Starr Destined (Starr Series) (8 page)

He managed to tear himself away from Abbey for a minute.

“Yeah, about that.  Can we take a rain check?  Something’s just come up,” he winked at me, while Abbey squirmed around on his lap.

“Oh yes, something’s definitely come up alright,” she smirked, as Toby stood up, carrying Abbey as she wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck.  They headed for the door, no doubt making for his bedroom, as they started kissing again.  He was obviously going to celebrate the end of exams with one of the all-nighters he and Abbey had from time to time.  Lucky sod.

I was left kicking my heels by myself because, as usual, Adam was out with Chloe.  I got myself a beer from the fridge, cracked it open and then sat back down at the kitchen table, as I started to think things through.

Abbey and Toby both obviously thought I was being unreasonable about Liam and Sera.  Neither of them seemed to have a very high opinion of me - and Toby was meant to be my best mate.

So what was my problem about Liam being with Sera?  Was I jealous?  Would I have felt more comfortable about things if I’d found out that she was with some other older guy that I didn't know?  But it didn't really matter, because I had to accept that it hadn't worked out between us, she’d moved on and it was her choice who she was with now.  I’d hardly acted broken hearted at the time, because I’d been quick enough to move on with Poppy, hadn't I?  So was my issue because Sera was with my brother?  I thought about how I’d noticed a change in Liam, even before he’d told me about Sera.  I'd actually seen him smiling and looking happy.  Surely I didn't begrudge him that?  And didn't she deserve someone who could take care of her, after she’d always had such a rough deal in life?  Liam could certainly do that for her, no question.

Liam had said that I was spoilt, and then Abbey and Toby had said much the same thing.  I guess I took it for granted that Liam provided for me, because that’s the way it had always been, ever since I could remember.

How would I have coped if I'd been put in his position when our father died, of having to either sell the family business, or drop out of uni to try and dig it out of the shit?  How would I have enjoyed being forced to take responsibility for a snotty little brother like me?  Truth was, I was just thankful I'd never been put in that position, because I doubted I'd have risen to the challenge in the way that Liam had. 

So, yeah, I guess he deserved all the success and wealth he had now, and no, he didn't actually owe me a living.  At some point in my life, I was going to have to stop depending on him, and maybe I should start now.  Liam had told me I'd have to get a job out in Australia - well, I was sure I could manage some bar work, and it might even be fun.

After a couple more beers, and a lot more reflection, I picked up my mobile and pressed the speed dial for Liam.

“What do you want now, Jamie?” he answered wearily.  I suppose I did only phone him when there was a problem, or when something had gone wrong that I needed him to fix.

“Look, I’m sorry if I upset you, with what I said about you and Sera.  But all this came right out of the blue and took me by surprise, you know?”  I tried to apologise.

“I see,” he grunted.  “Is that it?”  So he wasn’t going to make this easy for me.

“All I wanted to say was that… well, now that I’ve had time to think things through, I just want you to be happy, Liam.  You and Sera, that is.  If she is what makes you happy… oh God, I'm not making much sense, am I?”

“Not really, no.”

“What I'm trying to say is that I’m sorry if I've been an ungrateful and shitty little brother, and I don't have any problems about with you being with Sera.  Well, that’s not quite true, it does still seem kind of odd to me, but I promise I’ll try my hardest not to let it show.”

“That’s big of you.”

“Oh, come on, Liam.  You have to admit this is unexpected and out of character for you, so it’s going to take me a while to get my head around it, especially as it’s Sera we’re talking about here.  I’m just being up front and honest with you.”

I heard him sigh loudly.

“Fair point, I suppose.”

Then there was a scrabbling noise, and a familiar female voice came on the phone.

“Jamie?  It’s Sera,” she said breathlessly, as I heard Liam protesting in the background.  I guessed she must have snatched his phone away.

“Oh.  Right.  Hi there,” I said, unsure how to react - we hadn't spoken since our disastrous Spring Ball date, when she’d ended up running out on me, so this was definitely awkward.

“I just wanted to say… don't fall out with your brother because of me.  I know this all seems kind of weird - I'm still trying to get used to it myself,” she said in a rush, probably because Liam was trying to get his phone back.

“Like I just told Liam, I just want you both to be happy,” I insisted, determined to sound as if I meant it.

“We are… well, we’re getting there…  I hope…”  Sera replied.

More scuffling noises and voices.  Then it was Liam again - obviously he’d managed to get his phone back.

“I appreciate you calling, Jamie.  Even though we don't exactly need your approval or blessing, it’s good to know you're not quite as hostile towards us now.”

“Hostile?  I wasn’t hostile, was I?”

“Hmm.  Not sure how else I'd term the word ‘sick’ when used to describe a relationship.”

“Okay, I guess that was harsh.  Like I said, this has come right out of the blue for me, which is gal
ling when I find out that Abbey and Toby knew about it.”

“Just circumstances, Jamie - Abbey happened to see us together.  You had other things to worry about at the time, and by the way you’ve reacted tonight, I was right to wait until you’d finished your exams.”

“I suppose,” I sighed.  “Anyway, I'm going to head off now.  I'm glad we’ve cleared the air a bit.  And I'm sorry you’ve had to put up with having a pain in the arse little brother like me all these years.”

Liam chuckled.

“I've got used to it.  And thanks for calling - Sera was really anxious about your reaction.”

“Yeah, well you take care of each other,” I told him as I finished the call.

And by then, I think I actually meant it.

Once Seraphina told
me she felt the same way that I did, that she loved me too, getting married was the next logical step as far as I was concerned.  Knowing that I wanted to make that commitment with her, that I wanted us to be together for the rest of our lives, would surely help to dispel Sera’s insecurities, and make her believe that she really could trust and depend on me.

