It was nice while it lasted, Stace.
“Stacey Marie Paris,” Lydia says a little too loudly as she nears my table. A couple of people look over at her and frown. They clearly weren’t expecting their quiet coffee break to be interrupted by a fiery red-head. I turn my attention back to Lydia and I can see that she is fuming. “What the bloody hell do you think you are doing?” She stops at my table and takes the seat opposite me. I close my laptop and smile at her.
“Well, Lydia, I am enjoying a delicious cream cake and a latte. What does it look like I am doing?” I can’t help but sound sarcastic.
“Don’t get smart with me, missy.”
“I’m not,” I say innocently.
“Do you know how worried I was when I got out of the bath to find that you had buggered off out without me?” she screeches.
“Keep your voice down, Lyd,” I reply. “I just wanted to come out, on my own, without being watched for a little bit.”
“There is a reason for you being watched, Stace. Jesus Christ, don’t you care that Caitlin might appear and do something stupid again?” Her anger is not dissipating.
“Of course I care, but I don’t see why I should live my life in fear. She has already taken enough from me, without her having my freedom too.” I feel myself getting angry now, and I take a few breaths to keep myself calm. “Lydia, I know that you are just looking out for me and I am grateful for that, but I need to start doing some things by myself. I didn’t go far from the flat, did I?”
“That’s not the point.” Lydia sighs.
“I won’t apologise for coming to my local coffee shop and having a drink and a cake.”
“I’m not asking you to apologise,” Lydia says, her voice becoming calmer. “I just want you to be careful.”
“I know, and I was. I survived the walk here and I am fine. I’m great, actually.” Lydia just looks at me and I decide to give her a peace offering. “Cream cake?” I say as I pass the plate with my cake on over to her. I see her begin to smile and I know that I have gotten through to her.
“So I don’t even get a whole one?”
I grin at her and I get up to go and order her a cake as well. I return to the table, cake in hand, and I place it in front of Lydia. She picks the cake up and takes a huge bite as I return to my seat and sip my latte.
“Good?” I ask as she shovels more cake into her mouth.
“Mmm. Delicious.” I laugh at her and it hits me that this is my normal, and I love it. “So, what time is Jake getting you later?”
“He said about half four.”
“Are you going to his place?”
“I presume so. He hasn’t said otherwise. All I know is that we are having dinner together.” Maybe I should have asked him where we were going? To be honest though, I don’t really care, I’m just excited at the thought of seeing him. “Hey, I remembered Paul by the way.”
“Oh.” Lydia sounds downcast as she answers.
“Oh?” From what I have remembered, Lydia and Paul were doing good.
“It hasn’t come back to you yet what I did to him, has it?” I shake my head and Lydia groans. “I didn’t think so, otherwise you wouldn’t be asking me about him.”
“What did you do?” I hate to ask, but I really want to know.
“I’ll go and order a coffee, and you’re going to need another one. We could be here a little while longer.”
Jake
I finally reach Stacey’s just before five. Work was a fucking nightmare. Now all I want to do is unwind and spend some time with Stacey.
Things have been going good between us over the last few days. The more she remembers, the more she is opening up to me. I knock on the flat door and wait for either her or Lydia to answer it. A few minutes’ pass by and there is no answer, so I knock again. Maybe they didn’t hear me the first time?
There is still no answer.
I knock a third time before marching back down to my car to get my phone. I check the message from her earlier, just to double check that she knew what time I would roughly be here. The message confirms I said four thirty-ish. I scan the area, but there is no sign of her.
Where the fuck is she?
What if something has happened?
My mind starts to race with endless possibilities, and none of them are good. I find her name on my phone and hit the call button. It rings a few times, making me more impatient. Finally, as I am about to hang up, she answers.
“Hey, Jake,” she says, sounding cheerful.
“Hi. Is everything okay?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“Well, I’m at the flat and there is no answer.”
“Oh shit, is it that time already?” She pauses for a second. “I’m sorry, Jake, I just lost track of time.”
