I grabbed my purse as I made my way out the door and scanned over Celadine’s list of things she needed me to get done for the gallery in order to be ready for the showing that weekend.
"Get black silk fabric, call the caterer, book the bartender, and find large white feathers," I spoke out loud to myself as I walked down the stairs to the coffee shop. When I approached the counter Will turned to face me.
"Hey, Avery," he greeted with a smile. "Are you talking to yourself or to me?”
"No, I have a lot of stuff to get done for the showing this weekend. I don't want to forget anything, it's my first one and Max is going to be there," I said reluctantly. "Hey, you're coming, right? I put you on the list."
He smiled his adorable Will smile. "And miss seeing the jealousy on Max's face? I wouldn't miss it for the world!" He laughed and handed me my regular coffee.
We talked for a few more minutes before a line began to form behind me and then I turned to be on my way, waving over my shoulder as I left. But, before I even made it as far as the door, I smacked right into someone, my hot coffee splashing all over them, and myself, wonderful. I looked up to apologize to the person but then realized who it was.
"Oh, great," I moaned embarrassingly.
"Is that what you usually say when you spill scalding beverages on people?" asked Jack, smiling that stupid smile at me.
I glanced down at his plain white t-shirt, now soaked in coffee and grinned. It revealed just how thin his shirt was, I could see a part of his muscular chest as the wet fabric formed to it. "Well, I don't normally have someone standing so closely behind me," I replied coldly and tried to walk past him but he quickly stepped in my path.
"At least let me buy you another coffee," Jack offered. He had an annoying charm about him that made it extremely hard to say no.
"You know this is borderline stalking," I stated, knowing very well that I was over reacting. But something about this guy bothered me. "I should have called the cops."
"Then why didn't you?" he asked, knowing very well that I wouldn't ever do it. I just glared at him. I know he hasn’t really done anything to truly get upset over but he really got on my nerves, even more than Max did. But his eyes hinted at something deeper, something that goes past his playful surface and I sort of wanted to discover it.
"You know, I bumped into you, technically I owe you a drink," I reluctantly said, walking him over to the counter.
Jack swooped in front of me gracefully. “Please, I insist.”
He purchased two coffees. Will watched us carefully as he continued to serve the long line-up of customers.
"Care to join me?" Jack asked as he handed me a coffee and motioned toward a table. I blushed. Yes, I wanted to, but he was a strange man with an odd interest in me. I knew nothing about him except his name.
“No thanks,” I politely declined. “I have to get going.” I felt a little angry at myself for some reason. Why won’t I give this guy a chance? I wanted to go upstairs and change my coffee soaked shirt, but I didn't want him to know where I lived. So instead, I stormed out of the shop and figured I could just buy a cheap t-shirt somewhere and change later.
Once outside, I hopped on my bike and put on my helmet. I turned the key but nothing happened. I tried again, and still nothing. Damn it! Could this night get any worse? I got off and threw my helmet on the ground in frustration like a child throwing a tantrum.
"Now, now, no need for that," said a voice from behind me. I didn't need to turn around to know who it was. "I'd be happy to give you a ride to wherever you need to go," Jack offered.
"No thanks, I'll walk."
"Why not just take the bus then?" he suggested.
"Because I get car sick and I can't be in an enclosed vehicle. There, something else for you to find amusing about me!" I yelled, flailing my arms about like a crazy person on the street. God, he really got me wound up. I’d never been so neurotic over anything.
"Avery, please." He looked around, apparently embarrassed. "There's no need for this. Just accept my offer, my night is pretty much free and I don't mind giving you a ride," Jack pleaded impatiently. "Besides, I have a motorcycle," he added with a grin.
Of course, he did. I just stood there with my arms crossed.
"Come on, please. It's the least I can do for being such a jerk." Well, that wasn’t true, I thought. He wasn’t a jerk at all; I just didn’t know whether to be afraid of him or to bat my lashes. But could I stand being around him for a whole evening? I looked up at his face. Yes, of course, I could. Well, at least I could stand looking at him, he was beautiful. Just as long as he kept his mouth shut, and the smirk off of his face.
"Fine, but I need more than one ride. I have three stops to make," I demanded. I bent down to pick up my helmet off of the ground.
"Yes, of course. I am at your disposal this evening, Madam." He bowed mockingly.
"No making fun of me!" I ordered. He just shook his head, holding back a laugh.
He got on his bike and I scrambled on behind him. Jack reached back to grab both of my hands and wrapped them around his waist. He must have been outside all evening, his hands were absolutely freezing. "Hold on tight, k?" he said over his shoulder. I just nodded and squeezed as hard as I could. I could feel him chuckle as we took off through the city like an out of control rocket.
