Rock Stars Don't Like Ugly Bras (21 page)

Over the next few days, Amber and Jake fell into a routine.  Every morning they would eat breakfast together, followed by an hour or two reading the newspapers while they waited for Abbie to get out of bed.  Once she was up and about they’d chat with her for a while before Jake went down to Luke’s where the band were working on some new material.  If Amber didn’t go with him, she would stay behind and spend the day with Abbie.  It was all perfectly pleasant and polite.

At no point however, did they have the discussion that they both knew was necessary.  Despite it being something that he had insisted on, Jake was avoiding it more than Amber.  He didn’t want them to argue and thus stress Amber out, plus he was finding it hard being around her, because one minute he wanted to scream at her for leaving him, and the next he was desperate to take her into his arms and kiss her.

Jake didn’t realise, but Amber had also silently decided to postpone their chat, for pretty much the same reasons.  She was feeling equally as frustrated, but in a different way.  Despite being only weeks away from childbirth, she was so hot for him that she felt as though steam was coming out of her ears.  She had also been having erotic dreams about him; dreams that left her gasping when she woke up.  Amber also knew, however, that despite her longing for him, if they talked they would end up arguing.  An argument that would surely be so fierce and passionate that she had no doubt would lead her to beg him to take her to bed, and she wasn’t sure she could take the rejection.  Jake only wanted her here because of their child; there was nothing more to it than that.

She had been staying at Jake’s for almost a week, and every day she grew more and more anxious.  While she knew that she loved Jake, she knew that he was angry still, and the baby had to be her priority.  If she stayed until after the baby came, it would be to too hard for her to leave.  So, with trepidation, she decided to raise the subject with Jake.

“Hey, Freckles.”  Jake was slouched on the sofa, and was taking his headphones off as Amber walked into the lounge.  “I was just listening to some new songs Luke’s written. What you up to?”

“I wanted to talk to you,” she said anxiously.  “About me and the baby staying here.”  She sat down on the sofa next to him.

Jake looked at her and frowned. He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees.  “What about it?”

“Well, I think I need to go home.”

Jake’s face fell and he shook his head.  “No, not a chance.  You’re not going back to Margate, it’s too far away.”  He went cold at the thought of her leaving.  He couldn’t stand the idea of not seeing his child, or her, every day. 

“I know, so I’m going to move back in with Luke,” Amber replied.

“You’ve already spoken to him?”

Amber nodded.  “Yes, and when you’ve finished your break, I’ll go back to being his P.A.  That way you’ll see the baby all the time.”

Jake ran a hand through his hair and sighed.  “You could stay here, both of you.  There’s more room and the nursery is all set up.”

“I know, and that’s really good of you, but it’s probably best if we go back to Luke’s.”

Jake shook his head.  “Why is it?  We’re getting on okay, we’ve not killed each other yet.”

“I know, but there’s still the big elephant in the room.”

“Being?” Jake asked.

“The fact that I kept the news about the baby from you.  We need to talk about
it,
but all I can tell you is that I’m sorry for what I did.  I’m sorry that I hurt you.  But, I’m not sure that me saying sorry is enough for you.”  Amber said and smiled sadly.

Jake sighed.  “And you can’t get past me not telling you about Abbie, can you?”

Amber shrugged.  “I don’t know.  Some days I think I’m fine with it, and then others not so much. That’s why I think we need to take a step back from things.”

“What do you mean?” Jake asked anxiously.

“We both have to get on with our lives; separately.”  Amber closed her eyes to stop the tears that were threatening to fall.  “As much I’d love for us to get back to how we were, I think we have to realise that it’s too soon.”

“What does that mean?” Jake demanded, his eyes suddenly dark and angry. 

“Come on Jake, we were only together a couple of months, and now after months apart we have a baby on the way.  It’s hardly the basis for a solid relationship.”  Even though she said the words Amber, didn’t really feel them.  In her heart she knew that Jake was it for her, but her child had to be her priority now.

“We won’t ever know if you disappear again will we?” Jake responded angrily, standing up in front of her.

“I’m not disappearing.”  Amber’s tone was pleading.  “I’ll be ten minutes down the road.  You’ll see the baby every day.”

