Chapter 12
Twelve
T he extent of her begging had shocked even Steph, but before Jon had allowed her the release she had become so desperate for, she had cried, before begging and finally pleading for the one final touch that she needed. There was one point where she thought he was going to deny her it and wasn’t entirely sure whether he wanted to or not, but he hadn’t and it was like nothing she had ever felt before, so intense and prolonged. He really had made it worth the wait and now she was lying across him still tingling all over and breathless.
“What time is it?” she finally asked.
“Almost six o’clock. What time does your visiting shift start?” He stroked a finger across her back from shoulder to shoulder.
“I have been given the seven til half eight slot, so I ought to get up and showered,” she said reluctantly.
“You need to eat something, too,” said Jon seriously.
“I can grab something at the hospital.” Steph fought the overwhelming urge to close her eyes as she tried to summon up the energy and inclination to get out of bed.
“I meant food, Steph. That stuff at the hospital barely passes, so you get your arse in the shower and I will make us something.” He moved slightly so he was leaning over her, looking into her eyes.
“I wish we could stay like this forever,” she mused closing her eyes dreamily.
“When your dad’s on the mend we’ll take some time off work and go away or just stay in and sleep, eat, watch movies and shag,” suggested Jon quite seriously.
“I already have my holiday booked with Lindsay so I will go with option two please.” She grinned up at him.
“Ah, so you’ve had your holiday request approved then?” He sounded completely serious and very corporate.
“What? No! I haven’t submitted one, but you knew I had a holiday booked when you offered me the job,” she said triumphantly now and smiled at him smugly.
“Well, me, the man who is sharing your bed, yes he knew, but Jonathan Brooker, your boss? He doesn’t have a clue and as you chose not to mention your existing holiday commitments, I’m not sure that he has to or actually will honour your commitments.” Jon grinned as he got up and grabbed a clean t-shirt and a pair of boxers from the drawer he now occupied in Steph’s bedroom.
“Please tell me you are joking,” she called after him as he headed for the bedroom door. “Jon!” she shouted, making him laugh. “You had better answer me, Jonathan!” she called now and giggled as she had never actually called him Jonathan to his face. He stopped immediately and turned to face her.
“If you weren’t on such a tight schedule this evening, I would be tempted to open negotiations on your informal leave request, Stephanie, but as you are, it will have to wait, darling, now move your beautiful arse.” He grinned before leaving her alone.
Steph had redressed in a pair of black jeans and a long sleeved, red t-shirt. She was zipping up the black leather ankle boots when Jon reappeared in the doorway of the bedroom. “Come on. You really need to go shopping and put some food in your cupboards. I thought we were going to end up with breakfast cereal at one point, but you didn’t have any milk, so we have omelettes.”
“Omelettes? I had the ingredients for omelettes?” She was genuinely surprised that there’d been any food at all.
“Yup, there was half an onion, a bit of shrivelled up red pepper, a corner of a block of cheese that wasn’t blue and half a dozen eggs, so omelettes. Let’s eat” he said authoritatively.
She obediently followed him and ate the food that he put in front of her and was forced to admit as he stared at the speed with which she ate, “I was hungry, hungrier than I had realised, thank you.” She placed her knife and fork on her empty plate making him smile. She returned his smile and then asked, “Are you staying here tonight?”
“No, darling I have to go and see my dad tonight, some business stuff.” Jon looked uncomfortable.
“Oh, okay. Business? What business stuff do doctors deal in? You’re not ill are you?” Worry suddenly replaced the suspicion she’d originally felt.
“I’m not ill, no, but my dad and I have some mutual investments and we need to talk through some details for the Brooker Foundation . . .” Jon allowed his voice to trail off.
“Oh. Shall I come back to yours then? It doesn’t matter if you’re back late, I am knackered anyway.”
“I may not come back tonight. I may just head straight to the office from my dad’s and I’ve agreed to breakfast with Lucy tomorrow,” said Jon hesitantly knowing that the mention of Lucy was likely to blow everything out of the water, especially after the last couple of emotion fuelled days Steph had experienced.
