32 #3
“Ah, ah, ah.” He moved his finger from left to right. “Finish your food and I’ll tell you,” he said smugly.
“That’s blackmail,” whined Liz, narrowing her eyes at him but enjoying his little game all the same. He was really taking care of her.
“Yep. But it’s really good news,“ Jerome teased. She was about to protest when he held up his finger, then pointed to the plate. “Eat and I’ll tell you.”
Liz grinned at him. She was transported back to when they first got together and Jerome used to create new recipes and make her taste them.
They were happy times. Liz cut through some more chicken and forked up some salad, to Jerome’s delight.
It took Liz around fifteen minutes to work her way through the meal.
She kept stopping and asking questions about the good news.
“Is it about me?”
“I’m not saying.”
“Jerome!”
“Eat it up,” he said nonchalantly.
“Gah! You’re mean!”
“Yep. Less talking more eating please.”
Liz chewed on some more chicken and salad while Jerome sipped his wine.
“Is it a holiday?”
“If you don’t finish, I’m not saying and if you carry on grilling me, I may not tell you at all!” Jerome mock glared at her and Liz giggled at his playfulness.
“Okay, okay, I’ll finish.”
As soon as Liz popped in the last piece of salad and chicken in her mouth, she looked up at him expectantly.
He refilled her wine glass, passing it to her and waited for her to take a sip.
He was determined to make her feel tired without the use of relaxants.
With her stomach full and a few glasses of wine, he was hoping she’d relaxed enough to drift off.
“So?”
Jerome lifted the tray off the bed, deliberately slowly, and placed it on the floor.
“Jerome! Stop teasing me and just tell me!”
“Okay, okay. Calm down.” He sat back down again and faced her. “Well the good news is that the fashion show is on again.”
“What? How? When did this happen… I don’t understand.” Liz shifted forward.
“I spoke to Graham about hosting the fashion show at Sky. We had a meeting yesterday with the event organisers and they agreed. So, it’s back on.”
Liz shrieked with excitement and jumped up from the bed, flinging her arms around his neck, peppering his face with kisses.
“That’s brilliant news. Why didn’t I think of it earlier? You’re amazing, thank you, thank you!”
Jerome laughed at her enthusiasm, steadying her in his arms. “So you’re pleased, then?” he asked with a hint of mock sarcasm.
“Pleased? I’m ecstatic!” she settled back on her heels, her arms still around his neck and looked at him. “Sky, what a great venue! What a great idea!”
“Well, it wasn’t my idea. Someone else suggested it, and as soon as I thought about it, it just made sense. You get to do your runway, Liz. It’s your dream come true.”
Liz smiled softly at him.
“I will. Thanks to you.” Liz pressed her lips to Jerome’s and kissed him hard.
Jerome faltered a moment, then kissed her back holding her closer, allowing his hands to trail over her back.
Liz tightened her grip on him and Jerome knew where this was heading.
He moaned softly. It felt good to have her in his arms again.
He’d missed the intimacy, of feeling her softness.
Jerome gently pushed her back against the bed and he covered her slight frame with his body.
Her hands fisted in his thick hair as she kissed him urgently, desperate to break him.
Jerome stilled taking her by the wrists and pulling them away.
He didn’t want to rush, he wanted to take it slow, ease in to it, unsure if he was able to follow through.
A rejection would hurt her, but if they started slowly Jerome hoped the uneasiness he felt, when he was close to her, would begin to subside.
“Slow down,” he mumbled against her neck.
“I want you, Jerome. I need you…” Liz breathed, rubbing herself provocatively against him. “I want to show you how much you mean to me.”
She held his anxious face between her hands and pulled him back to her lips.
Jerome tried to relax, clear his mind while her small soft hands roamed over his back.
She didn’t want him thinking. If he started to think he’d stop, she knew him too well.
He hadn’t forgiven her but he was trying to.
Tonight had proved that. He’d spent time with her and focused on her needs.
Even while she was away he’d thought about her, the fashion show was proof of that.
A cry from the corridor jolted them.
“Daddy!”
“It’s Kara,” muttered Jerome scrambling off Liz as she eased herself up on her elbows. “I’ll go see what’s wrong.” He headed for the door and Liz flopped back down on the bed, trying hard to hide her exasperation.
Jerome re-entered the room carrying a weepy Kara. “She’s got tummy ache. Probably all the chocolates she ate. I’ll give her a mild antacid and put her back to bed.”
