Fall into my Heart (The Subzero Series, #1)

by Rebecca Elise

  I thought it would be nice to have dinner waiting in the crock pot for us when I picked Abby up from the airport. I could imagine the two of us being greeted by the delicious smells of the meal that I had prepared before work. It would really make my place seem so cozy and homey.

  I smiled at the thought and began perusing the aisles. I thought about beef stew, but quickly decided that there may be more involved with that then I was willing to deal with. That and I didn’t know the first thing about making beef stew.

  I glanced over the meat section a couple of times and paused when I saw the kielbasa. I could do kielbasa and sour kraut. That should be easy enough. I mean, how hard is it to cut this meat into pieces and dump that and the sour kraut into the crock pot? Easy peasy. I grabbed a couple packages of kielbasa and went off to get a few cans of sour kraut and some steak rolls. I also grabbed a bag of Abby’s favorite chips – Honey Barbeque, some sweet corn and a bottle of root beer.

  I couldn’t wait for her to see how domesticated I have become! She’ll be impressed I’m sure. After I toted my groceries back home, and put them away, I decided to put up my decorations. I popped a Christmas CD into my CD player. As my condo filled with music, I danced into the hallway to gather my bags.

  I dragged the dreaded oversized Santa and positioned him by the front door. I placed the peppermint bark candle on top of my stove and lit it. I stood there with my eyes closed while the cool peppermint scent filled my nose. After putting the nutcrackers on a shelf in the living room and placing the reindeer in a corner in the hallway, I took the lighted garland onto the balcony and wrapped it around the railing. I was sitting on the floor trying to figure out where to hang to oversized Christmas balls when my phone rang.

  “Hello, Chloe.” Jack’s velvety smooth voice floated through the phone.

  “Hey! I missed you this morning.”

  “Yeah, I’m sorry about that. I didn’t want to wake you. We’ll be out of here soon, do you mind if I come over?” He asked.

  “Sure! Come whenever you want. I’ll be here.” I told him.

  We disconnected and I was staring at the arched cove above the television when I had an idea. I ran to the hall closet and started sorting through boxes until I found some green and red plaid ribbon. I wasn’t entirely sure why I had this, but I was glad I did! I grabbed scissors and tape and got to work cutting the ribbon into foot long strips. I tied one end of each ribbon to a Christmas ball and taped the other end of each ribbon to the arch, alternating between red and green.

  I took a step back and was pleased with myself. Plopping down on the couch and I pulled my laptop on top of my legs and powered it on. I was in the middle of sending out some e-Christmas cards, when Jack knocked on my door. The first thing I noticed when I opened the door to let him in was the dark circles under his eyes.

  “What time did you leave this morning?” I asked him.

  “I don’t know, like 5 a.m.” He replied as he stepped inside and dropped a kiss on my forehead.

  “So in the past two days you’ve had what.....like a total of nine hours of sleep?”

  “I’ve had a really long day Chloe. The last thing I need right now is a bloody lecture from you about my sleeping habits.” Jack said harshly.

  I looked at him and raised an eyebrow. Jack rubbed his face with his hands. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be such a jerk.”

  I shook my head as if to say don’t worry about it. He was tired, I got that. Who doesn’t get all cranky when they are tired? He does it again though and he’s gonna find himself sleeping in his own bed.....all alone.

  “Are you hungry?” I asked him.

  “Famished.” He replied.

  I grabbed Jack’s hand and pulled him into the kitchen. I opened up the refrigerator and took out some eggs and bread. After taking a jar of cinnamon out of the cabinet, I got to work. Ten minutes later, we were sitting in the living room with plates of French toast while we watched a Christmas movie.

  “Mmmm.....this is really good.” Jack said as he crammed his French toast into his mouth.

  I have never seen anyone eat as quickly as he did. Once I caught up with him and finished, we pushed our plates aside and I snuggled up into the crook of Jack’s arm. Jack sighed as he wrapped his arms around me tightly.

  “Do you have to go into the studio tomorrow?” I asked him.

