Chapter 24 – Jasper
“Holy shit. You’re fucking joking, right?” Marcus states, staring at me, but he has the biggest smile on his face.
“Nope.” And I hold up my hand to show off the ring.
I had been dying to tell Marcus and wanted to do it in person, and now it was finally time. Vincent had called a team meeting at HQ before we went to a press conference at a local hotel, where a select group of reporters had been invited to attend.
“Jasper!” he exclaims. “That is fucking awesome. How did Otis ask?”
“He didn’t,” I tell him. “It wasn’t planned, but we were going to bed and it sort of slipped out. It had been on my mind all day.”
“But the ring?” Marcus asks, confused.
“Otis had it,” I started. “It’s actually made up of material and resin. He had it made as a moving-in present for me. Inside the ring is a section of the bathrobe tie that we used in our first scene.”
“That is, well, that is just wow,” Marcus states. “I bet Lizzie and Kimber were pleased.”
“I think the pair of them might have jumped for joy.”
“It’s nice to see you smile,” Marcus adds. “I was worried there for a minute. I really thought that Clive was going to do a number on you again.”
“For a second he did. I thought I was going to lose everything. But Otis and you guys showed me that it was different this time,” I tell him.
“You’re a lucky son of bitch to get Otis,” Marcus states.
“I know.” Giving Marcus a smile.
“So what is going to happen now, with the announcement?” Marcus asks.
“I have to tell Vincent and Charmaine about the engagement. Then we’re going to the conference room where the team will join us, and I will tell them about Clive and then Otis.”
“Big day?” Marcus states.
“Yeah, but it feels good to not let Clive win this time,” I tell him.
The last few days had been manic. After the proposal, Otis and I had consummated that union, in a way only we knew how. There was no scene and the sex had been, well, some of the best ever. It connected us in a way that our scenes hadn’t. It’s definitely sex I will be having more often with Otis.
The following morning we had gone to Kimber’s to tell her and Lizzie about the engagement. Kimber had been surprised. Lizzie, I think, saw it coming, but did say she had been denied concocting a plan with Kimber, but that she was so happy that Otis finally had someone who made him that happy.
After that we had gone back to HQ, where there had been a lot of meetings with Charmaine.
That first day with her I think she spent a good hour berating us for not telling the team sooner about Otis and I.
Charmaine seemed to understand why, when Otis explained that he wanted to navigate his feelings for me, without the whole team interrupting and giving their opinions.
“Have you told David yet?” Marcus asks.
“Told me what?” David’s voice sounds from behind Marcus.
“What are you doing here?” I ask.
“Came early with Richard. He had a meeting with Vincent,” David explains. “So, what do you have to tell me?”
I look over to Marcus who gives me a smile and without saying anything I raise my hand up to show David.
“Your hand?” David questions. “You needed to show me your hand?”
“How the hell were you a racing driver?” Marcus exclaims.
“What?” David replies.
“Look again, and pay attention,” Marcus states, and David looks at my hand and finally spots the ring.
“What is that?” David exclaims, and I burst out laughing and nod my head. “Jasper, that is fucking amazing. Does Vincent know?”
“No, Otis and I are going to go see him now,” I say. “We wanted him to know before the meeting with the team.”
“The team is in for an interesting meeting,” David states.
“Jasper.” Turning around, I see Otis walking over to me, with Lizzie and Kimber on either side of him.
We had tried to tell Lizzie to go home, that she needed to get back to her job, but she had refused. She actually used Otis’s accident as a way to extend her leave. She said that she needed to spend some time to make sure that he was okay.
“You ready to go and see Vincent?” I ask, as Otis joins us.
“Yeah. It’s going to be an interesting conversation. I think Charmaine is going to kill us,” Otis replies.
“Oh God, is she going to give us another pep talk before the press conference?” I ask.
“Probably,” David replies, and I swear his smile gets bigger.
“You’re enjoying this way too fucking much,” I state.
“You getting more PR training? Yes, I am enjoying that,” David replies with a smirk.
“Jasper,” Otis interrupts, “we need to get moving, otherwise there won’t be enough time to see Vincent before the team meeting.”
Twenty minutes later we’re heading back to the conference room, both of us smiling.
The meeting had gone better than both of us expected.
