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Hope you like this chapter – I know it's what a lot of you reviewers want!
Peyton arrived at Jake's around 3pm. He had called her and invited her over, saying he was lonely because Carla was away for the weekend. When she got there, she plugged her mobile in – it had no battery – and then she and Jake had just talked about everything – Jenny, Nicki, the old days, love and life. For dinner Jake ordered pizza from the same place they had eaten out of the first time Peyton babysat for Jenny.
"God, this brings back memories." Peyton remarked between mouthfuls.
"Doesn't it?" Just then the phone rang and Jake got up to answer it. For the first time Peyton took a proper look around his living room. On the mantelpiece was still that picture of their high school basketball team, then there were a couple of pictures of Jenny and a few of Jake and Carla. She was studying one of them when Jake spoke from beside her.
"That was when we went down to Charleston and I proposed to her."
"Huh?" Peyton didn't realise who Jake was talking about, but quickly worked it out. " Oh, Carla. Um, where did you meet?"
"Karen's café, actually. I was working there when I first came back, and she walked straight in and asked for a coffee with a date on the side." Jake's eyes misted over. "Anyway, that was Jenny on the phone – she's staying at her friends for the night, so I guess I've got the place to myself."
"Ooh, you should have a party!"
"No, I'd rather spend it with you." Jake sat down on the sofa and beckoned for Peyton to join him.
"Kiss me."
"What!" Peyton exclaimed.
"Kiss me. I want to know what it feels like." He repeated.
"But Carla…"
"Is out of the picture. We broke up yesterday. She came over and said there was someone else, and she didn't love me anymore. So kiss me."
"Oh Jake…"
Peyton leant in and met his request.
(Ok there should be an asterisk here but it wouldn't let me do it - grr. Anyway, 'asterisk here')
It felt good to wake up next to someone again. It felt slightly worse to wake up next to someone who had just broken up with his fiancée when you had too. But that was all made up for when Peyton thought about the fact that she was waking up next to Jake.
"Hey." He smiled and kissed her. "That was awesome."
"It was, wasn't it?" Peyton looked at the clock. It read 8.45 in the evening. She hadn't even been at Jake's six hours and here she was, lying in bed next to him. But she didn't feel bad about herself – she was happier than she had been in a long time.
Peyton got out of bed, washed her hands and smiled at herself in the mirror.