Jake’s gaze softened on her.  “What about you?” he asked.  “Will I see you?”

Amber stood to face him.  “Of course you will.  I’ll see you when you pick him or her up or when I bring them over.”  Amber swallowed back her emotions, wishing that she could throw caution to the wind and stay.

“That’s not what I meant Freckles, and you know it.”  Jake thrust his hands to his hips.  “You’re important to me too.  We had something good going, until I stuffed it up, and I think we could have that again.”

“Jake, we both made mistakes, which is why I think we need to take a step back.  Having a baby is life changing, for both of us,” Amber replied.  “I don’t want you, or me, to mix up the emotions we are feeling about that with what we feel for each other.”

Jake ran a hand down his face and sighed.  “I guess you’re right; as usual,” he said with a quiet laugh.  “Our child has to be our priority.”

“They do Jake.  You know better than anyone what it’s like living with two parents who don’t really belong together.  I don’t want that for our child.”

Jake’s face fell.  “You don’t think we belong together?”

Amber moved towards him and took his hand.  “That’s not what I said.  I just think we need to take some time out, concentrate on being parents and then see how we feel.”

Taking a calming breath, Jake reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind Amber’s ear, letting his fingers linger on her cheek.

“Okay.  But you promise you won’t disappear on me again?” Jake implored.

“I promise you’ll see us all the time.  You’re my child’s daddy and you need to be with each other.”

Jake pulled her into a tight hug.  “When will you go?” he asked.

“I thought tomorrow.”

“I’ll miss you both,” Jake whispered into Amber’s hair as he gently rubbed her bump.

“I know, and we’ll miss you too.”

“So why are we doing this then?”

“Because it’s what’s best for now.”

They both sighed and clung to each other, knowing that for now, at least, this was how it had to be.

“What the fuck do you mean, Tom has taken you to a hotel and his car has broken down?”  Jake bawled down the phone at Abbie.  “Why the hell has he done that?”

“We were just supposed to be getting your birthday present,” Abbie replied.  “But he suggested that we come here for lunch.”

“Well call the breakdown then.”  Jake had no desire to get out of his bed to trek halfway across the county to pick Abbie up.  “And why the hell did you go all that way to get me a birthday present?”

“Please Jake,” she hissed down the line.  “I’m not sure I feel real comfortable with him.” 

Jake immediately shot out of bed, pulling his jeans on.

“Okay, sweetheart.  Tell that prick if he touches you I will demolish him.”

“Thanks, Jake,” Abbie sniffed.

“Oh Amber, I’m really sorry, you don’t mind do you?” Martha eyes pleaded with Amber.  “I promised Jake that we wouldn’t leave you alone.”

Amber groaned inwardly.  With just over two weeks to go before the birth, she was supposed to be enjoying a day with her feet up watching DVDs, but her Auntie Lucia had just called Martha to say she needed picking up from a holiday cottage that she had been staying at with a friend, who had been suddenly called away on a family emergency. . 

“Isn’t Luke around?” Amber sighed.  “Can’t he keep an eye on me, if Jake insists I’m treated like a child?”

“He’s gone to a record company meeting with the guys.” Martha replied.  “Please Amber, if I leave you here alone Jake will have a fit.”

“Okay,” Amber said resignedly.  “I’ll just get my jacket.”

As Martha parked on the drive, Amber stirred in the seat next to her, having fallen asleep ten minutes into the journey.

“Hey sleepy head,” Martha said giving her a gentle shake.  “We’re here.”

“Oh okay.”  Amber let out a big yawn.  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you.”

“Don’t be silly, it’s your body getting ready for the hard work to come.”  Martha unclipped her seat belt and opened her door.  “Why don’t you come in and we’ll get a cuppa before we head back.”

“That would be nice,” Amber replied and got out of the car. 

Amber stretched and looked up at the cottage.  It was a tiny and stood at the end of a long dirt track. It was surrounded by fields, and there was nothing else in sight except for a couple of brick outhouses adjoining it. She couldn’t imagine why anyone would want to holiday somewhere so remote.  With another yawn, Amber followed Martha and walked towards the house. 

Martha knocked on the door and stepped back to look up at the ivy clad house. 

“This place is lovely, don’t you think Amber?”

