Jake
After we grabbed some food I saw my family all sitting on a large rounded table in the corner of the room. Everyone was chatting, eating and drinking the place dry most likely.
I could see Connor talking with Lilly... well Lilly talked and Connor just sat there smiling at her like he always does. Jay was talking to Paul who looked bored out of his mind. He saw me from across the room and waved me over. More of a rescue than anything else. Paul and Jay loved each other but they couldn't be more different. Jay was well cut, serious and straight to the point and Paul didn't have a serious bone in his body. Everything was a joke in his eyes and anything serious he batted away as quick as it came. He was a big kid. God knows what goes on in his brain.
As Paul waved his hand to me everyone turned to see me. Including her.
Kate's large green eyes found mine and my breath court in my throat. She looked away just before I saw the her cheeks reddened. She might have found it easy to look away but I couldn't take my eyes off of her.
It was those damn eyes... witches eyes! That hooked you on to her spell. And what a spell it was. I took her in from head to toe and I couldn't help wondering what she ware under that dress. Was she a lace or silk girl. Or did she wear anything at all.
Jesus. I felt my trousers tighten uncomfortably as I looked at her breasts in that dress. How could she look so shy and innocent but at the same time look so damn sexy.
Stop it! Look away and stop thinking about her on her back, legs wrapped around you and that dress up to her waist. I thought to myself.
"Friends of yours?" a voice brought me back to earth.
It was then I remembered Leah standing next to me.
"Ahh. Yes" pull yourself together Jake, I straighten. "Do you mind if we go and sit with my family? They're waving us over" I asked trying to rub off the feeling the green eyed girl chanting.
"No, I don't mind. let's go" she smiled. She was truly beautiful. Why could I picture her legs wrapped around my waist? Other than Chris claiming her with his eyes earlier, she would have been great entertainment and a much better choice than Kate Smith.
"Hey guys" I said pulling a chair out for Leah. "Everyone this is Leah, my future wife, according to mother" I joked as everyone around the table boast out laughing, other than Kate, who sat quiet next to me.
Her cheeks were still pink and I could feel her shoulders tense up as we brush next to each other with my arm.
Why did I sit next to her? It was like an alcoholic walking into a pub. I could smell her sitting this close... 'you need to be close with her remember. So you can keep a close eye on her' I thought. Right, I tried to convince myself. The plan. Remember the plan.
Fucking her isn't part of the plan
"Wow, am I really that laughable" Leah said laughing along with them.
"Sorry but just the thought of my brother finding someone to actually marrying him is unbelievable to us" Jay laughed with the others. He seems to be in a better mood.
"This is Jay my other brother, he's a lawyer in London, works with your grandfather" I said making my way round the table.
"Oh do I. What's your grandfather's name?" he asked.
"Rupert Anderson" she said as everyone around the table looked shocked at her, Lilly the most. I know she was most likely confused how someone like Leah could be related to a woman like Jess.
"Yes guys we're eating with the owners granddaughter calm down" I smiled bring everyone back to earth.
After introducing everyone to Leah, she made herself right at home chatting away to everyone. I lent back on my chair and turned to look over at Kate. She was smiling at the group as they all talked but it didn't meet those big green eyes of hers. Not as good of an actress as she may think, it would seem.
"I feel like I'm having dinner with the royals" Paul joked in a girly tone.
"You and I both. I'm not used to all this. Normally it's just me in my flat with Chinese in Soho" Leah said making everyone laugh.
Everyone started eating again when Kate turned to Leah and spoke for the first time since I got here.
"You live in Soho?" she asked.
"Yer on Dean Street" Leah replied.
"Oh, I live right around the corner from there" she smiled. I looked down at her in surprise that she finally gave away something of her life. I noticed Jay give her a little nudge. Most likely reminding her that she had a job to do. I smirked.
"Leah, this is Kate. Jay's... girlfriend?" I introduced them but found the word girlfriend hard to escape my lips. It turned into a question tone then a fact. My bad. Paul hits me with a bread roll. I look up at him with an innocent expression when he gives me a questionable look back.
