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Chapter 7

The slamming of a door startled him enough to detach his lips from the beautiful woman in front of him. However, when he opened his eyes, Tom was disappointed to not see his favorite blonde, rather, it was Anna in front of him—somewhat of a mistake from his time in Montana.

Moving away from Anna, he went to look in the lobby for evidence of who might have been in the studio. Most employees were usually gone by seven, eight at the latest, because they all had lives. Tommy knew that he had locked the front and back door when he left earlier, so whoever interrupted them had to have a key.

Making a mental list of everyone who held a key, Tommy was at a loss. But, he remembered the Darius had given Jude a key in hopes that she might get inspired and want to record something. His fear was verified when he saw a stack of papers on the lobby table, along with a CD with her name clearly labeling the front of the disc.

Realizing the full impact of what his girl had just witnessed, Tommy began to panic. He immediately turned to the woman who was still in his office, sitting on his desk, and told her to leave.

"But why, baby?" She stood and walked over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. Caressing it softly, she asked, "I think we were having a great time; what's the matter?"

Intentionally stepping back out of her reach, Tom glared. "This was a mistake, I'm sorry. But you still need to go."

Ever the classy girl, Anna simply smiled. Her response threw him off a bit, not sure how to react, but her words confused him even more. "Tommy, babe...if you want me to leave, I will. I'll be in town for the rest of the week, so just give me a call when you want to catch up."

The last two words were spoken in a low voice, an attempt to be seductive, no doubt. Despite her attempts, the efforts had no affect on Tom. A sense of guilt continued to overtake him, making it almost unbearable to even look at the person in front of him. He knew his words were harsh, but Tommy couldn't help it. His only thought was of finding Jude and apologizing. It was that or figuring out how to turn back time.

"Anna, we won't be seeing each other again. Have a nice night."

The girl was obviously startled, but moved toward the front door nonetheless. As she was about to open it, some sense of decency came over him and Tom asked, "Do you need a cab?"

When she shook her head, Tommy turned and went to his desk. Sitting down, his head found its way to his hands, and he was consumed by anxiety for what was to come. His mistake had been letting Jude walk out the door when Anna interrupted them. He knew that his girl had felt out of place, but that was the opportunity he had been looking for to show her how much he loved her.

Instead, he allowed her to leave, and he was talked into dinner with the girl of his past. During his time in Montana, Tom was somewhat of a mess. Thankfully, most of his energy and thoughts were consumed with Maya, but the remainder was focused solely on thoughts of his girl. About six months into his stay, he began to feel like he was drowning. Kim had just finished detoxing for the first time and was refusing to go to rehab. Maya was constantly fussing—understandable given the situation she was in. And Darius was calling nonstop, trying to help, but only frustrating things further.

One night, he made the mistake of going to a bar. Of course, Tommy had known from the start that it was a dumb decision, but all he wanted was to forget. That was the night he met Anna. He thought she was beautiful, but looking back, it was because she was blonde and reminded him of Jude. She was a model, in Montana for a photo shoot. Typical of groupies from back in the day, she flattered him constantly and was a listening ear to his stories of Jude.

She matched him cocktail for cocktail, shot for shot, and eventually, both were so drunk they could barely walk upright. While she was likely only hoping to snag him for the night, he was trying to distance himself from memories of his girl. But, during the entire night with Anna, Tom had felt like he was cheating on Jude, spurring him to drink more as a way to forget. When the alcohol didn't completely tear Jude from his thoughts, Tom took Anna to a hotel and began to seduce her. Using the tricks from his past—chocolate covered strawberries and champagne—he baited her into bed. The next morning, Tommy woke up with a hangover from hell and a blonde woman laying next to him. Unfortunately, it wasn't the blonde woman he hoped for and dreamed about, and he began to fully realize his mistake. He was left with regret, something he was unfamiliar with.

If he wasn't sure before, Tommy knew that morning that he loved Jude. Never before had he cared about the effects his actions would have on someone else, but now that he had Jude, things were different. That same morning, he had bought a ticket to go back to Toronto. He wasn't sure if he could stay in Montana without her, and he wanted nothing more than to have her by his side. There was a sense of loss that he was unfamiliar with—like part of him was missing.

With a mind to go pack up his things, Tommy's plans changed the moment he saw Maya. He knew he couldn't leave her—she was his responsibility then. With a heavy heart, he decided to not leave, and instead focused all of his attention on the girl.

