Chapter 21
Twenty-One
S teph was just completing her final findings on the Richards deal when Rosie phoned through.
“Miss Pryor, Mrs Brooker is here to see you,” her assistant said hesitantly.
“Oh, okay, give me two minutes.” Steph realised that poor Rosie was still under the misapprehension that Jon was married to Lucy.
She tidied her desk and instinctively checked out her own appearance before opening the door to reveal a very uncomfortable looking Rosie and a rather green looking Lucy wearing dark linen trousers and a white vest, not dissimilar to the one that she’d worn to bed the previous night. She cursed herself for thinking about being in bed with Jon as she remembered just how frustrated she still felt.
“Lucy.” Steph shook the hand that Lucy offered.
“Sorry to gate crash, but I was in town and as you hadn’t returned my call,” she started.
“I am so sorry. Yesterday was a nightmare and Rosie passed your message on but I completely forgot. Come in and we can talk face to face instead,” said Steph warmly. “Let me get you a drink.”
“Just water for me,” said Lucy as she headed into Steph’s office leaving a very confused Rosie looking on.
“I’ll explain later.” Steph followed Lucy into her own office and got her a bottle of water from her small fridge.
“Nice photo,” said Lucy as she replaced Steph’s photo of her and Jon on the desk.
“Thanks,” replied Steph a little nervously now.
Lucy smiled at her warmly. “Jon told me what a prat he’d been about your misunderstanding on our relationship and if this is awkward I apologise, but I have eyes for one Brooker man and it isn’t yours.” She sat on the sofa at the far end of the room.
“Sorry if I am acting weird, but I’ve had this person in my mind who was you, but she’s not.” Steph’s inarticulate statement made Lucy laugh.
“So what was I? That cow?” Lucy’s mischievousness made Steph laugh.
“Of course not. I went with bitch.”
“I’m touched, but I am not that person, so we should probably wipe the slate clean,” said Lucy firmly.
“I would like that, thank you.”
“Before we go all business I just want to say that I’m glad you came back, firstly because it’s obvious that you and Jon belong together, but also if you hadn’t returned I don’t know what he would have done. He was half crazy without you and I have known him long enough to say I have never seen him this happy with someone and totally bereft without them, so welcome back and please don’t ever leave him again because I can’t cope with him when he can’t cope without you.”
Steph was unsure what to say but suddenly realised that the man she’d woke up to see leaving for work this morning was back to himself, the worry and frown lines appeared to have magically disappeared after a night sharing a bed with her.
“When are you meeting with SuLyn?” Lucy’s question brought Steph back to earth.
“Half nine tomorrow.”
“Right I should be able to do that. Now that we have that booked in, and assuming you haven’t given Jon his marching orders and having seen him this morning I know you haven’t, you will be coming to ours for dinner tonight, so I will see you then.” She was already on her feet, preparing to kiss Steph before leaving her alone.
Steph gave it a minute and then found a perplexed looking Rosie staring up at her.
“I should probably explain that while I was Mr Brooker’s secret I was never a dirty one,” said Steph relieving none of Rosie’s confusion. “Lucy isn’t his wife. She is married to his dad. His wife is not what she seems.” She wondered if she should divulge details of Penny’s existence or predicament. “I jumped to some very wrong conclusions,” explained Steph more clearly now.
“Then congratulations and I can finally stop running from the cafe when the other admin staff insist on speculating on whether the two of you are shagging,” laughed Rosie, laughter Steph joined in with.
“Good morning, ladies,” came Jon’s voice behind them.
“Mr Brooker,” they said in stereo making Jon’s current smile broaden into a wolfish grin.
“Steph, a moment.” He gestured towards her office beyond the door he was already walking through.
Following him, Steph found him sitting on the sofa loosening his navy tie and undoing the top button on his crisp white shirt. “Make yourself at home.” She smiled as he threw off the navy blue suit jacket he was wearing.
“I am,” he replied. Then more seriously asked, “How did your meeting with Lucy go? I was going to tip you off that she was coming to see you, but an urgent call came through and by the time I called Rosie, she was already in with you.”
“It was fine, she is meeting with me and SuLyn in the morning and is under the impression that I am having dinner with her tonight.” Steph moved towards him slowly.
“I meant to tell you about that. You are free aren’t you?” he asked seriously.
“I was visiting my dad tonight and tonight’s not one of our nights, is it?”
“We no longer have set nights, darling, and you could visit your dad this afternoon if you want to or pop in on the way,” he said matter of factly.
“I suppose,” she conceded.
