Meeting Mr Write: Mr Write Trilogy Book One (5 page)

“Are you up next then Miss Alvez?” Out of nowhere Jackson James joins me at my table. He sits in the chair opposite me and smiles his cocky ‘
I can do what I like’
smile.

“Oh Jackson, please, sit!” I snap sarcastically,

“It’s a bar Rosie, socialise! Come on then spill, what’s your song of choice?” He takes a sip of his beer without breaking eye contact and I blush slightly under his intense gaze, the way that he said my name made my tummy leap into my throat and back again. I hadn’t noticed before the unusual hazel colour of his eyes, and the slight Yorkshire tinge to his accent. He looks to be in good shape and it takes me a moment that feels like an eternity to compose myself before answering.

“I’m not singing. Pippa wanted to sing, I’m just here to drink!” I take a sip of my beer and pray that I don’t dribble or miss my mouth completely.

“That’s a shame,” he smiles, “You look fantastic by the way.”

He looks towards the stage where Pippa is starting to sing ‘Beautiful’ by Christina Aguilera and I smile slightly at the compliment.

“Jackson, how lovely to see you here.” Pippa is back from her encore.

“The feeling is mutual Pippa. You have a very erm, unique singing voice.”

“Oh Jackson, I’m completely bloody tone deaf but couldn’t really give a shit.” She sits down next to me, all three of us laughing.

Steve is back on stage, mic in hand, “Ladies and gentlemen, we have a rare treat for your listening, and viewing pleasure, my good friend Jackson James!”

“What?”

Jackson looks shocked to hear his name called, I’m just shocked that he’s friends with Steve. He seemed so, un-Jackson like.

“Come on JJ, you chicken?!” Steve is smiling on stage as he tries to goad Jackson.

Jackson laughs out loud and accepts the challenge by getting up and walking towards the stage. He is wearing beige chino trousers and a fitted rust coloured shirt with the sleeves rolled up. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t seriously attracted to him and the drink isn’t helping to cure me of that, but he is just so arrogant.

The music starts, ‘Better Together’ by Jack Johnson. I love this song, and to my surprise, Jackson has a fantastic singing voice. To my annoyance, this only makes me fancy him even more.

“Rosie, you may want to stop undressing him with your eyes before he gets back!”

Oh crap! Pippa always knows when I like someone. I can’t hide it like she can.

“Pippa he’s a good looking guy, but I wouldn’t touch him with a barge pole.” I shuffle uneasy in my seat,

“That’s a shame babe. I bet he’d love to touch you with his!” She looks at me with a false shocked expression and we both laugh.

When Jackson steps off the stage he heads straight towards Steve, where he pretends to punch him and they laugh, it’s obviously some sort of private joke. I go to the bar to get some drinks and when I turn back, Jackson is chatting to a blonde girl at a table in front of the stage.

She laughs and touches his thigh and I see him hand over his business card, I’m shocked that I feel a little jealous, but not at his arrogance. He smiles and walks away from the girl and back to our table.  I can see by the cocky look on his face that he is certain she’ll call. He sits back down next to Pippa who is yet again searching for a song in the blue folder in front of her. I need tequila!

“Can I have a bottle of tequila please, with lime and salt?” I ask Annie who is now serving behind the bar.

Annie looks over to my table briefly and then puts three shot glasses on a tray with a plate of lime wedges and a small salt cellar. I haven’t done shots of tequila since university but Jackson’s presence is both irritating and frustrating me, in more ways than one and I just want to drown him out.

“Woo!
Look who’s ready to party!” Pippa’s eyes light up at the bottle of tequila and she’s pouring within seconds of me putting the tray down.

“You don’t strike me as the tequila type Rosie.” Jackson says tilting his head towards me, he’s certain I’m going to make a fool of myself.
 I’m angry at him but I don’t really know why. I have a point to prove.

I side eye him, “You don’t know me Mr James.” I hold out my hand and demand his, “Hand!”

He eyes me curiously and then holds his hand out, I don’t know what possesses me but I lean down and lick the back of his hand with the tip of my tongue. When I look up at him through my eyelashes he looks at me wide eyed and shifts in his seat, before a shocked laugh escapes him. I sprinkle salt onto the wet spot and hand him a lime wedge and a shot glass. I turn to Pippa who is staring at me open mouthed, I wink and she laughs.

