Chapter 7: Everyone needs a little help.
2 months, 3 weeks and 4 days till deadline
Tommy yawned as he made his way into Queen Consolidate. After dropping Jess off at home Tommy had hit the clubs hoping to get Jess out of his mind but nothing seem to work. Not even the very pretty redhead who had practically offered herself on a plate to him, so Tommy had ended up home alone with Jess still on his mind.
Tommy knew he liked Jess but to what he was meant to do with that knowledge was beyond him. He was not a one women man and everyone knew it and he wasn't about to lose Jess by trying to be something he wasn't and hurting her when he inevitable did something to mess it up and he would do something to mess it up. Jess was too important. No he would get over his attraction to her, one way or another.
Tommy shook his head. He would worry about his feelings later right now he needed to get to Connor's office. Connor hated it when he was late.
Connor had sent Tommy a text asking him to meet for lunch as he had something to discuss about Sin's list.
"Hello Mr Queen." The blonde reception lady said in welcome.
Tommy flashed her a smile before heading towards the elevator.
Even though he didn't work at QC all of the staff treated him like he did. His father had offered him a place at the company but it wasn't really him. Tommy was not the type of person who could sit in an office all day.
Tommy made his way out of the elevator and towards Connor office.
"It's good to see you Tommy." Jenna, Connor assistant said with dazzling smile.
Jenna was a pretty women a couple of years older than him. She was around 5'7 with long auburn hair that she always wore in a high ponytail much like his mum had done in her younger days. Her warm hazel eyes always made you feel welcome.
Tommy liked Jenna she was the perfect EA and friend to Connor often knowing what he needed before he did. She was good to Connor taking care of him more than most people including Connie knew.
"Hello Jenna, how are you?" Tommy questioned.
"I am very well thank you, Connor is just finishing a call then you can go right in." Jenna informed him.
Tommy often wondered if Jenna had a thing for Connor, her eyes always seemed to brighten when his brother's name was mentioned.
Tommy took a seat on the corner on her desk.
"How's he been?" Tommy asked.
When Connor got into a project sometimes he would get so consumed with it he would forget to eat and drink.
"Stressed." Jenna confessed.
"I think something is wrong with him and Katie." Jenna added her worried eyes looked to Connor through the glass wall of his office.
Tommy nodded in agreement. He knew things with Katie and Connor had been tense since the bar crawl but he hoped things would get better after a few days.
Tommy opened his mouth to reply when Connor walked out of his office.
"You ready for lunch?" Connor asked not looking up from his phone a frown covered his face. Connor looked miserable and Tommy hated that his brother was unhappy.
"Tell me Jenna has he been this grumpy looking all morning?" Tommy asked playfully.
Jenna walked round her desk and leant back against it next to Tommy. She looked over at Connor and nodded.
"I was starting to think that frown line is permeant." She commented a smile on her face.
Tommy knew Jenna was just playing with his brother and it was worth it to see his brother raise his eyebrow at Jenna and a small smile slipped on Connors face.
"Haha very funny. Now can we go to lunch?" Connor asked.
Jenna laughed lightly before getting back to work.
"Sure, were we going?" Tommy asked.
Connor ignored him and looked over at Jenna.
"Jenna make sure to get some lunch yourself please and I'll be back in a couple of hours if anyone comes looking for me." Connor told her.
Jenna nodded and smiled again. Yep she definitely has a thing for his brother and Connor definitely cared for her.
Tommy followed Connor to the elevator.
Connor loved hanging out with his brother, there was something about Tommy that made even the toughest days seem like nothing.
"So you wanted to talk about the list?" Tommy reminded him.
Connor took a deep breath.
He and Katie had been arguing so much and he had been doing everything he could not to deal with the fact his relationship with the women he loved was coming to an end he knew it and if she was honest so did she. Thinking about Sins list gave him a break from all that.
"How many items have you got left on the list?" Connor asked.
He knew Sin had completed some and Tommy and Jess had already started a few items on the list.
"Ten." Tommy replied.
Tommy pulled out his phone and touched the screen a few times before handing his phone over to Connor.
Connor looked down at the screen.
