In The Spur of Heath (The Spur Series Book 1) (14 page)

Tears streamed down my face. “Perfect sense.” I croaked. I palmed my face in despair. “But Heath, I’m with Jake. I actually have fallen for him. He is a sweet person and… why couldn’t you figure yourself out before I got with him. God!” I cried.

“I understand, Pieces.” He kissed me on the cheek. “It’s better this way.” He forced a smile.

I paused for a moment, pursed my lips and inhaled deeply. “Yeah, it is.” I nodded. “But, what about Caroline though, after all my protests against your relationship with her, why would you be willing to give it up now?”

“I’m just really tired of this shitty relationship. It’s the constant arguing, and her aggressive behavior. She is just a bitch for no reason. She didn’t even want to go to this dinner tonight. Only when you mentioned Jake and his driver picking us up, she stopped bitching. I was this close to flying solo tonight.”

“Wow.” I paused for a moment and then left his room and went to mine.

I lay on my bed, just peering at the ceiling in deep thought.
Just wow
. This is happening, now. Just when I decided to put Heath and my ‘love’ for him behind me. After I have really grown attached to Jake, Heath decided he loves me too.
This is not happening, this is not real!
My life was so simple and in a short month, it’s absolute chaos.

I picked up the card that Heath had made for me and read it again. His words playing over and over in my mind. I had already made my decision. I was with Jake, I would never want to break his heart, and I couldn’t leave him. Not unless he did something deserving, but so far he was absolutely perfect and I refuse to give it up. But there goes the conflict of my confused heart – I love Heath. I always had. Is he truly better than Jake? Wow, Jake really did say that Heath had liked me, but why now.

Ugh!
Life is not fair. This is tearing me apart. How? How could this be? I had made up my mind and then just like that – another slap in my face! I don’t want this complication. I just want to be happy. Why Heath? Why? Is Jake worth it? He has proven so far that he certainly is, but then Heath is my best friend and I know him like no other. And I have been in love with him for over a year now.
Why am I even contemplating this?

What a birthday! Spending it evaluating my love life. I shook myself off, got off my bed and walked up to my closet. I had to choose something nice for tonight – probably the easiest decision for me right now. We may even club after dinner, so I had to wear one of my semi-formal-slutty dresses.

Ugh!
I didn’t know what to choose.
Sounds like me whining about my love life.
Everything was so bland – I needed a new outfit. It’s my birthday for God’s sake! Then it dawned on me, wait a minute, I have a car! I could go down town and get something myself.

Around three o’clock, I took a shower and dressed in my usual casual style; skinny jeans, combat boots, tank top and a jacket. I always looked a little rocker-chic glam like Avril Lavigne when I went out to the mall or school, but when it was time to go out on dates, I certainly killed it.

I got my car keys and walked out to the front and just then the black Aston Martin DB9 pulled up in front of our house. It was Jake of course. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion and when he stepped out with a huge Klassic Kouture shopping bag in his hand. I asked, “What are you doing here? I thought you wouldn’t be back ‘til seven?”

“I have something for you.” He beamed.

“Really?” He brushed past me and pulled me inside by my wrist, leading me to my bedroom. “What’s this?” I asked when he handed me the bag.

“Open it.” He licked his lips. I tried desperately to suppress my giddiness.

“Wait! How much stuff are you planning to get me? I mean, you already got me a freaking car.” I watched him apprehensively. “Not that I’m not grateful, but it just seems a bit much, you know?”

He took a deep breath, “Listen Reese, one thing you should know about me is that I don’t flinch on spending on my lady, especially when she is as amazing as you. As long as I have the money to spoil you, I will. And you are certainly worth a lot more than a car and this. And don’t let anyone make you feel any less than that.”

Wow. His words were the sweetest thing I had ever heard. I never had a man like him before. He really couldn’t be this perfect, could he? There had to be something wrong. I just stared into his eyes quietly, feeling knots in my stomach and a tightness in my chest.
Oh gosh no!
There is that feeling. The feeling that was going to be the end of me. “Thank you.” I whispered.

“No, thank you, for giving me back something that I had lost.”

