Exactly What I've Been Waiting For

Chapter 12

It was a slow day at the shop, so Jade, Camila, and Leigh Anne found themselves having Chinese take-out while they gossip. The only difference today was that Lauren was there to join their little group since the girl just had an appointment with Jade about another event that she's handling and she decided to stay around for some food.

"Jesy spoke with you yesterday, no?" Leigh Anne asked, eating from her take-out box.

"I'm assuming we're just skipping on other topics in your lives and talk about mine?" Jade joked. 

They all laughed with her. "Our life is not as interesting as yours. We heard you had a date last night." Leigh Anne raised an eyebrow.

"Are we going to talk about all my dates with her?"

"Probably. Come on, tell us." Camila prompted.

Jade shrugged nonchalantly. "We went out to dinner in a restaurant. She drove us to a drive in and then we went dancing." She summarized as she got up and limped her way to get a bottle of water.

They slapped their heads to Jade. "You're limping." Lauren stated, voicing everyone's observation.

"After having a hot date."

"You guys had – "

"Don't even say it!" She warned laughing. "I am not talking about my love life, let alone my sex life."

All three of them squealed. "So you did have sex!"

"I'm getting out of here. I have to meet another client. Once you guys are done, you can call me back." She smiled and put on her jacket, walking out of the shop.

***
An hour later, Jade walked back into the shop, brushing off the snowflakes on her brown locks and the shoulders of her jacket, finding Lauren sitting on the little couch up front with a magazine on her lap. "Lauren, why are you alone?"

"Camila ran some errands while Leigh had to go back to work. I decided to do something productive and wait for you."

Jade sat down beside her, "Well, what kind of friend I would be if I don't offer you food for the sweet gesture."

She laughed. "Anyways, it's just us here Jade. You can talk now. I know you're dying to."

"Last night was great," she confessed, not even hesitating. "The entire date was planned from the place, the music, down to the movie we watched. She said she made sure it was a night made just for me."

"Are you falling in love with her?" Lauren asked. When Jade didn't answer, her silence was enough to be an answer all on its own. "Jade! Aww, sweetie! Look at you, you're falling in love! And who would've thought that it'd be with Perrie?"

Jade covered her face, dropping her head on Lauren's shoulder. "Trust me, I didn't want it to be. You know me. I want romance, I want the happily ever afters, and Perrie is definitely not it. I mean, I said I was fine with it, but one of these days – "

Lauren took Jade's hands, interrupting her pity talk. "One of these days, people surprise us and they become the people we want them to be. I may not know Perrie the same amount of time as you, but I probably know her better because I have an objective perspective. She's loyal, kind, motivated, sweet, genuine, honest and committed. I see her when she has a project to do, she does whatever it takes to get it done."

"So I'm just another project?"

"No. You're the woman in her life. And that's much more important. Just have a little faith. I see the way you look at the mere mention of her name. Anyone can tell you have deep feelings for her."