Love Me to Death (19 page)

More tears fall from her eyes and, this time, I pull her toward me and wrap my arms around her. I let her cry into my chest not caring that a wet patch is going to be left behind. I let her cry silently for at least five minutes. When I notice that her breathing has calmed down, I move my mouth to her ear.

“Now, we can eat ice cream.”

And then I smile as the most beautiful sound fills the room; Ned’s laughter.

“Why am I only just discovering how good this is?” I say as I scoop the last bit of ice cream out of my tub.

“You’ve led a very sheltered life, Mr. Cole, but luckily for you, I’m here to help you before my unscheduled demise.” I pause for a moment before placing my empty tub on the coffee table. I slide Ned’s empty container out of her hand too and place it next to mine before picking her up by the waist and placing her over my lap. She is now straddling me and looking into my eyes with a very confused expression on her face. I slip my hands around her waist and lean my head back and look up into her eyes.

“Now, you know that I support your decision. Like I said I think you are incredibly brave. But I don’t want to hear you utter another word about dying or your
demise
,” I say raising my eyebrows in the air. “The whole point of your rebellion is because you are choosing to
live
and so no more talk of death. Not when you’re around me, understood?”

She nods.

“Good,” I say, before giving her a peck on the lips.

“You do know that every time you kiss me, you’re in direct violation of the contract, right?”

“Actually, I think you’ll find that kissing, touching, and groping were ok if done while I was still in character.”

“Really? And why would you be in character when there is no one around?” she asks sarcastically.

“Babe, the government is
always
listening don’t be fooled. I have to be in the role at all times, those satellites,” I say pointing up at the sky, “they’ve got cameras, lots of cameras.”

“Whatever.” She giggles.

I smile before giving her butt cheeks a little squeeze. She is about to chastise me when I interrupt.

“I don’t think that I felt anything but skin then. Is somebody wearing floss panties tonight?” I tease.

“Nope,” she says shrugging her shoulders.

“You know lies are a terrible thing to bring into a relationship, Ned. Do I have to check for myself?”

“I’m not lying. I’m not wearing my floss panties,” she says as she stands to her feet and picks up the two empty tubs of ice cream. “In fact, I’m not wearing any panties at all,” she says before walking toward the kitchen.

I think my jaw just dropped.

“Excuse me?” I gasp.

“No. Panties. Cole, what’s so hard to understand?”

“I think I’m going to need proof,” I say taking a deep breath.

“Oh
baby
, don’t you know that trust is a key element in any good relationship. You’re just going to have to learn to trust me when I say that I’m not wearing
any
.” She winks before disappearing into the kitchen.

I think I just felt a twitch in my pants. Ned Waters you little tease.

“Babe, I think it’s time for me to meet your parents,” I shout.

She reappears quickly.

“Excuse me?”

“Your parents,” I say slowly. “I think it’s time that I met them. The whole reason that I signed the contract is so your mom could get her dream and yet she’s the only one that I haven’t met yet.”

“But we’re not ready,” she says panicked.

“Of course we are,” I scoff.

“No, we’re not, you haven’t even been rehearsing. We haven’t had enough sessions.”

“Seriously? Your name is Neddie Cara Waters, you’re twenty-five turning twenty-six next month, you like listening to the Beetles, John Lennon, and the Jackson Five, your favorite color is green, your favorite ice cream is Ben and Jerry’s Strawberries and Cream, you love bruschetta and cannelloni, you can read Italian, you don’t make it to the end of a movie before falling asleep, you are a bad sleeper, you have a crazy ex named Jackson, a strange best friend named Misty, you live in a kick ass penthouse in New York, you design jewelry, rings actually, you have five factories, two in the US, one in the UK, India and Switzerland and possibly Paris too.” She’s staring at me in silence, “but more importantly, you are one of the kindest people that I know, you put others needs before yours and loyalty is at the top of your priority list. You don’t stay mad at people for very long because you have a strange need to forgive them that not even you understand, you’re feisty and funny, you can give as good as you get and men do not intimidate you in the slightest except me because you blush the hell out of those cheeks when I’m around,” she’s smiling and blushing, “you love your job but more than anything you love your parents. Your mom means the world to you and you’d do anything to see her smile. You bite your lip when you’re nervous, giggle when you flirt and have the most beautiful laugh that I have ever heard. And of course, you wear the sexiest butt floss I have ever seen.”

When I finish she is smiling.

“I’m booking a flight to Ohio, tonight. You need to pack, we’ll be back on Sunday evening.” She disappears down the hall leaving me sitting here, smiling like some crazy person. Why does being around Ned make me forget all the other crap going on in my life? How does she do that?

Ned: Try not to forget anything!

Me: Seriously, what do you take me for woman?!

Ned: A man!

Me: Very funny! I have everything actually … except my watch … which I may have forgotten … but that doesn’t count!

