57. Et maintenant?

This is more like two or three in one - sorry about the length - it's ridiculously long, but there was so much that I wanted to include...


Dashboard Confessional - Several Ways To Die Trying


ELLA'S POV


When I woke up in the morning, I could feel something throbbing and it wasn’t my head. Opening my eyes, I wish I had been able to take my make up off last night. I sat up wondering where I was, until I remembered I was stuck in Max’s basement with Jordan. The throbbing was coming from Jordan's chest against which I was pressed, listening to the steady beat of his heart.

My back was pressed against the back of the sofa and I was facing Jordan’s enormous sleeping body. I looked up at his face, he was still sleeping contentedly. My legs were entwined with his. There was no easy escape.

I ran a couple of fingers through my hair, grateful I hadn’t used any hairspray on my hair last night. wondering how I was going to get off the sofa without waking him up. Jordan’s arm was tucked around my waist, my hips pressed against his pelvis. Maybe I could slide down the sofa without waking him?

Ever so slowly I began to slide down the sofa, trying to make sure Jordan was still covered with the blankets. I tried not to move my legs from either side, just to move straight down, but Jordan’s leg was heavier than mine and I was trapped. I felt his whole body tense as his face began to twitch and then his arm moved. His eyelids fluttered open once, twice, before he cranked his eyes open, rubbing them wearily with his left hand. I remained perfectly still, around about his knees. “What are you doing down there?” he asked with a smirk as I'm sure a zillion dirty thoughts ran through his head. I knew that smirk well.

“Trying not to wake you,” I said realising I had completely failed. He shook his head at me, obviously trying not to laugh. Without letting my legs go which were still sandwiched between his, he moved the top half of his body until he was level with me. “And why would you want to get away from me?” The smirk on his face was telling me he was joking, but the tone of his voice was deadly serious.

“Because I’m going to go and raise hell at the top of the steps if Max doesn’t let us out soon. I’m supposed to be at brunch at one with my mother and Félix and I have a feeling that it’s not that early,” I replied as Jordan released my legs.

Every five or six weeks, my mother organises a brunch at a nice hotel or restaurant in the city, usually with some sort of auction afterwards. And if Félix or I am around, we have to go. I give Félix a lot of credit for this, as he's in Montréal, he is forced to go to most of them, and the majority of them are as boring as anything.

Reaching out for my purse, I opened the small make-up compact and glanced at my reflection. I didn’t look too bad considering but I desperately wanted a shower and to wash my face before I arrived at the hotel for brunch. Somehow I don't think my mother would appreciate my current sparkly eyeshadow.

Jordan swung himself off the couch and made his way to the top of the steps. He tried the door which creaked open, beckoning for me to follow him. “It’s open,” he whispered as I reached the top of the stairs. “Ready for payback?” I nodded. I couldn’t think of anything better. Max totally deserved whatever Jordan had lined up for him. No one had knocked on the basement door or even hinted that we were no longer trapped down there. Hopefully Max was sensible enough to let us out by now, he couldn't emprison us any longer.

As Jordan opened the door into the kitchen, I could see Max standing at the island whilst two guys, who looked incredibly like Jordan, devoured their breakfast. They must be his brothers, I thought, looking from one to the other.

To say the kitchen looked clean would have been an outright lie. It looked like a bomb had exploded to say the least – a massive alcohol bomb. The floor was sticky from beer as I made my way across, trying to keep my flats on as they stuck to the floor, making a tacky noise each time I lifted my feet. It was like walking on drying glue. In the corner, Max’s beach was still there, various items now floating in the paddling pool, the inflatable palm tree was beginning to droop and the sand had begun to move, attaching itself to the beer stained floor.

“You’re getting it Talbie,” Jordan said, running over to him, picking him up and dumping him with a splash into the paddling pool. “Not cool,” Jordan said as he backed away from a dripping Max who looked rather dejected as he sat with his legs over the side in the pool. He didn't say anything, he just sat there, sort of knowing it was coming.

“Ella, this is Marc, and Eric,” he said pointing to his brothers sitting at the table. I nodded and stuck out my hand as they both shook it. “You guys back together now?” Max whined from his watery seat. I shook my head in amusement as Max pointed back to the basement door. “Get back downstairs!”

