Kate
All eyes were on me as I left the safety of the car and stood on the sidewalk, blinking at the flashes from camera lenses. James sensed my nerves and put a reassuring hand on my shoulder.
“You’ll be okay, Miss,” he whispered. “Just look straight ahead and go inside. It’ll be fine.”
I squeezed his arm.
“Thank you.”
He smiled, and just as I left his side a man came towards me and took my arm, guiding me through the crowd towards the door without speaking.
I looked up at his face, remembering him from Jonathan’s office, and I felt the relief flood through me. It was Evan.
The door staff saw us approaching and nodded knowingly at him, opening the door for us immediately. We went inside, the noise from behind us disappearing.
“I’m so glad you were there!” I said, thankful that I didn’t have to deal with the paparazzi alone.
He smiled, his white teeth shining in the dim light.
“Now what kind of best friend would I be to Jonathan if I let you face that crowd alone? Let me get your coat.”
He slid it off my shoulders and handed it to the front desk.
“He told me to see that you’re okay. He’s running a little late with Helen.”
“That’s okay. I know he’s busy and…”
“Do you have a reservation?” the host asked.
“Under Davenport,” Evan said, and the host’s eyes lit up.
“Of course, that’s right. This way. He’s reserved a table at the back.”
Evan waited for me to walk first before he followed, guiding me gently through the tables until we were at the back.
We sat quietly and he ordered a bottle of champagne and a rustic bread platter.
“So, you’re a celebrity now?” He smiled once the waiter left our side. “How does it feel?”
“Oh god,” I buried my face in my hands and laughed. “I don’t know, I haven’t read the article and I’m terrified to even know what they think.”
“It’s nothing too bad. I wouldn’t worry. Jonathan’s law and PR team is top notch. I’m sure they’ve got you covered.”
“Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it.”
He smiled at me and watched as the waiter came back with our champagne and served us.
“So, he tells me you both went from zero to one hundred pretty fast.”
I nodded, panic starting to rise. I’d never had a chance to go over our ‘story’ with him, and the thought that I was about to be interrogated about my false relationship made me blush. A thousand excuses for why I needed to leave the table ran through my mind.
“Relax,” he said, waving a hand at me. “I know you guys have a convenience thing going on.”
“How did you…?”
“Jonathan’s my best friend. I know him more than anyone. There’s no way he would have been dating you without me knowing.”
I took a deep breath.
“I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything. Just know that a lot of women in this town think he’s fair game. They see good looks and money, and they jump in headfirst. He’s more than that.”
“Tell that to the women he’s just up and left. I’m sure they’d be fighting to agree with you.”
I touched the stem of my glass, feeling the bubbles from the champagne make me a little light headed, and still I downed the rest of it.
Evan laughed and picked up the bottle.
“Now I see why he likes you. More?”
I nodded and he moved my glass towards him.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing, it’s just refreshing. You’re different, and I guess in this case different is a good thing.”
I took several sips of the new champagne that he’d poured, aware that I wasn’t the biggest drinker and that at any moment I would make a complete ass out of myself.
“What about you and Jessica?” I asked.
The smile dropped from his face and he sat back in his chair looking at the tablecloth before raising his eyes up to meet mine.
“It’s complicated,” he said eventually.
“Why? Because she’s stunningly gorgeous with a personality like a spoiled poodle?”
Crap!
The words came out of my mouth before I had a chance to stop them, and I put the glass down and sat up straight.
“Evan, I’m so sorry. I…”
He laughed.
“Don’t apologize, Kate. I take it you’ve met her and you’re right. Hell, if only I could have the same discerning sense that you have, I might not be having such a hard time.”
“I shouldn’t have said it. I think it’s the drink. I’m not usually so judgmental.”
“Just relax, okay?” he reassured me. “She’s going to be your sister in law, you’re well within your rights to have an opinion on what she’s like. Your secret’s safe with me.”
The waiter came back with our bread tray and placed it in front of us, and I took a deep breath as I reached for one and dipped it into the olive oil. He watched me do it and lowered his voice.
“So what do your family have to say about the wedding? Are they happy? Annoyed? Excited? Do they think it’s too sudden? Have you told them the truth?”
I knew the question was going to come at some point, and as much as I would have preferred for people not to pity me as the woman who spent her life being fostered, I knew I couldn’t keep it hidden for long. People were going to find out one way or another, and it would always be better coming from me.
I put my piece of bread down and took a few sips from my champagne.
“I don’t have any family,” I said quietly.
He tilted his head, intrigued.
“None? None at all?”
I nodded.
“That’s right. No parents, no siblings, or uncles or cousins. I don’t have anyone.”
“Sorry, I didn’t realize…”
“It’s fine.” I tried to brush away the drink-infused emotion that rose within me and prickled the back of my eyes. It wasn’t fine, not in the slightest, to feel as though you had no one in the world to turn to.
He put a comforting hand on my shoulder and rubbed it.
“Families are overrated anyway,” he said gently. “Who needs them?”
I do, I thought. I really do. I would cherish what people took for granted and have a mom who didn’t change every six months when they got tired of you.
