Me & Mr Write (Mr Write Trilogy)

by Cassandra P Lewis

  I have cooked us Thai Green Curry and Rice and I can’t help but smile at Rosie’s surprise when she tastes it,

  “I can cook Rosie, I’ve told you this!”

  “I know, but this is amazing Jackson!” she loves good food, it’s nice to think that before she bought my book she had never tried Thai food and now here she is, shovelling it in as though she’s scared someone will take away her plate. I laugh and tuck in to my own dinner, it is amazing, if I do say so myself.

  After dinner, Rosie and I cuddle up on the sofa with a DVD and a tub of Haagen-Dazs Baileys. She is making me watch some chick flick on DVD which is absolutely terrible but I know how much of a romantic Rosie is, so I just suck it up and pretend to enjoy it.

  “Thank you Jackson, tonight was exactly what I needed” Rosie sounds relaxed and happy as I place another glass of wine in her hand and rejoin her on the sofa. I am shocked at how happy this makes me, just being here with her. No grand gestures or expensive evening out, just us. I wrap my arms around Rosie and the words leave my mouth before I can stop them,

  “Move in with me!”

  After a moment, Rosie pulls out of our embrace and looks me in the eye,

  “What?” she looks confused and I feel stupid suddenly,

  “Well, we’re getting married Rosie, it makes sense doesn’t it?” I ask, feeling a little vulnerable as I push backwards creating some space between us,

  “I can’t Jackson, I’m sorry” Rosie stands and walks into the kitchen. I’m confused and join her as she pours herself a glass of water and takes a sip. “We’re not getting married next week Jackson, we’ve only been together a couple of months. It’s too soon!”

  “You said yes Rosie; it wasn’t too soon for that. You really don’t want to live with me? Do you still not trust me?” She turns to face me and I take the glass from her hands so that I can hold them,

  “I do, Jackson I do, but I need to know that I have my own space too. I don’t want to rush this. I can’t live with you, not yet” she pulls me close to her and I feel unsure, I didn’t expect that she would say no. She can sense that I’m trying to pull away, “Look, we have Rafe’s wedding coming up and we’re both busy with work, it’s just not the right time” she sounds just like I have so many times before, when I have given girls the brush off in the past and I’m blown away,

  “Do you still want this Rosie, me and you? Because it sounds like you’re backing away here!” I ask as I let go of her hands,

  “Of course I do Jackson, but we’ve been together for five minutes, what’s the rush?” She steps toward me and smiles sheepishly and I feel annoyed. She wanted more, she wanted me to be monogamous and I am and now she is the one wanting space and to slow down? I shake my head,

  “There’s no rush Rosie, none whatsoever. I’m going to bed, are you coming or do you need space?” I can’t help my sarcasm as I back away and walk toward the bedroom,

  “Jackson, don’t do this. Nothing has changed, I love you I just don’t want to move in together yet” Rosie is pleading and I hear her voice crack as though she might cry, but she’s really pissed me off,

  “Goodnight Rosie” I cut her off and head to bed. I shouldn’t, but I slam the door behind me. I know it was petulant of me but I just feel so rejected and angry and the last thing I want to do is get into a full blown row.

  I wake the next day and Rosie isn’t in bed next me, I get up and head into the kitchen. The washing up has been done and the dishes all put away but there’s no sign of Rosie at all. Last night comes into my mind and I feel myself getting angry at her all over again as I head back towards the en suite, I need a shower. I start the water and decide to check my phone, as annoyed as I am I’m slightly concerned that I don’t know where she is, there’s a text,

  ‘You fell asleep really quickly last night and I didn’t want to disturb you so I came home. It’s Rafe’s fag do tonight so I’ll call you later. I’m sorry x’

  I feel guilty for going to bed in such a strop. Rosie felt so uncomfortable that she went home in the middle of the night, after cleaning up my flat. As I undress and step into the shower I can’t help but think I have a lot to learn about relationships, and as much as I thought I knew about women, I really don’t seem to have a clue.

