Chapter 27 — One Step Forward, Two Steps Back
Natasha’s POV:
I stared at Wade with my mouth open. He couldn’t be serious. “You can’t be serious!” I said, my conversation with Jude already forgotten.
“Oh, but I am.”
“But Wade, when? How? This just does not make any sense!”
“It makes perfect sense Natasha, we both have lost a parent, we both value love and both of us are the kind of people who would marry for love and both of us are capable of loving our better half more than ourselves.”
“Wade, I—”
“Shhh don’t, don’t knock it till you’ve tried it!” Wade walked towards me and leaned close, his mouth was near my ear. My heartbeats accelerated as he moved his face in front of mine, one hand encased my hand and he took my cell phone and disconnected.
“Haha,” he guffawed, “that will give him something to think about!”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean that if you so completely bought the story of me falling for you then so has Jude!”
I hit him on his chest and said, “Don’t you scare me like that ever again!” He just laughed.
“Oh hey remember to take your jacket from me.”
“huh speaking of which, what was Jude’s reaction to that?”
I tried to imitate Jude, ‘I’ll buy you one” and both of us collapsed laughing. We quickly finished our lunch and then Wade looked at me his eyes shining mischievously.
“Let's go.”
“Where?”
“I am buying you a jacket.”
“What? No!”
“Yes.”
“No!”
“Er Natasha yes we are going to so don’t argue.”
We started walking to a mall that was close by. I was sulking a little, both these cousins were so annoying! They both wanted to get their way all the time and what was more annoying was that they usually got it.
“You look cute when you pout.”
“I am not pouting!”
“Yes you are”
“Argh! Look we can just go to my old place and pick my jacket. We don’t need to buy a new one!”
“Nope the old jacket won’t do the trick like the new one would!”
“What do you mean?”
“What I mean is I am going to have soooooooo much fun when I see Jude’s reaction to your new jacket!”
“Oh you are so immature” but I couldn’t help smiling too.
“Ok so what do you like here?”
We were standing in a United Colors of Benetton store and so far I didn’t see anything I liked.
“Nothing”
“Oh my God you are so fussy!” said Wade wiping his brow dramatically, I glared at him and he smiled back.
“Ok, ok, let’s get out of here, where do you want to go?”
“If you had listened to me from first Wade by now we would’ve bought my jacket and been out of here in no time!”
“Oh alright let’s go to Zara”
I smirked and got out of the shop and headed towards Zara. I saw a lovely fawn colored jacket and fell in love with it immediately. I picked it up and tried it on.
“That looks good”
“I know right. Ok, let's go, I found what I was looking for.”
“Huh? You mean you aren’t going to try like another 15 jackets and eventually pick up the one you saw first?” asked Wade in mock horror. I started laughing and said, “No, when I see something I like that’s it. I don’t second guess every decision I take!”
“Oh Natasha please marry me! Please, please, please, please!”
“Wade shut up!”
I looked around blushing. Quite a few people were staring at us. I was really embarrassed!
“Marry him!” yelled a girl who was standing near us. “Say yes or I’ll ask him out!”
A group of teenage girls giggled and looked at Wade appreciatively. Ok I may not be marrying Wade but I sure as hell wasn’t going to let those girls ogle at him or ask him out. Wade was however in the mood to make life more difficult for me. He went down on his knee and held out the jacket to me and said, “Marry me.”
“Wade get up!”
“Say yes!” chorused a lot of people most of them girls. Some of them gave me the ‘are you insane?!’ look. I rolled my eyes and decided to play along, “Of course I will marry you!”
Wade got up as a lot of people cheered us on and bowed as if he had just performed on a show. As we got out of the store I smacked him on his head.
“Ow! What was that for?”
“For embarrassing me like that”
“Oh come on they all thought I was adorable and that you should totally marry me!”
“And why should I marry you?”
"'cause I would keep you really happy and you and I would make the most gorgeous babies in the world!”
“Wade!”
“What? It is true.”
As we walked to his car I found myself imagining a life with Wade.
We got into the car and I thought, what if? What would life be with Wade. He was cute, adorable, and he absolutely would make an adoring husband. He loved and respected his mother and he would keep his wife on a pedestal. I found myself smiling as I thought about how lucky his wife would be.
“Earth to Tasha.”
“Sorry I spaced out.”
“I know, were you thinking of making babies with me?”
