Twenty One (Love by Numbers Book 2), page 6
I hope she can still see, still feel, still know who I am.
Closing down my laptop and giving up on the rest of my emails, well that’s what I’ve just employed a PA for after all; I slouch back on the couch and put on some mindless TV re-runs.
I awake to blinding sunshine burning my eyes. The wide open curtains of the apartment’s floor to ceiling windows are allowing the suns rays to blaze across my skin.
My neck is stiff from falling asleep on the sofa and my whole body aches.
I’m starting to wonder if the doctors were right all along and I need to take things easier because I’ve been out all night before now, indulging in all kinds of activities and I’ve never felt this rough the morning after.
I grab my phone to check the time and the damn thing is dead, so I drag myself off Nate’s uncomfortable as sin sofa and head into the kitchen to put it on charge.
Splashing water on my face from the kitchen tap, I run my hands through my hair and attempt to remove my tongue from the roof of my mouth with big gulps of water.
After downing about a pint, my mouth feels relatively alive again and my empty stomach growls at me to feed it.
Just as I’m grabbing some eggs from the fridge to make an omelette, my phone comes to life and proceeds to ping about a hundred times with incoming texts and messages.
For fucks sake, can’t I have chance to wake up first.
I grab it from the counter and beginning scrolling through.
Most are from Tina and I scroll past them for the time being but one stands out from Nate and I swipe to open it.
Fucking hell J have u seen the papers?
I type out my reply immediately.
No it’s 2 early! Y? Is my handsome mug all over them?
I put the phone down deciding to go through the other messages later; I have the more pressing matter of feeding my face and becoming slightly more human before I deal with all that shit.
Whipping up a speedy ham and cheese omelette, I pour a glass of juice and sit down at the breakfast bar.
My phone has been incessantly pinging every since I put it down and I itch to put it on silent.
I grab it to do just that when Nate’s reply flashes over the screen forcing me to open it fully.
Check out any of the tabloids, an old friend of urs is front page on them all
I look at the message wondering what the hell he is on about when another one comes through from him.
I suggest u talk 2 Emma b4 she sees them, or else u r FUCKED
Now that gets my attention and I close my messages to open up a search engine.
A few seconds later my screen fills with someone I haven’t seen for months and was hoping I wouldn’t be seeing again.
Vanessa ‘FML’ Havers.
I read the headline ‘I AM NURSING JAKE FOX BACK TO HEALTH’ and laugh out loud, until I scroll down to the sub text and keep reading.
‘Pregnant VB star’s lover helps him recover after near fatal boat accident’
What. The. Fuck.
What the actual fucking fuck!
I send of a quick reply to Nate.
It’s bullshit Bro!! I’m speaking 2 Em tonight, keep her away from the papers til I do. Tell everyone else to do the same
Then I close the message app and hit speed dial to Tina.
“Tell me you have got this handled? She’s full of shit Tina, I haven’t seen that bunny boiler in months, besides the fact she is fucking married!”
I don’t even bother with hello, just go straight into my rant, the panic increasing with every scenario that plays out in my head.
“Calm the fuck down Foxy, get your hot arse into my office within the hour, I’ll call Marcus and Nina and between us we will shut the crazy bitch down. Okay?”
I’m unable to reply, my pulse is increasing and my mind is screaming with questions.
What if Emma sees this bullshit? Why the fuck is she doing this? What if the kid is mine?
It can’t be mine. She would be ready to drop by now if it was.
I was aware that all the kooks and crazies would come out of the woodwork when my name got out there but she is the last person I ever expected to bite me on the arse.
Fucking hell. VB hasn’t even aired yet and I am smack bang in the middle of a media scandal.
The desperation to hear her voice, clouds every other thought I have.
Tina’s office is buzzing with activity.
I sit here, head in hands while everyone else tries to sort out the fuck up that is my life.
Every now and again, Tina will throw a question at me and then go back to her phone conversation.
Marcus is dealing with the continuous calls from the press and Nina is fielding all other enquiries.
So far we have ascertained that the devious Mrs Havers is claiming to be four months pregnant with my child. She is also claiming that she is the one nursing me back to health after my dice with death and that she left her husband for me, not long after I left to film VB in Canada.
It is utter bollocks.
The last time I saw her, and by saw her I mean fucked her, was two nights before I flew out. She was very much not pregnant then and very much still milking her sappy husband, Justin, for all that he’s worth.
Tina has given me the Spanish inquisition and I have lain bare every single time that I hooked up with the fucking deluded bitch.
She assures me that we can discount all her accusations but I will still need to hire a lawyer, who specialises in paternity and family law, to finally lay this drama to rest.
Great, another employee I didn’t have to have a few days ago. Pretty soon I’ll have an entourage.
It is early afternoon by the time Tina assures me she has a handle on this whole thing and is ready to send out a statement to the press.
I feel no relief in her assurances.
Yes, I want to deny this bullshit to the entire world.