“That’s okay.” Relief washes through me. She just lost track of time, that I can live with.
“I’m with Lydia, at Danish. We will be back in ten minutes.”
“No, it’s okay. I can come there, if that’s easier?” I don’t want her rushing around and exhausting herself.
“Are you sure?” she asks.
“Yeah. I will be with you in a few minutes.”
“Okay. I’ll get you a coffee in. Remind me how you take it again?” She says it in a joking manner. She has really started to relax about the memory loss over the last couple of days.
“I’ll have a cappuccino, no sugar.”
“Got it. See you shortly.”
“Can’t wait.” I hear her giggle as I hang up the phone and it brings a ridiculous big grin to my face.
She’s slowly coming back to me.
Stacey
Jake walks into Danish five minutes later looking so good that I could literally eat him. I feel myself swoon as he makes his way to our table.
“Afternoon, ladies,” Jake says as he pulls over a chair from another table. He places the chair next to me and I pass his drink to him. “Thanks,” he says as he takes a sip.
“Hi, Jake,” Lydia says. “How’s it going?”
“Better now that I’m not at work.”
“Shit day?” Lydia asks him.
“Like you wouldn’t believe.” I am yet to speak to him, I just drink in how handsome he looks whilst he and Lydia make chit-chat. The more I remember about him, the more it heightens my feelings for him.
“Stacey?” Lydia says, startling me from my thoughts.
“Huh?”
“Where did you go? You zoned out there,” Lydia says, giving me a knowing look. I feel myself blush and I clear my throat and try to think of something to say.
“Oh, uh, I was just thinking about…” Nothing comes to me. Jake and Lydia are both staring at me, waiting for an answer. I look to Lydia for help and luckily, she comes to my rescue and changes the subject.
“So, what are you guys up to tonight?” she asks, and I breathe a sigh of relief. Clearly, I couldn’t have told them how I was thinking about Jake, in his suit, looking like a God.
“Well, I was thinking that we could go out somewhere for dinner?” Jake says, directing his question at me.
“Sounds good. Where did you have in mind?” I ask, my brain finally able to piece together a sentence.
“I was thinking about Claringtons.”
“Claringtons? Seriously?”
“Oh my God,” Lydia chips in. “That place is so swanky. The food is to die for. Oh, you have to go there, Stace.” She seems more excited than me about the idea of Jake taking me there.
“Have you never been?” Jake asks me.
“No,” I answer, feeling a little nervous at the prospect of going somewhere so posh. It is an exclusive restaurant and some people book months in advance to go there. “Won’t it be fully-booked?” I ask.
“No, it’s fine. The owner uses my firm for his accounts, and I use them for business meetings, so it’s fairly easy for me to book a table.”
“Oh,” I say. Oh God, does that mean that I have to get all dressed up?
“We don�
��t have to go there. We can go somewhere more low-key, if you like?” Jake says, clearly noticing my hesitance.
“What?” Lydia screeches. “Don’t be silly, she would love to go there.” I raise my eyebrows at Lydia, but she ignores my questioning look. Jake is looking at me for an answer, ignoring Lydia’s over the top reaction.
“No, it’s okay. We can go to Claringtons.” I don’t want to sound like a buzz kill by suggesting the local pizza place.
“Great. I will give them a call to book a table. Is seven o’clock okay?”
“That’s fine,” I answer. Jake gets up from his chair and goes outside to make the phone call. As soon as he is out of ear shot, I stare daggers at Lydia.
“What?” she says, innocently.
“Lydia, I can’t go to Claringtons.”
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t have anything appropriate to wear.” It’s the first excuse I can think of.
“Yes, you do,” Lydia says dismissing my excuse.
“But––”
“Stacey, let him take you out and treat you how you should be treated. Let him have this.” I think about her words and I allow them to sink in. I look out of the window at Jake and I think about what he has been put through in the last couple of weeks. Lydia is right. Jake deserves a break from the rollercoaster that has been my life since the stabbing.
