Chapter 30
Gemma was paying for my dress with one of Chris's cards. He had a lot of cards. Kate went out to ask which one to use and come back as quickly as she cleft.
Looking a little off colour.
I give her a nod and she smiles back at me like nothing was wrong.
I'd have to quiz her on that later.
Watching Gemma pay, I still can't believe I agreed for him to do this. I think with everyone in the room I felt like I couldn't say no. I really wanted to say no... at the same time I'm glad I didn't.
The dress is amazing but was it worth that much? That's crazy for one dress.
"Gemma? Do you think it's too much? I mean the dress" I said moving over to her side. She rolled her eyes at me and let out a little laugh.
"Leah, you work with him. You know how rich he is" She said which didn't really answer my question.
I know he's rich and could afford a million times that one dress but I still wanted to know if she would pay that much.
"For him" I corrected her.
"What?" She said confused.
"I work for Chris not with him there's a difference. I'm not rich like him or you, I don't have pretty things and thousand-pound dresses. I'm just worried it's too much to... expensive"
"Leah let me tell you this now. Chris doesn't just see you as an employee... he sees you as a friend too. I can tell by the way he looks at you. And trust me when I tell you that a few hundred to his pocket is cheap. Mine's way over that and Lilly's would be if the modelling agency didn't make her wear the designer dresses out as publicity stunts. She gets everything for free. It's strange when your rich it's then that you get things free" Gemma tried to reassure me.
I guess I had to let this one go.
We walked into a small little local pub and could see the guys at the end of the bar already with their pints.
"Ya there you are honey, what would you lovely ladies like to drink" Karl said pulling an arm around his wife's shoulders and then looking at us. Paul and Ben were playing pool and Jay was there, enjoying themselves but I couldn't see Chris. I turned around looking around the small pub but still couldn't see him or Jake thinking about it.
"I think a couple of jugs of Pimms would be great," Lilly said "Connor's paying," she said smiling over at him next to Karl, leaning on the bar. He didn't argue but rolled his eyes and sighing making us all laugh.
"I'll just have an orange juice please," Gemma said. Karl looked down at her shocked and through her a questionable look. "I drank a lot last night that's all" she tried to explain.
"Know you didn't" Karl replied.
"I did?" she said nervously. "Oh well I am driving and all"
Karl just rolled his eyes and turned to me and Kate. "Chris and Jake are outside, why don't you guys go wait out there and we'll bring your drinks out to you" he smiled. Kate and I gave each other a look.
"We don't mind waiting"
"Yeah, we can wait," we both said. I knew why I didn't want to go out there but I wondered why Kate didn't.
"Don't be silly we don't mind. We've got these two for help" Connor said looking at Lilly and Gemma.
I put on a brave smile and started to walk out into the gardens.
The garden view looked over the fields and everything looked amazing. The sun was glazing over the hilltops with the birds out and that glorious hot summer smell you only really got on holiday.
Looking out into the pub garden there where large picnic benches and I could see Chris and Jake sitting a few steps away from us. They both looked like they were in deep conversation before Chris waved us over.
I took in a large breath and looked over at Kate who had a sad expression on her face.
"Hey," I said as both guys stood from the bench. Such gentlemen, I thought, when they wanted to be.
"Hello," they both said. I notice Kate didn't say a word and looked very upset to have to sit next to Jake and didn't make eye contact with him at all.
"So, do you have everything you need for tonight now?" Chris turned half around to ask me.
He gave me one of his amazing smiles that made me nearly stop breathing. I just looked at him with my mouth half-open... Idiot. Speak!
"Hmm... I do. Thank you again" I smiled at him. He just moved his hand so to wave off what I just said like it was no big deal.
"Really, it was too much. I'd like to pay it back to you. Maybe we could subtract it from my wages or I could work overtime..." I started rambling.
"Even though I do like the idea of you working with me more than your office hours, there is no need Leah. It was a present and I would like to keep it like that. However much it costs" he said.
"Well then maybe I should tell you now that your sister made me get shoes, a bag and some jewellery to go with the dress for tonight" he only laughed at the idea of me spending his money. Oh to have money.
"Made you, did she?" he grinned. "Well I look forward to seeing the result of my expenses tonight," he said drinking his beer.
Oh, God. What if he sees me tonight and thinks that all that money was spent on nothing. That it was a waste because I didn't look amazing like the other women at the party. I don't think I know what I put myself up for.
I looked back at Jake and Kate sitting there in silence.
"So, did you two meet before this week or is this the first time you've met Jay's family, Kate?" I asked to try and get a conversation going. But Kate still looked like an emotional mess looking down at her lap and little tears in her eyes.
