Chasing Rainbows - Chapter Thirty One

Chapter Thirty One

It was a small step forward, but it led to amicable conversations and time together without arguing. Jacob wanted more, he wanted the intimacy and closeness that he’d had with her back in London, but he knew that he couldn’t rush that. He had to take what he could get, because he knew if he screwed up again that she’d run, she’d be gone and he may never be part of his child’s life, this was about more than just him and Emma.

He sat at his laptop in the lounge loving hearing Emma singing along to the radio as she made them dinner. She was a great cook, which was a surprise, he was limited to breakfast and the odd steak, but she’d provided some amazing concoctions, he’d assured her that she didn’t have to do this, provide, but she was adamant.

                “What else can I do to fill my days?”

He’d not had an answer to that.

His phone ringing pulled him from his reverie, “yup?” He answered without checking the caller id.

                “Coren! You old dog. Biggest month of your life and you lock yourself away in some love nest. We have got business to discuss.”

                “Andy,” he sighed, his upcoming deal was the furthest thing from his mind since Emma had arrived in his home. “I’ve got a lot on my plate...”

                “I bet you have,” Andy cut him off, “but this doesn’t sell itself. You HAVE to check over these papers, I can’t get then back to the guys in Japan until you’ve agreed the small print, it’s ok, I’ve read it all obviously, but you have got to sign. Can you come over?”

The smell of something divine cooking was wafting into the lounge and he couldn’t leave now.

                “I’m just about to have dinner...”

Andy’s guffaws must have been audible in the kitchen, and Jacob could only groan as he said, “YOU! Coren you are the man who survived three years in college on whisky and popcorn alone.”

Taking the verbal abuse he smiled to himself, “I’ve not had a beautiful woman cooking for me before; I am making the most of it.”

He could almost hear the cogs turning in Andy’s mind and could barely hide a groan as the other man spoke, “dinner it is then, chance for us to meet your young lady. Come to ours tomorrow?” Hearing the hesitation he added, “we have to meet her, and YOU have to sign these documents.”

Jacob glanced towards the kitchen unsure how Emma would deal with this, but Andy was right, they had to meet at some point.  So he gave him a quick “ok”.

Emma was dancing, at the same time as trying to chop basil, and it all looked a little dangerous, but also a little erotic, her hips swirling like that. He shook his head needing to get his mind out of the gutter.

                “We’ve been invited out for dinner. Tomorrow. Say you’ll come.”

Emma turned around and was shocked at the look in Jacob’s eyes; whatever was going on this meant a lot to him. Did she want to meet people? That changed this arrangement, whatever it was. But then they were in this for the long haul, the baby assured them of that.

                “I don’t mind. Who are me meeting?”

She didn’t miss the sigh of relief, “Andy’s my best mate, and kind of business cohort, there’s a little business I need to attend to, but other than that it’s just dinner with him and his girlfriend, actually you might find that advantageous, she’s an actress too, Selena Schwartz. Have you heard of her? She was in a sitcom last year, not sure if it made it to your screens across the pond.”

The name wasn’t unfamiliar, but she couldn’t picture the woman by her name. As she dished up the pasta she’d spent the last hour preparing she looked up at Jacob, he was leaning against the work surface watching her.

                “So what is it that you do? I can’t believe I don’t know that.”

He laughed making for the fridge and pulling out a beer, “can I get you a soda?” He asked apologetically at the fact that she couldn’t have a beer. When she shook he head, he closed the fridge and sighed, “I work in software, computing, you know?”

She wrinkled her nose, “I know almost nothing about computers, other than email, facebook and online shopping they’re a mystery to me!”

He laughed, “for most people that’s all they need to know. But I like creating programs, concepts.”

She pretended to know what that meant, “so you work for yourself?”

Taking a long slug of beer it was a moment before he answered, “yep, I work from myself, from here...” he nodded towards the home office she’d seen a few days earlier, “or I use an office area across town too.”

                “Will you show me it one day?”

He smiled, “if you like.”

A day later Emma wasn’t as calm, she had dressed in a dozen different items of clothing, and she was still none the wiser. She’d been ok until she’d googled Selena. The resulting images were a teenage boys dream, she was tall, blonde, willowy...a long way from her, everything she wasn’t. Suddenly she felt so inadequate, she more than anything else wanted to be everything for Jacob, this was his best friend, and the thought that she would look less than worthy for him scared her.

A tap at the bedroom door disturbed her mental carnage.

                “Hi?” Jacob peeped nervously around the corner, “we really need to be going...” The words froze on his lips as he took in the chaos of the room. “What the hell happened here?”

Emma gave him a forlorn look, “I don’t know what to wear.”

                “Really?” He stepped towards her, ignoring the fact that she only wore a robe and it wasn’t exactly tied tightly.

She nodded and felt tears well in her eyes, “I saw pictures of Selena...she’s beautiful...”

He smiled, reaching out to wipe away her tears with his thumbs, “I’m sure you think she is, but you’re beautiful too, and she’s no contest for you.”

Looking up at him she tried a watery smile, “you mean that?”

