Beneath This Man(20)

'Yeah, he's told me what goes down and I want to see.' She sounds so matter-of-fact, laidback Kate prevailing again. I'm in meltdown just thinking about the place. I hate her for being so open-minded. And what does go down, anyway?

'It's a nice place,' I shrug to myself, spinning my coffee mug on the counter. What else can I say?

'How's Jesse?' she asks.

I detect the edginess of her tone. Does she still like him as much now? It's clear the fact that he owns The Manor will not be an issue, but she wasn't best pleased when I eventually stopped crying for long enough to tell her about the drunken arsehole I encountered when I came back to make amends with him. He seems fine, but I'm definitely not. What to say?

I settle for, 'He's fine. His hand is just muscle damage and he insists he's not an alcoholic.'

'I'm glad.' Her sincerity is sweet, and I'm relieved she isn't hurling explicit language down the phone and demanding I walk away. 'Well, he doesn't fall out of bed and wrap his lips around a bottle of vodka, does he?' She laughs.

'No! He just doesn't know when to stop when he does start, apparently. It's still a problem, though, Kate.'

'You'll be fine, Ava.' she assures me.

Will I? I'm not so sure. I thought being here with him would start to mend the mess, but it hasn't. I've told him what I want, but he doesn't seem to be all that keen on giving it to me, attempting, instead, to distract me as he knows best. I decide to give him until the morning. If he hasn't talked to me by then, I'll leave. I'll cave into his touch soon if I'm not careful.

'Yeah, listen,' I snap my attention back to Kate. 'I would say have fun tonight, but I'm more inclined to say... keep an open mind.'

'Ava, you don't get more open minded than me. I can't wait! Speak to you tomorrow.'

'Bye,' I hang up and run through my times at The Manor, when I thought it was an innocent hotel. I shake my head at myself. How could I have missed it all when everything seems so obvious now? I should cut myself some slack because I was completely diverted by a tall, lean framed man with dirty blonde hair and hypnotising green eyes. He was perfect. He still is, if a few pounds lighter and a few issues heavier.

I make my way upstairs to change out of my dress, throwing on a pair of cotton shorts and a vest before removing all of the grips from my hair.

When I get downstairs, Jesse is still asleep on the sofa. I mess around with the T.V cabinet for a while, but I can't get the damn thing to open and reveal a television, so I slump into the chair and watch Jesse sleeping, his mangled hand draped over his solid chest and rising and falling with his steady breaths. As my thoughts wander naturally to chocolate eclairs, calla lilies and Angels, I drift off to sleep.

'I love you.'

I come awake in a daze of darkness and rub my eyes as I sit up in the chair. It takes me a few moments to figure out where I am, but when I begin to focus, I find a handsome, dark blonde man crouched in front of me.

'Hey,' he says softly as he brushes my hair from my face. I gaze around the vast open space to try and grab a hold of my bearings.

'What time is it?' I ask sleepily.

He leans in and kisses my forehead. 'Just gone midnight.'

Midnight? I'm sleeping for England, and I could drift straight back off again, but I'm properly woken up when the shrill sound of a phone ringtone stabs at the silent air.

'For f*ck sake,' Jesse complains.

I watch as he yanks his phone from the coffee table and looks at the screen. Who would be ringing at this time?

'John,' he greets calmly down the phone, 'Why?' He glances at me. 'No, it's fine...yeah...give me half hour.' He hangs up.

'What's the matter?' I ask, fully awake now.

He shoves his Converse on and stalks for the door, clearly unhappy. 'Problem at The Manor. I won't be long.'

And just like that, he's gone.

So, I'm wide awake, it's past midnight and Jesse has just disappeared in the middle of the night. How is he going to drive with one hand? I sit in the chair like a loose part and contemplate what is going on at The Manor of such urgency.

Oh no, Kate is there.

I run into the kitchen and find my phone to call her, but she doesn't answer. I try repeatedly and with each unanswered call, I get more worried. I should just call Jesse, but he seemed pretty pissed off. I pace up and down, make myself a coffee and sit at the island repeatedly dialing Kate. If my car was here, I would be on my way to The Manor. Or would I? It's easy for me to say I would, especially when there is no way I can.