The Unidentified Redhead (Redhead #1)(69)
Author: Alice Clayton

“What time are you heading over to your house?” he asked. “Maybe I’ll meet you there. I need to take a look at that master bathroom before I start sledge hammering to make way for the steam shower!” he shouted, suddenly, landing like a pro wrestler on the bed next to me, wrapping my neck in a choke hold.

“Like you know how to instal a steam shower, pretty boy,” I teased, enduring an old school noogie smack down.

“Well, I would supervise, obviously. I can’t allow these hands to get too dirty,” he said seriously, admiring his hands. I rolled my eyes, and he went back to scrubbing the top of my head with his knuckles.

“I’m meeting Chad there at five.”

“Perfect timing. I should be finishing up with my last interview about then.

I’ll swing by,” he said, finally releasing me and rising from the bed.

He finished getting ready and purposefully avoided my eyes when I saw him sneak the ball cap into his back pocket. But, he didn’t put it on, so he was still honoring the agreement. Downstairs in the kitchen, I made him toast quickly, slightly burned with lots of marmalade (he really was like my own Paddington Bear … he was Hamilton Bear) and wrapped it in paper towels so he could eat it in the car. I put a travel mug of coffee next to his bag while he gathered up the rest of his things. He wasn’t exactly packing up, but I did notice that there were things on their way out, like his cell charger that had been plugged in next to mine for the last few weeks.

Grace, you don’t have time to panic.

He smiled when he saw the coffee ready to go for him. “Love you, Nuts Girl.”

“Love you more, Sweet Nuts,” I answered back, shaking my boobies at him.

He raised an eyebrow and then left, blowing a kiss over his shoulder.

“See you at five!” he shouted, and then moments later I heard a squeal and the sounds of his car pulling away.

Then I was alone. I went up to my room to finish packing. I looked around, starting to feel blue again.

There was a note on my pillow … I didn’t even see him leave it. I smiled and opened it.

Quit pouting and get your packing done.

And you look damn good for 48 years old.

Tee hee?

My laughter broke through the stillness of the house.

Chapter 24

So that was it. I packed my last box, packed my last suitcase. FedEx picked up the things that I was shipping to New York. They would be delivered to the hotel, which had agreed to hold them until my new sublet was ready.

Holly’s friend had found me a great one bedroom on the Upper West Side in the 60s, and it was relatively close to the theater district. Not knowing how long I would be in New York, it seemed easier to pick a nice central location, in a good neighborhood, and then I was close to everything I needed.

I had briefly considered moving to New York right after college, but since Holly and I knew more people in L.A. and thought it would be a better career move, we both ended up on the West Coast. But secretly, I always regretted not having lived in Manhattan, and I was grateful for the opportunity to live there—even if just for a few months, to experience the city as resident and not merely a visitor. I had traveled to the city frequently for work, and I always loved spending time there.

Now that I was less than twenty-four hours from actually being there … I was losing some of the nerves.

My semi-argument with Jack yesterday had cleared the air a bit, given voice to some of my concerns. While I still felt that things would probably not be easy, as he seemed to think it would be, I felt better. When he told me he loved me, there was a feeling inside of me that was hard to describe. It was like a tugging in my stomach and a rush through my skin, hot and cold at the same time. I felt giddy and silly and thrilled when I heard him say those words. And to watch his eyes light up when I said it to him, it was enthralling.

The day passed by quickly, and before I knew it, I was headed over to my house on Laurel Canyon, the late afternoon sun through Italian Cypress trees casting dappled light across the winding road. The top was down, as always, music loud and my smile big as I enjoyed the ending of this day. I would miss my friends desperately, but Holly had already made plans to fly out for a weekend at the end of the month. Jack’s schedule was getting increasingly tight, but I knew he would come as soon as he could. There would be plenty of movie-related visits in the upcoming months.

I pulled into my driveway just after five, but didn’t see Chad’s truck. I was hoping that I hadn’t missed him … maybe I had beaten him here. I unlocked the front door, pausing to take in the smell of new construction mixing with the potted lemon trees that were placed just outside the front door. It was strange that a house I had never spent a night in already felt more like a home than I had ever had before. I loved staying with Holly, but when I got back from New York, I would be glad to have my own home.

I set my keys down on the table that I’d placed in the entryway, and I listened to my feet click clack on the smooth tile as I walked toward the living room.

As soon as I rounded the corner, I heard, “Surprise!” Holy shit.

“Holy shit!” I screamed, as people came pouring out of rooms, from behind couches and in from the patio.

All of my friends were there, some of Holly’s other clients, even Lane and Rebecca, and of course, the two ringleaders. Holly and Jack were standing in front of the fireplace, looking incredibly proud of themselves and smiling at me.

I approached them, pushing my way through the wall of people offering up congratulations and goodbyes. Someone put a glass of champagne in my hand, and I noticed the sign hung over the archway that said, BON VOYAGE, ASSHEAD!

Jesus.

“Nice touch with the asshead.” I smirked at Holly, knowing that was all her. She just smiled and raised her own glass to me.

“I thought you would like that.” She laughed and clinked her glass to mine.

I turned to smile at Jack but his mouth was already on his way to my neck.

He kissed me quickly, moving his lips up my ear.

“Are you surprised?” he asked, sucking my earlobe into his mouth and kissing it softly.

The butterflies were back in my tummy. I loved when he did that.

“I was surprised. This is nice,” I answered, leaning into him a little, feeling his lips as they moved down my neck and toward my collarbone.

“That’s nice, too … ” I added, my words trailing off as he reached my shoulder, kissing it lightly. His hands slipped around my waist, and he moved me in front of him, resting his chin on my shoulder.