Rent A Wife!!!

Chapter 26: Plan of Action

Chapter 26: Plan of Action
Recap:

I jumped as I heard an incessant ringing of the doorbell. I looked at Wade in
surprise. Who could it be at this time of the night? It was almost 1.00 a.m. Wade got
up with a wide grin and went to open the door. He opened it to reveal a very angry
Jude with a stormy look on his face.

Natasha’s P.O.V
Wade turned around to look at me and winked. I gulped as I glanced at Jude’s face. I wouldn’t be smiling like Wade was if Jude was looking at me like that.
“Let’s go”

“Jude I-”

“DO not argue” he bit out.

“Hey she is an adult and she can stay if she wants”

“I wasn’t talking to you”

“Yeah but I’m just saying”

“Didn’t ask for your opinion either”

“Jude don’t talk him like that!”

“Its ok Tasha I guess we just took him by surprise”

“What do you mean?” asked Jude looking at me, I winced at his look it felt like he was shooting daggers at me. Wade shrugged and tried to look nonchalant.

“Well I guess it took you by surprise that we were catching up”

“Oh yeah THAT did take me by surprise”

“Well since Jude is here and all I guess I’ll go” I said chickening out. Wade smiled at me in amusement and shrugged, “Whatever you want Tasha, like I said you are an adult”
I started to walk out but turned around again and hugged Wade, “Thank you I had a great time”

“Me too, see you soon” I leaned forward and kissed him on his cheek.

“Ahem” I turned around to see Jude standing there with his Jaws clenched “Its getting late.” I rolled my eyes at him and hugged Wade once more and said, “I’ll call you” and walked out. Jude followed shortly as soon as we sat in the car Jude slammed the door shut. I looked at him in surprise, he loved his car called it his baby and here he was banging the doors. He drove like a maniac and though I wanted to ask him to drive at a safer speed limit I decided against it. He was so not getting a reaction out of me. The tires squealed as we stopped in the driveway once again he beat me to getting out of the car and slamming the doors. I just rolled my eyes and waited for him to unlock the front door. We entered the house in silence and I watched in amusement as Jude sat down and kicked off his shoes, throwing them in different directions like a 2 year old who throws a tantrum. I placed my shoes neatly on the shoe rack and walked in the kitchen to grab a glass of water. I gulped it down quickly and walked into the room while Jude sat on the couch with his arms folded across his chest. Ok, why on earth was he giving me the silent treatment? It was MY weapon dammit! He wasn’t allowed to use it. I decided to call Joey and talk to her. Great! She didn’t answer, I guess she must be sleeping; I made a mental note to call her first thing the next day. I disconnected and my phone immediately beeped. It was a text message from Wade.

Wade: Is the storm cooking up yet?

I smiled and replied, “He is giving me the silent treatment.

Wade: Hahahaha seriously? That’s good news!

Me: How is that good?!

Wade: He is jealous

Me: What? No! he is not he just went on a date with Stephanie tonight didn’t he?

Wade: OK why aren’t we speaking why we are texting?

Me: I don’t know  :s

Then I smacked my head with my phone and smiled as Wade called.

“Hullo”

“Is Jude around?”

“He is sulking on the couch”

“Ok go into the washroom and talk”

“Hold on”

I pulled out my night clothes and went into the washroom. I glanced in the mirror and realized that I was still wearing Wade’s jacket”

“Wade! I have your jacket”

“That’s ok I will take it from you tomorrow”

“Oh we are meeting tomorrow?”

“Duh! Obviously. That’s how we set the wheels in motion”

“Ok” I said dubiously

“Now listen to me carefully, act like nothing is wrong and let him speak first”

“Ok”

“Stop saying ok as if you are in doubt”

“Ok”

“Natasha!”

“I’m sorry!”

“Alright, now here’s what you do. It’s a fortunate co incidence that you have my jacket with you, wear it to bed”

“Ok that sounds creepy”

“Not so much when you’re supposed to be falling in love with me”

“Oh ok”

I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard loud banging on the door.

“What’s taking you so long? I need to use the bathroom”

“Well then you should have gone instead of sulking!” I replied petulantly and I heard Wade laughing on the other end.

