Celebrity Liaison Ch. 09

'I'm still on my vacation days Liv,' I mumbled.

'Not here for work. I'm here for you.'

'That's nice,' I muttered sarcastically.

'I take it you and Reese are over?'

I nodded very slightly.

'I'm sorry,' she said taking a seat next to me.

'It happened very suddenly.'

'At least you have Natalie,' Olivia said with a slight smile.

I didn't answer. I didn't even acknowledge the comment.

'Fucking hell Jason. At least have the decency to look at me when I talk to you.'

'I don't need a damn lecture Olivia, least of all from my secretary. I made my decision but then realized I couldn't have it,' I grumbled.

'I'm not here as your secretary Jason. I'm here as a friend. And trust me, Reese will always be a friend.'

I stood up to show her the door when she said.

'She called the office a couple of hours ago. Said to tell me to tell you that she's leaving for LA today.'

This grabbed my attention and I suddenly gained my voice again. 'Why the hell didn't you say anything earlier?'

'She said to tell you after she left.'

'And when's that?'

'Don't worry, she's leaving in the evening.'

'Good. I thought I was going to have to do one of those clichéd romance movie thing where I run through the airport to meet her. I'm going to her apartment.'

Olivia leapt past me and grabbed the keys to my car. 'You're not driving. You look like you can't even boil a pot of coffee at the moment. I'll drive.'

Olivia made shockingly poor time whilst driving. But we did eventually get there. Conversation had been rather mute. When she parked the car, I just sat there. She turned to me and said.

'Are you actually going to make it work with Natalie or is this a case of "if Reese can't have me, no one can" '.

'One step at a time Liv.'

'Want my advice?'

'Not really but I get the feeling I'm going to receive it anyway.'

Olivia smiled and said. 'Don't turn this meeting into anything. Just say goodbye.'

I returned the smile and got out of the car. I stopped and poked my head back in and said.

'Liv?'

'Yeah Jason.'

'Thanks.'

'Do I get a raise? After all, I did only reduce your moping down to less than 12 hours.'

'No raise. But you get the rest of the day off.'

'I already have the day off. In case you forgot, you're on vacation.'

'Don't you have to answer the phones and organize my things though?'

Olivia chuckled before slamming the door closed. I looked behind me to see Reese's building. I slowly made my way up.

I stood at her door trying to compose myself when it suddenly swung open. Reese's young daughter Ava stood in the doorway looking at me.

'Mommy's angry with you,' she said innocently.

'She isn't the first. Where is she?'

'Inside.'

I looked inside and for a moment, I contemplated going back downstairs but I remained strong.

'So you guys going back home later today?'

'Yep. Mommy said she forgot about some things.'

'I'm sure she did. Can I come in?'

Ava just nodded and ran back to the couch in front of the TV.

'Where is-'

'Bedroom,' she quickly said.

I made my way through the apartment and found Reese packing her things. She still had her back turned to me. I spoke first.

'If you could, would you abandon your career and lifestyle for little old me?'

Reese turned around slowly. She hadn't been crying but I could tell she was still sad. She looked at me for a moment before replying.

'I would.'

A faint smile spread across my face. 'Now I feel like a jerk.'

'Why?'

'Because I'm not willing to abandon mine.'

'You shouldn't have to,' she said softly as she returned to packing her things.

We both were silent for almost 30 seconds. I watched as she packed and she didn't turn around.

'I can wait-'

This got her attention and she quickly interrupted me and looked up. 'No. If you wait, then you'll be waiting for a long time. At least until my kids are grown up. You shouldn't put everything on hold for me. You have a great life here in New York, a kind loving girlfriend and in the end, that's all you could hope for. It's just a shame that I'm not the girlfriend.'

I paused for a moment before saying. 'I chose you.'

She looked up once more. I continued. 'I love Natalie, but in the end, my love for you is stronger.'