He nodded, pulling her into his arms, his hand in her hair pulling her close, his lips on her head murmuring words of encouragement, “you were beautiful back in that shopping mall in Vegas. I couldn’t take my eyes off you, now I see you and KNOW that you’re carrying my baby...our baby...” He sighed, “I cannot tell you how attractive that is. Ok? Andy and Selena will love you, because you are intelligent, funny, friendly, and innately beautiful, inside and out.”

She pulled her head back and looked up at him, “I think my hormones might be going mad.”

Jacob laughed, “I imagine they are, and I hear they only get worse!”

When she finally emerged in a little black dress, Jacob waiting in the hallway gave a long low whistle, “wow, you look amazing. You could knock anyone dead!”

Emma smiled nervously, “you think?”

                “I know!”

Jacob watched Emma as she chatted to Selena in the kitchen, Selena was beautiful in a kind of willowy flouncy way, but stood together there really was only one woman that ensnared him.

                “Pregnant! Still can’t believe that Coren!” Andy slapped Jacob on the shoulder, “and I admit I was wrong, she seems amazing, though how the hell someone like you snapped up someone like her...well it’s unbelievable.”

Jacob punched Andy’s arm, “nice one friend.”

Andy laughed, "I know you better than she does, you should be counting your blessings and trying to keep her.”

Jacob sighed, she had been amazing since they’d arrived, all through dinner she’d chatted, laughed, and been the perfect companion. The two women had some mutual acquaintances and she and Andy had a rather random fondness for Monty Python, and they had dipped into catchphrases throughout the meal.

It had been a real pleasurable night, he couldn’t remember ever taking another woman to Andy’s home, but then he hadn’t dated a woman in years.

                “You going to introduce her to your olds?”

That was a question that made him freeze, he hadn’t thought about them, not in a while. When he first knew about the baby he’d imagined telling his parents, but now, he didn’t want them within a mile of her, Emma and his baby were too precious for them, that much he knew.

Shaking his head he changed the subject, “where are these papers? And when is this thing complete?”

                “You look bushed,” the voice woke Emma from what was a half sleep, Selena was making coffee, she’d taken a few moments to rest. Now a warm hand was running into her hair bringing her back to life with exotic tingles all over her scalp.

Opening her eyes, she looked up at Jacob’s face, full of concern, “it’s been a long day.”

He nodded, “I’ll call us a cab, it’s only a ten minute ride.” Taking her hand he pulled her to her feet, “so glad that you came though Emma, this has been a really nice night.”

                “Hear hear,” Selena came into the room, “I’ll second that. It’s been lovely. We can do this more often, I mean Jacob when was the last time you came to us for dinner?”

He blushed, “not sure.”

                “Never!” Selena turned to Emma, “he must have been invited a hundred times, but he never darkens this door.”

Emma smiled, “well you should come to us one night too.”

Jacob raised his eyebrow, Emma, making plans for them; it was all music to his ears.

                “So I’m thinking I need to go home.” She offered over breakfast the next morning. Jacob paused mid mouthful of his cereal, slowly turning to look at her.

                “What?” It was the last thing he’d expected. Just as things were getting better between them.

                “I told my parents that they’re about to be grandparents by telephone, my best friend has just returned from honeymoon...I NEED to go back.”

His head dropped for a moment, “I thought things were getting better.”

Emma nodded, “we’ve spent almost a week in this house without arguing, that’s definitely an improvement.”

                “So why are you running away?”

Standing she paced across to the fridge then pulled out the orange juice, “I can travel now, in a couple of months I can’t, I want to see my friends and family, I have to.”

Jacob wanted to go with her, but he had the month from hell ahead of him, he couldn’t not be around. He could see her logic, but the thought of her leaving, well it scared him.

                “Trust me.” She offered as though she could read his mind. “I’ll be home for a month, maybe two, then be back in time for Christmas. Ok? Then there’ll be six weeks until the baby’s due.”

Jacob felt sick; it all seemed so final, and so far away. “You can’t wait until the New Year?”

She laughed, “I can’t fly after mid November, so it has to be now. Please Jacob, I have to do this. There are a couple of auditions at the end of next month; I have to be back for then.”

                “I can’t stop you.”

She nodded, “that’s true, but I don’t think it’s the best thing.” Emma placed her hands on his shoulders and he leaned back into her touch.

Chasing Rainbows - Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty

Three weeks had passed, and suddenly Emma had come to the end of her filming. When Jacob had left LA two weeks earlier it had been at the proviso that she come to San Francisco as soon as she was finished. So she was sad as she packed her bags, not that she had a great amount with her, she barely filled two suitcases.

As she was locking up the apartment her phone rang and the singsong voice of Clarence her agent came down the line.

                “Darling I DO not know what the devil you’ve done to charm the gorgeous Mr Samuel, but he’s paid you over and above the amount we agreed for the part, and apparently thanks to him, some execs from Warner Brothers have called asking for you to screen test for the lead in a twelve part TV drama. Darling! This is your lucky year; I can feel it in my water!”

Emma groaned, “I’m pregnant Clarence, and I’ve got married...”

                “O.M.G., really darling? I mean we should announce...of course they can’t be prejudiced against you at audition for that...”

