Jimone One Shots: Part II

most wanted.

Author's note: just some angsty au fluff that came to me. Enjoy!

"You have been fantastic!" Jordan breathes.

"I am just doing my job." Simone reminds him.

"I know , but I just really appreciate it. It feels like I am alone in doing all of this."

Jordan and Layla had postponed their wedding two years out and that was five years ago. They were waiting until he graduated but he felt like there was something more over the years. Layla wanted to get her lounge off the ground and more artists on her label. He was excited to be planning a wedding after the one with Hadley didn't fare over too well.

Her parents decided they wanted to move and ultimately Hadley had broken his heart. It was a hard pill to swallow and Layla had been a great support system. Over time, they naturally got closer. He never expected them to be where they were now.

"You aren't alone, Jordan. I will gladly help in any way that I can."

Simone will admit that it was weird that she never met his fiance. It was always meeting up with Jordan. Which was fine, he was great eye candy but Simone was a professional. She loved planning events and weddings were her favorites. She loved seeing everything come together and to be able to work with the couple's vision.

"Thank you. I am sorry that she couldn't come." Jordan looks sad but she can tell he masks the pain.

"Is everything okay?"

"You are… you are the first person to even ask me that in a long time." Jordan could feel his throat get lodged.

Simone doesn't know what to say to that. It almost breaks her heart just seeing him look helpless. His brown eyes were filled with hope and happiness most days but lately he just seems out of it. It wasn't Simone's business to pry. She wasn't trying to cross boundaries.

"Well, I hope things look better for you. You don't have to keep apologizing for her absence."

Jordan glances at his phone. He had sent Layla a bunch of photos to get her opinion and hadn't received a single response. Every single message gave a time stamp of when she read it.

"Uh, well now that the venue is out of the way, what's the next step?" Jordan shoves his phone in his pocket.

~*~

"You can keep ignoring him." Ryan enters his bedroom with a tray of breakfast food.

"I am not ignoring him." Layla deadpans.

"I can hear when your nails are typing, Keating. I know you haven't texted him back." Ryan passes her a cup of orange juice.

"I just don't know what to tell him."

"You could tell him the truth. It's been six months."

"It's been well over six months." Layla sighs cradling the glass.

"Well, yeah but you can't keep him in the dark. If you don't want to marry him then you need to tell him."

"Liv will hate me."

"You are more worried about Liv being upset than how Jordan feels?" Ryan raises a brow.

"No, I just- They have been through so much over the years. The last thing I need to add is more drama." She takes a sip from her glass trying to come up with some excuse.

"Do you love him?"

"Yes." The long pause made her sigh.

"Do you want to be with him forever?"

"No." Layla licks her lips , running her fingers through her hair.

She didn't know how to explain it. When he proposed, she had said yes out of pity. She was in love with him, but maybe her thoughts about Asher and Jaymee at the time were exactly how she felt. They were too young, not in love as she thought and they had their whole lives ahead of them.

They had their own dreams and aspirations for themselves. Least Layla did. Jordan didn't declare for the draft after senior year. Instead, he wanted to continue his education and put football on the back burner for another year. Which was crazy to Layla, but she couldn't say much because she doesn't even have a college degree to her name.

"I don't want to be the girl that breaks his heart." Layla looks down.

"You've already crossed that road." Ryan earns himself a hit in the chest from the woman as he hid a smile.

~*~

"That's all the time we have for now." Simone closes the binder.

"Tha-That's it?" Jordan stumbles over his words.

"Yes. We've been at it for over an hour , okay.. make that two. I am sure you are tired of talking about wedding planning with no fiance insight."

"Uh yeah.. it's a little sad but maybe we can talk about something else." Jordan presses.

"I have another client, Jordan." Simone gets up gathering her things.

"Maybe coffee sometime? No um wedding talk or anything."

"I don't think that's a good idea. The media will have a field day if they spot you out with another woman."

"I am not famous , Simone. Nobody is checking for me." Jordan laughs a little.

"You are and  your fiance will be. I have to politely decline."

"Okay, What about my game?" He chews on the corner of his lip.

"I'll think about it." Simone says.

"Okay okay. I'll send you the details."

"It's not hard to find out that information." She shakes her head.

"Right. Sorry, Thanks again for today."

"Yeah, no problem. That's what you guys pay me for."