Chapter 18 #2
“I don’t know either of you at all but I do remember watching you in my hospital bed.
You two adore each other. He is besotted with you, and I don’t think he will be unhappy about this news for one second.
I suspect that once you tell him, he will wrap you in cotton wool and will suffocate with all the affection he is going to drown you in,” Lilly said.
“I know you’re right but it’s still eating me up inside that we are moving too fast. Oh, hell he’s here Lilly,” Olivia said and beamed at the person over Lilly’s shoulder.
Lilly turned around to see Jack walking towards them, his eyes only on Olivia. Olivia had nothing to worry about, Lilly was sure of it.
“You need to tell him Olivia and tell him now,” Lilly whispered to her. “I promise it will all be ok,” she added.
Jack arrived at Olivia’s side and held out his hand to her, as soon as Olivia’s fingers were entwined in his, he had her standing and in his arms in one swift move. Kissing her soundly, Lilly looked on and wondered if she would ever have that. The kiss was slow, passionate and mesmerising to watch.
“They’re a hot couple, aren’t they?” Elijah whispered into Lilly’s ear. She wasn’t sure if the shiver that ran through her was from the warm breath of Elijah, the hot kissing scene in front of her or the daydream she was having of Elijah kissing her so soundly in public.
“They’re a very passionate couple, I don’t know why she doesn’t tell him.”
“Tell him what.”
“Tell me what” Elijah and Jack said in unison.
Lilly hadn’t realised that she had spoken so loudly and that Olivia and Jack had stopped their passionate embrace.
Lilly looked at Olivia making a face of apology, grimacing, hoping that she was forgiven. She watched as a wave of sadness crossed Olivia’s face. She watched in horror as Olivia slipped off the purple diamond that rested on her engagement finger.
“Jack I can’t marry you, I’m sorry,” Olivia said and placed the ring in Jack’s open hand and grabbed her bag and ran out of the bar sobbing.
“What the fuck did you say to her, I kissed her twenty minutes ago and she couldn’t wait to marry me.
Ten minutes with you and she is calling it off and you know why.
So Lilly, tell me now why has she decided that I am now not good enough for her,” Jack bellowed at Lilly.
The entire bar had silenced by the third word Jack had spoken, his deep voice carried through the bar.
Lilly stood up and shook off the hand that tried to pull her back to her seat. She was in no mood to be yelled at or be quietened down.
“Now you listen here Jack, I didn’t say anything to her.
I guessed at something that she has yet to tell you.
Don’t you dare yell at me because she has changed her mind?
Do you think for one moment that I am capable of changing Olivia’s mind about something as serious as marrying the great Jack Geary?
” Lilly said, her arms in animation at standing up to Jack.
She was fearless for five minutes and while she wanted to stand up to the arseholes that had drugged her, her parents who had shunned her or the gaggle of bitches now staring at her, Jack was getting both barrels.
“You’ve known her for a short period and she doesn’t know how you are going to react to some news she has to share with you.
You need to give her five minutes and then go after her and beg her to tell you what is worrying her.
Let me tell you right now, if you are not on your knees begging forgiveness for not realising what is going on then you’ll have me to answer to,” Lilly promised.
Lilly pulled down her jumper that had ridden up while she was waving her arms in the direction of the door and then pointing back at Jack’s chest. She was deadly serious about him making sure Olivia knew it was ok to tell him anything.
“Well Elijah, it seems you have discovered quite a firecracker here. Maybe you’ll get rescued this time. You’ll have to excuse me while I run after my future wife and convince her she is not going anywhere,” Jack said, he winked at Elijah and kissed Lilly’s cheek and left them to it.
Lilly found herself staring at Elijah, still breathing hard from her rant at Jack.
She didn’t plan on being so direct but she felt they had a relationship worth fighting for and wanted to make sure someone was championing them.
Elijah walked the few steps towards her and wrapped his arms around her waist.
“Have you any idea how horny that made me, someone standing up to my brother, completely unfazed that they are talking to Jack Geary. You need to apply that same fiery temper to other areas of your life,” Elijah said.
“You were turned on by my yelling? I shall remember that in the future.”
“So you see a future for us?” Elijah said and then softly pressed his lips to hers.
