“For fuck’s sake, Luke,” Jake suddenly erupted. He slammed his fist down on the arm of the sofa. “People can change you know. And Freckles has changed me.”
Luke took a step back, the break in Jake’s usual sunny demeanour taking him by surprise. Jake hardly ever lost his smile, even when getting shit from the rest of the band which was pretty much all of the time.
“Okay, okay” Luke replied, raising his hands in mock surrender. “So tell me, how has my cousin changed you?”
Jake dropped his head into his hands and drew in a long breath, buying himself time to consider his words carefully. He finally looked up at Luke.
“I want to make her happy,” he said. “I need to make her happy, and I’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen.” Jake also wanted to say that he thought he loved her, but wasn’t sure Luke would believe that because, if he was being honest, Jake didn’t quite believe it himself.
Chapter 20
During Luke and Martha’s first few days at home, Jake and Amber didn’t see much of them. They were either out walking with Rocco and Ernie, or visiting various family members or friends. Amber had an inkling that Martha was trying to keep Luke busy and out of the way, even though he did seem to be pretty accepting of her relationship with Jake.
Bedtime, however, had been approached with some trepidation as neither of them were sure how Luke would take to them sharing a bed. So, after lights out, it had become the norm for Jake to sneak along the landing to Amber’s room. The fact that on the first night Jake wore a balaclava and some camouflage cargo pants caused much hilarity for Amber.
“Jake, you idiot,” she giggled as he crawled along her bedroom floor, with a small torch taped to his head.
“Ssh!” Jake hissed. “He’s probably still awake.”
Amber tutted and reached to turn on her bedside light. “They went to bed ages ago.”
“Doesn’t mean they’re asleep.” Jake flicked off the torch and dragged it, and the balaclava, from his head. “I haven’t heard the bed creaking or Martha moaning yet.” Jake scrubbed a hand across his already messy hair.
“Please Jake, the image of my cousin having sex is not one I want in my head.” Amber shuddered and screwed up her face. “Especially not when you’re just about to get into bed with me. Ugh.”
Jake laughed quietly. “We both know that he’s insatiable when it comes to his wife.” Standing next to the bed, Jake whipped down his trousers, showing that it wasn’t just his moves that were commando. “They act like a pair of horny teenagers most of the time.”
Blocking out thoughts of Luke and Martha, Amber’s eyes lit up as they landed on Jake’s naked body. As far as Amber was concerned he was perfection and she really couldn’t get enough of him.
“So, you want a bit of Mister Lover-Lover man, then?” Jake said noticing Amber’s hungry gaze. Naked, apart from a huge grin, he stood with his hands on his hips legs apart.
“You idiot,” Amber laughed as she grabbed his hand and pulled him to the bed. “Just get in.”
“Ugh, you make me feel so used,” he said slipping in next to Amber. “All you ever want is sex, sex, sex.”
With a sigh, Amber reached up and pulled Jake’s head down. “Oh just shut up and kiss me,” she said before pressing her mouth against Jake’s with a deep, satisfied sigh.
It was the first week in June and the sun was warm and bright, and as Luke and Jake were jamming in Luke’s studio, Martha and Amber had decided to go for a walk. Rocco was teething and a little grizzly, so Martha thought some fresh air might send him to sleep.
“So, are you and Jake doing okay?” Martha asked as she looked over at Amber who was pushing Rocco in his buggy.
Amber shrugged. “Yes, fine. We’re having fun,” she replied, leaning down to put Rocco’s dummy back in his mouth.
“Just fun?”
“Yes, just fun.” Amber hoped she sounded as though she meant it, because she wasn’t sure it was just fun any longer. Not on her part anyway. Jake was acting pretty much like the perfect boyfriend and making it difficult for Amber not to dream about things progressing.
“So when his house is finally finished, you don’t think you’ll be moving in with him then?”
Amber shook her head and Martha couldn’t fail to notice Amber’s frown when she shook her head.
“No, no way,” she replied, forcing a laugh. “We’re not serious enough for anything like that.”
