The Starting Line: Friends To Lovers

by Jennifer Hartley

  “Yeah, we've had several now. It's always fun, but it tends to get overwhelming at times. I think you'll enjoy yourself.”

  She plays with the button on her sweater, falling silent as he watches her. He leans against the doorjamb, arms folded as he grins slowly, eyes crinkling in the corners. He's missed making her feel unsettled under his gaze, but it's good to know he can still do it. “I'd enjoy myself if you wanted me to sit in here and watch you read all day, you know that.”

  Rolling her eyes, she sighs as she walks up to him, entering his space. He's been giving her the same look all day, and there's only so much she can take before it wears her down.

  “You and I both know that there is absolutely no way in hell you'd be able to stay still for more than five minutes.” Her words are a matter of fact, but her voice has more of a silky quality that slides over his skin. She pats him on the arm and squeezes past, returning to the kitchen.

  Three hours later, they leave dozens of dishes and wine bottles behind to go salsa dancing nearby. Thankfully, Jude has taken a break from alcohol, because being sober and witnessing Hailey and Marta dance together is quite possibly one of the hottest things he's ever witnessed. Then they switch partners halfway through, and Hailey moves against Perry in a way that makes Jude clench his fists, wanting to intervene.

  Instead, he lets Antonio's girlfriend, Celeste, lead him onto the cramped floor, laughing as Marta and one of her other friends start cheering them on. Celeste, being from Spain like Antonio, dances very well. But, she's not Hailey. And no one, in his opinion, moves as well as she does.

  Two songs later, he and Hailey still haven't danced with each other, and he's growing impatient. She's at the bar, talking with Antonio and Kris, both of whom are shaking their heads. When Jude walks up, all he hears is, “John's on his way. Hopefully, he'll be well behaved.”

  “Right,” Hailey replies, finishing her water. “Because he definitely didn't start that fight last time.”

  “He was just looking out for you, Hailey,” Kris replies. “That other guy was being much rude.”

  “Okay, fine,” Hailey turns away. “Just please make sure he doesn't start anything tonight.”

  “Who's John?” Jude asks, leaning in to be heard over the din of the crowd.

  “The roommate you haven't met yet,” Hailey makes a face of displeasure.

  “Remember that guy Todd who used to hang around the studio when we lived in Ingleside?”

  “Yeah, that idiot who was always staring at you?”

  Hailey rolls her eyes. “Not quite, but yes. He liked to start arguments over stupid things?”

  Jude nods in understanding. “This guy John is like that? Do you want me to straighten him out?”

  Hailey places her hands on his chest, shaking her head. “No, he's pretty harmless, and they are right. He does look out for me when we all go out. It's like he can't make up his mind whether he hates me or likes me.”

  Jude watches her for a moment, not fully understanding. He's about to say something when Antonio interrupts. “Excuse me, but I think you owe me a dance, Hailey.”

  Once again, Hailey is swept out on the floor just as Therese and Marta decide to team up and create a Jude sandwich. It's pretty amazing, and he would suggest everyone try it at least once.

  When the band starts playing a different song, he slips away from their grasp and grabs Hailey's hand, spinning her out and pulling her in. He gyrates his hips against hers, both moving in time with the music as though they choreographed it ahead of time. He leans down and places his open mouth against her neck, feeling a gritty sigh escape as she slides her leg between his.

  She bites her bottom lip in such a way that he'd like to glide his tongue against it to soothe the redness and nearly does but stops just before he reaches her. Because that's what happens. It's what they do. Close, but not quite.

  When she looks up and gives him a wicked smile, her hand slides down to his ass and squeezes. He nearly gives in, but she pulls away just in time, pressing her lips against his neck as she moves around him, hands going everywhere until he catches her by the waist. He twirls her around once, twice, three times, dipping her again like earlier in the day, this time with his hand clutching her leg tightly against him.

  Clapping and cheers make them both blink hard, straightening. He glances around and realizes that perhaps they put on too much of a show, but it's not like he could help himself. He glances at Perry who merely rolls his eyes, holding up a corona and taking a long chug.

  “You both realize that this is why I never go dancing with you, right?” Perry says as they both join him at the bar. “Show-offs.”

