Page 15 of Safer Together
“I’m Elliot Sands. Nice to meet you, Sandra.” He takes her hand in his and gives it a kiss on the back above the knuckles. What the hell Elliot, you generally do that to me. Looking across at Jenny she looks hurt, wondering why she didn’t receive the same treatment. That’s nothing compared to the anger that has just started to simmer under the surface of my skin.
“Ah, the purchaser of Belle Meade Homestead if I’m not mistaken. Angie, I didn’t know you were bringing one of your clients to dinner,” looking at me awaiting an explanation.
I’ve got nothing, I don’t want to rant and possibly lose my job, I’ve worked too hard to get comfortable. Damn jealousy, why did you decide to rear your ugly head tonight.
“You’re right Sandra. Elliot did purchase the Belle Meade Homestead, but he isn’t here as a client of Angela’s. No, this is actually her boyfriend” James seems more than happy to set the story right, saying his piece he walks away back towards the tables, taking a seat.
“I didn’t know you had a boyfriend, Angela.”
I give a completely over the top fake smile. “Well, surprise. I do, and here he is in the flesh,”
I excuse myself and walk away, straight towards James, taking the seat next to him.
“What the hell was that?”
“What was what?” he bites back, we stare at each other, neither willing to give an inch.
“You know damn well what I am talking about. Bringing up my parents.”
He shrugs, taking a draw from his beer bottle. “What do you want me to say, Ange, I’m sorry? Because I am. I guess I now know why you turned me down all of those times. You were waiting for him to come along.” He lifts his shoulders in a shrug and continues, “We have been friends for years and you keep something like this from me?”
I can see his point, there it is, he is hurt. “It’s not as though you didn’t know I was bringing someone. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you who he was, James. It’s just so new, and you know I never wanted to ruin our friendship. That’s why I never took things to the next level with you, and here you are making things worse. As for Elliot, I didn’t want to tell anyone about him, as deep down I know that we aren’t in the same league.”
Reaching out his free hand he covers mine. “He is not out of your league, Angie. Can’t you see how incredibly beautiful you are, successful too. Many guys I know would kill to be in his shoes.”
I know what he is trying to say, is that he would kill to be in Elliot’s shoes, and I know that I have to set him straight about how I feel for him, once and for all. The conversation at my house last weekend obviously didn’t do the trick.
“James as you already know, you are one of my closest friends. I’d really like you and Elliot to get along, because you’re both important to me.”
He stares at me. “Really?”
I nod in response, not quite knowing what else to say. Words circle around in my head. I try to capture the right ones.
“Look, as you know this is all very new, it might go somewhere, and it might not. I don’t want to lose you and what we have because of it.”
His eyes light up, “Ange, you know how I feel about you, surely you have picked up by now that I love you.”
Oh shit, there it is. James just confirmed what I had thought for a while now, and along with it dropping that damn L bomb.
How on earth am I going to solve this one, and then it comes to me. “James, you are like my big brother, I love you too, please know that.” I feel Elliot’s presence before I see him; one of his hand’s curls around my neck. I wonder how much of the conversation he just heard.
I hear the chair beside me scrape on the timber floor as it is dragged out from underneath the table. “Hey, baby, your boss seems nice.”
James eyes catch my own. I close my own for a couple of seconds and then turn to face Elliot. “Yeah she is. We are all pretty cool.”
Jenny and Ben take a seat opposite ours, just as the platters get dropped in front of us. I spy fried chicken wings, barbecue glazed pork ribs, fried onion rings, steaks with little flags poking out of them, letting everyone know how they have been cooked, and several gigantic plates of fries.
“Dig in, Elliot,” I hear Sandra’s voice and I return my gaze towards her, she has taken up the vacant position in the seat on the other side of Elliot, I lift my arm and stroke Elliot’s body, starting at his shoulder down his chest and back up again. He is mine Sandra, not yours. Mine.
Elliot, sensing my change in mood helps it along, leaning down and planting a quick kiss on my mouth. When he pulls back, he looks me in the eyes before leaning forward and whispering directly into my ear “What happened to sticking together like glue?”
Since his ear is exposed just in front of my mouth, I nibble on it quickly before replying “I’m sorry, I wanted to allow you some alone time with Sandra. She needed to ogle you.” I feel catty as soon as it tumbles from my mouth.
Not one to miss an opportunity, Elliot speaks again, like a whisper in my ear “And how did you feel about Sandra ogling me?”
God damn it, Elliot. I choose to stay quiet. Not willing to leave well enough alone, Elliot once again speaks, demanding an answer from me.
“Tell me Angie. How did it make you feel?” His free hand rubs my thigh, and he pulls back to look me in the eyes, awaiting my response.