It didn't look like she was going to cry but it showed that she was upset. She sent a quick look at Jake and then back at me and Chris.
"No. I only met them all this week" she sent us a weak smile.
"I've met so many people this week I'm going to forget everyone by the end. I wasn't expecting there to be so many younger people here than what there are. All my Grandfathers parties are normally full of business friends. It's nice to have younger people here, meet new people. I like meeting new people and making friends it's hard to do that in London with everyone moving around so fast. No one ever stops but I guess that's what everyone loves about cities there busy and never stopping..."
Here is something you need to know about me. When I'm nervous, I can't STOP TALKING. I don't think I have even taken a breath. Everything I'm seeing is completely rush but I can't stop myself.
"That's why I love the countryside so much it's full of nature and things are quiet and slow. It's real peace full and..." I reminded myself how much I'm talking and then suddenly stopped. I looked down at the table and saw them all looking at me like I was a crazy person. "I'm sorry I'm talking too much," I said wishing the others would hurry up with the drinks.
I was still looking down at the table when I heard Chris belt out the loudest laugh I'd ever heard him have. I looked up and saw that the other two were laughing too. I was shocked that they found that so funny.
"What's so funny?" Gemma asked followed by the others carrying the drinks over. They all sat down and wanted to know what was so funny but they were all laughing too much to tell the story.
"It was one of them you had to be those it sees it things," Chris said calming down from his laughing fit. "I thought you were going to pass out with all that speaking at once. I never saw someone talks so fast. Even Gemma" he laughed again. "Right let's order some food"
We stay there till late afternoon talking and joking around in the pub until we all decided that we needed to go back and get ready. I had to use the bathroom so I told them all to walk ahead and I would catch them up but when I came out Chris was sitting on the barstool waiting for me.
"You waited?" I asked him as he got off the stool and pulled the shopping bags out of my hands for me.
"Of course I did," he said leading him out of the pub before we turned to say goodbye.
We started walking down the town slowly just a few minutes behind the others in silence.
"So, hi," he said smiling at me, making me laugh a little. Hi? With spent all afternoon together and now he says hi. But for some reason, I understood that this hi was a different hi than before. It was serious hi maybe we should talk hi.
"Hi...mmm Thank you for the dress, it was too much honestly, I was still thinking of ways that I can pay it back to you" I laughed awkwardly.
He lifted his eyes and gave me a funny look.
"I like the sound of that," he said with a grin.
"I didn't... mean it... the way it sounded... I wouldn't mean" I stubbled out the words as I felt my cheeks redden.
"I know Leah," he said, giving me a playful push on the shoulder. Like you would a friend, I remained myself.
Yet the contact didn't make me feel friendly thoughts. Quite the opposite.
Friends. He just wants to be friends. We should only be friends. I kept telling myself.
He must have felt my shift in emotion as we walked on in silence.
"So you good... I mean are you good?" he sounded... nervous. For the first time.
"I'm fine. Great. Never better" ok that was overkill. "And you, you alright?" I said back even more nervous.
"Never better" was all he said before there was silence again.
"So..." he was trying to approach a topic he knew was going to be awkward. Most likely about what he and Jess were talking about last night.
Why couldn't he just come out and say it? 'Hey Leah, I hear you're in love with me and want to jump my bones but here's the thing I don't see you in that way. My type is more tall, long-legged bitches that want me for my money and good looks. So sorry but not sorry'.
Yeah, he wasn't going to say that.
"Yeah?" I tried to push him on.
"'I don't like things being strange between us," He said turning round to a complete stop making me do the same. He looked so sweet and cute looking down at me like that.
"Neither do I," I said slowly looking back in his eyes.
I didn't what things to change that much between us. I liked how we used to joke around in the office and how friendly we were but now things were different.
We kissed.
I don't think I can just forget that and go back to the way things used to be.
And if he can, then that must main that the kiss didn't mean anything to him compared to what I felt.
"So let's go back to the way things were," he said and my heart dropped.
So, he did what to forget about it. Go back to the way things were before last night. Could I do that? Could I carry on acting like I wasn't in love with him?
"So you want to forget what happened last night then?" I started talking to walk back towards the others again but was stopped by Chris's hand on my arm holding me there.
"NO!" he said a little angrily. What did he mean by no?
"No?" I asked.
"No, I don't want to forget about that kiss," he said moving closer to me.
"You don't?" I said looking down at the floor. I felt a strong hand come along my face. Warm fingers move around my chin, pulling my face softly to his.
