Taming Blake (A New Adult Romance): The Complete Trilogy
Page 39
“I know,” I persisted, “but I’ve checked it out with people who know about these things. It’s an amazing investment opportunity, Gina. And if you’re really interested in making a go of this, you won’t have worry about the money.”
At this I thought back to my last meeting with Elizabeth — because this had been the other thing I’d wanted to discuss with her.
“I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve already got a couple of angel investors interested,” I added. “People who know you. People who totally rate your style and think you could make a real go of it. So? What do you think?”
“What do I think?” she said quietly, turning to face me, fanning at her big blue eyes in a vain attempt stop them welling up. “I think you’re the loveliest friend I’ve ever had.”
“So you’ll give it a go?” I asked excitedly.
“Just you try and stop me,” she laughed, a big tear rolling down her cheek.
And with that, she threw her arms around me and gave me the biggest damn hug of my life.
§
And then from one best friend to another — I’d had a message from Fallon, you see. The tour dates had changed and she’d been granted a few days off, so she’d decided to race back to New York (“To finally do some laundry and sleep for a million years,” as she put it in her own inimitable style). But of course, she also wanted to see me, too, so I found myself dashing back across the city, from Manhattan to Ocean Hill, Brooklyn, meeting her in Workshop, that same cute little coffee shop I’d spent so much time in, back when I was first designing Blake’s place – the one that was now just around the corner from my very own house.
As I marveled at this fact, I realized just how much explaining I had to do.
“I still don’t get it,” she replied bluntly, after I’d tried my best to fully describe this new state of play between Blake and me. “So you’re going to live … what? Monday to Wednesday in Manhattan, and then Thursday to Sunday in Brooklyn?”
“No!” I laughed. “It’s not quite as rigid as that. It’s pretty simple, really. Whenever we want to be in Manhattan, we’ll stay at his. And when we want to come here, we can stay at my new house. The main thing, Fallon, is that we’re living together now, and you know what? I’m totally, totally happy.”
“If you say so,” she sighed, obviously still unconvinced.
“He’s not quite who you think he is,” I urged. “Who anyone thinks he is. Honestly, you just have to trust me on this one.”
“I just can’t imagine him, you know, fitting in around here,” she said.
“You’d be surprised at how much of a chameleon Blake can be,” I smiled back. “I took him shopping for a few new outfits, things a little outside his usual tastes, and you know what? He actually looks pretty good in them!”
But all joking aside, I knew I needed to make it clear to Fallon that things were really changing between Blake and I — that we were getting serious and I needed her to support me in this decision.
I fixed her with an ‘I’m not joking’ look.
“I’m really, really happy, okay?” I said.
“Okay!” she laughed. “I believe you!”
“I know you think I should play the field,” I continued, “but really, I tried that, and it’s not for me.”
“Well, I suppose you’re right,” she replied. “It isn’t for everybody. But I still think you’re missing out on a whole world of casual sex.”
And at this I smiled to myself.
Oh, if only you knew ….
“Hey, you know we’re doing another New York date, right?” she said out of nowhere. “Next Saturday. Wanna come? I’ll put you on the guestlist, of course.”
“Sure,” I smiled back. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world! And actually, can I bring my boyfriend?”
§
I couldn’t help but giggle. After all, it was so delicious to turn the tables; to be the one in control.
“Are we almost there yet?” he asked, stumbling up the stairs ahead of me, the blindfold wrapped tightly over his eyes.
And as I guided him up the dusty, stripped-back set of stairs in my new Brooklyn apartment, one of the many areas of this beautiful two-story place that I’d still to even begin tackling properly. After all, I was committed to Elizabeth, and I wasn’t about to let her down after everything she’d done for me.
I wondered what Blake might think of the one room I had finished — the very room I was leading him towards.
I’d drawn this out as much as I could, giving him the full works, arranging for Nathaniel to come and pick him up as a surprise and drive him here, all the while blindfolded — and now he was finally going to see the result of my efforts, the job I’d been secretly working so hard on, the last week or so in any spare moments I could grab.
