Jar of Hearts (Glow sequel) (17 page)

I plopped down onto the bed, taking a deep breath in worried that someone had died. It's what she sounded like.

I hurried, taking a quick shower and requesting a cab. The entire way to Vanessa's parents house I let the many ways I thought about telling Ethan how I felt run over and over again in my mind. I thought about just telling him, “I love you,” but the more I think about the many ways I could tell him it dawned on me that none of them could express how I truly felt. I just need to do it and say what feels right at the right moment.

“Thank you,” I paid the cab driver and grabbed the tall bag which held my light pink maid of honor dress, and a box which held my shoes. Vanessa arranged to have our make up done by Merle Norman beauty consultants, and  a few of Paul Mitchell's personal hair stylists do our hair.

“Hello, hello!” I called through the entry way. No one answered, though I could smell food being cooked in the kitchen.

I wandered toward the back door and looked outback. I could smell the grass and the flowers through the screen door, they all smelled differently including the air I was breathing. Vanessa and Ethan's little cousins were running around the grass with bubbles, they were laughing and screaming. Caterers were running around, setting up all of the tables. A tall man in a white chefs coat and hat was standing behind the mini bar barking orders as one very confused Sancho stood there trying to follow his words. I laughed to myself. I looked to the right of the yard, Vanessa was following the florist, yelling at her for listening to me when I ordered the flowers. Ben was close behind her, picking up the multiple napkins she dropped. Their parents were in the very back of the yard where they were helping set up what looked to be a band stage, and dance floor. I searched around the backyard to see if I could see Ethan, but he was nowhere outside.

“Looking for me?”

I jumped. Okay, so he was inside across the room from me. I wanted to tell him yes, but I couldn't speak. The way I felt last night as opposed to how I feel about him now? Times it by a trillion. I took all of him in. Ethan in a pair of white basketball shorts, and a black tank top sweaty from a morning run had my body zinging like a live wire.

“You look different today, beautiful,” he studied me. “Did you do something different?”

“How long were you standing there watching me?” I eyed him playfully.

“Not long enough,” he smirked.

I nodded. “I see. Is it a bad different?” I hadn't changed anything about me, other than accepting the fact I am in love.

“No,” he shook his head. “Your just...” he was trying to find the right words. “happy,” he smiled.

“I am,” I felt my face become warm. “Last night, I-”

The screen door whipped open, a very stressed out Vanessa with her blue eyes bugging out and her blonde hair sticking up in all directions. “Maria, thank God you're here,” she grabbed me by the arm pulling me toward the stairs.

“But, I was just-” I pointed toward Ethan who looked severely annoyed with Vanessa.

“You can talk to him later,” she tugged on my arm. “Jackie is upstairs, and the make up and hair stylists are waiting for us. They are probably near done with her already.”

I looked over my shoulder giving Ethan a frown, clearly showing my disappointment. He smirked, slowly shaking his head at his sisters sudden craziness. He headed toward the kitchen.

“Did you like the flowers?” I laughed aloud as she pulled me behind her.

“Funny, ha-ha,” she sighed. “I was very upset,”

“I know,” I giggled.

“What is up with you?” she asked as we walked up the stairs.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“The smiling and laughing. Totally not you,” she pulled hard on my arm as apparently I was walking too slow. “And you were staring at my brother like he is a piece of meat,”

“I love him,”  I blurted, slapping my free hand across my mouth.

Vanessa gasped. “You do!?” she flipped around in the hallway upstairs. I batted my hands at her flailing ponytail, it whipping me in the face.

My lips pressed in a flat line, I nodded vigorously. “I think so,” I smiled, my cheeks I sure was a flushed pink. I tilted my head to the side in realization of admittance. “Did I just say that out loud?”

“You sure did,” she squealed again, wrapping her arms around my neck. “This is great, Maria!” she held on for another moment before letting her hands drop to her sides. Her face held a frown.

Bewildered at her sudden lack of excitement, I took a step back to study her contemplating on whether or not she should say something.

“What, Nessy?” I bent my head down to look at her face as her chin touched her chest, she stared at her feet.

She shrugged. “I don't want to say anything and cause problems,”

“What's wrong?” I felt my heart drop to the pale carpet below my feet. Problems could only mean one thing... Ethan and Jackie. I swallowed hard, forcing myself to speak. “Did Jackie stay here last night?”