Emma sighed, “no announcement, please. I’m going to San Francisco; I’m available on my mobile number. I just need a few days, ok?”

                “Oh Darrrrling, you are HOT property, don’t be absent for too long. Ok?”

An hour later she was on a flight to San Francisco, and her husband, the following day they had a hospital appointment, together. The thought was enough to put her off any in-flight food or drink; instead she lost herself in her kindle.

The airport was busy, there was some conference on in town, and it seemed that half the world was arriving at the same time as her, but she still managed to see Jacob with ease, the helium filled balloon that he held gave him away from the other side of the arrival hall.

                “Nice touch!” She offered as she drew level with him, there was an awkward moment when she thought he might hug him, then thought she might like it, then he handed her the balloon, a huge Donald Duck, she knew she’d told him she loved the duck her parents had bought her in Disneyland when she was a kid, then he took the trolley and led her out into the car park.

                “How are we going to get my luggage on the back of your bicycle? Got a trailer for it?”

Jacob laughed at the derogatory way she said the word bicycle, then replied, “I bought a car, apparently that’s what is expected of a husband.”

When she saw the car she fumed silently, it was a low slung vintage red sports car, neither cheap, nor appropriate father material. Sliding into the front seat, she watched him wrestle her suitcases into the miniscule boot, then giving up; he tossed them on the backseat. Jumping in beside her, he revved the engine, then sped out of the car park to the open road.

It had been months since they’d spent that magical twenty four hours together, and she’d not seen enough of the city to not be in awe as they drove through the streets, up the hills, until the familiar wooden house, looking even more sun bleached than she remembered, sat in front of her.

Jacob let her into the house, and smiled again, “make yourself at home, as requested you have the spare room, do you want to go check it out?”

Nodding she climbed the stairs, they’d barely spoken since the airport, and she wasn’t in the mood to start now. Instead she opened her suitcases and pulled out the clothes that least tolerated being creased. Then she lay on the bed, and sighed.

It was dark when she opened her eyes, and she had no recollection of falling asleep. But her body felt as though it hadn’t moved for hours. Moving her shoulders she felt a blanket wrapped around her and realised that Jacob had obviously covered her, found her asleep. Sighing she stretched then felt dirty, unkempt, so she made for the shower.

It was a cool evening, and she had no intention of going anywhere, so she pulled on some underwear, then her favourite lounging joggers and a t-shirt, then made her way downstairs.  But after a few moments she realised the house was empty. She glanced at the clock in the lounge and saw it was eight pm, darkening outside, but not too late. Emma took the opportunity to investigate the house, she’d barely noticed in on the last trip. It really was a homely place. The kitchen was modern, clean, sleek, but that was the only part, the lounge was full of mismatched kitsch furniture that she could imagine an elderly lady collating over her life, the dining room boasted a huge sideboard and an equally large table with eight chairs. The room was dominated by wooden French windows that looked out onto an enclosed garden, not huge, but again beautifully maintained.

She still had no idea where he was, her husband. The word still confused her, but the man confused her even more. Since they’d woken up married he’d been desperate to keep her in his life, and she couldn’t understand why. Now...she placed a hand over her stomach, her tummy had never been the flattest, and now it was domed ever so slightly as this much loved baby grew. She’d always longed for children, that had been why all her mother’s snipes at the lack of babies hurt her so much. Now she was about to have one, with a man who was for all intents and purpose a stranger. She had to rectify that. Suddenly that was the most important thing. They HAD to get to know each other much, become friends, because this tentative relationship was doomed to fail, and when it did, they would need to be friends, their baby deserved that.

Moving through the lounge she looked out the front window, the car was still there, so he hadn’t gone far. It was then she spotted him, or rather a man who COULD be him across the road on the beach boardwalk. She found a coat in the hallway, a zip up hoodie and pulled it on, then found her trainers and kicked them on. Wrapped up and feeling a little vulnerable, she left the house, making for the beach.

Jacob was a little further down the path, surrounded by half a dozen kids, all of them wearing loose baggy clothing and tossing around skateboards, Jacob included. She sat on a bench and watched him from the safety of the distance and soon realised he was teaching them a move, all the youngsters hanging on his every word. After a few minutes Jacob threw down his board and set off away from her at speed, then he jumped taking the board with him to slide along the top of the fence. She was stunned; a few kids in school had used skateboards, but purely as a way of avoiding walking and trying to look cool. As he started to bounce from one trick to another she was mesmerised and captivated.

The kids tried to follow him, and when they failed he stopped helped them up and showed them again, endlessly patient, laughing, coaxing them, cajoling. For a moment this was ten years time and the boys were their own children. It wasn’t that horrendous a prospect...if they could make it work.

Jacob had spotted her a while ago, sat on a bench looking all vulnerable and beautiful. He’d never thought his old college hoodie could look sexy, but it did, on her. She was watching him, and he liked that. Benny, Mike and the other kids loved these sessions, and he figured it didn’t hurt her to see him like this. But after fifteen minutes he couldn’t cope with the tension.

                “Boys, we need to call it a day...” they all groaned. Jacob smiled nodding his head in the direction of Emma, “someone I’ve got to go see.”

They all groaned again, then Benny, the ringleader of the group chirped up with, “who’s the lady?”

