Everything She Needs (The Everything Trilogy) (5 page)

I stretched out, knowing that I couldn’t slip under the duvet and go back to sleep.  My parents expected to spend time with me on Chr
istmas so I had to get up.

I threw the duvet back, and was shocked by the cold air hitting my skin. I had goose bumps and shivered as I reached behind my door to grab my robe for extra warmth.

I turned on the shower faucet and waited for the water to heat, then stepped under it.  As soon as the shower began to cascade down my body, my thoughts turned to Alfie, and I wondered which woman he was sharing his Christmas with.

A tear rolled down my face
; as shitty as the whole situation was, I missed him. I quickly dried my eyes when my mom came into my bedroom, calling through the door. It interrupted my impending downward spiral. “Lily, are you nearly ready for breakfast, love?”

I stopped the shower and grabbed the bathrobe, pulling it over my wet goose pimpled skin. “Ten minutes and I’ll be right with you
,” I called out and quickly rubbed myself dry with a towel. I pulled on a long deep red sweater over some black pants.

I flicked my hair down and waved the hot air from the dryer over it
. When I was done, I scooped it into a low ponytail. I brushed my teeth and applied some mascara and lip gloss, all in record time, and I headed out to the kitchen.

My parents were sitting at the kitchen table. “Good morning, love, Merry Christmas.” Dad stood and kissed me, hugging me tightly to him.  He smelled of bacon and coffee, his day
old stubble scratching my forehead as he held me close.

My mother was standing
, smiling, and patiently waiting for her turn to hug me. “Merry Christmas, Lily, you don’t know what it means to us to have you home for Christmas.”

I stepped back and looked into her
lovely, gentle blue eyes that were glistening with tears of joy. “I’m really glad to be here. I would have been miserable in Florida today.”  This was such a genuine comment, and I meant it with everything I had at that moment.

Christmas
Day followed the same family tradition for us.  With just the three of us to please, it was relaxed and quiet. I was thoroughly spoiled as usual.  My parents showered me with gifts and gave me two plane tickets for my friends to visit me in Miami.

I was touched when
Mom told me that she was worried that I would miss the important people here too much.  She was right about that, I never realized just how much they meant to me until I saw them again last night, especially Jack and Elle.

The rest of Christmas
Day was way too indulgent.  We ate far too much for three people, stuffing ourselves full of turkey and the trimmings.  As if that wasn’t enough, we had a rich brandy-laced Christmas pudding with even more brandy in the sauce and champagne and wine with dinner.

I was just as inebriated from Christmas dinner as I was from the club last night and fell asleep on the couch in a food and drink coma afterwards.

When I woke we picked at the leftovers until we had sickened ourselves. I still found yet more stomach space for an assortment of chocolate and other candy as well, until I was feeling nauseous.

I had spoken with Elle, Will, and Jack today, who all rang to wish me a Merry Christmas.  I giggled hysterically at Jack when he said, “Okay, Lily, your
mission, should you accept it tomorrow, will be to come wrapped up warm, but be warned I’m going to do my best to get you hot, sweaty, and very wet.”

I laughed loudly.  What he said was shocking, even by Jack’s flirty standards. “Flirty Jack is back
,” I shouted down the phone.

The evening was a perfectly lazy one.  I just
laid on the couch, with my parents for company, watching old movies with a glass of wine.  Around 10pm I was so stuffed and falling asleep for the third time, so I went to bed and slept soundly.

A text message arriving woke me from a deep sleep. It was from Jack.  It was still dark outside, the clock on my cell telling me it was only 7:40am
.

Jack: Get your pretty little arse out of bed and get ready for our big day out!  Make sure you wrap up warm, bring gloves and extra pants. I’m coming to get you soon. x :smiley face.

I smiled and lay back, holding the cell to my chest. I was really looking forward to spending the day with Jack.  We used to set aside a day about once a month to catch up with each other until I left for college.

I showered and dressed, choosing to put
on some brown Ugg boots with dark blue jeans and a white fitted t-shirt under a purple mohair cardigan. I had a purple woolen jacket to wear as well.  I thought this would be smarter for the theatre in the evening than my parker coat.

Jack knocked on my front door, like he was part of a police SWAT team about to do a raid on my home, and my dad opened the door. I could hear the low rumbling laughs and familiar voices in the hallway, whilst I rummaged in my oversized bag for my wallet and the tickets Ell
e gave me for the show tonight.

I grabbed an old over the shoulder purse to keep it all safe in and opened my bedroom door to greet Jack, who was still in the hallway with my dad.

He grinned when he saw me. “Charlie, if you don’t mind me saying so, your daughter is damned hot!” My dad let out a hearty laugh.

“Jack, as it’s you, I’m going to allow that comment, because you won’t let any other man touch her when she’s out with you, right?”
my dad said, trying to sound light and jovial, but there was still an undertone in his voice.

Jack smirked, and whispered loud enough for my dad to hear him. “Okay, Lily, we’ve lulled him into a false sense of security, come on honey, the executive hotel room with the springy king
-size mattress I booked for us is going to waste.” He winked and my dad chuckled again, but looked between us to make sure that it was a joke.

I giggled, and smacked Jack’s arm
. “Stop winding my dad up like that, Jack. That’s so not funny.” I couldn’t help but smirk back at Jack after seeing the look on my dad’s face.

Jack tugged me out the door after saying our goodbyes and slung his arm casually around my shoulder as we headed off in the direction of the Tube station.

He was grinning widely, and I could see the mischief in his eyes. “You haven’t told me where we’re going yet, Jack.” He smirked at me again.