Amber’s heart thudded against her rib cage. Jake’s house wasn’t anywhere near ready, despite the promises of Andy the builder. However, Amber knew that it would be eventually, and then she’d have to cope without seeing him every day. She knew that Jake wasn’t ready for that level of commitment, and probably never would be, but she also knew that if by some miracle he did ask her to move in with him, she’d be unpacking before he’d even shut the front door behind them.
“You don’t have to pretend to me, Amber,” Martha said. “I know you care about him a lot more than you’re letting on.”
Amber huffed impatiently. “No I don’t.”
“Yes you do.” Martha pulled to a stop and put her hand on Amber’s. “I won’t say anything to Luke, or Jake, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
Amber turned to look at the woman who had become her best friend. She trusted Martha, but this was Jake Hughes they were talking about.
“He’s not ready for me to lay my feelings onto him,” she replied. “He just wants some fun.”
Martha shook her head. “I honestly don’t think so, sweetheart. I think you’re underestimating how he feels about you. In fact, you’re underestimating Jake.”
Amber shook her head. “No, he’s not ready.”
“But I think he is,” Martha insisted. “You’ve only got to see the way he looks at you. Plus he told Luke he cares about you.” Martha grinned, knowing that she’d got Amber’s attention. “A lot.”
“What did he say exactly?” Amber asked, trying to ignore the strange sensation of hope and excitement that was swirling in her stomach.
“Just that. Luke was bawling him out about being in a relationship with you.” She grinned and nudged Amber with her elbow.
“Yeah, I know how overbearing my cousin can be.”
“Well, Jake told him to give him some credit because he cared about you a lot,” she reiterated.
Amber sighed and started walking again. “I don’t know, Martha. Sometimes I think we’re at the same place, and then other times I think he just wants some fun. He’s never intimated that he wants anything more.”
Martha sighed. “Sweetheart, Jake’s just the same as the rest of them; he’s a man-child.” Martha linked her arm with Amber’s and sighed. “Sometimes we just have to take control and tell them what they want.”
Amber started to laugh. “Is that what you did with Luke?”
Martha’s face clouded slightly. “No, but he had to lose me in order to realise that he couldn’t mess about at this relationship business.”
“Wasn’t he serious before the ‘Rachel incident’ then?” Amber groaned inwardly as she thought about the lengths Luke’s ex had gone to in order to get him back. She wondered what sort of psycho drugs a man and takes staged photos.
“Oh he loved me,” Martha replied. “But I think being apart made him realise that you can’t take things for granted. Love isn’t always enough. You have to work hard, and fight hard, sometimes you have to fight other people, to make each other happy and keep what you’ve got.”
“So you’re saying I should leave and hope Jake comes after me?” Amber asked, perplexed.
Martha shook her head vehemently. “That’s not what I’m saying, no way. I wouldn’t want anyone to go through what we went through. All I’m saying is tell Jake how you feel about him and that you want something more.”
“What if he rejects me?”
“I don’t think he will, but you’ll never know unless you tell him. You need to make him think about it. I do it all the time with Luke. Take Rocco
for instance.”
“What about him?” Amber asked gazing down at the gorgeous sleeping baby in the pushchair.
“Well, we agreed we wanted a baby pretty much straight away once we were married, but once I came off the pill Luke turned into a nervous wreck. He barely touched me for almost three weeks.”
“What did you do? Jump his bones?” Amber joked.
“No that would have been too obvious. I arranged to look after Ethan for the day, and then I suddenly ‘felt ill’ and had to go to bed.” Martha chuckled. “He had to get on with it.”
Amber joined in with Martha’s laughter. “Weren’t you worried it would scare him to death?” she asked.
“Of course I was,” Martha replied. “But I know Luke, and I knew he’d love it, no matter how scary or stressful it was.”
“Well as the little guy is here, I gather it all worked out. Luke did okay?”
“He did brilliantly; took it all in his stride, despite Ethan peeing all over him.” Martha grinned, recalling the look of horror on Luke’s face when he went into the bedroom to change. “After that he was very excited about the prospect of fatherhood. It still didn’t stop him almost pooping his pants when I got pregnant, but he was still happy about it.”