Jacob tapped the side of his nose, in a ‘mind your own business’ gesture, then flipped up his board, catching it in his hand.

As he made to walk, the six scooted along next to him, “is she your girlfriend?”, “she’s dead pretty”, “what’s her name?”

The comments and questions continued until he stopped in his tracks, the six boys colliding with his frozen figure. Turning he sighed, “she’s my wife, Emma, and I’m trying to set a good impression, so can you please all piss off?”

They all laughed, and shook their heads, following him again as he groaned.

                “Emma,” he smiled as he got within a few feet of her.

She smiled back, scooting along the bench making room for him, “who are your friends?”

Jacob sighed, “they should have gone home!” When the boys laughed he shook his head, “this is Benny, Mike, Cameron, Darcy and the twins Tyler and Morgan.”

Each boy nodded and gave a “pleased to meet you,” which she returned with a smile and a handshake.

Sitting next to her he watched the boys call her name and try to flatter her with their tricks. Lounging back, his arms spread along the bench he watched her side profile as she clapped, whooped and cheered each of the boys, and they basking in her attention battled to outdo each other.

Leaning in he rested his lips near her ears and whispered, “so you’re a hit with them too.  What is it with you and males wanting to do everything for you?”

It was meant as a compliment, but he saw her tense. Groaning, he waved to Benny, “really got to go now mate, catch you one night if you’re around, ok?”

They all nodded, then catcalled and wolf whistled as they watched Jacob lead Emma back to his house.

                “What is it?” He asked as he closed the front door behind them. “What have I said wrong this time?”

She kicked off her shoes, but kept his hoodie on, it was warm and smelled divine, and it protected her. His words, they’d put her on edge, the slight truce they’d formed was fading fast.

                “Well?” He’d followed her into the lounge and stood in front of her, hands on his hips in anger. “What the hell have I said wrong this time?”

Emma sighed, looking up at him for a moment, “I don’t know what you were hinting at back there, that’s all.”

                “When I commented that they boys were fighting to look good in your eyes?”

                “That’s not what you said!” She snapped, “you hinted that I’m a loose woman, this is Theo again, I TOLD you I hated him. Nothing happened, since I married you I have not looked at another man, whatever you might think.”

Jacob looked down at her insistent face and sighed, “I know that, ok.” He dropped to his knees in front of her, “back in LA that was just another part of me being exactly what you said, what did you call me? All macho and bravado and treating you like a possession, you were right, I wasn’t thinking of you. Ok? The boys out there loved you and I just wanted you to know that. That’s all.”

She sighed, “will we ever stop jumping to conclusions?”

He laughed and took her hands, “we’ve got to give each other a chance, ok?”

She nodded, “I know.”

They’d eaten dinner, then Emma headed to bed, she was shattered, and the following morning she’d decided to tell her parents about the baby, once they’d been to the obstetrician.

                “And there’s the heartbeat.” The doctor ran the ultrasound head over her gel covered stomach, as she gripped Jacob’s hand and they both watched the screen in wonder.

Finally wiping the gel from her skin, the doctor smiled, “all healthy and eighteen weeks along, due on Valentine’s Day, how romantic is that?”

She looked at Jacob, he was staring at her in awe, and when the doctor left the room to gather her some information, he leaned in to her his mouth close to her ear, his hand gripping hers. “Thank you.”

She turned to him and saw tears in his eyes, “for what?”

                “For this,” he gestured aimlessly around the room, “for everything, but especially for this.” HE laid a hand over her stomach and it was the first time he’d touched anything other than her hand in months, her body almost buckled with the sensations.

                “The baby?” When he nodded she sighed, it was so symbolic, and she hoped that there was more to this than just that.

                “What do you want to do this afternoon?” Jacob entered the lounge to see Emma flaked out on the sofa, her auburn curls fanned out all over the cushions.

                “Sleep?”

He laughed handed her a mug of tea then shook his head, “no way. Let’s do something.”

                “Can we go to the bridge?”

Jacob placed his hands on his hips and tried to achieve his most indignant face, “the bridge? THE BRIDGE?” He shook his head, “you mean the Golden Gate Bridge? The Art Deco styled 746 foot high towered bridge? It is not a bridge! It’s a work of art, a tourist attraction and a landmark!”

She laughed, “is this the equivalent of calling Buckingham Palace a house?”

Jacob nodded, “oh yes, you’ve just insulted half of California!”

They got off the bus that took them close, then made for the road that took them over the bridge, Jacob looked so different to the suited man she met in Vegas, casual in a hoodie and jeans, holding her hand one side, his skateboard in the other. At the door as they left the house she spotted him looking enviously at the board, and had asked, “do you want to take it?”

                “It’s a great place to skate. Would you mind?”

She shook her head, “as long as you don’t expect me to join you.”

He laughed, “once they baby’s born that’s the first thing we do, ok?”

At the centre of the bridge Emma stopped and looked out at the bay, boats bisecting it in various angles, passing between the numerous islands and ports.

                “Theo paid me more than I was owed for the show.”

Jacob bit his lip, he wasn’t sure how to say things to her anymore, “I asked him to look after you.”

