Keeping Up With Miss Jones
"Jack, I was wondering if you could do me a favour."
Jack Quade immediately looked at his friend, colleague and housemate Gabrielle Jaeger with suspicion. He adored Gabrielle but he knew that tone of voice. Her 'favour' was bound to be something he wouldn't be happy about. "Depends on what it is," he said cautiously.
"Well... my mate Ashley is coming to Sydney next week and she's dying to see me. Problem is, I told her I have a boyfriend."
Jack's brow furrowed in confusion. That didn't sound like Gabrielle at all. He had never known her to be anything but forthright. What would possess her to lie about something like being in a relationship? "So tell her he's away," he suggested.
Gabrielle looked sheepish. "Thing is... I kinda, um, told her that we live together, he's six-four, really good-looking... answer to the name of Jack," she admitted.
Jack scowled. "Why they hell would you do something like that? What, you want me to move back in with Dan and Ricki until she goes?"
"No. I, um, was kinda hoping that you might..."
"No."
"You haven't heard me out!"
"I don't need to. You were kind of hoping that I would pretend to be your boyfriend 'cos some stupid competitive streak possessed you to tell your mate that you were living with someone." Which was close enough to the truth, he supposed. They were living together, just not in the manner Gabrielle had led this Ashley to believe.
Gabrielle looked appropriately guilty. Then her face changed in a flash to something akin to desperation. Jack was surprised to see that. Gabrielle was the most collected person he knew. She didn't get frazzled – not even when facing her ex-boyfriend's demons of alcoholism – and she certainly never got desperate – not even when trying to fill holes in her Friday-night roster. "Jack, please," she begged, which surprised Jack even more. Gabrielle Jaeger didn't beg. "If Ashley knows I lied –"
"Who is this girl to you that you would bother to lie to in the first place, and that you can't just admit a mea culpa to?" he asked. "Mea culpa means –" he started to explain.
"I know what mea culpa means. And Ashley – Ashley was always the prettier, more popular one. All the boys were hot for her." She knew Jack looked surprised at the depth of bitterness in her voice. But he wasn't to know the true depth of how 'all the boys' had been hot for Ashley, and Gabrielle wasn't about to fill him in on that devastating little detail. "She was the first to get breasts, the first to get a boyfriend, the first to get married." Actually, the reason Ashley had decided to stage a trip to Sydney was that she considered six months following her husband's death to be an appropriate period of mourning and she was on a man-hunt. No more uncouth country boys for her; she wanted a sophisticated city man. "She loved to gloat about it, to tease me about not being as pretty or popular. So when she started making cracks about it being typical that I was too involved with nursing to find a man, I just – I wanted to stick it to her. I wanted to make out like I had this amazing boyfriend and you matched close enough so..." she trailed off, shrugging hopelessly. She knew it had been a stupid, childish thing to do, but when Ashley was sticking the boot in about her lack of popularity with men – and, by extension, her inability to keep them faithful – she had wanted to make Ashley thing that there was at least one thing in her life that surpassed Ashley's.
Jack looked at her quizzically. "I don't understand," he said. "If this girl makes you feel like that, why are you still friends?"
It was a good point. Gabrielle herself had often wondered why they were still friends. After all, catching your so-called best friend in bed with your boyfriend was what most people considered to be a deal-breaker. And it had been, at the time. But Ashley had somehow found out that Gabrielle had forgiven Steve – taken him back for a while – and when she had gotten in touch with her, Gabrielle had felt guilty. After all, if she could forgive Steve, then she should be able to forgive Ashley.
Although Ashley made it hard to forgive when she continued to rub it in about Gabrielle's lack of a love-life. And, come to think of it, Ashley had never once apologised for sleeping with Steve. She had always made out that as the older one – and, in all fairness, they had both been in their early-twenties at the time, and Steve had been ten years older – the responsibility for their affair rested solely on Steve's shoulders. "It's just one of those things," she said vaguely. "When you've been friends for long enough, it becomes like a marriage. For better or worse, through good times and bad, 'til death do us part."
