by Jo Iles
‘Well, I could say exactly the same about you, Miss Slaymaker,’ he replied, trying to deflect attention away from himself. Owing to his semi-famous status as a well-to-do, successful, good-looking man about town, he was actually always very careful about any romantic entanglements he got himself into. And to be honest, he was shy. Always had been when it came to affairs of the heart. And even though he’d known Jessie for years, he was still uncomfortable discussing his flings and crushes with her. He was much happier listening to her woes and hearing about all the little scenarios she concocted to get herself closer to that loser boss of hers.
‘So, are you looking for the future Mr Slaymaker tonight?’ he prodded. Jessie bit her lip and her silence spoke volumes. She sat back properly in her seat and faced forwards again, pointedly ignoring Tom’s question.
‘Jessie?’ Tom asked, sensing something was amiss.
‘Jessie…’ he repeated more loudly when she didn’t respond.
‘Charlie will be there,’ she said quietly, suddenly fascinated with studying her beautifully manicured nails. Tom didn’t say anything.
‘I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before, but I really wanted you to come. I kind of, accidentally on purpose omitted that little tidbit about Charlie. I need you, Tom,’ she explained, now studying her hands instead.
‘I know,’ Tom said softly, mirroring her quiet tone. ‘Plus I guess you needed a lift. But seriously, we’re not rehashing old ground today. You know I think Charlie is beneath you and you’re worth ten of him. That’s all I’ll say. All I want is for you to be happy.’
‘That means a lot to me,’ she replied with an infectious smile and more animation in her voice. ‘That’s why I love you,’ she added, and leaned over to peck him on the cheek.
Tom smiled stiffly. Maybe it was his imagination, but he felt like he was gripping the steering wheel a little harder. Probably the thought of that Charlie. To say Tom was not a fan of Charlie was something of an understatement. He thought Charlie was a dick, and for the life of him he couldn’t understand what Jessie saw in him, or why Charlie hadn’t noticed what was right underneath his nose. The thought of Jessie with that prick made his skin crawl—not that he would ever tell Jessie that. From all she’d told him, it was obvious that she was infatuated with this guy; he had to practice what he preached and let her make her own mistakes. Tom promised himself that today he would hold his tongue, for Jessie’s sake. Besides, maybe she was right. Just maybe he was looking for Mr Right. It wouldn’t do any harm to keep his eyes open.
Chapter 5
Jack tried his best to concentrate on the service and think about how best to approach the Charlie conversation, which was going to happen sooner or later. Charlie was an usher, so had other duties to perform during the ceremony, and so was seated in a different part of the church from his brother. Jack kept trying to spy him and read his features to gauge how his brother was really feeling. The only flaw in Jack’s plan was that he kept getting distracted. Just before the service had begun a couple had stumbled into his row, towards the back, with moments to spare. They sat thick as thieves whispering and smiling. Through a series of sideways glances Jack concluded that the man looked kind of familiar, although he was pretty sure he didn’t know him personally. On the other hand, he was certain he’d never met the woman. She was in an eye-catching green dress and looked amazing.
Scratch that. She was a knockout.
The more sideways glances he took at her, the more he noticed about her. The line of her jaw, the highness of her cheekbones, the expertly applied makeup, the beautiful hands, and the polished toenails peeking out of her peep-toe shoes. The more he looked, the harder it was for him to stop looking. She was more than just beautiful. She had an aura that was radiating outward. Her companion could see it too, judging by the admiring glances he kept flicking in her direction. Jack could tell from the subtle looks and touches between them that they knew each other well. He wondered if they were lovers, or, at their age, he guessed they could even be married. He tried to see if there was a wedding band or a rock on her hand. She looked to be ring-free on her left hand. So not married then, Jack found himself thinking.
