by S J Crabb
Emma smiles. “6.30 by the pizza station. Meet us there.”
She looks at me. “What about you, Nelly, are you in?”
Feeling quite smug, I shake my head. “Not tonight, I’m heading out with Jack after work.”
Emma’s face falls a little and she nods. “Of course. Maybe next time.”
She smiles sweetly and heads outside and Angela exhales deeply. “Wow, that was tense. I can’t believe she apologised to you. I’m proud of the way you handled that.”
I watch Emma crossing the road and say, “Well, let’s just hope it was genuine but be careful tonight, Angela. Old habits die hard and I’d hate for you to get your hopes up that things have changed.”
She rolls her eyes. “We’re not in the playground now, Nelly. I think she was genuinely remorseful and probably just wants to make it up to us.”
Pushing away an uneasy feeling, I smile brightly. “Of course. Who wouldn’t want to be your friend? I hope you have a great night.”
She nudges me. “I’d trade places with you like a shot though. I can’t believe how lucky you are. Make sure he’s got a friend for me - we could double date.”
Laughing, I reply, “If he has, I’ll make sure to introduce you.”
Angela heads home to get ready for her girly pizza date leaving me a hot mess. Jack kissed me. Really kissed me like in the films. I wasn’t prepared for it and it took me by complete surprise. That kiss has changed everything. I want more of them and suddenly this ‘relationship’ has become something much more to me. If there’s the slightest possibility that I could actually get Jack Mason to like me as a woman, maybe I should think about this and up my game. I have a chance here to grab something previously unattainable. The dream could come true – couldn’t it?
9
I’m surprised to see Jack waiting outside when I lock up for the night. Feeling a little shy after the kiss, I smile and say in a low voice. “You know, you didn’t really have to meet me. We could just pretend. I mean, surely you have better things to do.”
He raises his eyes and says gently, “I don’t have anything better to do, as you put it. Maybe I just want to get to know my girlfriend before I introduce her to my family.”
Feeling a little shy, I nod, “Oh, of course. We should tell each other things about each other just in case. You know, like favourite food, music, etc.”
We start walking and I say with interest, “Where are we going?”
Jack smiles. “I thought it may be a good idea to check out our homes. I mean, I’d love you to come home with me and see where I live and the same goes for me. You can tell a lot about a person from their home.”
Thinking about the mess I left my flat in earlier, I shudder and say lightly, “Shall we start with yours?”
Nodding, he gestures to his car parked nearby. “Ok, it’s not far, hop in.”
Jack’s car is like the man himself - impressive. It’s a sleek black BMW which reminds me how he always appeared to have money, even at school. I’m curious about his life and say lightly, “You appear to have it all, Jack. These cars don’t come cheap.”
He looks faintly embarrassed. “I suppose I have been quite lucky. My parents always had good jobs and money was never a problem. As you say, I appear to have it all.”
“Then why are you so keen to get your aunt’s money? Surely you have enough already.”
He shrugs. “Not really. You see, I have big plans. I want to take a year out and travel. You know, to exotic places that I’ve only read about. Experience a bit of life before I settle down, if I ever settle down that is.”
Rolling my eyes, I say firmly, “That’s where you’re irresponsible. I can see why your aunt is concerned.”
He looks surprised. “Why, exactly?”
“Well, put it this way, if you continue the way you’re going, you’ll be like the Hawaiian pizza on the menu.”
He laughs. “Explain.”
Grinning, I say cheekily, “It was popular once but now everyone’s had a taste. It’s still on the menu but nobody wants it anymore.”
Jack laughs so hard I worry that we’re about to crash. Then he says with amusement, “What kind of pizza do you like, Nelly Gray?”
Thinking for a moment, I say with feeling, “Plain old margarita, of course. You can never go wrong with that good old favourite. It’s just what it says on the box and you can always add the odd ingredient to spice it up a little. It never goes out of fashion and is the most popular item on the menu. Now your turn.”
He smirks. “Americano. Hot and spicy and guaranteed to make your mouth water.”
Rolling my eyes, I groan. “Obviously.”
Jack grins and then pulls into a parking space outside an impressive block of flats. He turns off the ignition and says proudly, “Chez Jack.”
I exit the car as gracefully as I can and look up at the smart building in front of me. Jack comes and stands beside me and to my surprise takes my hand in his. I look at him in confusion and say “It’s ok, you don’t have to carry on the act when there’s nobody around. As I said, this is a business arrangement, nothing else.”
He lowers his voice and whispers, “You never know who may be watching. These windows hide many a prying eye and they may be called upon to give evidence.”
Snatching my hand away, I say brusquely, “I doubt that. You forget I’m not the usual airhead you date. I’m actually immune to your charms and newsflash, I’m only here because you’re paying me to be.”
Laughing, he spins me around and smiles sexily, “So, if I kissed you now you would hate every minute of it.”
Pushing him away, I say tartly, “Once was quite enough thank you. Now, are you going to brief me on your living conditions or just keep me outside while you practice your, not so sharp, seduction skills?”
