The Kiss - 20&21

by CJ

The Kiss - 20

Friday - - -

The press conference was scheduled for 10:30 a.m. in front of City Hall. Brenda was up at 8.a.m., feeling that nervous sensation she normally got before a final exam at school. Last night she had gone to sleep a bundle of nerves - and a bundle of hopes and dreams. She truly had no idea what Jax would do. He was so unpredictable and at least as impulsive as she was, if not moreso. There was no way to know for sure what he would say at this press
conference. The nerves fluttered her belly once more. She got out of bed and went downstairs. As she passed her aunt and uncle’s room, she heard them getting ready for work. She went into the kitchen and poured some fruit loops into a bowl, splashed some lowfat milk over them, and sat on the living room couch, picking up the remote and turning on the TV.

Her aunt and uncle came down the stairs an hour later, finding her in the living room in her short, emerald green pajamas and flipping through the TV channels with nervous energy.

"Brenda? Hon, do you want company?" her Uncle Travis offered, sitting down next to her and giving her a hug.

"Oh, no Uncle Travis, that’s okay. You guys go to work and don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine."

"Brenda, one of us can stay," her Aunt Erica reiterated. "Don’t think you have to be a little braveheart and sit through Jax’s press conference all alone."

Brenda smiled and gave her aunt a kiss on the cheek. "I love you guys, you know. But REALLY, I’m going to be fine," she insisted. And all at once she knew that was really true. First of all, she was hardly the weak type who would fall apart and get a bad case of the vapors if Jax disappointed her. Second of all, Jagger still had that ticket to L.A. waiting for her; all she had to do was use it to escape Port Charles for a while - or even for
good, if she wished - after the press conference. And thirdly, Jax loved her. She knew this. And because she loved him, she had some idea of what love did to you; how it changed you; how it made you feel things you had never felt before, never imagined you COULD feel; how it took those extraordinary feelings and multiplied them by a million; how it made your heart explode with joy at the mere sight of the other person; how it made you tingle with
delight at their touch, melt with wonder at their smile, get weak at the knees from their kiss; how it shattered you with the purest, truest form of bliss when you made love; and how it made you fiercely protective of the other person.

If Jax felt all of this - the way she felt it for him - there was no doubt what he would say today. There was no doubt what he would do on October third.

A wonderful peace settled over her then. The peace that came with the knowledge that Jax was in love with her, and the awesome power that love held. She was still in this peaceful, perky state of mind several minutes later when the doorbell rang. Brenda wondered if it might be Jax coming over to let her know what he was going to do. But it wasn’t Jax. It was, however, three people Brenda was very happy to see.

"Hey, the support brigade has arrived!" Lois announced as she, Carly, and Keesha all strolled into the house as Brenda shut the door.

"Oh, I’m so glad to see you guys," Brenda said cheerily, hugging each and every one of them.

Lois looked askance at Brenda, and then looked at Carly and Keesha. "Okay, somebody tell me, WHY is she so cheerful?" Lois asked.

"Maybe she’s drunk," Keesha said, casting a suspicious eye at the milk in Brenda’s bowl of fruit loops.

"I am not drunk," Brenda laughed.

"Bren, we thought you’d be a basket case," Carly said, as they all went into the living room and sat down. "You do know what today is, don’t you?"

"Of course, I do. And I’m fine. Really." Then she grinned at them. "Aww, so you guys took a day off of work just to hold my hand?" she asked, with a grateful smile.

"There was no way we were gonna to let you deal with this alone," Lois said. "Although, obviously, you are not the nervous wreck we all thought you might be."

Carly sat next to Brenda and hugged her. "I know I’ve said this before, Brenda, but I am SO sorry, that I got you into this mess! I just need to buy myself a muzzle, and make sure I never open my big mouth again," she said miserably.

Brenda laughed and hugged her. "Carly, it’s okay. Really, it is. I know the way Tracy can push a person’s buttons. I know you were really just trying to defend me to her, and Jax knows that, too. And actually, despite this entire mess, I have some FANTASTIC news to tell you guys!" she said, her eyes bright, her wonderful mood just continuing to baffle her friends.

"Well, we could use fantastic news," Keesha said, sitting on the carpet. "What’s up?"

"What’s up is that Jax and I had the most wonderful, incredible, amazing time in Maui together. It was so phenomenal, I can’t even describe how much. I’ll give you all the REALLY passionate details later, but the most important thing is this," she lowered her voice, her eyes dancing with happiness." Jax told me - - - - - that he LOVES me!"

The house of Erica and Travis Montgomery was filled with female squeals.

"He did?!" Carly said, grinning. "Oh my god, he did?!"

Brenda nodded her head vigorously. "Of course he didn’t think I heard him," she added.

"Whaddaya mean?" Lois asked, confused. "So, did he say it or not?"

"Oh, he said it, all right," Brenda murmured happily. "But he thought I was asleep. He whispered it into my ear right after we had just made the most incredible love. When we were making love, he was telling me how much he wanted me, and that he needed me. And so, of course, I just blurted out that I loved him. He didn’t say it back to me. But I wouldn’t have heard it anyway because I was in another world at the time if you know what I mean,"
she grinned. "But afterwards - a long time afterwards - he thought I was asleep, and I felt him move in the bed, and wrap his arms around me and I felt his lips kiss my ear, and then he whispered, ‘I love you.’"

"Holy moly!" Lois said, excitedly. "Brenda, you know what this means don’tcha?!"

Brenda nodded, and suddenly her friends understood her good spirits perfectly. Despite what a nerve-wracking day this could have been, Brenda had excellent odds on her side. She had Jax’s heart.

"It means Tracy Quartermaine is going to faint from shock today after Jax is done with that press conference," Keesha said with a burst of laughter. "Oh, Bren, that is so wonderful that Jax loves you!"

"Did ya bust him in the morning?" Lois asked, with a happy laugh. "I mean did ya tell him you knew?"

Brenda shook her head. "No. I don’t want to scare him away, you know? You know how men can be about love. It’s enough that I know that he loves me. And I KNOW that he knows I love him, too."