“I have to go to brunch this morning. Is Noah still here?” I asked looking around for him. Max let out a mere laugh. God, I hope Max didn’t do something to Noah as well. I could only imagine what sort of trouble that would involve.
"Vero and Marc dropped him back last night,” he said.

I glanced at the clock on the microwave which read 11:26. If I drove quickly I could make it home, have a shower and arrive at brunch looking presentable and still be in time. It was a way to drive from here, to Westmount and back onto the plateau but Mother would not be impressed if I was late for this charity brunch.

“Without being rude, I really have to go. It was nice to meet you both," I directed this at Eric and Marc who smiled, not sure which one was which, "not you Max, but I have to go for a family brunch,” I said trying to get out of there as soon as possible. Marc and Eric just waved, both of them inhaling their food as Jordan followed me to the door. “Do you have to go so soon?” he said gently holding my arm. I moved a little closer to him and nodded, smiling, “Mother would kill me if I’m late.”

“But I don’t want to let you go?” Jordan almost whined. I tried not to look at his best puppy dog impression, his pouty mouth that I so badly wanted to kiss and the look in his eyes. “Do you have a shirt?” I asked him. Jordan nodded, pointing to the stairs which I indicated for him to go fetch. He came back with his bag, slung over his shoulder, pulling his t-shirt tight across his chest so I couldn’t help but admire his abdominal muscles.



“So where are we going?” he said clambering into the front of my SUV and pushing the seat back to accommodate his long legs. He looked like some sort of spider, all hunched up in the front. He poked the air freshener as we set off before switching on the radio and messing around with it. It’s like looking after a grown up kid.

“First of all to my house so I can get changed and showered. I can’t go like this, it’s not appropriate. And then we’re going to the Queen Elizabeth Hotel,” I replied, as we crossed the bridge back onto the island.

Jordan nodded and relaxed back in his seat as I drove like a maniac back home. Fortunately the traffic wasn’t too bad when I pulled up outside the house. “Is anyone in?” he asked as I dashed out of the vehicle to the door as he hesitated behind me on the front step.
“Unlikely, they’ll probably already be gone, Mother likes to set up early and greet everyone. Félix might be here,” I said as I pulled him off the doorstep inside. I noticed Jordan looking around when we were inside, behind doors and taking everything in. “Everything’s so white,” he breathed as I headed upstairs towards my room.

“I have to take a shower, I’ll get you a towel and you can shower in the main bathroom,” I said when Jordan dumped his bag in my room. Part of me was annoyed at how he thought he could just set up camp here and another part of me was secretly relieved.

“Ella, it’s twenty to one!” Jordan shouted as I ran out of my bathroom, trying to put my hair up with a clip and fidgeting with the dress. This brunch is going to feel forced I thought as I grabbed the purse from last night, making my way downstairs and outside.

_____________________________________________________________________


JORDAN’S POV


Ella looked stunning, I didn’t want to leave. When she came out of the bathroom I was tempted to pull her onto her bed and have my way with her. Honestly she looked hot as fuck. Her hair was down and it smelt of oranges and lemons and things I wanted to eat. She looked effortly gorgeous - her floaty navy blue dress accentuating her narrow waist and clinging across her hips. I wondered why I hadn't seen that dress before - it might be my new favourite thing, that or a naked Ella.

Her house was huge and everything was so clean and white. I felt like just being in there, I was making things dirty. Everything shone and gleamed in the sunlight. I'm not used to houses looking so clinical. With three brothers nothing in our house stays spotless for long, despite Mom's best efforts. We live on a farm and it sort of shows. That's not saying we live like slobs - our house is a home, it has this lived in look, not like this, it's more like a show home.


I sat in the passenger seat, watching her navy blue dress ride up her toned thighs as she drove through the traffic. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a woman drive in heels before, but it’s kind of hot, I have to say. I took her hand and just held it, grateful to her for bringing her with me. I’ve never met her parents, just Felix so this brunch could be kind of interesting. Anyway, I hope the food would be better than whatever Max was serving up at his.

I recognised the hotel from the times we had stayed here as a team. We don't stay here often, it's one of several we frequent when we travel north of the border. It’s a really nice hotel and I’m glad Ella had told me to wear a shirt and change out of last night’s clothes. She handed her car over to the valet who gawked at me as we went inside. I didn’t really know where we were going, so I just followed Ella, happy that her hand was still entwined with mine.