“Oh, well, forget it then! I said I was knackered so better if I stay here on my own and leave you to get on. I might see you tomorrow, or I might not.” She was already on her feet, angrily grabbing her bag and keys.
“Steph, please, don’t do this, it’s not what you think,” he told her.
“So you keep telling me. It’s never what I think, is it, so what is it like, Jon?” She wasn’t sure what she expected him to say, but she wasn’t able to hide her jealousy. Jealousy and hurt.
“This really isn’t how I wanted to tell you, but, I can’t keep putting it off every time you tell me you don’t want to know. This could change everything between us,” he started as her phone rang.
She looked down and saw that it was Eddie calling and as much as she wanted to hear what he had to say, she was also relieved to have stemmed the flow of words from Jon if what he had to say was going to change everything , she couldn’t ignore Eddie, not again.
“Hello,” she snapped.
“Hey sis, you okay?” Eddie sounded concerned.
“Yeah, sorry.” She calmed slightly. “Is Dad okay?” Worry immediately replaced her earlier annoyance.
Jon listened to her responses and quickly gathered that one of the others had bailed on visiting as one of their children had a sickness bug they couldn’t risk passing on to their father.
“Yes, I’m on my way now,” she replied and waved to Jon as she left making him frown at her as his own phone rang.
“Kramer,” she heard him answer but didn’t care about anything beyond getting to the hospital at that moment in time.
Steph had spent almost two hours alone with her dad and although he was obviously tired, they had laughed lots and talked even more, starting with some reminiscing.
Then Roger asked her bluntly, “What’s the big secret with Jon?”
“No secret,” she’d replied a little too quickly she thought with hindsight.
“Come on, Stephie, I am not stupid, pumpkin, and I know that you are a grown-up and can make your own choices,” replied Roger. “You seem very happy with him and him with you, but there just seems something off about the whole thing.”
Steph considered giving her dad a full and frank account of her relationship with Jon, but something stopped her so she settled for a partial truth that she hoped would be enough. “He is Charlie’s friend and we met through Charlie, you know that, but we soon hooked up and at a meeting I found out that he was Jon Brooker, my big new account at Bakers and after I left there I went to work for him, so it’s a bit weird still.”
Roger looked ready to push further, but the bell to signal the end of visiting rang and a very relieved Steph was able to avoid further scrutiny, for now.
Steph was waiting for the lift to arrive, but as she was at the back of a very large group of other visitors she decided to take the stairs instead. She was just approaching the landing for the second floor when the door to it opened and she was almost flattened by the door and then Chris coming through it.
“Sorry,” he said sincerely before realising it was her. “Steph, sorry, you okay?” He rested a hand on her shoulder.
“Yeah fine thanks. You’re in a hurry,” she noted smiling.
“I have just finished after a very long couple of days, so I am wasting no time at all.” His hand remained on her shoulder, but he wore a grin on his face now.
“Ah,” she grinned back and noticed that he was wearing very flattering black jeans and a black V-neck t-shirt.
“Shall we?” Chris gestured for them both to continue their descent of the stairs.
Steph made no reply but continued towards the stairs. Chris removed his hand from her shoulder and now rested it in the small of her back.
Once in the foyer of the hospital Chris nervously asked, “Unless your large, rich boyfriend is about to appear, do you fancy a drink? Actually, even if he is, do you fancy a drink anyway?” He grinned cheekily.
“Sure, why not.” Reminded suddenly of her boyfriend, her married boyfriend, Steph decided that if Jon could choose to go home either to Daddy or Lucy, who was also his breakfast companion for the morning, then she could certainly have a drink with an old friend, well boyfriend, but that was neither here nor there. She liked Chris, always had. The fact that he had been seriously hot and a great shag were incidental, or at least that’s what she told herself.
“Great.” Chris sounded a little surprised that she had agreed so readily. “I know a place round the corner.” Taking her hand, he led her towards the main road.