“You think I should show Jake how good we could be together, then?”
Martha nodded. “Don’t you think it’s worth a try?”
“I suppose so,” Amber shrugged. “But what if he doesn’t feel the same way. After all I was the one who suggested we just had fun; maybe that’s enough for him.”
“Well you won’t know unless you ask him will you?
“I don’t want to spoil our relationship though. It’s great as it is, but telling him I want more could ruin it.”
“So don’t tell him,” Martha replied. “Maybe you need to show him how lost he’d be without you. So, how about you, me and Stace go away for a few days, to a spa or something?”
Amber’s eyes lit up at the prospect of a couple of days pampering. “That does sound good, I must admit.”
Martha nodded. “Excellent. I’ll speak to Stace when we get back and sort something out. Now,” she said as they stopped outside the shop, “fancy an ice lolly?”
“Ooh go on then. I’ll get them.”
“No,” Martha replied, reaching into Rocco’s pushchair for her purse. “My treat. You wait here with Rocco.”
Amber thought about Martha’s words, as she slowly pushed Rocco’s pushchair backwards and forwards. She was right, she should tell Jake how she felt about him. She bent down to check on Rocco, and didn’t notice a car pulling up against the pavement. It was only when she heard the thud of the car door shutting that she looked up.
“Ambs, how are you?” Daniel Armstrong’s presence dominated the narrow pavement. He was dressed in a sharp grey suit, white shirt and maroon tie and looked every inch the successful business man.
“Daniel,” Amber gasped. “What the hell are you doing here?” With her heart pounding, Amber turned to look over her shoulder, through the shop window, searching for Martha. She could see that Valerie had her cornered, and so Martha wasn’t about to come out and rescue her any time soon. “I thought I made it clear last time I saw you that we have nothing to say to each other.”
A smirk touched Daniel’s lips. “I know what you said, but I figured that was for the benefit of your caveman boyfriend,” he replied, his eyes raking up and down Amber’s body. “So, how are you, you didn’t answer?”
Amber shook her head. “And you didn’t answer me either. How did you know where to find me, anyway?” she asked, pulling Rocco’s pushchair in between them as a barrier.
Daniel’s eyes never left Amber’s face. “Once I realised who your boyfriend was, it wasn’t difficult to track you down. I was on my way to see you when I spotted you walking along.”
Amber frowned. There was no way he could have found her here through Jake, it wasn’t even his house. Daniel was up to something, she was sure of it. He had the cocky smirk he always wore when he was about to con someone out of millions when buying their company.
“Okay, so what do you want then?”
“I wanted to see you and ask you again to forgive me and take me back.” Daniel reached a hand out to touch Amber’s cheek, but sighed and pushed it into his trouser pocket instead.
Amber groaned aloud at his obviously calculated move. “Oh stop with the pitiful gestures, Daniel.”
Daniel shrugged, a frown furrowing his brow. “I don’t understand.”
“Oh stop it,” Amber huffed. “Just tell me what you want because I’m damn sure it’s not me.”
“I swear Ambs, I want you back. Seeing you with him made me realise that I was wrong.” Daniel’s eyes flickered down to Rocco who started to furiously rub at his nose in his sleep. “Is this mine?” he asked, pointing towards the pushchair.
Amber gasped. “Excuse me, what did you say?”
“The baby, is it mine?” Daniel looked at Amber as though she was stupid. “You were pregnant when you left.”
Amber’s eyes filled with tears as she thought of her baby. “Is that all you’ve got to say; ‘is it mine’. God, you really are cold and unemotional aren’t you?”
“Well is it?”
“No,” she finally snapped. “Rocco is not yours.”
“His then?” Daniel’s face hardened.
“No Daniel, the baby is not his.”
“Whose then?” Daniel stepped forward and touched Amber’s elbow. “Are you telling me you were having an affair when we were together?”