“You’ll see
,” he said, enjoying the suspense he was creating for me.

You have extra clothing in that bag, right?” He motioned with his head at the oversized bag I had put over my shoulder.

“Well, you were very mysterious, so yeah, I have a complete change, but I’ve also got some little stiletto boots for the theatre this evening.”

I was so looking forward to my day with Jack. We just seemed to fall back into where we left off every time we saw each other. He glanced down at me, smiling widely, then pulled me in and kissed my temple. “I can’t wait to see your reaction.”
He chuckled heartily, keeping the suspense of where he was taking me going.

He relaxed his hug, and reached for my hand, lacing his fingers through mine. “I’m so glad to see you. You have no idea how much I’ve missed you these past few months. I nearly caved and bought a ticket out to Miami to surprise you.”

My mouth gaped, touched that he had missed me as much as I missed him. “Aw, Jack, I wish you had. I could have used some perspective on my life from someone who knew me well during the past few months.”

I could see him mulling over what I said. “We’re coming back to this conversation later, Lily.” He glanced at me with concern
, and I nodded.

“I could use a sounding board
who won’t judge me, Jack.” I remembered my parents’ gift to me. “Oh, and I have the perfect solution for you to come and see me. One of my Christmas gifts was two tickets to Florida so friends could visit me. If you were serious about that, I mean?”

Jack’s face stretched into a huge grin, he bent down a little and grabbed me by my waist, swinging me around. “Absolutely, Lily, I’d love to come over
… if that would be okay.”

He smiled down at me, with just a hint of uncertainty.  I smiled back. “I c
an’t think of anyone I’d want to come more, Jack.” He set me back on my feet.

“Okay, we’re going to plan that when we
get to lunch.”

We arrived at Sloan Square tube station and made our way down the escalator to take the Circle Line.  Jack told me we were going to Embankment station
, and I looked at him puzzled, wondering what was there.

I was racking my brain about what he had planned for me.  The platform was crowded.  There was barely room for us to stand on it.  Boxing Day was the first day of the sales, and the bargain hunters were out in force t
raveling around by tube train.

The carriages were usually packed tight with people at the best of times, and there was always a lot of pushing and shoving when the train came into the station.  This time was no exception as passengers jostled for
a position when as they stepped into the carriages.

Jack jumped into the carriage first, making space with his physical size, and pulled me in close to him.  He settled me by the small window just to the side of the doors, creating a little cocoon for me against the crush.  He leaned forward a little, keeping me snugly in place.

I turned my head, and looked through to the next carriage, as this was about the only line of sight I had apart from Jack’s armpit.  My eyes settled on a pair of broad shoulders and head of hair that was so similar to Alfie’s, and I was riveted to the spot.

His face turned so that I could see a profile and my breath
hitched, a jolt of electricity inside stunning me.  I could have sworn it was him. My heart stopped for a second. I blinked, and when I refocused, he was gone.

I rose on
tiptoe, straining my neck, and turned frantically to look through the doors as the tube train pulled out of the station again.

The figure was just disappearing through the exit.  I could have sworn it was Alfie that just got off the tube, but that was impossible
; he was in Miami and this was London.

Jack felt me tense
, then saw me searching through the window. “What is it, honey? Are you okay?” I shook my head; it was impossible anyway. “Sorry Jack, I’m going crazy. My eyes and my brain are just playing tricks on me. I thought I saw a guy I was involved with in Florida on the train.  How crazy is that? He must have the most amazing double here, because there is no way he would be in London.”

Jack made light of it
. “I’ve done that before… thought I saw someone out of context or in a place they would never be. From your reaction, this guy is important Lily?”

I shook my head again
. “Nah, it’s stupid, and anyway, he’s in the past; I’m yours today.”

Jack smirked
. “Yours, I like the sound of that. You’re mine then. Appropriate, don’t you think, considering we’re going to be doing something that makes you wet, hot, and sweaty.” He winked at me and for the first time I would admit, I felt a tad nervous and excited at his flirty nature.

Jack laced my fingers in his and tugged me off the tube train. He weaved me through the packed bodies shuffling through the exits and up the crowded escalators.  He didn’t stop until we emerged from the bowels of the underground. I had a
flashback of the guy that was on the tube again.
He looks exactly like Alfie.

I settled for it being the ghost of something I still hadn’t resolved with Alfie.  I kn
ew my feelings were still at the surface about him, so I passed it off as natural that my subconscious would pick up on anything that remotely related to him.

Jack doubled back with me along The Embankment in the direction we’d just
traveled by tube.  I had no clue where we were going, until it suddenly dawned on me.  He was taking me to Somerset House. “Ta-da!” Jack swept his arm out at the outdoor ice rink.

“We’re going ice skating.  I thought you might like to do something that you couldn’t do in Florida.” He beamed at me with twinkling eyes, making his beautiful face even more st
unning in the winter sunlight.

Somerset
House was in the heart of London.  The house itself was a major arts and cultural center.  There was a massive courtyard at the mansion house, situated near The River Thames.
The courtyard was home to a fabulous outdoor skating rink during the festive season.

“Wow! Jack, this is absolutely perfect!  I love it, I love you! How lucky am I? You did this for me?” I was excited and fired all my questions at once, not allowing him to answer.

Jack had a wide grin on his face.  His eyes were sparkling with joy at my reaction. “You spoil me, Jack! I want to know, how come you always know exactly what I need?” I grinned and clapped my hands at his perfect choice of activity for us.

“Let’s see if you’re still saying that when you’ve been on your arse several times, Lily.” He chuckled and pulled me into a hurried half
-walk, half-run towards the entrance.