I felt the tears again and I blinked to try and keep them at bay, but it was no use. They spilled out down my cheeks and I quickly dabbed at them with my fingers.
It had been so long since I’d cried over the subject, and with the drink inside me and the emotional rollercoaster that Jonathan had me riding, everything had built up to an overwhelming level.
“God Kate, don’t cry on me. I’m so bad with emotion.” Evan said pushing the bottle and glass away so he could get closer to me.
I laughed between the tears, shaking my head.
“Honestly, it’s okay. It’s just the drink and the wedding and everything else.”
“Come here.”
He pulled me towards him, wrapping his arms around me. I buried my face into his shoulder, the thought that hugging him felt like hugging an older brother that I’d never be able to have making me even more upset.
He stroked the hair on the back of my head.
“It’s okay, Jonathan’s great. I’m sure his whole family will become yours. They’ll love you, and Meredith’s a cracker. She’ll make sure you’re welcomed into the family with open arms.”
I pulled away, smiling weakly.
“Thanks, Evan.”
“Don’t mention it.” He wiped the tears away from my face with his thumb. “Right. Jonathan will be here any minute. Let’s straighten you up so he won’t know what’s been going on.”
He reached forwards, tidying my hair up and then he gave me another hug, and I held him there as a silent thank you before I went to sort my face out, not wanting to let him go because ever since I’d met Jonathan, I’d found myself surounded by people that actually cared. No one had held me like that when I’d cried before and it felt like a dream, a complete fantasy to have a friend to hold when life got too much.
“What the fuck’s going on in here?”
We jumped apart quickly and my arm knocked over the small remains of my glass.
I looked around to the doorway of our private dining room to see Jonathan watching us angrily with Helen peeking out from behind him. Her eyes met mine and she scowled slightly like an over protective bitch.
Evan stood up.
“I was just… Kate was just…”
“I think I know what you were both doing,” he snapped.
I stood up too and walked towards him.
“Jonathan, it’s not what you think. He was just comforting me and…”
He ignored me and turned back to Evan.
“I said to entertain her before I got here, not put your hands all over her!”
Even laughed incredulously.
“Jonathan, you need to chill. It’s not like that and you know it. Your future wife was upset! What did you want me to do? Just leave her? Sit here and do nothing?”
“I saw you both,” he said and I saw his jaw tense.
I held onto his arm.
“Please, just calm down. It was a completely innocent hug. I promise.”
For the first time he stopped and looked down at me, his eyes finally meeting mine, and I saw disappointment and hurt in them.
“After everything I told you last night?” he said shaking his head. “I thought you were…”
He stopped talking and I felt the panic in my stomach. I didn’t care about the crappy arrangement or security for myself, I cared about him.
He slid his arm out of mine and pressed a file towards me.
“This is for you. I was late because I had to get the last signature to set this up.” He turned to Evan. “Now don’t let me stop you both. She’s beautiful. Who wouldn’t be attracted to her? Just know who you lost to get what you wanted.”
“Jonathan, don’t you dare walk away!” I demanded, as he turned and walked back through the restaurant. I followed him, ignoring the stares of people sitting around us watching the drama unfold before them.
“Jonathan wait!”
He burst out of the front door to the glee of the paparazzi and they snapped and clicked their lenses in our faces.
“Jonathan, is this wedding for real?”
“Jonathan, what’s her name?”
“Jonathan, do you think this will boost your share price?”
“What’s the wedding date?”
He held his hands up to push them all away and his anger only fueled their eagerness to get the shot and the story.
Evan barged past me and grabbed his arm, pulling him back towards us.
“Are you fucking crazy?” he shouted, and Jonathan angrily shook his arm out of his grip.
“Evan, you’d better stay out my way.”
“Or what? How long have we been friends, and you think one hug means I’m taking your girl?”
“I trusted you!”
I watched in horror as they squared up to each other and I pulled Jonathan back, aware that the press around us were loving the tension.
Helen held onto Evan’s arm and tried to walk back with him, but he wouldn’t let her.
“Trusted me? You trusted me? I didn’t do anything. You know I didn’t. You’re just looking for a way to break your fucking contract. You know, your fake marriage? This whole crappy charade you’ve put on, messing with people’s feelings!”
I felt the wind knocked out of me, and instead of responding Jonathan clenched his fist and swiped at Evan, clipping his jaw. Pandemonium broke out and the security from the restaurant dived in, pulling them apart.
I saw James in the crowed as he pushed Jonathan and a scurrying Helen towards the car.
“Wait!” I called, but above the sound of the crowd he couldn’t hear me, and I watched as the car steered away from the sidewalk, paparazzi still trying to photograph him through the windows.
“Kate!” I heard a gruff voice beside me; it was Evan with his hand reached out. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”
“But…” I looked in the direction that Jonathan’s car had gone in, still not quite believing what had just happened.
“Just get in the damn car!” he snapped, coming up to me and taking my hand, pulling me towards his own chauffeur driven car. The driver closed the door and got in, driving away from all the flashing lights and commotion as fast as he could.
I turned to Evan, who was rubbing at his red jaw, and I put a hand on his arm.
“I’m so sorry.”
He shook his head.