“Good going Natasha, now remember what I said and act ignorant as if you don’t know why he is in such a rotten mood”

“Ok” I whispered and hung up.
I quickly changed into my pyjamas and tank top and wore Wade’s jacket on top of it. I got out and yelled.
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaa” I said covering my eyes. “Do you mind?”  Jude was standing in just his boxers!  Dear God! He was standing there flaunting his perfect abs, nope picture perfect abs. Control yourself Natasha! You are supposed to ignore him.

“Well I waited for you to get out I was feeling sleepy so I decided to change”

“Right here?”

He just shrugged in reply; I huffed and walked around him. He had pulled over a T shirt by now, thank God for that!

“Whose jacket are you wearing?”

“Wade’s”

“Why?”
“Because I’m cold?” I replied, not sure of the answer myself.

“So you don’t have a jacket?”

“Its at my home”

“So I will buy you one tomorrow”

“You don’t need to, I will get mine”

“I will buy you one and that’s final”

“Whatever, anyway I am meeting Wade tomorrow so he will take me home and I can pick my jacket up”

“You are meeting him again?”

“Yep”

“What was today all about?”

“What do you mean?” I asked feigning ignorance.

“Don’t answer my question with a question!”

“Well then tell me what do you mean?”

“I mean what were you doing with Wade? Weren’t you supposed to meet Joey? I thought that was the plan?”

“Yeah but Joey was down with a migraine”

“Huh, a likely story”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing”

“What do you mean by nothing?”

“Nothing”

“Ok”

“OK?”

“Yep” I said switching off the light and turning on my side.

“SO what? Aren’t you going to ask me how my date was?”
I clenched my teeth and counted till ten and asked, “How was your date?”

“Fantastic! I really think she has changed and we might end up together after all”
I felt tears smarting my eyes and they threatened to spill, “That’s wonderful” I was proud about the fact that voice didn’t waver at all.

“Yeah, we spoke about a lot of things and have decided to take it one step at a time”

“Has she broken up with Nick?”
Silence

“OMG! She hasn’t broken up with him!” I laughed out loud.

“Oh Jude you are such a douche! She is still playing with you isn’t she?”

“No she isn’t! Look the world know you and I are going to get married so for the sake of keeping up appearances she will still be with him. After a year, well Nick won’t know what hit him!”

I was really glad that the room was dark or else Jude would have seen my gleeful smile. So Wade had been right. I just hope Jude realized what he was doing is stupid before it was too late.

“Wait! So she knows our marriage is fake?”

“No, I am not an idiot Natasha!”
Well he could’ve fooled me. “So she is okay that you are going to marry someone else and have an affair with her?”

“umm yeah I guess”

I just shook my head and said, “Goodnight Jude”

“Goodnight Tasha” he said pointedly.

“Hey only Wade can call me that”

Thump. I felt a pillow on my head, “I will call you what I want”

I hit him back and said, “Go to sleep I am tired”

“Why what did you guys do?” asked Jude sitting up suddenly.

“Nothing”

“Nothing?”

“Nope”

“Then why are you tired?”

“Argh! Enough with the third degree! Go to sleep!”

Jude’s P.O.V
I was excited about today. I was going to start my first project with my dad’s organization. Our latest client had a chain of malls that he wanted us to design. I was going to help them design the one is my city. It was my first big project. I was eating breakfast and going over my research. These guys were big. They already had a lot of outlets all over the world and were investing in some more. They seemed to be doing well as they had quality brands that common man could afford. I smiled as I thought about being in charge of the project.
“Good morning” said Natasha walking to the kitchen and rubbing her eyes sleepily.

“Mornin sleepy head”

“Why are you so bright and cheery in the morning?”

“I am always bright and cheerful”

“No you aren’t”

“Whateverrrr”
“What are those?” she asked gesturing towards all the papers lying in front of me.

“Those are papers that contain tid bits about my new client” I sighed as she frowned in confusion, “dad called and said its high time I started working with him. Which is true I can’t spend my life partying or whiling my time. So he gave me my first project. I need to design a mall!”

“Oh wow! That’s why you are all little miss sunshine this morning”

I snorted my juice from my nose, “I am NOT little miss sunshine”

“Ah that’s better, the sulky you”

I rolled my eyes at her and went to get dressed. When I came back she was talking on the phone.
“Oh you must meet him Joey! He is so charming!”
I frowned and proceeded to wear my shoes and tried listening to her conversation as well.

