Falling into you. FF #5 (One shot part one of two!)
Loren Tate, 21 years old, a student at the nearby California State University, she had to work to pay her way through school. She earned some scholarships that helped to pay for some of her tuitions, that wasn't enough to cover all of her expenses, she had an amazing voice, Mel her best friend encouraged her to get a job at the nearby OceanView Restaurant, they had live music every weekend, during High School Loren had performed in musicals. So she knew she was talented but very insecure, but her best friend Mel always encouraged her to sing, Mel knew she had the voice of an angel. When she interviewed for the job, Mr. Lopez hired her, she would be singing every weekend. This was 6 months ago, she was a huge hit, the restaurant's reservations for the weekend were always booked.
Loren worked very hard to get her degree in law, she had lost both her parents in a terrible accident, so Loren was alone, she was raised by her grandmother Lorena, but lived on campus with Mel. Mel loved photography and she did side jobs and was always photographing Loren whenever she performed.
Every time Loren sang at Ocean View, she felt every single lyric, people noticed that and loved hearing her sing, Mel was always there supporting her best friend.
"I'm so proud of you Lo, your voice is amazing, you pour your whole soul into the songs." Loren always smiled and was grateful for the support Mel always gave her, thanks to Mel she believed in herself enough to give singing a try and she succeeded "I owe it all to you Mel." But Loren was hiding another pain, losing her parents was one of the worst, she fell in love with Josh Taylor and dated the last two years of High School and one day while she left a college class early to surprise her boyfriend with lunch, she walked in on him and her so called friend Tara, Loren was devastated and vowed to never ever believe in love again. She decided to concentrate on school and her job at the Ocean View Restaurant.
Mel had met Ian Scott, they both loved photography and started dating, Mel invited Ian to the restaurant the following weekend, she had told him all about Loren, Ian accepted and before leaving asked her "Could I bring a friend?" Mel smiled "Yes the more people that hear Loren, the more her confidence will grow."
That weekend arrived and Loren was getting her dress ready for that night, Mel was already to go "So Lo, Ian and I will meet you there, oh and he's bringing a friend, I think it's a guy."
Loren turned to her and put her hand up against Mel's face "Don't even start Mel, I've told you no surprise dates, nothing." Mel furrowed her eyebrows "Lo how much longer before you give a new guy a chance to love you? Not every guy out there is Josh." "I don't care Mel, just don't, I'll see you there later." Mel was worried for her friend, she was young and beautiful and didn't want anything to do with falling in love. "Loren Tate, I want to see you happy again, smiling and" Loren cut her off "What do you want Mel? This isn't a world where fairytales come true, where you meet prince charming and live happily ever after, drop it please." She walked into the bathroom slamming the door. Loren heard when Mel left, she looked at herself in the mirror, tears filled her eyes, to think of falling in love meant nothing to her, maybe never again.
Ian and Mel arrived on Sunset Blvd, he parked in front of a luxurious building, Mel gave Ian a look "Who do you know that lives in this fancy place?" Ian smiled "My best friend." "Well are we going to go and get him?" Ian got out of the car "No need, here he comes." Mel turned and her eyes widened when she saw who it was "Ian you know Eddie Duran?" Ian and Eddie gave each other the side hug "Mate meet my girl Melissa." Mel rushed out of the car "Omg do you know who you are?" Eddie laughed "I think I do Melissa." "Oh please call me Mel, Omg, Ian, you never told me you knew Eddie?" "I don't like to brag that the world's best Rockstar is my friend."
Mel extended her hand "Well I've been a fan forever, love your music and it's a pleasure to meet you." "No flirting allowed with my girl." Eddie smiled "Not to worry." Ian looked behind Eddie "So no Chloe?" Mel looked at Ian "Where have you been? They broke up a months ago, she cheated on him, Oops sorry Eddie," Mel put her hands to her mouth.
"It's ok Mel, I'm done dealing with the whole mess, so where we headed? I'm starving."