"You're forgetting my dad was an alcoholic womaniser and my step-mother an abusive drunk because of it," Jack reminded her, a little bitterness at the memory of his unhappy childhood mixed in with her dry humour. "I'm the last person to believe staying together 'just because' is a good idea."
"Jack, please. I'll never live it down if she finds out. She'll tell everyone that Gabrielle Jaeger couldn't find herself a real boyfriend so she had to make one up."
Jack watched Gabrielle intensely for a few seconds. The silence was deafening and seemed to drag on forever. Finally he said, "If I do this, you'll owe me big-time."
She gasped a sigh of relief. "Of course."
"You pick up any expenses I incur being the perfect boyfriend – dinners, drinks, movie tickets. I'll pay upfront so she thinks I'm being generous but I'll expect you to reimburse me."
"Naturally."
"And I get the pleasure of putting you on the spot and making you squirm whenever I can," he added with a smile.
Gabrielle didn't like the sound of that last condition. And the way Jack was smirking, it looked like he was already thinking of ways to embarrass her in such a way that she had no choice but to take it. But she was desperate. "OK," she agreed.
He flashed a cheeky smile. "Good. You can start by going down to the bottle shop. I wouldn't be caught dead entertaining my girlfriend's childhood friend without premium beer and vodka."
The following week, Ashley arrived mid-afternoon on Saturday, arms loaded down with luggage and bags from some of Sydney's most well-known boutiques. Gabrielle's heart fell a little to see her. She was just as beautiful as she had been when they had last seen each other – Ashley wasn't the type of girl to let her looks go. Impossibly slim figure – although she had a perfect pair of breasts that were just small enough not to be too big for her petite frame – impossibly straight cascading blond hair, sparkling blue eyes set in a perfectly made-up face. Wearing expensive tailored clothes. Gabrielle felt very frumpy compared to her.
"Ashley, this is my h – boyfriend Jack," Gabrielle introduced Ashley to Jack. "Jack, this is my friend Ashley. We go way back."
Ashley smiled brightly. "Our mum's were friends and we were born just months apart," she said in a slightly-breathless voice that always reminded people of Marilyn Monroe. She had long learnt to play her blond beauty to the hilt. Men always thought of her as a beautiful, helpless woman that they were irresistibly drawn to. Steve Taylor certainly had. Although Steve Taylor had turned out to be a waste of space, an alcoholic who had a compulsively wandering eye, especially when he had been drinking. Ashley had never understood why Gabrielle had taken him back. But at least it meant she had a good wedge to get Gabrielle to take her back, which in turn was a wedge into Sydney. She was so bored with country life. If her husband hadn't died when he had, she would have left him. But his accidental death had left her a comparatively wealthy woman – the combination of life insurance and a wrongful death suit from the faulty farm equipment that had caused his death had been a hefty payout indeed. So now she was here in Sydney to find an improvement on men like her late husband.
She eyed Jack quickly. Now there was a hunk. She could see from the muscles peeking out of his short-sleeved shirt that he was deceptively strong, the kind of man who could literally sweep a woman off her feet. She shot a glance at Gabrielle. There was a woman who men didn't sweep off their feet. Ashley thought she would kill herself if she was that tall. No wonder Steve had lost interest. Ashley wondered how the hell Gabrielle had managed to attract the interest of someone like Jack, Surely a good-looking young surgeon could have whatever woman he wanted. Ashley giggled inwardly, thinking that she had managed it by sheer proximity, being right under his very nose. Men were fundamentally lazy, and what man could be bothered looking elsewhere when they had someone perfectly willing just meters away? That had to be it. No way could Gabrielle land someone like Jack any other way. "I don't suppose I could get a hand?" Ashley asked sweetly in that same slightly-breathless voice, holding out her arms to show all she was loaded down with.
Jack stepped forward to relieve her of some of her bags. Ashley let her hand slip so their fingers touched in a way that she knew men liked. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Gabrielle stiffen. Well, it wasn't her fault if Gabrielle couldn't hold her man's interest. "Thankyou so much. It's been such a long trip, I'm so tired and hungry."