I take a brief moment to savour the victory as I see a shadow pass across his eyes. For someone used to getting everything he wants, I’m guessing this brush off is alien to him. Feeling glad I can help him experience something the rest of us take for granted, I gaze pointedly at the building. “Lead on Macduff.”
His confusion makes me laugh and he just shrugs and heads towards the communal door and lets us inside.
Jack’s apartment is impressive. Cool, modern and tastefully furnished. A typical bachelor pad which I’m guessing he has used to its full advantage.
White leather sofas sit around a beautiful soft grey shaggy rug. Chrome light fittings and the odd pot plant are set against white walls filled with large bold canvases. One is of a nude woman in a seductive pose and I laugh out loud. “Goodness, could this flat be any more stereotypical?”
He looks a little hurt and says in a small voice, “Don’t you like it?”
Feeling a little ashamed of my rudeness, I say warmly, “Actually, I love it. It suits you. If I could picture your home in my mind, I suppose this is what I would see. I love what you’ve done with it, although as a modern woman, I must object to the picture hanging on your wall.”
Jack grins. “So, you’re one of those.”
“Excuse me?”
“A feminist.”
Feeling annoyed, I snap, “Just because I don’t like seeing a woman naked and spread out for everyone's pleasure on the wall, it doesn’t make me a feminist. I suppose I am though but not in the way you are obviously insinuating. I like equal opportunities between men and women but I also recognise that in some things men are better than women and vice versa. For example, in our case, I am obviously better at academic pursuits than you and you are better at sports. Do I want to immediately prove that I’m better at football than you? Of course not. Do I believe I am better than you at business? Probably, because I would never in a million years open up opposite someone and sell the same thing as them.”
Jack rolls his eyes and murmurs, “That again.”
I snap. “Yes, that again. It will be that again all the time you continue to sell chocolate in your shop. It will be that again, all the time you take money
from my cash register that was heading my way and it will be that again until the day you close your doors because I have worked hard to achieve my dream. I haven’t had it handed to me on a plate. I had to go the usual way and plead for a loan from the bank. I had to work out a mighty watertight business plan to persuade the bank I was a solid investment and then I had to spend the small budget I had to fit out the shop in IKEA and then customise the fixtures. You see, Jack, I have had to work extremely hard for everything, unlike you who appears to have opened on a whim.”
I’m almost out of breath and the adrenalin runs high as my breath comes fast and furiously. I feel my cheeks are flushed and my eyes bright with anger as I dwell on the injustice in life. Then I notice that Jack is looking at me strangely and I feel bad. My shoulders sag and I say apologetically, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to vent like that. The trouble is, it’s been so hard to get where I am, I’m feeling quite vulnerable at the moment.”
Jack’s face relaxes, and he says gently, “Take a seat and I’ll get you a drink, maybe we should just chill for a while. What do you prefer, white wine or maybe a spritzer?”
I say quietly, “I wouldn’t mind a cup of tea.”
He raises his eyes. “Seriously, tea!”
I stare at him and say in a hard voice, “What’s wrong with that? We’re not all alcoholics you know. Let me guess, your usual guests probably sit perched on this seat with their chest forwards and their eyes swimming with an invitation. I can just hear them now, oh yes Jack, a lovely white wine would be amazing, let’s take it to bed.”
I grin as he laughs out loud and says, “You’ve done this before.”
My eyes flash. “Is that what you think? That I’m just like them?”
He shakes his head. “You are nothing like them, I can assure you. Well, a cup of tea coming up, Milady.”
He bows and despite myself, I grin. This is actually a lot of fun. Educating Jack Mason in the fact that not every girl is after him is a satisfying experience.
10
I sink back and relax into the comfortable cushions and even kick off my shoes and tuck my legs underneath me as I sprawl on his designer couch. Looking around, I could picture myself in a place like this. All mod cons and designer isms. This is what I want; if I had this, I would think I’d made it.
Catching sight of the picture, I wonder if I could change that for a picture of a sexy man instead. Yes, that would be nice, eye candy to add fuel to my fantasies. We would be a couple and I would talk to him about my hopes and dreams. He would never answer back which makes him the perfect man, for me, anyway. I almost forget I’m in Jack’s apartment as my dream becomes a reality. I practice my smug expression and blow kisses to my imaginary boyfriend on the wall. I stretch sexily on the couch and practice looking at ease in my surroundings. Then I’m aware that Jack is watching me with a quizzical expression as he heads back in the room holding two mugs of steaming tea. Ignoring his amusement, I hold out my hand and say primly, “Thank you.”
He comes and sits beside me way too close and I start feeling a little warm. Edging a little away, I laugh nervously. “So, how long have you lived here?”
He shifts a little closer. “Eight months.”
In a high voice, I say, “So, this is your bachelor pad then. Do you live alone?”
He leans towards me and my breath hitches. “Not always.”
I squeak. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
He grins cheekily. “It depends on who I’m seeing at the time. Sometimes they stay over for the weekend and sometimes just the night.”
I stand up abruptly and move across to the window. “That doesn’t surprise me. So, how are you going to cope with having a girlfriend, or should I say pretend one? I mean, it’s obvious you’re used to entertaining on a regular basis. Will that continue? I mean, I don’t really care but as you said yourself, you need to prove you can commit.”
