by J. Lea
“Hey, did you see that?” I hear Sophie exclaim after a few minutes. My eyes are closed; massaging of my scalp takes me to heaven.
“What?” I peer one eye open.
“It’s Jake. You didn’t tell me he had a photo-shoot. Look how hot he looks.”
“Yes, he had one for sponsors or something. I didn’t even see the photos yet. I completely forgot about it.” The hairdresser dries my hair with a towel, and sits me in a chair next to Sophie’s.
“Did you know the shoot was with a model? She’s so gorgeous.”
“A model? No. Let me see.” I take the magazine from her hands, and look at the pictures. Jake is incredibly sexy in his leathers, and confidence is oozing out of him. His arrogant, yet heartbreakingly beautiful smile appears in every single photograph, beaming at me. I’m so focused on Jake, I barely even notice the girl next to him. When I take a better look at the model, I see how gorgeous she is. Long, wavy red hair frames her beautiful face. Full, pouty lips make her even more seductive, and her figure is stunning. She is clinging onto Jake in every picture, her big brown eyes watching him like she is going to devour him. In one picture, they are standing with just an inch separating them, staring in each other’s eyes, caught in an intimate moment. On another picture, he is standing behind her, his arm wrapped around her shoulders. The other pictures are just as racy. I won’t lie. I’m not okay with this. No woman wants to see her man hugging other women, even if it’s just for show.
“Are you alright?” Sophie carefully watches me. I guess it wasn’t hard to notice my mood change, even though I was just quietly flipping the pages.
“Yes, I’m okay. It’s just hard seeing him with a gorgeous model wrapped around him, that’s all.”
“He loves you, Ella. You have nothing to worry about.”
“I know that, and I trust him completely. I know this is simply a part of his job,” I smile at her.
“That’s the spirit,” she playfully punches my shoulder.
Our hairdos are almost finished. Sophie’s hair is slightly curled, and pinned to the side with a beautiful flower, almost identical to those on her wedding dress. She’s going to make a stunning bride. My long thick hair, on the other hand, is a couple inches shorter, and I decided on bangs, which I haven’t had for some time now. I kept my natural hair color—dark brown, almost black. I like it this way.
Satisfied, Sophie and I leave the hair salon and go to Jake’s house, which I’ve come to accept as my own home as well. I still say it’s Jake’s house, because it is his. I have a ton of laundry to do, and his race is about to start, which Sophie and I are planning on watching. This time, Jake is in Czech Republic. Before I make us some coffee, I go to the bathroom to sort out dirty laundry. Sophie follows me, and plops down on the toilet bowl.
“Did you hear Becca gave birth?” Sophie asks, as she passes me a dirty T-shirt. Becca is our friend from college.
“Gave birth? I didn’t even know she was seeing anyone.” Becca liked jumping from one bed into another. She couldn’t imagine being tied down to one man for a long time, and that’s why the news caught me by surprise.
“She got married. I didn’t even know that until I met her last week at the store. She was pushing a stroller. Her daughter is two months old.”
“Interesting. I’m curious to know who the lucky man who caught her is.”
“She told me, but he didn’t sound familiar. He didn’t go to our school.”
I nod. I guess she finally settled down, and put her life in order. I bend down to pull Jake’s jeans out of the laundry basket.
“What is that?” Sophie stands up, reaching for the piece of paper that fell out of the jeans.
I shrug. “A receipt or something,” I say. I throw his jeans into the washing machine, when Sophie nudges me with her elbow. “What?” I say absentmindedly, and turn to her. She’s still holding that piece of paper, now smoothed out, a bright red lipstick mark in the shape of a woman’s lips on it. I pluck it out of her hand, and read the message.
I had so much fun with you. Call me sometime. Your girl doesn’t have to know ;)
Nikki
Her phone number is beside the signature. I get sick to my stomach at what I read. He wouldn’t go behind my back like that, would he? We love each other, and he wouldn’t cheat. But still, I get this uneasy feeling in my chest. Sophie comfortingly squeezes my shoulder, remaining silent. She doesn’t have to say anything; I know what she thinks.