She looked up at me, her blue eyes held a pool of apology as her mouth quickly opened then closed.

“Tell me,” I whispered, feeling the lump in my throat grow bigger as the moisture behind my eyes created waves of disbelief.

“There isn't anything to tell you, really.” she looked at me, I could see it in her eyes that she was telling me the truth. “I don't know if anything happened or not, I can't say for sure. All I know is when I went to bed, they were in the living room talking and when I went to the bathroom this morning, she was leaving his room wearing one of his t-shirts. Don't jump to conclusions, I'm trying not to. I don't know what happened,” she placed her hand on my arm in a comforting manner. “It might have been absolutely nothing,”

I licked my suddenly dry lips, tasting the salt from my tears. “Did you ask him about it?” My heart was racing in my chest, and my legs felt like they were going to give out on me.

“When I made it down stairs, he was out running and when I asked Jackie the flowers showed up... the wrong flowers and I have been a mess ever since then.” she huffed. “But I asked Ben about it, and he told me not to read too much into it as he knows how much Ethan cares about you.”

I let a drawn out laugh laced with doubt echo the hallway. “Yeah, he cares enough about me that he did it last night with a possibility of doing it again,” I wiped my heated cheeks. “Is she is your room?”

“Why?” Vanessa gave me a look of uncertainty as she is fully aware of my 'I take crap from no one attitude'. “What are you going to do?”

“Ask her what happened between her and Ethan last night,” I said simply as I went to walk past her. She roughly grabbed my arm, her eyes pleading for me not to cause problems.

“Seriously,” I took her hand from my arm. “It will be fine,”

“I'm going with you,” she insisted, right on my heels. “I'm not going to let shit go down on my wedding day, so can we make this fast? Please?”

I smirked, walking towards the spare bedroom next to Vanessa's bedroom door. My blood was boiling in my veins at the thought of her hands all over Ethan's gorgeous body. Ethan couldn't be claimed as mine, but I sure as hell wasn't about to let her think he belonged to her. I grabbed the knob, quickly turned it and pushed the door open. Jackie and the bright green eyed, black haired stylist wearing a zebra apron jumped at the sound of the door hitting Vanessa's floral papered wall.

“Suzy Q... out,” I stepped in, nodding my head toward the door. The stylist brushed my shoulder walking past me and closed the door. I made eye contact with Jackie who was smiling deviously at me.

“Maria-” Vanessa went to say as someone knocked on the door. We both turned toward the door at the same time she turned the knob. It was Ben standing there with a shit eating grin on his face.

“Is there going to be a girl fight?” he rubbed his hands together excitedly. “If so, do I have a minute to grab my camera? Ethan would definitely want to see this,” he wiggled his brows.

I scowled at Ben, quickly placing my hands on Vanessa's back. I gave her a light shove, pushing them both out the door. I quickly held it closed with my foot as I locked the door. I turned around quickly, ignoring the rapping of Vanessa's fist on the door.

“Maria! Open the door!” she yelled from the other side.

“Jackie, we need to talk,” I smiled.

Chapter Twelve

Ethan

I grabbed a bottle water and was leaning up against the kitchen counter trying to calm my racing heart. Maria looked different this morning. Not thinking it was even possible to be any more gorgeous than she already was, she was glowing. She was smiling a smile I had yet to see on her beautiful face. She was about to actually talk to me when Vanessa came busting through the door looking like the Exorcist, grabbing Maria away from me. I was slightly annoyed.

“Hey, baby,” my mom planted as kiss on my cheek. “Everything go okay with Jackie last night?”

I nodded, then took a drink of my water. “Yeah,”

“What did you tell her?” Mom asked, cutting Asparagus.

“I told her the truth,” I shrugged. “She was really confused about what happened at dinner so I told her everything about mine and Maria's past, how I have thought about Maria and what I have felt for her for the past two years,”

“Was she upset?”

“Yeah, but she understood,” I drank the rest of my water and tossed the bottle in the trash can next to the counter. “I guess the realtor guy cheated on her with another one of his clients and he left her,” I smirked.

“No kidding,” she gasped.