Until tonight, Tommy hadn't strayed at all—never having thoughts of another woman. His heart was with Jude, and that was it. Of course, even with Anna, his thoughts and his heart had been with Jude the entire time.

When Anna showed up, there was a possibility for things to end badly. When he agreed to go to dinner with her, disaster was inevitable. He knew that he should have told her no, but Tommy thought he could be strong. And really, he was strong. They had gone to dinner at the cafe down the street from the studio, having light conversation through the course of their meal. Tommy was surprised at how much he enjoyed the meal and her company—it was nice how easy things were.

For the past four months, he had been trying to prove to Jude how much he cared, seemingly to no avail. Sure, the last month had been alright since they agreed to be friends, but it was still a challenge. Tommy was stuck somewhere between not showing too much affection and showing enough to make sure Jude knew he cared. Things with Anna that night had been easy.

She made it no secret that she wanted him, openly flirting with him and making sure to touch him every chance she could. Tommy had been strong throughout their dinner, and even walking her back to the studio hadn't been a problem. However, when they got into his office, things had truly gone downhill.

Tommy had been ready to say goodbye, even going to open the door for her. Taking the opportunity presented before her, Anna had snuck in between him and the door and kissed him. It was brief and simple, but Tommy was startled and hadn't known what to do. After a moment, she leaned in again and captured his lips, and this time Tommy kissed her back.

He wasn't proud of his actions. In fact, he was somewhat sickened by his own weakness. Over a year ago, Tommy decided that Jude was it for him. He knew that there would never be another woman that understood him like she did—that cared for him and believed in him like she did.

When Anna kissed him the second time, Tommy's thoughts had been on Jude, imagining that it was her in front of him. But, it didn't change the wrongness of his actions. Though the entire kiss didn't last more than ten or fifteen seconds, he screwed up, and once again, he didn't know if there was any hope for a future with them.

After sulking in the dark for at least thirty minutes, Tommy just wanted to get out of the studio. He grabbed his keys and left the building in a rush. After coming to terms with what he had just done, he wanted to rid himself of any scent or feeling Anna left on him. Reaching his apartment in record time, Tommy started to shed his clothing the moment he walked in the door. He showered three times, and scrubbed his body until it was raw, trying to wash away his betrayal of Jude.

In his mind, Tommy played out different conversations he should have with Jude—going over a variety of different scenarios that would cause her to forgive him. He knew that it would be an uphill battle, but Tommy also knew that it would be worth it. He had to talk to Jude—he had to explain what she had witnessed and apologize. He would keep apologizing until she knew how much he meant it.

She had been crying for at least an hour. But now, there were no more tears and Jude was simply laying down, numb to everything. She recalled the evening, from the reassurance Kwest and Sadie gave her, to the moment when the world felt like it was crashing down. Seeing Tommy kissing that woman had broken something inside of her—different than when he left without a word. After explaining everything, Jude knew that Tommy didn't have much of a choice in going to Montana. Granted, he could have done things a bit differently, but overall, he was just following orders.

But tonight, there were no orders to follow—he kissed another woman on his own. She had just started to consider opening herself up to him again, as more than friends, and he does this. He completely crushed her, and he was probably too focused on the other woman to realize it or care.

The idea that Tommy may not care that she was hurt broke something inside of her. She decided that things would now be different. No longer would she let him walk all over her. No longer would she let herself fall for him. In that moment, Jude resolved to get over Tom Quincy once and for all.

She sat up and turned to face Chuck in one swift movement. He was obviously startled by her action and looked at her with questioning eyes. "I'm done," was her only comment.

After she didn't say anything else, Chuck asked, "Done with what?"

Jude bit her lip, not sure what to tell him and where to start. She didn't mind explaining how she knew Tom or giving him a glimpse of their history, but she wasn't sure if he really wanted to hear.

Seemingly knowing her thoughts, Chuck grabbed her hand, telling her, "If you are willing, I would love to know what's going on." Caressing her hand with his thumb, he continued speaking. "Obviously you know Tom from more than just working on our record...you told me that you were friends before?"

Jude nodded, deciding to simply lay everything out for him. "Back when I was an artist for G, Tommy and I were pretty much best friends. Since his best friend was dating my sister, we spent a ton of time together. Somewhere along the line, I started to fall for him." Though Jude wanted to tell Chuck the truth, she wasn't sure how much detail she should go into. She didn't want to seem like a love sick fool, but if she wasn't honest, the depth of her emotions now wouldn't make any sense.

