Stormy Pride (standard:romance, 31692 words)
Author: Dani	Added: Nov 28 2000	Views/Reads: 5456/4146	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Jake has no respect for women. Melanie is a loner. Both are fiery by nature and when they meet and clash, the sparks fly. How can each survive with someone they dislike?....and how can they live without? An epic short story.

PROLOGUE 

Jake paced restlessly back and forth in the quiet corridor.  He was here
on important business.  The American President was holding some big 
pow-wow, its agenda a mystery, with other world leaders and Jake 
Cannon, leading Australian newspaper journalist, was meant to be 
covering it.  Mobile phone pressed against his ear, he ran a hand 
through his usually immaculate hair in frustration. 

"I'm sorry but it's just not possible."  He said flatly, his voice low. 

"But sweetheart," The high pitched voice, at the other end of the phone,
whined.  "It's my mother's birthday.  It'd be great to attend the party 
together." 

"I've got things to do.  I'm covering some pretty important issues over
here in Washington, Jessica.  Anything could happen, I can't leave."  
He bit out impatiently. 

"You never have time, Jake."  The whining voice was suddenly hard and
cool but Jake barely noticed.  He really had to get back inside the 
conference room before proceedings started. 

"I have to go.  Goodnight, Jessica."  He hung up abruptly and switched
on the answering service. 

Quietly he slid through the doors into the conference room, resuming his
place, immediately ready for business.  He was one of the best 
journalists in the business so it was no wonder that he was able to sit 
in that chair and write about something he wasn't even listening to. 

The conference went on and on, voices droning, pens scribbling, tape
recorders clicking, camera's flashing, cameramen running up and down 
the aisles of the conference room.  Jake paid no attention, staring 
dead ahead, his hand moving almost on its own.  He knew it was an 
important decision between nations, groundbreaking even.  However, his 
hand knew more than he did. 

He could feel his phone vibrating in his pocket, once and then the
answering machine.  He knew it was Jessica and had a gut feeling he'd 
basically botched everything up.  Funny thing was, he didn't feel bad 
about it.  No guilt, no remorse niggled at him, eating at him.  He sat 
there and did his work, and he did it well. 

Suddenly the meeting was over, the country leaders shook hands, as per
usual, and exited the room amidst watchful bodyguards and a flurry of 
entourage.  Jake, along with all the other journalists, stood 
automatically and filed out of the room.  Jake sighed.  He really 
needed to work on something new, something different.  This was old hat 
now and his work was less than groundbreaking, his lack of enthusiasm 
shining through. 

Once in the corridor he found a safe corner, beside a window, behind a
potted palm, and checked the answering machine on his mobile phone.  
The blue skies and sunshine streaming through the window did nothing to 
amend the sinking feeling in his stomach.  Taking a deep breath he held 
the impossibly small, black phone to his ear and listened. 

"You have five messages."  The mechanical voice told him. 

"Jake?  I suggest you answer your phone."  Jessica's voice rang clear
over the fuzzy connection.  Click. 

"Jake, damn it.  Ring me."  Her voice a little cooler and sharper this
time.  Click. 

"Jake?"  Click. 

"Jake....please baby."  Her voice was high strung and panicky, he could
hear her voice wobbling with unrestrained tears.  Click. 

"It's over.  I'll take what's mine."  Click. 

Jake shoved the phone back into his pocket, cursed and ran his hands
through his hair.  Yep, it was well and truly over and he could see it 


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