The Love Campaign (Romantic Revelations Series Book 1)

by Laura Marquez Diamond

  She pressed her lips together, unsure about how to proceed. Sebastian urged her on. “Is it something else then? Are you just too embarrassed to be associated with me?” he asked, but with no bitterness she could trace. An honest question.

  “I know I used that word, but I, sorry, it’s not about you. Look, um, let me put it this way. I don’t wear my heart on my sleeve, Sebastian. If I go on a date and get swept off my feet into the night, it won’t be for the world to watch. If I’m in a relationship, it’s private. Intimate. This feels—the whole display of it—feels like the opposite of intimate.” She had trouble explaining herself because these were not ideas she pondered over often. Though once she spoke aloud, she recognized that the words reflected her feelings.

  “I get that,” he said hoarsely. “OK, let’s work on a statement,” he declared cheerfully, though he picked up the plates with a heavy clang.

  Jaya put her hand on his arm before he walked to the kitchen. “Thank you,” she said sincerely. For the breakfast and the help and the talk, she thought to herself. “I mean it,” she added out loud.

  “You’re welcome. Let me put this away and we can figure out how to correct the…well, you know.”

  “Yeah. Right, thanks. Though first I should return some calls,” she muttered. Jaya had muted her phone before sitting down for breakfast. Now that she picked it up, she realized she missed another call from her mom. “I need to start with my mom. You know, to set the record straight.”

  “Go ahead,” he called from the kitchen. “I’ll tidy up.”

  “You don’t have to do that!” she called from her seat.

  “Return your mom’s call. I’ll be done in a minute,” Sebastian said before turning on the water.

  She started to press the call back button, but her hand was shaking. What, after all, would she tell her mother? Here’s another way I’m disappointing you, Mom. Finding myself in publicly compromising pictures and getting swept away by a random man of the hour. Turns out I’ll be messing up in Cincinnati too! It didn’t matter that this was a situation out of her control and with appearances completely taken out of context. As in the past, her parents would think it was her fault. They never said it in those exact words, but their disappointment was never far from the surface.

  “You know what, I can call her later!” she announced and used her crutches to keep him company in the kitchen.

  He was rinsing off soap when she approached and saw his phone buzz with an incoming call. “That must be my agent. Can you get it?” he requested. “I’ve got soap everywhere and I’m almost done.”

  “Just let it go to voicemail, maybe?” she suggested after the fourth ring. But then it rang again.

  “He won’t stop calling. Persistent shit,” Sebastian griped. “Answer it for me while I wipe this down, please?”

  She grabbed the phone and said, cautiously, “Hello?” Sebastian turned off the running water and was looking around the unfamiliar kitchen for a towel. On the other end of the line, Jaya heard a woman speak a language other than English.

  “Who is this?” the woman’s voice was loud and slightly accented.

  “Umm, this is…sorry, this is Sebastian’s phone. Let me get him. Here he is,” she stammered while waving him to hurry up. Except, somehow, he was paralyzed just beyond her reach.

  He snapped out of it, took a big step, and grabbed his phone. Closing his eyes he murmured, “Hi, Mama.”

  Jaya watched as his face contorted and he tilted his head side to side, cracking his neck. The words from the other end of the line were not clear to her, but the shrill tone was quite evident. Sebastian Beaumont was being scolded by his mom. She pitied him, but she was also rather gratified to have avoided exactly this fate by delaying her call to her own mom.

  “No, sorry Mama, that’s not happening. I’m…um,” he was interrupted. Sebastian continued to attempt some words but every time he spoke, he was shut down by the sheer volume of words coming from his mother. Finally, he sighed and sought out Jaya’s face. He mouthed “sorry.” Before she could register what he was sorry about, his phone was already extended.

  “My…umm…my mother wants to talk to you.”

  She was shaking her head like a crazy person. But then he looked so miserable. In a flash, Jaya remembered that he took care of her ankle last night, and that he made sure she was OK this morning, and that he made her a crack cocaine version of quiche. So Jaya gave in and braced herself for the motherly nosiness she foolishly thought she could avoid.

