’t mean that the way it sounded. And your mother and I had a different relationship. There’s no need to get petty because you’re hurt,” James admonished.

  “Can you just be a father to me right now? Can you just be on my side? I need to leave the city. I want you to send me to the L.A. office.” Jamie pleaded.

  “You can’t run away from your problems,” James replied.

  “Dad. Please,” Jamie said. “I’m not running from my problems. I just need to get away.”

  James was quiet for only a few moments before he finally responded.

  “Jamie, I love you. Clear your head for a bit. You’re no good to me if you have other things on your mind. I’ll tell you what, why don’t you go to L.A. You can oversee the building of the Wright Square. It should be completed in about four months. I’ll let them know that you’re coming. You can stay at my condo,” James added.

  “Would you do this if I were a man?” Jamie asked.

  “This has nothing to do with gender. This is about my daughter. And being worried about her well-being. If James were in the same situation I would tell him the same.”

  Jamie wanted to believe him. She thought about it. It wasn’t work, but at least it would get her away from New York. And truthfully maybe she could use the break.

  The Wright Square was the brainchild of her father. For so long the company just dealt with hotels and office space. But her father wanted to dip his spoon into other areas of the business. Wright Square would be that. A four block radius of elegant upscale apartments. The first phase was already completed. Jamie wondered what help she could be. Everything was already arranged, deals signed. In reality, he was sending her somewhere she wasn’t needed. But maybe this was exactly what she herself wanted. Time to think. She thanked her father and told him she would leave first thing tomorrow morning. Her next call was to the airline.

  Then she called Callie.

  Callie was already in Vegas so she actually arrived before Jamie and was there to greet her at the airport. Jamie saw her friend and immediately burst into tears. Callie understood and hugged her friend, letting her cry. After a few minutes, they walked out of the airport arms linked.

  “I leased a car,” Callie announced.

  “You did what?” Jamie questioned.

  “I know you honestly didn’t think I would leave you in this godforsaken town for four months alone right?” Callie asked.

  Jamie smiled. She could always count on Callie. Ever since they were little. They drove in silence from the airport to the condo. Their bags thrown in the back seat. Of course Callie would lease a convertible. Jamie put on her shades and leaned back in the passenger seat. The sun was welcoming. Her naturally curly and thick hair looked almost red in the sun and bounced gently in the wind. Callie on the other hand looked like she belonged here, her blonde hair billowing out behind them as they drove. Jamie closed her eyes and enjoyed the motion of the car running smoothly over the paved roads, the warmth of the sun on her face. One great thing about Callie was she knew Jamie so well that she knew when she needed time to just think, think without having to concentrate on conversation. Of course they would discuss Steven in depth, but right now she just needed this time to breathe. And Callie understood. She turned on the radio and hummed along.

  “I know what we need,” Callie announced suddenly.

  “Drinks?” Jamie asked smiling.

  “Drinks,” Callie echoed.

  They made their way to a swanky restaurant a few blocks from the condo and pulled into the valet lane. The attendant looked like he belonged in a daytime soap much more than here parking cars. Callie eyed him appreciatively while Jamie rolled her eyes and walked into the restaurant. There must have been an exchange because Callie came in with a huge grin on her face about five minutes later.

  “What?” she asked innocently.

  Jamie just shook her head and laughed. They were shown to a quiet table on the patio and Callie ordered for them before they barely had time to sit down.

  “Two lemon drops…each, and we’ll also like two shrimp cocktails. Oh and two shots of top shelf vodka,” Callie said.

  The waitress handed them their menus and went to fill their drink order.

  “Ready to vent?” Callie asked once she was out of earshot.

  “Not quite,” Jamie said toying with her water glass.

  “Okay. Whenever you’re ready Jam,” Callie said understandingly.

  Jamie nodded. She would need to talk soon she knew, but when she was ready. The great thing about Callie was that she didn’t push. The waitress brought their drinks over and Callie passed the shot glass to Jamie.

  “To having fun,” she said winking. Jamie returned the smile and downed the shot.

  “So I have a date,” Callie stated abruptly.

  “The valet?” Jamie asked knowingly.

  “He’s a struggling artist,” Callie said laughing.

  “I would have guessed actor. He definitely looks like he belongs in movies,” Jamie observed.

  “His name is Kale,” Callie said frowning. “Spelled like the vegetable,” she added for emphasis in case Jamie had missed it.

  Jamie let out an involuntary laugh. “Well I don’t know about healthy,” she said, “but he does look delicious.”

  Callie laughed along with her friend. Callie had just broken up with Will Parker, a singer who was recently garnering some buzz, a few weeks prior.