“There must be some logical explanation, right?” I ask her. “He loves me, he wouldn’t cheat on me.”
“I’m sure there is.” But oddly enough, she doesn’t sound very convincing.
I place the note on the counter, and fill the washing machine so we can go watch the race. I won’t jump to any conclusions on my own. When he returns, I will ask him about this, and I’m sure he’ll have a perfectly good explanation for that note, I keep telling myself during the race. My head is not in the race; Nikki’s words keep ringing in my head. Even though I told myself I must forget about it, my brain doesn’t want to cooperate. What if there is something between them? My head starts pounding. Placing my index fingers on my temples, I massage the area. He wouldn’t do something like this to me, I keep chanting to myself.
Jake wins again. I’m happy for him; he worked hard, and deserves to be on the top. Sophie leaves soon after, and I get ready for work.
The whole time I’m at work, my thoughts keep running away from me. I’ve decided not to mention anything about the note to Jake until he gets back. But when we talked on the phone after his race, he instantly knew I wasn’t my usual happy self. The tone of my voice was colder, my answers curt. When he told me he loved me, I closed my eyes for a moment, and forced myself to say it back. Because it’s the truth. I do love him, with all my heart, so I will give him a chance to explain everything.
When I finish up at Ace, I drag myself home. I’m sleeping alone again, so I bring a book to bed to escape the reality for a while, filling my thoughts with handsome pirates and beautiful young maidens instead.
~ * ~
The next day, I work a morning shift. When I drive to Ace, I unlock the salon, and change into my uniform. I prepare the massage oils, and put away the freshly laundered towels and sheets. Then, the phone rings. It’s my first client of the day, calling to postpone because something came up, and he can’t make it to his appointment. Because I now have an hour to kill, I start browsing the Internet. I’m not searching for anything specific, just finding something interesting enough for the time to pass quickly. Thirty minutes later, as I open a gossip site, I stumble upon pictures of Jake. But it’s not just Jake on them; that girl from the photo-shoot is with him. They are standing next to his car, and she is smiling seductively at him. As I scroll down, I see another picture of them; this time, the door of his car is open, and her hand is on his cheek. The third picture shocks me the most. It looks as if they are kissing. I read the accompanying article with shaky hands.
Jake Burns seems to have hit it off with the top French model Monique Bisset. Sparks flew at their photo-shoot, where they seemed really comfortable in each other’s company and couldn’t keep their hands to themselves. Photos, taken immediately after the shoot, prove their instant connection. We caught the two lovebirds in a passionate kiss, but unfortunately, they went their separate ways afterwards. Perhaps this could be attributed to the fact that Jake has a girlfriend waiting at home? Or is their relationship crumbling? Until now, they always seemed very much in love.
Monique Bisset.
Nikki.
This is the girl that left Jake that note. I suddenly feel nauseated, and my head starts to spin. I can’t look away from the picture of them kissing. A tear rolls down my cheek. I know the tabloids like to blow things out of proportion, but pictures don’t lie. They can’t lie. Why would he do this? Is he unhappy with me? And if he is, why didn’t he say something? I sniff, wiping at my face with the sleeve of my shirt. There must be a reasonable e
xplanation for what happened. There must be a reasonable explanation for what happened. There must be a reasonable explanation for what happened, I keep repeating to myself. He loves me.
Time drags by so slowly at work. I think I’m slowly losing my mind. I can’t wait to get home, and somehow try to get that article out of my head. But those pictures keep spinning around my head. I imagine Jake kissing and caressing her, telling her how beautiful she is. Like he does with me. I feel queasy again, so I take a few breaths to calm myself. I have to finish the massage I’m currently giving a client. After five hours that seem like half a century, I finally go home.
I fall asleep with a book in my hands, and the next thing I know, I’m being woken up by a kiss, as Jake joins me in bed, and puts the book on a nightstand. My eyes still blurry with sleep; I only see his silhouette. He smells so nice, but I don’t let that cloud my judgment. The picture of him kissing Monique is still freshly imprinted in my brain.