  “Hello, Mrs. Beaumont,” she said to the speakerphone.

  “Please call me Carolyn. I’m so happy to meet you Jaya. I wish my son told me about you before I saw it on da Twitter.”

  “Oh, well, there’s nothing much to tell.”

  “You sound like such a nice girl. And you’re part of the charity fundraiser with my boy. You are two very good kids. I always worry. Being new in a city and too busy with hockey, Sebastian won’t find a nice girl with a good sense of community. Since he won’t go to church. But this is good too. Meeting while doing your charity work. Very good. Very, very good. You sound like such a nice girl.”

  “Oh, um, well, thank you?” she stuttered.

  “I just wanted to say hello. Make sure you have my number from BB, alright?”

  “BB?”

  Sebastian immediately took his mom off speaker and put the phone against his ear. “Well, that’s great Mama. Jaya has to go so I’ll call you this week, alright?”

  He was prompted to nod and make sounds of agreement before hanging up. When he did, they looked at each other, both bearing an expression that was a little bit amused and a lot terrified.

  “Thanks for indulging her,” he said.

  “What did you tell her?”

  He shrugged. “Did you hear me get anything into that conversation? Honestly, she’s just excitable. I wouldn’t worry about it. Sorry I put you on the spot, though,” he said.

  He had taken a step closer and not for the first time, Jaya was struck by his size. The sheer manliness of his frame was barely contained in her compact kitchen. Ropy forearms were exposed because he had rolled up his shirt while cleaning. And now that he was less than a foot away from her body, his height forced her to tilt her head upward.

  “We need to lower that,” he said.

  “Huh?” she said, at a loss for coherent words as she watched him absentmindedly roll his lips under his teeth like he was lost in thought.

  He was studying the fit of the crutches against her body. “Your shoulders are going hurt if the crutches are the wrong height.”

  “Oh,” she shook herself out of the trance. “Here.” She offered one and he fixed it. Swapped the other one and fixed that too. She leaned on them and agreed it was an improvement.

  “Want me to look at your ankle? See if it’s better?” he asked in hushed tones. He was a smidge closer and the heat from his body felt like an invisible blanket that wrapped around them. Warmed her skin and heightened all of her senses.

  “Sure,” she answered, just as softly.

  “Wanna lie down on your sofa?” he asked breathily and that sound, gruff and manly, was like electricity through her body. Bad idea. No sofa, equals no lying down, equals no electricity.

  “Let’s just do it here,” she piped with forced cheerfulness. She stood on her right foot, placed the crutches against the counter, and hiked her body up the kitchen counter with a brisk pull of her arms.

  He chuckled and set himself between her legs, facing the injured left ankle. She wore a soft brace held together by Velcro. Sebastian carefully released her ankle, and she couldn’t help but sigh at the release of pinched pressure.

  “Did you ice it last night?” he asked with concern.

  “Yeah, for a bit.”

  “It doesn’t look worse, but you should ice it now,” he said and began to re-secure the wrap that went under her splint.

  She watched his large and capable hands. Jaya tried not to think of the girth of his hi
ps between her legs. From her seat on the counter, she was just the right height to watch his pulse at the base of his neck. He was looking down and slightly away from her. Jaya’s eyes wandered over the swell of his jeans accommodating a butt like globes of steel.

  “You checking me out?” he said while looking at her askance.

  “What?! Don’t be ridiculous. You’re…you’re the one checking me out.” When exactly did she revert to the argumentation skills of a ten-year-old?

  “Actually, yeah, I’m checking out your ankle,” he countered with a smirk. “Ready?” he asked, offering to help her down.

  “I got it,” she said and hopped off the counter, making sure to land on her uninjured leg.

  “I still have to hit the gym so if you want to work on that statement with me now, let’s get started,” Sebastian said, walking over to the sofa and making himself comfortable.

  “You don’t have to stay if you’ve got other plans. I can draft something and send it to you.”