“Bonjour Maman,” she said double-kissing a small, petite lady who was perfectly turned out in a matching cream jacket and skirt. Her mother looked like one of those ladies who goes to the hairdresser’s every week and who might have had botox or some kind of surgery. Her face didn't move a huge amount as she looked me up and down before turning to Ella and saying something in French, something I didn’t catch on to. I understand a few words of French, things I pick up in the lockerroom from Max and Flower, Tanger's French is a little harder to understand. This brunch is going to be tricky if it's all in French.

“Maman, this is Jordan, Jordan, meet my mother,” Ella said as she introduced us. I held out a hand which she weakly shook. Her hand was like a dead fish, cold and limp and not at all like I was expecting. I smiled at her, hoping she would either warm up to me or talk to me. I earned a forced smile in return but her silent dismissal was pretty clear. She looked back at Ella before talking to her again in rapid French, saying something about me, which was clear by the tone of her voice. She looked at me again before saying something else, probably asking why I wasn’t a clean cut lawyer or med student that she would want Ella to be with.

“Mother, this is so rude,” Ella said in English, catching my attention. “You speak perfect English, we don't need to talk in French in front of Jordan.” Thank God, I thought, though I’m not sure I want to hear the rest of the conversation, particularly if her mother is going to admit her dislike in English. Her mother replied sharply in French before turning to me.

“Jordan!” Felix said, coming up to me and pumping my hand as I excused myself away from the Ella and her mom. “How are you? Long time no see?” I was glad of the distraction as he took me away from Ella and her witch of a mother. “Don’t worry, they don’t get on that well,” Felix said seeing my look as I walked away from Ella. “Are you two back together again now? How did the party go? I was supposed to be there too with Ella and Noah, but I ended up on a date which didn’t go too well.”

“We’re not back together, I wish we were,” I said, taking a glass of champagne from a nearby waiter as Felix took one too. “Max locked us in his basement together until we made up. I kissed her but I’m not sure where we are or what we even are. I want to be back together, but I think she’s confused…” I admitted. I didn’t want to tell Felix about snuggling up with her and the truth or dare – he probably didn’t want to know what I got up to with his sister.

“Between you and me, I think Ella wants to be back with you,” Félix said, sipping his champagne. “She was seriously cut up after she ended it, and she met this guy who made her realise how much she loved you.”

“There was a guy?” I said, my blood beginning to boil. Felix put an arm on my shoulder, trying to calm me down.

“Not like that. Actually you know him, Lecavalier. Nothing happened, but he made Ella realise that she loved you and I think she still does. They just talked,” Felix said seeing the look on my face, gesturing over to Ella who was looking my way. I smiled at her, raising my glass slightly as she smiled back, turning back to the witch.
“You being here today is a good thing. Ella and I hate these charity functions which Mother insists on having every couple of months. They’re going to auction off some prizes for a local leukaemia fund. Last month it was epilepsy, which Ella hated. Maman likes to spread it round that Ella has epilepsy.”

I shook my head looking back over at Ella who was looking for an escape route. “So how do I win her back?” I asked Felix who was watching us both.


“How long are you around for?” Felix said fiddling with some flower decoration that was nearby.
“As long as I want to be,” I said. I had left the rental car back at Max’s and Eric and Marc were planning on leaving tomorrow but my summer was pretty clear. Dad didn't need all four of us and I could be spared for a week at least.

“If I was you, I would stay as long as possible. Ella has work tomorrow and then the rest of the week, but she’s free in the evenings. Take her out for dinner and just catch up.” We did a lot of that last night. Maybe we could go out and explore Montreal after this dinner was over. That would be fun. Now that I’m here, I don’t want to leave.

I nodded following Ella and Felix to the table, waiting to be seated. I felt really out of place here; this sort of thing is not what I’m used to. On Sunday mornings it’s always our family around the kitchen table, bacon and toast on the table and lashings of maple syrup, not pheasant stuffed with foie gras or lobster and smoked salmon platters.

I fidgeted with the cutlery, not sure which fork I should use. With the team we often have nice charity functions, but here I feel like I'm being observed and judged on every little thing I do. Ella saw me worrying and discreetly pointed to the fork I needed. I smiled as she quietly scooted her chair closer to mine. I placed my hand on her leg reassuring her that I was ok.
"Sorry about my mother," she whispered, her breath warm on my ear.