He was the craziest driver I had ever met. We, in my opinion, barely made it to the shopping center alive. Jack swooped in and out of traffic, barely grazing almost every car and even a few pedestrians. I jumped off of the back of the bike the second we stopped and threw my helmet at him with as much force as I could, which granted, wasn't a lot. He took off his own helmet and turned to face me.
"What the hell was that?" he asked, startled.
"You maniac, you are trying to kill me! Or do you always drive like you own the damn street?" I was pacing back and forth now, trying to contain my anger. It wasn't working very well.
"Well, yes, I do," he replied smugly and grinned. "Avery, look, I’m sorry that I scared you. I thought you were having fun, you kept holding me tighter and laughing."
"I was holding on for dear life and yelling at you to slow down, idiot!" I turned and started toward the shopping center. I had things to do and I wasn't about to let him throw me off my schedule. But he ran after me and grabbed my arm, gently.
"Avery, please. I am truly sorry. I never meant to do that to you," he started to apologize. "I always drive like that. I am not used to having a passenger. You're actually my first." He smiled that stupid smile at me and a strand of his perfect black hair fell in front of his left eye. I was beginning to think that smile was dangerous.
I instantly calmed and dropped my gaze to the ground. I took in a deep breath. He seemed sincere enough. I guessed I could forgive him.
"Come on, I've got a lot to do. So keep up." I instructed with a roll of my eyes and motioned him to follow. He gladly did. We spent the next few hours confirming appointments and booking the caterer and the musicians. I couldn't help but wonder if these things were more suited for Mona to be doing, but then I figured she probably never left her desk long enough to run errands for Celadine.
Jack and I stopped for a bite in the food court. I had a piece of pizza and a smoothie while he sat and sipped on coffee. I couldn’t believe that we were actually getting along. Well, he didn’t talk much, so that made it easy. He just followed me around as I checked things off my list.
"Are you sure you don't want anything to eat?" I asked. "My treat, since you're driving me around on these mindless errands."
He smiled at me, as he usually did, but I didn’t find it annoying this time. "No thank you, I am not hungry." But I could tell he wasn't finished. "Since you are offering a favor in return of mine, maybe I can take a rain check?" he asked. Bingo. He was such a sneak! So he was only doing this to get something from me?
"And what if I say no?" I asked, knowing very well that I was going to say yes.
"Then I would have
to accept that. A favor is not a favor if it is forced on the person," he stated. Jack leaned back in his chair all casual and suave looking while he sipped his coffee and glancing up at me from the rim.
I sighed, defeated by his charm. "Of course, I owe you a favor, what kind of person would I be if I didn't?"
He seemed pleased with that. "That is what I am trying to figure out." When he spoke, his whole face changed. He was not the annoying, arrogant Jack I was beginning to know. For a second there was a sweet and vulnerable person sitting right across from me, telling me that he wanted to get to know me. I felt flattered, I’d never had a boy like me before, not that I knew of anyway. I blushed and stared down at my hands like an idiot. There was an uncomfortable silence for a few moments until Jack broke it. I think he took my silence as how I felt about him 'getting to know me'.
"What else is left on that list of yours?" he asked flatly, changing the subject and his tone. He had a hint of embarrassment in his voice and when I looked at him he wouldn't meet my gaze. I guessed I deserved that. Why hadn’t I said something back to him? Like 'Sure, that sounds nice' or 'I would like that very much', anything! I just sat there like a lump when this gorgeous guy across from me basically said he liked me. I was truly a moron.
"Uh, I don't know," I stuttered. I was a million miles away from my to-do list. "Um, I just have to find some black silk fabric and I’m done for today."
"Well, let’s go. There is a fabric shop at the other end of the mall. We can go there on our way out and my bike is down there, too." He abruptly got up and walked away without another word. I scuttled after him, trying to figure out how to fix this. We walked in silence almost the whole way there. I stopped right out front of the store and turned to him.
"Hey, about what you said back there. About getting to know me?" I started, as I tried to make eye contact again. "I'm sorry that I never reacted. I'm just kind of naive when it comes to guys...if you know what I mean?" I looked at him for a sign of forgiveness.
He looked like the Jack that I thought I knew, the one who was arrogant and annoying. "Avery, I don't know what you are talking about. I'm sorry if you misinterpreted something that I said, but I never meant anything about getting to know you in any other way besides as an acquaintance."
Ouch! That was cold. I cringed in embarrassment.
"Fine, I’m sorry for making an acquaintance come around with me today," I snapped. "You can leave now, I'll manage from here." I turned and sped into the store. I didn't want him to follow, but I didn't want to look like I was running away like a little baby either. He didn't follow, and when I glanced back to see if he was coming, he was gone. I felt like crying, but I kept my cool and called Julie to come and get me.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
IT'S A DATE