ROMANCE: The Surprise That Rocked Me

by Linda Wright

  Paige took a moment to think about this. He was right. She had thought that Leo was her future and now she was back to the drawing board. She would have to start all over with a new man. Just the thought of it filled her with dread. Having to get to know someone and then become comfortable with them would be so much work. It made her sad to think about it.

  Apparently her feelings showed on her face because Jeremy continued, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel bad.”

  “No you’re right. I guess maybe I would feel better if I hadn’t have thought that I was going to marry Leo.”

  Paige took a minute to think and asked, “Why are you telling me all of this? You said you’re not warm and fuzzy, but you’ve been incredibly sweet and thoughtful with me. It doesn’t make sense.” Jeremy just stared at her for a while. His expression was blank, but his eyes were intense. Paige got that naked feeling again, like there was nothing she could hide from him. After taking a few more beats, Jeremy began, “I told you. I enjoy your company. I like your spirit. I think you’re a good person. There’s just something about you. You remind me of my mother. Not in a weird maternal way, just that she was a phenomenal woman; smart, generous, beautiful, with a huge heart. Her name was Ramona. She had a vitality about her that was like nothing else I have experienced in my life. I see that in you. She was my absolute favorite person.”

  Paige was incredibly touched by his words. At no point had she thought that he had thought much of her at all. Yet here he was telling her that he thought she was special. It was very flattering. She didn’t want to jump to any conclusions here. He had just told her that he preferred to be alone and wasn’t looking for a serious relationship, yet here he was comparing her to his favorite person. She was becoming confused.

  After giving it another moment to sink in she said, “Thank you. That’s a great compliment. What does that mean?”

  “In terms of us, you mean?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Honestly, I don’t really know. I just like having you around. I think at the moment with you fresh out of a relationship, you should probably take some time for yourself. I’d like to continue to be your friend if that’s okay.”

  She thought about it. Of course, she was attracted to him. She had been since she first laid eyes on him, but he was absolutely right. She had been in a committed relationship for years and she did need to take some time. She liked her friendship with Jeremy. She liked being able to come and talk to him. It was probably best for them to just be friends. She replied, “I’d like that too.” With that thought she finished her breakfast and got up to wash the dishes. Jeremy remained seated on the counter watching as she washed. Once she had finished rinsing the final dish she heard a beeping sound.

  Jeremy jumped down off of the counter and said, “It’s the dryer. Your clothes are done.” He went to the laundry room and came back with her clothes. Handing them to her he said, “So what are your plans for the day?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. I don’t have to work today and I didn’t have any plans. I think I was supposed to do something with Leo, but…”

  “I get it. So do you want to go home and be alone now?”

  “If I go home I’ll feel like I’ll have to call people and start telling them what happened. I don’t think I’m ready for that yet. I also don’t want to go bury myself in my bed and weep. I don’t know what I’m gonna do.”

  “Well, I finished my last project early, so I don’t have anything going on. You’re free to hang around here. We could go somewhere if you’d like.”

  “Like where?”

  “I think I know a good place. If you don’t mind the outdoors.”

  “The outdoors are fine with me.”

  “Cool, well if you want to get dressed now, we can head out.”

  “Great, I’ll get ready.”

  Paige went off to the bathroom and got ready. She heard Jeremy walk into his bedroom. Once she had her clothes on and put her hair into a neat ponytail she walked out to find her shoes. She glanced into Jeremy’s bedroom just as he was taking off one shirt and putting on another. He was even more ripped than she initially thought. From the glimpse she got she could see he had a few more tattoos than she had initially seen. He had a few on his arms and one rather large one on his right side. She tore her eyes away and went on the hunt for her shoes. She found them on the other side of the couch. Just as she was getting them on, Jeremy walked out apparently ready to go. She got up and followed him to the lift. They went down and out to his car.

  She sat down in his passenger seat and was immediately impressed by his ability to make all things that were his so cozy and cool. The car was a navy blue on the outside with a turquoise interior. It smelled absolutely amazing and as soon as he put the key in the ignition, Sade began to play from the speakers. Even his driving was smooth. He whipped the car effortlessly out of his parking spot and down the road. She tried to remind herself that he was just her friend.

  Once she was settled in and they had driven a little ways she asked, “So where are we going?” After singing a bit of Cherish the Day, with a very nice singing voice, he said, “There’s this great spot I want you to see off the Pacific. Then we can go to the fair.”

  “The fair?”

  “Yeah, I like going to the fair. You don’t?”

  “I’ve never really been to one. I’ve only ever really seen them on TV.”

  “Well it should be a nice change.”

  With that she sat back in her seat and enjoyed the ride. The playlist was all Sade so she enjoyed the smooth music, with the occasional vocals from Jeremy. It was difficult for her not to appreciate his presence and how serene she felt in it. She thought about how it had been with Leo. Leo was so self-involved they mostly did what he wanted to do. He was bossy and they would often get into arguments about things that shouldn’t have mattered. In this light she really began to wonder why she had stayed with him at all. A list of things that looked good on paper. In reality, who he really was, just didn’t hold up. It was better that their relationship was over. It was for her best.