Ned: Ha ha! Just as I thought.

I smile down at my phone before unlocking the door to my apartment. I drag my overnight bag back inside and leave it by the door while I run into my room. I open the door of my closet and feel around for the box on the top shelf. Once I grasp it, I pull it down and sit on my bed. I take the lid off slowly. The first thing I see is a picture of my mom and me. I remember the day clearly. I was ten and I had just failed to make the local baseball team. In all honesty, I was awful but my dad thought it’d be good for me to get involved in sports rather than acting. Mom still took me for ice cream even though I failed miserably. I remember she said there is no such thing as failing; instead, we are just learning how to succeed. I never forgot those words or the taste of the chocolate chip ice cream either. I smile at the memory before pressing my lips to the photograph.
I miss you.
I put the photo to one side and focus on what I came here to do. It doesn’t take me long to find my watch which is thrown right at the bottom of the box. I turn it over and see the writing etched into it
Never give up, love Mom xxx.
I look up at the sky and smile. “Thanks,” I whisper to the air. I fasten the watch around my wrist and then jump to my feet. I put everything back inside the box, put it in my closet and head out of my apartment.

I throw my bag in the trunk of Ned’s car before heading toward the driver’s side. She insisted that I take her car when she announced that she had booked us a flight to Ohio in the morning. I never knew that her car was an Audi TT at that point. This girl never ceases to amaze me. I may have to talk her into adding a section in the contract that says I get to drive this baby at all times during our agreement.

I never expected her to say that she grew up in Ohio either. For some strange reason, I just felt like she’d lived in New York her whole life. I guess there’s a lot more that I still have to learn about Ned.

I pull up outside of Ned’s building and park her car in the underground parking garage Jameson told me about earlier. I enter the elevator from the parking garage. I punch in the key code that Ned made me memorize before I left and wait until the doors open. I pull my bag onto my shoulder and feel strangely excited. It doesn’t take long for me to get to Ned’s door. I bang three times and wait until she appears.

“Yes, I’m looking forward to seeing you too,” she says as she opens the door. I look at her in confusion until I notice the phone sandwiched between her cheek and shoulder. She ushers me in with her hand and mouths the word
watch
to me questioningly.

I hold my arm up and wave my wrist at her.

“Yeah, I should be there by midday,” she says to whoever is on the phone. I’m guessing that it’s one of her parents.
Good boy,
she mouths before turning around and walking toward her room. I swat her behind and she squeals in shock. She spins around and gives me a pointed look but I can’t help but laugh, quietly.

“No, Mom, I’m fine. I thought I saw a
rat
,” she says, squinting her eyes at me. I smirk before following her to her room.

I look on her bed and see an open suitcase with a whole load of things folded neatly inside yet she doesn’t appear to have finished packing yet.
What else does she need to bring?
I shake my head at her and she rolls her eyes.

“I know but I wanted to wait until I knew that he was the right guy before you and Pops met him.” She’s staring at me. I watch her curiously knowing that they are now having a conversation about me. I want to know what her mother is saying. “Yes, he is definitely coming; I promise you’ll be meeting him tomorrow. Yes, he’s great; you’re going to love him. It’s Cole. Yeah, yeah, I know, I will. He’s just walked in actually. Ok. My mom said to say ‘hi’.” She smiles at me.

“Hi,” I say with a smile.

“He said ‘hi’ Mom. Now, I need to go so I can finish packing but I’ll see you tomorrow. And tell Pops I said thanks and I’ll see him at the airport. Ok, I will. Love you, too. Bye.”

“So, I’m great am I?” I ask strolling toward her with the biggest smile on my face.

“Well, I could hardly tell her what you’re really like could I?”

“No, I’m not accepting that. I saw your face and the way that you stared at me. You meant every word. You think I’m great don’t you?” I tease.

“You’re great when you’re not talking.” Her hands are on her hips and her eyebrows are raised.

“Yeah?” I smirk.

“Yes.”

“I can do no talking, babe.”

“Yeah righ—”

She’s cut off as my lips press against hers. I feel her instantly submit to me and I love the way it feels. My hands find her waist and I pull her gently toward me. Kissing Ned is seriously becoming something I need to do. Her hands find their usual place around my neck as she pulls me closer. I kiss her softly and gently before slowly pulling away.

“See, I told you,” I whisper against her lips.

“You are breaking the rules on my contract again, Mr. Cole.”

“Rules are meant to be broken. Now come on I’m going to help you finish packing your suitcase since I actually want some sleep tonight.”

“Very funny,” she says moving away from me.

“Seriously babe, it’s an overnight stay, I have no idea why you are taking so long.”

“I have to make sure everything is here. It’s not as if I can just run down the road if I forget something. The nearest store from my parents’ house is a thirty minute drive away.”