Thirteen (Love by Numbers Book 4)

by E. S. Carter

  “Let’s go. I’m serious about missing out on the grub if we don’t get a move on.”

  I lace my fingers through hers and drag her towards the house, meeting a little resistance at first, before she manages to get her feet to move in a forward direction.

  I don’t bother with the front door, instead, I drag her around the side of the house, aiming for the side door, or servant’s entrance as Jake calls it every time I use it.

  Sure enough, I push down the handle and enter the massive utility room that leads into their opulent kitchen and no sooner than my feet hit the threshold, Jake hollers out from a few feet away but just out of sight. “H, is that you?”

  I call back, “Who else would be using the servant’s entrance seeing as you don’t actually have servants?”

  I try and tug Lilah forward but she’s glued to the spot, so I turn around and, lower my voice and whisper, “Hey, it’s cool. I’ve told you; they’ll love you.”

  She mutters under her breath, “I don’t even know who they are.”

  “Well, Bunny Girl, you’re just about to find out.”

  “Grab a bottle of wine on your way through and bring it out to the patio,” Jake calls again, this time from a bit further away.

  I manage to get Lilah moving again, even if it is only short, tentative steps. That is until we hit the kitchen. The massive, you could fit a small house inside, kitchen.

  I let go of her hand to walk over to the impressively sized wine fridge, grabbing the first bottle my hand comes into contact with, and not bothering to read the label. When I turn back to Lilah, she’s gawking. Full, open-mouthed, goggle-eyed, gaping.

  I can’t help but chuckle; I’m sure that was my reaction the first time I came here too.

  I walk towards her and gently use my index finger to close her jaw. Her eyes flick to mine, and she shakes herself out of it, and I can’t help but grin. “You ain’t seen nothing yet. Puts your scary bikers to shame, hey?”

  Then I chuckle and lead her through the kitchen, out into the central hallway and towards the open French doors.

  Jake has his back towards us and is cooking on the biggest effing barbeque I’ve ever seen, and Emma is playing with CJ on a large plaid blanket that’s been spread out in the shade. She spots us immediately, her eyes flicking from me to Lilah and back again before a welcoming smile hits her face and a twinkle lights her eyes.

  She scoops up CJ in her arms, calling out, “Hey, you made it,” then making CJ wave when she tells him, “Come and see your Uncle H.”

  She promptly deposits CJ in my arms, then leans up to kiss my cheek, quickly turning to Lilah and embracing her in a hug.

  “Hi, I’m Emma, it’s lovely to meet you…?”

  “Lilah.” Bunny Girl speaks shyly.

  “Lilah, such a beautiful name. Short for Delilah, right?”

  Lilah smiles, her nerves easing a little. “Yes, my Dad is a Tom Jones fan, so I got lumbered with this name while my sister Nicola was named by my mum.”

  “It’s a cool name. Your Dad has good taste.”

  Emma’s smile is warm and genuine, and I can feel Lilah’s rigid stance loosen a little. That is until Jake realises we’ve arrived and turns away from the grill.

  “H, Bro. Did you get that…” His question trails off when he notices I’m not alone.

  “Oh, Hi. I’m sorry,” he looks over at me and raises his eyebrows subtly, “H didn’t tell us he was bringing anyone.”

  He wipes his hands on the frilly pink apron that’s tied around his waist and walks towards us, extending a hand out towards Lilah.

  “I’m Jake; it’s nice to meet you.”

  He gives her his trademark, knicker melting smile that has graced more magazine covers than I’ve had hot dinners.

  I roll my eyes and whisper into CJ’s ear, “Once a manwhore, always a manwhore.” To which Jake grumbles, “Hey, I heard that. Don’t tell my son shit like that.”

  I laugh and look over at Lilah.

  She’s completely mute, the same goggle-eyed look on her face as she had in the kitchen but multiplied by a thousand.

  Jake’s hand hovers in the air between them, and he looks over at me, unsure about what the hell is going on.

  I catch Emma’s face in my periphery as she shakes her head at me.

  “You didn’t tell her, did you?”

  All I do is grin back.

  Yes, this payback date is a roaring success.

