Chapter 3
Grabbing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt I put them on, and run down the stair, I feel so much better. Jet lag has gone, and I’m not tired anymore, spent the morning reading my mother’s journals and have come up with, I’m going to enjoy my time in England, I mean I’m in England. When it comes to Rhett, I’m going to enjoy my time here with him. But before my return ticket comes, I will get my answers, and I won’t let him sweet talk me with the crap off, ‘I can’t tell you,’ he will tell me whether he likes it or not.
“Morning,” I give Rhett a kiss on the cheek, “Morning Helen, are you free today?” I ask filling my mug up with some coffee.
I turn to see Rhett and Helen looking at each other then back at me, “you’re happy this morning, seems like a good sleep has worked,” Rhett says taking a bite from his toast.
“You training today?” I ask, sitting down next to him.
“I have a meeting then I’m free, what would you like to do?” Rhett kisses me on the cheek and pulls me in for a hug.
“Well I need warmer clothes, never thought it was this cold here, so if Helen is free, I thought we could go together.” She looks at me in surprise, I thought long and hard about what Jay said to me last night. Even though I know, this is going to take some time for me to get use too and I will still find it hard to even get used to having them around me and calling them my family I have to try. “Then I thought you could show me around, The Queen’s House, the big wheel thing…”
“The London Eye,” Rhett laughs cutting me off.
“Yeah that, and anything else Englandly, before your training gets too much,” I turn to Helen and she’s smiling at me.
“I will be back in half an hour then we can go,” she says, giving Rhett a kiss on the cheek, then leaves, I wait to hear the front door close.
“What can we do for thirty minutes?” I slightly turn my head to look at Rhett smiling at my question.
Turning me around on the bar stool, using his hand to open my legs so he can stand in between them, “As much as I want to do what you are thinking, which we will tonight.” I go to open my mouth to argue the fact he wants me to wait to get him inside me, “I want to see your wrists,” the change in his voice makes me look at him in surprise. “You can show me now so we can get the conversation over with or you can show me tonight…”
“Fine,” I pull my sleeves up so he can see them, yes they are red, cut and a little painful. I watch Rhett looking at them his thumb rubbing the scars.
Leaning his forehead on mine, “so where are we? Are we happy you’re here? Are we hurt your here? I need to know where your head is.” He whispers.
“Right this very moment, I’m happy that I came. I know being here I will get my answers from you, it's just waiting to see if you will tell me, or if I will hear it from someone else.” I say, I know that Rhett will tell me what his demons are, and I also know that he will tell me a few days before I go back, but being here where everyone knows him it’s going to be harder to hide away from me.
“You will get your answers, but now let’s enjoy your time here.” Rhett gives me a kiss, “I will meet you and mom for lunch, then we can go see some Englandly things,” Rhett starts laughing at me.
“Well I don’t know what there is here, so when you take me, I will know.” I say coming off the stool, putting my mug in the sink, “I want some chocolate and sweets too.” I turn to face him, smiling at me. “What?” I ask.
“Nothing, happy,” walking towards me, “I thought I could keep my hands off you but…” crushing his lips on mine, his tongue pushing past my lips, his hand on the back of my neck pulling me in closer to him.
Grabbing a handful of his t-shirt, not wanting him to pull away from me. I’ve missed his lips, I’ve missed his touch, I’ve missed him.
“Hey Rhett,” Rhett leans his forehead on mine, as a little laugh escapes me, hearing Jay walking into the house. “Oh sorry, is this the beginning or the after,” lifting his eyebrows at us, making me laugh a little more.
“The beginning, prefect timing, asshole.” Rhett throws a towel at him.
“When we going to the pub now that Star,” I look over at him, “Scarlett is here?” I’m trying to bring them into my life, but he can’t work that quick for me, slowly. “I can get everyone there; they are very interested to see who the girl is, to have control over Mr. Big Rhett Johnson.” He says, shaking my head, I grab my bag from the hallway.
“Next week, today and tomorrow I plan on keeping her locked in my bedroom, but today in her words, ‘I want to do Englandly stuff,’ so taking her to The Queen’s house, and Harrods,” Rhett says, as I look through my bag to find my phone, thought I would send Ed a message to let him know how I’m doing.
“Englandly stuff, really?” Jay looks at me with a grin on his face. “Fine next week, Monday.” He points to us both, “so fuck like bunnies today and tomorrow…”
“Stop,” I slap his arm, “please don’t finish that sentence, I beg you,” looking back down at my phone, “I think you need to get some action, and not live through us.” I smile at Jay.
“You be my wing women then, talk me up to the girls.” Jay brings his arm over my shoulder, “are you ready to big me up, to them?”Jay asks as he walks away to the kitchen to get some coffee.