  “Aw, is baby Perry jealous? Do you want Hailey to show you how to dance like a man?” Jude shoots back, trying to cover the fact that his veins feel like they're on fire. He glances at Hailey, who is as flushed as he feels. She downs the shot Perry ordered for her and gives Jude a shaky smile.

  “Come on, Perry. I'm pretty sure we can give Jude a run for his money.”

  “Somehow, I doubt that,” Jude calls out as they both return to the dance floor amid the pulsating crowd. He watches from the bar, turning when he feels someone take a seat next to him.

  “Oi I hate this. Tastes like piss. Where's the real beer?”

  Jude turns to see a tall man with light brown hair and grey eyes, three days worth of facial hair, wearing a rumpled shirt. He's got a sleeve of tattoos on his left arm poking out from beneath the rolled fabric and a cigarette tucked behind his ear.

  Before he can say anything, Kris walks up and claps the man on the back, bidding him hello. “John, this is Jude, Hailey's friend.”

  “Can't you stay in your own bloody country?”

  Jude glances at Kris who shakes his head in exasperation. “Be polite.”

  “Same thing,” John downs a shot of tequila then gives Jude a once-over, clearly unimpressed. “Welcome back to the motherland. Having a nice time?”

  “Fantastic,” Jude quips, looking between Kris and John, the former seemingly prepared to intervene if necessary.

  “Cheers mate,” John says as he rises quickly, taking his bottle with him onto the dance floor, dancing up behind Marta's friend.

  “Don't mind him. He's...”

  “An asshole?”

  “I was going to say abrasive, but yes. He's not very tactful. Calls it as he sees it.”

  Jude nods, concerned for Hailey. He keeps his eye on John for the remainder of the night, displeased at the way he watches Hailey while she dances with Therese and Marta. The group sticks around for a couple of more dances with Jude sharing one more with Hailey before they return to the flat.

  “You've got to be kidding me,” Hailey growls from the doorway. “My bed is hardly big enough for me. Do you really think I'm going to let you sleep on it with me?”

  “Well,” Jude stretches out to full capacity, gives her a sleepy grin, “we don't have to sleep.”

  She sighs and tosses a pillow at him. Poking her head in her wardrobe, she pulls out her sleeping clothes and grabs her bathroom kit. Turning, she gives him a stern look. “Don't you dare fall asleep before I get back. You are not stealing my bed.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Jude replies as he snuggles into the covers. He breathes in deeply, the scent of lavender and soap washing over him, warming him to his toes. Her sheets are possibly the softest he's ever felt, and before he knows it, his eyes are drifting shut.

  He fades in briefly when Hailey shuts off the light, squeezing past the air mattress lying vacant on the floor. She climbs over him carefully, mumbling about greedy boys stealing her bed, then slides under the sheets between him and the wall. Rolling onto her stomach, she burrows into the warmth, purposefully rubbing her cold toes against his warm legs.

  “Hailey!”

  “Slide over. My elbow is crammed against the wall.”

  “If I scoot over anymore, I'll be on the floor.”

  “Good! Make sure you don't drool on my pillow...”

&
nbsp; “Don’t hog all the blankets…”

  They bicker back and forth for a couple of minutes, their voices softening as sleep overtakes them.

  When Hailey wakes, her foot is numb, and she's burning up. She pushes up, disentangling her legs from Jude’s and climbing over him carefully, not wanting to disturb him.

  Stretching quietly, she goes to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. Hailey opens another cabinet, searching for some Earl Grey for herself. She tries reaching up on her tiptoes, but it's just out of her grasp. Lowering to the ground, she's about to get a step stool when she feels a warm presence, and a long arm reaches around her, grabbing the canister of loose tea and setting it beside her. She tenses, knowing exactly who it is.

  “Thanks,” she turns, watching as John grabs them two cups from a different shelf. She pours water into the kettle and sets it to boil.

  He grabs a banana and takes a seat at the island, peeling it slowly. “Had a good time last night, yeah?”

  Hailey nods, uncertain where this conversation is heading. She's pretty sure he's bipolar - he stays up for days at a time, is incredibly impulsive, and is prone to displays of mania and darkness. Considering the last time she saw him was four days ago, she figures this should be a lovely chat.