Steph settled herself at an outside table in the large beer garden that looked like it belonged at the rear of a country pub, not in the middle of the city. She looked around at the trees and shrubs that surrounded the open space and was so absorbed in her observations that she jumped when Chris sat next to her.
“Are you okay?” He looked across at her nervously.
“Yeah, fine, it’s just been an odd couple of days I suppose.” Suddenly feeling uncomfortable under his gaze, she changed tack. “Tell me what you’ve been up to for the last, what is it, seven, eight years?”
“It really is that long, isn’t it? How time flies. Well, let’s see, professionally I qualified as a doctor, worked my arse off to get myself through the long hours and crappy jobs, dropped dead lucky when I got myself hitched to Mr Wright’s coat tails and have made my way to be his registrar and hope to become a consultant in the next five years unless I piss your boyfriend off again.”
“Very impressive until you got to the bit about my boyfriend and then you lost me, Chris.” She frowned her confusion.
“He didn’t tell you that he threatened to lay me out and have me taken off your dad’s case then?” he asked seriously.
“No, that must have slipped his mind,” she replied sarcastically. “What for?” she asked and then immediately answered her own question. “Because you touched me, oh and kissed me. That would do it,” she told him.
“Mr Wright added burying me in paperwork until I retire if I so much as looked at you again. Your boyfriend is very rich and influential,” Chris said slightly disparagingly.
“Yes, he is, but despite his warnings and those of your boss you’re here, with me,” she pointed out with a wry smile.
“You were always a bad influence on me, Stevie.” He returned her smile at his use of the name that he’d given her years before.
“Thank goodness you didn’t call me that in front of Jon. I am not sure he would like you having your own name for me,” she said thinking what an understatement that was but also questioning the wisdom of being here with Chris. The last thing she wanted to do was give him the wrong impression and in turn jeopardise his job or career, let alone his health, and she had no doubt that Jon would follow through with every threat he had made.
“A name, memories and our own song.”
Steph offered him a fleeting smile, but decided this could be dangerous and she needed to move on from what they had been and what they might have had. “So what about you? Is there a Mrs Patterson or just a long queue for that privilege?” Turning the conversation back to Chris and away from her was her sole mission now.
“Alas no. Junior doctors make shit husbands because they are more married to the job than their spouse, but I have had lots of insignificant relationships,” he admitted smiling with an arch of his brow.
“I bet you have,” she replied making them both laugh again, the tension lifting.
“There was one girl; she was seriously perfect, young, beautiful, bright, funny, a body to die for and the sex . . . it was beyond brilliant, but I didn’t really see the bigger picture and the personal turmoil she was going through and I pushed too hard, so she bolted,” he said solemnly.
Steph sipped on her own drink and smiled at him before asking, “Do you know where she is? Maybe you could make things right and correct your mistakes.” She placed a supportive hand on his bare forearm.
“I know exactly where she is.” He leaned closer. “She is sitting with her hand on my arm, so tell me, can I make things right for us, Stevie?”
Before Steph could reply, he was cupping her chin with his free hand.
“Shit! Me? I am sorry Chris, I’m not free to even consider that. I love Jon and I am very happy with him. If I gave you the impression that there was anything unfinished between us . . .” she said before he interrupted.
“No, it’s what I expected, but I let you get away once and I have regretted it ever since and I would never have forgiven myself for not trying. Have I ruined our evening or can I get you another drink?” Chris appeared to have already recovered from her rebuttal.
“Yeah, thanks.” Relieved that any possible awkwardness had dissipated, Steph was happy to accept another drink.
Chris took off back into the bar leaving Steph to think about his revelations. He still had a thing for her and had tried his luck tonight after regretting letting her go years before. The thought that occupied her mind in more detail and for longer was the fact that Jon had threatened him and his job. How dare he, they were back to her being an acquisition that belonged to him and Chris was attempting some kind of hostile takeover. That man was controlling in the extreme while he was safely tucked away at home, wherever that was with Daddy and the little wifey. He would be seriously pissed off with her for being out with Chris, if she told him, but then he was keeping his own secrets, wasn’t he?