"That's good, 'cos Jack was just in the process of putting lunch together." Gabrielle tried to keep the irritation out of her voice. Ashley had said she would be over by midday. Clearly, she had decided to go shopping instead, making them wait and postpone lunch. She wasn't the only hungry person, and Jack had sweetly pointed out that it wasn't very 'friendly' to eat before their guest had arrived. It was so typical of Ashley. She didn't think of anyone but herself.
That Steve had been so infatuated with her blond hair and big breasts to ignore her selfish personality was something that Gabrielle would never understand.
The three of the sat down to a massive spread that Jack had prepared. "I didn't think men could be so good with food," Ashley trilled. She had been flirting with Jack from the moment she had arrived. The more she thought about it, the more she thought it wasn't fair that someone like Gabrielle could land someone like Jack. And the worst thing was, he was so affectionate with her. The way he kept one arm draped casually over her shoulders, the way he kissed her from time to time, the way he gave her those sweet little looks. As confident as she was in her ability to fascinate men, she knew none of them had ever looked at her that way, and she hated it.
Jack shrugged. "I grew up in a household that valued fixing a car far more than fixing dinner. I'm glad someone appreciates it."
"How anyone couldn't appreciate you is beyond me," Ashley said.
"Um... thanks, I guess."
Lunch progressed, with Ashley keeping a steady stream a banter going that made Gabrielle uncomfortable. It had always amused Ashley to flirt with men in front of their girlfriends, but this was a whole new ball game. "The shops here are so incredible," Ashley gushed when the conversation came around to what she thought of Sydney so far. "I spent, like, half my settlement in one go," she laughed. "I think I've finally satiated my shoe fetish. Here, let me show you what I got," she said to Gabrielle. She rummaged through her bags and pulled out one particular pair. They were impossibly high gold strappy stilettos and cost a small fortune. Gabrielle knew because she had a pair herself. "You bought a pair of these shoes?" Ashley asked incredulously.
"In silver," Gabrielle replied. They had been a completely indulgence, but had been completely worth it the following weekend when she and Jack had gone to a club together. In the shoes, she was exactly his height, and he had mentioned how nice it was to dance with someone who was the same height as him in such a way that it had felt like the greatest compliment that could be given.
"But... you're tall enough already. God, I think I'd walk around like a crippled old lady if I were, like, six foot. I don't understand why you wear heels. Men don't like women to be taller then them."
Jack felt Gabrielle stiffen against the arm her had around her waist and he felt for her. Ashley's comment was completely uncalled for. Once again, he wondered why Gabrielle bothered to remain friends with such a woman. "Actually," he said cheerfully. "That's kind of how we got together." He knew Gabrielle had been vague about the details of their 'relationship' so he could afford to make things up and not contradict her. "We went to this club and after a few drinks I realised she was the same height as me – I've dated women I've had a clear foot on, and it's a bitch on my neck." He rubbed his neck ruefully to make his point. "It seemed like the perfect moment to kiss her."
Gratefully, Gabrielle cuddled into Jack's arms. He kissed the top of her head and she squeezed the hand that had made its way into hers. She had bought the vodka and premium beer Jack had requested, begrudging his craftiness, but now she would buy him the whole damn liquor store if that's what he wanted, the look on Ashley's face would be worth it. Jack had wiped the smugness from her in a few seconds. Ashley had always made a point that men weren't interested in 'amazons' but he had made it clear that some men were. And she wasn't even that tall, either, not even six-foot.
And besides, he had a point. It couldn't be fun trying to co-ordinate bodies with a significant height difference. "I don't think I'd date someone shorter than five-eight again," Jack spoke up, as if to vocalise Gabrielle's thoughts. "I like not having to bend double just to kiss my girlfriend." He squeezed Gabrielle's hand noticeably when he said that. She stifled a giggle at the look on a five-six Ashley's face.
The time slipped by and Gabrielle asked Ashley where she was staying, sure Ashley was putting her inheritance to good use and staying as a flash hotel. "Oh, I thought I'd stay here," she said casually.
