Crystal (22 page)

They stopped mid-kiss at the sound of someone coughing quietly behind them. Jake turned round.

‘Oh, yeah, Crystal, this is Stella.’

Jake stepped to one side to reveal Stella – all five foot eight of her – slim figure, waist-length white-blonde hair and stunningly pretty face.

‘Nice to meet you, Crystal,’ Stella stepped towards her with an outstretched hand. Crystal held her shirt together with one hand and shook Stella’s with the other. It was definitely not nice to meet Stella, who was every girlfriend’s worst nightmare. Stella was dressed in a pair of low-slung tight white jeans and a white vest that ended just above her naval to reveal an enviably flat, brown stomach.

‘I put a bottle of champagne in the fridge earlier, so it should be chilled by now,’ Stella told Jake. ‘I thought you guys might be in the mood for celebrating.’

‘Cheers, Stella, I’ll see you in the morning.’

‘Bye. It was lovely to meet you, Crystal.’

Crystal forced herself to smile and through narrowed eyes watched Stella’s tiny pert bum going out of the door, her long hair cascading silkily down her back.

‘I thought you didn’t want her as an assistant,’ she tried to say as casually as possible as Jake expertly opened the champagne and poured them each a glass.

‘It’s not for long and actually she’s been really useful and sorted out all my paperwork and my bookings. I hadn’t realised how disorganised I’d been.’

‘So will she be working with you every day then?’ Crystal asked, not liking the thought of Stella parading round Jake’s flat one little bit.

‘No, just a couple of days a week, I guess. Can we stop talking about Stella now?’ Jake said impatiently, handing her a glass. ‘I thought we had better things to do.’

‘Like?’ Crystal said flirtatiously.

‘Like get into the bedroom and get your kit off.’

Apart from Stella’s arrival, Crystal couldn’t have been happier. Her relationship with Jake seemed to be getting more serious by the day. And although he hadn’t said he loved her, Crystal thought there was a chance he might . . . She was certainly head over heels in love with him. She had never really believed in the idea of ‘the one’ but with Jake she was having to revise that view – physically they were a perfect match and emotionally she had never felt so close to a man before.

‘What time are you expecting Jake?’ Tahlia asked. The two girls were meeting for cocktails at the Blue Bar at the Berkeley before going on to Scott’s in Mayfair to celebrate Hadley’s birthday.

‘He should be here any minute now,’ Crystal answered, looking at the beautiful new Chanel watch Jake had bought her to celebrate their first month together. Crystal had never been given anything so gorgeous before.

‘Is that the watch?’ Tahlia asked. Crystal nodded and Tahlia exclaimed, ‘He
really
likes you. And here he is!’

Crystal turned round, a big smile on her face which faded when she saw Stella walking next to him.
What the fuck was she doing here?

‘I hope you don’t mind me coming along,’ Stella said after everyone had said hello, ‘but I’ve just broken up with my boyfriend, Xavier’ – Stella sniffed and looked as if she might cry, prompting Jake to put a reassuring arm around her – ‘and Jake really sweetly asked me along. I just didn’t want to be alone.’

If it had been any other woman Crystal would have been immediately sympathetic and loved Jake all the more for being so considerate. As it was, she was fuming because, while Stella might claim to be heart-broken, Crystal had never seen anyone look so pleased with themselves and so together. If she had been crying earlier, she’d been careful not to smudge her make-up, and in the middle of her heartache she’d managed to put on a gorgeous turquoise silk tunic and Jimmy Choo heels.

Because Stella didn’t know Tahlia, after a short conversation involving all four of them inevitably Stella talked mainly to Jake. It was noisy in the bar and Crystal couldn’t hear what they were saying and couldn’t join in. She felt sidelined and jealous. She scowled at Tahlia, who shrugged sympathetically. Her mood did not improve when they left the bar and looked for a taxi to take them on to the restaurant. She’d hoped that Stella would leave them now but she looked so miserable when Jake asked if she was going to be okay that, to Crystal’s fury, he said, ‘Well, you’re welcome to join us for dinner; that’s okay with you, isn’t it, Tahlia?’

Tahlia could hardly turn round and say no, but Crystal interrupted: ‘Well, the reservation is only for four.’

‘It’ll be fine; they can always put an extra chair round the table,’ Jake said casually. In the taxi Stella managed to sit next to Jake, with Tahlia and Crystal sitting opposite them, and Crystal couldn’t help noticing how, even though there
was plenty of room, Stella’s bare legs were just inches away from Jake’s. As they got out of the taxi Tahlia whispered, ‘Don’t look so pissed off, Crystal, Jake was just being nice.’