1. Go skinny dipping
2. Get a tattoo.
3. Bungee jump
6. Ride a horse
8. Spend a weekend at the beach
9. Go camping
10. Gamble in Vegas
11. Ride a mechanical bull
12. Hot air balloon ride.
14. Spend a night at the circus
15. Make love under the stars.
"This is a lot of stuff and Jess still wants it all done before her birthday?" Connor asked his brother.
Tommy nodded.
That didn't leave them a lot of time.
"You set any plans for any of this?" Connor asked knowing his brother wasn't a planning person, he was a more of an in the moment person. Not that it was a bad thing. Tommy living in the moment was probably the reason Jess went to him for help in the first place. That and knowing Tommy would do anything for her.
Tommy sighed.
"It's been hard getting the time off." Tommy admitted.
Connor guessed as much. By keeping it quite they were limiting their time more than it already was.
"Let me help." Connor begged.
He wanted to keep the end with Katie off for as long as possible and helping complete the list would do that. He loved her, he had no doubt about that but things were becoming difficult and it was becoming harder and harder to keep putting them right.
Tommy titled his head to the side like he was trying to figure him out and Connor hopped Tommy wouldn't press too much, he wasn't quite ready to talk about everything just yet.
Tommy nodded his head.
"What you got in mind?" Tommy asked.
Connor released a breath of relief.
"I was thinking that we could end the list the week of Jess birthday in Vegas, we could make it a family thing." Connor suggested.
Tommy nodded looking impressed, encouraged Connor continued.
Jess kissed her dad's cheek.
"Thank you for lunch." She added.
Her dad smiled at her.
"Your very welcome my darling." He replied.
Jess missed her dad more than she ever imagined since moving out, so when her dad suggested they get lunch she was more than happy to oblige.
"Will meet again soon right?" Jess asked and her dad nodded.
She knew it was silly to worry about not seeing him when he lived so close but she couldn't help it.
"Whenever you want baby girl." He promised.
Jess smiled before hugging her dad once more.
"I have to get back to work." Jess said as more of a reminder to herself then to him.
Her dad nodded and said his goodbye before heading back to his car. Jess made her way to her own car when her phone bleeped.
Jess couldn't help but smile as Tommy's name lit up her screen.
Connor is covering you shift meet me at 177th Fifth and May 3pm. Don't be late. T xx
Jess frowned. She liked surprises but it wasn't fair to keep letting Connor cover her shifts.
Jess pressed the call button.
"He offered." Tommy said answering on first ring, already knowing what she wanted to talk about.
Jess shook her head.
"That's not the point he has a life outside of the lair and I can't take that away from him." Jess argued.
"Jess, he offered." Tommy repeated.
"Plus I think him and Katie are having problems." Tommy added.
Jess took a deep breath.
"That's even more reason for him to go home and fix it." Jess pointed out.
"What did you even say to get him to cover for me?" Jess demanded.
Tommy went silent and his silence gave her the answer she wanted.
"He knows about this list doesn't he?" She asked.
"He figured out something was going on and I can't lie to him." Tommy defended.
Jess wasn't sure how she felt about Connor knowing.
"Look Jess he won't tell anyone and he wants to help." Tommy added.
He was right she knew he was. As long as it wasn't life threatening Connor would keep their secret he always had even when they were children. Not to mention the fact they were running out of time and they needed all the help they can get.
"Ok." Jess whispered.
Tommy let go of a breath of relief.
"So you'll met me?" Tommy questioned.
"Yeah I'll see you soon." Jess replied before putting the phone down.
Jess sighed as she got in her car.
She had wanted to her mums list as secret as possible but with Connors help maybe they could get more of this list complete. He didn't have to help her but the fact he was meant a great deal to her.
Jess sent Connor a quick text.
Thank you. J xx
Anytime. C xx
Jess put her phone away before heading off to the address Tommy gave her.
Tommy was beyond nervous as he waited for Jess to arrive. Not only is he worried about her reaction to the surprise but he was worried how she would react now she knows Connor knows about the list. Even though she said she was ok with Connor knowing Tommy wasn't so sure.
His phone ringing brought him out of his thoughts.
"Are you sure this is the right place? Jess asked after he answered.