She turned to look up at him, “what? What happened?”

He sighed, “I found him that night, he was in a bar, a gay bar, with a man.”

Emma knew her jaw had dropped open, and whilst she was shocked, she also realised that so many things suddenly made sense.

                “He was a shit kisser!” She announced, “I thought it was me, that I wasn’t attractive that kissing me repulsed him.”

He wrapped an arm around her shoulder, “you couldn’t repulse anyone, you’re beautiful, I’ve told you that. But you don’t run on testosterone...and you haven’t got a certain appendage. That’s all.”

As she laughed he pulled her close, kissing the top of her head, a breakthrough! They’d had a breakthrough.

Turning he led her further along the bridge, leaving his arm around her shoulders, and then could barely believe it when he felt her arm reciprocate, sneaking around his waist.

Chasing Rainbows - Chapter Twenty Nine

Chapter Twenty Nine

                “Congratulations!” The connection to Isobel in Dubai en route home from her Asian honeymoon was poor, but the grainy voice was filled with pleasure. “I‘m really pleased for you, it’s amazing. What’s Jacob said?”

Emma laughed to herself, what indeed? “He thinks I’m the devil incarnate, seems to believe that I knew and kept it from him. And now he’s back controlling everything I do. It’s killing me.”

Isobel laughed, “that’s funny, I wish you could only see how perfect you are for each other. This baby might be the making of you both.”

Emma groaned, “I really hope not. Because I don’t think we can both live in each other’s company. Anyway, how was the honeymoon?”

Isobel laughed, “no changing the subject, it was amazing, but that’s another phone call. Where’s Daddy then?”

                “Gone out, not sure where, but it’s the first time he’s left me alone since I came out of hospital two days ago. I’m enjoying ‘me’ time.”

Jacob had the benefit of being anonymous; he could watch his target without the other man knowing who he was. And frankly, he needed that time to digest the evening’s activities. He’d decided he wanted to confront Theo Samuel before the night he abandoned Emma, and once that had happened he had wanted to kill him. But now, as he sat across the room from the man, he knew there was far more going on that he had ever imagined.

Thoughts of that night still pained him, the sight of her with Samuel was bad, but then her Emma, unwell, falling to the floor...then the baby. A whole myriad of emotions had filled him, but as the time had passed and he’d taken Emma home to her apartment, he began to believe her, believe that she hadn’t known about being pregnant. She was many things but she wasn’t reckless, and he didn’t believe she was that vindictive. But instead of supporting her at this difficult time, he’d been angry, and now he’d abandoned her. Way to go Dad of the Year!  

But he couldn’t have done anything else, because since he’d taken Emma reluctantly back to the apartment she was renting, he’d barely rested. He’d called Andy his best friend and legal counsel as soon as she’d stormed into her bedroom and locked the door. He could deal with her later, they had a lifetime to deal with their problems, but Samuel was a pressing issue.

                “Can you find him for me? I need to talk to him; I promise I won’t do anything stupid.”

Andy had reluctantly been dragged into his plan, deploying a private investigator he knew in the area to tail the actor.

Coincidentally Andy had called him with contact details when Jacob was truly convinced that Emma was going to be ok, she’d slept for the best part of two days, and wasn’t half as angry with him, thought she was a long way from forgiving. In fact she’d been positively ecstatic when he announced he was going out that evening.

His comment of “you could try and act as though you’ll miss me!” Was met with the retort it probably deserved, he grinned as he remembered her anger. He loved having that feistiness in his life. But tonight there had been more pressing issues.

He glanced down at his phone, flashing with an incoming call; it was barely audible over the music inside the club. He was sat at the back of the room, but the music was still loud. Lifting the phone, at the same time as taking a slug of whisky, he connected the call, Andy.

                “You’re not doing something stupid? Promise me?”

Jacob laughed, “I’m not, but I won’t promise you anything.”

That caused a laugh, “so where are you, and what’s your plan?”

Jacob paused to watch Theo for a moment, talking to a man in the corner of the room, a dark, poorly illuminated corner.

                “My plan was to vent my anger and tell him to back off...”

                “But?”

Jacob smiled, Andy knew him so well, “well, it seems that it’s all been a mistake.”

                “What do you mean?”

                “She’s only ever been a smoke screen. Seems he was never interested in anything more than the image she created.”

Andy stuttered, “I don’t get it, what do you mean?”

Jacob drained his glass then sighed again, “well, his persistent pursuit of my wife has been nothing more than an appearance. He gets the gossip about his new show...a new face, lots of appearances around town, and also another ‘notch’ on his bed post.”

                “I don’t get what you’re trying to say.”

Jacob sighed, “I’m watching him, across the bar, and let’s just put it like this; I’m the only man in here who fancies my wife. He’s actually tickling the tonsils of a rather rough looking young man with his tongue.”

Andy gasped like a gossiping girl, “he’s gay? Theo Samuel?”

Jacob hated to admit it, but that seemed to be the truth, which made the way he used Emma to suit his own means even more despicable, ruthless even. He was jeopardising her reputation carelessly, purely to create a decoy for his own persuasion. This was worse than anything else, selfish, egotistical, and downright wrong. And he had to be the one to explain that.

