Jessica drags me from the beautiful New York City view to the lobby where a clown is packing up doves and rabbits into white boxes riddled with tiny holes. We pass a group of people with wine glasses and beer bottles and head into a kid's fair in the enclosed garden. Jessica stumbles across the stone pavement in her super high heels, pulling down on the hem of her dress with every other step. A little girl in pigtails asks me to fetch a pink balloon floating over my head with the line just out of her reach. When I hand her the balloon she smiles, her dimples covering her cheeks. She looks just like Aryana did in the photo Jubilee showed me last night. I suddenly get a sinking feeling that it might actually be Aryana. Pigtails, dimples...could it be the same puffy pink jacket in the photo? What are the chances?
Jessica pulls on my hand and she points out Kile standing at the edge of the garden wearing a white tee shirt with black graffiti on its front. The shirt is too tight for his physique. I suspect he's a body builder, club dancer, male stripper, or some other occupation where taking your shirt off is a requirement. He looks like the type to shave or wax his chest, oozing vanity. Jessica tries to wave at him but he doesn't see her.
"Holy shit," I say when I spot Jubilee standing right next to Kile. "That's her."
"Who?" Jessica asks with a sudden spark of curiosity.
"Jubilee, right there. She's wearing the gray Mets tee shirt, right next to Kile."
Jessica scans my Yankee tee shirt and smiles up at me. "She's definitely your match."
My breathing speeds up and I take a few steps back to calm myself. Jubilee seems interested in whatever the muscle head has to say. When he leans in towards her I hit him with a glare so hot that if I had heat vision he would be up in flames. Jessica grabs my hand and smirks before pulling me towards them and then whispers to me to just play along. Confused and flustered, I let Jessica lead the way.
After Jessica gives Kile a tight hug, she introduces me as her date and a jolt of electricity travels throughout my entire body. I give Jubilee a firm handshake and stare straight into those giant, soul-piercing brown eyes. Jesus Christ, she's beautiful. I can't tell whether she's happy to see me or still nervous about this morning. It doesn't matter, I feel high just from our hands touching. She whispers something to Kile and rushes off.
"Oh, she's furious," Jessica whispers in my ear as Kile speaks to another guest. "Did you see how red she got when I introduced you as my date? She's surely jealous."
"Why'd you do that?"
"Jealousy is a powerful tool - it makes people react on an emotional level. Marketing is all about making people jealous of things they didn't even know they wanted. She wants you. If she didn't care about you she wouldn't have cared that you were my date. But her face turned red and she ran off. She totally cares, which means she must remember you." Jessica lifts her eyebrows and cocks her head confidently, as if her theory was as clear as the evening sky. She tilts her head towards Jubilee's direction. Without thinking any further, I chase after Jubilee.
The old, scruffy doorman in the lobby says he spotted a pretty girl with a gray Mets tee shirt going into the ladies' room on the other side of the social area. The ladies' room doesn't seem very busy, judging by the little traffic going in and out. I lean on the wall opposite the door, cross my arms and wait.
Jubilee bursts through the door several minutes later. My heart flutters briefly before I notice her eyebrows are creased.
"Aren't you on a date?" she asks and turns away brusquely.
I grab her arm. "Jubilee, wait." How do I say anything without making her feel embarrassed about last night or this morning? I should have thought this through some more before approaching her.
"What?" she asks as she slaps my grip off her arm and faces me.
I can see and feel her anger towards me. How can she be angry with me? I remind her of her behavior this morning, and then it hit me. "You do remember last night, don't you?" I ask as I bite back a grin.
Jubilee narrows her eyes. "I have to go," she says and heads back to the party.
I take a long, deep, happy breath as I watch Jubilee run off again. I give myself a minute to wipe this smile off my face, for Jubilee's sake, before returning to the party. I can't believe the accuracy of Jessica's assessment. Jubilee is furious because she remembers and... Jessica introduced me as her date. "Fuck." I whisper to myself. Jubilee thinks I'm on a date with Jessica, who is wearing that tiny black dress and hooker heels, and at a children's birthday party no less. Jessica's actions, and mere presence, were much more effective that she knows.