“And what’s that?” My voice barely there. He then placed his palms on my face and looked into my eyes. He gulped, licked his lips and then replied, “I.” He paused and gave a small smile.

“What?” My heart began beating a hundred beats per second. I felt like I was struggling to breathe. Anticipating what he was about to say.

“I.” He closed his eyes and smiled boyishly then opened them and kissed me. When he pulled away he said, “I love you.”

Phew!
Those words knocked the wind out of me. Jake just told me he loved me and what came as a surprise to me was the fact that I no doubt felt it too. I chose him over Heath. There was nothing about Jake that I couldn’t love; he was sweet, we always were very close, he knows a lot about me, I know a lot about him now, he was generous, gorgeous, funny, smart, ambitious – everything. And on top of all of that, he treated me with so much love and respect. I realized that I wanted to do anything to make him happy, just as he was trying to do for me. “I love you, too.” I blushed and his eyes brightened with those words.

“Well, will you open your other gift?” He grinned.

“I certainly will.” I pepped and opened the shopping bag. I pulled out the dress that was inside of it and my smile faded. “Wow.” I whispered.

“You like it?”

“Like it? Love it! This is amazing, but how do you know my size?”

“I got it from the wardrobe assistant at Cave Ink.”

“That’s what you had to do today?”

“Of course. I then went in search for the perfect dress.”

“It is perfect.” I couldn’t believe he actually knew what I would have liked. It was a black, one shoulder, thigh-length, backless dress with a high-low cut at the front and back. It was exactly the semi-formal-slutty effect I was going for.

There was still a small accessory bag and a shoe box in the bag and I pulled it out. I opened the shoe box and a pair of bright red, suede platform pumps were staring back at me.
Holy Shit they were gorgeous!
I then threw out the accessories; a bright red clutch purse; simple, red stud earrings and a bracelet to match. I spun around towards him.

“Wow! This is amazing. You’ve got amazing taste. Thank you.” I padded up to him, wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him. Just then, his phone began to ring and he signaled me to hold on and answered the phone. Once again, he kept yelling into the phone with no response.

“Way to mess up a perfectly good moment.” I rolled my eyes.

“I’m sorry. I talked to my friend in Dillcaster Communications, Granger. Told me he would look into it. He said give him twenty-four hours.”

“Well, I’m looking forward to that.”

“Me too. Well, I’m gonna head home now to get ready. I’ll see you soon.”

“Okay.” I nodded. He kissed me on my cheek and walked out of the room. I noticed Heath’s card lying on the floor and I picked it up. “Gotta put this away.” I whispered. I then put it in the envelope of pictures that I had of Heath and me.

I sat on my bed staring at the dress, shoes and accessories that Jake had gotten me. I couldn’t believe this was happening. I had a great life in Trinidad, but nothing as close to this. My ex-boyfriends were all assholes. This was new to me.

As time grew nearer, I got more and more excited. Tonight was going to be fun – it had to be, it was my twentieth birthday. I took a bath, brushed my teeth, fixed my hair into a high ponytail and applied my fiery red make-up. I then slipped on my dress, accessories and shoes.

By the time it was 6:57, I grabbed my clutch and walked downstairs. Jake had a knack for being very prompt. Heath was in the living room buttoning up his V-neck, slim fit cardigan sweater.

“Caroline hurry it up, will you?” He called out to her and stopped when he saw me. “Wow, Pieces, you look… stunning.” I lit up like a thousand watt light bulb.

“Thank you, Heath.” I nodded. “I like that cardigan, is that the one I bought?” I raised a questionable brow.

“Indeed it is.” We paused for a moment, our smiles fading away into awkward silence.

“What’s with you two?” Caroline snickered as she came into the living room wearing a red, straight-cut, strapless mini dress and matching pumps. She looked cute, still hated her though.

We were then interrupted by a faint knock on the door. “He’s here.” I hyped.

Heath strolled up to the door, opened it and Jake stepped in wearing an unbuttoned, single-breasted navy blazer; black V-neck jersey; black skinny jeans and black polished dress shoes. His hair was in a cute side-path. Even though he was dressed pretty simple compared to other times, he looked just as good, probably even better.

