by Pratt, Lulu
WAITING AT the front of the restaurant, I checked my watch as I anticipated a business call a bit later. A partner at the firm had told me to expect to hear from him regarding a new merger, and it had never gotten far from my thoughts.
“This really was a great place, Jude. Thank you for bringing me,” Holly smiled as she returned from the restroom.
Although she didn’t need it, I could tell she had freshened up, her lips donned a fresh coat of pink gloss that made it hard to stop myself from kissing her. What used to be a thin frame was now what wet dreams were made of – Holly had the body of a goddess.
“Anything for you,” I heard myself say and knew the instant the words left my mouth that I meant it.
She could have everything. In fact, I wanted to give it to her. It was the reason I brought her to Alice’s, knowing she would never go herself. I wanted to spoil her, exposing her to things she had no idea existed.
Don’t get me wrong, women had thrown themselves at me for years and years, and New York was no different. Meeting women was no feat, but having a connection with a woman was a rarity, something I actually hadn’t experienced in a long time until last New Year’s.
Now, back with Holly, I was certain I hadn’t imagined the electricity between us. She had to feel what I felt, and from the look in her eyes, I knew I wasn’t alone.
“Can we walk downtown instead? I love to see the Christmas lights they put on the houses,” Holly asked.
“We can do whatever you want,” I assured her, lacing my fingers between hers as if it was where they belonged.
She looked to me with a look of touch of concern, and I tried to assure her silently. Without knowing what was bothering her, I wanted to alleviate it. Thankfully, she didn’t pull away, and her hand even relaxed, following as I led us to the crosswalk.
Downtown Savannah was a sight to see. And no matter how long I lived in New York, I could still appreciate the simplicity of the lifestyle, the cheer of the residents and the charm of the city. It was home, through and through.
“This one is my favorite,” Holly smiled looking up at a pink colored house outlined in bright white Christmas lights. The picket fence surrounding the house was also decorated, and a great big wreath hung on the door, donned with colorful ornaments and tiny white lights.
“They decorate it this way every year, don’t they?” I recalled driving past the house, wondering how much time it must have taken to hang so many lights.
“For as long as I can remember. My mom would never let us put lights up on our house as she said Dad took too long to take them down after the new year.” Holly giggled, remembering her mother’s words and a surge of closeness built deep in my chest.
There was an intimacy I shared with Holly, long before we’d ever thought of spending the night together. There was a different level of closeness when you date someone you grew up in the same town with, but she was even closer than that. I too could recall her and Dylan begging their parents to decorate the house with holiday decorations, and to see the actual home that served as the inspiration, it was like unlocking another part of who she was.
And it only made me want to know more. I was tired of pretending and beating around the bush about how I felt about Holly. I needed her to know what I wanted so that we didn’t waste any of my short trip home.
“Holly, I never meant for us to not talk after I left,” I blurted out.
She turned to me with her mouth open like words wanted out, but she closed her mouth, trapping them inside. She was hurt, and she wouldn’t tell me. I could see in her eyes that there was something she was too afraid to say, probably avoiding an argument, but I needed her forgiveness.
“I know it was an asshole move, Holly, but you have to forgive me. All I’ve thought about since was you,” I admitted, and her eyes raced to find mine. She had no idea how I felt. I could see the shock written on her face. Instantly I knew I had made the right decision to tell her.
“I wouldn’t care if I didn’t see anyone else the entire time I’m here. I hate the way we have it right now, hiding from Dylan and your parents,” I said, stepping forward so that there was no space between us. “I don’t want to hide what I feel for you.”
“Jude, no,” she shook her head, leaning back as if she wanted space, but her feet remained planted, her breasts pressed against my chest.
“No what?” I asked, lifting her chin with my index knuckle and thumb. Staring into her eyes, I could see the hurt, and knew that I would have to earn her trust and vulnerability if I was ever going to convince her to let me in.
“It could never work,” she shook her head, freeing herself from my grip, but still she remained connected, and I knew it was a sign she didn’t really want to walk away.
Wrapping my arms around her, I hugged her tightly, kissing the top of her head before taking a deep breath, closing my eyes as I inhaled the lavender scent of her shampoo.
“Let me show you, Holly,” I spoke above her head, pulling her flush against me so there was no space between us. We stayed there in silence for what felt like an hour, though I guess it was just a few minutes.
“We left the hot chocolate,” Holly finally said, her words muffled beneath my bear hug. When the words finally reached my ears, a soft chuckle carried up from my chest.
“So much for my attempt at romance,” I huffed.
Twisting her shoulders to free herself, Holly glanced up at me, her hazel eyes sparkling in the moonlight. “It was very romantic,” she whispered, and I felt like the richest man in the world.
Pleasing Holly was quickly rising up the list of my favorite things to do. Over the course of the past few months, I had gone over every detail I could remember, anticipating how things would be during my holiday trip home.
Even more than I questioned her feelings I questioned my own. It wasn’t like me to be so wound up and anxious over a woman. I thought I had created this façade in my mind of something that couldn’t be true. But standing here, staring in her eyes, I had to admit that I did miscalculate my feelings. It was much deeper than I thought. I loved Holly Foster, that much I knew for sure.