“I want to feel bad for her, but I-”

One of the hairdressers came rushing into the kitchen wide eyed, and freaked out. Her chest heaved from under the zebra printed apron.

“Upstairs,” she said breathless.

“What's wrong, dear?” my mom rushed to her side.

“They're fighting,” she turned around and ran back toward the stairs.

“Oh, shit,” I ran after the hair dresser, halfway up the stairs I heard  a scream and crashing of glass coming from the hallway. I wasn't sure who was fighting or why, but something tells me it is Jackie and Maria.

“Maria! Open the door!” Vanessa was crying, pounding on the door as I reached the hallway. Ben was standing there with his camcorder in his hand, smiling like an idiot waiting for the bedroom door to open.

“What is going on up here?” my mom said from behind me.

“It's Maria and Jackie,” Vanessa looked over at me, her expression clearly stating this was my fault.

“They are fighting over you,” Ben laughed aloud, the camera pointing right at my face.

“Nice,” I smiled widely.

“No...” Vanessa grabbed my arm, pulling me toward the door. “No, not nice. She knows Jackie left your bedroom this morning wearing nothing but one of your t-shirts,”

“She was wearing what?” I said in shock. I told her to sleep in my room and I took the couch. Jackie did this on purpose. I should have known her reaction to our conversation was too calm.

“Your damn t-shirt,” Vanessa crossed her arms over her chest. “This is ruining everything, fix it. Now, Ethan,”

“She did this on purpose,” I rubbed the back of my neck with my hand in disbelief that she would go to such extremes to make things worse for me. Granted, yes, I slept with her only because I wanted to feel 'close' to Maria through my thoughts which was seriously fucked up on my part, but I deeply apologized and I meant every word. She seemed to understand and came to the realization that her actions alone caused her to be afraid and lonely.

“Son, you have to make this right,” my mom placed her hand on my back. “They are both hurting and ruining your sisters wedding day,”

We all jumped when Maria let out a growl, Jackie screamed again and we heard them bang into the wall. The fighting suddenly became too quiet. Not even a thump came from the room which had me nervous.

“Ethan?” Vanessa whispered, staring at the door.

I went to grab the knob at the same time the door flung open to a breathless Maria. She straightened her hair, then rolled her shoulders before tilted her head to the side neck popping her neck. She nodded. “Nothing happened last night,” she voiced to Vanessa with a smile walking past us and down the stairs toward the kitchen which I assumed she was going to get some water.

I reached out, pushing the door open more. I let my eyes scan the room to find Jackie sitting on a stool with a dazed grin on her face: her caramel colored hair that was once up in curls and flowered clips was sticking up in ratted knots everywhere, her pink lipstick was smeared across her cheek, so was her black eyeliner. I brought my hand to my lips trying to stifle my laughter. Maria fucked her up.

“Okay, let's get my make up and hair fixed,” she said through her smile. “Silly, me...” she touched her hair. “I messed it up,”

Ben busted into laughter from behind me and Vanessa. “Maria knocked her into a freaking stupor,” he wedged himself between Vanessa and me with his camcorder. “Look at her eyes,” he laughed aloud, pressing the zoom button.

Jackie was sitting there on the stool, humming as she ran a brush through the rats nest. Her eyes were searching the room like she were dizzy.

“For goodness sakes, Benjamin!” my mom pushed him out of the way and walked into the room. She touched Jackie's shoulder making her flinch away from her touch.

“Nothing happened last night!” Jackie winced awaiting another blow.

My mom even had to laugh. “Maria scared this girl senseless,” she walked toward the door, shooing us out into the hallway. “Let's leave her alone,” she laughed, shaking her head as she walked down the hallway.

“Nothing happened last night!” Ben said in a high pitched girls voice, mocking Jackie. He kept replaying the scene on his camcorder and was laughing harder every time. Laughing hysterically he said, “I am so putting this on You Tube,”

I shook my head at him. “You are such an asshole, McGurthy,”

“I try,” he smiled, walking away with his camcorder repeating “Nothing happened last night!” as he walked towards the den to upload his video.

I walked into the kitchen hoping to see Maria. “Where is Maria?” I asked Vanessa.

“She is out at the mini bar giving 'Sancho' a hard time,” she looked over my shoulder. “Where is Ben?”

“He's in the den uploading his video,” I smirked.