But Sera didn't see things that way, of course.  Oh no, not independent Ms. Jones.  In fact, she stated that she didn't really believe in the outdated institution of marriage, and thought the whole thing was pointless.  Ironic really, considering I'd spent most of my adult life avoiding the clutches of countless women who were desperate to get me to put a ring on their finger, so that they could indulge all their extravagant wedding fantasies to the full.  Now that I was finally ready to get ma
rried, I’d managed to find the one woman who didn't have the slightest interest in all that.  So fucking typical.

But maybe this was one instance when the ten-year age difference between us did come into play.  I had to admit that the idea of marriage hadn't even entered my head when I was Sera’s age.  So I supposed it wasn’t unreasonable for her to need some time to get used to the idea, and I could wait for a while.  But there was no question in my mind, that at some point in the not too distant future, I would be putting a ring on her finger.

In the meantime, I assumed she would at least be moving in with me. 

Wrong again. 

Sera thought it best if she didn't.  She thought we still needed our own space to escape to sometimes.

“But I want to wake up next to you every morning,” I argued.  “I want to spend as much time with you as possible.”  I really hated being apart from her, because now it felt as if part of me was mis
sing.

“Liam, we already work together and see each other every day, unless you’re away,” she argued.

“Well, that’s another thing.  I’m going to cut back on my business trips, and when I do go away, I want you to come with me.  Now that Jamie knows about us, there’s no reason for secrecy.  So we’re going into work together tomorrow, and I don't care who sees us, or what they think about it.”  It was my fucking company, so it was hardly as if someone was going to fire me for having a relationship with another employee, was it?

“Are you sure that’s a good idea, Liam?  Maybe it would be better to keep quiet about us…”  Sera still worried.

“No!  I’m done with all that.  We have nothing to hide, no reason to skulk around.  I’m in love with you, and I don't care who knows it,” I said, as I pulled her into my arms and kissed her.

“You really mean that, don't you?”  Sera murmured, as she frowned up at me.  “No one is going to believe the change in you if you start acting all lovey dovey with me at work.”

“It’s you that’s brought about the change in me, but as for acting lovey dovey - don't think I'm going to ease up on you in any way work wise.  Nothing between us changes the fact that if what you produce is shit, I won’t hesitate to tell you.”

“Thank God for that!”  Sera grinned.  “That’s more like The Boss we all know and love.  You had me worried for a minute there.”

The girl on reception gawped unashamedly as I walked into the building holding Sera’s hand tightly in mine, after we’d driven in to work together for the first time.  I liked having her in the car with me, even if she did seem rather nervous and preoccupied.  I didn't really see what her problem was, because I was proud to be walking in with her as my girlfriend today.

“Good morning, Ruby,” I said. 

I make it my business to know the name of everyone at my company, even the most junior members of staff, to keep my finger on the pulse and know what’s going on.  That’s how I knew it’d been Ruby who’d allowed Kimberley into the building.  With Joy at lunch and not there to contradict her, Kimberley had talked her way in by saying that the appointment with me didn't show on the daily list because it had only been arranged at the last minute. 

I’d since initiated a complete overhaul of all our protocols to prevent anything like it happening again, realising that Scott must have taken advantage of this lapse security to manipulate Ruby into providing him with information about my schedule.  It was the only logical explanation of how he’d known so much about my office routine.

“G… good morning, Mr. Starr,” Ruby spluttered, as she stared at Seraphina.

Despite the fact that today was the first day of a new beginning for us, a new open and honest era where we would face the world together, Sera had still initially been reluctant for us to walk in holding hands.

Until I suggested she imagined Kimberley would be there. 

Genius. 

That had made Sera throw her shoulders back, hold her head high, and confidently take hold of my hand. 

Resigned to the fact that going public meant she was inevitably going to attract attention this morning, Sera had taken particular care with her appearance, fretting that she wanted to give a mature and professional impression. 

“You’ll look beautiful, whatever you wear,” I tried to reassure her.  We’d stayed the night in her apartment, so she had full access to her wardrobe, most of which had been pulled out last night as she planned her outfit, then tossed to one side before she’d finally settled on what to wear.  This morning she’d calmed herself with her usual yoga exercise routine, while I completed my workout and swim - this was becoming our pattern most mornings now, before we had breakfast together.  Neither of us were the type to sleep in, we both liked to get up and get on with the day, so our ro
utines were beginning to merge together pretty well.

“That’s not the point, Liam.  I want to at least look my age for a change, especially as I'm the youn
gest in the office anyway,” she’d complained.

“You’ll be glad you look younger than your years as you get older,” I told her. 

Sera had such a sweet, beautiful face, behind which I’d discovered was a very talented, and potentially shrewd businesswoman, despite the first impression she gave of youthful beauty, and I had no doubt that anyone who worked with her would soon find this out for themselves.

“Flipping nuisance when you’re trying to be taken seriously in the work place,” she’d muttered.

After trying on several outfits, she’d settled for wearing some slim cut black trousers, an asymmetrical white top, and some strappy black sandals.  She’d pulled her hair up into some sort of a curly up-do, but as usual little tendrils of rebellious curly hair were escaping.  She was also wearing the same angel wing earrings I'd noticed the first time I’d met her, which had been the day my life had changed forever, although I hadn't realised it at the time.

Now she fiddled nervously with those earrings as we walked in together.

“Don’t worry,” I whispered.  “It’s going to be fine.”  She took a deep breath as she smiled back at me.  We walked over to the lift and got in with several other workers, who stared unashamedly at the way we were holding hands.