Jessie Slaymaker's Non-Existent Love Life (The Jessie Slaymaker Series) (2 page)

‘I’ll get it,’ Jessie called out to everyone and no one. Standing on the doorstep was one of the yummiest-looking things since the creation of sliced bread.

‘Well well well, look what the cat dragged in,’ Tom said, taking in Jessie in all her wedding guest finery. He gave her an approving nod.

‘I think
I
should be saying that, actually, and you’re late,’ Jessie replied with a beaming smile, dragging Tom into the hallway.

‘No no no,’ Tom begged as he tried to extricate himself from Jessie’s grip, ‘I don’t want to come… in,’ he finished weakly, as he gingerly followed Jessie into the living room.

‘Tom’s here to help,’ Jessie announced to the room. The place was a state. Half-dressed bridesmaids, flower girls running around wildly, flowers all over the shop, and the mother of the bride slumped in an armchair, cradling what looked suspiciously like a gin and tonic.

Every pair of eyes in the room turned to look at Tom, eyeing him up greedily. Jessie’s friend Tom was the stuff of legend. He was famed for being drop-dead gorgeous in a Tom Ford sort of way, for being seriously loaded and always out and about on the London party scene, and for being the straightest gay guy ever.

‘Everything all right?’ Tom offered by way of an introduction as his eyes darted nervously around the room. Yes, he may well be gay but that didn’t mean he knew what to do in a room full of crying, semi-naked or plain-old-demented women, who all looked at him like he was a chocolate fondant dessert.

‘Is he the gay one?’ Nadia asked Jessie, knowing full well that he was. Tom wasn’t exactly infamous, but he was well known.

‘Yes, unfortunately,’ Jessie replied with mock wistfulness, staring off into the distance wearing a wry smile.

‘What a waste,’ Nadia concluded, giving Tom a look from head to toe like he was a prime stallion.

Tom shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other, clearly wondering what to do. Jessie felt pity and thanked her lucky stars that he’d agreed to be her plus one. She didn’t want him changing his mind, so she knew she had to chivvy things along.

‘Come on everyone, we can’t stand here all day gawping at the gorgeousness of Tom. We’ve got a wedding to get to,’ Jessie assertively announced whilst simultaneously jabbing Tom in the kidney, propelling him towards the mother of the bride and zipping up Nadia’s dress.

With Jessie’s practical help and Tom’s rescuing of Natalie’s mother from the G&T doldrums, the bridal party managed to leave the house a mere fifteen minutes behind schedule. Given the dramas of the day so far, that was a miracle in itself. Jessie waved the bride off with mixed emotions. She was worried for her friend’s future on the one hand, but glad the preparation part of the day was over on the other, as she sank down into Tom’s comfortable passenger seat. He’d brought the Aston today. Nothing too ostentatious for the occasion, of course.

Chapter 4

Tom was glad to be out of that house and away from the sideways glances he’d been getting from all those women. He concealed a shudder as he started up the engine and sped off at high speed in the direction of the church. He loved Jessie to bits, and couldn’t refuse her anything on the odd occasion when she asked a favour from him. But he hated how she
always
said yes to everyone who ever needed her help. He really felt people, particularly her girlfriends, took advantage of her niceness, and pushed her into doing things she wouldn’t necessarily choose to have done herself.

He glanced over at her and then quickly flicked his eyes back to the road. Tom had always thought she looked lovely, but today she was absolutely stunning. There was something about her green dress and overall look which really worked for her. To him, Jessie seemed to be getting better-looking with age. She had been a good-looking girl in her twenties, but she seemed to be really blossoming now that she was in her thirties.

‘You alright, chick?’ he said to make conversation, noticing she seemed pensive.

‘Yes, you know… just thinking about Nat and Nick and hoping they’ll work out, and that she’s happy. That’s all I want her to be.’

‘Natalie’s a big girl, Jess. You can’t protect all your friends
all
the time. She has to make her own mistakes and stand by them.’

‘I know,’ Natalie replied. ‘It’s just—Nick has such an unwholesome reputation. I still can’t quite believe she’s actually marrying him.’

They sat in silence for a while, watching the traffic and scenery go past. He liked that about his friendship with Jessie. They could talk for hours, but they were equally comfortable with the quiet as well.

