I do not own the right's to Nancy Meyer's, It's Complicated. Movie. 2009.
My story is a continuation of the events after this movie.
This chapter contains some intense 'mature' scenes. Readers should proceed with caution.
Chapter 3
Jane had the night to herself as Adam had decided to turn the hiking trip into a camping trip. She checked her appearance in the hall mirror; the strawberry blonde hair was curled elegantly and her new manicure was fashionable. But it was the expression that had changed so significantly. When was the last time that happiness radiated so obviously? Her skin actually glowed! Even the wrinkles and subtle freckles glowed a youthful reflection.
The doorbell rang.
"Come in!" She called.
"Bubbie!" Trisha rang out. "We're here!" Trisha, Joanne, and Diane all filed inside of the cramped kitchen. "We brought the wine and board games."
"Oh good!" Jane pulled out the first bottle and saw the label. "What is that? Where did you find this?!" Jane chuckled. "Granny's Vineyards?!"
"My daughter, Jessica thought it would be funny to give to me for my birthday. The joke's on her though, it is delicious!" Joanne teased as she set up the MONOPOLY board. "I swear I'm buying everyone this wine for Christmas this year."
"So how much longer until the remodel is finished?" Diane asked. "I mean, you're sleeping with the architect… wouldn't that speed up the normal process? Do you get discounts on lumber, nails, and pipes and all of that?"
"I'm sure she gets some kind of pipe discount." Trisha bellowed with laughter as she rolled the dice.
"Get outta here!" Jane tipped her wine glass up to her mouth. "The remodel is coming along nicely. The drywall is up now, the plumber installed the jetted tub, toilet, and tile. Next week, they'll mud the walls, install ceiling fans, carpet, and hopefully we can start painting."
"Whoa. That is remarkable. Maybe I should hire Adam after you're finished with him?" Joanne stated.
"Oh, I don't think Jane is quite finished with him yet." Trisha teased relentlessly.
"Yeah, I don't want Adam servicing my friends!" Jane laughed so hard she snorted.
"Janey!" The 3 friends exclaimed.
"Oh what? Your bad manners has finally rubbed off on me." Jane settled back into her chair to watch their expressions from afar.
"Jane. There has been a lot of changes for you. Gabby moved out. Luke graduated. Lauren and Harley bought their house, got engaged, and now they're pregnant. You finally got started on the remodel… plus…" Diane fidgeted uncomfortably. "Plus, everything that happened since New York. You've really blossomed."
"You really have handled everything like a pro. How do you do it?" Trisha asked curiously. "Because we all know that I would have lost my shit a long time ago. You just make it look so easy! All of these changes and you're absolutely glowing!"
"God, you're not pregnant are you?" Jo's eyes widened in shock.
"Definitely not." Jane laughed. "There have been a lot of changes… but I've had years of the same, constant life. Literally 10 years! Work. Kids. School projects. Expanding the store. Work. Kids. College. It wasn't until I started emailing Adam, even though I hadn't realized that it was him, that my life had a new purpose. This remodel has been my dream for so long; given me something to look forward to. I just had no idea that it would change all aspects of my life over such a short span of time."
"If anyone deserves all of this happy change, it's you Janey." Jo took her friends hand.
"Jo's right." Trisha said and Diane agreed. "Karma may have finally worked in your favor."
"To Jane." The 3 friends tipped their glasses up to salute her. Jane blushed, but was happy that her friends acknowledged that the changes in her life hadn't changed her personality. They were pleased for her happiness as if it were their own.
"Have you heard from Jake?" Diane asked.
"Hell no." Jane smirked back. "And I hope that it stays that way for a while."
(O)
Adam hadn't hiked since finding out about Jane and Jake's affair. He had climbed until his body and mind were both exhausted- which had taken a few hours over the beautiful terrain above SANTA BARBARA.
Hikes cleared his mind and gave him peace.
"Dad, do you have a lighter?" Billy asked. "I can never figure out your flint thingy."
Adam took the flint starter and had a small fire roaring to life in seconds. Billy and Luke gaped in awe; a look that Adam was always proud to see from his son. "So kids, how about a brew before you ask me about moving into the loft?" Their looks went from awe to guilty wonderment. "Oh come on, did you think we didn't know?"