“It doesn’t matter now, it’s not your fault. Did you see those guys? We’re going to be on every newspaper cover by the morning. Shit!” He punched the seat in front of him.
“Sorry, Sir. Where should I take the young lady?” the driver asked looking up in the mirror.
He sighed and looked at me.
“Sorry, Kate. Everything is just so… I don’t know. Where can we take you? Anywhere?”
I thought about going back to my old apartment with Erin and knew instantly it was off the cards, as by the morning Greg would have sold his soul and invited the journalists in.
I shook my head.
“I don’t have anywhere. Just drop me at the nearest hotel to your place and I’ll work something out in the morning. I still have the card Jonathan gave me…”
“A hotel? Damnit, I forgot that you moved in with him.” He leant forwards to the driver. “Just head to mine, please Michael.”
“Yours?” I imagined the photos of me leaving his place in the morning and how wild the press would be with the story.
“Yeah, it’s fine. I think we need to stick together. If you go to that hotel alone, what do you think’s going to happen? You’ll get hounded by the press and you’ll be there vulnerable on your own.”
“But…”
“Despite what happened tonight, you’re still my best friend’s fiancé. I can’t just leave you in a hotel on your own during this media storm.” He turned to look out of the window and thought for a moment. “Fine. I’ll take you to a hotel, but I’ll be in the room next to you.”
“Evan you don’t have to do that.”
He shook his head.
“It’s not up for negotiation. Michael, take us to the St. Regis.”
He took out his cell and I watched as he made a call.
“Hello? Julie? Yes, its Evan. Things have gone bad. I’m going to need you to book two side-by-side suites at the St Regis for now please, and tomorrow I’m going to need a handful of female…” he looked down over my body, “…size fourteen or sixteen outfits delivered here too. And first thing, I’m going to need my communications team and someone from the law department to meet me there. Oh, and could you book one of their meeting rooms? Yes. Okay, that’s great. We’ll talk tomorrow.”
He hung up and put the cell onto the seat between us, resting his head back.
“Thank you, Evan,” I said quietly. “You didn’t have to get a suite, I mean, I can easily just get myself a normal…”
He put his hand on mine and let his head fall to the side to look at me.
“It’s fine, Kate. I saw something in Jonathan tonight that I’ve never seen before. This isn’t just a business deal anymore is it? He’s never wanted to or cared about fighting for a woman like that in his life. You obviously mean something to him, and if he thinks you’re that important I’m going to look after you until this whole thing blows over and then you can tell him how you really feel.”
“You’re a good friend, Evan. He’s lucky to have you.”
I squeezed his hand and took a deep breath, still clutching the file he’d given me in my hands, and turned to look out the window, unable to get the image of Jonathan’s hurt eyes out of my mind.
For some women his outburst would have been a complete turn off, but for me it meant everything. He showed passion, desire, and real feelings for me. He risked showing his emotions in front of the entire world to fight for me, and I’d never felt so wanted, loved, and needed in my whole entire life.
Evan stood by my side as the porter opened the door to my suite and we all walked inside
“Wow!” I breathed, as I was shown around. “This is too much, I mean…”
The porter laughed and edged towards the door.
“If there’s anything you need, dial zero from your phone and we’ll be happy to assist.” He turned to Evan. “Mr. Jackson, can I help you with your room?”
“I’m fine, thanks for your help.”
He slipped some notes into his hand and shook it, then waited for him to leave before tuning to me.
“I’m going to head down to the hotel bar for something to eat. Care to join me?”
“I don’t think it’s such a good idea after everything that’s happened, sorry.”
“I understand.” He straightened the already straight picture on the wall. “I think you should get some rest then, Kate. Tomorrow’s going to be a hard day for you with press and news stories coming out.”
I nodded, feeling exhausted with emotion already.
“I just want to thank you for everything, Evan. You’ve been amazing and I don’t know what I would have done without you.”
He smiled and backed away towards the door.
“Promise me you won’t open this for anyone else tonight but me or room service?”
“Promise.”
“Good. Now, Julie will be over in the morning with clothes. I have a meeting downstairs, so I may not see you, but I’ll have a car ready to take you wherever you need to be.”
“Thank you so much.”
“My pleasure. Goodnight Kate.”
“Night.”
He closed the door behind him and I went to the bedroom and collapsed onto the bed. It was almost fictional how my life had changed in such a short space of time.
I’d been the woman who’d sworn off emotional drama, and now I was scared and worried because the man I’d signed a contract with not to fall for was hurt and disappointed in me.
I remembered the file he’d given me and got up, walking to the hall to get it. I curled up on the sofa with it in my hands.
It smelled of him, and I thought about all the effort he’d put into preparing it for me before our meeting.
I opened the thick leather and read the first page, my heart pounding:
‘Congratulations Kate,
I know how much this meant to you, so I have set up a charity for you called Kate’s Kids that helps those children in foster care who have no permanent home. I’m not only your first monetary donator, but I’m in the process of negotiating a beautiful office building for you. I look forward to seeing what wonders and miracles you do, because I caught a glimpse of your heart last night and I know you have so much more to share.
Yours,
Jonathan
What the hell had I done?