“Shoot!”
 I order.

We all lick the salt on our hands and drink. The lime is refreshing but we all grimace regardless. Jackson picks up the bottle and starts to refill the shot glasses.

“The thing is Jackson James,” I point at him as I say his name slowly. There have been a few shots of tequila consumed and I seem to be loosing self control. I can hear myself, but I’m not quite able to stop the words from leaving my mouth. “Men like you really get my back up, you think you’re god’s gift to women.” I wave my hands around as if to display all of the women in the bar. “I bet you shag around, leaving a trail of broken hearts behind you. You saunter over to women you don’t know and interrupt their conversations, just so you can get into their knickers and then never call them again!”

I remember now why it’s been so long since I drank tequila. It makes me a bit of a bitch. Jackson smiles in response and refills the glasses.
 Pippa is back on stage singing ‘Oops I Did It Again’ …apt!

“You don’t know me Rosie,” he smiles, referring me back to my earlier comment, he’s laughing at me. “And the women that I sleep with don’t complain. They know what they’re doing, I don’t force them. As for the interrupting,” he leans forward and looks straight into my eyes, “I see something that I want,
and I go after it.  Shoot!” We drink.

I shake my head as the lime tingles across my taste buds before composing myself.

“You Mr James are a chauvinist pig. You’re the reason that women are losing hope of finding their one true love.”

“Miss Alvez, did you ever stop and think, that your tales of ‘hearts and flowers’ give women an unrealistic idea of what love is? You’re contributing to their
disappointment by putting men up on a pedestal in your books. You’re creating an image that us real men can’t possibly live up to. I’m honest from day one, no commitment, just fun. Nobody gets hurt. Shoot!”

We drink.

“Anyway, until you have the balls to get up on that stage, I don’t want to hear another peep from you! If you do it, I’ll take every insult you can throw at me, I’ll even buy you a drink to celebrate.”

Challenge accepted, I stand. I’m wobbly on my feet and have to steady myself with the table. I point at Pippa as she finishes her song,

“Pip...I’m singing!”

I shout to her so that she can tell Steve before she sits back down, she knows which song. I’m really quite drunk and will probably sound worse than Pippa, but it’ll be worth it to have free reign to insult Jackson.

I’m singing ‘I’m Yours’ by Jason Mraz. It’s my favourite song and I am pretty confident singing it. Despite the alcohol, I am managing to hold a tune. I notice Jackson lean over and say something to Pippa and then return his gaze to me. Pippa just smiles towards me and nods and I guess that it was some sort of compliment. My confidence is boosted and I’m dancing and singing confidently on the stage.

At the end of the song my confidence is sky high, I have nailed it and I feel elated. I haven’t
sung in so long and it feels like the old me. I’ve forgotten all about my anger towards Jackson, as I’m helped down from the stage by a gorgeous Thai guy and complimented on my performance as I walk back to the table.

I reach Pippa and Jackson. I get a standing ovation from Pippa and I curtsy with a smile, before she pulls me in for a hug and squeals down my ear.

“Impressive Rosie, I believe I owe you a drink. What’s your poison?” Jackson looks both shocked and sincere as he smiles at me, “I’ll take a rain check on the insults though if that’s ok, my ego is bruised enough, you sing better than me.” He winks and stands and looks so good that I swear my mouth actually waters.

“Singha please Jackson.”

I smile, I don’t even want to insult him now. I won. Round one to Rosie Alvez! I turn around and watch him walk towards the bar. He really is a damn fine sight.

Back at the hotel I’m still on top of the world. We had a great night and I can’t even remember why I was so mad at Jackson. He left Pippa and I to enjoy girls’ night after I had sung, saying that he hoped to see us again soon and kissing us both on the cheek. He smelled so fucking amazing and I had to admit to Pip that I would, if he had asked in that moment, have climbed him like a tree!

“Rosie that was by far the coolest thing you have done since the graveyard!” I grimace as I recall the story of my streaking, completely naked, through a graveyard while at university.

