Saving jay, p.19
Saving Jay, page 19
part #3 of Breaking Free Series
A second later, my phone rang. It was my mom.
“Hello?”
“How was the date on Friday? I’m sorry I didn’t call earlier. I’ve been so busy with this breast cancer fundraiser.”
“It’s fine, Mom, really.”
“So? What did you think? Did you two hit it off?”
“She was nice, very smart, and beautiful—”
My mom interrupted me before I could finish, “Oh, good! Did you ask her out again?”
“No. I didn’t feel any chemistry between us, and she agreed. We had a good time, but neither of us saw it going anywhere.”
“What? What do you mean, she agreed? No woman in her right mind would turn down a man like you, Jason. Are you sure the feeling was mutual?”
I grinned as I imagined telling my mother that she had sent me on a date with a lesbian. “I’m sure.”
“Well then, she’s obviously not as smart as I thought.”
I shook my head at my mother’s obvious bias. She refused to believe women who weren’t interested in me could be out there.
“It’s okay. I heard from Jessica yesterday. She said she’s been trying to reach you. You know I’ve always liked her. I don’t know why things didn’t work out for you two before, but—”
“I met someone,” I said. The last thing I needed was her filling Jessica with false hope.
“You did?” she sounded skeptical.
“Yes, and we’re in a relationship now, so I won’t be going on any more blind dates.”
“You’re in a relationship? You just went on a date on Friday. How can you be in a relationship already?”
“I met her about a week ago. I wanted to tell you then, but she didn’t want me to disappoint you by canceling.”
“Really?” She seemed sincerely surprised by that. “Well, she sounds like a nice girl and a confident one at that. Not many women would be okay with their boyfriend going out on a blind date.”
“Mmhmm,” I muttered as I went through a stack of papers on my desk.
“So, when can I meet her?”
I sighed and moved my phone, holding it between my cheek and shoulder. I organized my desk as I tried to figure out the best way to approach this. “I’m not sure we’re ready for that yet.”
“Ready for what? I just want to meet her, Jason. Doesn’t a mother have a right to meet her son’s new girlfriend? Especially after all the work I’ve put into—”
“She’s a tattoo artist,” I said, interrupting her. “She’s a beautiful woman, inside and out, but she doesn’t come from money, and she doesn’t have a fancy degree from an Ivy League school. She means too much to me to expose her to any kind of judgment at the hands of my parents.”
My mother was silent for a few seconds as I waited to hear her reaction.
“Well, I’m sorry you feel that way. I know your father and I haven’t always been the best parents, but I just want you to be happy, Jason. If this woman makes you happy, then I’d love to meet her.”
“Jade. Her name is Jade,” I said, feeling guilty for the way I’d spoken to my mother.
“Jade.”
“I’ll talk to her, but I can’t promise anything.”
“Okay.”
“I’m still planning on going to Dad’s appointment with him on Thursday. Will you be there?”
“I don’t know. I—”
“I really think you should be there, Mom. We need to talk to his doctors and figure out what’s going on. I know this is hard, but it isn’t going away. To be there for him, we have to know what to expect.”
I heard her breath shudder when she exhaled into the phone, and I knew she was scared. She’d been avoiding the truth just as much as my father had.
“I’ll be there.”
“Good. I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
Jade
I walked into the shop around ten forty-five. Cee Cee and Dustin were already there, standing on either side of a woman who was seated at the front desk.
“Good morning,” I said.
The woman stood. She was dressed in a tight black pencil skirt and red silk blouse. She had a beautiful hourglass figure. Her hair was pulled back into a very neat ponytail, and there wasn’t a stray hair in sight.
“Good morning. You must be Ms. Holliday,” she said, extending her hand for me to shake.
I took her hand in mine and noticed that her nails were even perfect. “That’s me. You must be Jay’s assistant.”
“Kristine, yes. I hope you don’t mind that I’ve already started.”
I glanced at Dustin, and there was no mistaking the lust in his eyes as they stared at her ass. Cee Cee had the same look, but her eyes were glued on Kristine’s shoes.
“No, not at all,” I said, meeting her gaze again. “Thank you so much for doing this, really.”
“Absolutely.”
“I’m going to head back to my office. Marcus and Asia should be here soon. Let me know when they get here, okay?”
Dustin grunted as Cee Cee chirped, “Sure thing.”
I made my way back to my office and tossed my bag and notepad down on my desk. I should have known Jay’s assistant was hot.
I wonder if they’ve slept together.
Ugh. Shut up.
Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and pictured Jay lying next to me as he stroked my hair. He always looked at me like I was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. I needed to remember that.
Sighing, I opened my eyes again and started pulling out the sketch I’d started for Marcus’s tattoo. This wasn’t going to be an easy piece, but I was looking forward to the challenge, and I loved that he’d chosen to get Asia’s art on his back. Asia had an incredible talent for portraying emotions through her paintings. This one was beautiful and made me think of the crazy chaos of love. It was bright and colorful, but the techniques she used with her brush portrayed anger, lust, and confusion—at least in my eyes. That was the great thing about art. It could mean different things to different people.