Reese chuckled quietly before saying. 'We're at a busy time in our lives, both of us. And we gotta work with what we got,'

She approached me slowly. I slid my arm around her waist and pulled her close to me. She raised her hands to my chest but didn't do anything. She looked very gloomy at that moment. I longingly ran my hand up her side and grazed her breast through the thin material of her blouse.

She smiled before stepping back. She raised her hand to my chest again but this time she tidied up my shirt and jacket. 'I want you to go home, and I want you to make it work with Natalie. Love each other, hell, get married, and squeeze out a few.'

I laughed loudly. 'Squeeze out a few? Please Reese, your kids sometimes annoy the hell out of me. I can't handle a dog not to mention kids.'

'Be nice.'

We both just smiled at each other. I could see her tearing up again.

'You need a lift to the airport later on?'

'We'll be fine thanks.'

'I just wanted to stop by. So unless you're willing to give me break- up sex, I have to get going,' I said as I wiped a tear from her cheek.

Reese laughed. 'Not today mister.'

I exited the room slightly less depressed than I was when I entered. I was almost at the door when I turned around to see Reese follow me. I smiled and said.

'You know. I'm a hopeless romantic.'

'I know.'

'So let's make a deal. When Deacon over there turns 21, if we're still both single. I'll throw aside my pen and New York lifestyle and you throw away those Oscars and Golden Globes and we get married.'

Reese laughed loudly at the idea. Where would we stay, LA or the Big Apple?'

'Well by then, you'll have no kids to deal with or movies to make so you can come over here.'

'But then again, you'll have so many ex- girlfriends that you'll have to move to LA,' she quickly said with a laugh.

'What do you say when, and if, the time comes, we flip a coin.'

Reese laughed again and nodded in agreement. 'So does that mean we're engaged?'

'Only if we're still single by then.'

'Gosh I hope I'm not still single by then. I'd almost be fifty when Deacon turns 21.'

I headed for the door once more, this time with a large smile on my face.

'Deacon, Ava, take care of your mom for me.'

'We will,' both kids said in unison.

And with that, I left the apartment and didn't look back.

There was a long drive to Long Island from there. Olivia continued to come with me. Although I knew she was dying to know what happened. She knew that this wasn't something I was going to talk about. So instead, she and I just chatted about everyday things. I was more satisfied than happy with my situation. When we finally arrive at Natalie's house. Once again I didn't want to get out the car. But then I saw Keira Knightley stumble out happily like it was her own house. I basically leapt out the car and ran up to her.

'Shouldn't you be in LA by now?' I asked.

'Jason! Haven't seen you since that exodus from your office yesterday. How's Reese?'

'Leaving for LA later this afternoon.'

'Didn't work out? What happened?'

'Different lifestyles.'

Keira almost laughed. 'Isn't that the reason you and Nat broke up the first time?'

'Yep,' I said in a melancholy tone.

'But you were making it work weren't you?'

'Yeah but there was a big aspect of freedom and independence about our relationship. But with Reese living in LA, it just wouldn't work.'

'I'm sorry Jason.'

'Yeah, me too. Is Nat in there?'

'Yep. I ditched Mike not long after I left the office and talked to her. She let me stay the night.'

'What'd you say?'

'Don't worry, my words were very kind towards you but I think she knows that we've struck up a friendship so she probably doesn't trust me as much as she use to.'

'I gotta go in their and straighten everything out. I'll talk to you about your situation after.'

Keira looked baffled. 'What situation?'

'With Mike. I can't let you go around sleeping with my co- workers.'

Keira laughed. 'Don't worry. There aren't many lookers at the Daily News.'

'You can come in the house you know.'

'No, I'm leaving the battlefield for you and Nat. I'm going to chat with Olivia.'

I approached the front door before turning around and asking.

'She's not that pissed off at me is she?'

Keira just raised an eyebrow at me before talking with Olivia. I entered the door and saw Natalie in the lounge room looking out the window. Without looking at me, she said.

'I don't know why I've stuck with you for this long.'

'Yeah, me neither.'

Natalie chuckled quietly. 'So can I ask what happened yesterday when I came to the office?'

I paused for a long time before simply saying. 'I chose you.'