  Jude jolts awake; an unsettling sensation of falling causes him to stir. Finding himself alone, he goes in search of Hailey to see what she wants for breakfast. Before he rounds the corner to the kitchen, he hears his name and stops.

  “...a fire-fighter? How very pragmatic of you.”

  “What's wrong with being a fire-fighter?” Hailey's voice is even and low.

  “Well, it's not exactly rocket science, is it?” John shoves the rest of his banana in his mouth.

  “Having a degree is no indicator of intelligence, as you're well aware. His work is very demanding, both physically and mentally. Not only that, but it's his way of giving back to the community. It makes him happy, which is more than I can say about you.”

  “Defensive much?”

  Hailey frowns. “I don’t understand why you're being so condescending. “

  “Can't figure out what you see in him, that's all.”

  “We grew up together. We have a lot of shared experiences and hold many of the same values.”

  He starts snoring as she talks. “Oh, sorry. Were you talking? I couldn't hear you over the sound of a tiny violin.” A stool scraping the ground causes Jude to tense. “Oi, no reason to throw things. Just taking the piss.”

  “Criticize me all you want, John.” Hailey's voice is low and hard. “But leave my friends out of it. Jude is one of the best people I know, and I will not tolerate you mocking his profession or our relationship.”

  Jude pads away quietly, hopping back into bed and pulling the covers over his head, because he's super mature and everything. James Bond, he is not. He hears footsteps approaching, but they pass Hailey's room and continue down the hall. Jude turns on his side, smiling as Hailey's words echo in his mind. He waits a couple of more minutes before emerging.

  Unfortunately, he's surprised to find Marta leaning against the counter, looking at her iPad.

  “Morning,” he grabs a mug off the shelf and pours some coffee. “Want some?”

  “No, I don't drink caffeine,” Marta replies, reading something closely. “I think Hailey wants to take you out to breakfast once she finishes her shower, so you should probably wait to eat.”

  “Thanks,” Jude intends to return to the safety of Hailey's room, but Marta invites him to stay. Like a man facing a guillotine, he slides onto a stool, giving Marta a thin smile.

  “Do I make you nervous?” Marta has dropped the flirtatious act, now talking to him like an average person. She's watching him closely as if trying to catalog all his expressions.

  “A little, yes.”

  “You shouldn't be nervous,” she says as she sips her orange juice. “Unless you have something to hide.”

  He takes a long sip of his coffee, ignoring the way it scalds his throat. He's suffered through years of Ellen's mind games. He's pretty sure he can handle this. Settling in for an enlightening conversation, he squares his shoulders and gives her his most winning smile.

  “So, it's just you and me, Hails.” Jude slings his arm around her shoulder, pulling her close to him and kissing her temple.

  “I can't believe Perry ditched us. Who knew he had friends out here?”

  “Correction, friend. Not friends. He's not that cool.”

  “Still…” Hailey shrugs, looking up at him. Perry took off after breakfast, saying something about a friend just outside of town. If Hailey suspects that Jude told Perry to take a hike for the day, she doesn't let on. “So, what do you want to do? It's your last day in London, and we've done pretty much everything imaginable. Including getting white-girl wasted.”

  “When did we do that?”

  “Well, you and Perry did the other night. He even sat on the curb and cried about his shoes. He scuffed his Nikes.”

  Jude narrows his eyes at her, not fully believing. “Was this before or after our karaoke adventure?”

  “You pretty much sang the whole night. I have no idea how you had a voice yesterday.”

  “Ah, well.” Jude shoves his hands in his pockets, casting a look at Hailey. “What do you typically do on Sundays?”

  Hailey bites her lip in contemplation, “Random things. I don't think you would enjoy any of it.”

  “Try me.” All Jude really wants to do is spend this day with her, doing things she enjoys. He’s not sure how many more opportunities he’s going to have with Hailey, especially after the conversation he had with Marta earlier.

  “Alright then, come along.” She grabs his hand and tugs him along.

  Hailey takes him to her favorite places: the used book store in an alley, complete with a cranky cat and benevolent shop keeper; the bright and colorful market full of unique smells and strange wares; the coffee shop with the best coffee; the park with the best benches for people watching.