Taking a breath, she continued. "I didn't think he felt the same way, so I didn't do anything about it. I didn't want to ruin our friendship because of some misguided feelings on my part. He was my best friend and one of the only people I could turn to. Because of that, we had this weird status quo that we didn't break out of." Straightening her posture, Jude spoke again. "But, I wasn't entirely right when I thought that he had only friendly feelings. Right before he left, Tom asked me out. He took me on a date to one of my favorite restaurants...and to be honest, it was pretty perfect." She smiled at the memory of that night. It truly had been one of the best nights of her life, and no matter how hard she tried, she would never be able to fully erase it from her memory.

"If the date was so perfect, why did he leave?" Chuck asked, breaking her out of her memories.

She recalled telling him about Tommy leaving, though, at the time, she let Chuck think that they were only friends. Trying to hold back the tears, Jude took a deep breath. Letting it out, she moved on with her story. "That night he left...without a word. Now I know why he had to, but back then, I was lost. Here I was, thinking we had this perfect night that might have been the start of something amazing, and he left. He didn't tell me anything, just left without a trace. Even worse, I knew that he was still in contact with Darius and Kwest. I didn't understand why he didn't trust me enough to let me in...why he didn't think I would understand."

She could no longer hold back the tears, and a few escaped down her cheeks. "Over the year-and-a-half he was gone, I kind of lost it. I felt so numb and so lost...so lonely. Kwest and Sadie were always together, Spied had Karma, Wally and Kyle were...Wally and Kyle. On top of that, I couldn't write anything, I had no more inspiration. Darius released me from my recording contract and I bought the rehearsal building."

"Wow," was Chuck's only response. It was obvious he wasn't sure what to say.

But Jude understood—how was someone supposed to respond to that kind of story?

After a minute, he looked at her intently. "So what about now? Why was tonight so rough?"

Jude smiled sadly. "After Tom left, I felt like maybe no one would want me. Literally, I was consumed by this anxiety that I would be alone the rest of my life. But then, over the past month or so, things were kind of back on track for us. We were being friendly again and I had this idea that maybe there was still a spark on his part." Looking down at her hands, she reveled in the caress Chuck still provided. "Tonight, I was talking to Kwest and Sadie and they said that maybe we should take things slow—explore any feelings that remained. After dinner, I went to grab some stuff from the studio and saw that he was still there. Thinking that it would be the perfect time to open up a bit, I went to say hi."

A scowl came over her face at the memory of Anna. Realizing her change in attitude, Chuck squeezed her hands lightly, reassuring her that he was still there for her.

Smiling at his efforts, Jude spoke again. "He was in his office making out with some chick he knew from Montana." She shrugged her shoulders in defeat. Her story was finished, and there was nothing left to say. Once again Tom Quincy broke her heart, and there really wasn't anything she could do about it. Lost in her moment of self-pity, she was startled out of her reverie when a pair of strong arms wrapped around her.

Rather than focus on the situation with Tommy, Jude centered her thoughts on the comfort Chuck was providing. She relaxed into his arms, letting some of the last tears fall. After a few minutes in his embrace, Jude pulled back. Chuck wiped the tears from her face, then held her cheek in his palm. "Thank you for telling me, Jude."

Shrugging her shoulders again, Jude didn't say anything, only smiled in response. Leaning into his hand, she blinked once more before speaking up. "Do you think I could get cleaned up?"

Chuck removed his hand from her face and stood, offering her a hand to help her up. "Why don't you take a bath, light some candles, relax. When you're done, we can put on RomanHoliday—escape from the drama."

Smiling at his thoughtfulness, Jude took his hands and stood. "That sounds perfect." As she headed in the direction of the bathroom, she caught a glimpse of the clock on the wall. "Oh my gosh!" escaped her lips. "It is super late...why don't I just take a shower instead."

A laugh escaped his mouth at her words, but Chuck told her, "Whatever you want, hon. I'll see you when you're done."

Jude nodded her head and continued onward towards the bathroom. Not twenty minutes later she was out and changed into the pair of sweats that Chuck had left for her. She felt relaxed, the hot water washing away some of the tension from earlier. Walking back into the living room, she saw two large mugs full of steaming hot cocoa. The movie was cued up on the television, and blankets and pillows were laid all over the couch and floor.