“Sorry, there was a queue at the bar,” said Chris in explanation of the time it had taken him to return.
They continued to reminisce, catching each other up on the missing years over their second drink and Chris shared some of the funnier stories he’d experienced or heard as a doctor while Steph told him how she’d ended up working for Jon, including the story of her putting Jack Baker on his arse.
Steph declined a third drink and explained that she intended to go into work the following morning as her dad was stable and conscious, but would visit him later in the day or evening. Chris had implied some kind of wrongdoing on Jon’s part for her going into work, but she had rightfully defended him because she knew that he would never have pressured her into working or doing anything if she didn’t want to or if Roger had needed her.
Chris excused himself with a call of nature before he intended to walk her back to the hospital car park. She watched him disappear into the pub and after a few minutes she got to her feet, preparing to leave and checked her phone that displayed a simple message from Jon.
Hope your dad is ok tonight. I am sorry that we parted as we did, but this afternoon was amazing, you were. If you want to stay at mine feel free. I will see you at the office tomorrow. You didn’t say whether you had opened your present, I will see tomorrow I suppose and remember, I love you. Jon x
She was considering her response when Chris emerged from the pub and seemed to skip along the path and up the two stone steps before reaching her, bowing slightly then asking, “May I?”
Steph frowned at his question until the music from the jukebox that was being broadcast outside as well as inside started and she laughed.
“Really?” she asked surprised.
“Oh yes, one last dance, Stevie, for old time’s sake as there’ll be no new times,” he said and before she could answer he had pulled her towards him and began dancing around the beer garden to the mild amusement of the other patrons.
Steph allowed herself to be led initially and then became a more willing and active participant in the slow dance to Truly Madly Deeply by Savage Garden, their song.
The other occupants of the beer garden were obviously more amused when Chris began to sing at her or to her, or both as he spun her around.
Steph laughed loudly as he continued to sing out of tune and their spectators became increasingly amused.
At the end of the song Chris took a bow and applauded her too making her blush and laugh before her embarrassment increased a hundred fold when he announced to the rest of the beer garden, “We used to make love to that, but she loves somebody else now.”
Steph felt that they were all extending their sympathies with their choruses of ‘ahs’ before he took her hand again and led her from the beer garden for the short journey back to the hospital car park where Chris insisted on walking her right to her car.
“Nice car, the one you always wanted if memory serves me right,” he observed.
“Yes.”
“Don’t tell me, a little something off Mr Brooker!” A hint of bitterness crept into his voice.
“Kind of, well yes,” she admitted.
“I am back on shift tomorrow afternoon so I might see you on the ward, but if not thank you for a fabulous evening. Maybe we could do it again, as friends. Night, Stevie,” he said and gently kissed her on the cheek and held her driver’s door open for her before running across the car park, presumably to his own car.
Steph was in bed before she replied to Jon’s text and kept it brief as she was exhausted and desperate for sleep. She considered ignoring him and just seeing him at the office the following day. The fact that she had begun a relationship with him knowing he had a wife made it rather petty to ignore him because he had dared to go and see her. After all, he had been with her almost solidly since her dad’s accident and that afternoon they had made very hot love in the bed she was now lying in. She really needed to get her head around it all and get on with it, enjoy their time together and not think of their time apart, or accept she couldn’t do this.
She sent the message and smiled as she thought of seeing Jon again.
Dad is obviously on the mend because he was interrogating me about us. I think I should accept responsibility for our parting as I still forget that I am not a sulky 14yr old. This afternoon was pretty good except for the bit where you tried to drown me. I am back at mine and in bed and absolutely knackered. You will see me at the office tomorrow, I look forward to it. Need to discuss my present and you should remember that I love you too. Steph x
Steph was waiting for the lift to take her to the twenty third floor when she was joined by Martin, her former colleague from Bakers.