  They hadn’t ridden long before they were pulling up to a cliff overlooking the ocean. It was a cozy little nook in a grove of trees that was absolutely stunning. Paige had never really been much of a nature person, but she could not deny the pure beauty of the scene. It looked like a real, live landscape that a great artist would paint. They sat there in silence, looking at the water and listening to the music. After a while, Jeremy said, “I come here sometimes when I need to reset. It’s crazy how I’ve been all over the world and looked out over many different waters, from the Atlantic to the Indian, the Mediterranean Sea, and the other side of the Pacific in Japan. It always makes you think of what is possible. There is no end to the horizon. Makes impossible feel like a myth.”

  “Yeah, this definitely feels like a place God would dwell. Maybe Eden looked something like this.”

  “Yeah, maybe…You have a big family, Paige?”

  “Yes I do. Tons of cousins, aunts, uncles. I’m one of 4 myself. It’s pretty major. A lot of my family is down south though. You know, down in Alabama.”

  “You see them often?”

  “Try to. We have family dinners. Two big family reunions every year. One here, one in Alabama.”

  “What’s it like being in a big family?”

  “It’s nice to feel loved by that many people, even if you don’t like them all. It can get to be a bit much sometime, but overall it’s fun. Plus my new family through the company.”

  “That sounds cool.”

  Paige felt bad for Jeremy not having a family like she did. They often drove her crazy, but she didn’t know what she would do without them. She considered Jeremy’s life as a lone wolf and realized in many ways he hadn’t had a choice. He had simply accepted it. She looked over at him and was glad that she was a part of his life now. Maybe he wouldn’t feel the need to be alone anymore.

  They sat in silence for a while longer, then a
s if blinking out of a dream he said, “So, ready to go to the fair?” Paige took it all in a minute longer before replying, “Let’s go.” They drove back down the road. It only took about 15 minutes for them to pull up to the fair. It looked just as Paige had imagined that it would; the many different tents and people milling around eating treats and playing games. They got out of the car and entered right between the popcorn and cotton candy stands, so of course they had to stop and get some. Jeremy went straight for the games. He seemed to be good at everything. Before long they had amassed quite a stack of prizes.

  Paige played a few games too, but mostly she just stood back in awe. Not only had Jeremy won her many prizes, but he handed some out to the kids around them. It got to be so much, the manager asked that he please stop and let other people get the prizes. Jeremy simply shrugged, hauled the prizes to the car and came back to enjoy some more food. He joined in on a pie eating contest which he very nearly won. The whole while he and Paige laughed and gabbed like they were the best friends in the whole world. Paige could not remember the last time she had had so much fun. She was upset when it was time to leave.

  They drove back to Jeremy’s loft and went inside. After finding places for his prizes, they both flopped down on the couch exhausted and blissful. For some time they said nothing, just sat there, each in their own thoughts. Out of nowhere Paige leapt across the couch into Jeremy’s lap and began to kiss his him passionately. She thought for a second that he might resist, but instead he pulled her into him and kissed her back just as passionately. For a while they just sat there entwined, kissing and caressing each other. Then Paige reached down and pulled Jeremy’s shirt over his head. She looked down at the tattoo on his side. It said Ramona in big stylized letters. As she continued to pull at his clothes, he countered by doing the same. He unbuttoned her shirt and began to pull down her pants. In that moment she allowed herself to consider if this was what she really wanted. She realized that she had been the one to initiate, but now she thought that perhaps this wasn’t such a good idea. It felt incredibly right, but that was her body talking, not her head.

  She continued to kiss Jeremy and they were both practically naked, but still she wondered if she would not be affected afterward. He was clear that he just wanted to be friends. She might be setting herself up. In spite of the great time she had had today, she was still a bit raw from Leo. She didn’t know if it was a good idea to jump in bed with a guy so soon, especially one she was just trying to build a friendship with. But she couldn’t stop herself. She was on auto-pilot and she didn’t know if she could stop herself. He was so beautiful and sexy and she did really want to do this. At the same time she was afraid of the consequences.

  With each moment it seemed that her body was winning the battle. His kisses alone were like sex and she just got pulled deeper and deeper into the point of no return. She decided that she was going to turn her mind off and just enjoy herself. She’d deal with the rest later. She gave herself to him and it felt so natural. Their intimacy was off the charts. She couldn’t tell where she ended and he began. She forgot they were on a couch. It felt like she was on a cloud, radiating pleasure. The more he gave the more she wanted. She felt so beautiful and desired as he held her close and seemed not to want to let her go. Time was no longer a factor. There was nothing else, but them and what they gave to one another. She felt like she was on drugs. It was the most amazing experience of her life.