Ignoring him I get to work on eating. Zoning out of conversation until I hear Leah and Kate still talking to each other.
"I work for Chris Howard" Leah was saying.
"Really. He's always in the magazines isn't he with that model, oh what's her name..." Good to know that Kate can read, I thought then instantly felt like an ass.
"Yeah that would be my sister Jessica Anderson"
"Is that weird? I mean your boss and sister dating" Kate asked.
Black kettle Kate, I thought. No 'weirder' then being paid to date some guy and lie to bunch of people. I wanted to say something but held my tongue.
"Not really, I don't get on with my sister very well or my family really. It's only my Grandfather who I ever see" Leah shrugged, honestly.
See that Kate, here is an honest, open girl you can learn from. I needed a drink. I was turning into a bitch.
"'But that's nice that you have him to be close to" she said smiling that bright beauty of hers. I hadn't seen her smile like that before, it looked more real. Similar to the when she smiled at the family dinner last night when everyone was singing about the bloody colcannon.
"What about you? Are you close to your family?" Leah asked. I sure the quick look Jay sent down to Kate but she just looked at her food shrugging her shoulders.
"No..." she shook her head before smiling up at Kate. "Meaning that I don't have a family"
"Oh, I'm sorry"
"It's ok. It happened when I was a baby, my parents died in a car crash and ever since it's just been me" she said smiling a narrowed smile. There was something not quit right about the way Kate's eyes looked as she talked about her family. From what she's said I know she was in care but the mystery of this girl was growing intensely.
I wanted to know about her childhood, I wanted to know who looked after her and what she was like as a child. I wanted to know where she came from and who this Millie person was she talked about so often.
"What do you do for a living?" Leah asked Kate who waited awhile before replying. "I..." she began before Jay got his voice in there.
"Kate's in the hospitality area, aren't you hun" Kate looked at him for a bit before turning back round to Leah smiling.
"Yeah but I'm hoping to go back to college to study baking" She said as I saw a hidden smirk make its way on her mouth. From the look on Jay's face I can tell he didn't want her to mention that part again like she did at the dinner. I couldn't help but laugh, I loved seeing Jay swarm especially when it's done by someone other than me.
"Really that sounds great" Leah said.
"When are you hoping to do that then, Kate?" Lilly said from the after side of the table.
"I'm hoping next year sometime, if things work out" she said the last part quietly and quickly before eating again. My head nearly snapped as I turned and looked at her in shock. 'If things work out' meaning if she gets her hands on my brother's money she means. We'll tell you what love, I've got a better proposal for you, I thought. She can go on any course her heart desires as long as she stays away from my family.
"I'm just going to the restroom and going to go look round for mum" Lilly said sitting up from her chair. As she got up, so did Connor smiling at everyone and then following Lilly just steps be hide her. To anyone else this would seem strange but the family were used to Connor following my sister around like a dog.
"Why did Connor go when Lilly went? Are they together or something?" Leah asked.
"Connor is Lilly's bodyguard" I said up from my food.
"Oh, I thought you said he was your team mate?"
"He was, until he hurt his knee. Can't really play anymore... Well he could but I think that he likes his new job better" I said as I thought back to the moment of the game when Connor got plumaged to the ground. Half his leg went one way as the other faces the other way. I could remember him just lying there in pain as the team crowd around him, even large grown med turning away from his deformed leg.
It's an athletes one fear in their career that would stop them doing what they love but Connor didn't really seem to care. I guess he found something he loved better and when his leg healed in just didn't see the point in playing again. However much I beg him to.
"I, he's totally in love with Lilly" Paul said drinking his beer.
"Poor guy" Jays said shaking his head. Connor did love my sister, he never told anyone about his feelings but he knew we all knew. The only person that didn't was Lil, she was too blind to see but I had a feeling if he only told her his feelings she would feel the same. She was just better at hiding them than he was. I could see what the others couldn't, Lilly depends on Connor more than she knows. She sees him as a best friend but thinks he only sees her as my little sister.
