I Knew You Were Trouble: A Jessie Jefferson Novel (22 page)

A moment later he’s gone and I feel strangely unsettled.

We head outside to the terrace. It’s another beautiful sunny day in the Los Angeles hills – nineteen degrees – and I’m only wearing a light cardie and a summer dress. I
can’t believe we’re having a barbeque in November.

‘Good night last night?’ Agnes asks after I’ve introduced her to Eddie. We’re sitting at the outdoor stone table with the city of LA below us. Johnny is chatting to
Eddie, and Meg is getting some drinks together at the outdoor bar. Phee and Bee have gone back inside to play with their toys.

‘Great. We went to The Ivy.’

‘I know.’ She smiles.

‘Oh, yeah,’ I say with a touch of embarrassment. Photos of Johnny and me were all over the tabloids and online gossip sites this morning. For the first time, it didn’t freak me
out. Is it weird that I found it strangely exciting?

‘Has Jack got more auditions today?’ I ask, trying not to seem bothered that he left so quickly.

‘Yeah, he’s got some singer called Susan coming over to meet Brandon and Miles.’

‘Comic Book Girl?’ I ask.

‘I don’t know.’ Agnes looks confused. ‘He met her at Lottie’s. She came over on Thursday to audition
personally
for him.’ She gives me a knowing look
that makes my stomach twist.

‘What a surprise,’ I say sarcastically. ‘I thought he wasn’t going to do that.’

She smirks. ‘He said he kept it professional. But you know Jack…’

Yes. Unfortunately I do.

‘Hey, have you got plans for tonight?’ Agnes asks.

‘No, why?’

‘Drew’s DJ’ing at a new venue that’s just opened up downtown. You wanna come?’

Drew is her older brother and in the summer she was barely on speaking terms with him. She couldn’t forgive him for being so cosy with their dad after he constantly cheated on their
mum.

‘You patched things up with him?’ I ask.

‘Partly thanks to you,’ she replies. ‘It was something you said to me,’ she explains, ‘about not taking your family for granted.’ She glances at me and I
remember. I was thinking about Mum and how much I’d lost. ‘Anyway, after you went back to England, Jack arranged for us all to meet up. Things have been better.’

‘I’m so pleased to hear that,’ I say warmly. ‘Jack must’ve been happy.’ He told me how much he hated being caught in the middle.

‘He was.’ She nods. ‘So what do you think? Wanna come out tonight?’

‘I’ll check with Johnny and Meg, but yeah, I’d love to.’

‘Great! Jack can collect us both from here and we can get ready together at mine.’

Hmm, I’ll have to persuade Johnny. ‘Is your car in the garage?’ I ask, wondering why she didn’t drive herself over.

‘No.’ She shrugs, her face turned up to the sun. ‘Jack just said he felt like the drive.’

I fall silent. Maybe he wanted to see me? No. I shake myself. Not likely. ‘Is he going tonight?’ I try to keep my voice steady.

‘Yep,’ she says. She purses her lips, but doesn’t look over to see me squirm.

‘You let me go on the back of a motorbike, but you won’t let me go in a boy’s car!’ I say crossly. My attempts to convince Johnny to let Jack drive me
back to his and Agnes’s place – let alone a club – are failing massively. Agnes is up in my bedroom, rifling through my wardrobe, trying to decide what I’m going to wear
tonight. Yes, she really did make it sound like it was her decision.

‘I let you go on the back of
my
motorbike,’ he corrects me. ‘I wouldn’t let you go anywhere near anyone else’s.’

‘So you trust yourself, but not Jack or Agnes,’ I say. Agnes was planning on driving us to the venue later so Jack can drink.

‘Exactly,’ he says.

‘Well,
I
trust them. Doesn’t that count for something?’

He cocks his head to one side, thinking. I interrupt before he can speak again.

‘Come on, they’ve driven me around before.’

‘That was before anyone knew who you were.’

‘But who cares if the paps get pictures of me now?’ I ask.

‘You’ve changed your tune,’ he says drily.

‘Everyone knows I’m your daughter,’ I continue quickly. ‘The more shots they get now, the sooner they’ll get bored of me and move onto the next D-lister.’

‘D-lister,’ he mutters with disgust, before falling silent. Is he wavering?

‘Come on,
Dad
.’ I force the last word out of my mouth. It still feels weird. His eyes dart towards mine and I grin cheekily.

‘Is that how it’s going to be? You’ll only call me Dad if you want something?’