He laughed as I blushed and said, “No!”
‘Oh well it's too much fun hassling you.”
“Jerk”
“Ah now you’re hurting me” he placed a hand on his heart.
“Dramatist” I muttered rolling my eyes.
“Oh did I mention that I would be staying for dinner?”
“No you did not”
“Well I just did!”
“That’s cool. What do you want to eat?”
“What has Mrs. Bower cooked?”
“Oh I asked her not to cook anything today because I figured since I was doing nothing I would cook”
“oooooohhhh,” said Wade smiling like an imp.
“uh I don’t like the look you have in your eyes Wade”
“It will be so much fun when Jude comes in and finds us both cooking together. Which reminds me, he hasn’t called back has he?”
“Nope” I said dejectedly, “don’t you think we have annoyed him enough for the day?”
“Has he confessed his love for you?”
“What? No!”
“Then nope, it's not enough.”
I sighed and resigned myself to Wade’s schemes. I hope it just does not backfire on me.
“So what do you wanna eat?”
“I was thinking... let's have a three-course meal, we’ll have garlic bread and garlic mushroom for starters with grilled chicken, chicken curry and rice and for desert we will buy vanilla ice cream and make chocolate mousse. How does that sound?”
Wade stared at me open mouthed “Please marry me” he pleaded and I laughed. Oh God I was going to have to put up with a lot of please marry me.
“Do we have everything we need at home?”
“Yeah almost, we just have to buy the ice cream and chocolate and fresh cream. Yep. That’s about it.”
“Ok let's get started. We stopped at a dairy and bought what we needed and headed home. I entered the living room and kicked of my shoes and as usual placed them on the shoe rack. Wade kicked off his shoes and I groaned internally. He was like Jude in so many ways and yet he was so different! I quietly placed his shoe on the shoe rack as he kept the ice cream in the freezer.
“Ok, where do we begin?”
“Oh you don’t have to actually help Wade I will do it on my own”
“Nope I am going to help and then Jude will walk in on us all angry and jealous”
“Oh God” I said placing my head in my hands
“Oh come on Tasha and Wadey’s day of funnnnnn,” he said imitating Janet from F.R.I.E.N.D.S. I laughed at that and started ordering around. Wade took off his T shirt and I gulped. Oh God I thought as I glanced away why on earth do the boys of this family have to be so freaking gorgeous!
“Wh-why aren’t you wearing your T shirt?” I asked.
“What and get it dirty while cooking? No thanks, I’d like to cook like this unless—” he grinned mischievously at me, “unless it's difficult for you to concentrate on cooking. After all, the food has to be perfect!”
I gasped at his audacity and threw a tomato at his head. “Wear your T-shirt or Jude might jump to conclusions!”
“What conclusions?”
“Well you know that we were er we were doing the hanky panky!” I said borrowing Sean’s words.
“Boy you and Sean should take classes together. It's called—”
“Oh ok, I know what it's called, let's not go there.”
“Alright” laughed Wade.
“So err wear your t shirt I will get you an apron”
“Ok! I got my 15 seconds of fame, I saw you perving on me by the way”
“I wasn’t!” I said blushing
“Yeah keep saying that”
I opened a cabinet and found two aprons. I handed one to Wade and took one for myself. The one on Wade’s said ‘kiss the cook’ while mine was a plain blue one.
“Yeah that’s not corny at all’ said Wade pointing to his apron as I giggled and blew him a kiss which he pretended to catch.
“Ok Wade I need you to chop onions, garlic and puree the tomatoes”
“At your service ma’am!” he said clicking his heels and mock saluting me.
I tied my hair up in a knot and got started. I had a lot to get ready before Jude got home.
Jude’s POV:
I was sitting at my desk and the team that had been assigned to me was discussing our project while I could only think of what Wade had told Natasha. He had fallen for her? Seriously? She was so not his type! Yes she is, said that super annoying voice in my head. Wade had always fallen for sensitive and sensible girls unlike Jude. Jude went or used to go only for looks until he had met Stephanie not that it meant Stephanie was not beautiful, she was gorgeous. I couldn’t concentrate on anything! I had wanted to call Natasha back as soon as she had disconnected my call but I had controlled the impulse. After all what right did I have over her? Well she has to be careful, we have a contract, a non-verbal but binding contract.