Jack willed himself to stop perving on the woman sat next to him, and focus on his brother instead. He managed it for all of thirty seconds before his eyes were brought back to this gorgeous woman again. With what he hoped were subtle glances, he saw that she kept glancing at something as well. She wasn’t sneaking looks at Jack—of course—and she definitely wasn’t looking at the bride and groom either. Jack followed her eyeline as best he could. She appeared to be looking at where the ushers were sat. Her eyes flicked over at them repeatedly throughout the service—as did Jack’s eyes over at her.
As the service concluded and the happy couple went off to sign the register, they were followed by the two witnesses. One was a fat bridesmaid in a terrible peach dress and the other was Charlie. Instead of looking proudly at his brother, Jack found himself looking at the green goddess next to him. She had her eyes trained on Charlie and followed him eagerly as he walked to the other side of the church. Jack knew that look when he saw it. She was in love.
So this woman was having a fling with his brother. Well, they had always been attracted to the same women in the past, Jack thought. It was probably another reason why they weren’t the closest of brothers, and a definite push factor in Jack leaving the country all those years ago. Jack felt jealousy surge through him. He was jealous of his brother for having this creature look at him the way she did, and for the relationship they obviously had with each other. He was jealous of her companion for sitting so close to her. They were obviously more than just friends.
Jack fought his frustrations, and with every ounce of willpower he forced his eyes forward and stopped looking at her. He vowed to stay away from this woman for the sake of his brother. She was dangerous to them. He could sense that now. He didn’t know who she was or what her game was, but he knew her to be trouble.
As the married couple came back from signing the register, everyone stood up and applauded, and Jack caught the green goddess’s eye. So much for not looking at her. She smiled warmly, but Jack could only stare unemotionally back. Her beautiful face dropped, and she grabbed her companion’s arm and edged him out of the row and out of the church in double-quick time.
Chapter 6
As far as Jessie could tell, the ceremony had gone without any major hitches. No proclamations were proclaimed during the if anybody knows why these two persons may not be lawfully wed, please speak now bit. Just a couple of rogue flower girls wandering off now and again, and the mandatory baby crying that can’t be shut up for love nor money. Oh yes, and some random stranger who gave her the evil eye in the church. She guessed some people hated weddings even more than she did.
The reception was being held at a nearby and very grand country manor house, complete with massive marquee, silver service and cover band. Jessie was keen to get there and crack on with the party—and, of course, to initiate phase one of her plan to dazzle Charlie. Despite her best efforts to try and grab a few words with him at the church, he’d had official usher duties to attend to, and had just given her the briefest of nods hello before he rushed off to try and round up various groups of people for the photographs.
He looked very handsome today in his traditional morning suit, but there was a redness around his eyes. Jessie hoped he hadn’t been working too hard, and made a mental note to offer to help him when they were back in the office.
Thanks to Tom’s speedy driving they’d arrived at the venue quickly, which gave Jessie plenty of time to scan the table plan and think about how she was going to approach Charlie. Jessie unconsciously held her breath as she scoured the printed table plan board for her name. If she was sat at the same table—or better yet, sat next to Charlie—that would give her a fantastic opportunity to shine in front of him. If he was sat next to her, then he would have to talk to her and hopefully not just about work. There she was
, at lucky table number seven. But no Charlie. Deflated, Jessie forced herself to stand up straighter. It would be okay, she told herself. It would just mean she’d have to bide her time and catch him after dinner. That could work. They would both have had a little liquid courage by then, which would potentially make things easier for her.
‘So, who has the pleasure of my company for dinner then?’ Tom asked, looking over Jessie’s shoulder. She jumped, not expecting him to be there.
‘Well, I do of course… and… Kate, Tasha, Simon, Cassandra, Lucy, and someone named Jack,’ she replied, reading down the list for their table.
‘Oh joy. Do we know these people?’ Tom asked, rolling his eyes.
‘Kate and Tasha are Natalie’s cousins; I think Cassandra is someone’s auntie; Lucy I don’t know; Simon is that boring accountant who always talks about fishing; and I’m not sure who Jack is.’ Jessie was disappointed. She had clearly been put on a table with absolute misfits. Thanks, Natalie. Her coupled-up friends all seemed to be on tables with each other. It just didn’t seem fair. No Charlie and no friends to get through dinner with. At least she had Tom.