  He chuckled again. “You know, I still don’t have your number or email.”

  “Oh, right. People think I’m your girlfriend and we don’t even have a way to talk on the phone. Crazy.”

  “Crazy,” he agreed. He paused and then said, “I’ll be going then.”

  “OK,” she replied, and the awkwardness was almost unbearable. Sebastian held out his hand and she wasn’t sure what was happening, so she put her hand in his. He squeezed and she looked up at him. His eyes were amused.

  “Your phone?”

  Jaya pulled her hand away and released an awkward laugh. “Right.”

  They exchanged numbers before she led him to the door. At the threshold, he turned around and looked at her solemnly. “I don’t know if I can say this enough, Jaya. You didn’t deserve to be exposed in such an uncomfortable way, just because we were hanging out together. I’m really sorry. I came here thinking there might be a positive spin but honestly, all that matters is that you can move on and focus on the kids. I know they’re your priority.”

  He spoke in a low cadence that she was starting to associate with the serious and thoughtful Sebastian. This Sebastian was hard to reconcile with the gregarious, carefree, party animal that everyone assumed he was.

  “None of this is your fault, but thanks for saying that,” she commented. “And honestly, it probably did boost the profile of the campaign. Enough that I’m thinking to release a correction tomorrow morning instead of rushing one today. Monday is soon enough, after consultation with the folks at the center.”

  “Right. Well, whatever you think is best,” he complied. “Gives my mom one night of comfort anyway.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “She worries about me. I haven’t had a serious girlfriend in years, which is why she got so excited about the buzz.”

  “C’mon, you could easily find yourself a girlfriend,” Jaya stated. “If you wanted one.”

  “That’s true,” he said reflectively and with a vague gleam in his eyes. “Except, sometimes, you don’t even know you wanted something till you have it.”

  ***

  The next morning, she went into her office and answered email messages about youth activities that upcoming spring. The stack of files that needed to be organized was put away. Calls were returned and outreach events scheduled. In some ways, it was just another Monday for Jaya. Except it wasn’t.

  For one, she was on crutches. It gave her an excuse to stay sheltered in her office instead of socializing. When she was on the main floor manning the lobby, staff members made excuses to hang out around her. Dropping hints about the weekend pictures. Jaya did not take the bait. Trying to look busy, she managed to avoid being cornered into a private conversation.

  She was, in fact, quite busy. She had a slew of DMs to answer as the social media coordinator for the Freedom Community Center account. Some of them were, unfortunately, ridiculous or insulting. Invitations for threesomes notwithstanding, most messages were cute good wishes. A few were even oddly promising. For the community center, Jaya firmly reminded herself. Promising for the community center.

  She needed to talk to her bosses. Mrs. Chen was the head of the administrative offices that oversaw all recreational and community involvement, including Jaya’s department of youth services. Mr. Watson was the chairman of both the advisory board and the fundraising campaign. She was summoned to meet both of them at 4:30 that afternoon, with the subject line “Social Media Strategy.”

  To: PatelJ@freedomcc.org

  From: ChenR@freedomcc.org

  Subject: Social Media Strategy

  Hello, Jaya,

  In response to an uptake in social media attention regarding the fundraising campaign, we are freeing up our schedules to have a meeting later this afternoon. We have also arranged for activities coordinator Shirley Garcia to attend. Can we count on your presence at 4:30? Until then, we request suspending any additional comments or messages posted on social media accounts affiliated with the community center and/or the fundraising campaign. Thank you for your cooperation.

  Gratefully yours,

  Mrs. Chen and Mr. Watson

  That email was a gag order if she ever saw one. Jaya had to assume that viral hashtags about her and Sebastian’s fictional romance were part of “social media strategy.” She would have to wait till the end of the day. For what, exactly? To discuss her dating life. Or, more accurately, her abysmal lack of one.

  Jaya did not want to relive the embarrassing explanations she already had to perform the night prior. She was roped into a video conference call that included her parents, two aunties, her brother, and his fiancé. Jaya described how the pictures were completely taken out of context.

