Chapter 17
I and Kate went outside into see the sun slowly setting in the distance. It looked like we were in some kind of movie, the scene was so perfect.
“Does your Granddad really own all this?” Kate asked as we both took in the view in front of us.
“Yer, pretty unbelievable right” I replied turning to walk down the steps to the gardens.
“You're telling me” Kate said following me, smiling.
It was still busy out in the garden but it looked like most people had gone inside. I loved this time of the year when the sun is setting but it’s still hot outside. It doesn't happen here in England a lot, maybe just for a week or two then the heavens open.
“You want to go explorer a little, in the gardens?” I asked
“Yer sure”
“Cool, I've never been here before so I don't know where I'm going” I laughed “I hope we don't get lost”
Kate laughed as well as we started heading around the garden looking at all the wild flowers.
“I've never been somewhere like this before. It's amazing, I want to get it all in so I don't forget anything” Kate said.
“Yer makes me wish I brought my camera' I said walking passed the fountain I was looking at earlier when I was with Chris.
Where is Chris? I wondered still with Jess?
Just thinking of them both together hurt so much. Them talking together, laughing together, holding hands together, well anything that just brought them both 'together' hurt me. I can't see how I’m going to get over this, it just hurts so much. Being in love with him but seeing him happy with another.
Unrequited love is a Bitch!
“I really like your dress” Kate said.
“Thanks it's nothing amazing. Just from H&M” I smiled. I knew that compared to some of the other people that are here, Kate wouldn't judge me on where I got my clothes, even if her dress looked ten times more expensive than mine.
“Oh I love that shop I used to go in there like every day before work but started spending way too much money”
“I know I just wish they had a store card but saying that I would be in more debt... I like your dress, it’s really pretty. Where did you get it?”
It really was a beautiful dress. It was cream with different layers and puffy. It was gorgeous and she looked great in it. Kate was the same hit as me maybe just a little shorter and she was thinner.
“Jay brought it for me. He said that he wanted me looking respectable to his friends and family so he brought me this. I think it's from Ralph Lauren. It’s so much money I'm scared to eat or drink anything on it just in case”
I had to say I didn't like Jay right now. At the table he was a nice enough guy but he acted a bit fake and stiff. The way he was to Kate didn't seem affectionate atoll. Kate needed to relax. I knew I wasn't the right person to say that after being so tense earlier today but still, I liked Kate and I wanted her to have a good time. I grabbed to glasses of Pimms from the table and walked back over to Kate.
“Don't worry about it. What will be will be” I said trying lighting the mood.
Kate laughed at me and took the drink out of my hands. “Thanks but I still wish I was wearing something of mine. I don't really feel myself in this dress”
“I always feel the same, when I was coming down hear I could see the looks I was getting of people, what she wearing? Is that high street? Even the men were giving me the look”
“Yer but I bet it wasn't the same look” Kate gave me a teasing smile but I was completely clueless why.
“What do you mean?”
“Come on! They were properly checking 'you' out, Leah” Kate she making a face at me. Was she being serious?
“No! No they weren't, trust me”
“Ok whatever you say” Kate laughed and drinking her Pimms.
I changed the subject.
“So you want to go back to school to study bakery. That's cool, I wish I could cook”
“Yer, I love to bake. I've always wanted my own store somewhere in a small town, not like London. Somewhere like here in the country, where it’s peaceful”
“That sounds great. Where are you working now?”
“Hmm...”Kate said looking at the grass.
Why didn't she want to tell me?
Was she worried about what I thought?
“You don't have to tell me if you don't won't to. I don't mind. But just to let you know I won't judge. I worked in cafes since I was eighteen before working for Chris”
“Chris?”
Oh crap maybe shouldn't have said his first name. “Mr Howard”
“Oh yer sorry forgot. Well I'm sure James wouldn't want me to tell everyone but he's annoyed me today. I would in a nightclub at the bar, you know just to pay the rent”
Was that it?
That's what she was worried about?
“What's the bad in that? Why wouldn't Jay want you to tell everyone that?”