Tommy laughed. From the outside this placed did look like an abandoned parking lot.
"Yes I'm sure just keep driving." Tommy encouraged.
Jess sighed.
"Fine but if some made man pops out of the bushes and I run him over with my car you are taking the blame." she replies.
Tommy laughs. At least she sounds in a better mood then she was then they spoke earlier.
"Of course." He agreed well naturedly and Jess scoffed.
"Oh my god." Jess breaths in complete surprise when her car comes into view.
Tommy smiled and turned back to look at her surprise.
The hot air-balloon was impressive to see. Its colourful balloon stood out against the grey background of the parking lot.
Jess got out of the car and made her way over to him.
"How did you do this?" Jess asked her voice laced with excitement.
Tommy smiled. With Connor coving for Jess, him taking her on a hot air-balloon ride became easy. All he had to do was call a couple of people and everything was set into motion.
"I made a couple of calls." Tommy said with a shrug.
"Come one let's go." Tommy said taking her hand.
Tommy led her over to the balloon basket and introduced her to James Keller their driver for the afternoon. James talk them through the safety information and about forty minutes later they were taking to the air.
"This is incredible." Jess breathed, Tommy knew Jess was talking about the view but as he looked over at her, her hair blowing in the breeze it was that sight that had him nodding in agreement. She looked beautiful, breath taking even. She still wore her work clothe; her black skinny jeans, her plain black t-shirt, her dark her lose blowing in the wind. Her eyes shined with joy and a carelessness that made her look more relaxed then she had done in years.
"How long did it take you to organize this?" Jess asked.
Tommy shook his head to clear his thoughts.
"A couple of hours." He replied and Jess looked at him in surprise.
"Making the things on the list happen isn't the problem, its finding time to do them." Tommy admitted.
Jess nodded her head in understanding.
"But with Connors help, it won't be so hard anymore." Tommy commented.
Jess looked away.
"Everyone needs a little help." He added.
"I still don't won't anyone else to know." Jess told him.
Tommy sighed. He didn't understand her reasoning completely but he would accept it.
"Ok." He agreed.
"I thought while we were up here we could discuss the rest of the list?" Tommy suggested egger to change the subject and get her smiling again.
Jess nodded as she shivered slightly at the wind. Maybe he should have told her bring a jacket. Slipping out of his he placed it around her shoulders.
"Thank you." she whispered.
Tommy cleared his throat trying not to notice how good she looked in his clothes or how she seemed to snuggle into his jacket.
"I thought this weekend we could take a trip to see Lance at his farm and next weekend we could go to the beach with Connor and Sara." Tommy suggested.
Jess looked at him.
"I like it." Jess told him.
Tommy nodded as he rubbed his arms. It was getting cold up here.
"You cold." Jess said noticing his movements.
Jess tried to shrug out of his jacket but Tommy refused to let her.
"Tommy don't be stupid you're cold too." Jess argued.
He knew he shouldn't have done it but he knew she would continue to argue so he turned her round to face the beautiful view of Starling City and wrapped his arms round her waist.
"Then I'll guess I'll just have to get warm another way." Tommy mumbled.
It was a cheesy line he knew but as she relaxed back into him Tommy couldn't bring himself to care.
Connor had help him plan a lot more but right now he wanted nothing more than to just enjoy the view with Jess in his arms. It wasn't helping at all with his attraction towards her but right now he didn't care.
Jess closed her eyes. Her feelings for Tommy were more than just attraction, she knew that now more than ever and the more time she spent with him the stronger her feelings for him were getting. It was dangerous to have feelings for Thomas Queen, because if anyone had the chance to break her heart it would be him.
"Is it everything you thought it would be?" Tommy asked breaking her thoughts.
Jess shook her head.
"It's better." She told him honestly.
Tommy breathed a sigh of relief into her hair.
"Good." he breathed deeply his breath making her skin tingle.
The moment just the two of them were was almost romantic, Jess opened her eyes. Tommy didn't do romance, not that he would ever feel the same way about her. This was just him as a friend helping her finish the list.
Jess swallowed hard. Tomorrow she would think about ways to protect herself from her feelings towards Tommy but right now she would let herself enjoy this moment.