Yes, I am more than positive that any kid FML produces is nothing to do with me but it’s not the world I am worried about convincing.
It’s Emma.
Fuck me. The Big Guy upstairs must really have it in for me. He’s making sure to throw as many heaping, piles of shit as he can in my path, making it as difficult as possible to make her mine.
Well I’ve got news for you Big Guy - Come and get me if you think you are hard enough.
It will take far more than what you have thrown at us, to ever make me stop fighting for her.
Not ten minutes after Tina has issued my statement to the press, admitting to having a fleeting, sexual relationship with Vanessa Havers many months ago and denying all of her other accusations, than her assistant Amy enters the office, clearing her throat to get our attention.
She walks over to Tina and whispers in her ear. The look Tina flashes my way informs me that whatever Amy wants, is definitely to do with me and most likely more drama to add to this whole shit storm.
Amy says something else to Tina and leaves the room but not before flashing me a sly grin. I guess Amy is taking pleasure in my fucked up life, to think I thought that shagging that girl a few times was a good idea.
“Jake” Tina calls, dragging my attention away from the door that Amy has just closed behind her. “There’s a guy out in reception with something for you.”
I look at her quizzically, what the hell is she on about, big deal something has been delivered, surely it’s not beyond Amy’s capabilities to deal with it?
I stand, stretching out my body from the tense crouch I found myself adopting for most of the day, “Tell Amy to sign for it, I’m guessing it’s not important.”
“Well that would be where you are wrong Foxy, you need to go and sign for it. It seems your dick has got you in trouble yet again.” The derision in her voice is not typical for Tina, she has never worried about the consequences of my social life before but I guess that was prior to this clusterfuck of a day.
“It seems you’ve been served Foxy boy. Named in the divorce papers of one Vanessa and Justin Havers, so get your pretty face out there and sign for the fuckers, then get back in here so we can all attempt to make this godforsaken mess disappear.”
Well fuck me sideways!
When I told the Big Man to come and get me if he thought he was hard enough, I didn’t send it as an open invitation to rain more shit on my head.
I glance around at the handful of people surrounding me, noticing everyone carefully avoiding eye-contact. My shoulders drop and I proceed to leave the room, like a wounded dog with its tail between its legs.
In hindsight, I wish that I had let everyone talk me into staying in Ibiza to recuperate longer. I could have been lying in Emma’s arms right now if I had.
Emma.
God I hope she’s not seen the day’s papers yet. I really need to speak to her tonight.
Behind the reception desk is Amy, flirting with a dour looking man who is wearing a suit two sizes too big for him.
She spots my approach and begins to lay her charms on even thicker and this dweeb is eating it up.
“Amy, put your fucking plaything down. I’m sure Tina would love to hear how her secretary is using her tits to try and get information out of this poor sap. My private life is none of your business, unless I make it your business and I’m sorry darling” I give her a mocking grin “that ship has sailed.”
“Fuck you Jake.” She grinds out between her teeth. When she opens her mouth to continue her tirade, I raise my eyebrows in silent challenge. Her mouth snaps shut and she storms away from her desk towards the restrooms, leaving the drooling dweeb standing there, a thick file pulled up against his chest and a slight tremble in his hands.
He attempts to stand taller than his 5’7’’ frame allows, so I stand menacingly over him, looking down into his pale, sweaty face.
He nervously clears his throat, “Jacob Henry Fox-Williams?” my full name leaving his lips causes my fists to clench and an overwhelming need to punch this weasel in the face takes over my body.
I grit out the word “Yes” and he holds the documents out in front of him, informing me I have been served and nervously requesting that I sign for the papers.
Snatching them from his hands I take a step forward and he takes one back.
“Give me the form to sign and then fuck off.” I growl into his sweat soaked face.
I swear he looks like he’s about to piss his pants and he shakily hands over a clipboard, with the document he wants signed, pinned to the top.
I scribble my name across the dotted line and thrust the clipboard into his chest, never breaking eye contact.
I know this twit hasn’t done anything to me personally but I’ve had a fucking shitty day and unluckily for him, he’s getting the full force of my pent up anger.
He scuttles away while I tear open the thick, manila envelope and extract the pile of documents from inside.
Well fuck me; Justin Havers hasn’t wasted any time in naming me as the Co-respondent (the outside party), in his divorce petition, citing adultery.
Most of the mumbo jumbo on these forms is completely foreign to me, so the quicker I can hand them over to a good lawyer, the better. I want nothing to do with Mrs FML or her fuckwit husband’s game playing and battle for money.
The sooner I get this crazy bitch and all the shit that comes with her, out of my life for good, the sooner this drama is behind me. I don’t care what it costs, I want this over with.
I hand over the divorce petition to Tina as soon as I re-enter her office.
All eyes are on her as she peruses the documents, a scowl on her face and I swear there is steam coming out of her ears.
“Well Foxy you sure are making me earn my money these last few days. Do me a favour and stay away from the pussy for a bit. OK?” she eyes me over the top of the papers, waiting for my response.