‘You look especially fine today,’ Jessie said, turning to look at him. She seemed to have switched off her anxiety, as there was a mischievous look in her big brown eyes.

‘Are you looking for Mr Right, or Mr Right Now?’ she asked, raising an eyebrow in a suggestive way.

‘Well, I could say exactly the same about you, Miss Slaymaker,’ he replied, trying to deflect attention away from himself. Owing to his semi-famous status as a well-to-do, successful, good-looking man about town, he was actually always very careful about any romantic entanglements he got himself into. And to be honest, he was shy. Always had been when it came to affairs of the heart. And even though he’d known Jessie for years, he was still uncomfortable discussing his flings and crushes with her. He was much happier listening to her woes and hearing about all the little scenarios she concocted to get herself closer to that loser boss of hers.

‘So, are you looking for the future Mr Slaymaker tonight?’ he prodded. Jessie bit her lip and her silence spoke volumes. She sat back properly in her seat and faced forwards again, pointedly ignoring Tom’s question.

‘Jessie?’ Tom asked, sensing something was amiss.

‘Jessie…’ he repeated more loudly when she didn’t respond.

‘Charlie will be there,’ she said quietly, suddenly fascinated with studying her beautifully manicured nails. Tom didn’t say anything.

‘I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before, but I really wanted you to come. I kind of, accidentally on purpose omitted that little tidbit about Charlie. I need you, Tom,’ she explained, now studying her hands instead.

‘I know,’ Tom said softly, mirroring her quiet tone. ‘Plus I guess you needed a lift. But seriously, we’re not rehashing old ground today. You know I think Charlie is beneath you and you’re worth ten of him. That’s all I’ll say. All I want is for you to be happy.’

‘That means a lot to me,’ she replied with an infectious smile and more animation in her voice. ‘That’s why I love you,’ she added, and leaned over to peck him on the cheek.

Tom smiled stiffly. Maybe it was his imagination, but he felt like he was gripping the steering wheel a little harder. Probably the thought of that Charlie. To say Tom was not a fan of Charlie was something of an understatement. He thought Charlie was a dick, and for the life of him he couldn’t understand what Jessie saw in him, or why Charlie hadn’t noticed what was right underneath his nose. The thought of Jessie with that prick made his skin crawl—not that he would ever tell Jessie that. From all she’d told him, it was obvious that she was infatuated with this guy; he had to practice what he preached and let her make her own mistakes. Tom promised himself that today he would hold his tongue, for Jessie’s sake. Besides, maybe she was right. Just maybe he
was
looking for Mr Right. It wouldn’t do any harm to keep his eyes open.

Chapter 5

Jack tried his best to concentrate on the service and think about how best to approach the Charlie conversation, which was going to happen sooner or later. Charlie was an usher, so had other duties to perform during the ceremony, and so was seated in a different part of the church from his brother. Jack kept trying to spy him and read his features to gauge how his brother was really feeling. The only flaw in Jack’s plan was that he kept getting distracted. Just before the service had begun a couple had stumbled into his row, towards the back, with moments to spare. They sat thick as thieves whispering and smiling. Through a series of sideways glances Jack concluded that the man looked kind of familiar, although he was pretty sure he didn’t know him personally. On the other hand, he was certain he’d never met the woman. She was in an eye-catching green dress and looked amazing.

Scratch that. She was a knockout.

The more sideways glances he took at her, the more he noticed about her. The line of her jaw, the highness of her cheekbones, the expertly applied makeup, the beautiful hands, and the polished toenails peeking out of her peep-toe shoes. The more he looked, the harder it was for him to
stop
looking. She was more than just beautiful. She had an aura that was radiating outward. Her companion could see it too, judging by the admiring glances he kept flicking in her direction. Jack could tell from the subtle looks and touches between them that they knew each other well. He wondered if they were lovers, or, at their age, he guessed they could even be married. He tried to see if there was a wedding band or a rock on her hand. She looked to be ring-free on her left hand. So not married then, Jack found himself thinking.