He stands and moves beside me and says in a low voice, “Maybe I like a challenge. Maybe I want to be more than just pretend with you.”
In a voice higher than an opera singer, I say nervously, “In your dreams. What would that say about me? No, this is a business arrangement, nothing more, nothing less. Maybe you haven’t thought this through properly.”
He laughs softly. “I have thought about everything, Nelly. Trust me, I have it all worked out.”
Flashing him a nervous smile, I head back and grab my tea, my heart pounding relentlessly inside me. This is different. I’ve never been in this situation before and it’s strange. On the one hand, I’m quite keen to develop this friend with benefits vibe he has going on but I am kind of protective over my heart and know this is all a game to him. He’s just playing me like the player he is. I’m not strong enough to join in because I know I’d be the one bearing the scars from this experience. So, I just smile weakly and change the subject.
“So, tell me about your family. What do you think they’ll make of all this?”
He laughs. “They are in this with me.”
He laughs at the expression on my face. “Aunt Alice is a wily woman and I’m not the only one in her will. My family have their own challenges and it’s kind of shaken things up enormously.”
I lean forward with interest. “What are their challenges?”
He grins and I try to focus on his words rather than his delectable mouth as he speaks.
“Well, my parents have a joint challenge. They must learn salsa dancing and enter a competition. It doesn’t matter if they win, they just have to give it their best shot.”
I stare at him in disbelief. “That’s not so bad, surely.”
He laughs wickedly. “It’s the worst thing possible for them. They can’t stand each other and haven’t for years. They do everything they can to avoid each other and now they will have to spend an obscene amount of time together – in their eyes, anyway. Any normal couple would relish the chance. However, as I’m sure you’ll quickly discover, they are far from normal.”
Thinking of my own parents and how happy they have always been, I struggle to imagine a home where the parents obviously hate each other.
Jack must sense my sympathy because he shakes his head. “Don’t feel sorry for me. It’s taught me a thing or two about relationships which is why I’m intending on not making the same mistake myself. No, I’m going to be selfish for as long as possible because marriage, in my eyes, taints your soul. If my parents had a choice, they would have split years ago but they are so deeply involved in each other’s lives it would be a messy business.”
I feel shocked and begin to understand a little of what makes Jack Mason tick. I still don’t agree with his viewpoint on life and relationships but then again, I’ve never had to endure a warring family like him.
Shaking any sympathetic thoughts away, I say lightly, “Is there anyone else, brothers or sisters perhaps?”
He nods. “Ariadne, my sister. She has the worst one of all.”
I look at him with interest and he grins. “When you meet my sister, you’ll understand why this is so difficult for her. You think I’m spoiled, well, you’re about to hand the crown to someone else. Namely my sister, princess ‘I want it all.’ She is spoiled and rude and gets everything she wants. Her whole day is taken up with posing for Instagram pictures and shopping. Her boyfriend was selected according to his bank balance and ability to indulge her every whim. She is cosseted and vain which is why her task is all the sweeter.”
I can’t stand the suspense and say pleadingly, “What does she have to do?”
He grins. “Work in a care home for the rest of the year.”
“Is that it? What’s so bad about that?”
“You’ll see. Anyway, now you know, that’s the Masons. Vain, conceited and so wrapped up in their own selfish ways, it’s no wonder my aunt has put her foot down.”
Sitting back, I think about what he’s said. They sound absolutely awful and I would hate to belong to a family like that.
He leans fo
rward and says with interest. “Your turn. I know you’re the headmaster’s daughter but what about your home life? Is it really as bad as we all thought?”
I feel myself bristling. “For your information, my parents are fantastic people. I had a very happy childhood and I respect them immensely. I also have a sister who is studying at Oxford. Any spare time she has, she volunteers with the local charity.”
Jack looks shocked and I shrug. “What’s the matter, not normal enough for you?”
He shakes his head and looks a little contrite. “I’m not judging you, Nelly. I suppose I’m a little fascinated, really. My folks don’t have much time for us and just think shoving money at a problem will make it go away. This flat we’re in, they bought it. I think they wanted to get rid of me so I wouldn’t see their constant fighting and question their dubious timekeeping.”
“What do you mean?”
He sighs sadly. “They may live in the same house but they socialise in a very different way. They think I don’t know but I’ve heard the rumours and the fights over the years. They like to play the field and have got less discreet lately. Both Ariadne and I know the score and if they split up, it would probably be a blessing. Their marriage is on a knife edge and it will only take one final slip to sever the connection for good.”
Reaching out, I place my hand on his knee and smile softly. He looks at me in surprise and I say sadly, “I’m sorry, it must be difficult seeing that.”
He looks down. “It is. I put on a brave face but it still hurts. It’s no wonder I have commitment issues after watching them over the years.”
He places his hand over mine and I drown in his dark brown eyes, that have softened into liquid pools.
He says gently, “Thank you for being here. I don’t know why but I feel as if I can tell you anything. You won’t judge me and I know any secret I share with you will be in safe hands.”
I nod, feeling a little of my resolve slipping away. “You can count on me, Jack. I told you that and won’t let you down.”