Twenty One (Love by Numbers Book 2) (8 page)

Nate answers “Oh nothing but I’m guessing someone is missing you as much as you are missing him.”

I shake my head about to discount his words when a voice comes from behind me. “Delivery for Senorita Campbell.”

I turn quickly, eyeing a delivery man holding a massive bouquet of stargazer lilies and I gape silently at him.

“This is Miss Campbell” Liv calls out besides me, motioning him in my direction. “Now I wonder who those could be from?”

I look from the delivery guy to her and see a devious twinkle in her eye. “Liam, did you know that the stargazer lily symbolises true feelings and emotions or in other words, that you miss someone?” she asks in a nonchalant, conversational tone.

“Wow aren’t you just the flora and fauna dictionary” is Liam’s cheeky reply.

I take in their continuing banter as the guy with the flowers gently places them on the table in front of me and hands me his clipboard to sign.

“Enjoy Senorita” he says before checking my signature and leaving the club.

“S
o I wonder who they are from and if there’s a card” Liv says as she sneakily leans towards the beautiful display of flowers.

I am momentarily snapped out of my stupor and I slap her hand away before snatching up the attached card and hiding it against my chest.

“Hmph not fair, I wasn’t going to open it.” She pouts before releasing a sly grin and leans over to smell the lilies.

“C’mon Jules, who’s the secret admirer.” Even Nate has started calling me by Liam’s pet name. I look over at the two Fox brothers in front of me, waiting for any more sarcastic comments but all I see are genuine smiles, although for a second I see something else pass over Liam’s face, something that looks like sadness.

I try not to dwell on that look, although Liam is like a brother to me and I really need to have a chat with him about his sudden decision to fill my place when I leave next week.

I
clear my throat and avoid eye contact with everyone as I gingerly stand and reach for the vase.

“I… umm, I need to go get changed for my shift tonight. I’ll see you all later.”

My obvious embarrassment is all the reason they need to begin laughing at my expense and as I turn on my heels to walk away Liv calls over her shoulder.

“You’re such a party pooper Em, I’m texting you later for all the details, don’t even think about ignoring your phone.”

I keep walking offering her no reply as I leave the club, still clutching the card to my chest.

I
want to rip it open right here and devour his words but that’s just crazy. He’s only been gone a day and I’m already sulking over his absence like a love sick puppy.

Jumping into the nearest taxi because there’s no way I am walking the streets carrying this huge display, I give the driver my address and sink into the seat, inhaling the sweet fragrance that envelopes me.

The card, still clutched tightly in my hand, burns into my skin, begging me to open it.

I have no self control when it comes to anything to do with Jake, so I place the vase between my knees, freeing both my hands to tear open the card.

Emma,

They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder but all I feel right now is lonely.

It’s a foreign feeling for me as I have always found strength in being alone, not relying on anyone else, not missing the company of another person.

Until you.

Am I crazy to be feeling this way? Probably.

Am I crazy to be telling you? Definitely.

I crave to touch your skin, yearn to look into your eyes but what I hunger for more than anything right now, is to hear your voice.

Hearing your voice would be far better than having you touch me, for it is your voice that touches my soul.

Call me tonight after work.

J x

O
h. My. God

I. Can’t. Breathe.

I
read the note over and over again until I know the words by heart and the driver is telling me that we have reached our destination.

On shaky legs I leave taxi, carefully carrying my flowers as though they were a precious, priceless heirloom.

I have no recollection of opening the door to my apartment and putting the flowers on the coffee table. The next thing I am aware of is my phone vibrating in my pocket, as I lie width ways across my bed, with my head dangling over the edge and my hair spilling all over the floor.

Spill it Campbell

A
giddy laugh escapes my lips as I read Liv’s text from my upside down position across the bed.

I’m not sure if it’s the blood rushing to my head that’s making me feel this way, or Jake’s words weaving into my body and soul but I feel as high as a kite and as light as air.

I am flying

T
hose are the three nonsensical words that I manage to text back to Liv.

A few seconds later I get the reply.

That good? Bloody hell Em I think u need 2 strap on some wings & get ready 2 soar.

I’m sooooooooo happy for u!!!! Full details later, don’t skimp on the juicy stuff!

A
nother giggle bubbles out of my chest and I feel like a teenager dreaming about her first crush.

Nothing has ever made me feel this euphoric before. God I could happily stay drunk in this moment forever.

I finally drag myself up off the bed, still smiling like a lovesick fool and head into the bathroom to take a shower, grabbing my iPod on the way.

I hit shuffle and link it with my Bluetooth speakers before stripping off and diving under the warm spray. A song begins by one of my favourite bands and I get caught up in the infectious melody.

Yes I do believe
‘The Dog Days are Over’
thank you for reminding me
Florence and The Machine.

N
othing makes a room feel emptier, even when it’s full, than missing that one person who should be in it.

I
have only been in London twelve hours. Twelve fucking crazy and chaotic hours.

I was mobbed by the paparazzi when I finally left the hospital, mobbed at my hotel when I went to collect my belongings and completely under siege when I got to the airport for my flight back.

The
Vampire’s Bite
series premiere wasn’t for another 5 days but my disappearance had sent the hype surrounding it into fever pitch.