Across the room I spotted someone I knew from hockey. What a small world, I thought. And why the fuck is he here after what Felix has just told me? I nodded at him, as he stood silently before making his way across the room towards us.


____________________________________________________________


Colbie Caillat - Fallin' For You


ELLA'S POV


Jordan didn’t seem that comfortable at brunch. He had this sort of nervousness on his face, something I’m not used to seeing from him. I refrained from any more champagne, knowing that I had to drive back after this. Felix sat opposite me and babbled on about his date from last night. It sounded like the date from hell, and I did feel sort of sorry for him. I thought back to the last time we had had one of these things - Rosalie had looked totally out of place.

Last time, she wore a leather mini skirt and a cropped white t-shirt that revealed her navel, making my mother practically recoil when she saw her. To my mother, appearance is everything; so the whole ‘Rosalie is a stripper’ thing didn’t go down very well. In comparison, with Jordan being here, things seemed to be a lot smoother; Jordan didn't look like he walked the streets and although he was out of his comfort zone, he was doing well so far.

As Jordan continued to lightly stroke my thigh under the table, I could feel my sparks running up my thighs as something began to tingle in my underwear. If we carried on like this, I could be in serious trouble. Looking at his expression, he knew exactly what he was up to.

“Ella,” I looked around at the voice and came face to face with Vinnie. I haven’t seen him for several weeks and to say he looked great would be an understatement. Jordan’s grip tightened on my thigh, as I put my hand on top of his, stroking small circles on it with my thumb until he relaxed. I stood up, letting my dress fall and cover my knees as I hugged Vinnie.

“Vinnie, meet Jordan,” I said as Jordan stood up awkwardly.

“We already know each other,” Jordan said plainly, not looking at me but staring Vinnie down. I put my arm around his waist to let him know I was still in the room. Was Jordan jealous?

“Oh, of course,” I said. “How are you? How and why are you here? I didn’t know my mother invited you,” I said really surprised to see him here. I didn't think my mother's circle extended to NHL players. Jordan put his arm around my shoulders and kissed the top of my head. He was being a little too over protective for my liking. Vinnie was a friend, not someone Jordan should feel threatened by.

“I was back in the area. I’m actually house hunting on the plateau and Caroline was invited,” he replied. “I didn’t know you two were together. Was this the guy we talked about?” Thank you Vinnie, I thought, trying not to roll my eyes. That was very discreet. I nodded at the last question as Jordan’s grip loosened around my waist.

“Maybe we’ll see you after,” I said as the waiter brought our food over. Vinnie nodded, shook Jordan's hand and smiled at me before he headed back towards his table where I could see a slim dark-haired woman sitting next to an empty chair. She must be the fiancée Max had talked about yesterday, I thought.



“Where do you want to go?” I asked after the brunch was finished and most of my mother’s friends were standing around and talking. Technically I should be socialising too, being the ‘good’ daughter role, but with Jordan by my side, I just wanted to get out of there. “Anywhere,” he replied putting his napkin down.

“Maman, il faut que je doive partir,” I said airkissing her on both cheeks so I didn’t ruin her make-up. I gave Felix a hug before I tugged Jordan out of the room after me. He wasn’t the only one who looked suitably relieved when we left that room.

“You OK?” I checked as he grinned back at me. I handed the coupon over to the valet service. The boy’s eyes lit up when he saw Jordan and asked for his autograph.

“Ells, do you have a pen?” he said as he took a bit of paper off the valet’s stand. I pulled a pen out of my purse and handed it to Jordan. The boy was looking at Jordan like his Christmas had come early. And I thought everyone in this city liked the Habs? He went off to fetch my car as we waited there, Jordan pulling me closer to him.

“Thanks for coming with me,” I said to Jordan as I leaned back against him. He wrapped his arms around my waist, linking his hands together at the bottom of my stomach. I could feel my stomach turning over and over. I’m almost one hundred percent certain that it’s not from drinking into the early hours or the brunch I’ve just consumed. “You’re welcome. It’s nice to meet your mother,” Jordan said. Was he joking? It’s never a pleasure to meet my mother. She makes life difficult for everyone around her and she’s always critiquing the world around her. You know that everything you do is being saved up to be psychoanalysed later.

