Twenty One (Love by Numbers Book 2) (32 page)

“C’mon then Em, let’s go, the appointment is in half hour.” Livs voice breaks into my thoughts and I drag my eyes from my father, who has made himself very comfortable in front of the TV, to her.

“What did you say we have to do for Nate? I want to make sure I’m here when Jake returns from visiting H, I need updates.”

She grabs her bag before motioning me to get up and follow her, “It’s just a viewing for some place he’s thinking of investing in, you know Nate likes to have his fingers in plenty of pies.”

Her answer is a bit vague but makes sense I guess, Nate is always looking for his next business venture.

“Okay, just give me five minutes to freshen up and I’ll be with you.”

She checks her watch and sits on the arm of the sofa to wait for me.

Five minutes later I’ve freshened up, not bothering to check my appearance too much as I’m only accompanying Liv. I grab my phone just in case Jake calls and head out of the apartment with Liv, after giving my Dad a quick kiss goodbye.

W
e get in Liv’s car and she immediately hits her ‘LivEm’ playlist on her iPod. The first song to come blasting from the speakers is some old school
Destiny’s Child
and we immediately sing along, ok we
screech
along to
‘Say My Name’,
just like we did as young kids. It reminds me of how long we have been in each others lives.

She turns the music down before it gets to the next track, “So where are you guys flying off to after this visit?”

“Two weeks in the states, then back for a three week tour of Europe. I think Jake has a few weeks off after that before he heads to Canada to film the second series.”

“Has he asked you to go to Canada with him?” she asks as she turns off the carriageway, heading towards a more suburban area.

“No, he’s not mentioned anything about it but I’m okay with that, it will give me a chance to help get Dad and I a place to live. Plus I’m excited to be working with those two big charities, it kind of feels like I’ve found my purpose, as corny as that sounds.”

We both look over at each other and she gives me an enigmatic Liv smile, “What’s that look for?”

She turns her attention back to driving, “What look, I’m just happy for you Em. You’ve got a great man who adores you and you have all these new opportunities coming your way. You deserve to have things go right for a change. I can’t help being happy about that.”

I look over at my best friend, the girl who has got me through some pretty dark times. Nate needs to make an honest woman of her soon before she slips through his fingers.

“So where
exactly
are we going right now?” I press for the second time.

She ignores me, instead she turns the music back up just in time for the gospel sounds of
Ben E Kings – Stand by Me,
to pour from the speakers.

We take turns to sing each line, just as we have always done, then join in at the chorus. By the time the track ends, she has pulled into the large circular driveway of what can only be described as the house of my dreams.

It’s a traditional Georgian mansion style home, with five large pained windows on the second floor and a central pillared doorway with two pained windows on either side. To the side of the house is a beautiful conservatory and dead ahead of us is a large, four car garage.

I am gobsmacked. When I do find my tongue I have to ask, “Is Nate thinking of buying this place? It’s beautiful.”

I’m so transfixed by the beautiful property in front of me that I don’t realise she hasn’t bothered to answer me, instead she gets out the car and comes around to open my door.

“C’mon Em, stop gawking. The estate agent is inside waiting for us.”

A
s we approach the front door, it opens up revealing a smiling blonde lady in her late forties, “Hi, you must be Emma and Liv, please come inside and take a look around. I’ll just be in the library if your need me.”

Oh my days, this place has a library, I have officially died and gone to house heaven.

“Please take a drink from the tray on the sideboard, I’ll see you both a little later when you’re ready for me to lock up.”

Liv guides me by the elbow through the impressive entrance, down the main hallway and stops to indicate a silver tray holding two flutes of Champagne. Next to the glasses lies a single Loveheart sweet that says ‘Drink Me’.

How bizarre, I’ve never viewed a house before so I have no idea if they usually ply you with champers and candy. I guess this is the treatment you get if you are purchasing somewhere fancy.

W
e head into the state of the art kitchen and Liv fawns all over the top of the range appliances and fittings but I am drawn to the view from the window. The back garden is stunning; it’s all lush green lawns, manicured hedges and has a cute little cottage style house right at the bottom, probably for guests. Oh to live in a place like this; I’d be happy living in the ivy covered guest house in all honesty, it’s adorable.

I turn to face Liv, who is still rambling on about the generous larder and utility room when I notice another silver tray on the island in front of me, this time without any glasses on. Instead, in the centre of the tray is another Loveheart. Bemused I walk forward to read what it says, thinking that maybe the people who viewed this house before us had children, who left these little sweets dotted around the house as part of a game. This pale pink heart reads ‘Its Love’.

How cute, I bet those kids are laughing all the way home with their parents, wildly guessing about who would be reading their little messages.

F
rom the kitchen we head into the impressive dining room; the ornate chandelier that hangs from the ceiling reflects the sun around the space and little, dancing lights paint the walls in tiny, rainbow colours. The effect is magical.

Yet again, dead centre of the large table that seats about sixteen is a silver tray and like the other trays a solitary Loveheart rests in the centre. Liv watches me as I get closer to read it but she never asks what it says, just turns and walks back towards the living room. This time the candy heart says ‘Real Love’.

How sweet, those must be some cute kids.

It’s the same in every room we enter downstairs, each room will have a silver tray somewhere and each has a small sweet, bearing a message in the centre.

It’s only as we climb the stairs to view the bedrooms that I wonder why the house has so many strategically placed, silver trays but I brush off the thought quickly, maybe it’s a new design idea.