“Sorted then and you will get to meet my dad properly and my brother and sister.” Jon smiled. “Now are you going to stand there looking gorgeous in your sexy red dress or are you going to sit down?” He pulled her to sit next to him before she had chance to reply.
“I am sure there must be rules against this type of harassment in my own office.”
“If there are I will change them, now tell me when you and I are meeting to discuss the latest details on the Richards deal and then can we please decide where we’re staying tonight and if you have decided whether your sex ban has been lifted yet?”
Steph laughed a little and then replied, “I could do tomorrow afternoon for the Richards deal and we could stay at mine and I haven’t thought about the sex ban as you call it.”
“I will check tomorrow afternoon with Andrea and get back to you. Staying at yours is fine and I don’t believe you haven’t thought about the sex ban after begging me to overturn it last night.” He grinned as he leaned in to kiss her.
“I did not beg.” She didn’t believe her own protest, knowing that she had indeed begged.
“ But I need you. Please, just touch me, make me come just once, please! Ringing any bells?” asked Jon laughing at her now.
“God I fucking hate you,” she cried as she flushed deeper.
With lightning speed and ridiculous ease, Steph found herself half lying down with Jon above her.
“This really doesn’t feel like hate to me, darling,” he told her as he kissed her hard and invaded her mouth, relentlessly punishing her lips and tongue until she felt dizzy.
“For the record it was not a sex ban, but you’re very good at that whole sex thing and we do it very well so it confuses me and I was confused enough about how I felt without throwing sex into the mix too. So can we please just take things one step at a time?” she asked seriously as he reached down and stroked her cheek gently.
“I’ll take your praise of my skills ‘at sex’ as a compliment and you are quite right that we are very good at that whole sex thing, fucking marvellous in fact, but I am glad that there is no ban in place. I am happy to take things one step at a time, so long as we take them together,” he said seriously.
Steph reached up and with Jon’s face between her hands pulled his lips to hers and kissed him gently before asking, “Would it be very expensive to have my shower head, the spray one changed to one like yours?”
He stared down at her confused and even more confused as she grinned at him, but managed to ask, “Why?”
“Well I found yours most effective this morning.” She grinned.
“Effective?”
“Oh yes, I was tense and all uptight when I got in, but not when I got out, I was relaxed and well, should I say sated.”
Her teasing made Jon laugh disbelievingly at first, but then he watched her carefully and clarified, “You mean to tell me that you used the shower head in my bathroom to get yourself off in my absence?”
“Twice.”
“How was it?” His voice and expression grew darker.
“Very good, thank you.” She grinned and then squealed as Jon somehow pulled her so that she was lying completely flat on her back on the sofa and he was glowering above her.
“What did you think of while you came?” His hand made its way beneath the skirt of her dress and found her bare behind courtesy of the thong she’d chosen to wear. He squeezed and rubbed the soft flesh that overflowed his hand as he repeated his question, “What did you think of, darling?”
A low moan escaped between her lips as she breathlessly replied, “You.”
“Good, I like that. What did you imagine me doing to you?” He allowed one finger to trace a path over the fabric of her underwear, applying a little pressure across the perineum and greater pressure as he reached the fabric that he knew covered the heat and dampness of her sex making her cry out now.
“I thought of you kissing me and then touching me and then . . .” She gasped.
“And then?” Jon watched her every move.
“And then I thought of you inside me, entering me slowly, pulling out and then driving back in again hard, almost painfully,” she told him and was startled to realise that she was on the verge of coming, without him actually touching her. Just a little more pressure would be enough.
He, on the other hand, knew exactly how close she was and began to move his hand away.
“No!” she pleaded.
“Darling,” he chastised mockingly.
“Please,” she begged clinging to him with her arms wrapped around his neck and her legs tightening around his waist.
He leaned in towards her and she prepared for him to kiss her, but he stopped short, whispering gently, “No more coming without me, Steph, or at least without letting me know about it in advance so I can reciprocate . . . You’re all I ever think about now when I masturbate.” She stared at him wildly as he broke free of her grip. “We really need to take a few steps very soon on this path we’re taking together, darling.”
“We could take a few steps right now,” she suggested seriously.
“But we won’t. Now, do you need to ask me anything before I go back to work?” He managed to sound professional again even though he was still over her.
She thought for a moment, “What should I wear tonight?”
“I liked the vest and virginal knickers.” Jon arched a brow, making her laugh.
“I meant to your dad’s.”
“Ah, maybe not the vest and pants then. I dunno, anything, although it’s a bit more formal than jeans and a t-shirt. I will pick you up at about half past six if you’re going out this afternoon to visit Roger.” Jon kissed her gently before releasing her from beneath him.