‘It’s not him I’m worried about. It’s obvious she fancies him,’ Crystal whispered back.

‘Yeah, but he fancies
you
, so chill babe.’

It was easy enough for Tahlia to tell her to chill but Crystal felt on edge for the rest of the evening. Over dinner Stella continued to monopolise Jake and Crystal barely got to speak to him, though when Stella went to the bathroom Jake said, ‘Sorry, Crystal, I couldn’t leave her; she was really upset.’

‘It’s okay,’ Crystal said grudgingly. ‘It’s just she’s not really my kind of person.’

‘She’s not mine particularly, but I feel kind of responsible for her now she’s working for me. And she’s only young.’

‘She’s twenty-two! That’s the same age as me!’ Crystal retorted.

‘Oh, I thought she was much younger.’

Crystal wanted to say, ‘That’s because she’s a spoilt little rich girl, who’s never done a proper day’s work in her life and has never struggled for anything’, but saw Tahlia give her a warning look and kept her mouth shut. She tried to snap out of her resentful mood for the rest of the meal, not wanting to spoil Hadley’s birthday. But it wasn’t easy and by the end of the night she was desperate to shake off Stella and be alone with Jake. Unfortunately they had to share a taxi back as Stella owned a flat just off the very swish Kensington Church Street. Crystal was sure it had been bought for her by Mummy and Daddy. But this time, Crystal made sure
she
sat next to Jake, snuggling up to him.
Back off bitch,
her body language screamed,
he’s mine.
Stella managed to squeeze out a few tears when it came to say goodbye but clearly Jake felt he had done enough by spending the evening with her.

‘You’ll be all right over the weekend, won’t you?’ he asked as she got out of the taxi.

‘I’ll be fine,’ Stella replied. ‘And thanks again for rescuing me, and thanks for putting up with me, Crystal.’

‘No problem,’ Crystal answered. ‘Take care.’

‘You were a bit off-hand with Stella,’ Jake observed as the taxi drove away.

‘Was I? I just didn’t want Hadley’s birthday spoiled, that’s all.’

Jake laughed. ‘Don’t have such a chip on your shoulder about Stella, Crystal.’

Crystal wanted to say that she hadn’t, that there was just something about Stella that she didn’t like, but as she didn’t want Jake to think she was being a total bitch she said nothing.

However, over the next couple of weeks her dislike for Stella deepened as she watched her flirt with Jake – touching him at every opportunity, sucking up to him, constantly telling him how great she thought his work was, how talented he was. She was politeness itself to Crystal and Jake never flirted back, but it drove Crystal wild. July ended in a scorching heat wave – it was over thirty every day and Stella took full advantage of it, wearing as little as possible, or so it seemed to Crystal. The final straw was when she arrived at Jake’s one afternoon to find Stella in a pair of tiny denim shorts and white halterneck – showing off far too much of her slim, tanned body. The only consolation to Crystal was that Stella had tiny tits.

‘I’m telling you,’ she said to Danni and Jez through gritted teeth as she got ready for a magazine shoot the following day, ‘the shorts were so far up her bum cheeks, it must have felt like she was flossing her arsehole every time she sat down!’

Danni and Jez exploded into giggles.

‘It’s not funny,’ Crystal protested, ‘she’s round Jake all the time, and who’s to say that one day he won’t crack.’

‘Crystal, according to you her crack has been on display for some time now and he hasn’t “cracked” so far, so I think you’re okay,’ Jez said, laughing.

‘Relax, she’s just some stuck-up little rich girl. Jake doesn’t fancy her; I’ve seen what he’s like with her. He treats her like a kid sister.’ As usual Danni tried to reassure Crystal.

‘Well, you wouldn’t stand for it, would you?’ Crystal appealed to Jez.

He shrugged. ‘Danni’s right. Don’t let her wind you up.’ This was unnaturally reasonable for Jez.

‘What’s the matter with you?’ Crystal demanded.

‘I’ve got a hideous hangover and I’m feeling too ill to be mean, but you’re right. I’d see the bitch off.’

The question was how? Should she have it out with Jake or just bide her time? The latter sounded more dignified, but,
Jesus Christ Almighty
, she thought,
I’m not a saint!

Two nights later Crystal was forced to act. She and Jake had gone out to dinner and as they ordered he said, ‘God, I mustn’t eat too much, I had a huge lunch.’

