“A surprise?” I turn to look at him.
He slides me a look, a smile playing on his lips. “Yeah a surprise, you remember those – they usually happen on birthdays, that kind of thing.”
“But it’s not my birthday.”
“Yeah, well I’ve missed twelve of them, so I’ve got quite a few surprises to make up for.”
I really don’t know what to say to that, so for once, I keep quiet.
I look out of the window and notice a black Land Rover that is driving pretty close to the back of the car.
Turning my head, I look over my shoulder at the car. It’s tinted and I can’t see in the window. I hope it’s not paparazzi following him. Don’t they usually drive big smog chuggers like that?
“That car’s pretty close behind,” I say, tilting my head back in its direction, trying to alert him.
Jake’s eyes flick to his rear-view and then back to me.
“It’s Dave, my security guy.”
“Oh. Does he go everywhere with you?”
“Yeah … well everywhere, except the bathroom.” He slides his grinning eyes in my direction.
“Why is he riding back there and not in the car with us.”
“Because I wanted to be alone with you.”
“Oh.”
Oh.
My nerves have instantly gone haywire. I could really do with another glass of wine.
Actually, I feel the need to drink every time he looks at me. I have a feeling I’m going to get very drunk tonight.
I look out of the window again, watching the buildings of London, thinking how surreal this is. Last night I was out getting drunk in Mandarin’s with Simone, ragged nerves over interviewing Jake, wondering if he would remember me, and now I’m here in his fancy James Bond car, and he’s driving me to my surprise night out.
Jake Wethers, my old best friend, one-time love of my life, biggest rock star and most sought after man in the world, and he is sitting inches away from me. I could reach my hand out and touch him.
I won’t though, cause that would be pretty weird.
Actually, things don’t get much weirder than this.
We’re in Convent Garden when Jake pulls the car up and parks it on the main road just outside a Pizza Hut. His security guy pulls up behind.
“I don’t think you can park here,” I say looking around at the no parking signs “Don’t worry, come on.” He climbs out of the car. I guess when you’re him you can do whatever you want.
I climb out of the car and notice there’s a guy standing outside the entrance to the Pizza Hut staring at us. My first thought is he must recognise Jake, but then I realise it’s Stuart, Jake’s PA.
“Hey,” Jake says to him. “All ready?”
“Yep.” Stuart nods.
Jake tosses the car keys to him. “I’ll call you when we’re done.”
“No worries, have a good night … hello again, Trudy,” Stuart says as he walks past us.
“Hi,” I say, offering him a smile.
Stuart hops in the James Bond car and promptly drives away.
“Come on,” Jake says, taking hold of my hand.
My skin tingles at his touch again. He’s so much more tactile than he used to be, I notice.
He walks me to the entrance of the Pizza Hut.
I stop and look up at the sign, then back to Jake.
“We’re going to Pizza Hut?” I grin.
He remembers.
That was what he meant in the car with the comment about my birthdays.
Every birthday we would come here, it was kind of a tradition with us – and who doesn’t love Pizza Hut, right?
I can’t believe he remembers. I feel all warm and squishy inside, and also a little overdressed.
He smiles back at me, it reaches all the way to his beautiful blue eyes. “Like I said, I’ve got twelve birthdays to make up for. I know it’s not the one we used to go to in Manchester, but I figured you wouldn’t want to drive all the way up there, so this was the next best thing. After you ...” he gestures for me to pass him.
My heart is buzzing around my chest at his thoughtfulness. I walk past him and make my way down the stairs.
Jake is the only guy I know who would pick me up in an Aston Martin DBS then bring me to Pizza Hut. And that’s why I love him.
I mean, of course I don’t love him – love him. I just used to love him when I was younger.
Anyway, the Covent Garden one is a little smarter than the usual Pizza Huts’. Especially the one we used to go to in Manchester, at least from the outside. For starters, it’s underground and you have to take the stairs to reach it, but once you get inside it’s just a regular Pizza Hut and I love it.
I’m greeted at the bottom of the stairs by a waiter. The instant he sees Jake, nerves and awe light his eyes up.
I feel sorry for him, as it must be a shock when the biggest rock star in the world turns up unannounced in your place of work. I mean Pizza Hut is not where you’d usually expect to see Jake Wethers.
It’d pretty hard not to be overawed but I think he does okay overall. He doesn’t ask for Jake’s autograph which is a good start, because I totally would have.