"Mel said we should try the Ocean View restaurant. She said it has the best seafood." As Eddie entered Ian's car Mel turned to look at him "And it has music too." "So is it food or Music?" "My best friend sings there on the weekends, so you'll have dinner and a show."
Ian turned to Eddie "Unless you want a quiet place, you just returned from touring ?" "No it's ok, it will be great to see someone else sing for a change."
They arrived at the Ocean view, Mr. Lopez recognized Mel and had her table ready, just close enough to the stage and at a perfect view of Loren "Can I get you anything?"
Mel turned to Ian and Eddie "Guys a drink?" Ian responded for both "Beer for us please." "A white wine for you senorita Melissa?" "Ahh I love it when you say it like that, yes, Sr. Lopez." He walked away as Eddie looked around the restaurant "Seems like a very nice place, so who's performing tonight?"
Mel smiled as she focused on Eddie "My best friend Loren Tate." "Mate she has an amazing voice and is very beautiful too." "This isn't any matchmaking thing is it?" Mel rolled her eyes "You too huh? Nah don't worry, Loren isn't interested in any of that either, you both have something in common, her ex cheated on her too."
The waitress arrived with their drinks and took their orders, within 20 minutes, Mr. Lopez was on the small stage introducing Loren Tate, she came out wearing a short black dress, strapless and her long hair flowing on to her shoulders, she looked beautiful. She held the mic and began to sing.
Mel smiled when she saw the reaction on Eddie's face, he was about to take a sip of his beer when she came onto the stage, he didn't say a word until Loren finished the song, Loren smiled "Thank you, you're all very kind, I have a set of 3 more songs for you tonight as you enjoy your dinner, Enjoy the show.
Dinner arrived and everyone ate, Eddie was eating but was really enjoying Loren's performance, when she finished her set, she introduced the next group that was on that night. As she exited the stage Mr. Lopez approached her and whispered something to her, she smiled and turned to where Mel was sitting, she had a view of Ian and Mel, as she got closer she noticed who the next person sitting was
"Mr. Lopez said I'd be surprised, what an honor to have Eddie Duran here tonight." Eddie stood and extended his hand "The honor is mine, that was an amazing performance Loren, nice to meet you." She shook his hand "Nice to meet you, Mel you didn't tell me Eddie Duran would be here tonight." Mel shrugged her shoulders "Hey I didn't know until we got to his place, Ian surprised me too."
Mr. Lopez came to the table with Loren's favorite dish "Thank you, you're always so thoughtful Mr. Lopez."
"Only the best for my best performer, look the place is full." Loren hugged him "I'm happy to help." She sat down to eat, Mel moved giving her room to sit right across from Eddie who was quietly observing Loren.
"Guess what Eddie? Loren isn't a fan!" Loren turned to Mel "Mel!" "So you're not a fan?" Loren bit her lower lip as she responded "Not at the moment." "What did I do to lose such a beautiful fan?" "I don't believe in love and your songs all have reference to it, that's why."
Mel leaned on the table "Her ex ruined it for ya Eddie, she doesn't believe in fairytale endings."
Loren glared at Mel "You know, I'm about to zap you off that seat Mel!" Mel stood up and looked at Ian "Ian let's go, Loren here wants to zap me, if she succeeds, I'm a goner." "Hey you guys are my ride home." Ian looked at Mel than at Eddie "Loren can give you a ride."
"What if I wasn't done here?" Mel giggled "You're done, Sr. Lopez brought your food, bye Lo and Eddie nice meeting ya!" She held Ian's arm and they walked away. Eddie turned to Loren "So I guess it's you and I Loren." "I'm no longer hungry, I'll take this home, you ready to go?" Eddie stood as Loren poured the food into a container "Wow not even excited you're driving me home?" Loren rolled her eyes "You could call a cab!" "No I'd rather ride with you if that's ok?"
Loren grabbed her things and went to hug Mr. Lopez good night and some customers came up to talk to her, Eddie watched as she smiled, she looked beautiful when she was happy, he knew just now her ex cheated on her. Who would cheat on such a beautiful creature?
Loren returned to find Eddie standing there waiting "You ready Eddie Duran?"