About ten minutes later, Cee Cee appeared at my office door. “They’re here,” she said with a bright smile.
Her cheeks were pink, and I could see she was trying to reel in her excitement.
“Thanks. How are things going out there?” I asked as I collected my papers from my desk.
“Great! Kristine’s a genius. I think Dustin’s in love with her.”
I laughed as I walked toward the door, and we both went to the front of the shop. Asia and Marcus were standing by the far wall, looking at some of my artwork hanging there.
“Hey, guys,” I greeted them as I went to the drawing table in the corner.
They both turned around and made their way toward me.
“Hey,” Asia said hesitantly.
She looked a little apprehensive, and I figured she was probably wondering if I knew about her and Jay.
I thought I’d better say something, so she could relax. “Jay and I talked. He told me about”—I peered up at Marcus, unsure of how I should word it—“your history.”
Her shoulders slumped, and she blew out a breath. “Oh, good. I hope you weren’t too upset. I wanted to say something, but I figured it wasn’t my place.”
I shook my head. “No, it’s fine, really. I mean, yeah, it’s a little weird, but…”
“He’s a good guy,” Asia said, giving me a reassuring smile.
“Yeah, he is,” I agreed, smiling back.
Marcus cleared his throat, and we both looked up at him.
“So, what did you think of the piece?” he asked, changing the subject.
I guessed he didn’t want to stand there, talking about how great his wife’s ex was.
“I love it.”
I unfolded the sketch I’d made for a stencil and slid it toward them on the table. They both took a step closer and looked at it.
Asia’s eyes widened as a smile stretched across her face. “Oh my God, that’s going to look so good!” she said, wrapping her arm around Marcus’s.
“That’s sick,” he said, glancing up at me before looking at it again.
“Thanks. It’ll probably take twenty hours or so. We can get three or four hours in today. Asia, do you know what you want to get?”
“I want a dragon on my left arm—to match Marcus’s.”
“Awesome. Can I see?”
Marcus turned to his side and lifted his shirt. I swallowed as he revealed his six-pack and a badass dragon tattooed on his ribs.
Holy shit.
“Wow. Yeah, I can do that. It’ll probably take a couple of sessions though.”
“It’s cool. We’re just grateful you were willing to see us on your day off,” Asia said, taking Marcus’s hand after he dropped his shirt.
“Well, let’s get this shit started then.”
Around two o’clock, I was wrapping up Marcus’s tattoo, and Cee Cee had ordered all of us a late lunch. When we walked into the lobby, there was a box of sandwiches waiting for us on the front desk. Dustin was sitting beside Kristine on the couch, eating, as she neatly unwrapped the sandwich on her lap.
“How’s everything going?” I asked as I picked one out for myself.
“Great. We should be finishing up here shortly. I gave Dustin my number in case they need help with anything.”
I glanced over at Dustin, and he gave me a shit-eating grin before he winked. I had to give him credit. He was good.
“Thanks again for doing this. I really appreciate it.”
“No problem.”
“How are you doing, Mr. Avery?” Cee Cee asked from Trix’s station where she was sitting.
He looked over at her and smiled, and her face turned bright red.
“I’m great. Your boss is a fucking magician with that tattoo machine.”
“Right!” she agreed, blushing and smiling at the same time.
“Get some sandwiches, guys. There’s enough for everyone,” I said, taking the empty spot on the couch next to Dustin.
Asia and Marcus each picked one and sat at the sketching table. A second later, Marcus’s phone started ringing in his pocket. He took it out and answered it as Asia watched him.
“Hello? Yeah. Why? What’s up?”
Marcus looked at Asia and shook his head before standing up and walking outside. Our eyes met, and she shrugged before getting back to her food. A few minutes later, Marcus came back in.
“I gotta go, babe. I’m sorry,” he said as he slipped his phone back into his pocket.
“Why?”
“The contractors need me to sign a few things before they get started. Apparently, they forgot to mention this shit last week when I talked to them.”
Asia stuck out her bottom lip as Marcus leaned down to kiss her.
“I’ll come back and pick you up.” He straightened his back and turned to look at me. “What time do you think you’ll be done?”
I glanced up at the clock hanging on the wall. “Probably around six.”
Marcus nodded before facing Asia again. “I’ll be back before six then.”
“Okay.”
“I love you.”
Asia smiled before replying, “I love you more.”
Marcus lifted his hand and slipped his fingers into the hair at the back of her head before leaning down again and touching his forehead to hers. “No fuckin’ way,” he murmured with a lopsided grin before pressing his lips to hers.
I grinned and looked away, noticing Cee Cee watching them with a dreamy look in her eyes. It was impossible to look at them and not feel a slight twinge of envy. Their love for each other was radiant and beautiful.
About an hour later, Asia was sitting in my chair as I started the outline of her dragon.
“So, how are things going with you and Jay?” she asked as she watched me filling in the stencil.
I glanced up at her and couldn’t fight the smile that spread on my face.
“Wow. That good, huh?”
I shook my head as I pulled away and wiped her arm. “Almost too good.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s just been so easy, you know? I mean, besides finding out he boned one of my friends.”
I paused to look up at Asia, and she pursed her lips as her eyes got wide.