“Forwards,” I directed when he reached the top of the stairs, leading him through the open door and into the sunny, spacious room. “Okay,” I said, once he was standing right in the middle of the floor. “You can take it off now.”
With a smile of relief, he whipped off the blindfold, and I held my breath as I watched his face, flashing with surprise as he took in the full effect.
“It’s all for you,” I explained, as he looked around him in amazement. “This is your Brooklyn office,” I added. “I want you to feel you can come and work here whenever you want.”
And as Blake’s eyes travelled slowly around the walls, I felt myself looking at it afresh, from his perspective: the elegant green William Morris wallpaper, the large mahogany desk, the plush leather office chair, the polished floorboards and sumptuous Persian rug, all echoing his traditional tastes.
“So?” I asked, once the suspense became unbearable. “What do you think?”
“Honestly?” he said, turning to face me. “I love it.”
I breathed out in relief.
“It’s perfect, Jessica,” he said. “Especially … this.”
With that he gestured at the large painting that hung directly behind the desk, the centerpiece of the whole room: a bold explosion of color and light, a stunning abstract work by a gifted young artist that I’d picked up from a gallery just nearby.
I’d hoped, with the picture, that the room would become a perfect mix of the traditional and the contemporary: just like Blake and I.
“It’s an original,” I explained. “This is my gift to you, Blake. Whenever you look at it, I want you to remember that it’s not too late to live — to still be the kind of guy who can spend his time experiencing art and life.”
“I need to tell you something,” he said, his features becoming serious as he took me gently by the shoulders.
“What?” I said, nervously wondering just what he might want to say that was so intense, so urgent.
“It’s something that, well … it’s something I haven’t said in a number of years.”
Another pause. I waited, holding my breath.
“Jessica,” he said. “I love you.”
“Oh, Blake,” I replied, “I love you, too!”
And as we kissed, I felt a flash of excitement: both at how far we’d come, and how much we’d changed each other and grown, but also about how much more there was still to experience — our whole lives stretching out before us, lives which now seemed forever intertwined.
EPILOGUE
Blake Matthews Officially Off the Market!
Well, I guess congratulations are in order for Blake Matthews and Jessica Clark, who tied the knot yesterday, according to reports.
The billionaire hotelier wed the rising star interior designer in an intimate ceremony at the Southampton summer home of hedge fund mogul, Elizabeth O’Connor.
Our source, a friend close to the pair, reports that the bride looked stunning in a simple ivory Vera Wang dress, flanked by her bridesmaids, Fallon Lucas, drummer in up-and-coming indie band Circles, and Gina George, former dancer and now-owner of Gigi’s, Southampton’s newest boutique.
Now the only problem for the newlyweds is
which of Matthew’s five-star resorts to honeymoon in!
A NOTE FROM CHARLOTTE
Dear Reader,
Thank you so much for reading my trilogy – I do hope you enjoyed Jessica and Blake’s story just as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it! I’d love to hear your thoughts, especially if you were kind enough to take the time out to write a quick review. Not only would mean so much to me, but those things really do make all the difference for a first-time author!
And finally, if you’d like to be among the first to find out when I publish my next book, just drop me a line at: charlotteeveromance@gmail.com
and I’ll be sure to add you to my mailing list!
Thank you so much for all your support,
Charlotte
xx
A NOTE FROM CHARLOTTE
Dear Reader,
Thank you so much for reading my trilogy. I do hope you enjoyed it and I’d love to hear your thoughts, especially if you were kind enough to take the time out to write a quick review. Not only would mean so much to me, but those things really do make all the difference for a first-time author!
And finally, if you’d like to be among the first to find out when I publish my next book, just drop me a line at: charlotteeveromance@gmail.com
and I’ll be sure to add you to my mailing list!
Thank you so much for all your support,
Charlotte
xx