"On your six Loren Tate." Eddie retorted.
They arrived to her car, Loren got into the driver seat and Eddie jumped in on the passenger side, she drove off, Eddie looked her way "You know you look beautiful when you smile, you should do it more often." "Oh so now you're telling me what to do?" "Hey listen, just trying to be nice, just because your boyfriend cheated on you isn't the end of the world."
She stopped the car "What do you know about my ex boyfriend? It is the end of the world when you think you're his world, he tells you he loves you and you believe it, and he only has eyes for you and then you go to surprise him with a special lunch to find him with one of my friends, that's when your world crashes, how would you know, you're a Rockstar, you wouldn't understand!"
Eddie gave her a shocked look "Where have you been? My ex fiancé she cheated on me, it made all the tabloids, so yes I do understand, but I'm trying very hard to move on, to give love another chance." "Where do I take you?" Loren asked pretty upset. "I live on Sunset Blvd" Loren continued to drive holding back those many tears wanting to burst out of her eyes. She did a sudden stop on the street. "It was nice meeting you Loren, and I'm sorry, I can't figure out who would cheat on you, give love a chance, try and smile more, it will do you good."
"Thanks for the info Duran." He got off the car and Loren sped off, finally those tears came flowing down her cheeks.
Eddie went up to his penthouse, as he had another beer and stepped out to the terrace, he couldn't stop thinking of Loren Tate, there was something special about her, and he wasn't giving up on her, at least not now.
Loren continued going to school and on weekends did her 4 to 5 shows at Ocean view, Eddie would drop by every chance he had, this brunette had gotten his attention, he took his manager Jake to listen to her sing "Where has she been hiding? She has potential Eduardo!"
"I knew it the first day I heard her."
He had already told his dad Max about Loren, he came with Eddie another day to listen to the girl Eddie couldn't stop talking about.
Max waited for Loren's show to finish and asked Mr. Lopez to ask her to come to his table. When Loren got off stage, Mr. Lopez signaled her where to go, she walked smiling until she got a glimpse of Eddie sitting there, before she could say anything Max stood up "Loren Tate, it's nice to meet you, I'm Max Duran." "Hi Max, nice to meet you." Her eyes trailed back to Eddie who sat giving her a shy smile "Loren I'd love it if you could sing a set of your songs at MK."
"Wow Mr. Duran, I'm honored, but I," Before she could say anything else "I spoke to Mr. Lopez, he said he would let me have you either a Saturday or Sunday at MK, it's up to you Loren, I would love for you to say yes. Loren smiled "My parents were huge fans Mr. Duran, it would be an honor."
"Great and thank you Loren, how about next weekend you pick the day and let me know, and my friends call me Max." "Next weekend it is, nice meeting you, I have to get going, homework awaits at home." Eddie stood up "I don't get a hello or good-bye Loren?"
"How rude of me, yes, good-bye Eddie." She turned and walked away, Max smiled and turned to Eddie "Not a fan I assume?" "She will be, I can't have a name like Duran and be ignored by that beautiful woman." Max smirked, scratching his head "I don't know Eddie, She doesn't seem to really care who you are." "You know Pops after Chloe I thought it would never happen, Loren Tate is my bait, I'm hooked really bad!"
Loren arrived home, she immediately got into the shower, when she was done, she found Mel heating up some leftovers "Hey how was your night?" "Interesting, you'll never guess who stopped by?" "Eddie Duran?" Loren looked at Mel "How would you know? Did you set this up?" "Lo no, but Ian told me he's been going every weekend, just to watch you sing, he's intrigued my dear Lo."
Mel laughed as she sat to eat her plate of heated food. "Max Duran was there with Eddie, he wants me to sing at MK next weekend, I think I'll pick a Saturday." "You know Lo, I think it must have been Eddie's idea, he likes what he saw that day."
"Whatever Mel, goodnight."
Saturday arrived pretty fast for Loren, she arrived at MK at 6, the show was to start at 8 that night, to her surprise, there was a woman waiting for her "Loren Tate?"