  “I’m not looking for anything serious,” Callie said. “Just a nice distraction.”

  If there was one thing Jamie could learn from her friend, it was how to bounce back. Though Callie and Will had dated for years she barely seemed phased. Jamie wondered how much of it was merely an act but knew Callie well enough to know if she really wanted to talk about it she would confide in her.
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br />   A few hours and drinks later, after a wedge salad and a shared molten brownie sundae, they were on their way to the apartment. When they arrived Jamie found that her father had taken care of everything. The attendant had an envelope waiting for her, with keys to the condo, including a key card for the elevator, and keys to the silver Audi A8 that was parked in the lot. She thanked him, declined the offer for help with the bags, ignoring Callie’s pointed glare, and made her way to the elevators.

  Her father’s condo was on the top floor and the elevator opened up to the foyer of the apartment. The place was indeed the height of luxury. Tastefully furnished in neutral colors with bamboo flooring and shaggy area rugs throughout. The entire wall of the living room was made of glass with privacy automated blinds if necessary, and had a spectacular view of the city’s skyline. There were three bedrooms all with private bathrooms including a master that led to a private balcony. Callie claimed the bedroom next to Jamie’s by unceremoniously throwing her bag on the bed.

  Jamie discovered when she opened the fridge, that it had been fully stocked. She sighed. Her father could be difficult sometimes but there was no doubting that he loved her. There was a knock on the door. Jamie looked at Callie and shrugged. Who could it be? They had just arrived.

  When she opened the door she was shocked to find a delivery guy holding three dozen long stemmed red roses. She signed for them and tipped him. Jamie looked at the card. They were from Steven. Just when she was feeling thankful for her father he had given Steven the address. Of course it was him. She had spoken to her mother before she boarded the plane and Olivia had been sympathetic and outraged. She would have never given it to him. That only left her father. She sighed and placed the roses on the dining room table. Callie looked at her sadly. Jamie waved her off with a smile and said she needed to unwind from the long flight.

  Jamie took a shower and broke down, again. She had not wanted to appear weak in front of Callie. Not when her friend was so cavalier when it came to relationships. Callie always seemed so strong. Always able to recover. Jamie wanted to be resilient like her but she was really hurt. She thought Steven was really the one. Maybe love didn’t really exist. Maybe it was all just experiences and people entered and left your life. But it was the closest thing to love that she had ever felt before. All she wanted was to pretend it had never happened. To forgive him and be back in his arms. Safe. Loved. Except he had betrayed their relationship and that love and trust would be forever gone. Jamie knew her worth and no matter how much she loved Steven, her pride would never let her just forgive him. It would never be the same again and she would always wonder if he was cheating on her, that was no way to live her life.

  She dried off and threw on a t-shirt and some boy shorts that she had pulled out of her bag on the way to the shower. When she exited the bathroom she was not surprised to find Callie, fresh out of the shower herself, sitting on the bed, a bowl of pretzels next to her.

  Jamie smiled and jumped on the bed, sending a few pretzels flying.

  “Just like when we were younger,” Callie said.

  “Yes. Even down to the pretzels,” Jamie replied.

  “Okay Jam. Spill. I got a call from you saying you and Steven broke up and to meet you in L.A. I know he worships the ground you walk on and now the roses. What’s going on?” Callie asked.

  Jamie recounted the entire story, several times breaking into sobs and fits of anger. Callie interrupted with several “asshole” and “that son of a bitch”. Afterwards, Jamie felt much better. Callie was always there for her and the truth was if she was here alone she would sleep and be depressed. Having Callie around, Jamie knew she wouldn’t let her do any of that.

  “Well today is Thursday,” Callie said finally. “Tomorrow we go to the spa, do some shopping and then hit the town. We are going to find you a nice distraction too.”

  Jamie laughed. “No way. I am swearing off men,” she declared.

  They talked all night. About Steven, about Will. Callie had found a gallon of cookie dough ice cream and two bottles of wine. They polished off both until they both drifted off to sleep. Jamie woke up around seven the next morning with a splitting headache, laying in something wet and sticky. She had fallen asleep holding the ice cream.

  “Ewww gross,” she said.

  The sheets were scattered with pretzels too. Apparently they'd had a great night she thought to herself. Beside her Callie stirred. Jamie got up and gathered the trash. She made a mental note to call a cleaning service.

  As she made her way to the kitchen her eyes were drawn to the vase of flowers. She stopped in her tracks staring at them for a few moments. She squared her shoulders and grabbed the vase. The flowers along with the ice cream carton and empty wine bottles went into a garbage bag. Callie had woken up when Jamie had left the room and when Jamie looked up, her friend was smirking at her.

