“You’re probably right, Annie, I told her. Anyway, I’m going to have to make it a quick dinner because I am totally going to be back home for The Apprentice later.”
“I can’t believe you like that show.”
“Hey, I’m American. The worse the reality TV, the more I’m automatically going to like it. Besides, hating all the contestants and wanting them to fail is half the fun.”
Annie rolled her eyes and turned up the difficulty on her elliptical while Tina laughed on the other side of her.
* * *
Instead of heading home after the gym I showered there, then got dressed and went to meet Jack for dinner.
Our first real date.
It wasn’t like it was my first date ever. But the way I was super nervous about it, it might as well have been.
It was stupid to be so nervous about a date. I knew it was. And was it really a first date when you’d already had sex with the guy twice? Maybe the horseback riding was actually our first date. These thoughts and more passed through my head as I overanalyzed everything at the same time as trying to stay relaxed and not completely freak out about it.
What was wrong with me?
As soon as I saw Jack, already waiting for me at the little pub we decided to have dinner at – a nice, casual place for a brother and sister to meet after class – all my fears vanished. He was leaning back in a booth, checking his phone, a beer already in front of him, not a care in the world. A single wisp of perfect hair fell across his forehead, which he absentmindedly brushed away with a finger, and my legs began to feel weak as I remembered the pleasure those same fingers brought me when they rubbed against my naked skin.
“Hey,” I greeted him, sliding into the booth opposite, and he shot me one of those grins that just made my insides melt with desire.
“Hey,” he replied. “I had other plans, but they got messed up, so I figured maybe you’d want to have dinner.”
“You figured right. So what’s good here?”
“Everything. Seriously, I know it looks like every single other pub here, but there’s a reason we’re here for dinner at 5:30 like we’re eighty years old. In two hours this place will be absolutely packed.”
“I’ve never heard of it.”
“That’s because you haven’t been here for long enough. Mention the Green Dragon Inn and everyone will know what you’re talking about.”
“Well that’s good to know that I’m the only person being kept out of the loop.”
“Don’t take it personally, you’re just new.”
Just then a waitress came by with a couple menus.
“Can I get you a drink as well?” she asked me, and I ordered a vodka and diet coke.
“So, tell me what New York was like,” Jack asked when the waitress left.
“It was good. I love the city. I’d like to go back, I think, once I graduate. My mom wanted me to come with her to England. I think she’d have been too lonely without me, to be honest. You know, a face from home sort of thing. New York is great. It’s actually a lot like London. Very vibrant, very active. The city that never sleeps, you know? But London is different in a way. It’s a lot more… considered. New York is crazier. London is like the sister city, but wearing a nice suit. If that makes sense.”
Jack nodded.
“Yeah, it does. I get it. I think I’d like New York.”
“I think you would too. So now spill: what is it that you really do when you’re not working? How do you seemingly know everything about everything around here?”
“That’s an easy one to answer. I’ve lived here my whole life, and I make it my business to know. Plus, when people buy pot from you, they figure you can keep their secrets.”
“Wait, you’re a drug dealer?” I mean, I knew my brother was a bit of a badass, but this was a complete surprise.
“In a way. I mainly just do favours for friends. If someone wants to buy from me, they have to be referred from someone I know and trust.”
“That’s illegal!”
“No shit,” he replied with a grin. “I hope that doesn’t turn you off.”
Was it bad that it did the opposite?
“Why the disrespect for the law?”
Jack shrugged. “I don’t think it’s a good law. People should be able to get stuff to help them relax. I have other reasons, too, but you’re not getting those out of me.”
“Why not?”
“Way too personal this early in the relationship.”
“Fine. Fair enough. Though I don’t really see how you can have personal reasons to be a drug dealer.”
Jack grinned at me. “You know, the first day we met, at my dad’s house for that dinner, I saw you and I instantly thought “doormat with a low self esteem”.
“Well thank you, you sure know how to make a girl feel welcome,” I retorted.
“Little did I know that you’re just the opposite. You’re a little firebrand.”
“I’m not sure I’d go that far, but thank you.”
“So where’s your father?” Jack asked out of the blue.
“That’s pretty personal too. But he was never part of my life. We’ll leave it at that.” I wasn’t sure I wanted Jack knowing about my mother’s blackmail, about the fact that my father was presumably some big Hollywood hotshot, and I had no idea which one.
Just then the waitress brought over our food, and we started digging in, the conversation turning to much more light-hearted subjects.
I explained to him the concept of The Apprentice, he told me it sounded like shit, I told him that was the point, he still didn’t understand the point.
He told me about the best spots in town to get a drink, to get a meat pie for lunch, what pubs to avoid because the Neo-nazis had a tendency to hang out there, who to talk to if I needed some pills to stay focused during exams. You know, normal stuff.
Before I knew it, two hours had passed and we were still sitting in that booth, talking like we’d known each other for years. I began to realize that my attraction for him wasn’t just physical. Sure, he was basically a Greek god, like Michaelangelo had sculpted his features out of marble himself, but there was more to him than that. My brother was a bad boy with a heart. The longer we talked, the more I began to realize that was true.