  Jack mumbled a response that I couldn’t understand. I glanced up and saw that he was falling asleep.

  “Come on, let’s get you to bed.” I said.

  As I stood up, Jack’s eyes opened slightly and then closed again. Grabbing both of his hands, I tried to pull him up but he didn’t budge. I sat back down and put one of his arms around my shoulders, took his other hand in mine and put my free arm around his waist. I braced myself and was surprised that as I stood up Jack did too.....well sort of. He only half stood, which means I was only halfway standing up, which was kind of awkward.

  I took a couple deep breaths before trying to take a few steps. Okay Chloe, you can do this! I took a couple more steps and leaned Jack up against the wall in the hallway so that I could take a quick break. Jack started to slide a little bit down the wall so I quickly grabbed ahold of him and pulled him forward so that he was leaning on my back. Geez.....he must be tired! There’s no way I would be able to sleep through this!

  I started walking forward again; only a couple more steps to go! I finally managed to make it into my room. As soon as I got close enough, I turned around and flopped Jack down onto the bed. He landed halfway on the bed; His legs were hanging over the side. I picked up his legs and pushed as hard as I could until he was completely on the bed, or at least as close as he was gonna get. I sat on the edge of the bed, completely exhausted. Turning around, I yanked Jack’s shoes off of his feet before crawling up next to him and falling asleep.

  ~*~

  I was sitting in the kitchen trying to figure out if there was anything else I needed to get for my sisters visit when Jack came stumbling out of my room.

  “What time is it?” He yawned.

  “Noon.” I said smiling.

  “Oh geez.....I’m sorry.” Jack said.

  “For what? Getting some decent sleep? Please!” I teased him.

  Jack leaned down and brushed his lips against mine. “What are you doing today?”

  I shrugged my shoulders and shook my head.

  “Good, we’re going out.” He said.

  “Where to?” I asked curiously. Everything with Jack seemed like an adventure. I absolutely loved it!

  “We’re going to get a Christmas tree. I’m going to take a shower.....make sure you bundle up!” Jack gave me another kiss and walked out the door.

  Two hours later we were both dressed in jeans and hoodies, walking around a tree lot.

  “So what do you think? Blue spruce or Douglas fir?” Jack asked.

  “Definitely the Douglas fir. They look more like Christmas trees.” I replied.

  “I agree. How about this one?” Jack held a tree out for me to see.

  “It looks weird.” I said wrinkling my nose.

  “Okay, what about this one?” Jack pointed out the one next to it.

  I shook my head. “The middle is bare.”

  Jack pointed out a couple more trees, all of which I turned down for one reason or another.

  “Does this one meet your highly demanding tree expectations?” Jack teased, holding out another tree.

  I laughed. “That one is perfect.”

  “Oh thank goodness!” Jack rolled his eyes jokingly.

  He paid for the tree and tossed it in the back of his truck. I felt a surge of excitement as we drove back home. I don’t remember being this excited about Christmas since I was a kid.

  “So shall we put the tree up in your place or mine?” Jack asked.

  “We might as well put it in yours since I’ll be going away for a week.”

  Jack nodded in agreement as he unloaded the tree from the back of his truck. We each grabbed an e
nd of the tree and headed towards Jack’s condo. I made us some hot chocolate with marshmallows while Jack set the tree up in the stand.

  “I can’t wait to see it all decorated!” I said as I handed Jack his mug.

  Jack smiled. “Soon enough my dear, you must have been impatient as a child.”

  “You have no idea,” I told him, “We use to have to wait while my dad put the lights on the tree and then my mom would hang up the balls. It seemed like it took forever! Then my brother, my sister and I would take turns putting up the ornaments.”

  I took a sip of my hot chocolate and sat down on Jack’s couch. I pulled out my cellphone and snapped a quick picture of our very first christmas tree. Hmmm.....maybe we should go to the mall together and pick out our first christmas ornament together to put on our tree.

  “What does your week look like?” I asked as Jack pulled a box of Christmas lights out of his hallway closet.

  “Uh, back at the studio again tomorrow for a little bit. We’re playing Stoaked Friday night, so probably rehearsing Tuesday through Thursday. Why?”

