23 #2
“Thanks. Anyway, on New Year’s you’re also supposed to wear red underwear for good luck.”
“Really?”
“Uh-huh. And after here we all go down to Sky. It can be quite exhausting but great fun!”
“And everyone dresses up?”
“Yep, Gia, Jerome, Chef, everyone,” confirmed Kuch.
“Sounds like a lot of fun.”
“It is. You’ll have the best time, believe me.” Rosa beamed.
LIZ CHECKED HER WATCH again as Graham walked up and down his office talking into his Bluetooth earpiece.
If he didn’t wrap this meeting up soon she’d have hardly any time with Jonathan.
He’d been waiting impatiently in their apartment for nearly an hour and by the sound of his text he was getting more and more agitated. She checked her phone again.
The bed’s up! Where r u?
Liz quickly text back that she’d be there soon.
“Sure. Well send everything and I’ll arrange the meeting with Liz… two weeks tomorrow? Yes, that sounds fine.” Graham stared at Liz as he spoke and she nodded, confirming his statement.
He said his goodbyes, then pulled off the earpiece, his wide smile confirming the call had gone well.
“Well they seem keen, Liz. They’ve checked out your portfolio. They’re seeing another two models and one B class soap actress too, but I don’t think they’re much competition.”
Liz rose from her seat. “So, Wednesday the eleventh, then? In London?”
“That won’t be a problem will it?” Graham shifted some papers on his desk as he spoke.
“No. Not at all.”
“I would suggest you fly down. I know Jerome would prefer you getting there in comfort,” he smirked at her.
He’d had a few run-ins with Jerome over the years.
He always insisted Liz was treated well.
“And you won’t need to stay overnight. The meeting will probably take a couple of hours so you can get back by the evening.
You’re alright going alone? I mean you’re a pro at these kinds of things now, you don’t need me to hold your hand anymore and to be honest I’m stacked out. ”
“No I don’t need a babysitter Graham,” Liz replied with a hint of sarcasm. “I’ll be fine.” She was by the door ready to open it. “Any news on the fashion show?”
“No, not yet.” Graham’s face hardened.
“What’s wrong?”
“Experience tells me that if the details haven’t come through by now, there’s a problem.
But the event organisers are adamant we continue with all the preparations,” he sighed loudly.
“I just hope this hard work we’ve all put in isn’t wasted on them.
I’ll let you know as soon as I know.” He smiled up at her in an attempt to reassure her but after working with Graham for over ten years she could see he was worried.
His phone rang and he picked it up. “I have to get this.”
“Sure, email me the details of the meeting. Bye.”
Graham mouthed his bye as he answered his call.
Liz had barely passed over the threshold of the apartment when Jonathan almost crushed her up against the closed door. His mouth ravaged hers, clawing at her coat to get as close as he physically could to her.
“ Jesus, I was going out of my mind.” He pulled back allowing Liz to take a breath. His hands moved restlessly over her as her coat hit the floor. She was wearing her work out clothes. Jonathan’s mouth twitched as his gaze raked over her. “You going to the gym?”
“No. But I was hoping we could work out today.” She cocked her head to one side. “I brought my iPad for music.” She indicated to her bag.
“You came here to work out?” Jonathan stepped back clearly hurt. He thought this apartment was their fuck pad. Somewhere they could just enjoy each other.
“Just for a bit.” She looked at her watch.
It was ten thirty. She knew he had to be at his first personal training appointment at one.
“I thought we could do some intense training for half an hour then… if you’re good…
” She looked at him coyly and blinked slowly making him understand what his reward would be.
Jonathan narrowed his eyes at her. “I thought this place was for you and me to be with each other.” He was still wounded and Liz knew she had to win him round again.
“It is babe, but I have to train hard for these contracts. The Pilates I do isn’t enough and I don’t want to train with anyone else. You’re the best I’ve ever had, no one compares to you.” She slinked over towards him. He stifled a smile, the double meaning of her compliment not lost on him.
“The best eh?”
“Uh-huh.” Liz was inches away from him.
“You look perfect to me.”
“You’re only saying that because all you want is to fuck my brains out.”
Jonathan closed his eyes and groaned. Liz ran her small hands over his chest and he gripped onto her hips and yanked her hard against him so she could feel his arousal.
“And believe me that’s what I want too, but after you’ve got me all hot and sweaty.”
Jonathan opened his eyes and rested his forehead against hers and sighed softly.
“You’re worried about these contracts?”
“I just want to be the best I can be.” He could sense she was preoccupied. “I’m living off one thousand calories a day and I work out but I need to get better definition, lose a few more pounds. I have a meeting with them in two weeks.”