"Great," Keesha said, munching on an apple. "So, you know Jax loves you; Jax knows you love him; but the two of you are not telling each other this momentous news. What is WRONG with this picture, people?"

Everyone laughed.

"I know, it’s so crazy," Brenda agreed. "But I will NOT lose him. I won’t. So if that means I have to wait until he feels comfortable enough with his feelings to tell me about them, then I’ll just wait."

"You’re a better woman than me, Bren. I’d knock him over the head with a piece of wood until he fessed up," Lois said.

"Well, I totally understand, Brenda," Carly said. "That you love him that much not to push. I’m sort of getting those feelings for Jason. And I know that I have to keep them under wraps until I know he’s ready to deal with them, otherwise I just get the feeling he’ll bail. Love just overwhelms men, sometimes. They get scared when they FEEL so much for a woman. Their instinct is just to run."

Brenda nodded. "Although, honestly, Jax isn’t the running type. He might try to rationalize it away or insist to me that it’s not REALLY love, it’s something else. Or he might try to logically dismiss it until he ran out of logical arguments. But he wouldn’t run from it," Brenda said with certainty. And she had to smile with a warm happiness at how well she was starting to know Jax. Still, she craved to know so much more about him. Her wish
remained to be the one who knew him better than anyone else knew him. If they were married she knew that wish would be realized. Actually, if they were married every dream and wish and fantasy she had ever had in her entire life would be realized all at once. And when she thought about it in that sense, it almost seemed to be impossible. She chewed on her lip feeling the nerves and the uncertainly of what Jax might do today coming back.

# # #

10:30 had arrived.

It seemed that everyone in Port Charles was glued in front of a TV set tuned into CNN.

At the Port Charles Hotel, Karen Wexler and all of Brenda’s co-workers waited with baited breath to see if the fairy tale Brenda had been living with Jax was about to end or get its happy ending.

At the Port Charles Yacht Club, the wealthiest families in town gathered around the huge TV in the luxurious lounge, waiting to see if the young billionaire they all wanted so desperately to wed their daughters would slap high society convention in the face and actually marry someone he really wanted to marry, instead of someone who would make a better match by the upper echelon’s standards. They all perished the thought that not only would Jax be
off the market and unavailable to their daughters if this were true, but he would also set a precedent that the young men of their circle would doubtless follow. Already Jason Quartermaine and Ned Ashton were dating unacceptable young women out of the circle. If Jax actually MARRIED one - if he actually married for love and desire and happiness, instead of marrying for an excellent financial and societal match - then the little aristocracy that
was Port Charles elite would come crashing down. No one would conform to the elitist rules any longer. They would let themselves be ruled by their hearts and silly, fanciful notions of happiness with beautiful, sensual, wild, young women who laughed in the face of high society. They would follow the lead of the most sought-after young man of them all: Jasper Jacks. The man who might this very minute be about to announce that he intended to
marry a most unacceptable match, and laugh in the face of the privileged society he had been raised in and was a part of, whether he liked it or not.

At the Quartermine mansion, Ned, Tracy, Jason, AJ, Emily, and Edward were seated in the parlor, as anxious to hear Jax’s words as everyone else.

In Alaska, John and Jane Jacks were up, anxiously awaiting the start of the press conference to see what their unpredictable child was up to, and if they were indeed about to inherit a daughter-in-law.

At Wyndamere, Stefan sat in his study, watching the start of the press conference while having a late breakfast. Like Brenda, Stefan had a good idea what Jax was going to do, but, then again, this was Jax. No one ever truly knew what he was going to do.

Brenda, Carly, Lois, and Keesha sat on the carpet in a semi-circle around the TV, empty bowls of cereal sitting on the coffee table.

"Two minutes," Brenda said, turning up the volume.

"Bren, how can you be so calm?" Lois demanded.

"He loves me," Brenda said, but she was intertwining her fingers nervously, and her friends knew that even knowing that Jax loved her could not allay all of her fears. The fact was that it was anyone’s guess what Jax would say up at that podium.

Carly draped a supporting arm around Brenda. Carly knew this was all her fault, and she was praying like mad that Jax would find a way to turn her disastrous faux pas into something incredibly wonderful. If anyone could turn mud into wine, it was Jax.

The cameras panned to catch Jax as he arrived at City Hall. He was the last to arrive. His brother, the mayor, the governor, and Rob Hanson were all already there. Jax’s last minute arrival was a calculated one on his part, designed to allow his brother no opportunity to grill him privately about the engagement rumor, which by now was absolutely everywhere. Jax had no doubt that his grandparents in Sydney even had heard all about it.

Jerry gave Jax a questioning look as the young, blonde billionaire strode toward the podium with panther-like grace.

"Now, HE is truly the stuff that dreams are made of," one female reporter from the PC Gazette commented to her PC Times colleague, as she jotted down some notes on her pad.

"You can say that again," the PC Times reporter agreed. "So, do you think the rumor is true? Do you think the Barrett girl is going to be the one to marry that dream come true up there?"

The PC Gazette reporter shrugged. "I figured it was about as true as Tracy Quartermaine’s delusions that Jax would marry her one day. But now I’m not so sure. The Barrett girl is an unknown, but still, she pretty much blows away the competition."

"And he hasn’t denied the rumor all week," the PC Times reporter added. "That’s unlike him."

"Definitely added fuel to the fire," the PC Gazette reporter agreed. "Still, my money is on it not being true, and I’m betting that’s what he’ll tell us today."

The PC Times reporter nodded. "I’d hate to be that Barrett girl when the truth comes out. Where do you suppose she is?" the reporter wondered, gazing around.

"Conspicuously, not here by her ‘fiancé’s’ side," the PC Gazette reporter said. "My guess is she’s already headed out of town before the truth hits the fan."

"Good morning," Jax said, his deep, soft-spoken voice resonating over the speakers in front of City Hall. "This is going to be brief and to the point. First of all, I’d like to announce that as of yesterday evening the deal between J&J Jacks and Hanson Electronics was signed, and the JacksRail will be in production as of tomorrow and be up and running within a year."