  Lilah 1 – Harry – 1

  Bring on round three.

  Jake effing Fox.

  Jake ‘Cole Creed’ Fox.

  Jake ‘holding his hand out to me and close enough to lick’ Fox.

  Bugger. Would it be wrong to kiss his hand seeing as I’m on a date?

  I mean, he’s like movie star royalty, what if I never get the chance again? I’m certain Harry would understand. Surely everyone wants to lick him?

  I register a discreet cough somewhere in my foggy brain and gather my senses enough to understand that Jake ‘sex on a stick’ Fox is still standing in front of me with his hand outstretched.

  “I’m a reformed man. I can promise I no longer bite. My hand is safe to shake; scout’s honour.” I look from his hand, back up to his too-handsome-to-be-real face and finally close my gaping mouth.

  “I… umm, I didn’t…well… I thought you’d be a racehorse or maybe an award-winning dog.” I stutter and ramble awkwardly.

  He raises an eyebrow, “You thought I was a dog? Well, I hope I scrub up better in the flesh?” He smirks at me, daring me to call him a dog again.

  Oh fuckity fuck. I insinuated that Jake Fox is a dog. Kill. Me. Now.

  “No, no… what I mean is… Harry said he was… well, I thought…”

  He laughs and drops his hand, “I’m messing with you, besides, I’ve been called worse.” Then he bends down to the side of the barbeque where there’s an outdoor fridge, opens the door and pulls out a couple of beers, offering one to me. “Beer? Or maybe you’d prefer wine with Emma?”

  I subtly wipe my chin for any signs of drool, then quickly reach over to grab a beer. “Thanks, this is good, and I’m sorry about the dog comment, I was just caught unawares for a second.”

  I turn and face Harry, who is smiling at me like the Cheshire Cat, and I can’t help but glare at him for making me look a complete tit.

  “I guess you’ve won. This beats scary gay bikers any day of the week.”

  He just blows on his knuckles and rubs them smugly across his chest.

  “I’m sensing there’s a story there.” Emma laughs. “Maybe you can tell us over the burnt steaks that are about to turn into charcoal in three, two…one.”

  “Oh fuck it!” Jake spins around and frantically starts batting away the smoke that surrounds the grill.

  “Language around CJ.” Emma chastises playfully. “Looks like it’s salad for lunch, I knew I shouldn’t let him be in control of the grill.” She smiles at me and I drag my eyes away from her famous husband who is currently removing slabs of black meat from the barbeque.

  “Jake is an amazing cook. Just not if it’s anything to do with a barbeque, but like most men, he insists on trying to kill everyone with food poisoning once in a while.”

  “I heard that.” Jake coughs out, making Emma roll her eyes.

  “Come and give me a hand in the kitchen? We can leave the boys out here to clean up this mess.”

  “That’s right, run away like rats deserting a sinking ship. Me and CJ here will do all the dirty work.” Harry calls out to our already departing forms.

  We enter the kitchen a few moments later, and I awkwardly stand in the doorway while Emma, who is unbelievably pretty, but in a girl-next-door way, not in a movie star wife way, proceeds to empty the contents of the fridge, throwing everything on the table behind her.

  “Can you start chopping up some vegetables for the salad while I quickly cook up something to go with it?” She asks with her head still in the door of the refrigerator.

 
; “Uh… sure. Where’d you keep your knives?”

  “Top drawer of the centre island.” She hollers again, not bothering to show me and treating me just like an everyday visitor to her palatial home.

  I’m half way through chopping celery, when I hear a pan sizzle and then feel Emma walk over beside me. She grabs another knife and extra chopping board and begins to tackle the peppers.

  “So, you and H, have you known each other long?”

  Here comes the friendly inquisition.

  “We met a few weeks ago at a school fun day. He fell for my buck teeth, big ears and fluffy tail.” I smile as I notice her knife has stopped chopping and her hand hovers in the air.

  “Oh, that’s… different. Something to tell your grandkids I guess.”

  This time, it’s my turn to stop chopping.

  “We, umm, it’s not like that…yet. This is our second date. Well, it’s a payback date actually, and boy has he paid me back.”