Jack willed himself to stop perving on the woman sat next to him, and focus on his brother instead. He managed it for all of thirty seconds before his eyes were brought back to this gorgeous woman again. With what he hoped were subtle glances, he saw that she kept glancing at something as well. She wasn’t sneaking looks at Jack—of course—and she definitely wasn’t looking at the bride and groom either. Jack followed her eyeline as best he could. She appeared to be looking at where the ushers were sat. Her eyes flicked over at them repeatedly throughout the service—as did Jack’s eyes over at her.

As the service concluded and the happy couple went off to sign the register, they were followed by the two witnesses. One was a fat bridesmaid in a terrible peach dress and the other was Charlie. Instead of looking proudly at his brother, Jack found himself looking at the green goddess next to him. She had her eyes trained on Charlie and followed him eagerly as he walked to the other side of the church. Jack knew that look when he saw it. She was in love.

So this woman was having a fling with his brother. Well, they had always been attracted to the same women in the past, Jack thought. It was probably another reason why they weren’t the closest of brothers, and a definite push factor in Jack leaving the country all those years ago. Jack felt jealousy surge through him. He was jealous of his brother for having this creature look at him the way she did, and for the relationship they obviously had with each other. He was jealous of her companion for sitting so close to her. They were obviously more than just friends.

Jack fought his frustrations, and with every ounce of willpower he forced his eyes forward and stopped looking at her. He vowed to stay away from this woman for the sake of his brother. She was dangerous to them. He could sense that now. He didn’t know who she was or what her game was, but he knew her to be trouble.

As the married couple came back from signing the register, everyone stood up and applauded, and Jack caught the green goddess’s eye. So much for not looking at her. She smiled warmly, but Jack could only stare unemotionally back. Her beautiful face dropped, and she grabbed her companion’s arm and edged him out of the row and out of the church in double-quick time.

Chapter 6

As far as Jessie could tell, the ceremony had gone without any major hitches. No proclamations were proclaimed during the
if anybody knows why these two persons may not be lawfully wed, please speak now
bit. Just a couple of rogue flower girls wandering off now and again, and the mandatory baby crying that can’t be shut up for love nor money. Oh yes, and some random stranger who gave her the evil eye in the church. She guessed some people hated weddings even more than she did.

The reception was being held at a nearby and very grand country manor house, complete with massive marquee, silver service and cover band. Jessie was keen to get there and crack on with the party—and, of course, to initiate phase one of her plan to dazzle Charlie. Despite her best efforts to try and grab a few words with him at the church, he’d had official usher duties to attend to, and had just given her the briefest of nods hello before he rushed off to try and round up various groups of people for the photographs.

He looked very handsome today in his traditional morning suit, but there was a redness around his eyes. Jessie hoped he hadn’t been working too hard, and made a mental note to offer to help him when they were back in the office.

Thanks to Tom’s speedy driving they’d arrived at the venue quickly, which gave Jessie plenty of time to scan the table plan and think about how she was going to approach Charlie. Jessie unconsciously held her breath as she scoured the printed table plan board for her name. If she was sat at the same table—or better yet, sat next to Charlie—that would give her a fantastic opportunity to shine in front of him. If he was sat next to her, then he would
have
to talk to her and hopefully not just about work. There she was, at lucky table number seven. But no Charlie. Deflated, Jessie forced herself to stand up straighter. It would be okay, she told herself. It would just mean she’d have to bide her time and catch him after dinner. That could work. They would both have had a little liquid courage by then, which would potentially make things easier for her.

‘So, who has the pleasure of my company for dinner then?’ Tom asked, looking over Jessie’s shoulder. She jumped, not expecting him to be there.

‘Well, I do of course… and… Kate, Tasha, Simon, Cassandra, Lucy, and someone named Jack,’ she replied, reading down the list for their table.

‘Oh joy. Do we know these people?’ Tom asked, rolling his eyes.

‘Kate and Tasha are Natalie’s cousins; I think Cassandra is someone’s auntie; Lucy I don’t know; Simon is that boring accountant who always talks about fishing; and I’m not sure who Jack is.’ Jessie was disappointed. She had clearly been put on a table with absolute misfits. Thanks, Natalie. Her coupled-up friends all seemed to be on tables with each other. It just didn’t seem fair. No Charlie and no friends to get through dinner with. At least she had Tom.