“It's in a strip club... but I DON'T STRIP”
Oh. Ok I can kind of see it now.
“Oh I can kind of see why he wouldn't want these kinds of people knowing. The women are stuck-up but their husbands are the guys that go to that kind of thing”
“I know that's what's so funny about it”
“Why are you were you so upset earlier? Sorry to pry but you looked like you were going to cry back there. Was it something Jay said?”
Kate looked back at me in shock but then shook her hand and said “Oh it wasn't Jay
“Oh?” I said.
She looked around the garden making sure that no one was around. “It was Jake... you might have notice that he doesn't like me”
“I did feel a bit of tension earlier but I wouldn't say he didn't like you”
“It’s not that he doesn't like me. He hates me. He hates that I'm here and that I'm dating his brother”
“Oh come now do you really think that's true?” Kate just nodded looking sad “I know I only met Jake today but he doesn't seem the kind of guy that hates a lot of people. Not someone like you anyway”
“You don't understand. He has every right to hate me and want me away from his family”
“'What right?” I said
“I'm not allowed to tell anyone. Jay will have my head. Just trust me that I'm not the best of people” I had no idea what she was talking about but I didn't want her getting in trouble with Jay my telling me the truth.
“Ok I won't ask anymore but I won't trust what you say! I think you’re a great person, ok” Kate just smiled at me.
“Hey Leah!” I heard a voice call from be hide me.
Turning round I see Gemma calling for me with little Connor in her arms. Paige was holding her hand, wearing a very pretty pink doll dress with her hair in pig tails. She looked so cute.
Gemma was wearing a pretty green dress with baby Connor.
They had walked over to us, and were now standing right opposite.
“Hey Gemma, you look great” I said
“Thanks so do you” she said
“This is Kate” I introduced them both “Kate is seeing Jay Minster, Jake Minster's brother. Do you know him?”
“Oh Yes! I've known the Minster since I was young. Lilly is my best friend and Jake, Christian's.
We've know each other for years. Actually Karl is very close to Connor. Have you met him yet? He's a great family friend and Godfather of his little guy. That's why we named him after him”
“Yer I've met him today, he's here”
“Is he really? He never said”
“I think his here as Lilly's bodyguard” Kate said
“Oh... he is, is he? Well I knew he would give himself that title sooner or later” she laughed
“What do you mean?” Both mine and Kate's face were blanked.
“Well you know Lilly's a model, she's recently growing as an actress and the press are all over her like a rash. Lilly's been having problems with them for over a year and Connor was always over protective of Lilly so he would go everywhere with her and follow her everywhere she wanted to go. That's why they moved in together. Now Lilly has this whole fear of being anywhere without him”
“Oh” I say
“Jay and his brothers said that Connor was in love with her, is that true?” Kate said slowly, I think because she didn't what to start gossip but was just being curious.
“I think so but Lilly is blind to it if it is true”
A small little voice came out from below us saying “What true?” said Paige
We all smiled down at Paige.
“Sorry darling, bad Mummy” Gemma said pulling her little girl into her side.
“Paige would you like to come and look at some of the pretty flowers” I said leaning down in front of the little girl to her height. Smiling at her she nodded her head and then took my hand. I smile at Gemma who is giving me a big grin.
We walked over to the flower beds which was you’re a few steps away from the others. I leaved them both as they started talking about Kate and Jay.
“Which one is your favourite?”
The little girl still held my hand and had the other in her mouth. She was looking at all the different flowers and then pulled the hand that she was sucking on to point at a pink flower. I think they were geraniums.
“That one” the little girl smiled.
“I like that one too, it would go with you outfit”
I looked around the garden to make sure that no one was looking and lent over and broke off the flower. I looked closely at the flower to make sure there were no bugs and then put it in the little girl's hair. She made a big grin and then ran happily over to her Mum saying “Mummy! Mummy look what Lea got me! Mummy look” I smiled over at her and slowly got off the floor.
“You always did enjoyed ruining my flower beds” A voice came from be hide making me turn around and break into a large smile.
“'Nan!”