If she’s seen around with Wade tongues were gonna wag and it would create unnecessary complications and we didn’t what that right? Right. That’s all it was I told myself smiling in relief.
“Sir? Do you think that’s ok?”
Uh oh I wasn’t even paying attention to what he was saying. “I am sorry Fred but could you repeat that?”
“Sir, I was thinking, instead of keeping four different entrances let's keep three. It minimizes security risk and plus we need to have emergency exits so if we keep four main entrances it would be a bit too much.”
I nodded and said, “What do you suggest?” he beamed at me and started talking eagerly, he reminded me of my eagerness as an intern.
“One entrance that would lead in from the parking lot, one front entrance and one back entrance”
“Well that makes sense as they aren’t building a huge mall”
“Exactly my point sir” Fred said looking at his peers smugly.
“Ok well Fred get on it I need to see the basement’s layout plan tomorrow ok?”
Fred nodded happily and went out of my cabin. I loved my office; it had a beautiful view of a garden that surrounded the building premises. I decided to call for lunch and buzzed for my secretary.
“Yes Mr. Smith?”
“Rosaline call me Jude, Mr. Smith is my dad” I said smiling.
“Oh right. Did you want something Mr. Jude?”
“Yes, ask someone to get me corned beef sandwich and a can of Pepsi, please”
“Sure, would you like anything else?”
“Nope that’s about it for now”
“Very well” she said and walked out.
I looked at the pile of papers that needed my attention but all I could think of what Natasha must’ve said to Wade. Damn it! I wished I had heard her reply before she hung up on me. I mean I had been so excited to tell her about my day and she just hung up on me! I sighed and picked up my phone.
“Hey Steph”
“Jude! This is a surprise.”
“Yeah what are you doing?”
“Nothing”
“What’s wrong? You sound low.”
“I er I broke up with Nick”
“What? Oh wow, how did this happen?”
“Nothing, I couldn’t take his cheating ways anymore”
Seriously? She was acting all righteous about cheating? Then I chided myself, I was going to give her chance and if she left Nick because he cheated it meant that she was mending her ways wasn’t she?
“Jude, are you going to really go ahead and marry Natasha? I mean I need to know that I am not living in false hopes”
I sighed and said, “Meet me tomorrow for lunch and I’ll explain it to you”
“How about tonight for dinner?”
I thought over it. That wasn’t half a bad idea, I could get her to meet Natasha at home and we could explain things in the privacy of my home. I couldn’t marry Stephanie my father would disown me. Hell, after all that she had put our family through, after that horrifying period where I was drinking and sleeping around; if I chose to marry the girl who was the reason for my downfall once they’d kill me. Nope, I had to make it look like I tried to make it work with Natasha and it didn’t and that Stephanie and I were soul mates. Yep, it was a brilliant plan or so I thought.
“Ok, meet me at 8 at my place.”
“Will do.”
I hung and thought, She broke up with that scumbag! I was so happy, finally everything was falling into place.
Natasha’s POV:
I stared at the awkwardly chopped onions and garlic. The poor things looked like they had been butchered and Wade stood over them proud of himself and sniffling into a napkin because the onions were really pungent.
“Er Wade what have you tried to do?”
“What? They are beautifully chopped.”
“I couldn’t care less! I needed them to be finely chopped!”
“Well you could’ve said something!” I smacked my forehead with the palm of my hand and said, “Sorry my bad”
“It's ok,” he said sniffing prudishly.
I grabbed a wooden spatula and smacked his butt. “Hey!” he said rubbing where I had hit him, “I know you can’t resist me but hands off my derriere please!”
“Oh you are so full of yourself” I said giggling helplessly.
“Ok” he said rubbing his hands, “What else can I do?”
“Er you can watch while I cook”
“Oh but I want to help” I sighed as I contemplated, if I let him help me it as going to be a disaster so I decided to give him small things to do like pass me the salt for example.
“Ok wait back and the moment I say pass something pass t without asking questions ok?”
“Pass, no questions, ok” he replied robotically.