“Okay,” I say. Lydia squeals with excitement.
“Yay!” Lydia claps her hands together and I laugh at her reaction. She stands up and gestures for me to do the same. “Come on then, we need to get you ready for your date.”
Chapter Nineteen
Stacey
By half past six, I am dressed and ready to go. Lydia has had me holed up in her bedroom since we returned from the coffee shop. Jake drove us back from Danish and was then ordered to go and wait in the lounge, and as far as I am aware, he has complied.
Lydia has done my hair and make-up, which I am yet to see. She has also made me wear my little black dress, which shows off my long legs. The dress is one of my favourites, but I am a little worried that it may be a little too much. I voice as much to Lydia, to which she replies that I am talking nonsense. She then informs me that Paul took her there before she decided to avoid him like the plague, so she clearly knows what the people there wear. I suppose I just have to trust her on this one, seeing as I have never been and have no clue what I would be expected to wear.
She finally lets me look in the mirror, and I have to say, she has done an amazing job. My hair is hanging in loose waves around my face, the make-up she has used has accentuated my cheekbones and highlighted the colour of my eyes, making them stand out more. I run my eyes over the dress and I feel like a completely different person.
I am not Stacey who was attacked nearly two weeks ago.
I am just Stacey, going on a date with an incredibly hot guy.
The dress comes to just above my knee, which is acceptable. I wouldn’t have wanted to wear anything that was shorter. The long sleeves of the dress mean that I won’t need to cover myself over with a cardigan. Lydia retrieves my pair of black shoe boots from my bedroom, and I put them on. She then hands me her black clutch-bag and I transfer my phone, purse and keys into there.
“Wow, Lyd, you really missed your calling to be a stylist or a make-up artist.” I am in awe of what she can make me look like when the need calls for it.
“You do look good, girl.” She smiles and admires her handiwork. “It helps though that you’re naturally gorgeous anyway.” I roll my eyes at her and do a twirl. “Jake isn’t going to know what’s hit him when he sees you.” She says his name, and the butterflies start to flutter madly in my stomach.
“Oh God, Lyd. What if I act like a prat when I’m at the posh restaurant?” I ask her nervously.
“Well, then it will be no different to normal.” She laughs, and I swat her on the arm. “You will be fine. Just go, have fun and relax. God knows the two of you deserve it.”
“You’re right,” I say, psyching myself up.
“I know. Now, enough chit-chat, you need to be going.” She opens her bedroom door and gestures for me to walk out. I take a deep breath, hold my clutch-bag tightly, and I walk down the hallway to the lounge.
I appear in the lounge doorway and Jake is sat in the chair. As I come into view, his eyes look up from his mobile phone and over to where I am stood. His gaze travels slowly from my feet and all the way up my body until his eyes meets mine.
“Wow,” he says on a breath. I’m not sure if he was meant to voice that out loud, but it certainly does wonders for my self-esteem.
“You ready to go?” I ask him, deciding to take the lead as he seems to have lost the ability to speak. Jake clears his throat and I hold back a chuckle.
“Yeah.” He stands up and I turn and walk to the front door. Lydia is in her bedroom doorway and she gives me a thumbs up as I pass. I give her a quick smile and then open the front door. Jake follows behind me as I walk down the stairs and out into the fresh air. At this point, I turn to him and smile. He still looks slightly wide-eyed, which I am hoping is a good thing. He directs me to his car and opens the passenger door.
“Thanks,” I say, as I lower myself into the seat. Once I am in, he shuts the door and goes around to the driver’s side, getting in and starting the car. I put my seat-belt on and wait for Jake to start driving. When a few seconds’ pass by and the car still hasn’t moved, I turn to look at him. His eyes search mine as he holds my gaze.
“You look incredible,” he says. I blush and feel my heartbeat accelerate. The moment is charged with the sexual tension radiating between us.