‘I’m still getting used to it,’ I reply sweetly, pursing my lips.

‘Oh, go on, then,’ he says gruffly, ruffling my hair.

It worked!
‘Thanks!’ I chirp with glee. I’m allowed out! On my own! Could this day get any better?

‘But I’m going to need the full address,’ he calls after me before I run upstairs to tell Agnes.

‘Why?’ My brow furrows.

‘Lewis will follow you there.’

My shoulders slump. ‘You have got to be kidding me.’

‘Not kidding, chick.’

He’s not. He’s really not.

‘He’ll stay out of your way,’ he adds, trying to placate me. ‘You won’t even know he’s there.’

I stare at him with dismay. ‘None of the others have got a bodyguard.’

‘Don’t test me, Jess. I almost lost you. I’m not risking it again. I’m OK with you going to Jack and Agnes’s house without him, but Lewis will be following you
later to the club and Davey will bring you home. I’m going to need that address,’ he says firmly.

‘OK,’ I agree moodily, walking out of the room.

‘Hey, I’m still letting you go out!’ he calls after me.

‘Thanks,’ I call back with a distinct lack of enthusiasm.

Jack barely speaks in the car on the way back to his and Agnes’s house, but his sister rabbits on as though we haven’t just spent all afternoon in each
other’s company. I’m still annoyed that Lewis is going to be there tonight, that I can’t just have an evening out with my new friends without worrying about someone watching me.
But then I think about Sam and how he still can’t walk without crutches and I mentally shut up.

I’m sitting behind Agnes and I can see Jack’s hands on the steering wheel, his long-sleeved T-shirt pushed up his forearms, revealing the POW! tattoo on his right arm.

If we were in England, the steering wheel would be on the other side of the car and I wouldn’t be able to see his tattoo, I think to myself distractedly.

‘Thanks, bro,’ Agnes says when we arrive, leaning across to cheekily peck him on his cheek. He bats her away.

‘Yeah, thanks,’ I say, as I unclick my seatbelt.

‘Sure,’ he says, not looking at me.

I climb out of the car and shut the door, meeting his eyes momentarily over the car roof. He looks away immediately, making me feel slightly rattled.

‘What time shall we leave?’ Agnes asks her brother.

‘You’re driving,’ he reminds her.

‘I know,’ she says.

‘Eight?’

‘Cool. We’ll go get ready.’

He wanders off to the games room. I wonder if Comic Book Girl is still here.

Agnes and I get ready in her room. I’m wearing black jeans and heels with a black, long-sleeved lace top. Agnes has backcombed my light-blonde hair and styled it up into a ponytail, high
on top, and my eye make-up is a lot darker than I would normally wear, outlined in shimmery gunmetal-grey eyeshadow. When she’s finished, I look about ten years older.

‘You know I don’t have any fake ID,’ I point out. ‘I’m not going to get served no matter what you do.’

‘You can try,’ she says with a grin. ‘There’s no age limit on the door tonight, by the way.’

‘Phew.’ I wouldn’t want to go to all this effort and still not get in…

We come out of her bedroom and I inadvertently glance down the corridor towards Jack’s room. I know where it is because I’ve been inside. On his bed. Kissing him. The memory makes me
flush.

Agnes goes and knocks on the door.

‘All Along the Watchtower’ by Jimi Hendrix is blaring out of his speakers.

‘Jack?’ she shouts.

A moment later the door whooshes open.

‘Coming,’ he says, glancing past her to me. His eyes quickly skim over my outfit, but he doesn’t say anything. He goes back inside to switch off his music, joining us on the
landing. He’s wearing skinny black jeans and a grey T-shirt with a hot-pink line drawing of a house on the front.

We all traipse back downstairs together, but this time every nerve-ending in my body feels electrified.

‘Bye, Mom!’ Agnes calls out.

‘Have fun!’ she calls back, popping her head out from the upstairs sitting room. She has long, dark, wavy hair and is tall, slim and attractive. I said hello to her earlier, but,
from what I gather, she lets her children do pretty much whatever they want. I think, as parents go, Agnes and Jack’s are very laid-back. A bit like Natalie’s, only with a lot more
money.

‘You can sit in front,’ Agnes directs me.

‘Are you sure?’ I glance at Jack, but he’s already climbing into the back seat. I wonder why he’s being so
off
with me. I’m going to have to force him to
speak to me. I swivel round in my seat.

‘I heard Comic Book Girl came over earlier.’

‘Yeah,’ he says, meeting my eyes reluctantly before looking out of the window. ‘She was good.’