  “Who would take pictures and post them everywhere? It’s so intrusive,” Lakshmi said supportively.

  “Jaya’s boyfriend is a famous athlete,” Auntie Brinda answered.

  “He is not my boyfriend,” Jaya corrected for the hundredth time.

  “Then why are they taking pictures of you together?” her mom asked.

  Round and round it went, the cycle of corrections and misunderstandings.

  It was no surprise that by the time she got to work on Monday, Jaya went out of her way to avoid all conversations about the weekend. Except not everyone had the tact or the inclination to let her off the hook. By the time school was let out for the day, Jaya would have to discuss her dating life whether she wanted to or not.

  It wasn’t unusual for students to seek her out after school on their way to activities or lessons. From her office, Jaya heard giggling and whispering down the hallway. Right by her door, conversations came to a screeching halt replaced by two sharp knocks and the peering faces of Sonia, Chloe, Michelle, and Cathy.

  Jaya happened to be standing by a filing cabinet, her armpits awkwardly slung over crutches while hands gathered folders.

  “Let me get that for you, Jaya,” Sonia said, cloyingly sweet, as she let herself in.

  “Oh, no need,” Jaya started to say but the door was already open and all four young women were crowding into the space. Sonia reached out and straightened some papers by tapping them against the cabinet.

  “Where do you want them?” the young woman asked.

  Jaya flipped the files to the right slot and Sonia placed the paperwork as instructed.

  Cathy and Michelle were sitting on the visitor chairs while Chloe leaned against the edge of the desk.

  “What can I do for you, young ladies?” Jaya said pleasantly. She was met with conspiring smiles and twinkling eyes.

  “Oh, nothing…except maybe fill us in on what happened between the tour for Mr. Sebastian two weeks ago and the fundraising party on Saturday,” Chloe said.

  “You mean the real tour on Saturday!” Cathy said and they all cackled.

  Jaya frowned at them and started to feel something like heartburn building in her gut. She should have known that the kids were going to get wind of this debacle and demand answers. She was preparing to explain the
situation when Michelle leaned over the desk.

  “Seriously, Jaya, were you already dating when he came for the tour? Is that why he came?” Michelle prompted excitedly.

  “I wasn’t dating him then and I’m not dating him now. I can tell you that whatever you saw was completely…false,” she attempted to say with authority.

  Four sets of eyes rolled in disbelief. “Well, we’re just here to tell you that the pictures are ah-maze-ing. You are super photogenic girl!” Cathy said.

  “Thank you but…”

  “She’s not photogenic,” Chloe declared flatly. “I took that picture of her during the picnic last year, remember?” she reminded them and started to scroll through her phone.

  “That’s not the point, though,” Jaya stated. “What I’m trying to say is that the pictures are no…”

  “Oh yeah! She looked pissed while playing volleyball. You really need to work on your resting bitch face,” Cathy said sympathetically.

  Jaya narrowed her eyes and Cathy said, “Sorry. I meant your thinking face needs some…work?”

  “You two are photogenic together,” Michelle said with a dreamy tone.

  “About that. We’re not together,” Jaya started to say but was interrupted by a noticeable sigh and a quick hug.

  Sonia had her arms around Jaya and said, “You looked like a princess.”

  “Oh, um…”

  “And that dress. Is that a sari?” Michelle asked. “And can you wear it to work one day?”

  “Yes, it is, and, um, yeah, sure. What I’m trying to say is…” Jaya’s phone notification pinged. It was Shirley.

  Shirley: I’m walking over to the meeting. Want me to wait for you?

  Jaya realized that with her crutches, she was already cutting it short to get to the meeting on time.

  Jaya: You go ahead and let them know I’m hobbling over? Thanks. See you in a bit.

  “Folks, I need to get to a meeting,” Jaya said and was about to reiterate her correction about the pictures, but the girls were already grabbing their backpacks and giving her high fives.

  “Say hi to Mr. Sebastian for us,” Cathy droned and they all giggled.