I got to salvaging the onions and garlic that Wade had ‘chopped.’ I put a pan on the gas and sautéed the onions and garlic in butter, I then added the diced mushrooms, a pinch of salt and let it simmer. I chopped the garlic in fine pieces, took some butter out and let the butter melt. I then mixed the chopped garlic and butter and left it aside. I would toast the bread when Jude would come and serve it fresh with the garlic butter. I then took another shallow pan out and again fried onions till they were brown, added the tomato puree to it and a little ginger garlic paste. I let this paste cook well and then added coconut milk. I then put the chicken in the mix added a cup or two of water, salt to taste, and a little red chili powder and let it simmer. I decided to make herb rice and got started on it as well. By now the garlic mushrooms were done, I tasted it, it was perfect! Wade tried putting his hand in the dish but I slapped it away.
“OW! I was just tasting!”
“Well, wait till dinner is served.”
“Hey, I helped to cook that.”
“Yeah, by passing me the salt, oil, butter, chilies, etc.”
“Hey! I kept them back as well”
“Oops, how could I forget that important detail?”
He growled at me and I laughed. “Hold on, you will be eating it soon enough!”
By now the curry and rice was ready too. Everything was done except for the chocolate mousse. I glanced at the watch. I had spent three hours in the kitchen! Wow, time flew when I was with Wade.
I started melting the chocolate for the mousse. Jude would be here in 30 minutes. He had told me he would be coming early. By now Wade sneaked up on me and dipped his hand in the molten chocolate.
“Wade!”
“What?” he asked licking his fingers and wiggling his eyebrows at me.
“Would you quit putting your hands into every dish?”
“oh my God,” he said licking the chocolate off his fingers, "you have to try eating chocolate like this. Its way yummier” I stuck my tongue out at him. I was about to mix the fresh cream with the chocolate when he yelled, “Wait!” I almost dropped the dish.
"What’s wrong?” I asked, my heart was still thumping wildly.
"Remove some chocolate aside for later.”
I rolled my eyes and dumped some molten chocolate in a small bowl, though I had to agree with Wade licking off molten chocolate somehow made the chocolate taste even yummier!
Finally it was done. I put the mousse in the fridge to set while Wade sat on the counter licking chocolate from the bowl. I quickly set the dinner table and sat down exhausted.
Suddenly Wade perked up and said, “Natasha come here”
“What happened?”
“Ask no questions, come here!”
I went to where he was sitting on the kitchen counter and put my hands on my hips and asked “What?”
“Taste this,” he held out his pointer finger covered in chocolate.
“What?”
“Come on.”
“Oh, this feels wrong in so many ways.”
He rolled his eyes and said, “Quick!”
I dipped my hand in the bowl and was about to lick my fingers when Wade pulled my hand and licked my fingers at the same time I heard the front door open. I tried pulling my finger back but Wade wouldn’t let go.
“Hmmmmmmmmmmm, you’re right, Tasha. It does taste yummier.” my eyes widened as I realized what he was doing. I shook my head frantically, but he just smiled back mischievously.
“hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm,” he made the sound again.
And then THUD. We turned to see Jude standing near the kitchen looking furious. I did a little victory dance in my mind. I looked down to see what he had dropped and it seemed like he had dropped takeaway food.
“Oh Jude!” I said in mock surprise, while Wade shook with suppressed laughter. Jude glanced down to where Wade had his arm around my waist and I saw his jaw clench. Then he took a deep breath.
“Yep, it's me, oh hi Wade,” he said as if only just noticing Wade was here too.
“Hi” said Stephanie stepping into the room. I looked at her in shock then at Jude and then at Wade. Wade seemed as lost as I was feeling.
He stared at Stephanie open mouthed. Then suddenly as if he had just realized he could talk he said, “What is she doing here?”
“I invited her for dinner, but I only got dinner for 3,” Jude said looking pointedly at Wade.
“Well it doesn’t matter” I spoke up, “because Wade and I cooked.”
“Wade cooked?” Jude asked disbelievingly.
“Hey! I helped,” Wade said indignantly.
“Yes he did” I smiled. I quickly got out all the food and laid it on the table. I toasted a few slices of bread and put garlic butter on it. Soon we were all sitting at the dining table. Stephanie had only been staring around and not looking at anyone at all. I caught her exchange a few looks with Jude but that was all.
Just as we were about to begin eating, Jude said, “I have something important to say” I looked at Wade nervously and licked my lips, my heart was thudding so loudly I was sure they could hear it. Was he going to call off our engagement now? Was he going to call off the wedding? I felt close to tears and felt like a fool for even thinking that Jude had been jealous. It seemed like whenever I took a step forward at the end of the day I ended up two steps back.