“I feel great Pip, I feel like the old me!” I’m really happy.

“Oh sugar pie you seem like the old you, it’s amazing. Jackson was impressed.” She grins and I blush, smiling. I want her to elaborate but don’t want to ask her to…She knows me too well, “He said you were sensational,” I bite my lip, that’s what I wanted to hear, “and he couldn’t take his eyes off you. Mr Chauvinist was smitten!”

With the words, ‘Mr Chauvinist,’ I hit the ground with a bump! I remember why I can’t like him, he’s made it quite clear that he’s a shag and run kind of guy. I’m not that kind of girl.

“Hey, what’s up?” Pippa notices the drop in my mood,

“I was just having a bit of fun Pip, he might have wanted to sleep with me for the five minutes that I was on stage, but I can bet he went home with someone else. I can’t like him Pip, if I do, I’ll get hurt. Tomorrow is a new day, one without Jackson James. Oh,” I groan, “I need water!”

Pippa grabs me a bottle of water from the fridge and flops down on her bed. I have every intention of getting changed, but I can feel my eyelids becoming heavier.

Tomorrow is a new day…

Six

Rosie

Both Pippa and I wake, still wearing the clothes that we wore last night. The remnants of last night’s make-up is trying, but failing to cling to its designated area…We look like a nightmare version of our former selves.

“Ohhh...My head hurts.” Pippa groans as she peels herself up from her mattress.

“I need water.” I reach for the bottle on my bedside table and gulp.

“Do you want to talk about…”

“No!” I interrupt, “I don’t want to think about him and I definitely don’t want to talk about him. New day Philippa, new day!” I look Pip in the eyes and raise my eyebrows, “Beach?”

“Yep, but breakfast first.”

After feeding our hangovers, we walk to the beach in silence, both feeling a little fragile after a breakfast that is refusing to settle. We find our spot on the sand and set up camp. Before long, Pippa is fast asleep with her sun hat over her face. I pop my iPod headphones in my ears and melt into James Morrison, as I attempt to follow suit.

After about ten minutes, I feel rather than see that someone is standing over me. I open my eyes to see a man, maybe about nineteen or twenty. He has a great body and his surf shorts are hanging nice and low on his hips. I look him up and down taking in the view, thank god for sunglasses! I gather myself and take my headphones out.

“Hi,” he smiles a gorgeous white smile and hands me a leaflet. “If you girls are interested, we’re having a little get together on the beach tonight.” He’s Australian...automatic hot points! “Beer, BBQ and music. It’ll be nothing too intense, just a good time!”

“Oh, erm maybe, I’d have to see what my friend thinks,” I turn and glance at Pippa who without removing the hat from her face, bends her arm and points her finger in the air,

“I’m in!” She declares lazily.

“Great, see you there then girls.” Hmm…watching him leave is almost as good as looking at him from the front!

I scrape my hair up into a messy bun. The humidity is not great for my mane, and I resembled something from the lion king less than half an hour ago. I decide to go with below the knee denim shorts, flip flops and a sequinned tunic. Pippa opts for the standard split leg maxi dress, her weapon of choice, but when you have legs like her who can blame her?

We head down to the beach ready to just have fun and let go.

“Girls, you made it!” Oh here he is, Mr way too young for me but sex on legs!

“Yeah, hi. This is Pippa, I’m Rosie.”

“Pippa, hi, you look different without a hat on your face!” he grins, “Rosie, it’s a pleasure. I’m Sean. The beers are over there,” he points, “The food is over there,” he points again, “have fun!”

We’re having a great time. There’s an acoustic guitarist and people are singing along, dancing and having fun. There’s even a girl twirling fire, which is
quite mesmerising after a few drinks. There’s a great mix of nationalities, great food and cold beer, lots of it. I’ve never felt so chilled.

“Getting trashed and meeting the man of your dreams Miss Alvez?” I turn to see Jackson James standing behind me, waiting in line for a beer.

“Something like that Mr James, and you?” I face forward, if I look in those eyes I’ll burn up.

“Something like that!” I fail in my mission to ignore him and turn my face to his. He grins, wow! He is so delicious, and he knows it. “Let me get this.”