There was applause from the press, a grim smile from Hanson, and a surprised look from Jerry.

"JacksRail?" he mouthed to his brother.

Jax just smiled and nodded.

"Yes!" Brenda said, gleefully from her seat on the carpet at her aunt and uncle’s house.

"Yes? Yes what? All he’s talkin’ about is business right now," Lois said.

"I know, I know. But this particular business has a lot to do with me." And then Brenda went on to tell her friends about her somewhat comical attempt to blackmail Jax yesterday afternoon, which had them laughing on the floor.

"Brenda, you are one of a kind!" Keesha said, wiping the tears of laughter from her eyes. "It’s no wonder he’s so in love with you. You are so outrageous!"

Brenda grinned. "But, you guys, if he used the tape that probably means that he’s going to hold up his end of our deal," Brenda said.

"But you didn’t make a deal," Carly reminded her. "He said he’d give you his answer tomorrow, and now it’s tomorrow, and he never told you what he decided."

"I guess he intends to tell me on the air," Brenda said, chewing on her lip as she gazed back at the TV monitor thoughtfully.

"I can’t believe you actually offered to have separate bedrooms," Lois said. "If I was married to the guy, let’s put it this way - there would be NO sleep!"

"I hear that!" Keesha said, as she and Lois exchanged a high five and Carly and Brenda laughed.

Then the room got very quiet as Jax was speaking again. Brenda felt her heart suddenly hammering in her chest, her calm certainty replaced by a jangle of nerves and queasy butterflies. "He loves me, he loves me," she reminded herself.

"Now, onto that other little matter that seems to be of more importance to you all than our troubles in the Middle East," Jax said, taking a shot at the ridiculously excessive coverage of the engagement rumor by the media.

Jerry was tense as he awaited Jax’s words. In Alaska, John and Jane sat motionless in front of the TV, waiting. In Sydney, Australia, Grandpa Jacks was hollering at Grandma Jacks to hurry and sit down as Jax was going to "spill the beans!" In a sprawling mansion in New Orleans, Jax’s quite regal Great Aunt Elinor put on her glasses and stared with narrowed eyes at the TV, ready to gauge the sincerity of whatever her great nephew was about to
utter. And in the Montgomery house, Brenda Barrett sat, suddenly petrified as the moment of truth had arrived.

"All I have to say about that rumor about my being engaged to my girlfriend, Brenda Barrett, is that it’s not - - - -"

Brenda’s heart plummeted like a rock were attached to it.

" - - - a rumor," Jax finished, as gasps and stunned murmurings could be heard throughout the press corps. Jerry looked simply dazed. The Montgomery house was filled with high fives and delirious, ear-piercing squeals from the four young ladies within. The Quartermaine household was stunned into silence, except for Emily and Ned who were clapping. And even in his silence, Jason was smiling: happy for Brenda, and even happier for Carly, who must
feel like a ten ton brick had been removed from her back. At the Jacks Ranch in Alaska, Lady Jane and John were packing and gearing up the jet to fly them to Port Charles as soon as possible. They had a daughter-in-law to meet! And a young son’s ears to box for being as impulsive as ever and springing this on them on national TV in this delightfully dramatic way. In Australia, Grandma and Grandpa Jacks were dancing around the living room doing the
jig. At Wyndamere, Stefan was smiling with pleasure while silently chastising his best friend for phrasing it in such a way that it appeared he was going to deny it, which must have given Brenda the scare of her life, and given Tracy a brief, fleeting moment of victory. The Port Charles Yacht Club was a bevy of amazed chatter, as the matriarchs and patriarchs fretted over this news, while their offspring were divided between being appalled that Jax
would pull a nobody into their exclusive circle, and being delighted that Jax was spicing up the boring, loveless stodginess of the elite by marrying a beautiful, young, sexy, full of life "unacceptable" little fairy spite like Brenda Barrett. At the PC Hotel, Karen Wexler was pounding her hands on the desk happily, while the rest of the staff was either ecstatic or stunned. And in New Orleans, Great Aunt Elinor was still staring shrewdly at Jax’s
face to see if his intentions were genuine.

"Brenda and I are engaged to be married. It’s true, and now you have it confirmed by me, and you can feel free to speculate to your heart’s content about our wedding," Jax said.

"Congratulations, Mr. Jacks. Did you pop the question in Hawaii as the rumors state?" a WAPC reproter asked.

"Yes."

"And who was the source? The mutual friend who leaked the rumor?" the PC Gazette reporter shouted to Jax.

"The source who let it slip is very near and dear to Brenda and myself, and she was just too excited to keep it to herself, which is understandable, and actually quite adorable; Brenda and I certainly didn't mind. Her name is Carly Roberts, and - - "

Carly gasped.

"- - in actuality she didn’t leak anything. She mentioned the engagement to Tracy Quartermaine, who for reasons unknown to me, took it upon herself to leak my private affairs it to every press venue imaginable. I suppose she thought it wasn’t true or something along those lines. And I suppose now she knows she was extremely wrong in her misguided assumptions."

"Oh, I LOVE him!" Lois screamed. "You go, Jax!!"

At the Quartermaine mansion, Tracy was beyond mortified, and Edward was livid.

"YOU?!" he thundered. "You’re the one who leaked the rumor? You idiot! You know disinheriting is not good enough for you. You-you-you are now disowned!" he stuttered. "Good god Tracy, you have singlehandedly caused me more embarrassment than your Barbie-doll obsessed, schizophrenic, fashion-queen-wannabe sister and both of your idiot brothers put together!"


"But, Daddy, I only leaked it because I thought she was lying," Tracy whined.

"Just like you thought she was lying when she said they were dating?" AJ chuckled.

"That’s right! Have you learned NOTHING, you little fool?!" Edward bellowed, vexed down to the roots of his graying hair by Tracy continually raining down embarrassment on the family, and just plain furious that Jax was lost to them forever now.