  I wake up alone in my bed and feel sad that I so spectacularly rejected Jackson last night. He didn’t even want a relationship a couple of months ago and now he wants to live with me and I said no! It was such a big step for him but I just reacted and said the first things that came to my head. It is too soon, I can’t feel guilty for being honest about that.

  I check my phone. There’s nothing, no messages or missed calls. I must have really pissed him off. I decide to text him, I have a day planned with Pip and Rafe and we’re going out tonight so I won’t be able to properly talk to Jackson until tomorrow, I want him to know that I’m not ignoring him.

  I drag myself out of bed and into the shower. Rafe, Pip and I are going to a spa today to get ready for his fag do tonight. Pip has planned the evening and I can’t wait, she always plans a great night out.

  I hear the honk of a car horn and look out of the window to see Pip getting out of the car; I open it and shout down that I’m on my way.

  In the car neither of them question why I asked them to pick me up from home instead of Jackson’s as planned, but the awkward silence is deafening so I answer them regardless,

  “We had a fight. He asked me to move in and I said no!” as I say the words I glance at my phone, still nothing,

  “Why did you say no?” Pip seems shocked that I, Miss Commitment showed some restraint,

  “It’s too soon Pip” I answer defensively,

  “Little sis, you’re marrying him!” Rafe decides to chip in, “You either want to spend your life with him or you don’t, if it’s too soon, you shouldn’t have said yes!”

  I’m annoyed, these two are supposed to be my best friends in the world and they agree with Jackson! I know I did the right thing and I’m sticking to it.

  We arrive at the spa and I can’t wait to unwind, the rest of the journey was fairly quiet as I contemplated the fact that Jackson and I are always together anyway, either at mine or his, so what would be the difference in actually living together? As it was I only came up with the positive difference of only having one lot of rent to pay between us, but I just do not want to live with him yet. I have no doubts that he is who I want to be with but we’re still getting to know each other.

  There are absolutely no phones allowed at the spa so I resign myself to the fact that I won’t be hearing from Jackson until later on and turn my phone off. We spend the morning relaxing in the Jacuzzi and steam room, swimming and lounging under heat lamps by the pool, to say that by lunchtime I am extremely chilled is an understatement, I feel like I could sleep for a week.

  We head into the restaurant for lunch. There is something liberating about eating in a packed restaurant but being surrounded by people wearing dressing gowns, and wearing one yourself. The three course dinner is surprisingly light and the complimentary glass of champagne goes down a treat.

  After lunch we all have treatments booked. Pip and I have surprised Rafe with a full body exfoliation and hot stone massage, while I head for a facial and Pip for a manicure and pedicure.

  “Mmm this is bliss!” Pip exclaims sleepily from the chair next to me in the salon as we both have our scalps massaged before our hair and makeup gets done,

  “It really is, but I feel like I want to go to bed not go out!” I am exhausted; I didn’t sleep well last night and am ready for bed.

  “Nah, you know what my nights out are like RoRo, you’ll soon wake up!”

  Rafe joins us to get his hair styled, and he looks thoroughly refreshed and relaxed as he sits next me,

  “Was it good for you?” I ask sarcastically, he looks completely spent,

  “Amazing little sis! This was a great idea”

  As Rafe slumps into the stylists chair next to me in post massag
e bliss and Pip begins to discuss her shoe choices for the evening ahead I begin to feel excited. This is my brother’s big night, Jackson and I will have to wait.

  We head back to Rafe’s flat in time to see Matthew getting ready to head out,

  “Where do you think you’re going looking so hot?” Rafe asks, Matthew does look good in a fitted shirt and chinos,

  “Actually, I’ve got a date with Mr Jackson James, if that’s ok with you?” he smiles as he kisses Rafe and heads for the door,

  “Matthew” I stop him and walk over so that I can speak quietly, “I haven’t heard from him all day. Please, will you tell him I’m sorry” he kisses me on the forehead and winks as he heads out of the flat, he turns to Rafe before he leaves, “Be good Alvez!”