Vincent had been surprised and happy. Charmaine had basically said that it was up to us if we announced our engagement to the press, but that it might be a good idea, as it showed how committed we were to each other.
The conference room is a hive of activity. The whole team is there, and my confidence from earlier vanishes. I’m about to stand in front of the team and tell them that I used to have sex for money.
Vincent walks to the front of the room and shouts out, “Guys,” and everyone stops talking and turns in the direction of Vincent.
“Thanks for coming. I’m guessing that you have all read about the rumours surrounding Jasper.
Well, he’s here to talk to you about them.
Jasper wanted you to hear them from him first. I will say, I was surprised, no idea why.
Nothing should surprise me with this team anymore. Anyway Jasper, want to come up?”
“You got this,” Otis whispers, and gives me an encouraging smile.
Just like David last year, it was agreed that I would go up first and talk about Clive, and then I would bring Otis up to join me.
When we had discussed it with Vincent and Charmaine, this had seemed like the simplest thing to do, but now, as I stand in front of everyone, I feel like I’m going to throw up.
“Hey,” I start, and lick my lips. “So, Clive, well some of what he’s saying in the press is true. We dated and he broke my heart.” I stop, just to get control of myself, “And we did meet when he became my client.”
There is a murmur amongst all the team, but no one is shouting out, so I’m taking that as a good thing and continuing my story.
“The one thing Clive didn’t reveal in his story is that he was married at the time, and I fell for him hard.
I broke every rule I had. I let emotions get involved.
I honestly thought what we had was special.
But I was wrong. Clive became very controlling and tried to change every aspect of my life while keeping me a secret.
In the end Clive broke my heart and almost broke me. ”
“What happened after?” someone at the back of the room shouts.
“I went back to my clients,” I say simply. “I tried to get my life back on track. I became friends with Marcus, and before anyone asks, we are only friends.” And I actually think the room groans at this. Like they were hoping for some gossip. “And eventually I moved on.”
“There is no mention of him being married in the article.” A voice sounds, and when I look up, I see the person has their phone in their hand, and I’m guessing they are looking up the article on their phone.
“That is a fact that Clive had failed to mention, and I am not sure why,” I add. “Look, I’m sorry for not telling you about my previous career. This is something that I wanted to keep to myself. A few of my close friends know, along with Vincent.”
“Was it good money?” someone shouts.
“Well, I own my own home and don’t have a mortgage,” I respond.
“Fucking hell. Vincent, can we get a pay raise?” someone shouts.
“No,” Vincent announces, and there is a ripple of laughter amongst the team and I suddenly feel a lot better.
“There is something else that I need to tell you guys,” I start. “I recently got engaged.”
This causes another murmur through the team and I’m certain that I hear a few people asking how and who, and I get the feeling that this is going to get interesting.
“Our relationship has been a secret, as he is a member of the team,” I start.
“Oh for Christ sake, another one,” someone mutters. “Vincent, you really need to stop this.”
“Oh, I hear you. There will be a company announcement soon. But please, I beg of you, no more secrets,” Vincent adds.
“Jasper, who are you engaged to?” someone asks.
“Otis,” I reply, and the whole room bursts out laughing.
“No, really. Who are you going out with?” another voice asks, and I look over to Otis, who is smiling, and I hold out my hand to him. Otis takes a step forward and takes a hold of my hand. I pull him to me, connecting our lips together.
“Will that make them believe you?” Otis whispers as we break apart.
Turning to look out over the room, I see all the shocked expressions on their faces, I will say that it worked.
“That was not on my bingo card for this year,” One of the techs at the front of the room mutters. “Otis, aren’t you straight? Weren’t you going out with what’s her name, you were photographed at the beginning of the year?”
“Marj is my ex-girlfriend, but we haven’t been together since last year. I thought I was straight, too,” Otis replies. “I was wrong.”
“Otis, does this mean you’re gay or bi?” another tech shouts.
“Honestly, I’m not sure, but I know that I love being with Jasper,” Otis replies.
“Well, I would hope you love being with me, since we’re getting married,” I reply, which causes another ripple of laughter in the room.
“Is me being with Jasper going to be an issue?” Otis asks the guys.
A few of the techs turn to each other, and for a moment I get concerned about what they’re going to say.
“No. We’re just pissed. You hid it better than Vincent and Richard. The betting pool we could’ve had with you would have been amazing.”