“Eight o’clock is great.”
“Write down your address and I’ll come pick you up.”
I pull my note pad back out from my bag, quickly scribble down my address, tear the page out and hand it to him.
My fingers touch his in the exchange and my skin hums. I feel my face start to heat up again.
Jake glances at the paper in his hand, then folds it up and puts it in his back pocket.
He opens the door for me and stands aside to let me through.
We walk to the front door in silence, Stuart and Dave are nowhere to be seen.
When we reach the door, we stop for a moment facing one another.
I have no idea why, but I just feel sad again saying goodbye to him. Like I’m never going to see him again. Which is stupid because I’m going to see him tonight.
I’m seeing Jake tonight. A thrill shoots through me.
He reaches his hand up to my face and tucks my hair behind my ear. I almost swoon, my legs trembling, tummy butterflying.
Then he leans down and kisses my cheek.
The feel of his lips on my skin, his hot breath momentarily halts every moving particle of me, paralysing me to the spot, nearly sending me into convulsions.
As he moves back, he smiles warmly at me. “So I’ll see you tonight then.” He opens the door for me.
“Yes, tonight. At eight.” Oh God, I sound like a complete idiot.
I stumble through the door, legs failing on me. I grip hold of my bag like as it’s my life support.
“Bye, Jake,” I say, lingering.
“Bye, Trudy Bennett.”
I force myself to turn and walk down the hall.
When I reach the end of the hall, I turn, looking back but the door is already closed.
I reach the lift and the doors instantly ping open.
I wobble into the lift, press for ground and fall back against the mirrored wall.
I’m going out for dinner tonight with Jake.
Holy shit.
Chapter Five
It’s going to be okay.
No it’s so totally not.
How the hell am I going to explain to Will that I’m cancelling on him for the second night in a row, this time to go out for dinner with Jake Wethers, who I forget to mention I knew very well when I was younger and have just interviewed today, which he also didn’t know as I neglected to tell him that too.
Okay, deep, calming breaths Tru. It’s not a big deal. Will is cool, he’s understanding. And really there is no issue to have. It’s just two old friends having dinner. One of them just happens to be the world’s biggest rock star.
Oh crap.
The concierge opens the door freeing me from The Dorchester and I step onto the busy street. The warm air on my face does little to help me, right now I need a blast of the cool.
Looking at my watch, I see it’s 11:15. Digging my phone out of my bag, I decide to call Will at work and see if he’s free to have lunch with me so I can tell him about tonight.
“Will Chambers.”
Oh, I love his work voice. All deep and professional. So cute.
“Hey, it’s me.”
“Hey baby.” He sounds happy to hear from me. He won’t be happy when I tell him I’m cancelling tonight.
“I was calling to see if you fancied meeting me for lunch?”
“Sure. What time?”
“Whenever you’re free. I’m already out of the office; I just finished up on an interview.” With Jake Wethers whose album you were listening to the other day.
“How does half-an hour sound? I’ll meet you at Callo’s?”
“Brilliant. See you soon.”
I head straight to Callo’s, which is a little upmarket café. I take a window seat and order a latte.
Then I ring Vicky.
“Trudy, my superstar! How did it go with the gorgeous rocker?”
“Good. Great.” The memory of his lips on my cheek flashes through my mind and I feel myself heating up. “I got plenty for the article. I’ve just stopped off to have an early lunch with Will and then I’ll be heading back to write it up.”
“So he remembers you then?” There’s a teasing tone in her voice.
“Yes.” I can’t help the smile on my lips. “He … um … well he actually asked me out to dinner tonight to catch up on old times.”
She actually squeals down the phone. She doesn’t act like my boss at times, or owner of a magazine.
“You’re going aren’t you? Please tell me you said yes?”
“I said yes.”
Another squeal.
Jeez, has she been drinking or something?
I look up and see Will coming in through the door.
“Look I’ll have to go, Will just arrived.”
“My office when you get back, I want all the gory details.”
“There are no gory details,” I laugh but keep my voice quieter so Will doesn’t hear in his approach.
“Sure there isn’t. See you soon,” she sings.
I hang the call up and Will leans down and kisses me on the cheek. On the same spot as where Jake kissed me. I feel this odd territorial feeling and a flash of anger toward Will. Annoyed that he’s just erased Jakes kiss. Which is completely crazy, even by my standards.