Chapter 7
Jack’s willpower was fading fast. He was sitting next to her again. Her being the vision in the green dress from the church. She was closer now though, and every now and then he caught a whiff of her perfume. She smelled delicious. And up close, she was even more lovely. Bright and animated. Jack was determined not to like her, but he was finding it impossible not to admire her. She was effortlessly hosting the table, asking interesting questions and gently pushing the conversation along. Not an easy feat considering the table was somewhat of a medley, female-dominated with a wide span of ages from what Jack guessed to be from about eighteen to over seventy. Regardless of the obvious differences amongst them, everyone seemed to be visibly having a good time. Courtesy of Jessie.
Jessie. She was the green goddess. Apart from her name and the fact that she was a good friend of the bride, Jack knew very little else about her. She managed to guide the conversation without giving anything away about herself, focusing on making everyone around her feel special and included. Her companion, a slightly bored-looking man who went by Tom, only paid attention when Jessie was talking. Paying attention to Jessie, Jack realised, was all too easy to do. He still wasn’t entirely sure of the relationship between Tom and Jessie, but judging by the way she was personal and affable with everyone, he was inclined to believe that they were only friends—at least, from her perspective they were anyway. From what he could tell, this Tom guy seemed to really like her. How could anyone not? The more he saw of her the more he wanted to pounce on this creature and take her somewhere private.
Shit. How could he have let this happen to him in the space of just a few hours? He was here for his brother. His good-for-nothing, irresponsible older brother. So much for broaching a brother-to-brother opening of communication lines for a serious chat. All he’d succeeded in doing so far was to watch the woman next to him and increasingly think of all the things he wanted to do to her. He forced himself to think about his brother instead. Yes, what was going on with his brother? The problem was that Jack kept coming back to the same thing: what was she doing with his brother? The way her eyes had eagerly followed Charlie around the church suggested there was something going on. And as Jack had concluded earlier, how could there not be? She was a goddess. His brother was lucky to have her.
When Jessie had addressed him, he had done his utmost to appear calm and detached. He didn’t want her to think he was under her spell like the rest of the table were, or how his brother must be when he was around her. He purposefully was civil and friendly, but not over-communicative, in his responses to her, even though he could feel his whole body tingle with her being so near. On more than one occasion he noticed her look in the direction of where Charlie was sitting, but it was nigh on impossible to see him clearly, let alone make eye contact with him, and she seemed to give up quickly and return her concentration back to the table conversation.
Jack found himself thinking that he was most impressed with this Jessie. He didn’t think his mother had mentioned Charlie having a girlfriend, and he couldn’t help but wonder what was the depth of their relationship. He now didn’t regard Jessie as some kind of floozy, free with her love to all men. Her actions told him she was committed to his brother. A fresh worry started to creep into the forefront of Jack’s mind: he hoped his brother was committed to Jessie and worthy of her love. He barely knew her; but from what he could tell she was definitely a keeper, and in an infinitely different league altogether from Charlie’s usual conquests and girlfriends.
A wave of jealousy bolted through Jack as though he’d been struck by someone. The thought of Charlie caressing and kissing Jessie whenever he wanted awoke the green-eyed monster within him. He didn’t like it. Not one bit.
Chapter 8
Jessie was fuming. Not only had she been put on a table with a right motley crew, but she had been forced to sit next to the evil-eye guy from the church. Apparently his name was Jack, not that he spoke much. So far, it had been like getting blood from a stone when it came to trying to get him to talk. Jessie also found it off-putting that whenever she asked him anything he looked at her like she’d mortally offended him or something. Tom wasn’t helping, either. He sat there wearing a sullen sulk, looking thoroughly disinterested in everyone around him. She guessed he hadn’t managed to spy any totty and was subsequently in a bad mood. To top it all off, Charlie was seated over at the far side of the room behind a sea of other people. Just bloody typical. It was like the stars had aligned and conspired to keep her away from Charlie all day—and instead keep her in the general vicinity of this creepy Jack guy.
