Played By Riggs

30

So far, so good. Everyone had arrived, the barbeque was on the roll, the champagne was open, and the rain had been kind in laying off. It was chilly, but chilly wouldn't put out the barbeque, and so we couldn't complain.

"I see your assistant is getting along well with my son," Joanna smiled behind her wine glass.

I glanced in the direction of her gaze and couldn't help laugh when I saw Tina almost clinging onto Jay's arm. By the grin on his face, he didn't seem to mind. "She has been asking me to introduce them for a while now, but I've always said no."

"How come?" she asked. "I like to think I'm not a crazy mother when it comes to protecting my sons, but please tell me if she is..." she paused to lower her voice," crazy."

I bit back my smile. "She's not crazy...in the ways you are suggesting. She gets attached very quickly and the men she picks to date get scared very easily."

"Ah," Joanna nodded, still watching them. "Well, as it kills me to say it, you were probably right to hold off on the introductions. I really don't think Jay is looking to settle down. Whenever I bring up him bringing a woman home, he shrivels up like I asked him to commit first hand murder. Jordan is just as a bad, though he's recently been hung up on some woman he works with." She sipped from her glass and then smiled a soft, knowing smile. "James, on the other hand, is the romantic one. Gets it from me. It's ironic really, given you are known for your wild ways."

I turned bright red. Knowing that the Mother of my boyfriend was aware I used to sleep around was enough to make me want to shrivel up as if I had just committed first hand murder. "You must have been furious when you found out we were involved."

"No, not at all!" she said. "I admired your work. I thought you were a talented, beautiful young woman. I just prayed that you wouldn't break my son's heart. I still do."

I blushed again. "I have no intentions of breaking his heart," I said softly. "Really. I uh, I..."

She smiled, her eyes twinkling in understanding. "I know, dear. I know you do."

I took a sip from my glass, wishing it was wine and not water. I couldn't drink because of the surprise for James.

After some silence, Joanna asked, "Does he?"

"Does he know? No," I said, shaking my head. I had been so close to telling him the other night, but terrified nerves got the better of me. But, then I really thought about her question. Did James know how I truly felt about him? "You know what, probably. Yeah, he probably does."

"You should still tell him," she urged, grinning like a fool. "You know, telling someone that on their birthday, is pretty romantic."

I laughed. "Yeah, I'd have to agree on that."

Joanna laughed with me. "Are you nervous to see his reaction, when you climb inside the driver's seat?"

"And excited," I admitted. "I think he should be arriving any second, actually. What's the plan?"

She sipped some more from her glass and quickly let me in on the plan before we heard a car pull up outside and the front gate squeak. A few seconds later, he walked around the corner in his grey suit I loved, and a smile on his face.

"Happy birthday!" everyone cheered.

"Getting old, you lanky git," someone muttered, raising laughter.

James laughed too and hugged his way around his family, thanking them for being here. Every so often gaze would flick in my direction. I didn't want to rush his time with his family, so I moved towards the barbeque and made myself a hot dog. His returning gaze became more constant, and before I could eat the whole thing, he was stood in front of me.