Beside me, Agnes pulls a face, smirking into the rear-view mirror.

‘What are you looking like that for?’ he snaps. ‘She sang, period.’

‘Sure she did,’ she replies in a breezy voice, clearly trying to wind him up.

He rolls his eyes. Agnes drives us out through the gates, unable to keep the smile from her lips.

‘Who’s that?’ Jack asks, sitting up in his seat.

I look out of the window to see a black car.

‘Lewis,’ I reply. ‘One of Johnny’s bodyguards. My dad won’t let me go far without security at the moment.’

‘Jeez,’ Jack says under his breath.

‘Don’t worry, you won’t even know he’s there. Johnny promised.’ I can’t keep the trace of bitterness from my voice.

‘Hey, we don’t care,’ Agnes tries to reassure me. ‘It’s no big deal. It’s not worth risking it after what happened.’

Out of the blue, Jack leans forward in his seat and hooks his left arm round my waist, giving me a quick squeeze. Before I can react, he’s sitting back in his seat.

‘What was that for?’ I ask him with surprise.

‘Aw, are you feeling protective?’ Agnes says fondly.

He shrugs and looks out of the window. He’s one of only a few people who haven’t demanded details about the kidnapping attempt. I thought he didn’t care. Now I’m so
surprised at his sudden display of affection that I don’t know what to say. After a moment, I lean forward and switch on the radio, searching for a song I like. When I find one, I turn it
right up. We ride most of the rest of the way in silence.

There’s a queue snaking out of the front door of the venue, but Jack exchanges a look with Lewis and leads us round the side to the back entrance. He pounds on the door and a man opens
it.

‘We’re with Drew,’ Jack says.

The man frowns and looks past him to Lewis. His face breaks into a grin. ‘Lew!’ he says, swinging the door open wide.

‘Hey, Mike,’ Lewis says, coming forward to clasp his hand. The doorman waves the rest of us inside. ‘I’m not really here,’ I hear Lewis say.

‘Gotcha,’ Mike replies, glancing at me.

The venue is already busy. The walls are painted midnight blue and the lighting is low with yellow booth seats all around the edges. The dance floor in the middle is already busy with people,
although no one is dancing yet. There are DJ decks set up on the stage. It looks like they might do gigs at this venue, too.

‘Have you guys played here?’ I ask Jack, having to shout over the music.

‘No.’ He shakes his head and nods towards the bar. ‘You wanna drink?’

He’s back to barely looking at me, I realise with disappointment.

‘Sure. A Coke or something, I guess.’

‘I’ll get you a beer,’ he says, placing his hand on my forearm and leaning past me. ‘Agnes?’ he asks.

I don’t hear what she replies because I’m too aware of the heat radiating from his palm. A second later he lets go, but I can still feel the pressure from his fingers.

I really need to have a word with myself.

I haven’t spoken to Tom today. When was the last time he called? I have to rack my brain, and eventually it comes up with Wednesday. Days ago. I haven’t even checked my phone today,
I realise with alarm.

‘You OK?’ Agnes asks me.

‘Sorry, I’ll just be a sec,’ I reply, getting my phone out of my bag. Oh. ‘Whoops,’ I say out loud.

‘What is it?’ she asks.

Two missed calls and one text. I show the screen to Agnes. ‘It’s from Tom,’ I say.

‘I’d better reply to him,’ I say, quickly typing out a message:

I stuff my phone back into my bag, just as Jack returns with our drinks.

‘Thanks. Oh, you really did get me a beer!’

‘That OK?’ he asks with a frown.

‘Yeah, great, but how did you get served?’

‘I have a buddy behind the bar.’

‘And he has a fake ID,’ Agnes chips in. ‘You really should hook Jessie up with your guy,’ she says with a grin.

‘What, and have her dad set his dogs on me? Actually, crap,’ he says with alarm, looking around. ‘You’d better give me that beer back. I forgot Lewis was here.’

‘No way,’ I say, tightening my grip on the bottle. ‘Anyway, Johnny won’t mind if I have a couple.’

‘WOOHOO!’ I hear Brandon a split second before I see him, and then his arm is hooked round my neck and his other arm is hooked round Jack’s.

‘Dude! Watch where you’re sloshing your drink!’ Jack complains, detaching him. Brandon laughs, not removing himself from me. I kind of like the familiarity of the gesture, so I
don’t mind.

Miles appears and says hi, and I keep my gaze away from Agnes so she doesn’t feel uncomfortable.