Amber nodded, thinking that as nice as it may be it was not as lovely as her bed, which was where she would much rather be.  As Amber was contemplating the outlook, Lucia opened the door.

“Oh girls you’re here.” Lucia said as she pulled Martha and Amber into the house by their hands.  “Thank you so much for coming.  Marian, my friend, had to rush home to her husband.  Amber, darling, you look tired.”  Lucia looked at Martha.  “Is she okay, Martha?”

Martha nodded.  “Yes, but I think a cup of tea before we head back would be good.”

“Great idea,” Lucia agreed.  “Amber, why don’t you go and make us one while Martha helps me get my bags.”

Not given the option to refuse, Lucia pushed Amber into a huge farmhouse style kitchen, while she and Martha disappeared towards the stairs.

Amber put her bag down and took three mugs from a shelf and teabags from a jar before flicking on the kettle.  While she waited for it to boil, Amber sat down at a rustic, wooden table and took out her mobile, thinking that she would text her mum, but there was no signal.  With a sigh she pushed it back into her pocket and then glanced at her watch, wondering what Martha and her aunt were doing.  They had been gone almost ten minutes; how long did it take to collect an overnight bag?

After a further ten minutes Amber was beginning to get annoyed.  She walked back into the lounge and went to the door leading to the stairs.

“Auntie Lucia, Martha,” she called up the stairs.  “Are you okay?”  There was no response.  Confused, Amber walked over to the lounge window, wondering if they were putting Lucia’s bags into the car. 

“What the hell?”  Amber moved to the front door and flung it open. “The bloody car’s gone!” As fast as her pregnant belly would allow, she shuffled down the drive.  She could just see the back of Martha’s car disappearing down the track.

“Martha!” she cried, waving frantically.  “Martha wait!”  Amber continued shouting and waving until the car went out of sight around the bend. 

Tears pricked Amber’s eyes as she swivelled around on the spot, looking for some sort of explanation, but all she could see was a vast expanse of nothing.  Not sure what to do, Amber went back inside the house.  With her chest heaving, she leaned with her back against the wall and tried to compose herself, but the sounds of her blood singing in her ears scrambled her brain and made it impossible to think.  

“It’s just a mistake,” she whispered to herself.  “She’ll come back soon.”

Amber fished around in her pocket and pulled out her phone again, but there was still no signal.  She wondered whether she ought to call the police, but had no idea what she would say - “Oh my aunt and cousin’s wife just drove off and left me and I’m two weeks off giving birth.”  Amber thought that would either get her arrested for wasting police time, or Lucia and Martha for neglect of a pregnant woman.  No, she decided, the only thing for it was to sit and wait for them to come back.

After a few more minutes, Amber heard a car pull up outside the house.  She ran to the front door and swung it open, expecting to see an embarrassed Martha.  As the driver got out, Amber felt her heart stutter.

“Jake!” she gasped, halting to a stop on the threshold.  “What are you doing here, did Martha ask you to come and get me?”

Jake frowned and looked at her quizzically.  “No, I’ve come to get Abbie.  She said she and Tom were stuck here.” He looked up at the cottage with his hands planted on his hips.  “She also said it was a hotel.”  Amber stood aside and let Jake into the house.  As he passed her, his arm brushed against her breasts, sending a shiver of longing throughout her body.

“Where the hell is she?”  Jake looked around the room, and then ducked his head to peer into the kitchen.  “Did she call you too?”

A puzzled Amber shook her head and steeled herself to walk towards him.  Despite the annoyance at being stranded gnawing at her guts, Amber couldn’t help but think how delicious Jake looked with his worn jeans, black leather jacket and beanie hat on.  He looked tired, but still beautiful.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.  I came with Martha to get Auntie Lucia, but they went off and left me.  And aren’t you supposed to be at a meeting?”

Jake put both his hands on her shoulders and stooped down to look her in the eye.

“No, and I have no idea what you mean; they left you here?  What the hell was Martha thinking?”  He ran his hands down her arms.  “Are you okay?”

Amber gazed up into his aquamarine eyes that looked so kind and gentle, and nodded.  She opened her mouth to ask him what was going on, when they heard a car on the drive.  They rushed to the front door and opened it to see Jake’s car being driven away by someone wearing a baseball cap and dark glasses.