“I’m capable of buying myself a drink Jackson.” I snap.

“I don’t doubt it Rosie, but are you capable of accepting one?”

He grins as he pays and raises one eyebrow as if to say, come back from that one Alvez! I can’t help but smile. Annoyingly he’s actually quite charming, but still hideously arrogant. As I walk away to find Pippa, he walks alongside me. I look at him bemused.

“Can I help you with something?” That came out bitchier than intended,

“Oh come on Rosie, give a guy a break. I only want to talk to you.” He smiles and scratches the back of his head. He looks confused, like he’s trying to figure out the last piece of a puzzle.

“Listen Jackson, it’s been a pleasure to meet you, and I can’t thank you enough for your in-depth insight into this fantastic place...But I just want to have some fun with my friend and let my hair down. Thank you for the drink.” I raise the bottle and turn to walk away.

“You won’t find your inspiration like that Miss Alvez!”

He calls after me. I stop in my tracks and turn to face him.

“Excuse me?”

“Look, I’ve been there, writer’s block is a bitch! You need an escape, something to inspire you and then blah blah blah, boom you have a book. You’re a
romance novelist Miss Alvez,” I’m infuriated by this presumptuous man, but he’s right. He steps towards me and I inhale the arousing scent of him, he smells really good. “How do you intend to write about romance, when you don’t know how to give in to it?” He steps even closer. This should be uncomfortably close but I’m standing my ground. I look up and he stares into my eyes, with a glint in his own that ignites something inside me,

“Jackson, my love life isn’t your concern.” My voice is distinctly breathy and he must know that he’s had an effect on me, “Neither for that matter, is my career!”

“Let me make it my concern Miss Alvez, walk with me.” He runs his hand softly down the length of my bare arm and takes my hand. I’m hypnotised.

I am on a beach in Thailand with this arrogant, beautiful man and he’s leading me away... and I’m allowing him to. Where we’re going, I don’t
know, but at this moment I don’t care. My brain and my body are disconnected. I haven’t felt so attracted to anyone in such a long time and I don’t know if it’s the alcohol or the fact that I haven’t had sex for almost a year...that I haven’t had good sex for a heck of a lot longer, but I’m ready for this.  

Jackson leads me along the beach. We’re walking where the water laps at the shore and over our feet. The long tail boats, now silent and tethered, bob up and down in a hypnotic dance on the waves. He leads me up the sand to a high wall, the light from the restaurant above, where we all ate last night, casting a glow over the still water. ‘
Here?
’ I question internally, ‘
People can see!’

“Sit Miss Alvez!” Jackson gestures towards the sand.

“What exactly do you have in mind Mr James?” I ask, almost disappointedly, as I realise that it’s clearly not what I was hoping for.

“Just sit, and watch.”

We sit quietly. My senses are heightened by the alcohol and I can smell the aromas of the food, floating down from the restaurant above. I can hear the laughter of the diners and the gentle music, but despite the noise, I feel serene. The sea is like glass and the moonlight shining on it makes me feel at peace.

After a few moments, a couple holding hands walk down the sand towards the ocean, they don’t see us and I’m certain this is why Jackson chose this spot, pervert!

The man turns his girl to face him and he kisses her, deeply, intensely. She throws her arms around his neck and they could be the only two people in the world...if they didn’t have an audience!

I wonder where this is going to go as I’m no voyeur, but in the next moment the man drops to one knee. Her hands come up to her face in shock and I sit forward and gasp,

“He’s proposing!”

My voice is choked. I don’t know these people, but I’m sharing this intimate moment and it’s beautiful. Jackson leans towards me and nudges my shoulder with his,

“Romance, Rosie….”

I can’t help but smile as we walk back slowly along the sand. Jackson explains how he’d met the guy in the restaurant last night, while his now fiancée was using the bathroom. He had looked pale and nervous, and Jackson went over to ask if he was ok. He explained to Jackson that he was going to propose on the beach the next night, and that looking down at the spot from the terrace was making it all very real. Jackson had bought him a drink and wished him luck, before leaving to join us at Presley’s.