He wasn’t just a soul-less douchebag, as much as I’d thought that when I first met him. In fact, I actually kind of liked him.
Eventually we decided to head home.
“I’ll drive you, it’s on my way,” Jack joked, and I giggled. The guy could be pretty funny when he wanted to. I suspected that behind the mediocre academic achievements lay a brain that was actually far more intelligent than he wanted people to know.
I followed him back to one of the campus parking lots, where his bright Lamborghini sat, absolutely the star of the show surrounded by old Toyotas and the odd Mercedes, bought no doubt by some rich parent. Much like Jack’s Lambo.
Climbing into the passenger seat, I immediately got a kick out of it. I’d never been in a car like this before. Pressing a button, the engine roared to life, and Jack gunned it into reverse. I’d barely had time to put my seatbelt on, and now I was clutching the side of the seat, hanging on for dear life.
We were so low to the ground it felt like we were basically on the ground. Everything felt so much faster from here, and I noticed people staring as we drove past.
Until we left the city Jack drove fairly conservatively. I didn’t blame him. With a ton of drunk college kids around, who knew what would happen. As soon as we got on the road back over to his father’s place though, he let the car go. We sped up, and I was far too scared to look at the speedometer, but I knew he had no respect for the speed limit.
Adrenaline coursed through my veins as I felt on the edge, the absolute limit of life, and I realized just how fun the car was.
At the same time as being super speedy, it was also the most comfortable car to ride in. The suspension took care of any little bumps in the road, and if i
t wasn’t for the fact that we were going mach a million, I would have probably never been more comfortable in a car in my life.
“Woooo!” I cried out as we took a sharp corner, the G-forces acting on my body forcing it to the side.
Jack grinned at me as he pulled up to the driveway. Still going incredibly fast, way faster than I thought was safe, he gunned it straight at the house. I grabbed the dashboard, terrified, when suddenly with a spin of the wheel Jack turned the car sideways and we drifted to a stop.
“Holy shit!” I exclaimed when I finally realized we were still alive.
“Enjoy that?” Jack asked.
“You know it!” I replied. “Thanks for the ride.”
“Anytime, Jules,” he replied, pretending to tip his hat.
I got out of the car and went into the house. I went up to my room, knowing his was just so tantalizingly close, and when I heard him come in ten or fifteen minutes later, it didn’t take long before I got the courage to go over to his room and knock on the door.
Chapter Twenty
Over the next couple of months Jack and I began to see each other more and more often. Maybe it was just my imagination, but I thought Tina and Annie started thinking that maybe we were more than just friends. Still, they didn’t say anything about it.
I had other things to think about too. My mom’s wedding with John Alcott was coming up, and I was pretty excited about it. I didn’t get to see him very often, but every time I did John was just the nicest person to me, and I was glad that my mom was finally marrying someone that was going to be good to her. I just knew he would be.
As for her diabetes, my mom was managing it just fine. She was a little bit pale sometimes (which I had originally chalked up to the winter here in London), and had taken to wearing long sleeves a lot of the time, which she said was from the new sun sensitivity she was feeling since her diagnosis.
It was pretty handy, living in the same house as the person I was falling in love with. And that was really the truth of it. I tried to resist it for as long as I could, but I was falling in love with Jack.
I’d never tell him, of course. While I was so happy that the stream of girls coming into his room at night had stopped and was now replaced with only me, a part of me thought that if I told him I’d push him away for good.
After all, our relationship was still pretty taboo.
Still, when the day of the wedding arrived, that was the last thing on my mind. Well, one of the last things on my mind. I woke up early, and joined my mom and the other bridesmaids – Karen, her best friend from New York who was flown over for the wedding, Amy (ugh) and Sally. Amy had changed her hair, she had a real Posh Spice look going on now, still obviously dyed blonde.
I tried to ignore her snide remarks and just focus on the shampoo being massaged into my scalp as we got our hair done, then went back to the estate to get ready.
The ceremony was going to take place at Christ Church Cathedral, in Oxford. It was huge, definitely big enough to accommodate the over three hundred guests that had been invited. Afterwards, the reception was going to be at the estate. Luckily it was a gorgeous sunny day, and all the work that had been done in the backyard to accommodate everyone was going to pay off.
I went to my room and slipped into my gorgeous purple dress. I had to hand it to my mom, she knew how to pick a dress that flattered my curves. I admired myself in the mirror, giggling before making my way to my mom’s room, where the makeup lady was ready and waiting to get started in the enormous bathroom suite.
For three hours we all got ready. I could tell my mom was nervous. Of course, she’d never show it. But I knew. I went and got my mom a glass of champagne, and she looked at me thankfully.
“You’re the best daughter I could have ever asked for, you know?” she told me.
“Thanks, mom,” I replied. “You’re going to be fine.”
“I know. I’m just nervous. I haven’t done this in a while.”
“Mom, your last wedding was three years ago.”
“I know. But this is the first time I’ve gotten married where I’ve really felt that I could be with this man ‘till death do us part.”
“That’s sweet, mom.”
