Blooming (21 page)

Todd made to
argue and then had to shut up because he agreed so Marsh continued, “when I
first saw her in person I thought oh she’s sweet and shy and was a bit worried
she’d be another needy one then I remembered what I saw on TV and saw her
messing with your head at breakfast, that’s not a girl lacking backbone.”

Todd nodded
and wished he felt free to confide in his father all of what he’d learned from
Jen, but he didn’t think she wanted it common knowledge yet - maybe never
would. “It’s all very new still dad - but she’s not like anybody else I’ve ever
met. I think I know what I’m feeling but I have to watch not to push too hard.”

“I know what
you mean, she has a fragility that kind of comes off her in waves anybody can
see it but I think it’s superficial, just stick with it and see how you go.”

“That’s the
plan, the trick is not to alert her to the fact I have a plan otherwise she’d
be in a rowboat and halfway across the lake by now, busted ribs and cast not
slowing her down for a second!”

****

A couple of
hours later, Todd was starting to get bored and was itching to wake Jen up.
He’d made plans to take her out tonight just the two of them and was just
standing to go check on her, when at that same instant she stomped out of the
cabin her cheeks blazing; he never could quite get over how hot she looked when
she was angry.

“OK you
jokers,” she yelled. “Whose bright idea was this?”

She lifted up
her previously pristine white cast and waved it in the air.

Everybody
jumped up to investigate but Todd got there first and when he registered the
problem he threw his hands up in surrender, “It wasn’t me I promise
sweetheart.”

Emblazoned in
large script in black indelible marker were the words, “Property of Todd Baker”
then a big red heart with an arrow through it.

Jen shot them
all with a piercing gaze trying to ascertain the guilty party and Todd did
likewise, although he was definitely taking more enjoyment from the situation.

Bernie
laughed and said, “I’m betting it was either Marsh or Sean judging by their
faces, everybody’s been back and forth all afternoon so it’s hard to say who
went missing for a while, but my money’s on one of them.”

Jen looked
round again, and suddenly all annoyance flew out of her as she clocked Lily’s
ink smudged fingernails and realised it must have been her.

“Lily, you
horror,” she said in outrage.

“It wasn’t
just me,” she shrieked, “I couldn’t get the heart right so Ben had to help,”
sure enough the hand Ben used to clutch his shaking chest bore red ink smears
too.

He grabbed
Lily’s hand and the pair of them ran off in the direction of the gym.

“You better
run,” Jen yelled after them.

Marsh wiped
tears off his face with the back of his hand, “I don’t know how you do it,” he
said to Jen, “somehow when you’re around everything seems a bit brighter.”

Bernie hugged
Jen to her and studied her arm thoughtfully, “it’s true Jen, and the difference
in Lily already since you got here is amazing.”

“How can you
all feel better around somebody that spends the majority of their life feeling
depressed? That makes no sense whatsoever. I think Ben’s the one having an
effect on Lily now, but I do seem to have been elected the brunt of everybody’s
jokes,” she admitted ruefully but with a smile.

“Maybe we can
use whiteout on it or something,” Todd suggested kindly.

“It’s too
late,” she said, “if I try to get rid of it now that would be like trying to
cover up something that’s true, wouldn’t it? I’m yours now whether you like it
or not,” she waved her arm at him.

****

Todd glanced
up and Jen stood there framed in late afternoon sunlight. She’d changed into
one of Sean’s creations, an all in one jumpsuit in the same shade of dark
golden brown as her hair. It was made in some kind of gorgeous soft jersey that
made you want to touch, the style was cut straight across her collar bones and
had cute puffed chiffon short sleeves and a little peplum at the waist. It was
the closest thing to suitable boating attire that Sean would let her wear out
to dinner. Wedge high heels completed the look.

He raised a
hand and helped her on board. As she rocked slightly on her feet he pulled her
close to him before sitting her down.

“You look
beautiful,” he said, she blushed and it pleased him that she accepted the
compliment without fuss.