Hanging up on a still questioning Andy, Jacob stood, then made his way stealthily across the room. He was on the other man’s shoulder before anyone realised. Sliding into the other side of the booth, he waited until the couple opposite detached themselves from each other, giving a halting glare to the two men who’d appeared from nowhere, his hapless security Jacob could only surmise.

Theo looked at him with an eyebrow raised in question, and Jacob met that stare confidently. Sensing this was something serious; Theo dismissed the boy he’d been close to, and the security, then looked at Jacob.

                “Who are you?”

Jacob enjoyed watching his work, trying to decipher why he was sat in front of him, and he had no intention of making this easy.

                “My name’s Coren, Jacob Coren.”

That failed to elicit any reaction, “do I know you?” When Jacob shook his head, he got angry. “What the hell are you playing at?”

Jacob leaned forward, elbows propped on the table between them, “I could ask you EXACTLY the same question.” Jacob looked purposefully around the room then back at the now squirming man. “Though what you do in your own time is private, when you implicate my wife in your trickery and subterfuge I get involved...and angry.”

Theo swallowed awkwardly, and Jacob couldn’t believe that he’d dropped his defence so readily, so easily. “Your wife?” He asked, his voice unsteady.

Jacob hid a smile, “yes my wife. You have decided that parading around with her, regardless of what that might do to her, me, her family and most importantly her reputation, just to appease your own reputation as a playboy. Sound about right?”

Theo had turned a bizarre shade of puce and was spluttering somewhat, “who’s your wife?”

Jacob laughed, “does that mean that you regularly wine dine and orchestrate paparazzi shots with more than one woman at a time?”

Looking him up and down Theo gasped, “Emma? You’re married to Emma?”

Jacob leaned forward and snarled in his face, “you got it in one, and you abandoned her on Friday when she collapsed, ran off to what...a hot date? You’re despicable. Now I only have a small deal for you, you treat her like your number one star, she will not be slighted or ignored, and then she’ll be released at the end of her contract with EXCELLENT reviews, glowing reports and a healthy pay check. Do you get me?”

Theo nodded, “she would anyway.”

Laughing Jacob stood, “really? I doubt it.” He looked down at his hand and tensed his fingers into a fist, “and there was me thinking that I was coming here to knock out a rival...the irony.”

With that he turned and left, not knowing when he last felt so good.

His euphoria at bossing the situation with Samuel deflated like a burst balloon when he came home to a closed bedroom door and the sound of tears coming from inside. For all his male bravado and alpha male behaviour, he had a woman who was devastated, on so many levels. And a large part of that was his fault. He had to make amends.

Knocking the door, he waited for a reply, when he heard a rather hopeless, “what?” Jacob had a little optimism.

                “Are you coming out Emma? I know you’re feeling down...”

The door swung open and an irate Emma stood there, Jacob took in the blood shot eyes, the puffy cheeks, and his heart bled. “Down? Is that what you call it? The way you have spoken to me over the last three days...to say I’m down is an understatement, but don’t worry, I’m seeing the doctor tomorrow, and once she’s given me the all clear, you can rack off back to Jacob world!”

He sighed; he’d honestly cruised on the euphoria of his encounter with Theo, and hadn’t really anticipated Emma’s stagnant reaction.

                “Look I know I’m your perception of total hell, but will you just listen to me? You need to eat Emma, and you’ve not been over the door step since leaving hospital. I know this little cafe a few blocks away, we can walk there...”

                “So you’re in charge of my diet and exercise too now are you?”

Emma saw the surprise flash across Jacob’s face and felt guilty, he’d been good to her, and she knew he was thinking of the best for her. She just wished he didn’t have that control over her. But since they’d both found out about the baby, then he had a huge control over what she did, and it was that lack of control that had reduced her to tears, hours after her phone call to Isobel had finally perked her up.

It was all so helpless, and hopeless.

With a grunt she agreed to a take out, and was rewarded with him being absent for the next forty minutes collecting something.

                “What did you do?”

Jacob’s head snapped up from the focus of his laptop at Emma, stood in the doorway hand on hip, venom in her eyes. He groaned, somewhere in the last twenty four hours they’d come to some sort of truce, and now? He’d been engrossed, Emma was like a good omen to him, whenever he was in her presence things started to go well for him. Andy had just sent him details, unbelievable details. The men he’d met in London had visited the team testing his prototype game, and they’d been more than impressed, Andy was ecstatic phoning and been emailing him information all day. He needed to get back to San Francisco to sign off this deal, let his lifelong work, his baby go. Although not completely, as the Japanese software company wanted him to spearhead another project once they’d bought this current one.

Emma was more than angry, he had to work out how to deal with this, “what? What have I done?”

She shrugged then scowled, “I don’t know, that’s what I’m asking you. Theo...” Jacob fought a snarl at the other man’s name, “he was frosty with me all day, and with him being the director and all that...awkward is putting it mildly.” She sighed, though it was anything but a relaxing gesture, and she stormed past him into the kitchen. “And when I asked him why he was being so awful, what do you think he said?”