  Hailey's face lights up when they pass her dance studio - pointing out a couple of people she knows as they stroll by. She and Jude laugh their way through crowded streets, debate seriously during lunch, grin at the stories the other creates for people who pass them by. More often than not, their hands drift into the same path, fingers brushing until they absently curl into each other.

  When Hailey leads Jude through the doors to her favorite restaurant, he's prepared for some pretentious establishment with uncomfortable chairs and over-priced food. Instead, it's a small, casual place with the menu chalked on the wall, a wine selection to die for, and mismatched china.

  It strikes Jude then that even when he thinks he knows her inside and out, Hailey can still surprise him. They stay until closing yet again and bid the owners goodnight as they opt to walk back to her flat, strides slow and path meandering as she tucks her hand into the crook of his arm. Perhaps if they walk slower, the night will never end. Perhaps it can go on forever.

  Sure enough, once they reach her street, Hailey stops and turns to face Jude. She runs her hand down his arm as her free hand grabs the other, slapping it in a playful rhythm from their youth. He grins at her, eyes dark and piercing. “What's up?”

  “How tired are you?”

  Jude exhales deeply, shrugging his shoulders. “Depends, why?”

  “One last stop… if you're interested.”

  Jude doesn't hesitate. “Lead the way.”

  It's nearly midnight when they reach the Jazz club, the music having just gotten started. Jude orders himself a Manhattan and her a martini, sliding beside her in the small booth, the length of his leg pressed against hers. If Jude wraps an arm around her and runs his thumb in circles on her shoulder, Hailey doesn't mind. She crosses her legs and tucks her foot behind his leg, Jude merely inches away.

  When the band takes a break, and the lights brighten slightly, Jude realizes he's been listening to one of Hailey's roommates the whole time.

 
“Antonio can play the drums?” Jude turns slightly, their faces close. He watches her lips as she replies, wondering when she applied her vanilla lip gloss.

  “The sax too, but they've got that covered tonight.” She watches his eyes move from her eyes to her lips, licking them absently. “He's been trying to get into the Symphony for the past two years.”

  His eyes flick to hers, realizing she caught him staring. “No luck then?”

  She shakes her head, voice growing raspy. “He teaches private lessons and arranges music on the side.”

  He's about to say something else, but Antonio stops by to thank them for coming. Antonio returns to the stage, and they start their second set, the crowd just as robust, maybe even more so. Hailey gets them glasses of water and less potent drinks, squeezing beside him and tucking herself under his arm.

  At some point in time, her hand falls to his thigh, resting on it casually like it belongs there. Her eyes close when she feels him turn his head, his hand reaching up and pulling her hair to the side as he nuzzles her neck, lips caressing favored territory in a torturous fashion. He stops when she shivers against him, breathing quick and shallow.

  It's nearly four when the group plays their last encore, the crowd dissembling quickly. Antonio invites them to grab a cup of coffee before he heads to work. They acquiesce, if only because it's too late to go to sleep and both are unwilling for their time to end. They share a cup then bid him a good day as he heads up the street.

  Eventually, they make their way by the river and take a seat atop a picnic table, legs dangling off the side. Silently they agree to watch the sunrise, hands entwined as Hailey rests her head on Jude's shoulder.

  It's not particularly beautiful or special, but the quiet of the city just before sunrise is captivating in its own way. It's a gradual stretch towards waking up, starting the day with brisk air and a blue-gray haze that grows brighter with the rising sun. Hailey tracks the movement of a barge traveling along the Thames, birds swooping down to catch breakfast in its wake.

  She glances over at Jude who isn't even trying to hide the way he looks at her, wholly, deeply, all-encompassing. It's times like this when his eyes are half-lidded darkness, and the slightest lift of the corner of his mouth creates heat in her belly and a tightness in her chest that is undeniable. She forgets about all the other girls in his life, in his past and possibly his present, and relishes being the sole recipient of his undivided attention. She wants to make him remember this moment. Sliding off the table, Hailey turns and faces him, all serenity and lightness. He studies her as she steps between his knees, sliding her hands up his thighs. Jude shuffles slightly, allowing her to draw closer. Reaching out, he traces the column of her neck, runs his hand along her clavicle, his thumb hooking in the notch at the base of her throat. His eyes are the kind of dark that reminds Hailey of rustling sheets in the morning and lazy Sundays spent in bed.