“Let me take you home,” I said, instead of what I wanted, to go home with her.
She was so beautiful, and pressed against me, I could feel the softness of her curves. My hunger to dig deeply into her flesh was overwhelming, and I feared that if I didn’t get away from Holly fast enough, I would rush something that needed time.
“Yeah, I guess so,” she said. The disappointment evident in her eyes. “It is getting cold and I should check to see how Chris is doing,” she added, and I pulled her into my side as we walked back to the restaurant.
“We’ll finish this conversation later,” I said, glancing down at her rosy cheeks.
“There’s nothing to talk about.” She smiled when she answered and I knew I had a chance to convince her — I just had to show her I was serious.
“Mr. Hatch?” the valet said after reading my ticket.
“That’s me,” I nodded.
“Give me one minute,” he smiled, nodding to another young kid in the back, who immediately jumped from his seat and jogged to the parking lot.
“So, how long will you be blessing good ol’ Savannah with your presence?” Holly asked, pressing her lips together to block a smile.
“You know the drill — two weeks.”
“I’ve just got to check. You know, I just saw you today, but you could have already been here a few days, tending to a few old flames,” she teased. I chuckled, and then decided to kill her with truth.
“I’ll have you know, Ms. Foster, I came to see you directly from the airport,” I confessed.
“You did not!”
“I promise! Before I saw my mom or even dropped off my luggage.” I smiled, watching her blush before pulling her close again. “You were my number one priority, Holly.”
Our breathing slowed as our laughter faded, the smiles slowly dropping to stillness. She knew I was serious, and s
taring up into my eyes, I felt her asking for something.
“Here you are, Mr. Hatch!” The valet called excitedly, ruining the moment. Slowly, we separated before I opened the passenger door for her and walked around the driver side.
“Can I see your phone?” Holly asked as soon as I sat down.
“Here,” I reached in my pants pocket before handing her the smartphone, interested to learn her intentions.
“Go ahead. You know the way to my house, right?” she sassed, knowing I was watching her.
“You’re something else, Holly Foster.” I shook my head before pulling out of the circular driveway.
Nervously, I drove the route to her house, wondering what text messages she could stumble across, when music began blaring through the speakers. It was Coldplay, the first on my workout playlist.
“You exercise to Coldplay?” she scoffed, scrolling through my phone with curiosity.
It was just like Holly, to have the freedom to go through my most intimate messages and instead choose to scroll my playlists. She was so easy-going and drama-free, much like me.
My phone began ringing and I looked at her. She seemed a bit flustered as she tapped the phone, trying to get back to the playlist.
“Hello? Jude?” A voice came through the speakers of the car. Unknowingly, Holly had answered the call while still connected to the Bluetooth stereo system.
“Hey, James?” I asked, turning to Holly as I pressed my index finger against my lips, requesting her silence. It was my boss’ boss from the office, and it was out of the ordinary for him to call me.
“Yeah, I needed to get in touch with you. I know you’re enjoying family down in Georgia, so I’ll make this quick. We really love what you did on the Highwater account and want you to lead the team next year. We’re bringing you on as the head of our equity sales for the entire tri-state division.” He spoke with no emotion, all business, like everyone else on Wall Street.
“Wow. I wasn’t expecting this, sir,” I admitted, expecting more grave news from the way my boss was behaving.
“Yeah, not everyone handles secrets well. But you’ve earned it, and we’d love to have you on board. Take some time, think it over, I’ll email over the package and we’ll talk more in the coming weeks.”
“Sounds good, I–” My words were cut off by the ending of the call just as I pulled to the curb of Holly’s small cottage house.
“Thanks for everything,” Holly said as she was rushing out of her seatbelt before I’d even placed the car in park.
“Wait. Let me walk you to the door,” I offered, still a bit in shock from the call, but not wanting to end the night so abruptly.
“No, it’s fine. I have to run to my parents’ to get Chris, anyway. Thanks for everything. I’ll see you later,” she said with the car door open, one foot already on the pavement.
Chapter Seven
HOLLY
“I JUST THINK you need to put more effort into it,” my mother pleaded the following day. She was making another case for my love life, blaming me for my lack of suitors.
“Mom, between Chris and the hotel, I’ve barely got enough time for me,” I explained, looking to the stack of paperwork piled on the spa counter. We were planning to call it a day. My mother would go out shopping, as she always did, while I got caught up on old paperwork for the office.
“Maybe take some time off, Holly. You can’t become an old wives’ tale without the husband. Then you’re just a cat lady!” she barely got her joke out before laughing loudly.
“Okay,” I sighed, rolling my eyes.
“I’m serious. Chris needs a father, and you know that. You see how hard it is. Trust me, you don’t want to raise him without a father forever.”
She was serious now, repeating the speech she had given weekly since Chris was born and a few times before he was born. This had been one of the reasons I’d moved out on my own. I’d been considering it before I became pregnant, as living and working with my parents was sometimes overwhelming. Being treated like a co-worker was difficult when the same person the night before had asked you to make sure your bathroom was tidy for the house guests.