Jonathan slid his arms around and hugged her tightly. She was so insecure about herself and he just didn’t get it. She really was perfect, the most perfect woman he’d ever set eyes on.
“Okay, babe, we’ll train. You can’t do anymore than what you’re doing.”
Liz furrowed her brow. She had two weeks to get her body fine-tuned and she needed all the help she could get.
“What’s wrong?” Jonathan stroked her worried looking face.
“Do you have any of those slimming tablets? The ones you gave to that girl who wanted to shed some weight before her wedding?”
Jonathan furrowed his brow. “You mean Meridia?”
Liz shrugged. “I don’t remember the name. I just know she managed to lose ten pounds in a couple of weeks.”
“You really need them? I don’t think it’s…”
Liz pulled away from him and pouted, “Jonathan please. I know you can get them.” She’d heard him talking on the phone to some relative of his that could get his hands on a number of steroids and stimulants that are usually difficult to acquire, but they seemed to be popular within the realm of fitness and body building.
“You don’t need them babe, really you don’t,” he pleaded.
“It’s just until I get these contracts and do the shoot in Spain and then I’ll be fine. They’ll just help me. I’ve hit a plateau and they’ll just get me past it. Please.”
Jonathan hesitated for a moment. “Okay, I’ll get some but just for a short time, until you get the contracts?”
Liz nodded stepping closer to him. “Please don’t stress about these jobs. They’ll be mad not to take you on.” He kissed her forehead and pulled back to look at her. “I’ll call Gabe and pass by and get them sometime today.” He hugged her tightly, then released her.
Liz’s eyes shifted to behind him, “So you put up the bed?”
Jonathan turned and looked over his shoulder at his handiwork. “Yeah. It was a bitch to put up,” he huffed, then turned his gaze back to Liz. “Right thirty minutes to get you all nice and sweaty, then the hour after that is all mine. We can christen the new bed. Agreed?”
“Agreed.”
“HAVE A GOOD TIME!” called Dani as she waved to Adam and Chloe.
She had Rosie on her hip. Both Ollie and Sophie were on either side of her.
Dani closed the door locking out the cold night air.
It was seven thirty and it was the first night off she’d had since she started working at La Casa d’Italia.
She couldn’t believe it was already Thursday. The last few days had flown by.
“Sooooo, we have the house to ourselves, what shall we do?” Dani ushered the excited children into the sitting room where the remnants of their game of Twister was still all over the floor.
“We’ve an hour tops before bed. What shall we play?
” Dani had fed and bathed the children allowing Chloe to, for once, get dressed up for her first night out with Adam on her birthday.
The day had been filled with various birthday celebrations, breakfast in bed, made by the children and Dani.
Then Adam’s father Ray had come around at tea time to have birthday cake and wish Chloe a happy birthday.
He bought her a magnificent bouquet of flowers and a Spa morning at Level One.
Dani gifted them a night off and had arranged with Peter to pay for their dinner this evening at La Casa.
It was the very least she could do for them.
“Let’s sing on the karaoke game,” suggested Sophie.
Ollie groaned, “I’d rather play Uno.”
“Oki!” Rosie wriggled off Dani’s hip.
“Okay, we’ll sing for half an hour, then play Uno before bed. What do you say?” the three children looked at each other and nodded.
“GOOD EVENING ADAM HOW lovely to see you.” Gia held out her perfectly manicured hand for him to shake.
“Good evening, Gia. You remember my wife Chloe?”
“Of course. How are you? I believe it’s your birthday today. Dani told us.”
“Yes it is.” Chloe held out her hand and Gia shook it.
“Well Happy Birthday Chloe. Buon compleanno.”
Chloe blushed a little. “Thank you.”
“Shall I show you to your table? Here let me take your coat.”
Within a few minutes Adam and Chloe were seated in the raised part of the restaurant sipping a glass of champagne as they looked over the menu.
“It’s lovely here. I didn’t really take it all in last time we came.” Chloe looked around the now almost full restaurant. The last time she’d been there she’d been preoccupied with the children. “Gia’s so…” Chloe furrowed her brow trying to find the right word.
“Charming?” suggested Adam as he peered at her over the menu.
“Yes, and then some. She’s gorgeous.” Chloe looked over at Gia who was talking to a table. Her flawless figure was sheathed in a figure hugging purple dress with matching sling back heels.
“If I remember correctly, my dad called her a hottie,” chuckled Adam. Chloe giggled at him.
“Yes, that’s right. What are you going to have?”