She turned from her position in front of the fridge and stared at him, when he didn’t answer she snarled again, “that he didn’t want to tread on my husband’s toes...my husband!” She shouted, “how the bloody hell do you think he found out that I was married? Hey? Husband darling?”

Jacob was thinking on his feet, he had a split second to decide how to play this, he could make up a story, an elaborate excuse, or he could tell her the truth, and that was something he never wanted to reveal. But lies had caused the problems between them, when they met in Vegas they had fun, they got on, all that had happened since then had been due to lies and half truths.

He took a deep breath, waiting until she was filling a glass with orange juice before he said, “I went after him, the night I left you here.”

                “What the fuck...”

He held up a hand to silence her, “look here me out, I’ll tell you the truth, I’m sick of all this fighting Emma.” She looked a little awkward, but then she nodded acceptance. “He was there when you collapsed, but he got in his car, drove off.”

If she was shocked she hid it well, “I was annoyed that someone you care about could be so ruthless.” He was still unsure how far he’d take this story, but he wanted her to at least know some of the truth. “I confronted him on the night, as he walked away, but I kind of felt he owed you an explanation.”

Emma watched Jacob talking and realised she didn’t care, she didn’t want to hear about Theo, not really, she was angry with Jacob for interfering, but then she could be angry with him for a million reasons, because you care,  a voice whispered in her brain, but she shook it away. She had ten days more of filming, then she was free until the publicity started, she’d wanted to go home, back to London. But that was looking doubtful now, Jacob was still studying her, and she was too tired, too exhausted to fight him now.

She took a long drink and then met his eyes, “I don’t care for Theo Samuel, I have never, in fact I have less respect for him on a daily basis. What I do care about is you acting all macho and bravado at my expense. That needs to stop; I am not your possession. OK?”

The change of mood shocked Jacob, but he wasn’t about to complain, he smiled, “I’ve been cooking all day, wanted to get you healthy dinner...am I allowed to do that?”

She nodded, “you are.”

Chasing Rainbows - Chapter Twenty Eight

Chapter Twenty Eight  

Emma was trying to focus, firstly on where she was...and why, her last memory was the restaurant, with Theo, even the thought of him made her grimace. There’d been photographers. Shit. Her eyes snapped open in fear.

                “Photographers...” she mumbled, and the words were rewarded with a scowl from Jacob.

                “In amongst hurting me like this, you’re still thinking of yourself? You can be such a bitch! I’ve sorted the photographers; no pictures of you looking less than ideal will be published. So you can sink back into your self-absorbed world.”

Emma struggled to focus on him, and his anger, everything was so confusing, “why are you angry?”

Jacob leaned forward so his face was close to hers, “really? You ask me that?”

Emma flinched, pushing herself back into the bed, then closed her eyes, the throbbing in her head made her want to cry, it was unremitting, did she fall? Is that why she ended up here?

                “Did I fall? How have I hurt my head?” A deft touch to her skull revealed a thick dressing and hair matted with blood. She hated the not knowing, almost as much as she hated the animosity in Jacob’s eyes. Opening hers she met his unrelenting stare again, “what happened?”

Taking a deep breath he leaned back, giving her back her personal space and she appreciated the move.

                “You fainted, outside the restaurant, banging your head. Paramedics brought you here.”

Her eyes studied him searching for any more clues, any reason why he was here, why he hated her so much, and what happened next.

Jacob was struggling to stay angry, she’d ignored his comments about the baby, and that annoyed him, when the doctor had informed him that the baby was fine he’d been stunned. He had no idea what to think and he’d used the half an hour whilst they stitched her head to work out what he did think. He’d never envisaged the moment that he contemplated fatherhood, maybe that was what the constant battering from his parents had caused, but now, all he could imagine was their stunned faces when he told them...if he told them.

He wanted to scream at Emma for not telling him, for the fact that he found out by accident. But she looked so vulnerable, so small, so scared lying in bed that he was finding it hard not to pull her into his arms and tell her everything would be ok.

                “Were you going to tell me about the baby?” He finally managed, emotion choking his words.

Emma’s eyes snapped up and she looked stunned, “what are you talking about?”

Jacob took a moment to decide whether or not she knew about this, fifteen weeks the doctor had told him, who could not know about that? Emma was an actor, that’s what she did; this could just about be the best performance of her career.

                “The baby Emma, I’m not stupid, and to be honest I expected more of you.”

He tossed the wad of images that the sonograph had spewed out earlier, whilst she was still recovering from her head injury.

                “I don’t know what you’re talking about, and I’d like you to leave please.”

                “Oh no!” He shook his head, “no way. That’s exactly what you want, and I’m not letting you run away like this, not again, and not with my baby.”

Emma flinched every time he said the word baby, this was all so surreal, she wanted to close her eyes and find a place where she could think out of his scrutiny, away from his glare. She didn’t know what he was talking about, but then she knew he wasn’t a man to lie, could she be pregnant? She was on the pill, she had been for years, and she rarely had a period when she took them, when was the last one? Her mind was a blur, a vague mash of the last few months, and details weren’t coming to her consciousness clearly. Could she be pregnant? They’d had more sex than she knew was right, than they should have, Jacob had been careful every time, hadn’t he? It was more than she could remember. Suddenly she was aware of his scrutiny.

