Oh, hell no!

Chapter 7

Chapter 7.

Liza told them that Darren left without a word to anyone. The two of them got along as if they were old friends that got reunited after years of separation. For a while they both forgot about the looming doom that was called Mom and Dad. After their delicious lunch filled with laughter and friendly banter, they head back to the apartment building. Jake was relieved that Grace did not over react and got mad at him for what happened; in fact she seemed relieved after she listened to what actually happened. On their walk back to the apartment, Jake took Grace's hand in his again without even realising it; it was like it was out of habit as if it belonged that way. When they reached Grace's door neither of them wanted to say goodbye, an awkward silence filled the air and none of them new how to break it.
"So, I guess I should go get my stuff unpacked." Jake stated after a while rocking on the balls of his feet, his hands tugged into his jeans back pockets.
"Yeah I guess so. Thanks for today, you helped me a lot and for seven years ago, for not taking advantage of me. Not every guy out there would have done what you did." Grace said shyly, placing a piece of her hair behind her ear.
"I aim to please my dear." Jake retorted with a cocky smirk. "I'm glad I met you again. I looked for you after that night you know. I wanted to get to know you better from the time I saw you sitting there looking lost. I wanted to know what made you feel the way you felt, but now it does not really matter anymore. I'm just glad I met you." Jake said sincerely, trailing his finger down the side of her cheek.

Warmth shot through Grace at this small gesture, the butterflies turned into fire again as she looked into the ice depths of his eyes. She felt as if she could see his soul threw his eyes and she knew her eyes reflected the same. "I'm glad I met you too." She whispered as they leaned closer to each other their lips softly brushing each other's. Jake pulled her closer as he circled his arm around her back deepening the kiss once again. Grace's hands found their way up his chiselled chest all the way to the nape of his neck her fingers playing with the short soft hairs. They melted together as one. She fit perfectly in his arms and he felt the desire to take her as his own the very moment her fingers started their trail to his hair.

Breaking the kiss he hugged her tightly and placed his chin on top of her head. Grace nestled into his chest feeling his taught muscles flash again her soft womanly curves. "I have to go." He whispered softly. Slowly he let her go trailing his hand down her arm that she extended with each baby step he took until their fingertips could not touch each other anymore. Their eyes never leaving each other's, begging the other to stay.

Jake did not want to leave her, but he knew he had to. He was afraid that she would disappear again although that would be unlikely. For some unknown reason he felt that he could not live without her anymore. He shook he shed to get rid of the ridiculous thought. How can you feel like that towards a person after just a day of getting to know each other? He must be going crazy.

Grace did not understand the sparks she felt when he touched her or the butterflies she felt just by hearing his voice. Jake's kisses left her weak at the knees and her head spin as if she where oxygen deprived for too long, but his kisses felt like a drug she needed and wanted more each time. "It must be a physical thing.' She said as she opened her door.

Stepping into her apartment Grace stepped on a white folded paper shoved under her door. Her eye caught the foreign object and she bend down to retrieve it. Opening it, it looked like a man hand written letter. Grace closed her door and placed her handbag on the table by the door again. Slowly she made her way to her couch curios to see what the letter contained.

"Dear Grace,
I am sorry for the hurt I caused you and tried to cause you today. Please forgive me for what happened at the wedding. Jake really loves you. He stood up for you when you left he booth earlier and I could see he meant every word. The kiss you shared just confirmed it. I never thought I would say this, but you deserve more than I can ever give you. I do not love you and never did. I just had to prove to myself that I could have whoever I wanted. I had to keep my reputation and seeing you with Jake today just showed me that a reputation means nothing. I want to find what you have. I want to be loved and I realized that I would never feel about you the way I saw Jake care for you. He would give everything he has to keep you save and cares about you getting hurt physically as well as emotionally. That is what I call true love, to put another person before you and care more to keep them safe before yourself. I never saw love before today. To me it was always about me and what I wanted. I truly wish you all the happiness in the world and I hope that you can forgive me. I will never bother you again. I'm really sorry for what I done and tried to do today. You where my best friend when we first met and I'm sorry for messing that up. You are a great person Grace.
I wish I could say your friend,
Darren.
P.S. Sorry for bringing your parents into this. They will be there tomorrow at 8 o'clock in the morning."

"Oh, hell no!" Grace yelled as she realised she totally forgot about her parents coming to visit. She quickly got up and went to the one person she always could trust to give her sound advice.

Seconds after she knocked the door swing opened. "Ahh, Finally I can congratulate my sister-in-law." Jim greeted her, with a big friendly smile.
"What does Anne not understand with the word fake?" Grace asked, sighing to show her helplessness.
Jim threw his head back; a deep hearty laugh filled the air. "Oh. That wife of mine, she sure is one of a kind, but I love her more for it." Jim said shaking his head. "She's busy in the Twin's room, getting them ready for bed. I'll go call her for you and take over the storytelling. I've been looking for an excuse to go take over." He whispered the last part to Grace, as if to let her in on a little secret.
Grace could see the love he had for his kids and wife. It must have been really hard for him to leave them for long periods of time. She felt so grateful to know that that is changing for them and she felt her heart warm up again for the person making all this possible. She could not believe she thought that Jake could be an arrogant Jerk just a mere twenty-four hours ago. "Thank you Jim." She said with a smile.
"Anything for my sister-in-law." Jim teased in a singsong voice, disappearing down the hall to go read to his kids.

Moments later Anne stepped into the living room and the words just started to pour out of Grace. Anne did not even get to say hi or make her way to the sofa to sit beside Grace. Anne slowly took her seat next to Grace listening intently to the girl beside her pouring her heart out. Grace told her everything from how she hated what love meant to her growing up, her parents fighting every day, the yelling that could be heard houses away, Her first crush and how Darren broke her heart, to meeting Jake for the first time and what she thought happened, to what Jake told her actually happened. She even told her about meeting Darren again at the wedding and what happened between them there. "Darren was the one sitting in the living room with Jake earlier. Jake tried to help me getting rid of him by pretending he asked me to marry him. After we got back from the diner I found this letter on the floor inside my apartment. I think he means it and do forgive him, I just don't want to have anything to do with him anymore. My parents would be here tomorrow and I have a really bad omen about it. What if Darren told them about Jake and me already?" Grace ended her emotional rant and for the first time felt as if a big emotional load rolled of her shoulders. Anne tentatively rubbed Graces back and when Grace grew quiet she gave her a big grin.
"You are 'Queen of sexy'?" Anne asked giving Grace a knowing look.
"What?" Grace asked confused.
"Almost seven years ago Jake told us about this girl he met at a party. He did not know what her name was so he called her 'Queen of sexy', he searched for her at every party he went to and like he described it to us he had some sort of emotional connection to this girl. He always said he only want to find her, because he wanted to know her story, but I teased him every time when he spoke of her. I told him he were in love that cupid struck him that night, but being the realist he is he does not believe in love at first sight. I knew this was destiny, like I told you fake my..."
"Really?" Grace deadpanned cutting Anne short. "That's all you got from everything I told you?" She asked. She really did want to know what she should do about her parent's visit and all Anne could think of was Jake and her.
Anne gave Grace a sheepish smile: " Sorry, I'm just glad he finally found you, now you can get married and give is beautiful nieces and handsome nephews..." Anne trailed of make hand gestures at how cute she thought the kids would be. Grace could see that Anne's imagination got the best of her by then.
"Oh, hell no! Anne, focus, please? No wedding or babies! What am I going to do about my parents, please, I need your advice." Grace asked desperately. Anne could see that Grace was close to tears and really needed someone to talk to.
"Ok, here's the plan." Anne said getting serious.