“Oh that’s too bad but you have to meet me soon!”

“Hmm I don’t know Jude starts work today so I am kinda going to be alone and well you are working too”
I felt a pang as I heard the sadness in her voice and then suddenly she sounded cheerful,

“Hey Wade’s calling, I will call you back!”

I scowled at her as she raised her eyebrows at me.

“Hey Wade! Whatcha doin?” and she giggled. She giggled! Oh this is not good, this is so not good. I hoped she was not falling for him because Wade was a player. He was my cousin and I loved him but I knew he wasn’t ready to settle down yet. If Nats falls for him she is in for a heart break.

“hmm ok. See ya!”

I grabbed my briefcase and turned to Natasha.

“Ok I am leaving. I have left the spare key on the counter.”

“Ok”

“Hey what will you do today?”

“Its taken care of, Wade is taking me out”

“He is taking you out?”
“Yeah he is free so we decided to meet up.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Dunno we will just go with the flow I guess”

I nodded and started leaving when I felt Natasha’s hand on my elbow.

“All the best. Its your first day” I smiled and said, “Thanks”
She stood on her tip toes and kissed me on my cheek and then shut the door behind me. I slowly raised one hand to where she had kissed me and smiled.
I got into my car and zoomed off to my office. I pulled into the parking lot and felt little knots in my stomach. What if I messed up? I am supposed to lead a team can I? I can’t do this! I felt my hands become clammy and pulled out my phone and dialed the first person I could think of.

“Nats”

“Jude what’s wrong?”

“erm I am scared” She didn’t laugh as I thought she would but instead she said, “Are you serious? You are Jude! I mean the Jude Smith! You aren’t scared of anything, nothing can scare you, hell to me you are everything that symbolizes confidence and self assurance. Now go in there and kick some ass!”

I laughed feeling better already, “Thanks Nats. I am going in and I will kick some ass”
“Way to go Jude!” and she whooped a little, I was already imagining her doing a little victory dance and I chuckled as I hung up. I stared at the elevator doors and took a deep breath, here goes!


Natasha’s P.O.V

I smiled as I hung up. He called me! When he was nervous he called me! Ha! Take that Stephanie McBitch. I was feeling really happy and warm all over and I couldn’t stop smiling. My phone rang again and I picked it and saw it was Wade.
“Are you ready yet?”

“No give me ten minutes”

“Oh come on! I didn’t pin you for one of those girls who take ages to dress!” he groaned.

“Something came up, give me ten minutes. Have you left?”

“Nope I am going for a shower now”

“What the hell are you making so much noise for?” Wade just laughed and hung up. Oh yeah Jude and him were brothers.

Wade showed up after a good two hours. We got into his car and he turned to me, “Where to?”

“ummm Wade, if you don’t mind I’d like to go visit my mother”

“Sure! Why would I mind?”

I just shrugged and looked out of the window. I gave him directions to the nursing home and told him a little about my mother’s condition.

“My mom died when I was 8 so I kinda know how you feel” I turned to look at him in surprise. Sean or Jude had never mentioned that to me.

“Wade! I am so sorry!”

“Its ok, I miss her sometimes though but I have come to terms with it. You know what I love about my dad though?”

“What?”

“He truly loved her. When I asked him to re marry he never did and when I asked him why? He said that my mother was the only woman for him and that he could love no other woman that way. He said that when he died he’d only want to be with her in heaven”

I couldn’t speak, there were tears in my eyes and I felt myself choke up. Would I ever find someone who would love me that much? Would I ever find that kind of love?

“Th-that’s beautiful”

“I know, I for one have never come across any couple like them, have you?”

I nodded and said, “Yes, my parents. Dad died when I was really little and mom never re married. I never asked her why but I knew, I knew she could never love anyone else the way she loved my dad.”

“I hope to find that kind of love you know? I see my dad everyday and it re instates my believe in love”

“Yeah I guess it does” I said with a smile.

“Wade, what if, what if Jude loves Stephanie in the same way?”

Wade’s eyes widened with realization and then he shook his head. “No, Natasha your dad, my mother they were extra ordinary people, they were compassionate, they wouldn’t cheat on their partners and call it a mistake. He couldn’t possibly love someone like that. Nope don’t even compare it.”