‘Oh? Was it a business meeting?’ Crystal asked.

‘No, Stella made this amazing mushroom risotto. She’s an incredible cook. And I’m afraid I stuffed my face.’

Crystal felt her lip curling. ‘Did she learn that at finishing school then?’ she said sarcastically.

‘Now, now, just because you can’t cook. Though didn’t you know that’s the way to a man’s heart?’ Jake teased her.

‘Really? I thought it was by giving him great blowjobs, but if you like I’ll stop doing those and concentrate on my cooking instead,’ Crystal shot back.

That shut Jake up. ‘You don’t need to cook,’ he said quickly.

‘Seriously Jake,’ Crystal couldn’t help saying, even though she felt she’d scored one victory over Stella, ‘don’t you realise that she fancies you?’

Jake laughed, ‘Crystal, I’ve known Stella for years – she’s just a family friend. She doesn’t fancy me – she’s like that with all men, I promise.’

A day later, though, Stella was definitely not behaving like a family friend. Crystal and Tahlia had been working on a new song and had recorded a demo which she wanted to play to Jake. But when she went round to Jake’s, Gavin answered the door.

’Is he in the studio?’ Crystal asked.

‘Nope, the bedroom, he’s done his shoulder in and’ – he paused, and avoided looking Crystal in the eye – ‘Stella’s giving him a massage.’ Even laid-back Gavin obviously thought this was out of order.

With a feeling of mounting anger, Crystal marched straight to the bedroom where she was confronted with the sight of a half-naked Jake lying on the bed, with only a towel round his waist, being massaged by Stella.

‘What the hell’s going on?’ she demanded angrily

‘Oh, hi, Crystal,’ Stella replied, all butter-wouldn’t-melt-in-her-mouth, ‘Poor Jake’s hurt his shoulder and I’m just giving him a massage.’

‘I can see that,’ Crystal said icily. ‘Are you sure you know what you’re doing? You don’t want to make it worse, do you?’

‘She’s doing a great job,’ Jake said, turning his head to look at Crystal and, seeing the furious look in her eyes, added, ‘it’s feeling much better. You can probably stop now, Stella.’

‘Don’t worry, Crystal, I’ve done a massage course so I know exactly what I’m doing,’ Stella said, getting up from the bed, dressed in one of her revealing numbers, yet again – an off-the-shoulder white silk tunic that only just covered her bum. ‘I’ll go to the chemist now for those painkillers.’

‘Thanks, Stella,’ Jake muttered.

‘You’re welcome,’ she called back sweetly, making Crystal long to deck her.
How dare she do that to my boyfriend!

Crystal shut the bedroom door after her and stood, hands on hips, looking at Jake.

‘What?’ he demanded. ‘It was only a massage.’

‘So if it was the other way round and I was lying on the bed practically naked, being massaged by my sexy male assistant because I’d hurt
my
shoulder, you wouldn’t have a problem?’

‘Of course not,’ Jake said, but Crystal was pretty sure he was lying and he knew he was in the wrong.

‘And is this what you get up to with all your family friends,’ Crystal continued, still outraged at his behaviour.

Jake sighed and then winced as he moved, obviously
playing for the sympathy vote. ‘It was an emergency. I was in agony and Stella offered.’

‘Yeah, I bet she did. Well, it better not happen again. And you’d better not have a stonker on,’ she muttered, marching towards the bed, and attempting to whip the towel away from his waist.

‘Get off,’ he protested, trying to hold on to the towel. ‘I’m injured and if I do have one it’s from seeing you looking so sexy.’

Crystal knew that jealousy was not an attractive quality, but she couldn’t help it. She was still furious with Stella but instead of continuing the argument decided to channel her anger into something more satisfying.

‘I’m sorry if you’re injured; is there anything I can do to make it better?’ she said in her best smoky and seductive voice, getting on the bed beside him. ‘Anything apart from your shoulder that needs kissing?’ she asked, running her hands down his chest, over his flat, hard stomach and gently pulling away the towel.

‘I can think of one thing,’ Jake said, playing along.

Some time later there was a knock at the door. Crystal ignored it and carried on what she was doing. Jake was in no state to talk. The door opened.

‘Oh my God, I’m so sorry!’ Stella exclaimed, hastily shutting the door. Crystal resisted the urge to laugh as Jake murmured, ‘Don’t stop now.’

That’s round two to me as well then, thought Crystal.

‘
I’M GOING TO
really miss you,’ Crystal murmured, wrapping her arms round Jake and pulling him back on to the bed and kissing him.