Amber’s hand involuntarily clenched into a fist. “You piece of shit,” she hissed, lowering her voice as a couple of walkers strode past them. “Rocco is my cousin’s baby. And it’s no business of yours, but I actually lost our baby.” Amber pushed a hand to her chest, feeling the rapid drumming of her heart. She wanted to smack him hard in the face, now wishing that she’d let Jake punch his lights out at the club that night.
“Oh your cousin, Luke,” he said with a huge grin, ignoring the comment about the baby. “Yeah I found out that he was your cousin, when I realised that the dick you were with at the club was Jake Hughes.”
Amber smiled and shook her head. And there it was, the reason why he had sought her out. Daniel was a lot of things, but a social climber and seeker of money were two of his worst attributes.
“You’ve suddenly realised that my cousin could introduce you to the rich and famous, haven’t you?”
Daniel shook his head. “No, that’s not true at all.”
“Liar!” Amber cried. “I’ve told you lots of times that Luke was my cousin, did you ever actually listen to me?”
“I can’t remember everything you told me.”
Amber shook her head in exasperation. “You really are something, aren’t you?”
“I’m sorry, okay. So, do you forgive me?” Daniel asked, ignoring the look of astonishment on Amber’s face. “Shall we give it another go?”
Amber looked at him for a few seconds, and then finally spoke. “Come here.” She beckoned him to her with a tilt of her chin.
Daniel gave a satisfied smile and shoved the pushchair out of the way to get to Amber. When he was in front of her, Amber reached up and threaded her arms around his neck. She stood on tiptoe and whispered into his ear.
“I’m sorry I had to pull Jake away from you at the club,” she sighed against his cheek as Daniel’s hands gripped at her waist. “Because I really wish he’d had the chance to do this.” With one swift movement, Amber lifted her right knee and thrust it into Daniel’s groin.
Daniel’s hands fell straight to his injured balls, and he doubled over in pain, groaning and cursing.
“You fucking bitch,” he wailed. “My balls…fuck.” He staggered away from Amber, landing smack bang into Martha who was leaving the shop. “Move out of my way, you stupid cow,” Daniel hissed, still cupping his prized possessions.
“I beg your pardon,” Martha gasped. “Who do you think
you’re talking to?”
Amber started to giggle as Daniel’s pale face turned towards her. His brow was beaded with sweat and his eyes were watering. “You’re a psycho’.”
“Nothing you don’t deserve, Daniel. Now if you don’t mind just get lost and leave me alone.”
With a final hiss of profanities towards her, Daniel stumbled back to his car, got in and drove off.
“What the hell was going on there?” Martha asked, staring at Daniel’s retreating car.
“That was my ex, Daniel,” Amber replied. “He wants me back.”
Martha took a step back and her mouth dropped open. “Oh,” she finally said. “I’m guessing it was a no from you.”
“Exactly,” Amber replied, taking her ice lolly from Martha’s hand. “Please don’t tell Jake about this, Martha.”
“Why not?”
“Well,” Amber said as they started walking, “they’ve already had one meeting and it didn’t go well. Let’s just say, Jake might do something he’d regret if he found out Daniel had been pestering me.”
“Okay, but I think you’d better tell me what happened.”
Amber sighed and as they walked, she talked.
Chapter 21
When Amber and Martha got back to house, they both went off to find their respective partners. Amber found Jake on his phone, pacing up and down the lounge. His voice was low and he was running a hand through his hair distractedly.
“Yes, the earliest possible…you’ll email me the details, great. Thanks.” As Jake ended the call he turned to see Amber in the doorway. A smile touched his lips, but it wasn’t his normal dazzling smile that lit up the room.
“Hey,” he said quietly as he walked towards Amber. “You been for a walk?”
Amber nodded. “Yes, we took Rocco down to the shop and had an ice lolly.” Amber reached up and kissed the tip of Jake’s nose. “How was the jam session?”
Jake nodded. “Good. I’m going up for a shower,” he said, gently holding Amber at arm’s length. “I’ll see you later.”
“Oh, okay.” Amber looked at him perplexed. “Are you okay? Luke hasn’t been having a go at you about us, has he?”
Rock Stars Don't Like Ugly Bras Page 14