"You’re gonna have an attack, Dad." Emily said blandly to her father. "And you can’t really blame Tracy for trying to the point of total embarrassment to get Jax. I mean, all her dumb friends would do the same thing. They all want him so bad. They would sell their kidneys to have him . And YOU’RE the one who kept telling everybody that Jax was practically your son-in-law, Dad." And then Emily turned to Ned, "Hey, I know Brenda hates Tracy, but
do you think Brenda will invite ME to the wedding?"

"We’d better all get a damned invitation!" Edward blustered. "It’s going to be the wedding of the year, damn it! Anyone who’s anyone will be there!" And then he stormed out of the room muttering inanely to himself.

Back at the press conference, Jax was getting questions hurled at him left and right. ALL about the wedding; none about JacksRail.

"I’m not answering any questions," he reminded them. "My private life is just that - private, and you ALL know that’s the way I like to keep it. And now you all know that I’m getting married, and that’s all you’re going to know. Now, this press conference is over. If you have any questions regarding JacksRail, you can address them to my brother."

"Mr. Jacks! Mr. Jacks! What was your ex-girlfriend, Cassandra Benton doing in town and at your house on July 4th?" the PC Times reporter asked.

"You’ll have to ask my brother. She came with him," Jax said, as if bored.

"Well, why isn’t Miss Barrett here with you today?" the PC Times reporter insisted.

"Because I didn’t want her subjected to this circus, or pounced upon by people like you, Ms. Jamison."

There were titters of laughter from Ms. Jamison’s colleagues.

"Do you have anything you’d like to say to Miss Barrett, Mr. Jacks? Assuming she is watching?" a Newsweek reporter inquired.

"She’s watching," Jax said with certainty. "And to her I say this," He glanced directly into one of the cameras. "Brenda, you and I have a date on October 3rd. I'll see you there. It’s going to be quite a party," he said with a smile that melted female hearts all across the country, especially the heart of the woman he was addressing. And then, even though questions continued to be hurled at him, most asking what the significance of
October 3rd was - if it was, in fact, the wedding date - Jax ignored them and left the podium, slipping into his limo with the intention of going to see Brenda, only to find his irate brother in there waiting for him.

"All right, Jax. Enough dodging me. What the HELL is going on?! Why did you tell the whole damned world that you were going to marry that girl?!" Jerry demanded.

"Because I am," Jax said quietly, as he nodded for Chris to drive to his house.

"Why?! Bloody hell, why?!" Jerry said looking ready to pull his dark hair out.

"Because I want to."

"Don't give me that! What's she got on you? Is she pregnant? Oh Christ, is that it?"

Jax's beautiful eyes grew darker with aggravation. "You have to understand something right now, Jerry. I respect what you went through with the women in your life. I respect that you are bitter and unforgiving about it all. But Brenda is not those women reincarnated for you to get back at for your pain. Brenda isn't your punching bag or your chance to get even or your way to work out your anger. She isn't yours in any way, she's mine, Jerry.
And you can just stop trying to 'save' me from her right now because that's nonsense. Listen to me when I tell you this, Jer." Jax paused. "I love her," he said in a half-whsiper. "I'm going to marry her because I love her and because she's a part of me. And because she's everything to me. And if you have a problem with her then you're going to have a problem with me, it's as simple as that."

Jerry was speechless. Jax loved her. He truly loved her. Stefan had been right all along.

"You're sure?" Jerry asked quietly. "That you love her, I mean?"

"Yes."

"You've only known her for a few months," Jerry reminded him.

"I have come to the conclusion that time is irrelevant when it comes to this emotion."

"I know I'm a bit overbearing. I just don't want you to be used or hurt, Jax. I know all too well what kind of hell you'll go thorugh if that happens. And yours'll be worse than mine cause I can see you love the pretty little pixie a hell of a lot more than I loved the two witches who did me wrong."

"Brenda is not them. Jerry, you have to let this go. God, I wish you could just meet a woman who could make you see that they're not all alike."

"Do you swear to me that you're only marrying her because you want her? Because you love her?"

"Yes."

"'Cause if I ever find out otherwise, all bets are off, Jax."

"And if you ever do anything to hurt her, all bets are off with me too," Jax said.

Jerry smiled a little. "Looks like we have an understanding. So I guess nows a good time to offer up my congrats on the upcoming nuptials, eh?" He grinned and Jax shook his head and grinned back.

"Now's actually a good time for you to get lost so I can get on with my day," Jax said.

"You're gonna go see the pretty bride to be?"

Jax nodded. Just then his cell phone rang. He flipped it open. "Hello?"

"Jasper!" came the authoritative, very recognizeable voice of his Great Aunt Elinor. "Ready your bride, young man, because I am coming to Port Charles!" she warned him.

CJ

Chapter 21

The Kiss - 21

Brenda was out by the back porch swing, still at her aunt and uncle's house since Lois and Carly had warned her that a crush of reporters were camped out by the cottage. She had the portable phone in her hand in case Jax called her, but she had not heard from him since what he'd said to her over the TV this morning. And that was hours and hours ago. It was now almost 7 p.m. The phone rang.

"Jax?" she answered, hopefully.

"No, Brenda. It's me - your mother."

Brenda could not believe her ears. Her mother? Her mother NEVER called her. They did not communicate at all, although Brenda had been feeling very forgiving two Christmases ago and had sent a Christmas card to her mother which had been "returned to sender" unopened. After that slap in the face Brenda had written the woman off for good. And now her mother was calling her? Why? And then Brenda realized that her mother had called her aunt's house, not hers. So she had not been calling for Brenda at all.

"I'll get Aunt Erica," Brenda said.

"No, no, Brenda. I called to speak with you, not my sister," Veronica Barrett informed her. "I called your house and one of your roommates told me you were with Erica. Something about avoiding the press? How exciting!"

Brenda sighed. "What do you want?"

"Well - - - I want to offer you my congratulations, first of all. I was watching the press conference this morning. I can't believe that MY little girl is actually going to marry Jasper Jacks!"

Brenda felt her blood boil. So now she was HER little girl all of a sudden? "Oh, my god! Don't even tell me that THIS is why you're calling me. Because you heard I was going to marry a billionaire, and so now all of a sudden you want to know me?" she asked incredulously, the feeling of hurt like a dull pain in her heart.

