Ch 15
"I expect you to keep Jerry occupied." Jax answered before explaining the rest of his plan. "I will do what I need to do to show V, and the world, how I feel about her. However, I can't have Jerry in the way. Distract him."
"How do you expect me to do that?" Bobbie asked wary of the answer.
"Talk to him, make a bet with him, hit him, sleep with him. I don't care. Just keep him from V."
"I am no longer your brother's girlfriend. I am not going to lead him on so that you can have a shot at a girl."
"Fine, just converse with him. Anything, please." Jax pleaded.
"I will see what I can do. I am not making any promises." Bobbie said as she began to get up.
"Thanks Bobbie. I owe you." Jax said.
"Yes, Jax, you do. I have to go. Apparently I have a lot to do tomorrow." With that Bobbie got up and left the restaurant.
--
"What do I like in women?" Jerry asked "All I really want is somebody to make me laugh. I want somebody who won't bow down to me, who doesn't care about the money, who likes to have fun, and loves the water." Jerry said honestly.
V couldn't help but noticing that she fit. "Bobbie didn't have that?"
"She doesn't like the water enough, although I suppose I could have changed that."
"Why did you break up?"
"You, Luv, ask a lot of questions." Jerry tried to change the subject.
"You are pathetic at avoiding them. Why did you break up with Bobbie?"
"It just wasn't working out. I loved Lucas and her. We just didn't fit right." That was most of it anyway. "Can we please talk about something else."
V strained to find a topic that would annoy Jerry and entertain her. "Jerry Jacks, the early years." V said with a smile.
"Wouldn't you rather know about Jasper?" Jerry laughed.
"I'll ask him about his early years. Now, I want to know about you." V continued watching his uncomfortable reaction.
"Me, my favorite subject." Jerry said with a smile. "Settle in for a long night. I could go on forever."
"No doubt." V said as she got more comfortable.
--
Jax was thrown out at last call. He went home and tried desperately to sleep. He failed miserably. He tossed and turned for hours while visions of his friendship with V danced in his head. He thought back to their first meeting, to Malibu where he first learned her name, to countless late night meetings, and finally the preparations for Monte Carlo.
"How could I have been so blind?" Jax asked aloud as if a voice would come from heaven to enlighten him.
--
On the boat, Jerry told several detailed stories of the misadventures of Jerry Jacks. He had lived long enough to know that his past, although embarrassing, was nothing to hide from.
V found the stories endlessly entertaining. How could any person make so many stupid mistakes and live to tell about them. She had always thought of him as a troublemaker. After listening to his stories it became painfully obvious that he just needed excitement. Who could blame him? She ached for it.
V told him of her childhood, her short-lived career in the police force, her hopes, and her aspirations. She told him of the myths that named the stars and reminisced about time spent on her father's fishing boat learning all the romantic stories in the world.
It seemed like no time at all had past when the first glint of pink came into the sky. "The sunrise." V said noticing the colors rapidly rising. "When did that happen?"
"We have been out here for seven hours, Luv." Jerry said with a laugh. Although, he had to admit he had been quite shocked when he looked at his watch.
"I didn't sleep at all. I am going to look like hell tomorrow." V laughed nervously. "Well, with any luck it will chase Simon away."
"You always look gorgeous, Luv." Jerry said somberly. He couldn't notice things like that. V was destined to be Jax girl. He couldn't fall for her.
V blushed as she watched the sky. "Thanks Jer."
"For the compliment?" Jerry tried to recover by not missing a beat in the conversation.
"For, tonight. For everything." V said as she stopped talking to watch the brilliance of the sky in front of her.
--
A few hours later the ship pulled into port. Venus and Jerry had gone downstairs to change and both were wearing shorts when they left the boat. "I don't even want to know where you got my clothes." V said with a smile as she got into the limousine.
"Good, I will never tell." Jerry laughed.
"Will I see you tonight?" V asked hopefully. It surprised her how much she wanted him there.
"Of course, somebody has to make sure Simon doesn't try anything." Jerry smiled. "What are you doing today?" Jerry thought of things that they could do together, momentarily forgetting that this date was a one-time thing.
"Sleeping. That is all I am doing. I plan to wake up an hour before the ball." She said wearily as she got out from of the limo.
Jerry walked her up the back stairs at The Outback. "Don't oversleep, Cinderella." Jerry said aching to kiss her. Instead he turned to leave.
V couldn't help but be saddened that he left so abruptly. She went to her room and got into bed. Her dream filled sleep ended abruptly when the phone rang…