I explore it for ten or fifteen minutes as Jake continues to watch the news show that's on. Eventually, I turn on the internet and go to my email (which I rarely ever check). As expected, there's nothing there except some spam. I look over at Jake quickly. He's immersed in the show and so I go to Google and type in his name.
I note quickly that many of the stories are about Jake taking over his company. I don't focus on those though, I focus on the story at the top which is about a dinner benefit that was held in San Diego on Tuesday evening, the night the woman answered his phone. There are pictures of Jake there, talking to several older men, looking casual and gorgeous. I scroll to the last picture in the article and I freeze. It's Jake and Gwen, looking more beautiful than any couple has the right to, looking like they were made to be together. Gwen is laughing and Jake is leaned towards her, smiling and obviously saying something funny and intimate.
I snap my computer closed, and Jake looks over. When he notes the expression on my face, he stands up. "What's wrong, baby?" he asks.
I walk over to the door and start pulling my coat on.
"Evie!" he says, sounding confused and frantic, "What happened? Why are you leaving?"
"That woman in your hotel room was Gwen, wasn't it, Jake?"
"What?" he furrows his brow. "No. Of course it wasn't. Do you think I would invite Gwen to my hotel room for drinks after the way she treated you?"
"Well, I wasn't exactly thinking you brought her to your hotel room for drinks, Jake. All I know is that you sure did look cozy whispering in her ear in the pictures from the benefit you were at Tuesday night."
He looks confused for a minute and then he runs his hand through his hair saying, "Evie, that was a company benefit. Gwen was there with her father. She tried to talk to me several times and I wouldn't have much to do with her. When she cornered me in front of a photographer, I leaned in and told her she was lucky that I wasn't the type to want to aire my dislike for someone on film. She laughed as if I was joking, which I wasn't. That was that. I didn't talk to her again all evening."
I stare at him, my jacket half on and half off. I take a deep breath. "I want to believe you, Jake, I just… I don't want to… "
"Evie, listen, God, if you only knew… " He trails off, laughing a humorless laugh.
"If I only knew what?"
"If you only knew how ridiculous it is for you to think that I would ever betray you, much less with Gwen. Really, if you could get inside my brain, you'd be laughing, too."
"Jake - "
"Please, just trust me, please don't go."
I look at him closely to judge his sincerity and I sense that he's telling the truth. So I let him lead me away from his foyer area, taking off my coat and throwing it back on the bench near his door, following Jake and following my heart once again. But hoping deep inside, that that doesn’t make me a fool.
CHAPTER 20
I work another catering job on Thursday, returning home late. I'm exhausted as I crawl into bed but the money is good, and I appreciate the feeling of safety being ahead financially makes.
On Friday, Jake asks me to stay with him and when I walk into his condo at seven thirty, having been dropped off by a co-worker since Jake had an errand to run, he scoops me up and kisses me and says, "I'm running a bath for you so you can get a second wind because I'm taking you out dancing tonight."
"Dancing?" I sputter. "I don't know how to dance."
"Yes you do. You just don't know it. Have you ever been to a nightclub?"
"No, I've been to bars, but - "
"It's not right that a 22 year old girl has never been out dancing. I want to be the first to take you. I want to have as many firsts with you as possible." He grins at me.
"You do realize that I have to work tomorrow, right?"
"I won't have you out too late."
"Hmmm… Okay, well then there's only one flaw in your plan. I have nothing to wear to a nightclub."
He grins a sneaky grin. "Go look on the bed."
"Jake," I put my hands on my hips. "You don't need to buy me clothes."
"Indulge me, Evie. I bought you one dress and some shoes. It means something to me to do that. Please accept it."
I raise an eyebrow at him but head towards the bedroom to check it out anyway. What in the world would Jake pick out for me to wear to a nightclub?
I walk in his room and lying on the bed is a one shoulder, sexy little peacock blue number, with an edgy black belted waist and a pair of stiletto black heels that Nicole would drool over. I finger the silky material and I have to admit, I love it all.
I turn around and Jake is leaning casually in the doorway, one hip resting on the frame, arms crossed, a small smile on his face.
I smile. "I love it. Thank you. Did you really pick this out?"
He grins. "Well, I had some help from a saleswoman at Nieman's. But I did give her the color scheme I wanted, and I looked at the clothes you left here for your size."
"Peacock blue, huh?" I raise an eyebrow.
He shrugs. "I like the color. Just don't ask me to take you anywhere near the zoo."
I laugh and then kiss him quickly, before I head to the bathroom to peel off my dirty work clothes. Jake runs me a bath and then heads to the kitchen to throw together a quick dinner for me since he's already eaten.
I soak in the lavender scented bubble bath Jake bought for me, turning on the jets to high. After about twenty minutes, my body and my mind feel rejuvenated and I pull myself out of the cooling water and start getting ready.
I pull on a black thong and then dress in the outfit Jake bought for me. The dress fits perfectly, although it's very sexy, clinging to every curve I have. I'm not that big on top, a good b cup, but I have a small waist and long legs and even I can see that this dress flatters me.
I blow dry my hair and curl it in loose waves. I up the drama of my usual makeup with a darker, smokier eye and some nude lipgloss.
When I walk out to the kitchen, Jake turns around and his body stills as his eyes roam over me, filling with heat. "You're stunning."
I smile, fidgeting a little. "Thank you. I have a personal shopper who's well acquainted with my figure."