"Yes that's me." "Hi I'm Kelly Madsen, my husband is Jake Madsen, he's Eddie Duran's manager, I've heard so much about you."
"Oh really? I didn't think there would be a manager here tonight." "My husband has seen you perform, he wants me to watch you tonight, he says you have potential for a career in the music business if you're interested of course."
Loren blushed " I hadn't given that a thought, I do this to pay for school, I want to be lawyer one day."
Kelly came up close to her "Loren my husband doesn't just send me to anyone, If he heard you and asks me to come and check you out, that's a pretty good thing for you, I've got some clothes in the back for you to look at, and a make-up artist too, if you want to change your hair or leave it as is, that would be great."
"Wow here I thought I was coming to just sing and there's wardrope and make-up ready for me, sure why not."
Kelly smiled "Great let's head to the back."
By 7 there were people already showing up, Ian and Mel walked in too "Ian this place is beautiful." "Eddie's pop owns this place, he and his late wife Katy dreamed of their own club and here it is."
"Loren is going to knock their shoes off." Ian looked around "There's a record label guy coming in, Eddie set the whole thing up for Loren." "Oh please don't tell Loren, she's not a fan of Eddies'.
"My mate thinks she can have this and more, he's interested in Loren." "Ian is Eddie falling for Loren?" "I think so, that night he first saw her, he hasn't stopped talking about her, he took Jake to the club, then his dad and Kelly is here, she's Jake's wife."
Mel looked around "It's a full house tonight, look at this place, I hope they don't think it's Eddie performing."
Ian pointed to a poster that was just being placed near the stage. (MK & EDDIE DURAN, MAX DURAN PRESENT the Sensational LOREN TATE! Show starts at 8.
Mel put her hands to her mouth "Omg, Loren is going to freak out if she sees that." "She won't, not until she's done with her set." Ian replied.
"I knew Lo has the potential to be a huge artist, she has the talent and the voice."
Loren appeared looking more beautiful than ever, she had a violet semi-long dress that hugged her body perfectly, showing her curves and wrapping around her body, her hair was straighten and her make-up looked flawless, smoky colors to match the dress.
Mel's jaw dropped as she saw Loren walking in towards the stage "Lo you look gorgeous!"
"I kind of think so." She turned to see herself in the huge mirror, Eddie was walking in with Max and he was left speechless, Max turned to see what had Eddie in a trance.
Max smiled and walked towards Loren "You look very beautiful Loren."
Loren was smiling and hugged Max "Thank you for everything." "You're very welcome, are you ready?"
"As ready as I'll ever be." Kelly came up to her "Give everyone your best Loren."
Max got up on stage and signaled Eddie to follow suit "Friends welcome to MK to this special event, I'd love for all of you to welcome Loren Tate, I think you will all love her." Eddie held his hand out to help Loren get on the stage. He and Max moved to the side as Loren took to the mic and began to sing her first of 5 sets she had ready for that night.
After each set the audience applauded and cheered, Eddie stood to the side of the stage not moving and probably not even breathing as he watched her complete the whole set of 5 songs she sang to the crowd, she smiled "Thank you everyone." She turned to exit the stage and caught sight of Eddie watching her, she offered a small smile and walked towards Kelly and Mel who were waiting to hug and congratulate her.
"Lo you did it, you threw down girl!" Kelly stepped in to hug her "That what I thought you could do." Ian walked towards Eddie who still stood in the same place "So mate, what she a hit or what?" "I knew she would, she's amazing, and look at her, she's beautiful Ian."
"Mate you're falling in deep, so deep, you might get stuck." Eddie smiled "I like the sound of that!"
Ian smiled, he heard a lot of noise and flashes coming from the entry door, Ian coughed which made Eddie turn around. The color is Eddie's face turned a bright red and the change in his face said it all.
Standing in the door way was Chloe Carter, she walked towards Eddie, Loren turned at that moment, she locked eyes with Eddie and turned to see Chloe standing in front of Eddie, he stood his ground "Now what Chloe? What are you doing here?" (R&R part 2 coming soon)