I listen to Rhett and Jay talking about their plans for the week, I know that Rhett has training for most of the week, which sucks, he will be gone before I wake up and he won’t be back until late afternoon even evening. Terry said he could have the day off, after his meeting today, as he was just happy that he will now focus on training and not worry about me coming or not.
“I will meet up with you after the meeting then I will take you to The Queen’s house.” Rhett hands me a phone, “Your phone won’t work here, I got you one to use.” I look up at him with a smile; this man is a dream. “Thought tonight we could go out for dinner.” He pulls me in closer to him, “at home, though, not sure if I can keep my hands off you all night…”
“Get a room,” Jay says, making me laugh.
“Would love to have dinner tonight,” I say as Rhett gets his phone out of his pocket as it rings. “So do we have a girl that you want to get, or is it any?” I ask as Rhett walks to the other side of the kitchen.
“When we go the pub on Monday, I will show you who I’m trying to hook up with,” Jay stops as he watches Rhett walk back over to us.
“When you’re ready, I’ll drop you at mom’s so I can pick Terry up.” Rhett turns to Jay, “What’s your plan today?” He asks.
“Get the party ready for Monday,” he smiles. “I will see you Monday; you want me to come over to keep you company, just call.” He gives me a kiss on the cheek, says bye to Rhett and leaves.
I look over at Rhett, checking his phone, I play with my new iPhone. Five numbers have already been programmed for me, Rhett, Noah, Emma, Ed and his mom. Hit call on Noah’s name, I walk around the house to the sitting room. This house isn’t as big as the one in Vegas, but I like it, this one has a better feel to it, more homely.
“Star, about time you called again,” Noah says.
I start laughing; I only called him yesterday, “Hello to you too, how is Penny?” I ask as I watch Rhett run up the stairs.
“She is good, how are you?” He asks.
“I’m good, going shopping with Helen later, didn’t think that is was this cold here,” I reply, looking through my bag for my bank card. With Noah and Penny putting the money back in my account, I don’t have to worry about money while I’m here.
“Rhett busy with training?” Noah asks.
“He’s got a meeting, but he’s taking me around England later,” I smile as I hear Rhett walking down the stairs, “and Jay has a few things planned while I’m here. Which should be fun.” I say, putting on my thicker sweater.
“I’m going into work tomorrow, to talk to them about my hours and things,” Noah says. The doctors finally gave him the all clear to go back to work.
“That’s great,” I look up at Rhett putting his jacket on, “Can you let Ed know that I will call him a little later, don’t want him to think I’ve forgotten about him.” I smile, as my eye catches, some photos placed on a small show table, walking over to it I lean down to look at the picture.
“I will let him know, have a good day. I love you.” Noah says, and my eyes are not leaving the photo.
“You too, bye,” I end the call, and pick up the frame then turn to Rhett, “What is this?” I point to the photo of Rhett and me from the event he had in Vegas.
“Mom wanted a picture of us, so I gave her that one,” taking his phone out of his pocket as it beeps, I put the frame back on the table. I should be panicking at the fact that she has a picture of me in the house, you know what I'm panicking. Why would she have a picture of me in the house when she knows that we are not together at the time, okay my head is over thinking everything at this moment, and I need it to calm the fuck down, it’s a photo nothing else.
Grabbing my bag, “ready, when you are.” I say. Rhett smiles at me, “what?” I ask.
“How much do you want to pull your band?” Rhett points to my wrist.
“I don’t know what you're talking about,” I reply looking at him with a straight face.
Rhett smiles, then leans down and gives me a kiss, “I love you.”
* * *
Walking around the shopping centre, “Do you have a dress for Monday?” Helen asks as I look through the sweaters.
“Ummmm, what’s happening Monday? Rhett didn’t mention anything.” I grab some of the sweaters, then look over at Helen.
“Jay is having a surprise party for Rhett coming home on Monday,” the question must be written over my face, because before I can ask Helen talks again, “Jay knew that Rhett was in no mood for a party if you weren’t here, so he waited until you came.” She says.
“I can pick one up today,” this will be the first time I will meet Rhett’s friends and the way Jay has been talking about this pub, it’s a place they practically grew up. “I take it Jay has told them all about me.” I walk over to the dresses to see if there is anything that I like.
“Jay told them the day we landed here,” Helen starts laughing, making me laugh. I knew he would have; I have no idea how but he knew that I would come to England. “He never thought that Rhett would ever put anyone before himself, so when he returned to England, he told everyone to get ready to meet Rhett Johnson’s girlfriend.” Helen looks at the dress I’m holding, which I put back, it’s nice, but it's red, looking around for something different this time, as I wore red last time.
“Looking forward to meeting everyone,” I say walking over to the cashier, to pay for my clothes.
