Someone Like You

Chapter 20

~ Chapter Twenty ~ 

At 3:30, Erika pulls up her Audi in front of my flat. 

"Oh my," Erika looks up at my front door and turns to me.  

Whipping my head around, I turn to see what has caught Erika's attention. There's Jamie, sitting at the top of my steps in a brown leather jacket with his elbows propped up on his denim-covered knees. He's simply breath-taking. I still find myself in disbelief over everything that has transpired over the last forty-eight hours. Damn it, I freeze knowing I'm not prepared to talk to him. 

"You have to talk to him, so you might as well get it over with. Do you want me to stay?" 

"No thanks, Erika, but you are a life-saver helping me through this weekend. Truly you are an amazing friend. Thank you." 

"Call me if you need to talk after he leaves, I'll be at home." 

"I will, thanks." Leaning over I give her a hug and pop open the door. I grab my bags from the back seat. Before shutting the door I bend down to peek at Erika, "Thanks for everything. Wish me luck." 

"Good Luck, be strong, and ring me!" Erika gestures with her thumb and pinkie up to her ear. 

As the car pulls away, I notice Jamie, casually descending the steps, approaching me cautiously with his hands in his pockets. He's not smiling and looks upset.  

"Hi." He says tenderly. 

"Hello," I address him formally showing no emotion. I feel like we are strangers and have been thrown into an awkward pre-arranged first date, where we are meeting nervously for the first time. The silence is deafening, so I skirt around him to walk up the steps.  

"Please Audrey I've been worried sick about you for days. Tell me what the hell is going on. I'm lost. I tried to ring you dozens of times and sent texts that you never answered. What happened since I left?" 

"You and Katerina happened. Paris, Thursday night, in your hotel room, before your shower, when I called to leave you a message to tell you how much I missed you and how I felt like you were meant to be a part of my life." Shooting him a glaring look, I continue. "But then she answered and I heard you calling her, by name, to the shower! End of phone call and end of story, so please leave, and don't call me."  

He literally looked like he had been shot in the chest as I backed off. 

"What the fuck are you talking about? Are you going to file a restraining order on me as well?" 

Boom! Just like a shot, the air was knocked right out of me when the words left his mouth. How did he know? 

"What did you say?" I shout. My fuse was lit! 

"I asked you first."  

"I told you I don't play games, Jamie!" 

"This isn't a game to me, damn it! Our relationship is not a fucking game to me, which incidentally is why I came straight from the airport to find you. I've been worried out of my fuckin mind. When you didn't answer the door, I went to Nate's pub, where I was informed that your flat was broken into Thursday night, possibly by your ex-fiancé, whom I never knew existed until Lizzy explained to me an hour ago!  

He took a deep breath and lowered his voice taking a softer tone. 

"Why didn't you tell me all this Thursday night when I called you? Why a restraining order? What the fuck has he put you through? And when did you talk to Katerina?" 

"So she was there!" 

"Yes, she was in town, but she was never in my room! You know, you aren't the only one with questions. Help me understand what is going on!"