Bet On You

Chapter Eight

Jessica

"Morning baby."

Max wakes me up with a call at seven o'clock. It's a very early time to wake someone up on a Saturday, especially for me since I'm not a morning person.

I am berating myself for not checking the caller ID before answering. My voice is all groggy and scratchy, ugh! You can definitely tell that I was sleeping. In my defence, I was still half asleep when I answered the phone, I still am actually.

"Hi, uhm, what's up, hey. Hi." Oh my gosh, I am so embarrassed.

So, I keep quiet, close my eyes and pray for the ground to swallow me up.

"Did I wake you? Sorry if I did."

"No, uhm it's fine. Can I help you with something so early in the morning?" I reply with sarcasm dripping from my tone and he has the nerve to chuckle at my expense.

"It's 7 am baby." He says with yet another chuckle.

"But I'm sorry, I'll keep that in mind for the future. Forgive me?"

I can feel his pout and I roll my eyes; this boy really has time for drama so early in the morning.

"Yes, I forgive you."

"Anyway, are you doing anything today? Brian and I are having a pool party at home and I'd like for you to come." he doesn't even let me answer before continuing on,

"So the party will start at around 12 pm but I'll be there to fetch you at 10 am. I think that will be ample time for you to wake up fully and get ready."

He is such a bossy man; he has already decided for me that I am going, even figuring out the time it will take me to do each task. He is exasperating so early in the morning.

"What makes you so sure that I will make it and don't have other plans?" I ask smugly.

"Because I will fetch you and will make sure that you get in my car, whether willingly or kicking and screaming that's up to you." He says in a matter-of-fact way and "I wonder if everything is all right upstairs."

"I've wondered the same thing too ever since I've met you." Oops. Me and my dang filter.

I really am contemplating making up something, so I don't have to go. I know that all their friends will be there and maybe some girlfriends and I really don't do well in crowds.

"Be warned that if you're not ready by then I will still transport you to my house ready or not. Maybe I can find something for you to wear and that way people will know that you are mine."

I can tell that this idea is more appealing to him and I think he is serious about taking me even if I'm not ready.

I look at the time and see that it is 07:15 am, I still have to help mom with delivering the schedules to the other house staff.

On Saturdays, she has to wake up at 5 am to cook breakfast for the Crompton's. They always have a buffet of food on Saturday, as if they are catering for a party. It's crazy because most of the leftovers get thrown out still because they can't finish it all.

I help her out because, by the time that the others are to start work at 07:30, she is still busy in the main house. Occupied with the stupid errands that the Crompton's make-up to keep her in the house.

This immediately gives me an idea, which is only partially a lie of how to get out of the pool party.

"Well, I need to get off the phone because I have to help my mom. There is just so much to do around the estate. I'm not sure if I will make the pool party, but thanks for extending the invitation. Okay, bye."

I hang up because I know that he will persuade me to come and I don't want that. Not even a second later my phone rings again and I decide to not answer because I really don't want to go to the party.

I get five missed calls from Max, and eventually, he stops calling me and I am relieved.

I quickly take a shower and take the schedules to the staff and before I know it, it is 9 o'clock. I take out my kindle and start reading a new release by one of my favourite authors, C.M. Steele.

I'm getting into the sexy scene in the book when I hear a knock on the front door. I hurry to open so I can get back to my book. To my utter surprise, it's Max at the door with a panty-dropping smile.

"Hey, baby." He says hugging me and giving me what is quickly becoming one of my favourite things from him, a kiss on my forehead.

"Are you ready?" he asks.

"Uhm no, I thought I told you that I would be busy almost the whole day?" I say, hoping that he doesn't notice that I'm lying through my teeth. He lifts a finger to his chin as if he is thinking hard,

"I remember telling you that if I got here, and you weren't ready, I would carry you out of the house even if you are kicking and screaming."

I scream in surprise as he lifts me up and I hang upside down facing his butt.

He closes the door and walks a couple of steps before I remember that we left the door unlocked. I don't even have shoes on my feet, even worse I am wearing ratty old sweat pants that I know for a fact will not suffice for a get together with Max's friends who have money.

"Wait! I need to lock the door, or my mom will have my head when I get back. I also need to change into something suitable and get shoes."

He says nothing for a while, and I can tell that he thinks I'm trying to bolt.

"I promise I won't run away, you can even come inside the house with me to make sure."

That appeases him because he turns back around with me still on his shoulder, heads back into the house and opens the door, then puts me down.

"You have ten minutes and I'm coming to get you." I roll my eyes at that, but I have no doubt he means it.

On the way to the bedroom, I grumble,

"I don't even know why you needed to get me this early because the party starts at 12 pm."

Thank God I took a shower early and I don't have to take one again. I head to my wardrobe to look for some decent swimwear and shorts.

I find a bikini and two one-piece costumes that are not too old, so I lay them on the bed for further inspection.+

I then list the pros and cons; the bikini could show too much skin than I am comfortable with, and in front of that many people, I don't think so. Besides, the pink one-piece still looks in better form than the other two costumes.

After that, I make up my mind. I then rummage through my drawers for shorts. I opt for jean shorts that I made from some old jeans, but they don't look old as shorts and I go with a graphic tee.

I also grab some flip-flops by the door and pack my sunscreen, purse and phone into my sling bag.

Then I grab a hoodie jacket just in case it gets cold later on. I call my mother and let her know in her voice mail that I'm going to a pool party at Max's house, I also leave a note just in case.

When I make it out into the living room I find Max lounging on the couch with his eyes closed, they open when he hears my footsteps.

"I really hope that you went with the bikini babe." He says and smiles a full megawatt smile while I go cherry red because obviously, I was talking out loud.

"Uhm, are you ready to go?" I ask.

"Yep, lets hit the road. Had I known that you would take that long I would've come at 8 am." He says as he slings his hand over my shoulder after I have locked the door and we are heading to his car.

"Oh, I'm sorry about that," I say feeling guilty because maybe he had other things to do to set up for the party.

"Don't sweat it. Also, it's not a bad thing. Now I know that my baby likes to take care of herself." I blush.

I am about to answer when the curtains from the main house move, but I don't pay it any mind because nothing else happens.