“Are you joking?” I said turning my head back around to look up at him. Jordan shook his head, planting a kiss on my forehead and then my nose as the valet coughed. I tipped him and got into the car as the boy stared at Jordan who just nodded at him. “Big fan you’ve got there,” I remarked as we drove off. I wasn’t sure where to go; I didn’t really know what we should do. It’s three o’clock on a Sunday afternoon and we were both quite dressed up.
“Shopping?” Jordan asked.

I really wasn’t dressed for shopping. I’m wearing a knee-length, blue dress with heels and I look like I’m about to go to a ball or a charity function, not shopping. I’m not the type of girl who keeps emergency clothes in her car either.
“Sure,” I said driving into a car park off St. Denis, knowing that I could buy some clothes to change into. My feet were going to kill if I was going to shop in these heels.



Shopping with Jordan is an experience. Admittedly he’s nowhere near as good to shop with as Noah and he does get bored of looking at clothes after about half an hour. Noah gives his opinion on everything, he’ll tell you if he doesn’t like the cut or if the top isn’t cute enough. He should be running some sort of program on fashion TV. According to Jordan everything I tried on looks ‘good’ or ‘great’ or ‘fantastic’.

I brought some flats from Aldo and a pair of jeans and a tunic top and I was ready to go. I carried my dress and the heels in the bag and changed in one of the change rooms at Jacob.

“Can we go in here?” Jordan said as we passed an underwear shop. I wasn’t sure, I mean I didn’t know if that was appropriate or not. We stood outside the shop as I looked inside. If I walked inside, I would effectively be confirming that we were back together. If I didn’t, it would be a blatant kick in the teeth to Jordan. And even if I did buy the underwear, I was sure that I wouldn’t be jumping into bed with Jordan right away. Sure, he might get a buzz out of helping me choose underwear, but what sort of message would I be sending to him?

“Umm…” I said, hesitating as we stood right in the middle of the walkway. I steered Jordan over to the railings so we had a clear view of the levels below. “Is it too soon?” Jordan asked. I looked over at him. “I’m not sure,” I said. “I don’t know what to do,” I said.

Jordan bit his lip before looking down at me. “Well let’s go choose underwear with no consequences or expectations attached,” he said leaning down to kiss me. I nodded. He was pretty keen on helping me choose out underwear, I thought as he led me into the shop.

I looked around. I certainly don’t need anything but Jordan has just put up with me for the last hour and he did sit through a painful brunch and the first half of the auction. I could have a little fun with this, and if I thought about it, Jordan was being such a sweetie. He looked like a little kid in a candy shop as he looked around, trying to help me choose things.
His idea of practical was slightly different to mine. I didn’t consider stockings and suspenders in the ‘everyday/work’ category. I bought a few items, humouring myself and Jordan, vowing that I would take it back after Jordan leaves.


“So do I get to see them on?” Jordan said as we headed back to my car. Talk about no “consequences or expectations attached.” I shook my head. I hadn’t let Jordan in the changing room because I knew what would have happened if I had – neither one of us would have held back and there would have been no stopping us.

“Let me drive,” Jordan said as we reached the car. I protested because my car is sacred to me. Not even Félix can drive her. And Jordan doesn’t even know Montréal, so I was going to have to direct him. It would be ten times easier if I drove. I headed round to the driver’s side as Jordan followed me. He pinned me up against the car and began to tickle me. “Jordan,” I gasped in between breaths.
“Ha, say that again,” he said clearly enjoying the power he had over me. I realised it had come out like a sex noise as I shook my head, squirming as his hands tickled my sides. He wrestled my purse from me and took the keys before pushing me up against the car and kissing me hard. I hadn’t kissed him since the kiss in Max’s basement and this one was forceful and urgent. It screamed sex to me as Jordan began working his way down my neck, still holding me in place against my car.

"Uh Jordan, we have an audience," I said as he stopped and I motioned to the little girl who was watching us as her parents packed their car up. He waved at her before he jumped into the driver's seat, leaving me with no choice but to sit in defeat in the passenger's seat.

I put all of my shopping down in my room and took a deep breath. The last twenty four hours had been crazy to say the least. I sat on my bed and kicked off my new shoes which had left angry red marks around my heels.
"So, what now?" Jordan asked as he stood in front of me.