Chapter Thirteen

Jesse didn’t know how but she made it to her apartment paid the driver and slammed the door shut behind her. Shaking she pulled her clothes off and headed to the shower as she needed to get ready for work.

Was she an idiot for running?, she felt so awful but something was suffocating her inside of her? She knew Jon would be worried and devastated to find out she had gone, but she just got such a fright. Starting to regret leaving so soon instead of just telling him, she let the hot needles of the shower pound down on her to try and relax her. She dried herself and dressed quickly wanting to get to the office; at least Jon didn’t know where that was so there was no chance of him turning up there today.

She just had to think straight for a minute.

After Richie left Jon sat at his apartment in disbelief. He knew he should just leave her and wait for her to calm down and hopefully realize it was ok to feel what she was feeling. What if she didn’t? What if she didn’t and didn’t come back to him? Jon didn’t want to even think about that possibility. He hoped that she still wanted to do Steph’s birthday present as that would give him an excuse to contact her if she didn’t.

He decided he needed to get to the gym and work off some frustrations; this reminded him of the mornings that he’d wake up after arguing with Dot all night and needed to get out and get release. But this was different this time. He needed release not from anger. He had so many feelings building up inside him. He hadn’t felt this way in a long time, usually things were so black and white with Jon, and he was used to being in control of the situation but this was one where he couldn’t take control and risk losing her, he just had to wait and let her make a move of some sorts and hopefully come around. He packed his bag, changed and headed for the gym hoping this would give him the release he needed from his own pent up emotions.

The day was slow and painful for Jesse, it was past lunchtime and she couldn’t concentrate on anything, her assistant George had noticed that she was somewhat distracted and Jesse just blamed it on lack of sleep to stop him from pressing her more.

She sat there in a daze recalling the last night’s events, the smell of him, the feeling of being flesh to flesh with a man, the feeling of his body wrapped around her own, it had comforted her more than anything had in the last six months. Why did she run out on it then?
Her thoughts were interrupted by her desk phone ringing.

“Hello” she answered it

“Hey you” Kia’s cheery voice came across the line. Jesse smiled feeling tears brim to her eyes, her friend always had impeccable timing like she knew she needed her.

“Hey” Jesse said making sure her door was shut tight.

“So how is Mr Rockstar” she teased, Jesse was silent, feeling the tear that had threatened her cheek escape down her cheek.

“Jess?” Kia asked worried “What’s he done?” she asked thinking the worst.

“He hasn’t done anything, he’s been the perfect gentleman” Jesse explained the whole nights events right down to the sleeping in his bed and her quick exit the next morning.

“Oh Jess, honey, I am sorry” Kia said

“I’m an idiot; he probably is thinking that about now too. I just felt so, I don’t know how to even explain it, I know its not cheating on Jason but it’s just, I don’t know” she added tapping her pen down on the desk.

“Its ok, I understand and you know I bet Jon does as well. It was always going to be like this no matter who you first slept with, even if it was just in the literal sense” Kia explained.

“I really like him Kia, I really do but I am just so out of practice to all this” she admitted

“Tell him that, he’s probably worried that you don’t, he seems like a decent guy”

Kia had to admit she’d been impressed from the beginning when he’d looked after her to when he was totally fine to share a bed with her without sex. That spoke volumes to Kia already about Jon and she hardly knew him. But she knew Jesse.

“Kia I have to go but did you want to come around tonight? I don’t want to be alone for a bit” Jesse said.

“Sure Hun, I will swing by after six we can talk then and till then don’t worry” Kia said trying to reassure her friend.

“I’ll try” Jesse said not convincing.

After they hung up Kia sat in her office of the modest publishing house she worked in. She picked up her cell phone and went to incoming calls, she had Jon’s cell phone number right here from when he gave it to her the other night he took Jesse home. She was never one to get involved in Jesse’s business but she knew her friend needed a little nudge right now. After deliberating whether this was a good idea she hit call and the number connected taking a deep breath.

Jon had just finished at the gym and felt half better than he did when he arrived, his mind was still fully occupied with the woman who shared his bed last night, he had to focus, he had a trip to prepare for, and he needed to see the kids this afternoon; he climbed into the car and was about to start the ignition when his cell phone rang not recognizing the number he questioned whether he should answer it, unless it was Jesse, but how did she get his number?

“Hello?” he asked warily as once too often a fan had got hold of his number and rang him.

“Jon?” a female voice asked him that sounded a little familiar.

“Ah yeah, who is this?” he asked

“It’s Kia, Jesse’s friend” Jon immediately replied

“Kia – hey” he said wondering why she would be calling him

“Is everything ok, with Jesse?” he asked concerned worried that was the reason she was calling.

“Jess is fine, well she’s ok, Jon, listen I don’t usually do this but you know the situation, and I am worried Jesse is tormenting herself that she’s screwed up whatever connection you both had. Jon breathed a huge sigh of relief

“No, hell no, she hasn’t at all, I have been so worried about her since she left – did she tell you what happened?” Jon asked before continuing.

“Yeah she told me, she feels really bad about it, as in leaving so suddenly, but you know why she did?” Kia asked to test to see how intuitive Jon was to her friends needs.

“She thinks she’s cheating on her husband in a kind of a way doesn’t she, and she’s scared” he added. Kia smiled. He did have her nailed.

“Yip, that’s it. Jon without saying too much, we’ve been so worried about Jess, she’s taken this really hard with Jason dying, as anyone would, and slumped and was so low till just recently, but she puts up a brave front to the rest of the world. But in the last six months, I have never heard her sound half as happy as she did after you had breakfast with her the other morning” Kia admitted. Jon also then realized Jesse obviously felt comfortable with him as she'd been able to share her emotions freely with him.

“Kia, I am so relieved to hear you say this, I was so worried I had blown it, I really care about her, even though I have only known her two days” Jon admitted, it was crazy.

“I know Jon, and that’s why I called. Now she is expecting me at her place at six tonight, but I suggest that you show up instead of me” Kia said.

“Are you sure?” Jon asked not wanting to push Jesse.

“I am sure, you’ll thank me for it later” she chuckled.

“Alright I will do it” he confirmed taking trust her friend knew her better than he did right now.

“Hang in there Jon, she’s worth the wait” Kia said before hanging up the call.

She was right, she certainly was. Jon flipped shut his phone, a smile threatening to break out on his face as he pulled out from the gym carpark to head to see his kids.