  “My sister, Abby, is coming in on Wednesday. I was hoping maybe you could have dinner with us so you can meet her.”

  “Yeah, that sounds good. I’ll definitely be there.” He said giving me a wink.

  I smiled at Jack as he started winding the lights around our tree.

  Chapter Eleven

  I can’t believe my sister is coming in today! The last few days went by so quickly and now Wednesday is finally here!

  I put the kielbasa and sour kraut in the crock pot before I left for work. Now I was sitting at my desk unsuccessfully trying to get through the work day. At exactly four o’clock, I grabbed my purse and coat and ran to the subway station. At the airport, I frantically searched for Abby until I saw her long brown hair bouncing through the gate.

  “Abby!” I yelled as I ran up to her.

  “Hey Chloe!” She squealed as we hugged each other.

  “I’m so glad you are here!” I exclaimed as I grabbed one of her suitcases.

  While we were on the subway heading to my condo, Abby gave me a rundown on the Nick and Noelle situation.

  “So then I walked in and they were totally making out. I don’t quite understand it myself. I mean did you see that one coming?” Abby she asked me.

  “No, not hardly.” I said as the subway pulled into the station.

  We each grabbed a suitcase and started to walk to the short distance to my condo. As we got closer, I could see Jack and Tyler sitting on the front steps of the building talking.

  “Do you see the guy with the black spiky hair? That’s Jack.” I said smiling. I was so excited. My two favorite people were just about to meet each other.

  “Oh my god! He is so HOT! Does he have a girlfriend?” Abby asked.

  “Uh yeah.....His girlfriend is me.” I said. Seriously, where has she been during our last couple phone calls?

  “No not Jack. I mean the other guy.” She said.

  “You mean Tyler? Yeah he’s single.....Abby he has a blue Mohawk.”

  “I know! Cool huh?”

  I shook my head as the guys stood up and walked toward us.

  “Hey there beautiful.” Jack said as he greeted me with a kiss.

  “Jack, this is my sister Abby. Abby this is Jack and Tyler.”

  “It’s very nice to meet you both.” Abby said without taking her eyes off of Tyler.

  “Let us get those bags for you.” Tyler said reaching for her suitcase.

  “Thanks, you know Chloe made dinner. You should join us.” Abby said.

  Tyler looked over at me and I nodded with a smile.

  “That sounds great.” Tyler said as we made our way up the stairs.

  I unlocked my front door anticipating the smell of a home cooked meal. Instead we were met at the door by some smoke and the smell of burnt meat and sour kraut.

  “Oh no!” I cried as I ran into the kitchen, with Jack, Tyler and Abby on my heels.

  I unplugged the crock pot and opened the lid. Everything inside was completely burnt. I suddenly had a flashback to the garlic bread that suffered the same fate. Why is it I had such a hard time with things that were supposed to be so simple?

  “I don’t get it. I thought you were supposed to put everything in this pot and your meal would be ready when you got home.” I said throwing my hands up in the air.

  Jack came up behind me and kissed my cheek. He pointed to the temperature knob on the crock pot. “You’re supposed to put it on low to cook all day not high my dear.”

  Behind us, Abby and Tyler started laughing. I shot them both a dirty look just as Jack suggested that he and Tyler go get us some Chinese.

  “I’m gonna take a quick shower.” Abby said after the guys left. After I showed her where her room and the bathroom were, I sunk down into the couch with a magazine. I was in the middle of reading an article on “50 fearless things to do” when Abby flopped down on the couch next to me.

  “So much for avoiding Jack, huh?” she asked.

  “That went out the window when I realized that he lived across the hall and I was his bands publicist. I tried but it was impossible.”

  The guys walked in then, the smell of Chinese food filled the condo. Yum.....that smelled so much better than my failed attempt at cooking did. Probably tasted better too.

  “Mmmm.....Now that smells great! No offense Chloe.” Abby said.

  “None taken. What did you guys get?” I asked.