“Tina, you have no worries, I have zero intention of chasing pussy, I told you that the other day. Emma will be here soon and she’s all I need.”
She eyes me speculatively, “A leopard doesn’t change his spots that quickly, until I meet this elusive Emma and her golden snatch, I still see the same man slut you have always been, standing before me.”
I don’t bother to respond. Let her think what she wants. Hell I wouldn’t believe me either if I were her.
That’s when it fully hits me.
This divorce petition is in the public domain, it won’t take the press long to sniff it out and between this, the pregnancy and FML’s face splashed all over the tabloids, I’m guessing Emma will find out soon enough and I’m not sure anything I can say, will encourage her to still be with me.
It’s not going to stop me from trying.
A few hours later I’m lying in bed, mindlessly staring at the ceiling. The TV is off, I don’t have any music on and clutched in my hand is my phone.
She will ring.
She will ring.
She will ring.
I say the words over and over and over in my head like a mantra. A few times I open my screen to call her but stop myself just in time.
She needs to call me.
What feels like hours later, my phone vibrates and flashing on screen is a close up of her beautiful face.
The picture was taken on our last day together in Ibiza. I had to beg her to let me take it, saying I needed to see her smile and soul stealing eyes, whenever I wanted to.
She blushed prettily and I got a candid snap of her with her hair blowing in the wind, a shy smile on her face and those mesmerising eyes twinkling at me in the sunlight. The colour of them so vivid, that the picture seems unreal.
I sit up quickly and swipe my thumb across the screen.
“Emma?” why I say her voice like a question I do not know.
Nerves maybe.
Guilt definitely.
“Jake” her voice comes over the phone on an exhale. She sounds defeated but not angry.
“We need to talk Jake.”
The desperation to hear his, voice clouds every other thought I have.
I get to Accede, an hour before my shift, so that I can spend time with Liv. Although is returning to the UK soon, for the start of the academic year, it may be that I leave before her. Nate has given me the all clear to leave as soon as Liam is up to speed with everything. He even promised that I will always have a job here should I wish to return.
The security net his offer provides is comforting but the reasons behind his offer, only serves to increase my nerves.
I am giving up everything to travel the world with a man I barely know.
Call me crazy, call me stupid, call me reckless; my head calls me far worse but my heart, my heart is oblivious.
My heart yearns for the day I can get on that plane and finally start this adventure.
My heart is shouting so loud, its voice is drowning out all other reasoning.
Life it too short to follow my head.
My heart wants what my heart wants and I have no intention of denying it.
“Hey Jules, you’re eager.” Liam is sitting in my office, or should I say his new office, when I arrive.
“Just dropping last night’s figures in for you boss; actually since I’m training you that makes me your boss doesn’t it?” I try to keep a straight face and fail. The grin spreads across my mouth before I can stop it.
“Jules, Jules, Jules, as much as you’d like to be the boss of me, you and I both know I call the shots around here.” He matches my grin and leans back in his chair, tilting it onto the back two legs.
“Liam I’m sure your mother has told you before, stop leaning on the chair like that, you’ll have an accident and either break the chair or hurt your pretty head.”
He lets out a sharp laugh before returning the chair back to its four legs, “You think my head is pretty? Well now Jules, if you want to flirt with me, no need to disguise it with concerns for my wellbeing.”
This boy is incorrigible.
I pick up the nearest thing I can grab from the top of the desk, in order to launch at his head. It just so happens to be a copy of a British newspaper. Liam’s eyes fly to my chosen missile and he dives towards it with a look of shock on his face. I avoid his flailing arms and roll it up, aiming it for his forehead, hitting my target sweetly and causing the paper to unravel and open up all over the floor at his side.
Normally, this would be the point where he finds something a bit more dangerous to throw at me but unusually, he doesn’t retaliate. He dives from his seat and begins to scoop up the sheets of paper instead
Okaaay. That’s not weird at all.
I bend down to help him, ready to joke about his new, neat freak ways and how funny he looks frantically scuttling across the floor, when an image of Jake catches my eye.
“Is that Jake on the front page? Let’s have a look.” I hold out my hand for the now ruined paper but Liam totally ignores me and continues to gather up all the pages, scrunching them into balls, covering his hands in ink.
“Hey, Tabloid murderer, stop with the massacre, I wanted to read that.”
I reach out to grab the crumpled bits of newspaper from his arms and he turns his back on me, clutching them pathetically close to his chest.
“Liam, What the fuck? Stop being childish.” I reach around his back to grab them from him and he begins to twist and turn, trying his best to evade my manoeuvres.
“Em, just leave it be.” He ducks around my grasping hands and stalks towards the shredder. His use of my first name, instead of his nickname for me, immediately sobers me.
“You just called me Em.” I stand rigid to the spot looking at his back; he remains motionless with his hands poised over the shredder and the first page ready to be destroyed.
“Just drop it Jules, seriously. It’s nothing you need to see. Jake warned us all about the shit they print in the gossip rags.”