“I will scoot out to my dad’s for an hour this afternoon, but I’m on top of stuff here,” she began to explain.
“Darling, it’s fine, take the afternoon if you want to.” He fastened his shirt buttons.
“No, I’ll go for the last hour, thank you. After I have met with Sonia about the Montague deal. Oh, they are coming in on Friday to close things, half past nine in the conference room.” Standing before him she straightened his tie.
“Get Rosie to call Andrea so that I don’t get double booked, now I have to go,” he said preparing to leave, carrying his jacket. “I’m going to see Penny this afternoon . . . to talk to her. I know that probably doesn’t make sense, but there are things I need to say, to tell her, even if she doesn’t understand them.”
Steph nodded as she made her way to stand before him at the door where she stretched up to land a single, delicate kiss on his cheek. “I love you. You are such a lovely man, you really are. I would never expect you to cut Penny off, I understand who she is to you, your wife and what she needs.”
Jon dropped his mouth to hers, swallowing her words. “Darling, you might be the loveliest person in the whole world and whilst you might understand what Penny needs, you might have a skewed view on who she is to me. Legally she is my wife but in reality she is my friend and I feel a real responsibility to and for her. My urgent call that held me up was from Kramer, my solicitor . . . I’m divorcing Penny.”
“Shit! God, but,” stammered Steph.
“Ssh, it’s okay. I had already made provision for her long term care and that won’t ever change and she’ll always be my friend, but not my wife, she never should have been. Sorry,” he said looking at her shellshocked expression. “I didn’t mean to spring it on you like this and I am not expecting you to be or do anything. Part of me was just going to do it and not tell you but I don’t want there to be any more confusion or misunderstandings. I started the process some weeks ago before we declared our love.”
Steph nodded. She recalled hearing Jon answer his phone a couple of times and addressing someone called Kramer. A smile curled her lips as she realised that even then he was looking at her as his future, looking at a future together.
“I was always going to tell you about Penny, about everything.”
“I know,” she whispered with total belief in his claim.
“I need to go. I love you,” he told her before landing a chaste kiss to her cheek and then he was gone.
Steph was just slipping on navy polka dot peep toe shoes when she heard Jon arrive.
“Steph,” he called. “Please tell me that you’re here, darling.”
“Just like I said I would be,” replied Steph as she opened the bedroom door and found Jon dressed in black jeans and a black polo shirt.
“I thought tonight was dressier than jeans?” asked Steph confused.
“It is for you,” he said as he leaned in and kissed her gently on the cheek. “I am loving this little number.” He grinned at the navy blue 50s style sundress.
“Thank you.” She gave a little curtsy.
“We could cancel if you are planning on being all compliant with your curtsying and spotty shoes no less.” He laughed but the twinkle in his eye suggested he might be serious.
“We are going out Mr Brooker and I am usually compliant with you.” She grinned as she reached for her phone and threw it into her bag.
“Mmm, if you say so. How was your dad?” Jon asked, dropping an overnight bag inside the bedroom and hanging a suit bag on the front of the wardrobe.
“Fine,” she replied nervously.
“Are you sure? You did go and see him didn’t you?” asked Jon suspiciously.
“Yes, of course I did,” she replied a little offended at the inference she was lying, but then realised she was, kind of. She moved quickly to the front door carrying a white short sleeved cardigan. “I took him for his check-up with Mr Wright, him and Janice.”
Jon followed her knowing that she was keeping something from him, but now was obviously not the time.
The journey to The Brooker’s was quiet, but relaxed; the roads were fairly clear and although Jon and Steph chatted for some of the journey, the silences were comfortable and Steph was relieved that Jon hadn’t pushed her to discuss her visit to her dad. She knew he would be far from pleased with the afternoon’s events, but she had in no way contributed to them or even had an inkling that those events were even possible.
Steph came back to the present as Jon turned into a gated community where the road was lined with very high fences and very large houses hidden behind them. Cameron and Lucy’s house looked like a new build, a detached two storey house with eight windows spanning the width of the building on each level. To the side of the house was a separate building that was obviously a triple garage. Suddenly Steph felt overwhelmed by her current surroundings and wondered what Jon must have thought when he had visited her own modest family home. She jumped as Jon spoke to her and apparently not for the first time.
“Steph, come on, darling,” he said a little impatiently as he opened the passenger door of the Range Rover for her and offered her his hand.
She accepted the hand gratefully as she slid out of the car and looked around at the outside of the house and lawned gardens to the front of it before being led to the front door where their knock was answered almost immediately.