  “Sweet and sour chicken, vegetable lo mien, wonton soup, beef tips and broccoli and some shrimp fried rice for my girl.” Jack said grabbing plates out of the cabinet.

  “Yummy! Thank you!” I said.

  We took the food in the dining room and sat down to eat. Jack, Tyler and Abby expertly used their chopsticks to eat their food. I gave up after my fifth attempt to pick up rice and grabbed a fork.

  “Are you guys coming Friday night?” Jack asked me.

  “What’s Friday night?” Abby asked.

  “Our band is playing, you guys should come. It’s going to be totally mental.” Tyler said.

  “Do you want to go?” I asked Abby as she looked at me.

  “Yeah, that sounds great!” She replied enthusiastically.

  “Okay, fortune cookie time.” Tyler said tossing each of us a fortune cookie.

  Abby opened hers up first. “You will find success in an unlikely place.”

  “You will learn the powers of unconditional love.” Jack read as he winked at me.

  “You will learn the virtue of obedience.....what the hell does that mean?” Tyler asked.

  We all started laughing.

  “Well that would certainly make my job easier.” I teased him.

  “Cheeky monkey, what does yours say?” Tyler asked me.

  I opened my cookie and read “Your beauty and brains make you an unstoppable force.”

  “Damn right.” Jack said with a grin.

  The guys left shortly after dinner. Abby and I curled up on the couch for some girl talk, which was something we did all of the time before I moved. I actually kind of missed this. We talked on the phone all the time but that wasn’t the same.

  “So I ran into Connor the other day.” Abby started to say.

  “So what, I don’t care.” I said matter-of-factly.

  “He asked me how you are doing.”

  “Did you tell him I’ve never been better?”

  “Maybe not quite as nicely, but I said something like that,” Abby gave a little laugh. “Jack seems nice.”

  I smiled dreamily. “Jack’s amazing. I really like being with him.”

  “So I take it its serious?”

  “Well, I mean he is my boyfriend and we aren’t seeing other people. There haven’t been any deep conversations over wine and candles were we professed our undying love for each other, but yeah, I’d say we were pretty serious.”

  “That’s great, Chlo, I’m really happy for you.” Abby bit her lower lip. She picke
d up a magazine from the coffee table and started flipping through it. I think she was trying to look nonchalant but I could tell it was an act. “So.....what can you tell me about Tyler?”

  See.....I knew it. She’s trying to act all casual when really he just wants the dirty details about my blue haired buddy.

  “Well he definitely keeps my life interesting at work.”

  “How so?” She asked, still making every attempt to avoid my gaze.

  “Well......he’s a bit of a hooligan. Not just him though, all four of them are though I haven’t gotten any calls about Jack’s behavior so either he is the mature one of the group or he is really good at making sure he doesn’t get caught.”

  “Does Tyler.....does he get a lot of girls? I mean being in a band and all.....”

  I pulled a face. I hated the personal questions. Of course, I don’t want my sister to get hurt but I also don’t want to say anything about Tyler that isn’t true and I couldn’t honestly say he didn’t have a bedroom buddy.

  “I don’t think so. He did mention a girl one time to me and to be honest with you I’m not even sure if he was being serious. I mean, they always have girls throwing themselves at them after shows and all but I’ve never seen Tyler so much as blow a kiss to them. I don’t know what he does when I’m not around but I know for sure he does not have a girlfriend.”

  “Hmmmm.....well that’s nice to know.”

  I glanced down at my cellphone and realized it was close to midnight. I groaned to myself thinking about how I had to be up for work in a few hours. I wanted to stay up and question her about this little crush she seemed to have picked up as soon as we stepped off the subway but if there is one thing I love it is my beauty sleep. God help the poor sap that would encounter my wrath if I didn’t get at least six hours, though I much preferred closer to eight.

  “Well I should go to bed; I’ve got to work tomorrow. Good night.” We gave each other a hug before disappearing into our bedrooms.

  ~*~

  I was sitting at work the next day going through paperwork, when Skylar came bursting in with a magazine.

  “You have got to see this.” She said throwing the magazine down in front of me.