                “Jacob please...”

It was at that point the nurse entered the room, “Emma, I’m so glad you’re awake. How are you feeling?”

She smiled weakly at the nurse, “can you make him leave please? It’s all a bit much.”

The nurse nodded, “Mr Cohen, the doctor needs to see Emma now, could you give us a minute?”

Jacob looked between the two women and knew he’d been manipulated, “I’ll go and get a coffee, but I will be back.” He gave a warning glance then left the room.

                “It’s not uncommon to find yourself quite advanced in a pregnancy before you realise Emma,” the woman who’d introduced herself as Doctor Forster sat on the edge of the bed and smiled at her. “Your concussion was pretty major, but you’ve recovered well. We’ll want to observe you for the rest of the day, but as long as you’re not planning to spend the night alone, then you should be able to go home later.”

                “The baby...” she breathed.

The doctor grinned again, “despite everything, you’re fit and healthy and the baby looks well. There’s an issue that your blood pressure is a bit low, that is probably why you fainted, so you’ll need an obstetrician to keep an eye on you, I can recommend one if you don’t have a preference.”

Emma slumped back against her pillow and nodded, this was all so surreal, all so strange, and all so final. Smiling as the doctor left the room, she looked up at the nurse, “my husband is a little anxious, can you just let me have some time alone first?”

She nodded, “I’ll tell him you’re asleep.”

Emma wished Isobel was there, she’d know what to say, what to do, instead she was across the Atlantic, due back from her honeymoon at any moment. She missed her friend every day, but today she missed her more than ever. What would she say? She’d be pleased. They’d both had many conversations about children, it was on both their agenda’s, she’d just presumed that her married and in love friend would be first, but then she had always thought that Isobel would be married first, as usual Chaos Emma ruins everything yet again. Then there was Jacob, the last time he’d seen him had been when he’d lied to her, told her he was somewhere, turned up somewhere else. Why would he do that? He had no reason lie to her, they weren’t lifelong loves, or even friends, he had no need to not be honest. And now they were being thrown back together again.

She was having a baby, the thought terrified her, then there was Jacob, his face, his disbelief, his anger. He honestly thought she was keeping this from him, when nothing could be further from the truth. She had no clue, she was in shock.

Lifting one of the grainy pictures up she stared in amazement at the image, their baby, her baby...she gasped, her hand flying to her mouth, this was real, this was happening.

The door opened and she pulled herself out of her misery to look up at the nurse, but it wasn’t the nurse, it was Jacob. And that was all too much, she needed time, space. Groaning she turned her head away from him, fighting to hide the tears of desperation that threatened to fall.

She sensed him sitting beside her and closed her eyes firmly.

                “You can pretend I’m not here, pretty much in the way that you’ve pretended you’re not pregnant, but both are cold, hard facts. So you’d better get used to the idea that you can’t push me away any more. The doctor tells me I can take you home in a few hours.”

                “I have a place to live, thank you very much,” confronting him on the deception of their baby was too painful. He laughed then, causing her to snap her head around and glare at him, “what? What now?”

He shook his head slowly, “you seem to think that nothing has changed, that you can go off to dream world Emma and forget about this? But you can’t.”

                “You seem to think you can control me, but I am a person too. And to be honest with you Jacob Coren, I am a lot more than just your wife!”

That got a rouse out if him, “I know that, but you are my responsibility, whether you like it or not. You think you can head home, but how and where are you going to live? Go back home to Mom and Dad, disrupt their retirement? Or do you imagine that that money you have earned on this film will last forever? That you can both afford to run than abomination you call an apartment indefinitely, and that it is suitable for a baby? Have you even thought what happens when you finish filming?”

She gulped, she had thought, of course she had, this was going to be the leapfrog on to the Hollywood ladder, this production with the links through Theo was going to be the start of something. Instead, she’d have to take time out, time away from auditioning. Jacob was right about one thing, things were about to change, and she had to seriously think about what that meant.

                “I’m not about to be bundled up by you Jacob, you have been trying to control me since the moment I smashed your mother’s vase in that shopping mall in Vegas, and I’m not about to roll over and let you boss me around.”

Jacob groaned, she really was too stubborn for her own good, “I am anything but bossy, and to be honest, I think I’m the only one of us thinking practically.”

There was nothing guaranteed to annoy Emma than someone being so self righteous, that was only compounded by that someone being Jacob, and quite truthfully, if she was feeling anger towards him, then she didn’t have to process everything else, their baby, their marriage and frighteningly their future.

                “I think you should leave. I don’t need you shouting at me Jacob, this is a difficult day for me and I have the headache from absolute hell. I’m staying in Santa Monica, come tomorrow and we can talk then.”

It was the best she could offer, and she knew that Jacob wouldn’t agree, but as he made to protest she added, “I need to relax, I don’t need this hassle...”

It was a cheap and low gibe, but she needed all the help she could muster in this situation.

                “Ok, I get that.” He finally succumbed, “I’m not going to push you, but I am not letting you go home alone, in fact the doctor insisted you need company after your ordeal. So, there’s no chance of you not being with me tonight, the true question is, are we staying at your apartment, or my hotel?”