"No, that's not true."

"Yes, it is! Do you think I'm stupid? You have never called me before! I have not heard from you or my father since I left that house when I was twelve."

"Please don't speak to me of your father. He and I divorced five years ago."

Brenda shook her head in disbelief. They had been divorced for five years and Brenda was just now finding this out. "Gee, thanks for telling me. This is so pathetic of you! So, now it's cool to talk to me again because I'm going to marry Jax? And what? You need money or something? You want to live in a mansion, and so I'm useful all of a sudden?"

"I see you still have that bad, unladylike attitude, young lady. You know you're going places now Brenda. Finally you're with the movers and shakers and you're going to have to change your ways drastically if you're going to be Jax's wife. People in Jax's circle don't tolerate this kind of overly emotional behavior, Brenda. They're cool and detached and emotionless. And with only your Aunt Erica for an example, it's really no wonder you've turned out the wy you have," Veronica sighed with disapproval. "I don't know how Travis stands her," she added bitterly. "But you're MY daughter, and I can help you. I can teach you how to be the kind of woman the Jacks' and Quartermaines and Trumps of the world will accept and embrace and - - -"

Brenda's eyes blazed an then glazed over with pain and hurt and then just nothing, no feeling at all. "Don't ever call me again," she said icily, as she pressed the off button disconnecting the call. Brenda's bad mood over her mother's transparent and insulting phone call lasted for an hour, until she reminded herself of the fantastically wonderful thing that had happened today. Jax had told everyone that the engagement rumor was true. AND Jax had told her they had a "date" on October third. She felt her heart fluttering wildly within her as she realized the astonishing reality that she and Jax were, in fact, actually going to be sharing a life together. He WAS going to marry her! In three months! Then Brenda frowned as she wondered if he would be willing to free her from her ridiculously martyr like promises of separate bedrooms and celibacy? She wanted to be free to love him completely. With her heart, her body, with everything.

Inside the house Travis and Erica were discussing Jax, who had yet to show up or even call Brenda since the press conference had ended.

"What is wrong with that man?" Erica said, glaring at the kitchen clock.

"Absolutely nothing, according to Brenda,." Travis mentioned. "Now she's what I call text book head-over-heels in love."

"He announced to the world that he's going to marry my niece, then he has no contact with her for the entire day? It's 8 o'clock, Travis, and he hasn't so much as called her! She must be so upset," Erica said, working up a good ire at the dashing, young billionaire.

Travis peered out at Brenda, who was still outside on the back porch swing, swinging lightly, her Walkman on her head, singing to herself. She looked anything but upset. She looked radiant.

"She looks disgustingly happy to me," he quipped.

Brenda had her eyes closed as she sat on the swing listening to her Miss Saigon tape, reliving every moment she had ever shared with Jax since the day she had met him at the Quartermaine party and wondering at what exact moment she had known that he was the only one in the world for her.

Jax arrived, much to the relief of Erica Montgomery who told him that he could find Brenda in the back. Jax walked outside and saw her, serenely beautiful in the swing, her hair in a pony tail. She had on black biker shorts, a snug, midriff baring beige colored top and she wore one of his shirts over that, open with the sleeves rolled up. She had her eyes closed and was singing something pretty, very softly, and he saw the watch he had given her flashing prettily on her wrist. His heart surged with happiness at the sight of her, and he shook his head, knowing that all this love he felt for her was going to just come tumbling out like a broken dam soon. Of course, if he had his way, hers would come tumbling out first.

He walked over to her, knelt in front of her, and lightly touched her exposed stomach. Brenda opened her eyes, and they literally lit up when she saw it was him. Beautiful sight.

"Jax!" she said happily, all but jumping up off of the swing.

"Hello, fiancee," he said, resting his hands around her waist, her skin both tingling and burning at his casual touch.

"Hi," she said, hoping she didn't look as ridiculously giddy as she felt.

She took off the Walkman.

"I'm sorry I didn't call you. I was ambushed by Jerry and then bombarded by calls from my family once I got home. And then I had to take care of something before I came here," he explained. "I didn't think it would take so long."

She cut him off with a kiss. "Thank you for today," she said.

"You knew I wouldn’t deny it, didn’t you?" he suspected.

"I sort of did know, yes. And of course I hoped. And then I just waited and waited." Brenda ran her hand along his jaw. "But some things are worth waiting for. You definitely were," she gave him an impish grin.

"So were you," he said. "Hey, you know, since I'm already down here - - -" he murmured, running his hands down her thighs.

Brenda laughed, and playfully grabbed for his roaming hands. "Don't you DARE! My aunt and uncle are right inside, probably watching us right now."

"I wasn't talking about THAT," she said with a rakish grin, "I was talking about this." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a black velvet ring box with the Cartier gold insignia on it. He flipped open the box, and Brenda got a look at the ring inside, and it stole her breath away, much in the same way Jax's kisses usually did.

The ring was a 2 carat Marquise-cut diamond that glittered with a stunning brilliance, and it was bordered on both sides by tiny bezels of sparkling aquamarines - her birthstone. It was a breathtakingly beautiful - and undoubtedly ridiculously expensive - piece of glitter, and Brenda loved it!

"Oh Jax!" she said, her eyes filled with excitement and obvious surprise. "It's so beautiful, so perfect!!!"

"Since I've told the entire world that it is my intention to marry you, I think we have to make it official, don't you?"

She nodded her head vigorously.

He grinned. "Well, then, I have something to ask you. Brenda Barrett, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

Brenda was delighted by the unexpectedness and the sheer sweetness of his formal proposal. He looked sinfully handsome, dressed all in black, like some dangerous, remarkably beautiful jungle cat. And yet he was incredibly romantic, down on one knee in front of her, engagement ring in hand, awaiting her answer. It was as if the rumor and her subsequent blackmail ultimatum had never happened at all – it was as if this was just the natural course of things. But it wasn't. For there HAD been a rumor, and she HAD tried to blackmail him and if none of that had happened, THIS would not be happening right now. But even that logical reality could not dampen her soaring spirits.