"Well, you and my mom haven't been away from each other for many nights since… the beginning of the summer." Luke decided to choose the safest explanation. Billy and Marie didn't know about his mom and dad's affair and he wanted to keep it that way. Adam turned out to be a nice man that made his mom happy. He had seen how sullen the divorce made her in her life outside of the café, but it slightly perturbed Luke that Adam had appeared so suddenly.
"That is true." Adam was thankful that Luke hadn't mentioned anything else.
"Come on, dad. I've seen the way you look at Jane. It's how I look at sheet music. That beautiful confusion mixed up with admiration and allure." Billy said.
"Son, you're such a poet." Adam took a swig of his brew.
Luke laid out some finger food, grabbed a beer, and sat back against a boulder. "He's right you know."
Adam thought he heard some resentment in Luke's voice. He had prepared himself for that whenever Jane agreed to be his girlfriend. So far, it hadn't come up. "Luke, I know I probably should have talked to you about dating your mom. You're the man of the house and as the man, I should have come to you first."
Luke gaped and quickly shook his head. "My mom is happier than she has ever been. You know, she has all of these photo albums. Holidays. The cafes. Awards ceremonies. All of our school events. Most of them are just us kids." He jabbed a stick into the fire. "But the ones that I enjoy looking at, are the ones that she took while she was in Paris. She was so happy experimenting and being an apprentice. Touring the city and culture. Those pictures are proof that time of her life was the best." He looked a little uncomfortable. "Until she met you. I've never seen her so… content."
The crackling coals and softened cricket chirps were the only sounds for several moments.
Adam pulled out 2 matching keychains, each with a small pocket knife, and each holding a key to the loft. "Catch." He tossed 1 to each of his sons. "If the loft wasn't yours before that little speech, it definitely was after. Jane and I just have 2 requests after you take over the lease; you split the rent equally and respect each other as much as you do right now."
Billy cheered, Luke grabbed another brew, and the boys became men as they talked into the night about future hikes, repositioning their loft furniture, and arranging various scenarios of rescuing damsels in distress.
Adam slipped away, called Jane, and listened to her voice as she recalled the events of the day with their daughters and the girl time spent with her closest friends. He gazed back towards the fire happy to let the boys celebrate, but mostly to let Jane know that Luke gave his blessing for them to be together.
(O)
The wedding planning had distracted Jane from nearly everything and everyone else for the past 2 months. Even the remodel had taken a backseat to place settings, centerpieces, and floral arrangements. The difference between plum and mauve. Or white or red wine. Suits or tuxes. A-line, bustled, ruching, toile, lace, satin. It was all tumbling together and didn't allow anything else to settle in her thoughts.
So when Adam hugged her from behind, slipped a pale blue handkerchief from his pocket, and tied it loosely over her eyes… she thought of anything BUT the remodel or the wedding.
"Adam, I admire your… resourceful creativity." Jane whispered in her best seductive voice.
"Uh, Jane…" Adam said cautiously still leading her blindfolded outside onto the veranda and near the garden. She smelled the herbs and earth with a deep inhale.
A night together in the garden bistro was just the right way to end the busy day of wedding planning with Lauren.
"Oui, oui mon amour merveilleux enchanteur."
"Oh, mom!" Gabby and Lauren blanched.
"Oh Bubbie is whipping out the French. Okay, I think we better clear out. It's getting hot in here!" Trisha wolf whistled.
Adam couldn't help but laugh, though he kept his hands secured over the handkerchief.
Jane blushed all the way down to her toes. "Ah! Who all is here? What's going on?!" She may have been embarrassed, but she still giggled when a familiar, curious nose sniffed her ankle. "Is that Murphy? Kids, make sure to take some Benadryl! I don't want your allergies acting up."
Luke answered, "Mom, we all decided to get allergy shots when Adam became your boyfriend."
"Oh, huh…" Jane seemed flabbergasted. "That was convenient."
"Do you ever stop 'mothering'?" Diane teased.
"Not since I've known her." A familiar voice said warmly.
Jane would have known that voice anywhere and was immensely grateful for the cover of the handkerchief. What the hell was Jake doing here? Her body froze in place and her veins seemed to ice over.