The main bedroom is host to an ornate, four poster bed, some huge walk in wardrobes and an en-suite the size of most people’s entire ground floor.

It’s breathtaking, decorated in tones of cream and grey with dark wood furnishings.

The large French doors open up to a balcony that overlooks the entire garden and I imagine warm summer mornings, sitting out here with a good book and a cup of tea.

As I step out onto the balcony, I see a silver tray set out on the small bistro table. My heart inexplicable flutters as I walk towards it, wondering what this final Loveheart will say.

The closer I get, the quicker my pulse and I stifle a giggle at the ridiculousness of it all.

Bending down to peer at the writing I feel the familiar electricity that only accompanies the presence of one person …… Jake.

H
ome isn’t four walls and a roof, it’s within you; it resides with the few people that you let into your heart.

E
mmy is home because she is with the two people that mean the most to her in the entire world; I am home because home is simply wherever she is.

After dropping her at Nate’s to meet up with her father and Liv, I head straight to see H.

He’s moved back in with his parents since he broke up with Bella and I’m glad that he’s had their support through the last few weeks.

Mrs Brown opens the door and embraces me in a crushing hug.

“Jake, it’s been too long. You look as handsome as ever. Come in, come in.”

She hasn’t changed a bit, still loving and welcoming and she still smells like fresh baked bread.

“You’re looking decidedly milfy Mrs B.” I give her my patented bad boy wink and she blushes profusely while patting down her hair.

“Behave yourself young man,” she chastises playfully, “It was only a few weeks ago that I found out what a Milf is, I can’t believe I’ve let you call me that all these years. I should tell your mother.”

I laugh at her flustered words, “My mother knows there’s no hope for me, she gave up scolding me a long time ago.”

She turns around to examine me more thoughtfully, “Well that’s not what I’ve been hearing young man, a little bird told me you are well and truly smitten.”

Now it’s my turn to blush, it’s a weird emotion for me to feel shy, “I am, utterly and completely.” I respond with all honesty.

She smiles and leans in to give me another crushing embrace, “I knew you wouldn’t be a tart forever Jake Fox.”

I choke on my laugh; this is where H gets his craziness from because he definitely doesn’t get it from Mr Brown, who is softly spoken and mild mannered. I often wonder how he’s coped with his crazy wife and son all these years.

Opposites attract I guess.

S
he leads me straight up to H’s bedroom, stopping on the landing to whisper over her shoulder, “He’s not doing so well today, the chemo has knocked him for six so I’m glad you’re here to cheer him up a bit.”

She knocks on his door but doesn’t bother waiting for a response before throwing it wide open and ushering me through.

Lying on his single bed, looking cramped and unhappy, is H.

“Hey buddy, how are you feeling?”

Mrs Brown closes the door behind me and I pull out the chair, at his old desk, to sit down.

“Like chopped meat, I can’t keep anything down and the cramps are killing me. Chemo sucks; if I had my own balls I’d say that chemo suck balls but hey, I don’t have the option of saying that anymore now do I.”

He does look rough and judging by the ripe smell in the room, and the sick bucket by the bed, he’s not lying about being unable to keep anything down.

“Last one though, and then it’s all easy sailing from here on out big boy. Don’t let this shit get you down, especially not now, not when you’re on the home stretch.”

He huffs out a tired sigh, “I know J, I’m trying, I really am, it’s just…. I texted Bella today…. “ he trails off not finishing the sentence.

“Why would you do that H? Torture yourself by getting in touch with that fucking bitch?”

His angry response surprises me, “Because I’m fucking lonely J, I’m fucking lonely and I thought she might …. “ his anger peters out and he doesn’t end his sentence.

“You thought what? That she’d feel sorry for you and come running back? Is that it?”

He gives me a look that could kill but doesn’t reply.

“Listen H, that cold faced cow is incapable of feeling anything for anyone except herself. Stop wasting your time on someone that wasn’t good enough for you in the first place.”

He looks over at the blank wall, his expression distant.

“Look buddy, I’ll be back in a few weeks for a little while, I’ve only four weeks of the tour left; and then I have a month off before heading back to Canada for filming. There’s something I need to ask you and I need you healthy enough to do it, so you’d better buck your ideas up because I am not asking anyone else to stand at my side.”

This gets his interest so I proceed to tell him my plans, everything that I have set up today and all of my ideas for the future that I want him included in.

“Think you can do this for me buddy?”

He looks up at me with wet eyes, H the clown with a centre so soft, that he can’t help but wear his heart on his sleeve.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the fucking world.” He gives me a watery smile before a glint appears in his eyes, “Besides with you off the market just think of all the pussy that will be falling at my feet for a change.”

We both stare at each other before breaking out into laughter. I knew my best mate was in that weary shell somewhere, I just had to force him to the surface.

He may be bent but he’s not broken.

I
am just about to say goodbye, after spending an hour or so laughing and joking with a much more H like H, when my phone vibrates and a flicker of nerves flutter though my body.

This is it, it’s time.

Just leaving. Will arrive at destination in T-30

Liv’s 007 dramatics would be hysterical if she wasn’t taking her role quite so seriously, although I really couldn’t have done this without her.

“G
o get your girl J; for some reason she thinks that you are the dog’s bollocks, so you make sure you pin her down before she realises that she could do better…..” He winks, “With me.”

I give him the bird and leave his room, shaking my head to try and clear my thoughts.

Mrs Brown is waiting at the bottom of the stairs for me.