  Before long the flat is full of people. Every variety of gay man you could hope for on a night out, Sophie from the café and a few friends of Rafe’s as well as Matthew’s cousin Jennifer, who is as boring as Michael and I can’t imagine her enjoying one of Pip’s nights, but this is Rafe’s fag do and I am not going to worry about anyone but him tonight. My camera is charged and my purse is loaded, my bank card actually groaned as it made its way out of the cash machine earlier on, but it’ll be worth it.

  As we gather our things and get ready to leave we hear loud horns from the street below. Rafe laughs loudly as he looks out of the window and sees the two fire engines that Pip and I have hired to take us to the club, complete with model friends of Pip’s in fireman uniforms, well the bottom half at least. There’s a stampede as the horny party goers scramble to get on board but the three of us lag behind for just a few moments. For the first time, the three of us smile as we acknowledge our mutual contentment; we’re all in relationships and couldn’t be happier.

  We arrive at Sway Nightclub and are given the VIP treatment. The doorman is a close personal friend of Pippa’s and has done us a few favours.

  We’re shown to our seats and the mood amongst our group is fantastic, it gets even better as we watch the gorgeous male strippers remove every single item of clothing that they’re wearing, it’s certainly an eye opener. I never thought that I would enjoy this sort of thing and I don’t know if it’s just because we’re all having so much fun or if it’s because these men are incredibly sexy, but I love it. Before long I catch myself cheering and calling for them to ‘TAKE IT OFF’ just as much as everyone else in the room.

  After the show we are shown to our private booth in the club, we have our own topless waiter serving us all night so all we have to do is drink and enjoy ourselves. Thanks to our VIP status, a couple of the dancers come and join us at our booth posing for photos and even giving Rafe a lap dance, at which I see my brother blush for the first time ever and he forces me to switch places with him. I try to go along with the experience, screaming as a naked penis is thrust into my face and then trying to compose myself for the photograph that Pip is trying to take, but before long the embarrassment becomes too much and I just cover my face while I erupt in fits of giggles.

  We dance and drink the evening away and I haven’t had so much fun in such a long time. The shock of Jennifer dancing on the table and eagerly kissing one of Rafe’s friends, who was gay at the start of the night but left with Jennifer twenty minutes ago is too much for me. I know that I need to stop, I am completely hammered. I fish around in my handbag for my phone to text Jackson and instead lay my hand on the key to his flat. I haven’t spoken to him since last night and I need to see him.

  I make my excuses to leave. Rafe and Pippa are having a deep and meaningful at the back of the booth and I guess it’s about how their lives have changed. I kiss my big brother and my best friend, say goodnight to the other fag do revellers and head out to find a taxi, I give Jackson’s address and am letting myself into his flat within half an hour.

  I try to close the door quietly. As I turn around I’m confronted with a shirtless Jackson standing in his front room, I close one eye to focus and notice that he is holding a baseball bat loosely at his side.

  “Rosie?” he puts the bat on the sofa, “It’s three in the morning, what are you doing here?” I hold up the key,

  “You said I could let myself in.”

  I can hear myself slurring my words as I speak and he laughs as he walks towards me and pulls me into a close embrace,

  “Of course you can” he kisses me on the forehead and pulls me toward the kitchen, “You need water!”

  CHAPTER TEN

  There’s nothing worse than waking up with a hangover. I’m looking down at Rosie drooling onto her pillow in a drunken stupor and already laughing internally at how rough she is going to feel when she finally surfaces. I decide to leave her to it, I need coffee.

  I head into the kitchen to put the kettle on and see Rosie’s handbag on the sofa, she must have just thrown it there when she got in. The contents are strewn across the cushions and I hope she hasn’t lost anything. I notice the baseball bat and shake my head when I remember the noise she made trying to get into the flat at three this morning, and then I spot her camera.

  I have got to see what a mess they all were last night. I have a quick peek in the bedroom, sleeping beauty is still snoring soundly so I switch on the camera and hit the view button.