“Hey, babe,” he whispers, and slides under the covers beside me. He wraps his hand over my middle, but I remain with my back to him. I still don’t say anything but he must know I’m awake. “What’s wrong?” He raises himself on an elbow, and nudges my shoulder so I would turn around to face him.
I don’t budge; just take a deep breath instead. “Nothing’s wrong, Jake. I just want to sleep.” It’s late, and I want to fall asleep in his arms. Tomorrow is a new day, and I’ll face reality in the morning. Right now, I selfishly want his arms around me, and his warmth to engulf me, making me think, even if it is just for the night, that everything is perfectly alright.
“Babe, I can clearly see something’s bothering you. You know you can trust me, you know that,” he insists, and I unintentionally let out a sarcastic snort. “What was that about?!” he exclaims in surprise.
“Nothing.”
“Ella, I know you. Please, just tell me.”
“I should tell you?” I snarl. “I’d say it’s the other way around, don’t you think?”
“What? What are you talking about?” His voice is completely serious.
Taking a deep breath, I turn to him. After a long time, I stare into his grey and blue eyes again, now almost black in the darkness, eyes that have charmed me in a thousand different ways. Eyes I will love for the rest of my life. “Did you cheat on me?” I ask him straight on. If he wants to talk, there’s no use in beating around the bush.
He looks at me, horrified. “What? Why would you think that? I would never cheat on you. I love you!” he exclaims.
“Are you sure about that? Because pictures don’t lie.”
“I really have no clue what you’re saying right now, babe. You know I love you,” he repeats, and bows his head to kiss me, but my hand stops him. His gaze is hurt and confused, full of questions.
“Tell me the truth. I think I deserve that, don’t you? I’d rather you tell me than hide the affair from me. It will be easier for both of us, and we will be able to go our separate ways before it gets even more messed up. I don’t intend to be the third wheel.”
Jake’s bewildered eyes are still searching my face, and his hand is running through his hair, down to his chin. “Where did you get this insane idea I’m cheating on you? I’m not having an affair.”
“I saw the pictures of you and Monique Bisset on the Internet,” I emphasize her name to see his reaction. His forehead wrinkles, eyes opening wide, and I can instantly tell from the expression on his face that he knows exactly what I’m talking about. “So it’s true.”
“Nothing happened between us. I swear, babe. We just did a photo-shoot together, that’s all.”
Flashing him a sad smile, I reach into the nightstand, pull out the piece of paper with her note and phone number on it, and shove it at him. “Just a photo-shoot, huh?” When he scans the note, his eyes find mine.
“Where did you find this?”
“Does it even matter right now? If you really want to know, it fell out of the pocket of your jeans.”
“I completely forgot she put this in my pocket,” he mutters to himself, but I still hear him.
“So you admit?” I whisper, horrible pain slashing through my heart.
“No! As I told you, absolutely nothing happened between us. When I was leaving the shoot, she ambushed me by my car. I told her I was in a hurry, and she slipped the note in my pocket. I didn’t even read it! I completely forgot it was even there.”
“Still, you kissed her.”
“No!” he defends, and makes a face as if the thought of kissing her grosses him out. “What you saw on those pictures was only a peck on the cheek from her; I didn’t encourage her or anything.”
“I want to believe you, Jake. I really do.”
“So believe me, babe. You know the tabloids like to take things out of the context and blow them up. I would never hurt you like that, never. I love you.” He wraps me in his arms, kissing my forehead. “I. Love. You!” he emphasizes the words, and our lips crash together. Closing my eyes, I surrender to the love I feel for him, but my rational side wins out after a few seconds, and I push him away.
“I don’t know what to believe anymore, Jake!” Sometimes, I really wish he could be just an average Joe, with an ordinary life; not a celebrity, whose life is constantly under the spotlight.
