Chapter 10 - Contact
Tasha let out a long groan as Steve dropped her into the bed in my guest room.
"Thanks Steve." I smiled and showed him back down to the door.
"No problem Ms Austen. Goodnight." I had some pretty good people in my life that I hadn't stopped to notice before. They all bent over backwards to make my life easier. I know I paid well, but still. Nobody really liked to work, did they? I mean really liked it. "Night." I returned.
Heaving a sigh and kicking off my heels and trudged back up to Tasha. "Get your feet up pisshead!" I lifted her legs round and draped the duvet over her fully clothed body.
Why wasn't I the one being put to bed? Why wasn't Marcus taking me to bed?
I was way too responsible. Another thing my career put pay too - Not being able to just let my hair down, get drunk and spend the night vomiting into a bin. I wasn't going to bed yet, I wasn't even tired, and so I descended the stairs again.
Plodding to the kitchen I grabbed a wine bottle from the fridge and a glass from the drainer and headed for the lounge to flop on my sofa.
Maybe just one drink would ease my self pity?
Already irritated my phone ringing made me growl out loud.
What now?
Glancing at the display it said: Incoming call... Unknown
Not prepared to play ball with anyone at this time of the evening, I cancelled the call. "No Thank you!"
Tsskk!
I poured my wine and grabbed my bag looking for my ciggies. My phone rang again.
"What?!" I snapped answering it, seeing it was the unknown number again.
"Jen?" It was a male voice I didn't recognize.
"Who is this?" I snarled again ready to hang up.
"It's Marcus! You all right?"
Woah!
"Um, yes! Hi." Now I really needed a cigarette!
"I just wanted to ring to make sure you got Tasha home OK?" I heard him exhale like he was smoking. I could just see him now, the way he held it between finger and thumb.
"Jen?" He said again a little louder.
"Hmm? What?" I'd got distracted again.
"Sorry, I shouldn't have rang, I just wante..."
"No! It's fine." I cut him off. "I'm just looking for my ciggies." I rummaged some more.
"Little point without a lighter?" He chuckled.
"Yeah. Good point well made." I leant back, molding into my plush comfortable sofa.
"So how is she?" I wondered where he was talking from. It was all quiet his end. Maybe he was outside the party again having another cigarette.
"My driver helped me carry her upstairs. I chucked the duvet over her. Silly sod."
"Cool. Look I..."
"Thank you for inviting us, sorry my friend was an idiot and sorry again for bailing." I blurted out, afraid what he was about to say.
"It's OK honest." He sounded as if he was smiling.
"I'll let you get back to it then?" I didn't want to keep him from his party.
"Glad you're both OK. Night Jen."
"Night Marcus."
I clutched my phone to my chest after I'd hung up. Smiling like a dizzy schoolgirl.
.
I placed a glass of water and some Paracetamol on Tasha's nightstand. "Get up! Sam's on his way!" I shouted, making her jump and curse. Holding her head she moaned. "Oh My..."
"Nope! Even God's too busy to help you right now, ring back tomorrow!" She was way too easy to tease in this state.
Covering her ears she wailed. "No, Jen no! Stop shouting."
"Get up you drunk. I'll make you some breakfast." I chuckled.
"Ugh! No!" She protested.
"When will you learn? I had to drag your ass back home again!" I opened her curtains wide, making her cover her eyes with her hands. "How did I get here?"
"When I came back from having a ciggie you were passed out on a bench, Marcus carried you to the car and..."
She stopped me. "Wait? Marcus what?"
"He carried you to the car. Steve carried you up to bed." I tutted.
"Marcus did what, and who's Steve?" She looked confused.
"Aha you heard me right, and Steve is my driver!" I said wickedly.
"Oh no!"
"Oh yes!" I nodded grinning." Get up! Lover boy is coming to pick you up."
I left her to it and headed down to the kitchen. Feeling quite jovial I flicked on the Bose. Pop music filled my kitchen, making me jig.
Toast! I fancied toast.
The music faded and it went to the news. A piece came on about the Trenchcoat gig last night and the name caught my attention.
"...Sources say a handful of celebs, both big and small also attended the after show party hosted by the band themselves. Stars included the Beckhams, comedienne Dawn French and even top A list movie star Jennifer Austen, who was spotted for the first time since her divorce out on the town, partying with her close friend Natasha Barrett.
Our Source also says they witnessed the band's lead singer Marcus Perdy bundling Austen's tipsy friend into the back of a black Mercedes during the evening causing them to leave early. Someone will be waking with a sore head this morning!"
"Shit, thanks Tash!" I would be all over the papers now!
As if on cue my phone started to ring. The display read: Incoming call ... Trent
Yep! My ass was grass.
"Trent! Look I'm sorry." I started.
Sounding confused he said. "Sorry about what? Jen! What have you done?"
Damn! It hadn't hit the States yet.
"Oh! Um. Nothing!" I tried.
Yep, I wouldn't buy that either.
"Jen!?"
"It was a party that's all." I winced.
"Did you embarrass yourself?"
"No!"
"Did you thump anyone?"
"No!"
"Did you piss yourself or vomit in public?"
"Trent! No!"
"Then forget it! Look why I rang..." My door buzzer interrupted us.
"Wait! Hang on Trent! Someone's at my door." Lifting the vid-cam handset that showed me who was at my security gate, I saw it was Sam. "Come in Sam!" I said into it pressing the gate release. Then replaced it on its cradle "Right, I'm back Trent."