When I walk back to the garden, I see Jubilee struggling with the little girl in the pink jacket who smiled at me earlier. I knew it was Aryana! Aryana met Kile's niece in the park, this is his place, and Jubilee is here with him. That's where I'm going to be, right next to the muscle head. Keep your enemies close, even if all they do is talk about Jiu Jitsu with anyone who will listen. I feel sorry for the guy he's been talking to for the past five minutes.
As expected, once Jubilee picks up Aryana in her arms she heads towards Kile. She glares up at me with fury in her eyes, and it takes a mountain of self-control to hide my excitement. My breathing becomes heavy as I dart thoughts in her direction, hoping some supernatural telepathic ability magically appears. He's an asshole. Forget about him! Let's just talk and figure this out!
"You're leaving? It's only nine." Kile states with fake sadness. He looks a little too Jersey-Shore-ish with that tight white tee shirt displaying his biceps. I wonder what, if anything, Jubilee sees in this guy.
"Yeah. Aryana is tired." Jubilee says.
"I'll take you home."
People start shuffling into the lobby to head up to his apartment. A friend asks about taking up the drinks and the doorman tells him he has to clear out by nine thirty. Someone else bombards him with requests and I see my moment of opportunity.
"Kile, you have a lot to take care of. I can take Jubilee home. I was going to leave anyway," I insist, pressing my arm on his shoulder. His scowl starts at my hand on his shoulder, travels up along my arm to meet my eyes. He moves his shoulder from under my hold and shoots me a threatening glare.
Faking sincerity was never my strong suit, especially after what happened with Keri. This troglodyte knows that soon he's going to have to leave her to tend to his guests. I match his glare and smirk only slightly, enough for him to know my intentions.
Kile turns his back towards me to face Jubilee. He whispers something to her and she gives him a tired nod. Jubilee walks past me without looking up and sets herself on a couch in the lobby.
Once the lobby is empty I whisper to Jubilee, "This is stupid. I can take you home. You don't have to wait for that guy."
"I don't want you to take me home." Her tone is adorably harsh. It's becoming increasingly difficult to conceal my glee.
"Oh, is that how it is?" I reply playfully. "Last night was me, tonight it's him," She gives me a look so menacing that I get a chill down my back. Jubilee lifts Aryana with a grunt and heads out of the building.
Okay, she's clearly not ready to joke about last night.
I fly through the doors and jump out right in front of her to stop her in her tracks. "I didn't mean that. I'm sorry. I just-" I lean in as close to her as possible with Aryana between us, staring right at her eyes, glancing repeatedly at her luscious lips. "I understand why you're defensive. I get it...you don't remember me or what happened last night. But I want to help you remember. So...maybe if we just talk, then you'll remember." I can't stop staring at her lips.
Aryana pops her head up and narrows her eyes at me. I lift my arms into a body builder pose and ask her if she would like me to carry her instead of her mother. Aryana smiles, then nods, and practically jumps into my arms. The instant Aryana locks her arms around my neck I fall in love with her. How Jubilee's deadbeat ex-husband could leave them is beyond me. "Luke is the dumbest person in the world to have left you two," I say with without thinking.
Jubilee crosses her arms and glances between me and Aryana. She probably remembers some things but not everything, and although it stung when she forgot my name this morning, forgetting our night together hurts even more. When I express my disappointment, she looks up to the night sky as if searching for something to say and sighs nervously.
"I'm so mortified about this morning, and last night, that...I don't even know how to act around you. You make me nervous. I'm not used to anyone making me nervous."
"Me neither." I say, almost before she finishes, and my stomach does backflips. This is the Jubilee from last night, honest and fearless.
As she licks her lips slowly, I lean forward to be closer to Jubilee, but then I remember I have Aryana in my arms. I smirk at the whole situation and blink slowly, feeling drunk with euphoria. Aryana's weight anchors me; keeps me from floating away.