"Connor is in love with Lilly" I heard Kate ask Jay beside me. Great now she knows more about the family, is she going to sell all our stories to the paper. I scowled drinking the rest of my drink.
"Does Lilly know?" Leah asks as all the boys looked my way.
"Dunno" I said. I couldn't really forum much of a sentences right now, I was trying to get the thought of Kate selling our stories out of my head.
"Kate do you fancy going for a walk around the gardens? It's really sunny outside and we can talk more" Leah asked Kate. I didn't like the idea of Kate being alone at this party,.God only knows what she'll say or do and I could tell Jay felt the same.
"AH...I don't think..." I said as Jay followed with "That's not a good..." but were not quick either as Kate was already out of her seat.
"Yeah sure" she smiled as Leah and her walked outside together.
Me and Jay both turned back in our chairs and let out a long sigh when Paul stood from the table.
"I'm going to go get a drink, are either of you going to stop me?" he said raising one of his eyebrows grinning.
Kate
I really liked Leah. We had only just met but it already felt like I've known her longer. I've never had a friend my own age before. When I was at school I was a quite shy girl who hid from everyone. With everything that was happening at home I didn't really have time for friends and then when I moved to London not everyone was the friendliest of people. Some of the people who worked in the shop were nice but I was always too shy to act on any future friends that could have been made.
So my only friend has ever been Millie and I loved her dearly but I would really love a friend close to my age. Who I had something in common with and felt I could tell them anything and they would still stand by me. I was starting to feel like Leah could be my first true friend... God that made me sound so sad.
"Does your Granddad really own all this?" I asked as we both took in the view in front of us. We were walking below the terraces to where all the wild flowers laid beautifully.
"Yeah, pretty unbelievable right" she replied turning to walk down the steps to the gardens.
"You're telling me" I followed as we passed all the people that were now standing outside. It truly was a beautiful day. Whenever the weather was nice in London and I had the afternoon off, which was very rare. I would hop on the tube and walk along the river in St James Park or lay on the grass in Hype Park but this... being in a place where you can look out for miles and see only green fields. I've never experienced such a view, I let myself imagine for just a moment that all this was mine and I got to wake-up every morning to this country life.
"You want to go explorer a little, in the gardens?" Leah asked bring me back from Neverland.
"Yeah sure" I smiled.
"Cool, I've never been here before so I don't know where I'm going" she laughed "I hope we don't get lost" I laugh along with her, I wouldn't mind getting lost in a place like this. We started heading around the garden looking at more of the wild flowers, there were flowers everywhere.
"I've never been somewhere like this before. It's amazing, I want to take it all in so I don't forget anything" I said.
"Yeah makes me wish I brought my camera" she said. Makes me wish I had a camera I thought as we passed the fountain. Leah was looking at the water and I could tell she was suddenly miles away.
"I really like your dress" I said after a moment of silence I didn't know what else to talk about, even though I was enjoying Leah's company I had to remember I was playing apart.
"Thanks it's from H&M" all my hopes for acting the lady Jay wanted me to be were out the window. I was far too excited that Leah was wearing a dress from the high street. She really did just seem normal.
"Oh I love that shop I used to go in there like every day before work but started spending way too much money" I laughed.
"I know I just wish they have a store card but saying that I would be in more debt... I like your dress, it's really pretty. Where did you get it?" my smile topped as I looked down at my outfit. I really was a lovely dress, it was cream with different layers and puffy but it wasn't me and I wasn't really comfortable in it.
"Jay brought it for me. He said that he wanted me looking respectable to his friends and family so he brought me this. I think it's from Ralph Lauren. It's so much money I'm scared to eat or drink anything on it just in case" I decide that I would just be honest with her other than think of some stupid lie.
Leah nodded then grinned walking over to the table grabbing two glasses of what looked like pimms.
"Don't worry about it. What will be, will be" she said tapping her glass with mine. I took a large sighed and decided to just go for it. If I spill anything on the dress they could just have it cleaned.
"Thanks but I still wish I was wearing something of mine. I don't really feel myself in this dress" I said pulling the dress up again.