“They will all love you, and trust me when it comes to you Rhett doesn’t care about anyone's opinion,” Helen stops as we leave the store, I look at her waiting to hear what she has to say to me. “He will walk through hell to get you to stay with him, and I’ve told him if he doesn’t tell you his past, then I will.” Helen leans in and gives me a kiss on the cheek.
I give her a smile, because for the first time with Helen I feel like she is on my side and not her sons. I still wonder what Rhett’s hell is, he has walked through mine, and I’ve come to that part now where I’m ready to walk through his when he tells me.
* * *
Rhett called to say that he would meet us for lunch after his meeting as it finished early, I could tell by his tone that he wasn’t happy with whatever happened today.
I finally found a dress that I thought looked amazing on me, and would have Rhett staring at me all night. I don’t know what the girls are like in England, they might not be all over him, but then they might be all over him, so I want him looking at me all night. I also got a coat, well Helen got me a jacket, I didn’t even know she brought it until we left the shop, she told me that if we go out in the evening the sweater I keep buying aren’t going go to keep me warmer and needed something thicker to wear.
I look behind Helen, to see Rhett and Terry walking over, yep just looking at him I can see his meeting was not good. Terry and Rhett are talking to each other, as they get closer to the table I can hear a little but not enough to know what is wrong.
“Like I fucking care what they think!” Rhett shouts sitting on the chair next to me, no kiss on the cheek nothing. “How many times do they need to keep asking?” Rhett looks at Terry.
“Just give them some blood to test and get it over with, why be a dick about it. You have nothing to hide, and his finding your name goes bad before the fight, the only bonus his getting is, that you’re getting pissed off about it.” Terry replies in a more calm tone, I have no idea what the hell they are talking about, but this has annoyed Rhett enough.
“The bastard thought I took drugs the first match and I had to do a test four times, and I stayed quiet, now the fucker is asking for one every week. He can fuck off.” Rhett’s voice seems to be getting louder with every word, and the other people in the restaurant look over at us.
“Rhett calm down,” Helen tells him, giving the people a sorry look.
Rhett looks at his mom then back at Terry, “if they want me to test every week, then Zach can fucking take them too.” Rhett looks up at the waiter, “a beer please, and some water,” Rhett looks back at Terry and starts talking about Zach and the fight, Helen and I give our drink order then get back to listening to them both.
“Okay, that's enough of the fight talk, if this is what you two are going to talk about, then Scarlett and I will leave you both to talk.” Helen gives Rhett a look, which I can only say is ‘shut the fuck up now.’
“Sorry, mom,” Rhett says then goes for his beer. “Did you get everything you need?” Rhett finally looks over at me, as I go to answer him, he gives me a kiss on the cheek.
“Yeah,” I answer. I know it is a short answer, but I get the feeling Rhett’s not really in a talking mood.
“Mom you okay to go back with Terry and drop the stuff off at the house, someone wants to see Englandly things,” Rhett looks over at me which his sexy cheek grin.
“Sure, I think you need a day out.” Helen turns to Terry, “When does his training start?” She asks, and I look around the restaurant.
“Wednesday, and then a lot of press interviews, and photo shoots the list goes on,” Terry leans back in his chair. “Zach is trying to piss Rhett off, and his fuse is so short at the moment that if he sees him walking across the street, I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
“He's a dick, I have never won a fight by taking drugs, and that fucker thinks he is Mr. Big now that I’m giving him a rematch, the only way the fucker got it was because of what he did.” Rhett gives a nod to the waiter as he places our food down, “other than that he wouldn’t even be in the same room as me, and trust me I will wait until the fight because this time I’m going make sure the fucker doesn’t walk out of there.” Rhett shakes his head, I have never seen him like this ever.
I wonder if all this is my fault, though, but I never told Rhett to give him his rematch, am I happy that he is yes, but I didn’t want it to make this much trouble for him either.
I look over at Helen, then quickly look away from her before she starts reading my expression, it’s taking all my power not to pull my band so that I have something to do.
“So where do you plan to take Scarlett?” Helen asks Rhett finally changing the subject from the fight.
“The Queen’s House,” a small laugh leaves his beautiful mouth, “then I thought I would take her to look inside Harrods, then back home, I have other things planned but can’t do them all in one day.” Rhett gives me a wink, all I want to do right now is whatever he has planned for tonight, I’ve missed his touch so much.
“Well, I think you will have a great time Scarlett.” Helen gives me a smile; I return a small smile. She looks at Rhett and Terry talking again, she leans closer to the table, “He’s just a little stressed, about the fight, and talking to you, about you his past, it all playing on his mind and his brain is all over the place.” Helen whispers to me.
Giving her a nod, I lean back in my chair listening to them both talking about training, and Zach. There is a part of me that is happy that he’s been thinking about talking to me, that means he really will this time and not just say it.