  We both look at each at the same time. “And he’s paying you back for what exactly?”

  I can feel my blush rise when I reply, “For scaring the shit out of him and taking him to a biker pub full of big, hairy, mean looking blokes.”

  She swallows a giggle, “And H wasn’t impressed with the choice of venue?”

  I smirk back, “I forgot to tell him they are all my friends, and I may have also implied they can get violent with newcomers.” I grin when I add, “I also held back the fact that they are a gay biker club.”

  Emma’s mouth opens wide and she promptly bursts into infectious laughter.

  “Oh, my, days. To have been a fly on the wall for that.” She wipes her eyes with the back of her hands, and adds, “I think H has met his match. I hope you want to keep him.”

  Just lay it out there Emma, don’t pull any punches.

  “He may not want to keep me. It’s too early to tell. I enjoy teasing him, though, and it seems it’s me who’s met her match if today is anything to go by.”

  She shakes her head and goes back to chopping, “Trust me, H has been off his usual form for a while. When he gets back to full throttle, you’d better be prepared.”

  I pick up some lettuce and begin to shred it, mulling over her words.

  “I wondered why he had such sad eyes. Sometimes I see a flash of the spark that resides in them, but I’d like to see more of it.”

  Her hand stills again, and she’s silent for a moment before she quietly speaks again, “Jokes, laughs, smiles: they all work well in disguising a person’s pain. Most people accept a fake smile, it’s easier than asking if someone is doing okay.” She looks up and catches my eyes, “I know all of H’s smiles, none of the ones I’ve seen since he’s walked through the door today, have been fake. That’s how I know he wants to keep you.”

  Well then. That’s a bit deep for a conversation with a stranger while chopping vegetables.

  “I know. Too much too soon.” She rolls her eyes and smiles at me. “I tend to speak without thinking, but it doesn’t mean I don’t tell the truth.”

  After that slightly awkward conversation, talk moves swiftly on to easier things. I find out how they manage Jake’s work commitments around their family life, how they are about to try for a brother or sister for CJ and how much Emma enjoys her charity work.

  Emma is very open and honest for someone who is in the public eye, and nothing like I would expect the beautiful wife of a movie star to be.

  I can see how these people are Harry’s friends. There’s a warmth to them that transcends the whole fame thing.

  Around thirty minutes later, we finally have something to present to the guys for lunch. Salad, pasta and homemade meatballs. I have to admit, I’m impressed with Emma’s kitchen skills, and that is my only explanation for the words, “Don’t you have a cook or a housekeeper?” that I blurt out as we carry the food outside.

  She laughs as I look sheepishly at her, counting my blessings that she didn’t think I insulted her homemaking skills.

  “Jake keeps trying to get me to have one, but this is our home, they are my boys to look after. I don’t want anyone taking away any part of the role I love. Though, I’ll admit, we do have a cleaning lady who comes twice a week, sometimes more if we are away and trust me when I say, that woman is a Godsend.”

  Shouts of, “About bloody time”, and “I could eat a scabby horse”, greet us as we step out on the patio.

  “If you hadn’t cremated the steaks, you’d have a full belly right now, so I’d watch your words, Mr Fox,” Emma replies. Her husband just smiles, walks over to her, grabs the serving dishes from her hands, deposits them swiftly on the table and then spins around to take her into his arms.

  He dips her down to the floor and plants a scorching and frankly obscene kiss to her mouth which Emma submits to willingly before she bats him away mumbling about ‘having guests’. Jake grins devilishly and whispers something in her ear that makes the blush on Emma’s cheeks turn a fiery red. Then he sets her back on her feet, smacks her across the arse, and I hear, “Well, that’s what you get for calling me, Mr Fox.”

  “Can you guys, just for half an hour, stop pawing at each other like we’re not here because trust me, we are both still here, and I’m sure Lilah isn’t into a porn show, even if it could make her millions if she decided to film it.”

  “Now, there’s an idea.” I reach into my handbag and grab my phone. “Can you guys do that again? I’ve got a huge legal bill to pay off.”

