Getting To Know You
Chapter 2
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1
Previously: After being stood up by Ron, Abbey goes to a New Year's Eve party where she meets Jed.
Summary: Sparks continue to fly between Jed and Abbey. At the end of the night, Abbey has a visitor.
Abbey pulled her lips away from his but continued gazing into his eyes. She wasn't surprised by the kiss, but she was completely amazed by her reaction to it. She brought up two of her fingers to softly rub away the lipstick stain she had left on his mouth.
Jed brought his hand up to cover hers and brought it back down to his side, lacing his fingers around hers. There were no words to describe the range of emotions running through his body, the attraction he felt at the tenderness and gentle care she used to wipe her lipstick. In this case, a kiss wasn't just a kiss. It meant so much more to him. It sparked feelings he didn't even know existed.
"Jed?" Abbey called, trying to bring him back to the present.
"Yeah?"
"That was nice."
"It was..." he began, interrupted before he could continue.
"Abbey!"
"Oh God," Abbey mumbled.
Veronica Wilson made her way to the couple, pushing herself in front of Jed to face Abbey. "It's so good to see you."
She sounded pleasantly nice, with an undercurrent of snide sarcasm. Abbey returned her comment in-kind. "Yeah, you too, Veronica."
"I have to tell you. Most people with your coloring would never dream of wearing silver. It's great that you're so confident in yourself that you just don't care," she said with a grin.
Jed's eyes widened, shocked by the woman's comment. Abbey's temper was rising, but she stifled it, biting her lower lip to calm herself as Veronica turned to Jed.
"Who's this?"
"He's my date!" Abbey blurted out while putting her arm around Jed's waist.
Gratefully stunned by Abbey's reaction and sensing the tension between the two women, he wanted to help her. "I'm Jed." He turned to Abbey. "I happen to think she looks fabulous in silver."
Abbey returned his smile, waving Veronica away. The prissy blonde narrowed her eyes into tiny slits as she cocked her head to the side and left.
"Thank you," Abbey whispered.
"Anytime. You handled that with such class. I half expected you to knock her teeth out. What's her story anyway?"
Abbey lowered her head and walked around him, trying to avoid his question. He followed her, waiting for an answer.
"It's just some stupid rivalry that's been going on for two years. She doesn't like me very much."
"Why?"
"She's competitive." She lowered her voice, almost embarrassed by her next statement. "We competed in a pageant together."
Jed chuckled at the thought. Surely he misunderstood. "Excuse me? Did you say pageant?"
Abbey donned her most serious expression. "Yes, pageant. You can save the jokes."
Jed's chuckle turned into all-out laughter. "I'm sorry. I just can't picture you..."
"Once. One time when I was 18. Miss New England."
"And did you discover the answer to world peace?"
"Give it a rest. I didn't do it for the stupid crown or the scepter, or anything shallow. I did it for the 15,000-dollar college scholarship."
"Wow." He had to admit, that much money was a pretty impressive prize.
"Yeah."
"Did you win?"
"No. Miss Veronica did," Abbey replied bitterly, pointing to the young woman Jed had just met. "The bitch cut the strap on my high heels. When I went out for the evening gown competition, I took two steps, then fell flat on my face on stage. My dress flew up and all I could do was try to stand up quickly and cover myself."
Jed was no longer amused. "Were you hurt?"
"Not physically, no. But I was humiliated, in front of everyone." Abbey spoke of the incident with a deep layer of resentment. It wasn't the loss that Abbey cared about. It was the public humiliation that she never moved past.
"I'm sorry I made fun. I shouldn't have said anything."
"No, it's okay. Hey, I was first runner-up. I did win about $8,000."
"That's great!" he exclaimed, trying to lighten her mood.
Abbey took his hand and led him back to their booth. Logically, she knew the night couldn't last forever, but when Millie was ready to leave, saying goodbye was even harder as she thought. She wrapped her arms tightly around Jed, squeezing him with a hug. He slipped a piece of paper into her purse, the phone number to his Indiana apartment he told her, urging her to use it as they both realized their paths may never cross again.
All the way home, Abbey stared out the car window, fondly remembering the kiss she shared with Jed. He was so perfect. She finally felt what she had never felt before, what everyone told her she'd feel when she met HIM, Mr. Right. But she cast that notion aside almost as quickly as it entered her mind. She had only known him several hours and she didn't believe in love at first sight. She was losing all perspective over a fantasy that would never happen.
"So are you going to tell me about him?" Millie finally asked, breaking the silence.
"Huh? Oh, Jed?"
"Yes, Jed, the guy you spent the entire evening with."
"He's just some guy."
"He looked like more than just 'some guy.' Abbey, what about Ron?"
Abbey's hair whipped to the side as she turned to Millie. She hadn't even thought about Ron since she kissed Jed. In the short time they got to know one another, Jed had overwhelmed her. He literally swept her off her feet. But now, she could no longer push Ron out of her mind. His presence wouldn't allow her to. As Millie turned the corner to her house, she saw Ron was waiting on her front porch.
"I was wondering if you were ever going to show up!" Ron shouted out to her as she got out of Millie's car and thanked her friend for taking her to the party.
"I could say the same for you." Her words were cool, emphasizing her anger when she brushed past him.
"I'm sorry, Baby. The roads were a disaster tonight. I wanted to call you but I couldn't get to a pay phone." Ron handed her a bouquet of red roses. "I bought you these."
Abbey took the flowers and reluctantly smiled at him. "Thank you."
"Did you have a good time? What did you do?"
She looked down at her feet, unable to look him in the eye. "Just hung out with Millie."
He put his hand under her chin and lifted her head. "Am I forgiven?" Abbey nodded. "Do I get my New Year's kiss?"
Abbey wrapped her hands around his neck as she held him in an embrace. He pulled away to kiss her, but her heart wasn't in it. After a few seconds, she pulled him back into a hug, but her thoughts drifted away from Ron.
She was thinking about Jed.
TBC