“Jon, Steph, come in please,” cried Lucy enthusiastically as she hugged and kissed each of them in turn before leading them down the light and bright hallway and then along a corridor to a large, comfortable lounge with a mixture of Italian leather sofas and soft, chenille covered chairs in deep reds and greens.
Despite her initial discomfort at the size and luxurious opulence of the house, this room immediately relaxed her with its homely feel.
Cameron got to his feet as they entered the room and hugged Jon before embracing Steph and saying, “We meet again, Steph, and I assume as you are here you are no longer my son’s ex-girlfriend.” He grinned with a wicked glint in his eye making her laugh regardless of her embarrassment remembering their first meeting.
“So it would seem,” she said, grinning back.
“Let’s introduce the rest of the clan then,” said Cameron. “My daughter Alexandria, her husband Eugene, my grandsons, Michael and Robert, and my granddaughter Ruth.”
They all looked at her and smiled.
Cameron continued, “Then there is my son Craig and his long suffering girlfriend Zelda. Lucy you already know and my other son you’re already familiar with,” he smiled as Jon shrugged at her. “Everyone, this unfortunate young lady that sees some hidden depths in Jon is Steph.”
Craig kissed her on the cheek while Alexandria and Zelda shook her hand quite business like. Eugene smiled but said nothing and the children seemed oblivious to the introductions going on around them.
“Shall we go into the dining room for dinner?” Lucy was already preparing to lead them all out of the room.
Once seated in the magnolia dining room that was dominated by the long, oak dining table with heavy, carver style chairs and matching sideboard and dresser, food was served and Steph felt slightly relieved not to be the centre of attention and sitting next to Jon relaxed her further. They all chatted between themselves with references to people unknown to Steph, but she assumed they were family members or mutual friends. The children kept staring down the table at Steph and the more she smiled at them the more they stared.
Eventually Ruth who was about six years old, spoke to ask, “Are you really a miner?”
Steph stared at the little girl and clarified, “Me? A miner? No.” She laughed, confused.
It was clear that the older boy, Michael, who was around eleven years old had hit or kicked the little girl beneath the table.
“Ow! Michael that hurt! I was asking if she was a miner because Mummy said she was a gold digger and I thought that was another name for a miner,” the little girl cried innocently.
“Ah,” said Steph, suddenly understanding. “I am not a miner.” She smiled and then turning to Alexandria said calmly, “Nor a gold digger.”
Steph was pleased that the other woman at least had the decency to look embarrassed and uncomfortable, but in turn felt bad that everyone else looked the same. Jon held her hand that was resting on her own knee and squeezed it supportively.
As the plates were cleared, Steph’s heart sank further as she realised that the main course was shellfish in many guises.
“Tuck in,” called Cameron as he piled his plate high.
Moving away from the table a little, Steph looked up at Jon and grimaced.
“Lucy, I am really sorry. I should have told you that Steph is allergic to seafood,” said Jon.
“Oh gosh, no! Let me get you something else,” offered Lucy kindly.
“The salad is fine, really.”
“No, you can’t eat salad at dinner,” protested Lucy and returned a few minutes later with pate, toast and a larger salad with new potatoes.
Steph gratefully accepted her makeshift dinner and tucked in enthusiastically.
“Are you proper allergic to seafood?” asked Craig smiling.
Steph nodded between mouthfuls. “Afraid so.”
“Everything, even oysters?” asked Craig seemingly fascinated.
“Yup.” Steph smiled at the fairer and slightly younger looking Jon.
“Shame, oysters are a fantastic aphrodisiac you know,” he said seriously making her laugh.
“Craig, I can guarantee that me being violently sick or going into anaphylactic shock is the complete opposite of an aphrodisiac.” She smiled at him.
“I dunno, I reckon you could carry off being blue.” He laughed at her, lightening the mood briefly.
“Steph, what do your parents do for a living?” asked Alexandria giving a very quick and unexpected change to conversation.
“My dad is a builder and my mum died about six years ago,” she replied honestly.
“Sorry,” said Alexandria sincerely.
“It’s fine.” Steph offered a small smile, not wanting the other woman to feel awkward.
“She must have been quite young, and you,” said Eugene sympathetically.
“I suppose, I was nineteen at the time,” said Steph hoping that this particular topic would change sooner rather than later.
“Was it an accident?” asked Alexandria seriously.
“No, cancer. She’d had it for most of my life to some degree and as time went on the doctors just kept finding more and more until I think she had it just about everywhere,” said Steph sadly.
“Sorry,” said Alexandria again before Jon saved her.
“Maybe we should toast the next generation of Brooker offspring?”