“Trust me! I’m telling you the truth, Goddammit! You are the one I crave, the one who makes my heart beat faster, and who makes my life complete. Nobody else! Just you! I need you to believe that.” He kisses my forehead, my cheek, and then his lips linger right above mine. Tears spilling down my cheeks, I gaze into his piercing eyes. “I love you, babe. There is nobody else for me but you.” His warm breath is caressing my skin, and his lips are waiting for me to kiss them. I finally nod. Jake wipes my tears with his thumb, and then our lips meld together. His soft, velvet tongue runs over mine, our fingers intertwining. I hear him whisper in between kisses: “You are my everything. Remember that.”
I decide I believe him. Tabloids really do like to spin the truth, and I won’t give them the satisfaction of ruining our relationship. Besides, I never got the feeling that Jake wasn’t happy with me. He is very protective, and spoils me rotten. I can feel that his love for me is real, and his explanation is enough. Perhaps I’m being too naïve, but my heart is telling me he is speaking the truth. I realize I trust him completely, so I let go and succumb to his burning kisses. My thoughts are no longer on Monique; I focus on Jake, me, and our future. His kisses, possessive and determined, make me melt, and I get lost in his love for me.
“I love you,” I tell him.
Chapter Five
Ella
“I can’t believe you’re getting married tomorrow.” I shake my head incredulously at Sophie as we’re on our way to Pearl. Sophie decided not to have a bachelorette party, so tonight we’re going to Matt’s club to dance, just the two of us. James offered to drive us, and watch over us. I’m glad he is going to be by our side. First, because I can have a drink or two and not have to worry about driving home, and secondly, because he makes me feel safe. Sophie is wearing a black mini skirt with a shiny black belt and a black skintight sleeveless top. To top it off, she has on black sandals with ridiculously high heels that show off her gorgeous, tan legs. Despite it being summertime with high temperatures, she also regularly visits the tanning salon because she wants to look perfect on her wedding day. And her sun-kissed skin will look marvelous against her fiery red hair in her wedding dress. I’m not as daring in my purple lacy top that ties behind my back, and black shorts that the tunic style top covers. My heels are not nearly as high as Sophie’s, but they are also black, with crystal-encrusted heels. My hair is in a braid, and I straightened my bangs, so I look more polished.
“I know, right!” she squeals in excitement. “Time flies by so fast. Thank you for helping me put things together for the wedding.”
“I hardly did anything.”
“You helped me pick out the dress. I think that’s the most important wedding deta
il,” she smiles.
“Has Matt seen it already?” She shakes her head.
“Perhaps I’m a little old-fashioned, but I’d like for him to see me in the wedding dress for the first time at the altar. I’ve been dreaming about my wedding day ever since I was a little girl.” I couldn’t agree with her more.
“I can just imagine him tomorrow. He’s going to be picking his jaw off the floor when he sees you.”
“Is Jake coming?” As soon as the words leave her mouth, my smile turns sour.
“I doubt it. He said he’ll try to come, but his schedule is packed. I wouldn’t get my hopes up.” I want him to come with me to my best friends’ wedding so badly. This week, he doesn’t have a race, but there are a million other pressing obligations he has.
“Oh, don’t be so pessimistic. I know Jake—he’ll fight tooth and nail to come.”
“I know,” I nod. Unfortunately, he has little power over his schedule, and his meetings can hardly be postponed. I don’t let this affect my good mood tonight. I take a deep breath, and flash Sophie a wide grin.
“No more sad topics. Today, we’re supposed to have a great time, and nothing is going to spoil that.”
When James parks his car by the club entrance, we get out. Stepping between us, he links his arms through ours, and escorts us to the entrance. The bouncers recognize us immediately, and let us in. We get into the elevator that takes us to the top floor where the club is. As the door dings and opens, loud music hits us. I can’t help myself from swaying my hips to the beat of the song; music is one of my passions. James discreetly moves to our table where he watches our bags, his eagle eye never leaving us as we squeeze our way through the crowd to the bar. The bartender recognizes Sophie immediately. Ah, the perks of being the owner’s girlfriend.