She didn’t make an attempt to argue with him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed him back. It didn’t take too long before the kiss grew heated and she was just about to part his lips with her tongue when she heard that cough again.
“Forever interrupted,” Elijah muttered more to himself than anyone else.
“I have to go again, will I see you later?” Elijah asked his voice full of hope.
“Maybe, give me a call when you have five minutes and we’ll talk.”
Elijah kissed her quickly and walked away leaving her standing alone in the middle of the bar.
The collective stares slowly drifted away back to their conversations, and she stood wondering what to do next.
Lilly looked around the bar and thought fondly of poached eggs and real coffee.
Just as Lilly was about to signal for a server she felt her hand being pulled and her handbag being shoved onto her shoulder.
“Come with me,” Lilly heard the deep voice quietly say as he pulled on her hand.
“Come with you where Jack?” Lilly asked.
“I need you to help my future wife, to calm her the fuck down and focus on one thing and that’s staying calm until the wedding so she doesn’t give herself a heart attack.
She has to think of two people now and she needs help.
Her best friend is overseas and cannot come, so I’m nominating you to be her new best friend.
You seem to have a strong will and time on your hands.
” Jack was all business tone and no room for asking just telling.
Lilly pulled her hand from his and stopped just before they were about to walk through the door, Jack was holding the door open waiting for her to walk through but instead folded her arms and stood there not moving.
“First, have you begged for forgiveness at not making it clear she can tell you anything and it will be ok? second,” Lilly whispered this part and leaned forward “who the fuck do you think I am that you think you can order me about?” Straightening back up she carried on.
“Third, I know nothing about weddings, I hate them, I don’t even want to go to yours and now you want me to help her? ” Lilly finished.
Jack was taken aback slightly at being questioned on what he wanted, he thought Olivia was the only person that was going to answer him back but now Lilly was too. He must be losing his hard edge that made most people jump to his tune.
“Firstly, not that it is any of your business but yes, I have made it abundantly clear that she can tell me anything, especially if she is carrying our child in her belly. Secondly, I apologise. It wasn’t my intention to order you to do anything.
She needs help, and you clearly care about her, so I thought you would help her.
Last, you don’t like weddings? Who doesn’t like weddings, you’re a female to start with and you’re not divorced, so why be so cynical about weddings,” Jack asked.
“First, I am glad you apologised, secondly I’m sorry for being so brash, of course, I will help, third, I don’t like weddings, get over it and last, how do you know I’m not divorced?” Lilly asked.
Jack’s eyes widened at his omission and he quickly recovered his composure. He’d asked Mickey to check out Lilly and her history. At the hospital, he’d asked his PA to start the ball rolling. If Elijah had fallen in love, he wanted to make sure it was with someone worthy of his love.
“I can read people and I guessed you weren’t married before.” Jack could have kicked himself again at his choice of words. He had mentioned nothing to Elijah, but he had done a full background check on Lilly.
“Are you two going to bicker all day in the doorway or are we going to organise this damned wedding before I grow to be the size of a house?” Olivia asked, standing between them with her hands on her hips.
Lilly and Jack broke their staring competition and turned their gazes on Olivia, she was wearing a satisfied smile on her face. Standing on tiptoe, she kissed Jack’s cheek and grabbed Lilly’s hand.
“We are off to Evelyn’s looking for a dress for Lilly now that she has agreed to come, we’ll see you later for dinner,” Olivia announced as she backed away, she had a gleam in her eye, she knew what was coming next but Lilly didn’t.
“Hold on a second, no one has asked me to the wedding, so I haven’t agreed to anything,” Lilly said.
Lilly stood immobile watching as no one acknowledged what she said and carried on as if she’d not uttered a word. It seemed a done deal she was going and had no choice. It thrilled her they accepted her into this group of people so openly, but she still hated weddings.
Jack grabbed Olivia by the waist and pulled her flush with his body and kissed her soundly, Olivia was still holding onto Lilly’s hand, which meant Lilly had a closer view of their passion that she would have liked.
Lilly dropped her head to avoid watching their tongues duel.
She’d already been witness to the session in the hospital room and flushed at the memory.
“Have you ever watched two people fuck Lilly?” Jack whispered into her ear. “I think you’d like it.”