Chapter 27
Waking up in Jake’s arms feels good – it feels almost as good as everything we did last night. Almost.
We didn’t sleep much; in fact, we were still all over each other when the sun started to come up. Then it was even hotter, being able to see each other all of a sudden.
I was worried I might wake up and regret it, but I don’t. At least I don’t think I do. God, I hope he doesn’t regret it.
I inhale sharply, which is how I discover Jake is awake too, because he tightens his arms around me.
‘You awake, darlin’?’ he mumbles.
‘Yeah,’ I reply in a whisper. ‘You?’
I feel stupid the second I say it. He just laughs and rubs my shoulder sleepily.
A bang on the door makes sure I’m awake.
‘Whitney,’ I hear JJ call out. ‘Whit? I’m coming in…’
We both sit a little more upright and make sure we’re covered.
JJ laughs as she sits down on the end of our bed.
‘I appreciate you making the effort, but you don’t have to pretend you’re sharing a bed in front of me,’ she insists.
‘Good morning to you too,’ I reply. ‘Hungover?’
‘Not as much as you would think,’ she replies. ‘It was a good night – who knew board games were so fun?’
‘Everyone but you,’ I tell her. ‘Although they’re not usually so horny.’
‘That’s why I don’t play them,’ she replies. ‘How you doing, big boy?’
Jake laughs. I’m not sure he’s ever been called that before.
‘Doing good, ma’am,’ he replies.
‘I swear he’s only calling me that because I told him it gets my knickers in a twist,’ she jokes. ‘Anyway, Whit, I need to talk.’
‘I’ll grab a shower,’ Jake replies. ‘Is the power back on?’
‘Yeah,’ JJ says. ‘There was a power line damaged somewhere locally, but it’s fixed now – at least that’s what I heard Andy and Cordelia talking about.’
‘Won’t be long,’ he says with a smile.
Jake grabs the spare throw from on top of the bed and wraps it around his waist, hiding the fact that he’s totally naked, so that he can go to the bathroom without flashing JJ.
‘You’re really committed to the bit, huh?’ she calls after him.
‘I won’t let you down,’ he calls back with a laugh.
Jake goes into the bathroom and closes the door behind him.
‘You dirty bitch, you rode the cowboy,’ she says with truly the biggest grin I’ve ever seen.
‘I… I…’ I try to scoff.
‘You rode the cowboy!’ she says again. ‘Well, don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone… but how was it?’
‘Unreal,’ I reply.
‘My God, I want to hear all about it, but I have to tell you this while it’s just us – know that I’m proud of you though,’ she adds.
‘What’s up?’ I ask, suddenly worried.
‘I have news,’ she says. ‘Bad news. Or maybe good news – definitely chaotic news.’
‘Is Andy okay?’ I check.
‘Yes.’
‘Is Cordelia okay?’ I ask next – wow, turns out I do care about her.
‘Define okay,’ she says, pulling a face.
‘JJ…’
‘I’ve found out what she’s been hiding,’ she tells me.
‘I kept digging, I asked some friends to do some background checks here and there – it wasn’t actually that hard.
Anyway, it turns out dearest Cordelia has been married before, not once, but twice, and the second time, well, she’s not even sure she’s divorced yet.
That’s what all her calls are about; she’s checking her d-i-v-o-r-c-e is finalised. ’
‘No!’ I blurt. ‘How do you know that?’
‘I heard her on the landline this morning,’ she says. ‘She must have thought the power was still off, or her phone must have been flat – I don’t know. She’s clearly in a hurry to get it sorted, what with her tying the knot tomorrow.’
‘Shit,’ is all I can say.
‘I know what you’re going to say already,’ she says quickly.
‘You’re going to say it’s none of our business, and technically you’re right.
In reality – Whit, she’s marrying your best friend.
The one you’re in love with. This is your smoking gun, your way to break them up without seeming like you’re bitter.
She’s lying to him – potentially committing a crime if she marries him… ’
Oh boy, I don’t know what to say, or what to do, or what to think even. This is such a mess.
‘She deserves it simply for the obnoxious pet names,’ JJ adds – I’m sure she’s joking.
‘Well, being cringe isn’t a crime,’ I remind her.
‘If it were, you’d be in prison for your taste in music,’ she claps back. ‘Whit, we have to tell him, it’s your only chance.’
Cordelia is… what, thirty-ish? Late twenties? That’s some going, to be getting married for a third time, but we all make mistakes.
‘Do you think she’s a gold digger?’ JJ asks.
‘Andy has money but he’s not exactly a millionaire,’ I reply.
‘It sounded like she had money troubles,’ JJ says. ‘What do you think that’s about?’
‘I have no idea – honestly, I think we have to keep out of this one,’ I say.
‘Whit, come on, this is how you get him,’ she replies.
‘But we don’t have the full facts, and Andy is a grown man, and maybe she’s already told him,’ I point out. ‘This is going to make me look petty and desperate – plus, think how it will look to the publishers, to Mr Morgan – Jake doesn’t have the sale in the bag yet.’
‘I just want you to put yourself first,’ she says with a sigh. ‘You never put yourself first. Apart from last night, when you banged the cowboy.’
I laugh.
‘I appreciate you having my back but I think we have to leave this one to Andy,’ I tell her. ‘Even if it means I lose him – maybe that’s what’s supposed to happen.’
‘Nothing is supposed to happen in life,’ she tells me. ‘We make our own luck.’
I must admit, it still feels like there’s a puzzle piece that needs clicking into place, but getting involved doesn’t feel right. I don’t want Andy to get hurt, but it’s always the messenger who gets shot.
‘Don’t be dicknotised by the cowboy,’ she warns. ‘Don’t get me wrong, I don’t blame you, but if it’s only a one-night thing, you’re caught up in pretending – don’t give up on something real. You know me, I never say shit like this, but if Andy is the one for you…’
Jake returns from the bathroom, this time with his clothes on.
‘Anyway, I need to go, got some work to do,’ JJ says as she heads for the door. ‘Think about it, Whit.’
‘I will,’ I call after her.
‘About what?’ Jakes asks.
‘Oh, nothing, only JJ being JJ,’ I say. ‘Going somewhere?’
I’ve just noticed that he’s putting his shoes on.
‘Yeah, I’ve got some business to take care of, but I’ll see you later,’ he replies. ‘Shouldn’t take long.’
‘Okay,’ I call after him as he heads for the door too.
Shit, you don’t think he’s regretting last night, now that he’s awake, and we’re in the cold light of day, do you? Suddenly, I care more about sorting things with Jake than I do with Andy.
Andy is a big boy. He must know what he’s doing. There’s no way Cordelia is pulling a fast one… right?
The question lands heavy in my chest. Andy deserves everything good. He deserves honesty. He deserves someone who loves him properly and sincerely. If Cordelia is lying, if she’s hiding something huge, it would matter. It would matter to him. He would want to know.
At the same time, people have pasts. People have messy histories. And it isn’t automatically a scam simply because a woman has been married before. If she’s still married, that’s not great, but it does sound like she’s trying to sort that out…
My head is a mess. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do, or what I want, or how I’m supposed to get it.
Most of all, I really, really hope that Jake doesn’t regret last night. Because I know that I don’t – unless he does.
Ugh, what a mess.