Finally the dinner and the speeches were over, and Jessie excused herself to go to the bathroom, to make sure she still looked presentable. Satisfied she still looked polished, and with a fresh layer of lip gloss, she strutted back to the main hall, head held high. Now was her time—time for her and Charlie. She scanned the room and spied Tom chatting to a dishy-looking guy near the band. That would be him sorted for hours, she thought to herself as she continued scanning the vast space for her prey.
Then she saw him. Sat at the bar with none other than the grand misog himself, Jack.
‘Don’t tell me they know each other,’ Jessie muttered under her breath as she grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing waiter. She took a big sip and propelled herself forward, plastering on a smile which she hoped said bright and breezy to Charlie, and go away to the impossible Jack.
Whether they knew each other or not, there was no way Charlie was enjoying Jack’s less-than-sparkling conversation skills. She could tell by the way Charlie’s shoulders were hunched that he wasn’t at ease. She had to save him. She would be the one to rescue Charlie from the world’s worst conversationalist, and then he would see her in her true light. A kind, caring, selfless, and sometimes funny woman with lots to give.
She marched towards Charlie with a purpose, sure that her plan was flawless. She would go and interrupt Charlie and this Jack character, and Charlie would be eternally grateful to her for saving him from the hardship of talking to Jack. Bye-bye, Jack. Then the band would start playing and Charlie would ask her to dance, look deep into her eyes, and say something about not realising what had been right before him the whole time.
Chapter 9
Jack and Charlie were sat at the bar, drinking beer and chatting about the wedding so far, and how happy their friend Nick seemed to be. They weren’t exactly sharing the easy comfortableness of their youth, but they weren’t yelling at each other either. Jack was finding it hard to find the words he really wanted to say. All he really wanted to do was to find out about Jessie, and how serious Charlie was about her.
‘When were you going to mention her then?’ Jack asked, finding it impossible not to bring up the subject any longer.
‘Who?’ Charlie replied suspiciously.
‘The green goddess,’
Jack replied cheerfully.
‘The what?’ Charlie asked, looking totally lost now.
‘The girl from my table. Jessie, I think her name was,’ Jack explained trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. It only just then occurred to him that maybe she didn’t wear green everyday, and that it was his nickname for her, not his brother’s. He didn’t want to know what his brother called her.
‘Jessie? Oh, you mean Jessie from work. What about her?’
‘You don’t have to play coy with me, Charles. I know a woman in love when I see one.’
‘Don’t know what you’re on about Jack, I barely speak to the woman. Did you see that bridesmaid though? Nadia, I think her name was. She is on a promise tonight,’ Charlie said, with full-on male bravado. Jack didn’t push it any further. His brother was obviously shy, or maybe protective about this Jessie girl, and he obviously didn’t want to talk about her. So Jack moved into safer waters and got a recap of all the FA Cup Finals he’d missed while he’d been in China.
Jack clocked her before Charlie did. The green goddess herself. He knew she’d come over, and he smiled at the thought of Charlie having to finally admit that there was some sort of romantic entanglement between the two. Jessie entered the hall alone and just stood there looking gorgeous while she planned her next move. To Jack, she seemed to be illuminated by her own private lighting. Wherever she went, she looked like she was on a film set. He followed her eyes around the room whilst he continued a half-hearted football conversation with his brother. First, her intelligent eyes found her friend Tom. She seemed to start moving in his direction, then stopped herself and searched out the hall again.
Then she clocked him looking at her, and her face dropped a fraction of a millimetre. She grabbed a drink and seemed to take a big swig before she started towards them, as though on a mission. It wasn’t the most graceful Jack had seen her look today, but he couldn’t help but notice that she looked damn sexy. Jack licked his lips, looking forward to the prospect ahead.
