“Ben, I need to tell you something,” I said nervously.
“I already know, Jessica, you’re only eighteen,” Ben whispered.
“How did you know?” I asked.
“The fake IDs at the hotel, we see them all the time.”
“Oh my god, I’m so embarrassed! Why didn’t you do anything?” I wondered aloud.
“Because we are not so strict in Vegas. It’s very different and I knew you were not going to cause trouble, so I let it slide, and I’m glad I did,” Ben laughed.
“Thank you. Does our age difference bother you?” I asked, still not quite certain.
“How old do you think I am?” he asked as he continued laughing.
“Late twenties,” I guessed.
“I’m thirty-three and no, our age difference doesn’t bother me.” He leant over and kissed me and one thing led to another.
For the next few months, I spent most of my time studying. I had to keep my grades up to be accepted to transfer and was looking forward to moving to Vegas. My mother had finished her book and was preparing for her book launch event in New York. We were all going with her in March to celebrate and Ben would meet us there. My mother had three hundred people attending the event and she had been drafting her speech. It was a big deal and I was surprised with the amount of attention her book was receiving.
Michael had asked Lilly to move into his aunt’s place with him, as they lived in a huge home and had plenty of room for Grace and the new baby. Lilly decided they would move there at the beginning of June when his sister left for Toronto. She had a job as a psychologist over there and a few friends already settled in the city, so the timing was perfect.
A week before my mother’s launch, at dinner, I asked my mother if she was nervous about her speech.
“Yes, darling, this has been a long project. My book reveals a lot about the corruption in our country. The families involved have been through hell and the people responsible are very dangerous, but they are in jail now and their families most likely won’t hear about this book,” my mother replied. She was very emotional and had given so much of herself to helping all the innocent families that were affected.
“Your mother is a brave woman, Jess,” my father said. He was so proud of her, you could hear it in his voice. “There are some very important people attending the event.”
“Especially my family,” my mother added.
“Thank you for inviting Ben,” I said as I walked over and wrapped my arms around my mother and kissed her on the cheek.
Our plane arrived in New York one hour after Ben’s. He was waiting for us at the terminal gate when we arrived. I was so happy to see him, he always looked so handsome and I had missed him terribly. I had only seen him once since New Year’s. I was so excited that in a few months we would be living in the same town. We checked into our hotel at the Plaza, where my mother’s book launch would be the following evening. There were posters of my mother’s book ‘Stolen Secrets’ already set up all around the hotel for the event.
“Mum, this is a big deal. Your picture is plastered all over the hotel, should I ask for your autograph?” I said, jokingly.
“They always make a big deal about these things, darling, and so they should,” my father replied. “The city is indebted to your mother, she helped with this investigation. If it wasn’t for her, these criminals would still be walking around.”
I was intrigued, I hardly knew anything about the book.
“When do we get to see a copy, Mum?” I asked.
“Tomorrow evening. Everyone attending will receive one. You know, the book has already pre-sold thirty thousand copies, Jess. I’m actually shocked how interested people are, I have interviews back-to-back for the next few days!”
My mother was so humble about her achievements, I really admired her.
We all met for a casual dinner that night at around seven thirty. There were people walking up to my mother, congratulating her, throughout our meal. A lot of people had come from out of town and were so impressed with my mother’s efforts.
“Thank you, Mrs Gardener, for all your hard work,” a distinguished man said before he left our table.
“That was the Mayor of New York,” Lilly exclaimed.
After dessert, Ben and I took a walk around Central Park.
“I wonder if you will write a book one day, like your mother,” Ben said to me, and I laughed in reply.
“Well, if I do, it definitely won’t be as dangerous as hers. I don’t have it in me,” I said as Ben gave me a smile.
“Would you like me in you?” Ben asked cheekily.
“Yes, I want you in me, take me back to the hotel and drive me crazy,” I laughed and we quickly walked back to the hotel.
It felt like I screamed the hotel room down, I was so turned on. I was so comfortable exploring my sexuality with Ben. He brought something out in me, I thought maybe it was because he was older – he just did it for me, it was that simple.
Ben had told me he had an affair with an older, married woman, the woman he mentioned when we first met, and it was complicated. He fell in love with her and she had promised to leave her husband, but she never did. After two years he ended it. He suffered but he was relieved he didn’t need to hide anymore.
“Why don’t you move in with me, Jessica, when you come to Vegas. It’s silly to be living on campus when I have my own place,” Ben said.
“Let me think about it.”
After making love, we took a bath and then made love again.
My mother had interviews booked throughout the next day. We hardly saw her, she was so busy. Lilly, Michael and Grace spent the day visiting the Met and a few other museums so Ben and I decided to enjoy our alone time and spent half our day in bed.
As we walked down to meet everyone for afternoon tea, Ben and I couldn’t keep our hands off each other.
“You two have a problem,” Lilly remarked, teasingly.
“What kind of a problem,” my father said as he approached the table.
“Nothing, Dad, how is Mum doing, is she joining us?” I asked, quickly changing the subject.
“She’s in another interview, then she’ll be getting ready for this evening.”
“I think I will take Grace upstairs for a nap, she’s getting tired. The babysitter should be here soon, I will see you all in a few hours,” Lilly said before she left.
My father’s phone rang as Lilly walked off. “Hello, yes, just a minute,” my father said to the caller. “Sorry, I must go find your mother,” he said to us as he stood up to leave.
“Well, that was a quick afternoon tea. More time for us, I guess,” Ben said as he kissed me passionately. As usual, I responded, and soon everyone in the dining room was looking at us.
“Maybe we should go,” Ben suggested.
“We should.”
The Grand Ballroom was set up with beautiful flowers and candles on every table. There were copies of my mother’s book on each seat and all the guests were dressed so elegantly. Our table was in the middle and when Lilly and Michael walked in, Lilly smiled at me.
“I’m surprised you both were able to leave your room,” she said, laughing.
“Give them a break, Lilly, they haven’t seen each other in ages,” Michael added.