Gabrielle's throat went dry. No way could Ashley stay here. Then she relaxed, remembering that despite Jack's constant urgings to do something about the third bedroom she used to stash clutter – she was such a pack-rat – they didn't have a spare room. "Not unless you wanted to stay on the couch," she finished her explanation sweetly, knowing Ashley wasn't the type of person who stayed on couches. It ruined her sleep and gave her bags under her eyes.
She felt Jack perk up under her weight, and with a sinking feeling, knew he was up to something. "Course we do," he said, and Ashley looked confused. "My old room, remember?" He smiled winningly at Ashley. "We both get a bit confused sometimes 'cos all my stuff is still there, I just don't sleep there." He flashed a grin that both of them understood, but for different reasons; for Ashley, it made a point that they shared a bedroom and to Gabrielle, it put her in an awkward position. She couldn't say anything without admitting that she and Jack had separate rooms because they weren't actually together.
Gabrielle was torn. She could throttle Jack for what he was suggesting – whereas not too long ago she would have bought him out a liquor store in gratitude – but she didn't want Ashley to find out she had made it all up, right down to getting Jack to go along with it.
In the end, pride won out. "Of course, I forgot about that," she said. "Just try not to touch anything. To say he's an anal-retentive Nazi about his stuff is like saying Hitler was a bit racist."
"I am not!" Jack objected. Gabrielle smiled sweetly at him, daring him to contradict her about their shared life. It was small payback for the bedroom thing. "I doubt you'd be interested in anything I've got, anyway," he admitted to Ashley. "Mostly doorstops of novels and medical journals."
"Oh, I'm sure everything about you in interesting," Ashley said sweetly. "I'm not the brightest crayon in the box, but maybe you could explain some things to me. Medicine sounds so fascinating." It was small payback for the blunt message that Jack and Gabrielle were close enough that he had moved out of his room and into hers. Besides, it gave her carte blanche to learn about what interested Jack.
"I could kill you for that!" Gabrielle objected when she and Jack were getting ready for bed a few hours later. She hadn't had the chance to get him alone since Ashley had arrived; the woman had monopolised him completely. Gabrielle had no doubt that right now, Ashley was poring over Jack's stuff, trying to learn what made him tick.
"What?" Jack asked sweetly.
"You! Making me share a room with you!"
"You're welcome to go and explain to Ashley," he said, grinning like mad because he had Gabrielle over a barrel and she knew it.
She scowled at him. It had been damn clever, she had to admit. "Fine," she grumbled. "But you'd better not try anything."
"I believe you were the one sticking your tongue down my throat at the wedding," he reminded her sweetly.
With a heavy heart, it sank in that she had Chlamydia. She tried to tell herself that Steve must have already had it, but... she and Steve had been together a long time, since before she had turned sixteen. She knew if that had been the case, the odds were that she would have already contracted it already. So the most probable cause was that Steve... had... cheated... on... her.
The idea was almost too horrible to comprehend. Not Steve, who adored her and told her at every opportunity. Not Steve, who promised that she fascinated him far more than girls – women – his own age. Not Steve, who promised that she was the only one.
And yet what other explanation was there?
She decided to see her best friend about it. Ashley had an unerring understanding about men. She would know what was going through Steve's head. Maybe she had ever heard something. She also had an unerring taste for gossip – a little too much, Gabrielle had to admit. She and Ashley had been friends for almost twenty years now, but she had to admit, there were times when the beautiful young woman took a vicious pleasure in tearing other's down. Especially women.
She arrived and her heart sank further, every fibre of her being telling her that something was very, very wrong. Steve's beloved ute was parked in the drive. Since Steve had always claimed to loathe the beautiful blond, what was he doing here? Were they planning something for her? Her birthday wasn't for months. She let herself into the house – few people in their town bothered to lock their doors – and as soon as she had entered, the unmistakable sounds of lust vibrated through the house. She knew Steve's voice anywhere. Not that he was saying much – just a whole lot of grunts and vulgar words. She flinched, both in anticipation of what she was sure to come across and because she hated how vulgar Steve could be during sex.
Knowing what to expect but refusing to run away, she walked into Ashley's room to find them going at it. She had heard so much about Ashley, but had refused to believe a word of it. Other women were just jealous of her beauty and popularity, other men resentful that she wouldn't date them, Gabrielle had always thought loyally of her friend. But now she knew it was all true. Ashley was a selfish user, a woman who slept with whoever she chose without a care for the girls and women who called them husbands and boyfriends.