I knew it was true. I didn’t want Chris growing up without a father, but what could I do? I’d be lying to say the thought of living happily ever after with Jude didn’t cross my mind once or twice, especially after our evening dinner together.
It was the first real date I’d ever been on in years, at least the fanciest, but to Jude it probably seemed like his normal life.
I could feel the smile on my face thinking of raising Chris with Jude. He would want to buy one of the historical homes downtown, and we’d decorate every winter for the holidays. Chris would help, because Jude was always a great big brother to Jessie, so I knew he’d make a great dad.
I’d cook a feast for Christmas, baking everything my little heart desired, and Jude would carve the turkey while everyone gathered around our dining table, laughing together as families do during the holidays.
“Are you even listening to me?” my mother snapped me out of my daydream.
“Yes, Mom, yes. I get it,” I moped, rolling my eyes.
“We all have our own lives, Holly. That’s all I’m saying. We love helping you with Chris, but soon he’ll be too big to drop off and it’ll just be the two of you there in that little cottage,” she said, her tone always dreary whenever she spoke of my decision to move into my own home during my fifth month of pregnancy.
My family had been badgering me with questions about Chris’ dad and I couldn’t take it. I thought things would only get worse when the baby arrived, so I rented a small two-bedroom home on the outskirts of town. It wasn’t much, but it was mine. My mother was not a fan of my independent stance.
But she wasn’t all wrong, and her statement brought back memories of my evening with Jude. Everyone did have their own lives, just as she said. And Jude was no exception. Things were going so well after the dinner, I wanted to invite him back to my place.
I had no idea how he felt about me, and to hear that he rushed to the spa just to see me, I thought there really could be something between us. It was all the validation I needed to know that I wasn’t alone, and I had begun to practice the words, wondering the best way to reveal the truth about Chris. Up to that point I’d planned to keep the secret to myself, but Jude had made it clear he was interested in more than a one-night stand.
That was up until he received the call from his office. How could I possibly interrupt a life he was obviously thriving at? If he knew the truth about Chris, he would feel obligated to uproot his life, and I didn’t want that type of guilt. It was my decision, and I didn’t want to impede on anything Jude had worked so hard to build. I saw the light in his eyes during the business conversation. There was no way I could darken that.
“I’m going over to the hotel to get your father. Try not to work too long on those files, Holly,” my mom warned before leaving me alone in the spa. I nodded, forcing a smile, but my mind was elsewhere.
There was so much I didn’t know about Jude and his life in New York. I tried to convince myself that he didn’t have room for me, but the truth was, I didn’t know what he had room for.
Reaching for my cell phone, I allowed my curiosity to get the best of me, tapping my screen until my social media folder opened. Jude’s profiles were always business oriented, so I didn’t pay much attention to them, but scrolling through his tagged photos, I began to see a different perspective on the man I thought I knew so well.
Growing up, popularity seemed to come easy to Jude, and in New York it didn’t appear much had changed. One picture after another, he was the center of the shot, smiling or laughing, or raising a glass in the air. Everyone always appeared drawn to him, like he was saying something incredibly interesting just as the photo was snapped.
And then there were the photographs with women. In the worst days of my pregnancy, I’d torture myself with thoughts of Jude having a girlfriend in New York to stop mys
elf from calling him. But deep down I always knew that was impossible. He wasn’t the ‘girlfriend’ type. I wouldn’t call him a ladies’ man, but women loved him.
That was what was so shocking about his revelation. Of all the women in the world that Jude could pick from, he was actually interested in little ol’ me? It was hard to comprehend, especially with how great everything was going for him in New York. What could I possibly offer him?
As if he had heard my words, Jude’s face appeared on the screen as an incoming call. My heart stopped as impossible scenarios of him being alerted to my online stalking raced through my mind.
“Hello?” I answered trying to sound normal.
“Holly! What are you doing?”
“Oh, just at the spa closing up for the day.”
“Perfect. Come for a ride with me,” he suggested.
“A ride?” I smiled, already intrigued.
“Yeah, it’s like my favorite thing to do here. Will you come?” he asked again, his voice both patient and urgent.
“Yes,” I breathed. Chris was with Dylan for the evening so I figured my laundry and bills could wait until tomorrow night.
“You will? Okay, I’ll be there in thirty minutes,” he rushed off the phone. I giggled before ending the call, making my way to the bathroom.
Staring at my reflection, I fluffed my hair, watching the dark waves bounce off my shoulder before falling down my back. I’d already switched out of my work scrubs into a sweater and jeans, and I admired the way they hugged my curves. Without planning, I’d picked the perfect thing for an impromptu date with Jude.
The word ‘date’ paused me in my tracks as I remembered what I’d discovered online before Jude called. He had a whole life waiting for him in New York, and I had to be mindful of that, never forgetting that this was just a vacation for him. In two weeks, he would be back to his regular routine in New York, and I’d still be stuck in Savannah alone.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized the situation benefitted me. I was alone here, and the odds of finding someone I enjoyed as much as Jude were slim to none. It was in my best interest to take advantage of the two weeks we had together. Afterwards, he could return to his life and I’d go back to mine. It was a vacation without leaving, and that was what I thought to myself as I reapplied my lip gloss.