Heart Strings | ✓

TEN

"What about you?" I queried. "Have you been dating anyone lately?"

He shook his head profusely. "No, same as you. I have been busy with my career."

"But what about those rumors? " I couldn't help but ask.

He laughed.

I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Blame the paparazzi, Callie. I swear, I haven't even been on a single date for years." He reassured me. "Well, there was a thing where a fan could win a date with me. Not trying to be mean, but I wouldn't really consider that a real date. I enjoyed my time tho. I love all of my fans, but sometimes when I work with someone of the opposite gender, they all think that I'm dating them and then the chain will restart again. Dating rumors start flying again and then, I have to clear it up. I don't want anyone to get the wrong impression and I don't want to lead on any of them because that would cause a lot of drama and you know how that goes-- and I'm just babbling, am I?"

I smiled inwardly, trying to stifle a laugh. "Yep. You don't have to explain everything to me, you know?"

"I know." He pouted. "I just have the need to explain myself to you."

"But you don't."

~~~

"Do we need to cook the lasagna sheets before we layer everything?"

"Does the ground meat need to cook completely or does it finish cooking in the oven?"

"Does it need more seasonings?"

"Is the sauce ready?"

"Can we put extra cheese in this?"

"Callie, can you taste this?"

"Is this enough garlic for the bread?"

"I-uh...might have burned the garlic bread a little."

Maybe accepting his help to cook dinner was a mistake?

And yes, I invited him over for dinner.

Jackson Vallen Cohen isn't Jackson Vallen Cohen when he doesn't know how to cook. He's hopeless when it comes to cooking or anything culinary related except for eating.

"Should we order pizza just in case anything turns out bad?" Jack asked me, sitting on the kitchen counter chair.

I looked blankly at him for a moment before starting to clean up the kitchen. "Well, you haven't burned my house down. So nothing has turned out bad, yet." I said in a teasing tone.

"That was one time," He whined. "It was not my fault I got a call from my record label and forgot about my bacon and eggs."

"If it weren't for your mom who got back from her morning run, you wouldn't have noticed it." I remarked.

He tried to protest but I just gave him a satisfied look knowing I won our little argument.

We can't all be great at everything. Take Jack for example: he's great at singing and creating songs, but he is the worst cooks you have ever seen come across. Nobody trusts him around the kitchen, so why did I let him cook dinner with me? I honestly don't know why.

"Excuse you, I can now perfectly make a grilled cheese sandwich and for a matter of fact," He pointed a finger to make a point. "I tasted that garlic bread I-"

"You only spread the garlic butter on the bread, Jack. You didn't do anything other than that." I playfully rolled my eyes at him. "Never mind, you also made a lot of mess."

"That's not true at all!"

"My kitchen begs to differ."

We cleaned up the kitchen. Jack was still trying to convince me—more like he was trying to convince himself— that he wasn't a bad cook.

Whatever helps him sleep at night.

After we cleaned up, the lasagna wasn't done cooking in the oven so we settled in the living room watching a tv show.

"Modern Family?" He chimed. "How far are you in the show?"

I was about to answer him when I heard purring beside me. I immediately smiled. "Mr. Louie! How was your nap, baby?" I gushed in a baby voice, scratching his head.

"You have a cat?" Jack asked.

"I'm surprised that you didn't even notice." I chuckled. "All his cat things are scattered around and his cat hair."

"I guess I was too busy looking at something else."

That made me look at him, raising an eyebrow. "Looking at what?"

Jack only smiled at me.

~~~

Mr. Louie absolutely ignored Jack's presence. Well, he hissed at him once when we were eating dinner.

Jack tried to befriend Mr. Louie. Long story short, he almost got bit.

"I'm not calling 911 if he hurts you." I deadpanned.

He looked at me smugly. I returned the same look.

"He's not gonna hurt me. Won't you, Mr. Louie? Won't you-" Jack cooed.

"Careful, Jackson Cohen. I think his claws are out. Don't want that pretty face of yours to get scratched."

"I think a scar on my face would make me look more manly, don't you think?"

"No."

"You don't think so?" He said, trying to pet my cat but failed. "He hates me. How can I impress him?" He frowned.

"Why would you want to impress Mr. Louie?"

"Because."

"Because what?"

"Just because." He gave me a side glance before trying to pet Mr. Louie again but failed. "I really thought I had it."

I silently laughed in my seat. That went on for the rest of the night while we were on the couch. I had to physically pry Jack away from Mr. Louie because I think he already got attached to my cat and doesn't want to leave him alone.

What would the dogs think about this? They would think that he's having an affair with my cat.

Jack has three family dogs named Mochi, Nutella and Waffles. They all have unusual names all thanks to him. He said when they first got the dogs was to name them uniquely. But all he meant was to name them after a few of his favorite food.

Morgan made the right choice of not taking any name suggestions from him for her baby. God bless her if Jack was the one who gets to name her.

It was getting late already and Jack seems like he doesn't have any plan in leaving. Not that I'm complaining or anything. I would be happy if he would...stay a little longer.

One thing for sure is that I still love him.

"I'm probably overstaying my welcome." He began, standing up from his seat. "I should make my way out."

"No!" I exclaimed, jumping out from the couch and grabbed his hand to stop him.

My reaction shocked the both of us.

"I mean, no, you're not." I tried to save myself from embarrassment. "But I guess you're tired from the day we had."

I walked him out to the porch. I wanted him to stay, but what right do I have to ask him that? I tried my hardest not to look disappointed seeing him leave. We said our goodbyes to each other and then he left.

I only watched him leave my house. I decided to go back in when he already reached the middle of the pathway.

I was about to open the front door when I heard footsteps behind me and I was whirled around, hands wrapped around my waist. I let out a little shriek when they did that.

My eyes widened in surprise to see it was Jackson.

"Oh, fuck it!" Those were his last words he said to me before he sealed his lips with mine and brought me into a deep kiss.