“Hey, that’s my car!” Jake shouted, pushing past Amber.

“What?” 

Amber followed as Jake ran out with onto the drive, watching the back end of his Land Rover disappearing down the dirt track.

“Shit, my phone was in the car.  The fuckers, wait until I get my hands on them.”  He kicked at the stones on the drive.

“Jake, I’m scared,” Amber said grabbing hold of Jake’s hand.  “What’s going on?”

Jake’s eyes narrowed as he thought about Amber’s rushed words.  “I don’t know.  What did Martha and Lucia say before they left?”

Amber shook her head.  “Nothing.  They asked me to make some tea while they got Lucia’s bags, and then they just left.

“Let’s get inside,” Jake replied placing his hand in the small of Amber’s back, ushering her in.

Once inside he slammed the door shut and cursed under his breath. 

“Do you think we’re in danger?” Amber asked looking up at Jake with teary eyes.

Jake pulled her into a hug.  “No, Freckles, but someone will be when we get back.”  He smoothed down her hair before dropping a kiss to her forehead.  “I don’t know what the hell they think they are doing, but they shouldn’t be fucking messing around with you so near to giving birth.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I think we’ve been stitched up.”

“By Auntie Lucia and Martha?”  Amber was perplexed.

“Hmm, but I’m betting your cousin had something to do with it as well.  In fact, I’m guessing the whole bloody lot of them are in on it.  Do you have your mobile with you?”

“Yes, but there’s no signal, except for the emergency services.”

“Yeah well it would serve them right if I called the police.  Stupid fuckers,” Jake spat.

Amber winced and rubbed her back.

“Are you okay?” Jake asked.

“Hmm just back ache.”  Amber squeezed Jake’s hand to assure him.  “So, what do we do now?”

“I’ll take a look around,” Jake sighed.  “Because if I know my band mates, if they had anything to do with this they’ll be anxious to let us know.”

“How?”

“Oh there’ll be a note or something.  The stupid, boastful fuckers won’t be able to help themselves.”  Threading his fingers with Amber’s, Jake pulled her hand to his lips and kissed it.  “You sit down in here sweetheart.  Take the weight off.” 

“No, I’m fine.  I’d rather be with you.”

Jake took in a deep breath as Amber gave him a shy smile.

“Okay, if you’re sure.  We’ll try upstairs first.”

“Oh Jake, is this just a big plan of yours to get me upstairs?” Amber giggled.

“Hah, no.  I’d love to take the credit, Freckles, but I think more stupid forces are at work here,” Jake replied giving her a cheeky grin.

As they reached the top step, Jake paused.  The cottage was so small there were only two doors, so he pushed open the one nearest to them – it was a small, but clean bathroom with no surprises. 

“Okay, nothing in the bathroom,” he muttered and pushed open the second door.  “What the..?”

“Jake?”  Amber stepped forward to Jake’s side to look in the room.  “Look,” she gasped.  “It’s beautiful.”

The curtains were closed at the window and the room was filled with lit candles, of all shapes and sizes their flames twinkling in the half light, casting shadows on the walls.  The bed was strewn with rose petals, their sweet smell infusing the room, and on the dressing table a silver bucket in which stood a bottle of champagne.  Next to it were two glasses with an envelope propped against them.

“It’s addressed to me,” he said and still holding Amber’s hand, Jake strode forward and picked it up.  “What did I tell you?”

“Open it,” Amber urged.

Letting go of her, Jake ripped open the envelope and read the note aloud.

We couldn’t take any more of you two moping around like lovesick teenagers for the last week, so we decided that you needed some time together.  Sorry for leaving Amber, but she was never really alone.  Abbie was hiding outside until we were sure that you were there.  It was Abbie that took your car, so don’t worry about it …

Amber groaned.  “My own auntie tricked me.”

Jake tutted and carried on reading.

…You’ve got 24 hours to sort your lives out and to realise what everyone else already does – you’re meant to be together.

Luke

p.s. There is no signal, so don’t even try and ring for help, unless it’s the police and I’d like to hear you try and explain that one.

“Fuckers,” Jake muttered.