By the time I arrived at Heathrow Airport the crowds of fans and press had reached insane proportions and I was lucky that Tina, my agent, had arranged for extra security or else I would be still holed up there now.

I expected and even prepared for things to escalate the closer we got to the premiere and promotional tour but not to this extreme.

A
fter a debriefing from Tina and her team, I went on to hire a manager and a PA.

Tina vetted potential candidates while I was in Ibiza and I just had to make the final selection.

A full day of mind-numbing, arse kissing interviews later, I settled on Marcus Meade as my manager. He came recommended by both Tina and a few of my VB co-stars.

I also chose an efficient but very obviously lesbian, Nina Jay for my PA. Now don’t go thinking I just assumed she’s a lesbian. I mean I have a pretty good gaydar but it was actually the very hot snog, that she gave a pretty little thing outside the building, prior to coming in for her interview that sort of gave the game away. No I wasn’t creeping, I just happened to be staring out of the window and got to enjoy the show.

Tina was happy with my choice of manager but surprised by my choice of PA. I guess that knocking back the many, obviously attractive and blatantly star struck young things that interviewed and choosing a woman that never looked twice at me, wasn’t something she expected me to do.

Maybe the me of a few weeks ago would have picked the hottest piece of arse available but the me of right now, although appreciating their looks, really didn’t pay much attention to anything other than their experience, references and ability to do the job.

Either I’m finally growing up or the fact I can’t get Emma off my mind, influenced my choices. I’d like to think both.

T
he long day is finally drawing to a close and a car service takes me back to the apartment I share with Nate.

Knowing he is away would not normally bother me, in fact I love the times I get the place to myself but tonight it just feels empty.

I
order a Chinese takeaway, take a long, hot shower that I almost fall asleep in and lounge across the sofa with my laptop open, trying to clear my overflowing inbox.

I barely make a dent, my body is tired and my mind isn’t focussed. I wish I could call Emma but I know that she is working tonight and with the time difference, I don’t want to risk waking her if she a taking a nap before work.

Instead I google florists in her area and also do a search for the perfect flowers to send.

Fifteen minutes later I have arranged for the perfect selection to be delivered to her tomorrow but when it comes to filling out the card, I get tongue tied.

It takes me a further thirty minutes to spill my guts. It’s only after I hit ‘send order’ and make payment that I wonder if I’ve gone over the top.

The words came from the very depths of me, I didn’t hold back but in the same breathe, I don’t want to scare her off by coming on too strong.

Fuck
. I’m totally shit at this relationship malarkey but I hope she can still feel the truth in every word.

I hope she can still
see,
still
feel,
still
know
who I am.

Closing down my laptop and giving up on the rest of my emails, well that’s what I’ve just employed a PA for after all; I slouch back on the couch and put on some mindless TV re-runs.

I
awake to blinding sunshine burning my eyes. The wide open curtains of the apartment’s floor to ceiling windows are allowing the suns rays to blaze across my skin.

My neck is stiff from falling asleep on the sofa and my whole body aches.

I’m starting to wonder if the doctors were right all along and I need to take things easier because I’ve been out all night before now, indulging in all kinds of activities and I’ve never felt this rough the morning after.

I grab my phone to check the time and the damn thing is dead, so I drag myself off Nate’s uncomfortable as sin sofa and head into the kitchen to put it on charge.

Splashing water on my face from the kitchen tap, I run my hands through my hair and attempt to remove my tongue from the roof of my mouth with big gulps of water.

After downing about a pint, my mouth feels relatively alive again and my empty stomach growls at me to feed it.

Just as I’m grabbing some eggs from the fridge to make an omelette, my phone comes to life and proceeds to ping about a hundred times with incoming texts and messages.

For fucks sake, can’t I have chance to wake up first.

I grab it from the counter and beginning scrolling through.

Most are from Tina and I scroll past them for the time being but one stands out from Nate and I swipe to open it.

Fucking hell J have u seen the papers?

I
type out my reply immediately.

No it’s 2 early! Y? Is my handsome mug all over them?

I
put the phone down deciding to go through the other messages later; I have the more pressing matter of feeding my face and becoming slightly more human before I deal with all that shit.

Whipping up a speedy ham and cheese omelette, I pour a glass of juice and sit down at the breakfast bar.

My phone has been incessantly pinging every since I put it down and I itch to put it on silent.

I grab it to do just that when Nate’s reply flashes over the screen forcing me to open it fully.

Check out any of the tabloids, an old friend of urs is front page on them all

I
look at the message wondering what the hell he is on about when another one comes through from him.

I suggest u talk 2 Emma b4 she sees them, or else u r FUCKED

N
ow
that
gets my attention and I close my messages to open up a search engine.

A few seconds later my screen fills with someone I haven’t seen for months and was hoping I wouldn’t be seeing again.

Vanessa ‘FML’ Havers.

I read the headline
‘I AM NURSING JAKE FOX BACK TO HEALTH’
and laugh out loud, until I scroll down to the sub text and keep reading.

‘Pregnant VB star’s lover helps him recover after near fatal boat accident’

W
hat. The. Fuck.