We reach the BBQ and Pippa is dancing with two men by the fire. She sees me and smiles, but there’s no way she’s leaving her new companions. Jackson gets me another beer and sits on the sand next to me

“That wasn’t exactly what I expected.” I blush.

“What were you expecting exactly?” He glances at me and hands me a bottle.

“Erm, honestly, I thought you wanted me...” I giggle and scrunch up my nose in embarrassment.

“Oh!” He laughs “I do Rosie, I really really do!” He takes a deep breath and looks at me with the same hunger that I saw in his eyes last night, “But you made it perfectly clear how you feel about me, so I figured it wasn’t worth trying.” He grins. He knows full well how I feel about him.

I smile at Jackson and then out to sea before sipping my beer. So much for ‘Tomorrow is a new day’.

***

“Morning Sunshine!” Pippa is chirpy today. “So, feeling inspired yet Alvez? Ready to spill?” She dives on the bottom of my bed like she did when we were teenagers, gossiping about boys we had kissed.

“Pip nothing happened. We talked, we drank, and that’s all!” I grimace, she’s certain there’s more. “Pippa he fancies himself more than me!” I try to play it cool but my smile gives away the fact that I like him.

“Rosie, if I looked like him I’d fancy myself too! Come on, breakfast and then pool!”

Despite my annoyance at her wake up call, Pippa knows me so well...Spending time with Jackson last night has actually left me feeling quite inspired. I decide to take my laptop down to the pool with me. I get a frown from my best friend at the sight of it but just smile.

“Two birds, one stone Carvalho!”

I am writing...Hallelujah!

Ok so it’s not making a lot of sense yet, and it’s more a bunch of different ideas than a story, but it’s a start! My tummy rumbles and I check my phone.

“Pip it’s almost twelve. Do you fancy a bite?”

“Yeah ok Rosie, will Mr Sony be joining us?” She sarcastically refers to my laptop, “You’ve been tapping away all morning.”

“How would you bloody know? You’ve been snoring your head off.”

She laughs and I put Mr Sony down under my towel and head into the pool. We’re eating at the pool bar…well, we are on holiday!

After lunch I decide to go up to the room to write. I love the sun but it’s the middle of the day and it’s almost unbearably hot, air conditioning and a cold Fanta are required. Pippa has decided to go to the seven eleven near the hotel. She wants hydro cortisone cream because she’s been bitten by a mosquito…one bite, compared to my fifty! Ok I actually only have about eight but they itch like crazy.

When whirlwind Carvalho bursts into the room about an hour later she is like a kid at Christmas.

“Rosetta Alvez, I would be delighted if you would accompany me on a double date this evening!” I look at her like she has completely lost it, “I bumped into Sven and Sebastian, The shexy shvedes from last night.” She’s gone a bit Sean Connery, the girl is mad! “They want to take us out, dinner then party, and then who the hell knows what!” She shimmies and bites her lip, excited at the prospect of ticking Sweden off her world map of conquests.

“Pip babe, I’m kind of on a roll…you go. I’m sure you can handle the both of them, but take your phone!” I give my best friend the
‘be careful’
look that she knows all too well.

“Ahh Rosie,” She tries to sound disappointed at the idea of going it alone, but I know her too
well. “Well, if you’re sure!” and with a wink she grabs me and pulls me off my bed. “Pool bar!”

***

Jackson

“Pippa, it’s wonderful to see you again. Where’s the lovely Rosie?”

I bump into Pippa walking in the opposite direction to me, with two young blonde guys that look completely lost in her company.

“Hi Jackson,” she kisses me on the cheek, “Rosie is back at the hotel. It would seem she found some inspiration!” She smiles at me in a way that tell me that she thinks I’ve had something to do with it.

“You mean to tell me you’re taking care of those two boys all alone? I don’t know whether to be jealous of them or worried for their safety,” I feel it’s actually a little of both.

“Ha! The latter Mr James!” Pippa laughs and I don’t doubt that she’s right.

“I’ll leave you to your evening Pippa. Oh by the way, where are you staying? Just out of travel writer’s interest!” I can’t help but smile,

“Oh of course Mr James,” that grin again “Pakasai Resort, I’m sure you know it! Night Jackson.”

I do know it. I may just have to stop by, in the interest of gathering information of course.