"Yes!" she said, happily going along with Jax's surprisingly wonderful way of handling this. "Yes, Jax, I'll marry you."

He smiled at her. "You will?" he asked feigning shock.

She nodded, laughing as she hit his arm. "Yes, I will."

He slid the gorgeous ring on her finger, and Brenda sucked in her breath as she gazed at it in wonder. The jewel was mesmerizing. Then she slid down into his arms and covered his lips with hers. She felt a delicious tremor run through Jax's body as she brushed her lips slowly, back and forth against his, slowly exploring the warm curves of mouth.

When she finally lifted her lips from his she asked him, "Are we really getting married October third?"

Jax nodded. "Yes. One big, splashy wedding coming your way as requested. I've heard that planning these things can take years off of your life, so I've taken the liberty of hiring a wedding planner to assist you. This wedding can be as big and as splashy as you want it to be, and you can invite whomever you'd like. Addie will know who needs to get invited on my side. Oh, one more thing...the wedding is going to be held in New Orleans."

Brenda shifted on his lap to get more comfortable. "New Orleans? Why?"

Jax shrugged. "Because I've always wanted to get married there."

Brenda gave him a skeptical glance.

"All right, it's because my Great Aunt Elinor called me and is insisting upon it. She lives there, you see – and there isn't a human being alive brave enough to say no to her, certainly not me. Oh, by the way, what are you doing tomorrow evening?"

"Anything you are," she said with a smile that he adored.

"You're going to be sorry you said that," he warned her. "I'll pick you up at six thirty."

"What are we doing?" she inquired curiously.

"I'm going to induct you into the insanity of a Jacks family dinner. My parents, my grandparents, and my Great Aunt Elinor will all be in town and at dinner with us. They want to meet you and see what sweet, unsuspecting angel I'm luring into this off-the-wall family of mine. Oh, and Jerry will be there too, of course."

"Tomorrow?!" Brenda panicked.

"You really don't need to panic, sweetie. You can already handle Jerry just fine, and I can promise you he's going to be a lot better. As for the rest of the family, they're really very sweet. My grandparents are a little unusually spry and mischievous for their age, but at least I don't think Grandpa carries his musket around with him anymore. And my Great Aunt Elinor...well, she's my grandfather's sister, and she pretty much defies explanation, so I'll just have to let you form your own opinion of her."

"I hope you know you are scaring me to death," she said, curling and uncurling her fingers.

He laughed a little. "But you should never be sacred when I'm with you. I told you that once before, remember? I would never let anything happen to you or let anyone hurt you. And don't worry, I'll protect you from the antics of my family. " He kissed her cheek. "As I would protect you from anything."

His eyes gazed at her with such tender adoration that she simply melted under his gaze. She touched her lips to his, and he responded instantaneously, moving his parted lips over hers with a sweetness as soft as summer rain. They shared several of these wonderfully sweet kisses, but soon enough their intense attraction to one another made the sweetness turn to an ever increasing passion, as their kisses deepened perceptibly.

Lost in the mounting pleasure of their now very passionate kiss, Brenda was aware of the hardening pressure against her thigh as she let her fingers slide luxuriantly through his soft, blonde hair and kissed him with endless longing. Brenda really, REALLY hoped he would let her rescind that silly celibacy and separate bedrooms thing.

Lifting his mouth away from hers slowly, Jax gazed into her eyes with a look that left her quite intoxicated with feelings. As if he had read her mind he said, "Don't worry, I don't intend to hold you to any of those promises you made in your eloquent little contract. Especially THAT one."

Brenda felt herself flush at how well he could read her, but then she laughed.

"I think actually, I had better go," Jax said, feeling in desperate need of a cold shower. He rose to his feet taking her with him, one arm still wrapped about her waist.

"I could go with you," she said, not wanting to be apart from him and knowing from his eyes and the tell-tale signs on his body that he didn't want to be apart from her either.

"Yes, you could," he agreed. "But then I wouldn't get any sleep, would I?"

She shook her head, smiling so prettily he had to kiss her again. And they kissed for a long time.

"Well, unfortunately, sweetheart, I do need to get some sleep tonight. I have to pick up my grandparents at the airport first thing in the morning. They refuse to be picked up by a chauffeur."

"I can't believe we're really getting married," Brenda said, standing on her tip toes and kissing him again. "And I can't believe that you seem so, umm - - - almost happy about it." She glanced at him knowingly, but he just shrugged and gave her a heart melting smile. "So I guess my blackmail worked after, huh?" she laughed proudly.

Jax glanced at her. The he smiled enigmatically. "You think THAT'S why I'm marrying you? Because of the Hanson tape?"

"Isn't it?" Brenda asked.

"Is it?" he countered.

Jax began to walk around the side of the house toward the front where his car was parked. Brenda followed him. She noticed he had not taken the well-known Ferrari, which would have caused the press to easily spot him, but had instead used the black Pathfinder with its tinted windows.

"Jax, isn't that why you said you'd marry me?" she asked him, almost breathless from following his quick, powerful strides to the Pathfinder.

The sports utility vehicle chirped as Jax pressed the alarm button on his expensive keychain that opened up the doors. Then he turned to face her.

"No, actually, it isn't" he said, brushing his fingertips beneath her chin and tilting her head up for a kiss that made her heart flutter like a wild thing inside of her. "See you tomorrow," he said climbing into the SUV and backing out of the driveway into the street, leaving a breathlessly happy Brenda standing there trembling from the pleasure of his kiss and the wonder of his words. Had he implied that her blackmail had nothing to do with his desire to marry her? Was love the only motivation, or was that far too wonderful a thing to hope for this soon?

# # #

The wedding planner's name was Maxwell. No last name, simply Maxwell. And he was driving Brenda crazy. She had met up with Maxwell early the next morning to start planning the wedding, since according to Maxwell "three months is not enough time! I would normally refuse, I say REFUSE to do this. But for Mr. Jacks, well you know, exceptions will be made!" The man was amazing at his job, but Brenda feared she would kill him before this was all over.

