Chapter One
"All right. Let's do it. All of it!" Jude exclaims while breathing heavily.
He takes a step back and lets her in through the door. Jude turns around and gives him a hug.
"I'm so glad that you came. So what do you think?" Jude turns around and looks at the huge empty room with stained glass bordering the walls near the ceiling.
"It's perfect."
"Nice to see you Love" Paegan says coming down the stairs off of the right.
"It's wonderful. Gorgeous." Jude says walking over to give him a hug.
"Yeah, so, we were thinking of putting four or five studios in the back, having a kitchen and hospitality areas here to the left and having all of our offices upstairs. I'll even give ya yer own office if you like." Paegan says excitedly.
"God, I can't wait to get you in the studio to have you start recording and producing, Jude. It's going to be awesome." Jamie whispered in her ear while putting his arms around her from the back and kissing her head. Jude smiles and leans her head back on his shoulder.
"James, this is the place. Why don't you take Jude out to celebrate the new record label while I give the realtor a call to tell her that we're going to take it." Paegan says with a huge grin.
"All right Paegan. Give me a call later and we'll plan some more." Jamie let go of Jude and took hold of her hand and led her out of the building. They walked down the street in silence towards their favorite café. It was a comfortable silence, with him glancing at Jude every 5 minutes. He could tell that there was something bothering her. They walked into the café and took a seat at a table in the corner near the front window.
"Jude, is there something wrong?" Jamie asked, while taking her hand in his and rubbing it with his thumb.
"Nothing's wrong. I'm just thinking." She said, looking away.
"About what?"
"About my future, On whether or not I'm doing the right thing" She muttered to herself.
"What was that?"
"I said, here comes the waiter." She said turning back to him and smiling.
"Your future. Is going to be great. You're going to work on your third album. Start your producing career. There's us." He said smiling widely.
"What about us?" Jude whispered.
"There is an us. Right Jude?" Jamie asked, furrowing his brow and frowning.
"I don't know. I'm confused." She said taking her hand away from his. Jamie looked down at his hand.
"Please don't tell me you're having second thoughts about us. " He pleaded. "This doesn't have anything to do with Tommy does it?" His voice getting low and angry.
"Tommy met me here. Last night. After I left you."
"And?"
"He gave me this." She said, handing Jamie an envelope. He opened it and unfolded the paper.
"Oh my god! He got you your music catalog." Jamie whispered.
"Yeah." Jude said, smiling slightly.
"You know, if I had the money like he does, I would've done this too." He said bitterly.
"Would you?"
"Of course I would have. I love you." he said matter-of-factly.
"Why do you love me?"
Jamie grunted in frustration.
Jude looked down at the table. She felt her phone vibrate in her pants pocket.
"Jamie. I need to go." She said quietly, getting up from the chair.
"Jude. No. Please stay." He pleaded getting up from his chair also.
"I told Dad I would be home soon."
"Okay. Come on. I'll walk you home." Jamie said while putting some money on the table. They walked to Jude's home in silence. Tommy's words reverberated in Jude's head over and over.
"I want all of you, with me forever. Because I love you."
She was surprised. Shocked, more like it. But isn't this what he meant the other night after Darius's disaster of a party When he showed up to my house in a cab and told me that he was done running from what he wanted? She thought to herself.
"We're here." Jamie said. Shaking her away from her thoughts.
"Thanks for walking me home Jamie. I'll call you tomorrow. Okay?"
"All right. I'll talk to you tomorrow. I love you Jude Harrison." He said, staring into her eyes. She went up on her tip toes and kissed him on the cheek.
"Bye." She whispered in his ear. She turned around and went into her house.
"HI honey. How was your day?" Stuart asked his baby girl when she shut the door and locked it.
"Confusing. Yours?" She asked walking up to her father and opening her arms for a hug.
"Boring. What's bothering you sweetheart?" Stuart asked, leading Jude over to the couch and sat her down. She revealed everything that had happened the day before with Jamie and Tommy. "Nobody can give you an answer on who you want to be with. The only thing that I can tell you is follow your heart."
"You know? That's what Sadie said." She said with a tear falling down her cheek.
"Well as hard as it is for you to decipher what you want, I'm going to go to bed. Just think more about what Sadie and I told you. Follow your heart. It will lead you to who or what you really want. I love you baby. Goodnight." He said and kissed her on the forehead.
"Good night Dad. I love you too."
Stuart walked up the stairs. The steps creaking under his feet. She heard him close his bedroom door. She pulled her cell out of her pocket, just then remembering that it had vibrated earlier. It was a text message from Tommy.
I kno I told u 2 take ur time.
But my flight was moved up for tonight at 10.
Thought u should kno.
I love you.
-Tommy
Jude looked at the clock on the mantle. It said the time was 8:45.
Jude got up and ran upstairs to her room.