“Hi Steph, I hear congratulations are in order. That’s a big old promotion you’ve bagged yourself, from temp to Financial Services Manager in one move.”
“Thanks Martin. I didn’t realise you were still here,” she said ignoring any inferences from his comment about her new job.
“Yeah, but I think it’s a waste of my time and Brooker’s money because if there is a legal query I have to bat it back to Baker or Steve Cannon flags it to you, so I may not be here much longer, unless you have any openings for an accountant because I like having a coffee shop and staff canteen on site.” He laughed but said it seriously amusing Steph.
“I have no idea if there are any vacancies, but I will let you know if I hear of any.” She smiled as the lift arrived and Andrea joined them.
“Good morning, Miss Pryor. I have some dates for your diary from Mr Brooker. Would you prefer me to email them to your assistant or are you free this morning if I come down to your office?” Andrea seemed unaware of Martin virtually drooling at her.
“I am free first thing, so you could come down to me and I will let Rosie have the ones she needs,” Steph suggested.
“Great, give me about quarter of an hour to get the coffee on for Mr Brooker for when he arrives.” Andrea smiled as Martin arrived at his floor.
“Bye Steph,” he said but only had eyes for Andrea who smiled at him shyly surprising Steph.
“I think you’ve made a lasting impression, Andrea,” she teased, watching the other woman blush more. “Sorry,” said Steph and then added, “I believe Mr Brooker has a breakfast meeting this morning, so you may not need to get the coffee straight on.”
Andrea pulled her phone out of her pocket and checked her e-mails, “Oh yes, Brooker Foundation breakfast meeting,” she muttered. “The gala is tonight so probably last minute things to finalise.”
Steph smiled at the other woman as they left the lift together, but refused to acknowledge that she hadn’t got a clue that there was a gala on any night let alone that night. She hurried down to her own office and as the clock behind Rosie’s desk showed it was just after eight o’clock, Steph carried on into her own office, switched on her computer, made some coffee and sat at her desk to begin a little bit of research.
“Right, Brooker Foundation, what the bloody hell are you?” she asked aloud as her search engine rewarded her request with thousands of hits.
She trawled through them and found some more informative than others, but by the time Andrea arrived twenty minutes later she had a list of notes on her pad.
Brooker Foundation founded by Jonathan Brooker with a start-up fund of ￡10 million.
They support charities and medical research into AIDS, cancer, leukaemia and brain tumours amongst other life threatening diseases as well as drugs and drink related illness and rehabilitation.
One of their senior members and fund raisers is Lucy Brooker (bitch).
Eminent oncologist and father to Jonathan Brooker, Mr Brooker Snr is also a senior member of the foundation. (Makes sense).
Each year the foundation have a Gala event and a Xmas Ball to raise additional funds.
Steph closed her note pad as Andrea appeared in the doorway. She ushered her in as she went to get fresh coffee for them both, much to Andrea’s protests.
“Let me, Miss Pryor,” she pleaded.
“Andrea, I am quite capable of making coffee, now sit down, please,” Steph replied firmly.
When she returned with the coffee Rosie was sitting at her desk on the phone and when Steph arrived in her own office, Andrea was looking at the framed photo of her and Jon that was still on her desk.
“You make a lovely couple,” she said absent mindedly, making Steph smile.
“Thank you, but I don’t think that really has a place on my desk,” she admitted.
Andrea’s expression morphed into one of confusion.
Steph laughed and felt obliged to explain, “It’s a gift from Jon, but I am unsure where I should put it because as a joke I suggested that we should each have one on our desks and here it is.”
“Mr Brooker has his on his desk,” Andrea revealed to a shocked looking Steph. “I was rather surprised because he doesn’t normally have personal photos in his office, just prints and artwork,” she said, gesturing towards the ones on Steph’s wall.
“I see.” Steph allowed herself a smile before regaining her professional composure and phoning through to Rosie who joined her and Andrea to schedule the dates Jon had made for her.