"I always feel the same, when I was coming down here I could see the looks I was getting of people, what she wearing? Is that high street? Even the men were giving me that look" she made a funny face of disgust, I laughed.
"Yeah but I bet it wasn't the same look" I teased back giving her a wink... I wink? That was so unlike me. It must be the pimms I've never drank alcohol before but from the teased of this I could see why people drank so much.
"'What do you mean?" she said sending me a clueless look.
"Come on! They were most likely checking 'you' out, Leah" Did she really not understand what I was trying to say? She was hot! I could even see that.
Working at the bar, I learnt what men where really like. The looks they gave the girls dancing. I learnt how a man showed they wanted someone and from the looks some of the guys were sending over here at Leah, I could tell they weren't looking at her outfit.
"No! No they weren't, trust me" she laughed.
"Ok, whatever you say" I laughed drinking some more before I noticed it, it was gone.
"So you want to go back to school to study bakery. That's cool, I wish I could cook" she changed the subject but I didn't mind.
"Yeah, I love to bake. I've always wanted my own store somewhere in a small town, not like London. Somewhere like here in the country, were its peaceful"
"That sounds great. Where are you working now?" her question pulled me away from my little dream in the country.
Bugger! What was I meant to say? Well right now I'm a paid escort to Jay but my day jobs working in a strip club.
"Mmm..." I said playing with my empty glass.
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I don't mind. But just to let you know I won't judge. I worked in cafes since I was eighteen before working for Chris"
"Chris?" I wasn't really listening I was trying to work out if I should just tell her the truth or not. I've been dying to talk to someone about everything that's gone on but there's been no one and I know I've only just met Leah but I feel this weird connection with her.
"Mr Howard" she said quickly.
"Oh... Yeah sorry forgot. Well I'm sure Jays wouldn't want me to tell everyone but he works with your Granddad so I guess you don't count as 'everyone'. I work in a nightclub at the bar, you know just to pay the rent" I said nervously as we walked around the grass.
"What's the bad in that? Why wouldn't Jay want you to tell everyone that?" she laughed. This was it just tell her the real you and see where that gets me...
"It's in a strip club... but I don't strip" I quickly added the last bit. Leah's expression didn't change much which made me feel a little better but my heart was still thumping on my chest.
"Oh... I can kind of see why he wouldn't want 'these' kinds of people knowing. The women here are stuck-up but their husbands are the guys that are into that kind of thing" she looked around grinning.
"I know that's what's so funny about it" I said still a little nervous but starting to feel much better that Leah was just laughing about it and didn't seem to mind at all.
"Why were you so upset earlier?" she asked out of the blue. I was caught off guard. "Sorry to pry but you looked like you were going to cry back there. Was it something Jay said?" she asked.
"Oh it wasn't Jay" I said turned my face away from the crowd. I wasn't annoyed that she asked but it just reminded me of Jake. It was starting to get... intense how much he disliked me and how it made me feel. Earlier he didn't say anything to me but it was the looks and sitting so close by me that made me feel like I couldn't breathe.
"Oh?" she said asking for more.
"It was Jake... you might have notice that he doesn't like me" I said with a sad tone. I don't know why is upsets so much that he doesn't like me but it does. It makes me either what to fight for his affection or run on the opposite direction.
"I did feel a bit of tension earlier but I wouldn't say he didn't like you" she said sweetly. She's ever being too nice or it's because she doesn't know what he knows about me.
"It's not that he doesn't like me. He hates me. He hates that I'm here and that I'm dating his brother" I said with tears building in my eyes. God why am I upset he's only one man! And none of this was real anyway.
"Oh come now do you really think that's true?" Leah said smiling but I just nodded taking a large breath to calm down.
Don't cry, don't cry I told myself. "I know I've only just met Jake today but he doesn't seem the kind of guy that hates a lot of people. Not someone like you anyway" she smiled kindly.
"You don't understand. He has every right to hate me and want me away from his family" I laughed out of awkwardness. I was starting to understand why he was acting like a cave man to me now because that's what he was. He was a six foot, buff man that would do all he could to protect what's his. His family.