"Jane, it's okay. I'm here." Adam whispered soothingly knowing that she would need a moment to let the shock pass. They had never argued before, but Adam felt an argument boiling quickly. "Are you ready?"
She could only manage a nod before he took off the blindfold. Gabby, Lauren, Harley, Trisha, Billy, Marie, Murphy, Peter, Diane, Joanne, Renaldo, Agnes, and Jake all stood to greet her. Jane glanced back up to Adam. "What's going on…?" Jane locked eyes on Adam; refusing to glance in Jake's direction until she knew why he was here intruding on her home.
(O)
"Mom, are you serious?" Gabby hugged her tight.
"I told you that she didn't remember." Lauren gave a sideways hug and complimented Adam. "You pulled it off! I'm surprised!"
"Lauren, what's going on? I've been with you all day!" Jane exclaimed in frustration.
"Jane, Happy Birthday." Adam kissed her cheek and the group parted to reveal the patio decked out in birthday banners, tea-lights in balloons, and a 3-tiered assortment of Petít Fours.
"My birthday isn't until tomorrow." Jane kissed him soundly back; ignoring the prickly stare coming from her ex-husband.
"Oh, I know. I just thought that you might be a bit busy tomorrow." He teased back and caught Luke and Harley's attention. They walked over and hugged her tight.
"Boss, happy early birthday." Harley said and gave Jake a stern look over Jane's shoulder. As if to tell him to stay on the opposite side of the patio and not to try anything funny. He chuckled when he saw that Agnes' stare read the same expression.
"Mom! We're here to help you move in tomorrow. We're all going to stay the night."
"What?!" Jane said in alarm.
"No. Not all of us. But we wanted to offer any assistance if we could, Jane." Agnes replied unemotionally. "I'm not the best with…manual labor." Her nose upturned the very notion and Jane's friends each scowled behind the 'adulterer'. "But I could help with setting up your…"
"Your new computer." Gabby and Lauren interrupted together. "It has the same software at your office, surveillance on this property, and at the café. Plus, 2 monitors!"
Luke added, "Agnes offered to help Marie set up the system for you since she is really techie."
Agnes shrugged as if to say, 'no biggie', but she was surprised by how much the older Adler children had tried to be nicer to her. Or at the very least, not as openly disgusted by her.
"Thank you; this is all so considerate." Jane replied breathlessly.
"Well, you deserve it Jane." Jake said unemotionally.
Adam sensed the tension, but didn't allow Jake's stare to ice over the evening. He popped a bottle of champagne and poured everyone, besides Lauren, a flute of the bubbling beverage. "Happy birthday to you…" Billy led the group with his electric guitar… "Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday Janey…"
"Mo…oooom." The kids bellowed.
"Bubbie!" Jane's friends called out of tune with the rest of the group.
"… Happy birthday to you!" Billy finished the last line with a flourish to rival PINK FLOYD.
"Awh, thanks everyone!" Her friends and children hugged her and toasted to her name.
"Why don't you all dip into the snacks, while I take Jane on a private tour of her 47 emails?" Adam joked. "Jane, come on."
Jane swallowed the champagne in a single gulp and helped herself to another glass before she followed Adam. Jake caught her eye for a moment and Jane nearly broke down in frustrated tears. He glared with jealousy and anger! How dare he, she thought!
Agnes stepped away to call the babysitter for Pedro and Jane's friends took the opportunity to descend on Jake like a wrath from God.
"You have a lot of nerve showing up to Jane's home for her birthday!" Trisha began. "How dare you! She is really happy and if you decide to mess with her, Jake, I swear, the biggest piece of you that investigators are going to find is your tiny, shriveled old…"
"Everything okay, over here?" Harley knew that it was a matter of time before Jake started the drama.
Diane added. "No, everything ISN'T okay. What the hell, Jake? Are you insane?"
"We ran into Luke and Billy in town, they were loading Billy's equipment into the back of the van, and I helped them load it. I thought that maybe they would need help uploading it too." Jake gave the partial truth. He had heard Gabby mention Jane's birthday celebration to someone on the phone and Jake found himself drawn to being near her again. "Agnes suggested that we should help."
Joanne slipped between the small groups, walked straight up to Jake, and slapped him. "Shame on you." Her usual quiet and naive disposition hadn't been fooled by the attorney's charms.