“Son of a-” she shrieked, stomping around me. “Benjamin! Do not upload that video!”

I laughed, shaking my head. “Is Maria okay?” I asked my mom who was back to cutting up Asparagus.

“She seems okay,” she shrugged. “Though, I think you need to take this few minutes of time to talk to her before your sister goes all Hitler again and steals her away from you,”

I nod then head to the backdoor, I see Maria sitting at the mini bar with her shoulders slumped forward, she looks completely unscathed. I smiled, my little warrior. I stepped outside, shutting the screen door behind me.

I stopped a foot behind her. “It's disappointing seeing such a beautiful woman sitting by herself,”

I saw her body stiffen at my words, she slowly turned around with a bright eyed smile on her face. “What's even more depressing is that I not only eat like a man, but I can scare the living hell out of someone like one too,” she smirked, making me laugh.

“Can I sit down?” I asked, standing next to her now.

“Of course,” she took a drink of her whiskey. “Just waiting a few minutes to let everything calm down,”

“What happened?” I tucked her hair behind her ear so I could see her face.

“I wanted to know if...” she took a deep breath. “I wanted to know if you both slept together again last night,”

“We didn't,” I traced my thumb along her jaw, she closed her eyes.

“I know that now,” she smiled at me, squinting from the sun. “at first she kept telling me it was none of my business. So, I made her tell me,” she laughed.

“Yeah, she is a little out of it,” I smirked, scooting myself closer to her stool.

She openly turned to face me, her knees were between my thighs. “I'm sorry I raged like that,” she wouldn't look at me.

I placed my fingers under her chin making her look at me. “It hurt you, don't be sorry,” I shook my head. “She deliberately wore my t-shirt hoping everyone saw. It was her way trying to deal with her hurt. I told her everything about you and me,”

“Why?” her brown eyes were wide with shock.

“Because she was begging me to give her another chance and when I kept telling her no, she was relentless in asking me why,” I leaned closer to Maria. “I told her the truth that I cared about her but we should have been friends to begin with because there was one specific woman that I couldn't get out of my head through our entire relationship. I could never be with her again because for the last two years I have been in love with someone else,” I ran the pad of my thumb across her quivering bottom lip. “I love you, please don't cry,”

“Ethan, I-”

“Maria!” Vanessa was yelling for Maria through the house.

“You what, beautiful?” say it... say it! I anxiously leaned closer to Maria,  anticipating hearing the three words, I love you. “You what?”

She smiled the same smile I saw light up her brown eyes when she saw me this morning. “I l-”

“There you are!” Vanessa came busting out the back door, grabbing Maria by the arm. “You two can talk later, we have to be at the church at four which is in less than two hours, come on,” she pulled on Maria's arm again.

“You have very shitty timing, Nessy,” I dropped my hand from Maria's face and clenched my teeth moving my legs so Maria could go with her.

“Sorry, Ethan,” Maria said from over her shoulder as my sister dragged her through the back door. Her eyes shot open, “Wait, my drink!”

Vanessa let go of her, she ran toward me and smacked her hand down on top of the bar loudly. “Sancho! Hurry!” she quickly spun to face me, smashing her lips onto mine.  She moaned against my lips before pulling away. “There, that should last for a little while,” she pecked my lips one more time.

“No way,” I wrapped my hand around the back of her neck and brought her lips back to mine. I felt her body relax against my chest as I caressed her tongue with mine. She ran her fingers through my hair, letting another moan escape into my mouth.

I heard Vanessa clear her throat. “Okay, I gave you the extra time,” she laughed. “You guys can finish this later,” she clapped her hands loudly.

“So, Miss. Anderson...” I grabbed her drink and handed it to her with a smirk. “Do you have a date to this wedding?”

“I don't,” she shook her head, her cheeks turning an extremely sexy shade of pink. “Well, Marc is picking me up but we aren't going as a date, so no I don't have one,”

“Would you be my date to Vanessa's wedding?” I took her hands in mine, pressing the back of her hand to my lips.

“Possibly,” she said in a low sexy tone, my heart was racing with excitement. I ran my hand across her cheek as she leaned closer to me and whispered in my ear. “If the stars are aligned in your favor, our date might even continue after the reception,” she placed her lips on my cheek and kissed me softly.

Hell yes!