She’d allowed
Lily to do her make-up for her and she had chosen to put cherry red gloss on
her lips, bronzer on her cheeks and fanned her already long eyelashes out to
the sides with mascara, the combination of which made her look slightly exotic.

“Where are we
going?”

“Just across
the other side of the lake, to a little seafood restaurant. It’s quite small
and intimate, not too overwhelming I promise.” He gave her a soft smile.

Once Jen was
sat comfortably he turned on the engine and powered away from the dock - his
eyes barely straying from her as he steered. Unlike his previous girlfriends
she couldn’t care less that the wind and spray were making her hair frizz and
instead turned her face into the breeze and closed her eyes enjoying every
minute.

By the time
he cut the engine and tied up to the mooring outside the lakeside restaurant,
he had to wipe smudged mascara from under her eyes with his thumbs. She looked
up at him with amusement in her eyes.

“Are you
having a good time?”

“Yes,” she
said, shrieking when he surprised her by scooping her up and hopping onto the
dock in one smooth move. He didn’t put her down until they were at the door. She
felt like an idiot, and giggly and cherished all at the same time.

Todd put her
down and stole a kiss on the lips, guiding her through the door with one of his
big hands spread on the small of her back which sent tingles rocketing all
through her nether regions. The now familiar Todd induced flush was spreading
from her chest to her face as a tall slim man came through the door and grabbed
Todd and pulled him into one of those weird male shoulder bump hugs.

“Todd good to
see you man, and this must be the famous Jennifer,” he turned towards her
gracing her with a big toothy grin.

“Jen this is
Emilio Torres, my good friend and business partner.”

“Business
Partner?”

“Todd and I
co-own the restaurant; but dinner’s on me tonight, whatever you want.”

Jen was left
reeling just how many pies did Todd have his fingers in?

Then Emilio
startled her by leaning in close and kissing her on the cheek as he took her
hand and led them to their table. Todd batted him out of the way as he
attempted to pull her chair out for her, “Go perv on someone else’s chick
Emil.”

Emilio
laughed and kissed Jen again to her bafflement and signalled for one of his
waiters to come get their drink order before drifting away.

“Does he
always do that to your dates?”

“I’ve never
brought a date here.”

Jen went
silent as she processed whether that was significant or not.

Todd’s lips
curved up in a slow sexy smile, “let’s put Mr Torres in his place.”

He leant over
and took her lips in a slow deep kiss. The first brush of his lips was a nudge
as his tongue requested entrance and then slid inside her willing mouth. Jen’s
hand stole up to trace his jaw while her eyes flicked open, suddenly curious to
see what his face looked like as he kissed her.

He seemed to
have had the same idea because his green eyes now heated to pure olive met her
surprised navy blues as his hand went to the back of her neck taking control
with ease. His tongue stroked deeply coaxing hers into a matching rhythm, it
was incredibly intimate and erotic and when he finally pulled away they were
both breathless. Gently he took her hand from his face and kissed each of her
fingertips.

“Dinner
first, I’m determined we get through a whole date tonight,” he grumbled - his
voice tight.

Jen looked
towards Emilio and he smirked as he caught her eye and fanned himself with a
menu.

“I have to
warn you - I’ve a tendency towards obsessive compulsive behaviours. If I decide
I like this whole sex thing you could be in big trouble,” she said blushing
madly.

“I’m up for
it baby,” he said giving her a lascivious wink, which made her drop her eyes
and blush all the more harder.

****

They ate slowly;
locally caught grilled bass served with a smooth creamy sauce and finely sliced
vegetables.  Everything was delicious. They talked about growing up and the
more Jen revealed the more Todd began to feel insanely embarrassed about his
reasonably idyllic childhood.

“When I left
school I never really completed my education.”

“But I
thought you said you were home schooled?”

“I was but I
was struggling so much I could only manage it in short bursts, I was really
messed up and I just kind of fell through the cracks. Between my own problems
and trying to prop up mum, finishing school just didn’t seem possible and I was
so terrified of going back there.