I nodded in response. I stared at Wade’s profile, he looked exceptionally good today in jeans and a white shirt. He was wearing ray ban aviators and his wear was the usual pile of mess.

“Natasha?”

“Yeah?”

“Take a picture, it lasts longer!”

I blushed and looked away again. Finally we reached the nursing home. I got out while Wade asked me to ahead as he would park the car and then come. I went inside and asked for the matron. She came and we exchanged pleasantries.

‘How’s mom?”

“Oh she is fine”

“Did she you know was she lucid anytime in between?”

“You know I would’ve called you if she was Natasha”

“Yes well what has she been doing?”

“Well she sleeps most of the time, some time she gets these bouts of depression and if she is in a really good mood she reads or embroiders”

“Really?” I asked smiling, mom loved embroidering. She used to embroider my dresses and pillow covers and bed sheets for me.

“Yes”

“Can I meet her?”

“Oh dear! She just took her medicines and went to sleep”

“Oh its alright. I had to pay her fees and well I’ll just go look at her and leave”

“Well Natasha she gave me something to give you”

I felt my breath catch in my throat. “For me?” I whispered.

“Yes, if you will just come with me”

I followed her to her main office when I heard Wade call out. “Tasha!” I had completely forgotten about him. I motioned for him to follow me. We entered the office and the matron handed me a light blue pillow cover it had the little mermaid embroidered across it. That did it, I couldn’t stop myself and started bawling like a little baby. I broke down while Wade held me patting my back. He let me cry and held me. By the time I had spent all the tears he held out his handkerchief to me. Oh gross I had snot running from my nose, when I couldn’t wipe my nose properly he wiped it for me. He wiped my snotty nose! Where was this boy when I was sitting in the park? Did it have to be the idiot cousin I had to fall in love with? I gazed at him and he smiled back and gave me a glass of water. I looked at him as if willing myself to fall in love with Wade. But try as I may I could not do that. I was irrevocably in love with Jude. You know that tingly feeling you get when you fall in love with someone? Its common sense leaving your body and mine had left me for good.

“Natasha what happened?” asked Wade softly.

“Um mom’s been embroidering”

“So that’s good right?” he asked looking unsure.

“Yes it is” I smiled.

“Then why are you crying?”

“My favorite character from Disney is the Little Mermaid”

Wade blinked a few times before he spoke again, “Sorry I lost you at Disney”

I laughed and showed him the pillow cover.

“oh, she remembers you as a little girl”

I nodded, “Tasha I am so sorry”

“Don’t be, I am fine now, can we leave?”

He nodded, before leaving I stepped into my mother’s room and kissed her on her forehead. She smiled and I froze then relaxed when I realized she had smiled in her sleep.

“I love you mom” I whispered and left.

After that it seemed Wade’s sole purpose was to cheer me up. First he took me to eat ice cream and then we went for lunch. Yeah he said that ice cream would cheer me up faster than food. We went to eat pizza, we ordered and sat back talking about Wade’s work. It seemed he hardly went to office and managed most of the work from home. In a few minutes our food had arrived and we were about to start eating when my phone rang.

“Its Jude”

“Well go ahead and answer!”

“Hullo”

“Natasha you won’t believe how easy it was to talk to the team and assign their work to them.”

“Wow that’s really great!”

“I know right? What have you been doing all day?”

I walked away from the table and told Jude about mom and the pillow cover that she made for me. I left out the part where I bawled my eyes out. I was about to hang up hen Wade come up from behind.

“Natasha I have something important to tell you”

“What’s wrong Wade?” I asked looking at his serious expression

“I need to tell you something”

“What is it?”

“Natasha I think I am falling for you”

A/N: *drum rolls* so what do you think? A love triangle is brewing up? I so love Wade!! Should Natasha ditch Jude for Wade? oh and #74 in humor and #276 in romance!! I love u guys keep the love coming :) <3 Dedicated @spicyapple because your comments made my day! I was going to upload this on Saturday but u guys are awesome (and impatient) so here it is :) Keep voting and commenting guys each and every one of them matter. oh and how many of u have felt that tingly feeling when u like someone?