“Thank you.” I don’t know what else to say.
Jake leans closer to me and I feel like I am going to pass out from the suspense of the moment.
Is he going to kiss me?
Oh God, please let him kiss me.
We haven’t kissed since I was last at his house, and that moment was abruptly cut short. His face comes closer to mine and I hold my breath with anticipation. He stops just before he connects our lips.
“May I?” he whispers.
“Yes,” I whisper back, and I close my eyes at the feel of his lips on mine.
I bring my hand up so that I am cupping his cheek, and I can feel his stubble lightly graze the palm of my hand. Our tongues entwine, getting themselves reacquainted with each other. My sex awakens and all I want to do is give myself to him. I desperately want his hands to explore my body.
I have had a few flashbacks of Jake in the bedroom, and even those leave me wet with need. His hand rests on my knee, causing goose-bumps to race up and down my body. We stay connected like that for a few moments before the kiss draws to an end. I open my eyes as our lips break apart and I catch my breath before I remove my hand from his cheek and place it in my lap. Jake smiles and I mirror him.
“You ready to go?” he asks. I nod my head and then he diverts his attention to driving.
I feel like I am floating on cloud nine.
I can’t believe that I ever forgot this guy. I may not have fully recovered my memory yet, but from what I do know and remember, I feel lucky to have met him.
We drive to the restaurant, listening to the radio in the background and we arrive at Claringtons just before seven o’clock. Jake, ever the gentleman, opens the car door for me and helps me out.
“Are you sure that I look okay?” I ask, my eyes darting to a couple walking in. The woman is wearing a long dress and I start to doubt Lydia’s choice of outfit for me.
“You look more than okay,” Jake says taking my hand in his. He hands his car keys to a valet, who will go and park the car us before he leads me into the restaurant, and I am immediately bawled over by how upmarket it is.
The hardwood floors are varnished, the décor is all in cream and gold, and the lighting is intimate. Jake and I wait at the hostess table for a waitress, or waiter, to return and I survey the bar area to my left. The bar looks like it is made of sol
id gold. Even the bar stools ooze class.
The diners all look relaxed and each table is lit by candles. The tables aren’t crammed in together either, so there is plenty of space to give a feeling of privacy. Large leather sofas are situated all of the way down the right-hand side of the building, allowing for a relaxing lounge area. The place looks amazing. I hope that the food is just as good.
A waiter comes over to the hostess table and greets both of us. Jake states that he has a reservation and the waiter checks a seating chart on a stand to the left of him. He then asks us to follow him. As we pass through the restaurant, I notice some of the women looking at Jake with a lust filled expression.
Do they really think that by looking at him like that, that he is going to go over and speak to them?
They seem to take no notice of the fact that he is holding my hand, clearly indicating that he is here with someone. The waiter leads us to the back of the restaurant to a table in the corner of the room. Jake pulls out my chair for me and I sit down, thanking him as I do. Jake then sits opposite me and the waiter asks us what we would like to drink. I ask for a diet coke and Jake orders the same.
“I will be back in a moment with your drinks,” the waiter says, his eyes lingering a little bit too long on me. Jake notices and I can see his jaw twitch.
When the waiter has gone, I look around me. I feel a little out of place here and I see one woman looking at me. She must be in her fifties, and she sticks her nose up in the air at me. I divert my gaze from her and look back to Jake.
“This place is beautiful,” I say. I don’t hide how impressed I am at the grandeur of it all.
“It is. Wait until you taste the food.” The waiter returns at this point with our drinks. He places mine on the table first and then Jake’s. He then starts to tell us what the speciality dish of the night is. The dish is roasted leg of minted lamb with fondant potatoes and seasonal vegetables, with a minted gravy. My mouth waters at the sound of it and I order that without even looking at the menu. Jake orders the same and then dismisses the waiter.
I am about to ask Jake about his day when the waiter returns with two glasses of champagne on a tray.
The Complete Perfect Series Page 30