  Everyone stops for a second, and then Harry laughs as Jake prowls towards Emma, who has her hands up in front of her, trying to ward him off.

  “C’mon, Emmy. Let’s help the girl out.” He all but growls at her under his breath, his eyes flashing with lust.

  “Jake, stop where you are right now. She’s teasing you.” She looks over at me her hands still in the air in front her even as she retreats from Jake’s advance. “You were kidding, right?”

  “As serious as a heart attack.” I say with as straight a face as possible and at my words, Harry laughs louder, and Jake stalks his pray with more purpose.

  She scrambles around the other side of the table, trying to create a barrier between them, but Jake is relentless, and I can’t help but finally let my laughter free.

  Flicking me a brief glare, she attempts to speak between her frantic evading movements and her giggles, “It’s supposed to be Hos before Bros. Haven’t you heard of the girl code?”

  Just as Jake reaches her, and promptly tosses her over his shoulder with another smack to her arse, I shout, “I hang around with a burly biker gang, remember? Not many Hos in their clubhouse.”

  To which Harry adds, “No, they were all about the Bros.”

  “Help yourselves to lunch, I’m just taking Emmy to show her my… Oh, hey there Roger, didn’t know you were back from your trip.” Jake promptly sets Emma to her feet and allows her to rush over to the older gentleman who has the same smiling eyes as his wife. They must be related.

  “Dad, you’re back! Why didn’t you let us know? We could have come and collected you from the station.”

  Yes, definitely related. I hope. Or else this scene really does deserve to be filmed.

  “You’ve got enough on your plate, Pud. Plus, I know how to call for a taxi.”

  He squeezes her tightly like he hasn’t seen her for months and then sets her on the floor and allows her to step back into Jake’s embrace.

  That’s when he notices Harry and me.

  “Oh, I’m sorry to interrupt. I didn’t realise you had guests. Let me just say hello to my grandson and I’ll be out of your hair.”

  He walks over to Harry, who is still holding CJ because the little lad has fallen asleep on his shoulder.

  He caresses the child’s dark, glossy hair, the same colour as his famous father. “Hey, H,” he all but whispers trying not to disturb the sleeping toddler. “Nice to see you, but would you mind if I took this little one off your hands? Grandpa needs a welcome home hug.”

&
nbsp; “Not at all, Mr C; he’s all yours. Besides, I think my arm has gone dead. This little bouncer is heavier than he looks.”

  Emma’s father gently prises the small boy from Harry’s arms, and the child doesn’t even stir, just settles contentedly into his Grandfather’s embrace.

  He slowly turns to face Jake and Emma who are both wearing happy smiles, and I think Emma is even fighting back tears so I guess she’s missed her Dad.

  “I’ll take this little guy back to the cottage with me. Let you all enjoy your lunch.”

  “No, Dad. He’s fine. Stay and eat with us, We’ve made plenty.” She motions to the table full of food.

  He kisses the top of the little boy’s head and whispers, “I grabbed something on the train. Honestly, I’m happy to go and take a nap with my Caleb James. I’ve missed him.”

  Emma steps away from Jake, kisses her Dad on the cheek, and lets him walk away with the child in his arms. Only he doesn’t walk in the direction I expected, towards the house, he turns and makes his way into the garden, down to a small guest house that is tucked away in the trees.

  Huh. I guess he does live here after all.

  This is one close family. I like it.

  The next few hours are spent in happy conversation. Jake and Harry constantly banter, mostly about Jake’s film career and his upcoming nude scenes and Emma and I join in with the teasing which Jake takes good-naturedly.

  “Are you ready for the whole world to see your junk? I can offer to be a body double; you know if you’d rather a few million people see something slightly more… substantial.” Harry deadpans around a swig of his beer.

  “Hah! I have plenty of substance; don’t you go worrying yourself about the size of my pecker. I’ve never had any complaints.” Jake winks over at his wife who rolls her eyes but blushes sweetly.

  “Besides, I’ll be wearing a codpiece. I just hope they have a jumbo sized one available.” This comment earns him another eye roll and a shake of her head, to which he just shrugs, and I can’t help but laugh.