We were interrupted by the wedding planner who walked into the room suddenly, clapping her hands.
“Alright ladies, we have to be in the car to go to the Church in five minutes. Mary, I have your bouquet right here. For the rest of you, your flowers are in the main hall.”
She herded us like sheep and we made our way down, the photographer who had been hanging around us and snapping pictures following as well.
The limo waiting for us outside was extravagant. We all fit so easily inside of it, I was surprised it was small enough to legally be allowed on the road.
As we got closer to the church, the other bridesmaids began congratulating my mom. We got out of the limo and were ushered into the Church’s waiting area. Sneaking over to one of the windows, I had a look at the crowd waiting in the church, waiting for my mom to walk down the aisle.
Suddenly, my heart stopped. Sitting in the back row, in a suit and tie, something I’d never seen him wear, was Jack. I’d thought he wasn’t coming to the wedding.
Before I had a chance to think about it any more, the wedding planner came in and told us they were ready.
Since we were in England, the Bridesmaids were to enter after the bride. Lining us up, the wedding planner waited until the organ began playing Pachabel’s Cannon, then the large doors leading to the main church opened, and my mother walked forward.
The ceremony was beautiful. As we walked down the aisle every eye was on my mother, and she was radiant, as usual. When I got to the altar, standing to the left of my mother, I scanned the crowd. Most of the faces I didn’t recognize, but when my eyes found Jack at the back, his eyes found mine and he smiled at me. I was glad he was here.
Twenty minutes later, John Alcott kissed Mary Reeves, and she became Mary Alcott, in front of hundreds of witnesses.
The happy couple left the church, leaving with the photographer to take private photos for the two hours before the reception officially began. Of course, anyone who wanted to could come to the Alcott estate immediately and begin being served from the open bar or the thousands of dollars worth of little snacks available to hungry diners who didn’t want to wait for the late lunch/early dinner meal being served later.
The other bridesmaids and I, along with the groomsmen, followed in another limo not far behind the newly married couple to go get the official wedding photos taken.
After two hours my jaw was beginning to hurt from smiling so much. We’d gone to a gorgeous traditional English garden not far away, and there the photographer posed us, took photos, posed us again, and then some.
I kept myself sane by thinking about the amazing gourmet dinner my mom had decided on, I had sneaked a peek at the menu and knew that it was going to be nothing short of amazing.
Finally the photos ended and we were driven back to the Alcott estate. Amy made a single snide comment about how fat I would look in the photos, but I just ignored her, and Sally gave my hand a supportive squeeze. I couldn’t care less about John Alcott’s dumb sister; her words couldn’t bother me in the least.
As soon as I got to the reception area, I sought out Jack, and found him hanging out by one of the fountains, eating a mini quiche while watching the guests mingle.
“Hey, I didn’t think you were coming,” I told him as I sat down next to him, a glass of champagne in hand.
“Hey,” he answered, brightening up visibly as he saw me. “I wasn’t going to go. Then I figured that since the reception is going to be in my backyard anyway, I might as well go to the wedding too.”
“What did you think?”
“That your mom made a huge mistake.”
“What? Why?”
Jack just shook his head. “Nothing. It’s not my place. I might be wrong, anyway.”
“No, seriously, why do you think
my mom messed up?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“Seriously? We’re this close, and you can’t tell me?”
“Just forget I said anything, ok?” Jack snapped, getting up off the fountain and walking off.
“Hey, hold up,” I ordered, and he stopped.
“I know you have issues. But don’t take them out on me.”
“Fine. But I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”
“Then tell me how good I look in this dress.”
Jack grinned.
“Not nearly as good as you’d look without it. But you do look stunning, Jules. I mean that.
“Thanks,” I muttered, and as good as the compliment sounded, there was suddenly a bit of a hole in my heart. I knew Jack had secrets, but this one could affect my mom. I wanted to know what the problem was.
“Listen. I know you don’t want to talk about this, but if it’s going to affect my mom, please, you have to let me know.”
Jack stared at me for a little while.
“I knew this was a mistake,” he muttered. “I shouldn’t have come here.”
With that he turned, and this time when he walked off I didn’t follow. Once again I felt that rage build up inside of me that only he could generate, that only he could make me feel.
What on earth was that man hiding?
Chapter Twenty
The dinner was just as amazing as it sounded on the menu. Sitting high up on my mom’s right hand side at the banquet table, I felt like a princess looking down on her peons. Which was a hilarious thought, since half the guest list were far closer to having actual princess status than I ever would. We were in the back garden, it was such a gorgeous afternoon that the tents that had been ordered weren’t put up. The sun warmed the skin as it began to sink slowly down into the sky, and it was obvious that the outdoor setting was the perfect choice for this wedding.
Cream and violet tablecloths covered the two dozen round tables holding the guests, centered by gorgeous bouquets of white and purple roses, while staff came rushing in from the house with the various parts of the meal. Other waiters and waitresses middle around, waiting for drink orders from guests. Women in fancy dresses and even fancier hats watched us, but more especially my mom and John as they began their married life together at the table at the front.
Stepbrother: Impossible Love Page 10
