Trace of Innocence | Sweet and Sour (Book 4)

Chapter 88

(No Control | Holding Me Ransom - 88 - Coming Back To This Place)

Now that the wheels are in motion for our anniversary I feel a sudden urgency to finalise the details as soon as possible. I set about enlisting Callie's help again, asking her to help me get Jess to the address at the right time on the night and to make sure she asks a few of Jess's friends along too - but I stress that if she has any doubts whatsoever about anyone's trustworthiness or integrity, they should not be invited. She tells me she will do anything she can to help me pull this off, and confirms that Maddie will be attending, which I discover means (to my alarm) Calvin will be chaperoning. Jess's brother still terrifies me to my very core, and I only hope he comes in peace and doesn't intend on terrorising me throughout the duration of the evening. 

I research cherry brandy cocktail recipes online so I don't show myself up like last time (although perhaps that would add a bit of charm to the evening). I practise a few times at home with various different mixers until I am fairly confident that I'll be able to make Jess a drink that doesn't end up being poured down the sink. 

I contact Mum as I realise that the date of our anniversary, the fifth of March, falls the day before Mothers' Day this year. While this is the perfect diversion and creates the illusion of me not being around the weekend of our anniversary, strengthening the surprise element, I am also torn about what to do on the Sunday. Should I arrange travel up to see Mum on the Sunday, just for the day? I don't want her to feel as though she has been sidelined, or dropped in favour of someone more important. My fears prove to be unfounded however, when Mum rings me a couple of evenings later and I bring up the subject of my anniversary with Jess, and she tells me she has plans to take my grandad out for Sunday lunch that weekend.

"It also happens to be Mothers' Day," I remind her. "I could come up early Sunday morning and come for lunch with you and Grandad?"

"Oh sweetheart, that would be lovely," she exclaims. "But... well, are you sure you really want to? It's a long way to come for one day, especially if you've planned an evening out with Jess the night before. Won't you be tired?"

"I don't mind," I promise. "But if it's easier for you I could come up a few days earlier and we could have our own proper Mothers' Day celebration?"

"Well that would be even better," she replies, and I can hear the smile in her voice. "I know Grandad would love to see you but I do think it's an awfully long drive for just a few hours. And I don't want you to feel under pressure to fit everything in. You've just finished the busiest few years of your life. I want you to slow down for a bit and just take things easy. No tearing around up and down the country. Just enjoy the quiet life for a bit." 

"I suppose it makes more sense," I concede. "And it means I can spend a couple of days with you, just the two of us." 

"Perfect," she says, and she sounds pleased. "I'll look forward to it." 

Well that has worked out well. I just need to find a way to drop it into conversation with Jess so it sounds casual and not like I'm making a big deal out of it. I'm planning on "forgetting" our anniversary to accentuate the surprise of the house party so this fits in brilliantly. 

It's a busy few days in LA catching up with friends, tying up various contract details and looking forward to this pre Grammys gala. Jeff rings me a few days before and lets me know that Zayn has confirmed his attendance also, and is expected to walk the red carpet. Big showy entrances have never been my thing, and I certainly don't want the Hollywood media filming my first encounter with Zayn since he walked out on the band nearly one year ago.

"Don't feel you can't walk the red carpet if you want to," Jeff is quick to point out. "You have as much right to be there as Zayn. And we can coordinate it so your paths won't cross."