We all stepped outside, following Jake’s lead.
What the fuck!
Heath, Caroline and I stopped in our tracks. A white limo was parked on the curb. “Jake?” I probed.

“Come on guys, it’s my company’s limo.” He turned back at us, his hands in his pockets. Heath stood with his arms folded, looking highly unimpressed while Caroline’s eyes were wide. Jake walked up to me and pulled me gently by the wrist towards the limo, Heath and Caroline following behind.

In a few short beats, we were all in the back of the limo. I snuggled up to Jake as he poured champagne for us all, handing each of us a flute. “So, you guys like, right?” He swayed his arms around.

“It certainly is… glitzy.” Heath murmured. My eyebrows furrowed.
What the hell? Glitzy?

“I think it’s great!” Caroline interjected almost too elatedly.

“Well, to Reese.” Jake raised his champagne flute in the air and we all followed, clinking glasses. “Happy Birthday, princess.” He turned to me and took a sip of his champagne and so did we.

“Mmm. This is delicious, Jake.” Caroline bit on her lip. Now I was furrowing my eyebrows at her. What the hell was going on with her and Heath? They were freaking me out!

We listened to music, talked and drank the rest of champagne all the way to our destination. Caroline was weirding me out the entire way, acting even girlier than usual – if that was even a possibility.

When we arrived, Sven opened the door for us and we got out. Klaw wasn’t as lavish as Ruse` but it was really nice, didn’t have a club either, or a second floor for that matter.

We got inside and the waitress took us to our table, a quiet secluded booth away. Jake and I sat on one side, and Heath and Caroline sat on the other. The atmosphere was quiet, apart from the occasional clinking of silverware on ceramic plates and the mellow music in the background.

We all scanned our given menus, decided what we wanted and told the waitress when she returned. Heath and I kept shooting awkward stares at each other, hardly saying a word. Caroline was running the conversation more than the rest of us, and she directed most of it to Jake.

After we ate our dinner and snapped a few photos, the waitress brought out four slices of Hot Fudge Oreo Cheesecake for us all. Naturally, mine had a lone candle on the top of it and they all began to sing Happy Birthday to me. I made a wish and blew out my candle.

“Thank you guys. Really, thank you all for a wonderful birthday.” I sobbed.

“It’s not over yet.” Jake smirked. “Club Athens is not too far from here and we plan on going there now.”

“You all are awesome.” I blushed.

Jake called for the cheque, and soon enough we were on our way to Athens, a huge club a few blocks from where we were.

Sven pulled up the limo at the club entrance and we all got out and strolled up to the huge steel double doors where two hulking bouncers stood outside with their hands in front them, looking emotionless and militant.

Jake flashed them a boyish smile and they frisked both him and Heath. He then went up to the cashier window and said, “Tell Joey, Jake Cavanaugh is here. V.I.P. area.” The lady nodded her head and left. When she returned, she gave us all invisible stamps and told Jake that Joey was upstairs in the V.I.P. section waiting for him.

We entered the club and it was huge, barely had space to breathe, much less walk. Fog enveloped the room while strobe lights cut through it like a laser beam. Shots by LMFAO ft. Lil Jon rocked the crowd and vibrated the room, giving me an instant party energy. I bobbed my head and threw my hands in the air as we followed Jake up the stairs and to the V.I.P. section. Jake kept looking at me and smiling. “Okay guys, it is time to get fucked up!” I cheered.

We walked up to a handsome, bald-headed dark skinned man in a well-tailored suit who was talking to a waitress. He had a single hoop in his left ear and was as tall as Jake. His movements were very resilient. When he noticed Jake, he nodded at him with a courteous smile. He then walked up to us. “My boy.” He opened out his arms and Jake gave him a brotherly hug. “Joey, my girlfriend, Reese. Reese, my brother from another mother growing up, Joseph Maynard. He owns this place of course.” Joey scanned me up and down approvingly and put out his hand for me. I shook it and he smiled, “Very pretty girl. Always had a thing for the chocolate ladies from the Caribbean, huh?” He teased Jake and my eyes widened. “And they?” Joey pointed his chin at Heath and Caroline behind us.