“Yes, let’s,” agreed Cameron holding a glass aloft.
Robert, the middle grandchild, who was probably only eight or nine suddenly asked, “Granddad, if you and Lucy are having a baby what will I be? Will it be my cousin?”
“Not a cousin, Robert, the baby will actually be your uncle or auntie,” explained Cameron.
“Wow! That’s kind of cool isn’t it?” Grinned Robert.
“Half uncle or auntie,” retorted Alexandria who was rewarded with dark glances from her father, husband and both brothers.
Steph smiled to herself thinking that even she didn’t irritate so many people at any one time.
“Alex, you really need to be more Christian in your outlook,” said Jon staring at his sister coldly.
“Quite,” agreed her husband who Steph had just remembered was a vicar.
Steph smiled to herself again wondering why Eugene was collarless and whether he wore it around the house or just when he was working. She then had to stifle a giggle as she wondered whether he ever wore it in the bedroom, how kinky would that be?
She looked up and realised Alex, as Jon had called her was staring at her waiting.
“Sorry,” said Steph hoping for an indication of what was expected of her.
“I was just asking if you liked babies?” asked Eugene.
“Oh, I suppose,” said Steph nervously and then attempting to lighten the mood she added, “But I couldn’t eat a whole one.” She cringed as she saw the expressions of her dinner companions around her realising that she had uttered the sort of cheesy line more fitting of her dad. The sensible thing for her to do now would be to stay silent, but never one to do the sensible thing, Steph ploughed on and now said directly to Eugene, “Although obviously I don’t advocate the eating of our young, but I believe your fellow clergy members did.”
Eugene stared at her disbelievingly as Jon turned to look down at her next to him and said smiling, “Darling, if you have hard evidence to back up your claim that the Church of England has covered up their clergy eating babies you would have an unmissable opportunity for blackmail.”
Steph smiled back at him before returning her attention to Eugene and said, “Not in modern times, obviously, but probably medieval times, I think it was widely known and accepted,” she rambled on.
“I don’t think so,” said Eugene as everyone else looked on.
Steph thought for a moment and then cried, “Ah, I think it may have been Blackadder II times, later than medieval, Edwardian? No, Elizabeth the first was on the throne so obviously Elizabethan times and now that I think about it I may have confused ‘A’ level history with Blackadder II completely,” she said embarrassed enough to mutter a ‘sorry’ as she accepted another glass of wine.
Craig and Zelda laughed loudly as she explained her error and then Zelda asked, “Are you really an accountant?”
Steph nodded. “I am.”
“And a very good one too,” said Jon proudly.
“I hope so because I spoke to SuLyn Wright earlier and she has high hopes of your meeting tomorrow,” revealed Lucy which worried Steph slightly as she pondered the other woman’s needs.
“Talking of the Wrights,” interrupted Cameron, “I spoke to Angus earlier about a mutual patient and he was telling me about this afternoon, are you okay?” he asked Steph sounding concerned.
“Yes, fine, thank you.” With her eyes set on the older Brooker man, she hoped to avoid the weight of Jon’s stare she could feel bearing down on her intently and prayed that her voice sounded calm and even.
“Well it must have been very frightening for you, dear. Angus thought he must have been a psych patient on a walkabout, but so long as you’re okay, although I believe he gave security the slip,” said Cameron as the crème br?lée arrived.
Steph hoped that the sound of everyone breaking through the crispy top of dessert was loud enough to drown out the sound of Jon’s voice whispering, “This is a conversation we should have had.”
She didn’t even attempt to look up at him for fear of meeting what she knew would be a black look that she would never be able to hold for more than a second. Steph began to chat with Craig and then Zelda about her work and art likes and dislikes.
Once back in the lounge Steph sat on a plush, green chair and when she was joined by Cameron she smiled at him warmly as he sat in the leather armchair next to her.
“I think I owe you an apology.”.
“Not that I am aware of.” She smiled.
“My son has inherited several things from me including his inability to hide his emotions, so as soon as I mentioned this afternoon’s incident I knew he was oblivious to it, so I do owe you an apology because you appear to be in trouble.”
Steph shrugged and smiled at the incredibly handsome older man of probably fifty-five and simply said, “Then apology accepted, but I think I’ll survive.”
Before either of them could say anymore Jon appeared at her side and said, “Alex, Eugene and the kids are leaving and we probably should be heading off too.”
“Is it late?” she asked, her eyes searching for a clock.
“It will be by the time we get back and we have work tomorrow,” he replied sounding like her dad rather than her boyfriend.
With a feeling of nervousness rising in her stomach, she rose to her feet.