Most of her Saturday was spent with a parade of dressmakers coming in and out of the cottage measuring her and arguing over what style of wedding gown was really all the rage right now. Then a parade of chefs were marched through for her to take a look at and sample their work and pick one to create the wedding cake and cater the reception. THEN he had a parade of florists come by to compete for who would do the wedding bouquet and all bridal party, church, and reception floral arrangements. Brenda was exhausted by three in the afternoon, but the insane Maxwell, whom Brenda had dubbed 'Mad Max' by then, had only just begun!

"Where are the four bridesmaids?" Maxwell yelled. "Don't these women know they must be measured? Oh, I'm getting an aneurysm!" he said as he flamboyantly tossed his hands in the air. "Shoes, Brenda girl, shoes. We have to pick out the shoes. Pearl studded? Diamond studded? Aquamarines perhaps, to match that to DIE for ring you've got there? Honey, if you're signing a prenup make sure you get to keep that rock! Oh yes! All right, people, come ON!" he yelled, clapping his hands together sharply. "Bridesmaids, front and center or you will be replaced!" He turned back to Brenda. "Brenda, SHOES woman! Come on now, decide. Decide!"

She had decided to behead him!

"Have we settled on the bridesmaids dress colors? It was between Aqua and emerald green, right? Which? Which?" he asked her snapping his fingers as his assistants pulled their measuring tape along the bodies of Lois, Carly, Karen, and Keesha.

"Emerald green," Brenda decided.

Maxwell wagged his finger at her. "Aqua, darling, aqua. Think coordination. Your ring, the aquamarine earrings you'll be wearing, the aquamarine tennis bracelet, the choker - - -"

"Wait, wait, wait. I don't have any of those accessories you're talking about," Brenda said, puzzled.

"Well, whoops, I guess I spoiled the surprise." He said putting his hand to his mouth. "My bad, my bad. Oh well, just act stunned when tall, blonde, and handsome gives them to you, okay? Now, SHOES!"

Brenda finally did pick out her shoes as well as the style of gown she wanted and the bridesmaid dresses in a stunning shade of silver-aqua. She realized that they had gotten a phenomenal amount of things done today. They had picked the caterer, the menu, the cake, the florist, the church, the reception ballroom, but it was now five thirty, and Jax would be picking her up for dinner with his family in an hour!

"Maxwell, you have to GO!" Brenda said shoving him towards the door. "I need to take a hot, bubble bath and get myself together. I'm meeting Jax's parents and grandparents and a great aunt or something today," she explained.

"Oh, really? Well here's my two cents, cutie pie, wear that fabulous little burgundy number I saw hanging in your closet. Faboo!" he said giving her the thumbs up. "I'll see you Monday, 7 p.m. sharp. We'll choose the decor for the church and reception, the gifts for the bridal party, your headpiece and veil. Oh, and honeymoon locations. Ta!" and he was gone like the whirlwind that he was.

Brenda took a 30 minute soothing bubble bath and came out smelling like heaven, having bathed in the Herbal Essence Chamomile and Water Lily bubble bath and washed her hair with Herbal Essence Rosemary, Jasmine and Orange Flower shampoo. Then she changed into the sexy, little satin burgundy cocktail dress with the spaghetti straps that Maxwell had recommended she wear. She not only smelled like heaven, but looked like it too, when Jax picked her up half an hour later.

The smile that he gave her when she met him at the door was one of such genuine happiness that an intense rush of joy ran through her and actually made her shake as if the ground had moved beneath her.

"You look beautiful," he said to her, beholding her as if she were something angelic. "You always do."

"Well, I'm just trying to keep up with you," she said with a pretty laugh as she ran her hands over the jacket of his handsome, dark suit. "You are the most beautiful man I know, Jax," she told him. "And I don't just mean how impossibly gorgeous you are. I'm always happy when I'm with you. Always."

"The feeling is exceedingly mutual. Ready to go?"

She took a deep breath. "Is everybody there?"

Jax nodded. "Everybody's there. They're all waiting to meet you."

She bit down on her lip a trifle nervously. "Oh, okay."

He cradled her chin with one hand. "It's going to be fine. Possibly a little crazy, but fine," he promised her. He brushed his lips over hers with a slow, tender sensuality. "Trust me," he whispered.

"I do," she said, leaning in for another one of those reassuring and utterly sensational kisses. Then she slid her hand into his as he led her to the limo.

They arrived at Jax's River Road mansion and walked inside. They entered the dining room and Brenda's eyes flew open as she saw what had to be Jax's grandfather, trying to shoot an apple off of Jerry's head with an archer's bow and arrow.

"Sit perfectly still now Jerry, and for pity's sake boy stop insulting me by looking so bloody terrified. I've never missed."

"You've never NOT missed. For god's sake dad, you're going to shoot my son's bloody eye out!" John Jacks protested.

"Nonsense, boy. I tell you, my aim is as good now as it was when I was sixteen!" Grandpa Jacks boasted.

"In that case, we may as well read Jerry the last rites and be done with it," a regal looking woman said, shaking her head in disdain of Grandpa Jacks' antics. "For heaven's sake, will you just act your age, Jason!"

Grandpa Jacks shot his sister an irritable look. "We should put the apple on YOUR head, El. Then I'll be sure to miss," he muttered.

"You know, Grandpa, I'm not particularly fond of losing an eye," Jerry said.

"Are you saying I'm going to miss?" Grandpa Jacks demanded, glaring at Jerry in betrayal.

"Of course you're going to miss," Jerry responded with a fond smile. "You tried this on Thanksgiving when we were all in Alaska last year, remember? You killed mum's parrot."

"Poor Eyore!" Jane Jacks said, recalling her felled bird.

"I always hated that bird," Grandpa Jacks murmured with a sly smile.

"Oh, you evil man!" Aunt Elinor said. "You slew that feathery beast on purpose!"

"Oh, Elinor, it was just a mishap," Grandma Jacks intervened in defense of her husband.

"Besides, you hated the damn bird, too," Grandpa Jacks reminded her. "Remember when he ate your Easter bonnet?"