Movement in the lobby catches my attention and I see Kile about to walk out with Jessica. The moment is over and now I have to deal with this jerk. He is obviously trying to score with Jubilee. Although Jessica seems sympathetic to my plight, she knows Kile and would probably switch sides to fight for his cause. Kile stares at me with a smug grin as he walks out with his car keys in hand. My jaw clenches as he scans me from head to toe with his lips in a snarl.
I'm not the fighting type, in fact I've never been in a fight before in my life, but for some reason I have a boiling urge to punch this guy in the face. The only things keeping me from swinging at him is Aryana sleeping in my arms and the possible negative impression it may leave with Jubilee.
"There you are, Everett." Jessica says as she stumbles over to me, wrinkling her nose a bit too close to Aryana's face. "She's adorable," she purrs. Jessica strokes my bicep and winks at me. She yawns before saying, "I'm so tired I can't wait to go home so we can take our clothes off and...snuggle."
I feel my blood pressure dropping.
Jubilee readily accepts Kile's invitation to drive her home and walks with him to his car. Jessica and I follow a few steps behind. I have only a few seconds to figure out what to do. How do I explain Jessica's flirtation? I can't even look at Jubilee after that comment.
When we reach his black BMW, I lay Aryana gently in the backseat and let Jubilee buckle her in. Jessica says something about having sex with an ex-boyfriend in the back of a BMW. "If you can bend your leg up over your neck it's not that uncomfortable. And the whole exhibitionism aspect of it is such turn on." I roll my eyes and glare at Jessica. Kile eggs her on and seems to be enjoying the whole discussion.
When Jubilee slides out of the backseat, Kile suggests I take Jessica home. My balance is challenged when Jessica leans her entire weight against me and my hand instinctively wraps around her waist to keep us from falling over. Anyone watching would think I just picked up Jessica in my arms. She giggles before whispering, "Yes, Everett, love, take me home." Before I can regain my composure I hear the passenger car door slam. Kile climbs in the driver's seat after waving back to us, quietly snickering.
Jubilee is leaving with Kile. This can't be happening.
"Cut it out," I whisper and glare down at Jessica as I gently place her down on her four-inch heels.
"But Kile said you needed me. I thought-"
I interrupt and give her details about the last ten minutes with Jubilee. Jessica points at the car and commands, "Say something to her before they drive away."
"What am I supposed to say?"
"I thought you explained everything to her?"
"She doesn't know you were acting. And now she thinks you and I are having deviant sex later."
"Well why didn't you say something when I came out here?" she shouts at me and then narrows her eyes towards the car. She seethes, "Kile knew something was up. Why else would he have said that you needed me?"
I stare at the passenger door, hoping Jubilee would roll down the window, or look at me in the side view mirror, or give me a sign, any sign, to hint that she wants me to stop Kile. Jessica gasps as the car pulls out onto the road and I turn away, just in case Jubilee was looking at me in the side view mirror, so she would not see or hear me punch the air and curse. I spit on the floor and storm back to my car. Jessica's heels are clacking close behind.
Really? This is the kind of guy Jubilee chooses over me? This muscle-headed Neanderthal with the supped-up, flashy BMW is Jubilee's type? What does he know about Tarantino movies, basic algorithms, or about how gorgeous she looks naked in a black rain coat? Does she share this with everyone she meets, including steroid junkies? Is she going to let him kiss her as he walks her up to her apartment? Will she let him in? That damn kiss replays itself in my mind and the thought of Kile kissing her infuriates me.
My jeep rocks side to side when I slam the door and Jessica walks up to my window.
No, Jubilee can't be interested in that Schwarzenegger-wannabe, chisel-bodied, knuckle dragger. I didn't play along with Jessica's act, but I didn't reject it either. She had no choice but to go with Kile. I slam my hand down on the steering wheel, already regretting my actions or lack thereof.
I roll down my window and ask Jessica if she's fine to stay here by herself.
She hesitates before replying, "I'm sure Isaac is probably on his way here now. Don't worry about me." She smiles and looks at the road with a sad dog face. "I'm really sorry. If I had known..."
"Forget it." I look past the steering wheel at the clock. "Look, I'm headed home, so, if you like I can give you a ride back into the city."
Jessica smiles, runs around the back of the car, and hops into the passenger seat.