  The first few photos are of Rosie, Rafe and Pip getting ready. I quickly skip past the photo of Pippa in her underwear; it feels wrong, like I’m looking at my sister or something. There’s one of Rosie after she’d finished getting ready, posing with a glass of champagne. She looks incredibly sexy and I can’t help but feel jealous of any men that saw her like that last night, I was too busy being angry and ignoring her and missed out completely, by the time she got to me she was hammered, carrying her shoes in one hand and a kebab in the other.

  As I flick through the photos, I feel like I’m watching a slideshow of their evening. I find myself smiling at their happy faces as more and more people appear in the pictures, before long there are photos of Rafe with men half dressed as firemen and Rosie and Pippa being carried over shoulders laughing, onto a fire engine. A feeling stirs in me that I’m not used to, I start to tap my foot, the sight of her being touched by a half dressed bloke, especially when she looks like that, makes my blood boil. But I know she was just having a bit of fun, it was Rafe’s big night after all.

  I didn’t know what their plans were for last night, all I knew is that Pippa was arranging everything and keeping her cards close to her chest. so when I see the photos of big buff blokes taking their clothes off for my girl’s entertainment I’m a little surprised to say the least, but it’s all good fun. There are photos of all the party goers enjoying themselves, Rafe, Rosie and Pippa posing together waving cash toward the stage, and I can’t help but laugh knowing that they were enjoying themselves.

  The next photo is obviously in a club, Rafe is standing on a table posing while a topless waiter hands him a huge drink with straws, umbrellas and sparklers poking out of it in all directions. It’s one of the campest photos I’ve ever seen and I’m not used to seeing Rafe like that, I can’t help but laugh.

  I click next and Rafe is getting some sort of lap dance from an oiled up bloke in just a thong, and even on the small screen of Rosie’s camera I can see how uncomfortable he is. I click next and I’m shocked to see Rosie taking Rafe’s place, she’s laughing as this guy rubs her hand down his chest. I click next and he’s now completely naked with his hands behind his head, displaying himself to my fiancée. Rosie has her hands over her face on one photo but is smiling on the next, while this prick stands with his dick in his hand next to MY girl’s face!

  I am fuming but click next. Rosie is now posing for a photo with her private dancer, obviously he’s finished as he has put some loose trousers on, but she’s smiling with her hand on his chest and I’ve seen enough.

  I put the camera down on the side and my blood is racing through my veins. My first taste of jealousy and it’s not just because she’s talking to a bloke in a pub, I’m actually seeing her with a
fucking dick in her face. I place both hands on the kitchen counter and take a deep breath.

  “Morning!” Rosie groans from the doorway to the bedroom, squinting at the brightness of the living room,

  “Hi” I respond bluntly but she doesn’t seem to notice my frustration,

  “I need coffee” she walks toward the kitchen and stands behind me, wrapping her arms around my waist, “Are we friends again now!”

  I actually completely forgot that we had already been arguing and now I’m even angrier. This is what she needed space for, groping other men?

  “You know where the kettle is, I’m going for a shower” I head out of the kitchen and Rosie calls me back,

  “Jackson wait, I thought we were ok. I love you, I’m just trying to take us slowly!” she is pleading, thinking that I’m still angry about her not wanting to move in,

  “Rosie, cut the crap. I’ve seen your photos from last night, looks like you were having a grand old time with Magic Mike!” I’m annoyed at myself for being so jealous but I can’t help it,

  “What? Are you serious Jackson? Firstly, how dare you go through my handbag, and secondly, I was having a laugh for my brother’s last big night of freedom, what’s your problem?” we’re now standing about a metre apart staring each other in the eyes, both too stubborn to give in,

  “I didn’t go through your handbag for fucks sake Rosie, what do you think I am? Your camera was on the sofa!” I shake my head before continuing to respond, “And my problem is that you are with me, and I’ve just seen you laughing and joking around with some bloke’s junk in your face! How would you feel if it was me? If it was photos of me with a naked woman on my lap, ramming her tits in my face?” I hold my hand up as she opens her mouth to speak, “Don’t even respond Rosie because I know how you’d react, you’d be out of the fucking door!” I turn to walk into the bedroom and she follows,