  Finally they fell apart, panting and bleary-eyed. She could barely move, but she rolled off of the couch and stumbled back to the bathroom. After using it, she looked into the mirror expecting to see some great transformation. She did not feel like the same woman that had fell into the loft the night before. It had just been one day and yet she did not feel she would ever be the same again. It was equally exhilarating and terrifying.

  She slowly walked back into the living room and found Jeremy laying on the couch deep in thought. On one hand she didn’t want to disturb him, but she didn’t want to be alone with her own thoughts. They were flying in all directions. She sat back down on the couch next to him and said, “I can’t help, but feel sad this isn’t more. Today has been one of the best days of my life.” Jeremy nodded his head as if she understood exactly what she meant. Then he turned to her and said, “Maybe it can.”

  Paige was at a loss once again. She felt like he was sending mixed signals. It had just been this morning when he said he thought they should be friends. Now he was saying that he thought they could be more. She was getting whiplash trying to keep up with him. She replied, “What do you mean?”

  “I mean this is different than anything else I’ve ever dealt with. I know what I said before, but I’d be lying if I said that I really only want to be your friend. True, I think you should take some time to get over your ex, but this is happening. It’s not about what we think now. This is real. Look, I know I’m gun shy about losing people so I’d rather not get involved, but I am already deeply involved. I’m not crazy enough to think I love you yet, but it feels like the beginning of something really big in my life. It feels exception-making. I’m not trying to confuse you; I’m just dealing with a lot of emotions with this.”

  Paige was so happy. He wanted to be with her too. She shouldn’t get her hopes up because it could very well end and badly. But right now she felt like there was no place in the world she would rather be. She looked down at herself and immediately started laughing. Jeremy raised his eyebrows in wonder at her. Once the laughs died down a bit she said, “It’s just hilarious to be having this conversation completely naked.” Jeremy looked down at himself and then over at her and began laughing too. They laughed and laughed until they began to kiss. For a while they just laid in each other’s arms, allowing the waves of a new beginning to wash over them. Paige put on Jeremy’s t-shirt while he pulled back on his boxers. They went into his bedroom and cuddled under the covers until they fell asleep.

  From there it just went on. Each held their breath a bit waiting for it to turn, but it didn’t. Leo tried to call Paige back, but she simply instructed him to come get the few things that he had left at her apartment. He was very dismayed to find when he got there that Jeremy was there too. He shot angry looks at him as he collected his things. Jeremy looked back at him with a slight smirk on his face. Once Leo had gotten everything, Paige slammed the door behind him. She was done with that chapter of her life and had moved into a happier one with Jeremy. Their effortless conversations and adventures continued as their bond grew.

  Deanna was thrilled. Slightly jealous, but thrilled. RJ had a major party and they went together. Everyone was very surprised to see Jeremy, especially with Paige. He didn’t have much to say, but he and Paige danced together all night and had a great time. There were moments when Paige felt that Jeremy was pulling away, but she realized he was still adjusting to their relationship. He admitted to her he had never really allowed himself to get this invested in a relationship before. He also told her often that in a way she had saved him from a life all alone, afraid to love because he didn’t want to deal with losing anyone else. She comforted him the best way she could and tried to help anyway she could think of.

  Let Paige Tell it had catapulted to a whole other level since the re-launch of the site and release of the app. She found that she had really built something great and was now reaping the rewards. But even better was being able to share it all with Jeremy who was now her biggest cheerleader. She often brought him into her work and even more so into her family life. She found that he got along great with her family and she recognized his wonder at being involved with the family structure. She was so happy she could help heal him in that way.

  It wasn’t long before Jeremy asked Paige to marry him. She was ecstatic and immediately accepted. They decided to have a small ceremony, just people closest to them. They took an extended honeymoon across the world. Jeremy took Paige too many of the places he had lived when he was a child. They looked back over those many waters together. A
fter their honeymoon, Paige decided to move into Jeremy’s loft. She broke into the blue with her own purple and they completely blended their lives together.

  It was not perfect, but it was truly wonderful. Each found healing in each other and they developed their own family together. After much discussion they had decided to try for children. Jeremy was hesitant, feeling ill-equipped to be a good father, but after much assurance from Paige, he agreed to that he would try his best. Paige had so much joy she could hardly contain herself. Most days she rolled over and looked at Jeremy beside her and wanted to fall on her knees and thank God. From a relationship that left her feeling the lowest she had ever felt to the most healthy, beautiful connection she had ever known. She felt truly blessed.

  Paige wanted to pinch herself, but this was no dream. It was possible. She had almost settled for less, but was granted better. With all of this in mind she cherished Jeremy and what they had dearly. She often sent up prayers and gratitude to his mother for laying a foundation for such an extraordinary man. Then she found his arms, wrapped herself in them, and vowed to race him to forever.