“Sure.” Liz smiled weakly. She knew the moment had passed.
There was no way they would pick up where they left off, well not tonight anyway.
She sat up and grinned to herself. The fashion show was on again.
This was exactly what she needed, exposure.
The only problem was it would be at Sky and Jonathan was not going to be happy.
“SO, WHERE SHALL WE go this morning?” Chloe flopped down in the chair next to Dani.
“Well I need to do all my Christmas shopping so, I suppose Leeds.”
Chef had insisted Dani take Friday morning off since she’d volunteered to work every shift over the holidays and work on Boxing Day night for Joseph’s parent’s anniversary party.
She’d also managed to have the lunch time shift on New Year’s Day off, just working in the evening as Ray always made an effort and invited Adam and Chloe over for a late lunch, and of course the invitation extended to Dani too.
“Sure. If you don’t manage everything today you’ve got Monday too.”
“I can’t on Monday, I’m spending the morning with Gia. We need to put together some decorations for the anniversary party I told you about. And I need to get a costume for New Year’s Eve,” Dani cringed. “I haven’t a clue what to go as.”
“Hmm. Is there a theme?” asked Chloe.
“No, not really, just famous iconic figures. Rosa is going as Cleopatra and Nicole as Grace Kelly, so someone or should I say some woman, who’s iconic.”
“Well that’s easy, Marilyn Monroe. Who’s more iconic that, her unless you’d rather go as Madonna?”
“Marilyn or Madonna? Well Madonna’s Italian isn’t she?” chuckled Dani. “Hmm… but I don’t fancy walking around in a coned bustier all night!”
Chloe laughed, “You could pull it off mind you, but you’re right, not very practical.
I could make you a version of that white halter necked dress Marilyn wore.
I think I have a pattern of something similar that I made for myself.
I can alter it a bit,” suggested Chloe. “Then all you need is a blonde wig. We could get the material today, it’ll give me time to make it for you. ”
“Would you?”
“Sure, you’ll make an excellent Marilyn.”
Dani rolled her eyes. Well, she’d have to blonde again, just for one night.
COSIMO SLIPPED HIS FERRARI into the parking spot next to Gia’s Fiat.
Cosimo wasn’t a showy man by nature. In fact, of all the brothers he was probably the most understated.
He enjoyed fine wine and food. His clothes were exquisite and bespoke but not obvious.
His home was a modest detached Victorian house situated between Leeds and Ilkley, granting him the distance and privacy he required but close enough to his family.
All the furnishings in his home were original, mixing modern designs with antiques he’d either acquired or inherited.
Amongst these acquisitions was Cosimo’s car.
Alessandro senior and Cosimo had a shared passion for cars and when Alessandro died Cosimo was the only son who was old enough to drive, then in his early twenties.
Gia knew Cosimo loved her late husband’s red Ferrari Testarossa, so she signed it over to him, knowing she would never drive it.
Cosimo had kept it in mint condition and its value had escalated to over double of what his father paid for it over twenty-five years ago.
Cosimo rarely took it out into the city, using his modest Alfa Romeo for town, but this morning he’d driven James into Leeds and wanted to give him a bit of a treat.
Cosimo looked at his watch and scanned the car park.
It was just after two and the absence of Arsenio’s black Lamborghini meant that Cosimo might be able to have a private word with Jerome before they all sat down for their weekly family lunch.
Cosimo found Jerome in his office talking on the phone.
Jerome signalled him to come in and sit down.
“Well, I appreciate that very much. I know it’s short notice but the work needs to be finished in time for the painter… excellent, so I can book the decorator for the twenty-seventh? Thank you again.”
Jerome set down his phone and looked up at Cosimo. “Hi, just let me make this one phone call.”
“Of course,” he smiled, then settled into the chair in front of Jerome’s desk, watching Jerome call and quickly confirm the date with the decorator.
“You’re having some work done?”
“Sort of. I’m getting the apartment into order. Just a refreshing of the paintwork and a bit of routine maintenance.”
“Oh?” Cosimo sat forward.
“Yes, Mama wants to offer the apartment to Dani, temporarily.” Jerome’s eye shifted to some papers on his desk and he shuffled them into order nervously.
“Really?”
“Yes. Apparently, Dani’s thinking of buying her own place next year, but until then her travelling from Harewood is proving to be tiring and she’s helped out Mama a lot, putting in extra hours here too, so…” he shrugged. “It was Mama’s idea,” Jerome added, seeing Cosimo’s eyes narrow.