Jake's cheek stung, but he was more than regretting his decision to come and intrude on Jane's celebration. He had always liked Joanne more than Diane and especially more than Trisha; how had this night turned into such a disaster?!
Agnes returned and seemed oblivious to the intensity of the evening. "Jake, Pedro is throwing up. We need to go. Thanks for inviting us to stay, Harley, but if Pedro isn't feeling better by tomorrow…"
He gave her a stiff hug, "No, I understand!" He said almost eagerly. "Go take care of the little uncle! I'll let everyone know. Jake." Harley nodded coldly and shook his father-in-law's hand harshly. He made sure Agnes was out of earshot, "Back off, Jake. This is your 1 and only warning."
(O)
Back in the house, Jane had tried to keep herself together.
There were just some things that were impossible no matter the level of determination.
Adam watched the exchange between Harley, Joanne, and Jake with interest. He felt a comradery with Jane's friends and family that hadn't been there before. But that didn't excuse how lousy he felt.
Jane was too upset to leave the bathroom, so Adam gave her space and let his own insecurities lay as dormant as possible. Jake and Agnes' appearance had been nerve grinding for him.
"Adam." Jane called through the bathroom door.
"I'm right here." He leaned against it.
"I'm sorry." She sniffled.
He breathed deep and slid against the door to the floor. "Jane, it isn't your fault that he showed up. I swear that nobody knew why he was even here. Billy told me that he helped load some of the sound equipment into the van…"
Jane interrupted. "No, it isn't my fault. But I hate that I'm so angry with him."
Adam remained silent so she continued.
"I was taken off guard by his presence and then his sour stares. It just made me so mad! He was trying to ruin your night of surprises for me." She leaned against the door of her current bathroom; still unable to get her anger under control.
"Will you open the door, Jane?"
"Adam, you shouldn't have to see me like this."
"Jane, please." He heard her stand and unlatch the door. He then embraced her as if life depended on it. "Don't ever think that I don't want to see you. For any reason. I was so afraid that you were mad with me."
She stroked his jawbone in a way that made his knees wobble. "Adam, I love you." Jane kissed Adam with a fervor that left them both breathless. As if she tried to explain to him through the kiss that even though they hadn't spent a majority of their life together, that she planned to spend the rest of hers making sure that he knew she would always love him.
"I love you, Jane." Adam grazed Jane's slender neck with his teeth and caressed her waist with intensity. "May I give you the tour? Or should we…"
Jane deliberately snapped the latch of her bathroom lock. "This is my party. They can wait."
Adam pressed himself against Jane and the bathroom door. She responded by greedily pushing his sport jacket to the floor and unfastening the buttons of his shirt. He tugged playfully on her ponytail and was surprised when he elicited a moan of pleasurable lust from his caramel scented goddess.
She freed his bare chest, revealing a line of toned muscles, and kissed her way to his belt buckle. Somehow, she managed to undo the buckle using only her teeth and whipped the belt through the loops with such a quick flourish, Adam nearly lost his teetering control.
"How you amaze me, woman?!" He cried out as she freed the rest of his body from clothing and took the most sensitive part of himself into her alluring mouth.
He tugged on her hair, which caused her delicate moans to hum with the most interesting sensation. She stopped suddenly and smiled upwards. Her sultry smirk kissed him everywhere except for on his lips. In a moment, Adam placed his lips, on hers.
Before Jane knew what had happened, Adam pushed her onto her back to the floor. She idly wondered how he had maneuvered the terry cloth robe, when he suddenly latched his mouth over the peaks of her breasts. He sucked and pulled gently with his teeth until she bucked wildly beneath him. She moaned his name twice and shuddered violently when his fingers probed her more sensitive flesh. It wasn't until she was entirely satisfied, that Adam plunged himself into the scorching, caramel beauty.
They panted heavily until they caught a round of giggles.
"Whoa. That was amazing."
Adam nodded in agreement. "Ready for that tour? Or maybe round 2?"
She gave him a sloppy kiss and nestled into the crook of his shoulder.
"Jane?" Adam leaned up to make sure that she heard him.
"I still haven't decided yet." She grinned against his ribs before she started teasing his body gently with her fingers.
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