I didn't have a family but I could imagine what it would be like... and I know that if I ever had a truly loving family like his, I'd do anything to keep them safe from harm.
"What right?" Leah said sounding shocked I was about to tell her everything then, tell her every reason why he hates me so much... but I couldn't have her hating me as well.
"I'm not allowed to tell anyone. Jay will have my head. Just trust me that I'm not the best of people" I said.
"Ok. I won't ask anymore but I won't trust what you say! I think you're a great person" I turned back her way and smiled, if only she knew.
"Hey Leah!" we both turned as someone yelled behind us. Across the garden was a stunning blonde woman in a green dress hold a little baby in one arm and a young girl holding her other with cute little pig tails and hair as red as Leah's.
"Hey Gemma, you look great"
"Thanks so do you" They both greeted each other before Leah turned round to introduce me.
"This is Kate" I smiled and waved at the shy little girl that just hid behind her mother's dress. "Kate this is Gemma Jackson, she's Chris Howard's sister. Kate is seeing Jay Minster, Jake Minster's brother. Do you know him?" Leah asked. God just hearing his name made my heart jump.
"Oh Yes! I've known the Minster's since I was young. Lilly is my best friend and Jake, Christian's" It was then that I remembered Jake talking about her family in the car on the way here. "We've known each other for years. Actually Karl is very close to Connor. Have you met him yet? He's a great family friend and Godfather of his little guy. That's why we named him after him" she asked Leah. Wow she talks so fast.
"Yeah I've met him today, he's here" Leah nodded, she understood all that?
"Is he really? He never said" she smirked.
"I think his here as Lilly's bodyguard" I said.
"Oh... he is, is he? Well I knew he would give himself that title sooner or later" she laughed
"What do you mean?" Leah asked as we both looked on with interest.
"Well you know Lilly's a model, she's recently growing as an actress and the press are all over her like a rash. Lilly's been having problems with them for over a year and Connor was always over protective of Lilly so he would go everywhere with her and follow her everywhere she wanted to go. That's why they moved in together. Now Lilly has this whole fear of being anywhere without him" she explained.
"Oh"
"Jay and his brothers said that Connor was in love with her, is that true?" I said slowly, I didn't know if I should of said anything. I've never gossip with a group of girls before I didn't really know what I should say and shouldn't.
"I think so but Lilly is blind to it if it is true" she grinned she hopped the baby on her as the little girl came from behind her. She was so cute.
"What true?" said the little girl.
"Sorry darling, bad mummy" Gemma said pulling her little girl into her side hugging her.
Was it bad that I envied this little girl? What I would do to have had a childhood with a loving Mum... it's not worth thinking about. I thought as a shook my head to get the painful thoughts out.
"Paige would you like to come and look at some of the pretty flowers" Leah says as the little girl nods her head and walks over to the flower bed with Leah, leaving me and Gemma alone.
"She's lovely" I say with a smile.
"Thanks. She's my flower, an angel compared to my two other little monsters"
"You have more children?" she looked too young to have had that many children.
"Yeah. Two twin boys Simon and David, you've meet Paige and this little one is called Connor Junior" she smiled as she cradled her little baby. "So you and Jay? How long has that been going on?" she asked.
"Two months" I relied. I was more confident now with these types of questions, I've been answering them enough.
"I bet Sally has been giving you the once over" she laughed.
"She's been lovely" I smiled along with her but then thought of Jake 'giving me the once over'. "It's more Jake that seems uneasy about us being together" I said looking confused hoping she would share some light of why he would be like this.
"Ah! That's Jake he most likely wants you for himself" she laughed. "He's a bit of a playboy our Jacky boy is" Her comment made me a little light headed. 'Wants me for himself' of course he doesn't want me! That's the last thing his problem would be.
"Mummy! Mummy look what Leah got me! Mummy look" the little girl ran over with a flower.
"Well done angel! Let's go show Daddy, we'll see you later Kate" she smiled "And don't worry about Jake, he's all bark no bite"
Oh trust me I've seen his bite I thought thinking back to when he kissed me in his families hall way. He has a hard bite that's hard to forget.