“Yeah, that’s a little awkward.”
We both laughed.
I stepped on the pedal and dipped my needles in more ink. “But even after that…he just told me how he felt, and everything was fine again. I’m not used to that. I’m used to drama. I’m used to screaming matches, things being thrown…that kinda shit.”
Asia raised her eyebrow as I continued tattooing her. “So, let me get this straight. You’re complaining about having a drama-free relationship?”
I laughed a little. “I know. I sound crazy, right? Jay is just so…” I paused, lifting my needles from her skin, as I tried to think of the right way to describe him. “Perfect. He’s so perfect that I’m having a hard time believing he’s real.”
Asia looked down at her lap as she nodded in agreement. “I know exactly what you mean. Those same thoughts are what kept me from opening up to him.”
I glanced at her just as I starting another line. “Really?”
“I thought if he knew the real me, if he knew I usually dressed like a dude and smoked weed, then he wouldn’t want me. So, I pretended to be someone I wasn’t because I was just so desperate to feel…wanted, especially by someone like Jay.”
I finished the line I was working on and looked up in surprise. That didn’t sound like Asia at all.
She must have known what I was thinking because she added, “What can I say? Those fucking dimples did something to me.”
We both started laughing, and I dipped my needles in more ink.
“But seriously…if you really want this to work out with Jay, you have to take a chance. I know it’s scary, but I also know he wouldn’t pursue something with you if he wasn’t genuinely interested. Jay isn’t the type to let just anyone into his life, and he definitely doesn’t trust easily. At least he didn’t.”
I bit the inside of my cheek as I worked on the tail of Asia’s dragon. I’d been so busy wondering if I should trust Jay that it hadn’t occurred to me that he might not trust me.
“And watch out for shady bitches. Every woman in this city wants in Jay’s pants and his pockets, and they can be ruthless. Trust me.”
I laughed as I wiped her arm. “You sound like you’re speaking from experience.”
“I dated Jay, and I’m married to Marcus Avery. I’ve had more than my share of shady-bitch drama.”
“How do you deal with it?”
“Marcus is my best friend. It’s us against the world. I don’t even waste my energy on that negative shit anymore. I mean, don’t get me wrong. I still get jealous from time to time, but I know where his heart is. It’s the price I pay for being married to someone so awesome, I guess.”
Jay
It was ten a.m. on Sunday morning, and Jade and I were just getting out of my bed. The past week had gone by in a blur.
When Jade and I weren’t working, we would be together. She brought out a relaxed, lighthearted side of me I wasn’t even sure had existed before her. She made me happy, and she helped me forget all the anger and disappointment I’d carried around with me for so long. Her heart was so big, and her spirit was so genuine that I couldn’t help being drawn to her.
We couldn’t keep our hands off of each other. Just seeing her in one of my T-shirts was enough to drive me crazy. That woman did things to me I couldn’t explain.
Walking up behind her, I wrapped my arms around Jade’s waist and kissed her neck as she brushed her teeth. She smiled around her toothbrush, and her eyes met mine in the mirror. My hands moved down to her bare thighs, and I ran my fingers over her smooth skin.
“I think you should stay in my apartment dressed like this. I’ll buy you a hundred T-shirts, any color you want,” I murmured as I continued covering her neck in kisses.
Jade laughed before leaning forward and spitting toothpaste into the sink, her ass pressing against me. “Only if you walk around like that all the time,” she said with a smile before she continued scrubbing her teeth.
I was wearing nothing but a pair of black Calvin Klein briefs. “Deal,” I said, gliding my hands toward her hips and under my T-shirt.
I continued moving them higher, and Jade squealed before her elbow came back and jabbed me in the ribs.
“Ouch. Shit,” I muttered, my hand moving to hold my side.
“Sorry,” she said, suppressing a laugh. “But I warned you.”
I smacked her ass, and she jumped.
“Now, we’re even.”
Jade laughed and rinsed out her mouth. Turning around to face me, she draped her arms around my neck, her body pressing against mine. “I like it when you’re rough,” she murmured, wiggling her eyebrows.
Wrapping my arms around her, I squeezed her ass with both hands before leaning down and kissing her luscious lips. She got up on her toes and deepened it, her tongue sliding against mine. She tasted like mint and Jade, the best flavor ever.
Pulling away, Jade looked up at me and smiled when she saw lust growing in my eyes. “Uh-uh, buddy. It’s already ten, and I have shit to do today.”
I raised an eyebrow and pulled her closer, my dick pressing against her stomach. “What could you possibly have to do that’s more important than me?”
She giggled as my hands moved up her back. “Laundry.”
My head jerked back, and I looked down at her like she was crazy. “Laundry?”
“Yeah. I haven’t done laundry in a week. I’m running out of clothes.”
“Well, that’s easy. I can get your laundry done.”
She shook her head. “You’re not paying someone to wash my clothes.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m calling the shots today, and you’re coming with me to the Laundromat.”
I chuckled as her eyes danced between mine.
“The Laundromat? That’s where you’re taking me?”
She nodded, a bright smile lighting up her face. “Yep. I bet you’ve never been to one, have you?”