I walked through to the front hall and lifted the latch on the door for Sam.
"Who was it?" Gees, Trent was nosy.
"Tasha's fiance come to pick her sorry ass up!" I huffed.
"Sorry ass? What?"
"Don't worry about it. You were saying? Why you called." I pushed down some bread in to the toaster.
"Warner called, they wanted to know if you'd read the script?"
"Yes! The cop one. I loved it." I waved to Sam as I spoke and pointed him upstairs directing him to Tasha.
"Oh great. Good price huh?" He knew good deals when he saw them.
"Yeah! Great. Let them know I'm in and I look forward to the details." I dropped my freshly popped toast onto a plate and scraped on some butter.
"OK. Oh and Jen! Brian mailed me, Vegas premieres here in Florida on September 15th. Don't book anything!"
"Sure I'll put it in my diary before I forget. Anything else?"
"No! Just behave yourself whilst you're in London! I can't bail your ass there."
"Yes Dad!" I teased and hung up.
Taking a bite of toast I grabbed a pen and my diary from a drawer and flicked through to September."
What day did he...?
My phone buzzed. New Message - Trent
I opened it smiling.
Trent: September 15th!
He was a diamond. He knew me all too well, and that was scary.
Making a note of it I noticed it was my mother's birthday on the 16th. Course it was. That was her present sorted then!
.
I had a lovely long bath after Tasha and Sam had left, she wanted details of the previous evening but I talked her round to doing it another time when Sam wasn't around. I really didn't have much to tell anyway. She'd ruined that!
I tidied the bedrooms and changed the sheets. I loved clean sheets after a bath and my cleaner wasn't coming till Wednesday. Tonight was going to be an early one anyway, I could feel it.
That evening I flicked through the T.V channels in search of something decent to watch. I opted for Top Gun. I hadn't seen it for ages. I sat in my jammmies, with a bowl of popcorn between my legs and a glass of rosé in hand. Perfect evening. I'd even found my lighter, which was an added bonus.
I lit my first ciggie of the evening, the first draw felt sweet inside, calming. I blew it away and rested it in the dip of the ashtray. As I grabbed a handful of popcorn my phone buzzed.
New Message - Marcus.
Oh Shit!
Marcus: You still up? - I tapped a reply.
Me: Hey! Yes just watching Top Gun. How was the party? - Within seconds the reply came.
Marcus: Dull after you left. How's Tasha? - I ignored the first half of the message and replied to the latter.
Me: She's gone home with her tail between her legs. She apologizes.
I picked up my Marlborough again and took another drag, replacing it back to pop more popcorn in my mouth.
Marcus: LOL she's forgiven - Another came before I could think of a reply.
Marcus: Listen I hope I'm not jumping the gun here and feel free to tell me where to go but I was wondering if you would like to go to dinner sometime? - Another followed again.
Marcus: Please don't shoot me! :s - I laughed at his emoji.
Me: 100% for effort. I just don't like to go out a lot. Press and all.
Marcus: That's OK. I just thought I'd be brave and ask.
Then we paused, not knowing what to say, he broke the fresh ice.
Marcus: Forgive me for being presumptuous, I mean no ulterior motive, but you are welcome to come here and I'll cook. If you don't want to go out that is?
Was I ready?
He was certainly looking interested and he was gorgeous, but was he being honest?
What was in it for him?
He had his own money, so it wasn't that. I balanced that alongside the fact every time we spoke I got stirrings from within my underwear I'd not felt in years. His next text snapped me from my daze.
Marcus: I've ruined it haven't I? I'm sorry - my pause must have given him the wrong signal. So I text back quickly.
Me: Of course you haven't. I was just getting a drink. - I lied.
Marcus: Phew!
Me: Classified? - What harm could one meal do with him, right?
Marcus: Naturally. Is that a yes?
Me: When and where?
Marcus: Classified? - Good. He had humour.
Me: Naturally.
Marcus: Apartment four, Southbank Road, Kensington. Say... Eight. Tomorrow?
Shit! He lives in an apartment! What was I doing? Was I a snob now too?
Going to some guys place when I'd only been divorced seven months! The ripples in my tummy argued the point.
Me: Fine. See you then. Can I bring anything?
Marcus: Nope. Just yourself. Oh be sure to leave your friend at home too. - I laughed aloud at that.
Me: LOL No problem.
Marcus: Enjoy the film.
Me: I've lost track now. It was shit anyway. - Although Tom Cruise was still damn hot in it.
Marcus: I do have a habit of interrupting. Apologies.
Me: Accepted. Night x - It sent!
Shit! I put a kiss. I didn't mean to put a kiss! Argh!
Marcus: Sweet dreams xx
"Oh my god!" I said aloud. This wasn't real. Was it? He'd sent two kisses back!
How was this going to work? Could it work? Should I treat as a bit of fun?
Yes. That's it. Just a bit of fun.
A/N: We have lift off! She's got a date. Lucky Woman! Wonder how it will go? Well I know, It's already written, but you dear readers will have to wait and see. *evil laugh*
Ongoing squidgy Hugs to Twihard till I die. Together we'll be millionairesses and find our own Marcus Perdy. (Sorry Hubbies)
Quick, I'll race you to Chapter 11.
DeathToBeReborn. xx