"Bloody ugly bonnet, it was," Grandma Jacks murmured. "Gave the dear bird the runs for days."

"Oh, no, my dear Elizabeth, I'm quite CERTAIN it was your hideous attempt at peach cobbler that did that," Elinor corrected her.

"That was peach cobbler?" Jerry said with a grimace, recalling that particular attempt of his grandmother's to make dessert.

"Well, now I wouldn't swear to that in a court of law, my dear," Grandma Jacks said, hedging.

Brenda could not hold in her mirth a moment longer and her lovely laughter brought everyone's focus and attention fully on her. Brenda instinctively gravitated closer to Jax as his family scrutinized her.

"Brenda, this is my family," Jax said as he introduced each member by name, "and family, this is my Brenda," he said, finishing the introduction.

Brenda smiled at them and then folded her hands together self-consciously. "Hello!" she said cheerily, wondering if they just hated her already.

"Well, hello! My, you're such a pretty, little thing!" Grandma Jacks said with a bright smile that had Brenda relaxing right away.

"And even more lovely in person. Those pictures the magazines capture of you and Jax don't do you justice, my dear," Jane said with a smile that was warm and inviting and set Brenda at ease.

"And you're littler in person, too!" Grandpa Jacks said, which made everyone laugh. "We Jacks men tend to grow like trees, you know, Brenda," he shared with her, "but we're all the same. We like our women petite and ravishing."

"Sit down, my dear. Sit down. Please don't let my father's bow and arrow scare you off," John said, and then to Brenda's delight, he got up and embraced her and gave her a kiss to the cheek. "Welcome to the family, my dear girl!"

"Yeah, welcome to the nuthouse, Brenda," Jerry said, raising his glass of wine to her. And she was stunned to see the sincerity in his eyes and hear it in his voice. "Maybe at the next family dinner, you'll be the lucky recipient of the apple on your head," Jerry said with a grin.

"Over my dead body," Jax said, reflexively stroking Brenda's beautiful hair.

"They don't seem to have much faith in your aim, Mr. Jacks," Brenda whispered to Grandpa Jacks, grinning at him.

"Call me Grandpa, luv. Or I'll shoot!" he joked, shaking the bow at her.

Brenda's pretty laughter once again lit up the room. Everyone was talking and chatting merrily with her, telling her hysterical family stories and wanting to know more about her, with the notable exception of Jax's Great Aunt Elinor. But the regal woman's blue eyes were glued to Brenda, assessing her quietly, taking her in, watching how she reacted to Jax, how Jax reacted to her.

Finally Great Aunt Elinor cleared her throat. "Brenda," she said, tapping her spectacles on the table, as Brenda's head turned to look at the woman who had not said a word to her until now. "I have but one thing to ask you, my dear. It is imperative that you answer without hesitation, or I shall be quite distressed and do my best to talk my great-nephew out of this marriage."

Brenda's eyes widened.

"Here is the question," Great-Aunt Elinor said, her eyes focused on Brenda. "Are you in love with Jax?"

{Oh God! She would have to say it now. She would have to, Brenda realized.}

"Yes," she said, not looking at Jax who she could feel was already smiling with delight at her predicament. At her being forced to confess her feelings to him. "I am."

Great-Aunt Elinor smiled with satisfaction. "Splendid! Let's eat, shall we?"

Brenda's mouth hung open in protest. So Great-Aunt Elinor was going to put her on the spot and ask HER if she loved Jax, but wasn't going to ask HIM the same thing? So Brenda had to spill HER feelings, but Jax got to remain mum about his?

Brenda heard his soft laughter, and knew he must be reading her very thoughts. She shot him a gorgeous glare.

He just smiled at her ire. "So, you love me, do you?"

"For the moment," she snapped.

He laughed again. "Forever," he corrected her, brushing his warm lips against her cheek and feeling her shiver in delight at the contact."And I bet you’ll tell me that tonight." he whispered into her ear.

"I won’t," she contradicted him while wondering what he had planned for tonight?

"You will. Would you like to bet something?" he asked.

"I can’t quite match you in the high stakes betting department, Jax. I can’t exactly put up my hair barrette against your Ferrari."

He laughed. "Actually, you know I really do like that barrette," he said touching it.

She laughed and rested her hand on his leg. "How about something simple like the loser takes the winner out to dinner?" she suggested.

Jax shook his head. "No, that is entirely too tame for me. Howabout the loser COOKS dinner for the winner? Anything he wants."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Anything SHE wants. Deal," she told him.

"You’re going to lose," he said gazing at her in such an intimate manner that she would easily have told him she would love him forever right then and there and lost the bet. Oh, his eyes were just an aquamarine ocean of mesmeric beauty. She could barely think straight when looking into them.

"You don’t know that!" she insisted, tearing her gaze away from the hypnotic, heart-palpitaiting effect of his.

"Yes I do know that. Because I know that you love me," he reminded her. "Thanks to my Great Aunt Elinor. Bless her interfereing heart. She always has been quite the finder of truth."

Brenda slapped his knee and ignored him for the rest of the night as Grandpa Jacks entertained the dickens out of her with his tales of his adventurous childhood. But she was SO very aware of Jax's presence next to her. When their hands would accidentally touch, or his leg would casually brush against hers beneath the table it would cause a delightfully riotous reaction in her bloodstream.

He was right, she thought. She was going to lose this bet.

She stole a glance and saw him leaning back in the chair looking just positively yummy and gazing at her as if he could read her very thoughts. Everyone else at the table seemed to disappear, the noisy, animated chatter faded to a dreamy silence. She could hear nothing but the beating of her own heart.

{Oh yes, I'm going to lose this bet all right, she thought.}

'Yes you are,' Jax mouthed to her.

'Stop reading my mind!' she mouthed back to him. He gave her a lazy smile that was unfairly gorgeous, it's effect on her utterly delightful. But no more delightful than the effect her return smile had on him. He almost swore his heart skipped a beat. Or two. Or three.

He couldn't wait until later tonight. Neither could she.

CJ