"No," she whispered in horror at seeing them together. It was one thing to know what she would be walking into, it was another to actually see them going at it like animals. Her best friend and her boyfriend. The two people she loved more than anyone else in the world outside of her parents and kid brother. A kid brother that adored Steve like the older brother he'd never had. Ben would be devastated.
Strange how she had thought of Ben at a time like that. But then, she had always been someone who cared about other people. Unlike Steve or Ashley. "No," she said again before running from the room in tears. Despite the fact she was almost blinded by them, she couldn't get out of her head the image of Steve and Ashley going at it like animals out of her head.
Steve came out and tried to embrace her. She fought him despite the pain of her heartbreak sapping her strength, as if everything she had in her was being drained by her emotions. "No," she sobbed brokenly. "You're breaking my heart..."
"Hey, shhh, it's just me. Jack. You were having a bad dream. You're OK. I'm here." Jack talked softly to her as he coaxed her into full wakefulness. Later she remembered him telling her that he used to suffer from nightmares so much that he gradually hardwired it into his subconscious so he could stir himself from a nightmare, and he was doing it to her now – a sight more easy to do to someone else than to yourself, so for Jack, it was no problem. For several minutes, Gabrielle lay crying in Jack's arms without saying anything. Jack didn't ask any questions, waiting for her to volunteer the information. Instead, he just held her patiently until her sobs had subsided.
"Ashley and Steve had an affair," she admitted.
"What?" he asked incredulously.
"Ashley and Steve –" she began to repeat herself before Jack cut her off.
"No, I heard you. I just couldn't believe it."
She found herself repeating that day she had found out Steve had passed on a STD, had been forced to acknowledge that it was more likely he was playing around then it had just been a dormant thing, had gone to Ashley to see if she knew anything and had been confronted with them in bed together. "I lost my boyfriend and my best friend in one day," Gabrielle finished tearfully.
She felt Jack kiss the top of her head and felt comforted by it. "Poor baby," he said. "That explains a lot. I was wondering who the hell hits on their mate's boyfriend in front of them. I don't understand why you had anything to do with her, though."
"I forgave Steve, I should be able to forgive her."
"I don't think forgiveness works like that, babe," Jack said ruefully. Forgiving one person didn't mean you had to forgive everyone, not even if they were responsible for the same injury. "Although I think my step-mum is still trying." Despite her warnings not to 'try anything' he drew her close to him. He could feel her tears seep through his shirt onto his chest and his heart broke for her. She was one of the sweetest, most generous and loyal people – and friends – he had known, she deserved far better than the likes of Steve and Ashley. "I wish I had known that before you let her come. I wouldn't have let her in the house."
"It's my house, Jack," she sniffled, ever the one to stake her independence, even at a time like this. "And you are my friend and no-one treats my friends like that." He thought for a minute, idly stroking her hair while he did. "I'm going to be the most perfect boyfriend who ever existed," he said suddenly. She raised her head in confusion. "By the time she leaves, Ashley will be choking on her own jealousy. I will always be there to hug you and kiss you and be the greatest boyfriend who ever lived. I'll make sure that until the day she dies, Ashley will always look back on her time here and be jealous of her childhood friend for landing such an amazing boyfriend. And you don't even have to pick up the tab. I'll do it for the sheer pleasure of sticking it to someone who hurt my friend."
Jack's obvious sincerity, along with the glint in his eyes that spoke volumes of his desire to hurt those who hurt someone he cared about made Gabrielle realise the kind of generosity and loyalty that lay in his heart. And he had the mind for it, too. Ashley was intelligent, despite the helpless blond routine she put on, but she was no match for Jack... and now Jack was determined to pit his intelligence and charm against a woman who had hurt a friend of his. Unconsciously, she found herself wrapping her arms around his neck and finding comfort in the way his arms tightened around her waist. "You're a good friend, Jack," she said sleepily.
He kissed her head again. "Glad to be of help," he said.