"I don't think I could if I tried. It was the best kiss of my life" ya, I thought, that was something with the number of kisses he's had in the past.
"Do you want to forget it?" he asked. My eyes grow wider out of shock. He thought I wanted to forget it?
"I...I just don't understand it. Why did you kiss me?" I looked into his eyes that were burning into mine.
He kept on opening his mouth and then closing it again and again. Most likely trying to think of the right answer but I don't think he even knew the answer himself.
"Why did you kiss me back?" he asks catching me out.
I couldn't very well tell him 'Oh I kissed you back because I'm crazy in love with you' could I. So I just looked at him not being able to tear my eyes away.
My voice came out as nothing but a whisper.
"I asked you first," I said standing my ground. I needed to know the answer.
"Leah, I have to tell you something... something that I should have told you a long time ago but I haven't been man enough to tell you," he said licking his lips and moving in closer.
I forgot where we were as he moved in closer to me and I felt like a moth to a flame being pulled in to only get burned at the end. But I couldn't take my eyes away from his lips.
"Leah..." his voice was so serious I panicked. "Jess is..." He stopped talking.
Jess is what? What? A bitch? Pain in the ass?
Pregnant? Jess is having my baby? That's why we're getting married. Or... was he about to say Jess is the love of my life...
I couldn't handle hearing what he was going to say. I just couldn't.
"I'm happy for you and Jess"' it was the first thing that came to my head. I didn't want to get burned.
"What?" he said back shocked.
"You getting married I mean. That's... great. You two are perfect together you're both rich, attractive, I mean she's beautiful..." I started to say when he interrupted me.
"Yeah but she's also self-centred, condescending, egotistic, mean, the greediest person I've never meant and I would never marry someone like that" he shouted. WHAT? How could he say that? About someone he was marrying... wait did he just say... never marry someone like that? He wasn't getting married?
"Oh... you're not getting married?" I asked shocked.
"Ha, no and we broke-up last night before we kissed" I can't believe what he's telling me. I can't believe it.
Did they break up?
Did they break up?
I was so confused.
"So are you still happy for me Leah?" he asked moving back closer.
"Is... That why you kissed me? Because you wanted to get back at Jess for dumping you so you went for her sister" I started crying. Oh, Jesus, I was crying. I must look like a crazy person.
That must be why he kissed me. To get back at her. That had to be it. The only reason that he would have kissed me last night.
Or maybe, he broke up with her.
But why? She was every guy's dream woman. I was just... basic.
"NO! I wouldn't do that. I dumped her" he said moving over to me brushing away my tears.
"Why?" I sobbed.
"I had my reasons. I just need to make should that the reasons are returned. To make sure that woman I have feelings for feels the same" was he trying to say what I think he's trying to say?
With the look, he was giving me and the way he was holding me he must be. I still can't allow myself to believe he felt anything for me until it was said aloud.
"I'm sure she does. Whoever this person is. What are your true feelings?" I said trying to get more out of him. He had a large smile on his face and...
"Leah..."
"Hey guys we better leave now to get ready for tonight" one of the guys yelled to us. Making us jump apart and I felt my face go bright red.
"Ok!" Chris yelled moving away from me. "This conversation isn't over" he turned us back to the group as we quickly made our way to the others near the cars. His hand hot on my back the whole way.
"Jesus Chris come on you got the keys"' Ben said as all the guys' waited outside. Chris pressed open the car and then turned back to me. We move looking nervously back at each other waiting for the first one to make a move.
"So, I'll see you tonight. Thanks again for the dress" I said walking over to Gemma's car.
"You're welcome. You'll look amazing in it" he said smirking at me with a cheeky grin playing on his lips after.
"Thanks," I said turning red again and sat in the large car.
I sat back in Gemma's car grinning like an idiot. I know no words were said but I couldn't help but think that this could be it. Chris could actually like, like me. It would be my plan for tonight to find out what those feels were. I need to know how he feels about me and I need to tell him my feelings and woman up.
Perhaps it was wrong telling him how I feel so soon after he ended things with my sister. I'd have to make should she's ok tonight.
Tonight was going to be either the best or worst night of my life but I was ready for it.
Jessica
"Is everything ready for tonight?" I asked Alex as he walked into my room
"Everything's ready'" he smiled. "She's not going to know what hit her" he laughed. Everything was ready and going to plan for tonight and I wasn't going to let anything go wrong. Leah needs to learn her place in this world, which is nowhere near Chris or 'my' family again.
The plan was to make this the worst night for my little sister's life.
Tonight was going to be a good night... for me anyway.