  “We could’ve kept the vase,” she said jokingly.

  Jamie laughed and threw a pretzel at her.

  A few hours later, they were getting dressed after an hour long deep tissue massage at the exclusive spa Metamorphosis. The spa had been booked but when they found out it was Jamie calling, a spot suddenly opened up. They decided they both needed a bit of spoiling and had gotten manicures, pedicures, a full body wax, sugar scrubs, facials and their massages. The treatment came with lunch and Jamie and Callie had splurged on an assortment of fresh seafood and mimosas.

  They had both packed lightly, Callie off her Vegas trip and Jamie not wanting to go back to her apartment. They needed to get some clothes but Callie did not want to go to Beverly Hills. She knew the paparazzi hung out there and she didn’t want questions about Will if she was recognized. Besides, she hated going to stores and trying on clothes. Feeling rejuvenated they made their way back to the apartment to do some shopping.

  Callie had called one of her contacts Diana, before leaving the spa. So she gave Diana her and Jamie’s measurements, which she knew by heart, and by the time they returned to the condo there were two assistants waiting for them with four racks of clothing to try.

  Diana had thought of everything from the clothes to the shoes, jewelry, handbags and even several pairs of sunglasses each. Everything fit impeccably and Jamie wasn’t surprised when they decided to purchase everything. Callie called Diana and thanked her.

  “Well that should be good for a couple of weeks,” Callie announced.

  “Yes, I think we got the L.A. chic look down,” Jamie replied. “What do you think?” she asked modeling some shades for Callie.

  “Beautiful as always. It’s good to see you smiling,” she added.

  “Well there’s nothing better for a broken heart than wine and retail therapy,” Jamie said.

  The next week, Jamie mostly laid around the house depressed. Steven kept calling until Callie commandeered her phone.

  “No. Absolutely not. You are not talking to him,” she said.

  “He sounds so depressed though,” Jamie argued.

  “He should be. But this was his mistake not yours Jam,” Callie insisted tugging the phone away from her best friend.

  “I know. I miss him though,” Jamie admitted.

  “Let’s go get lunch,” Callie said, unsure of what to do for her friend.

  They had been in California for a little over a week now and the distance did nothing for Jamie’s broken heart. They spent their days lounging around the rooftop pool and their evenings checking out the many restaurants that L.A. had to offer.

  Steven had sent flowers again. Jamie didn’t throw them away this time but seeing them every day made her heart heavy. She escaped to the bathroom to call him twice. He kept trying to convince her to come home but Jamie just wasn’t ready. Every time she thought about it the image of him having sex with someone flashed before her eyes and she got hurt and angry again. It was on one of these calls that Jamie finally realized that it was really over with Steven.

  “Jamie, if you’re not coming back home I don’t know what to do,” he sai
d.

  “I need time Steven,” she said.

  “I can’t keep saying sorry,” he replied.

  “Steven this wasn’t a little mistake. You cheated on me. How do you expect me to act?”

  “I know. I messed up. But do you want to throw our life away because I made one mistake?” he countered.

  “You messed up our lives, I didn’t. I just need space. I need time to think,” Jamie insisted.

  “Okay. Take your space but I might not be here waiting when you get back,” he said wearily.

  “What?” she asked.

  “Look, I can’t keep begging you to come back and you keep doing this emotional wavering. I’ve done everything to show you that I’m so ashamed of what I’ve done but you want to keep rehashing it. Let’s move past it Jamie,” he said.

  “I can’t just move past it Steven. You broke us. You broke my heart.”

  “Are you coming home or not?” he asked.

  “I don’t think so Steven, the trust is gone,” Jamie sobbed.

  “Fine,” he said and hung up the phone.

  Jamie was dumbfounded and she stared at the phone with her mouth hanging open. She couldn’t believe that he didn’t understand why she was so angry. He acted like it was a minor offense and that Jamie was immature to not forgive him. She fell onto her bed in a heap and began to cry. Callie, hearing Jamie crying, came into the room. Seeing the phone in Jamie’s hand she understood right away.

  “You can’t keep doing this to yourself Jamie,” Callie said sitting on the bed beside her.

  “I know”, Jamie said wiping her eyes.

  “He doesn’t deserve your tears. He doesn’t deserve you. He’s an asshole,” Callie stated.

  “He is. Isn’t he?” Jamie said half smiling.

  “Yes. The biggest. Come on Jamie. This isn’t you at all. Let’s go out tonight,” Callie said.

  Jamie sat up. This was stupid. She deserved better than Steven. He cheated on her and made her feel bad about it. It was stupid to sit here crying over him. Callie was right. She needed to have some fun.

  “Okay let’s go,” she said.