It’s stupid
but sometimes I still have nightmares about it now. Just the fear of being
trapped in a situation I couldn’t control, with people who treated me like a
freak. At the time the fear was so strong I felt like I’d lost my brain, I just
couldn’t seem to keep up with my schoolwork. I’d always been ahead in class
before the accident - afterwards I felt like I was sinking not swimming, I just
sat in class and prayed nobody noticed me.”

Todd’s hand
which had been holding the fingers on her broken arm, tightened around hers and
she looked up into his eyes which were filled with empathy.

“No, please don’t
feel sorry for me Todd, compared to a lot of people I’ve had an ok life. I
haven’t suffered like some people have. So many people have survived far worse
than me either mentally or physically, I’ve always felt like I let myself down
by letting it control my life. I mean look what happened to Lily and how well
she’s doing? Whereas I let a simple accident that could have happened to
anybody ruin my whole life. I struggled to hold down a job because I couldn’t
deal with people or handle the idea that I was trapped into going there every
day without end, it gave me the same kind of fear response I suffered in
school. That’s why I had to find a way to work for myself.”

“Jen it’s
completely different don’t compare the two of you, when the fact is everybody’s
mind copes in their own unique way. It’s like apples and oranges. Lily has been
the victim of a horrible trauma but she’s had a great support system her whole
life, she’s had no money worries and lots of love and never had to be afraid of
anything. Who knows maybe she’s lucky enough to have the innate skills to
rebound better? While it sounds like you’ve coped mostly on your own even when
your mom was alive.”

He leant over
and kissed her briefly before continuing.

“I think
you’re seriously smart. I could tell that from almost the first minute I met
you. After that I went and snooped on your own website and talked to some of
the people who’d left you testimonials. You might be surprised how many
acquaintances of mine have contracts with you. You seem to have impressed the
hell out of them too.”

Jen dropped
her eyes and blushed, shaking her head awkwardly, “you shouldn’t downplay what
happened to Lily.”

He shook her
hand angrily, “I’m not, I would never do that - it was horrific, but don’t
downplay what happened to you either. You’ve earned the right to be a bit
messed up, there’s no shame in it,” he softened his grip.

“Do you think
you would agree to design my website now? I don’t trust anybody else to make a
good job of it.”

“I guess I
could schedule you some time,” she smiled shyly with her eyes.

“You do that
baby; I’m going to need lots and lots.”

Jen laughed,
it secretly thrilled her every time he called her baby. Instead of being
derogatory it made her feel sexy - like a hot girl.

“Thank you
for tonight Todd, it means a lot being here with you, I never thought I’d be
out on a date. God I know I keep saying really dumb stuff, but just being alone
with you, coping in your company, that’s a big step for me.”

“You’re very
welcome,” he bent and kissed her knuckles gently, “I’m looking forward to
taking lots more steps with you.”

“Is it ok if
we change the subject for a bit - talked about something a little less intense? 
I’ve been wondering how you met Seb and Sean; when they moved in or did you
know them from before?”

“I knew Seb
first because he was my college roommate, he’s one of those people that once
he’s in your life you never want him to leave - you know? So we kept in close
touch and met up from time to time and then this position at his current firm
opened up and he called to let me know he was moving here, so I offered him the
apartment on the spot. Unbeknownst to me, that same day my rental agent had
accepted a deposit from a short, dark and demonic fashion designer.”

“How did you ever
get them to agree to share?”

“I gave them
each other’s email address. Seb’s so easy going I knew he’d give it a shot and
luckily they got on like a house on fire and decided they’d share on a trial
basis to start with.”

“So they
weren’t a couple straight away?”

“No, I’ve
never quizzed them specifically, but I think they tried to keep it at bay for a
while, well maybe a month. They soon figured they had no trouble sharing the
place and then one day without any fuss they were just a couple. They’ve been
together two years now.”

“They seem
really happy.”

“On the
surface it seems like they shouldn’t gel but they do. Seb keeps Sean grounded
and encourages him creatively. Sean’s secretly a lot like you, not very
confident - he just puts on a really good act. Sean in turn doesn’t let Seb get
too serious or bogged down in work, keeps him light at heart.”