Chuck was walking out of his room, buttoning the flannel shirt he had changed in to. Jude caught a glimpse of his well-defined abs and, for a moment, her mind began to wonder what the rest of his body looked like. But, when the shirt was buttoned the rest of the way, her thoughts returned, and Jude went over to the couch.

Before sitting next to her, he put a fire in the fire place. Finishing the task, he took a place beside her and put his arm up, allowing her to snuggle up next to him. Soaking up his warmth, Jude cuddled into his side, feeling incredibly thankful for his friendship. In the past couple of hours, she had seen a different side of Chuck, one that she wanted to see more of. She had known him for a while, and she had always enjoyed their friendship. But this ultra-caring and sensitive Chuck was new. Jude forced her mind to clear, and as it did, she mellowed out and she settled further into the couch, becoming more comfortable.

However, as the opening credits began to roll, she felt Chuck shift next to her. "Jude, I want you to know that I'm here for you. I'm really glad that you told me about Tommy, and I won't let him hurt you again." He gave her a solid hug, holding on to her as if to shield her from the pain.

He pulled back first, but Jude was the first to speak. "Thank you, Chuck. I don't know what I would do without you." She moved back to her place by his side, once again settling into the couch. With his arm around her and the movie playing on the big screen, Jude considered her words to him. With Spied being gone on tour, she had felt a little lost. Sure, she talked to him at least once a week, but it didn't take the place of a reassuring hug.

Feeling content, Jude sat back to enjoy. She loved Audrey Hepburn, and she loved this movie, so it was a perfect escape. Not thirty minutes later, she was out cold, finally finding rest after an emotional day.

The next morning the smell of coffee brought Jude out of a deep sleep. A smile lit her face before her eyes even opened, thankful for what was sure to be a strong brew. Eventually opening her eyes, she was pleased to see a cup of coffee on the table in front of her. Picking it up, she took a deep sip, ignoring the burning feeling it left as it poured down her throat.

Finishing the cup in record time, Jude stood and stretched out her back. She turned at the sound of a door opening behind her, finding Chuck standing there. "Good morning," she offered with a smile.

"Hey, Jude..." He paused, waiting for a reaction. He wasn't disappointed when she stuck her tongue out at him. Before she could do anything else, though, Chuck crossed the few feet and wrapped her up in a giant hug. Holding her close, he kissed her on the forehead before asking, "How did you sleep?"

The rest of the morning passed without incident, the pair working around each other with ease. Jude tried to not think about the previous day, instead giving in to a pattern of playful banter and light flirting. She didn't acknowledge it as anything more than taking her mind off the inevitable emotional encounter that was bound to happen with Tommy.

Eventually, they made their way into the studio. Waking Blind was still working on their album, so it was necessary to make an appearance. Chuck had promised that they wouldn't do any recording, knowing that it would be difficult for Jude to interact with Tom so soon. There were still songs to be written for the album, so he told her that they could spend their time doing that.

The sight of G Major's front door brought on a whole new wave of anxiety for Jude. Her breath shortened and her eyes grew wide, panic quickly setting in. Her demeanor completely changed, causing Chuck to take notice.

Rather than push her forward, he stopped walking and turned to face her. "Jude, you need to breathe. I will be right next to you the entire time." He brought her into a hug, trying to provide comfort and strength in the midst of her near-breakdown. Mimicking his actions from that morning, he kissed her forehead and continued to hold her close. "Whatever you need, I'm here for you, okay honey?"

She smiled at the term of endearment that Chuck had first used the day before. She liked the feeling it gave her when she heard it—like she mattered and would be taken care of. After a few more moments, the friends separated; but that didn't stop Chuck from grabbing her hand in a tight grip. He managed to open the door for her while still maintaining his hold, taking his place next to her as soon as they were through the door.

Without any effort, he steered her to the back of the studio and straight in to Studio C. It was the smallest of all the studio spaces, and not as state-of-the-art as the rest of G Major, but it was perfect for writing. Anyone who knew Jude knew that she didn't like to be interrupted with her writing, so the moment the door to Studio C was shut, no one dared to enter.

Jude sat on the floor with her guitar in her hands, her notebook open before her. Chuck had been amazing all day long—getting her coffee in the morning, hot tea in the early afternoon, and even sending Nate out for a private stash of Pop Tarts. Three different times Tommy had tried to talk to her, and each time Chuck made sure he was by her side and sending the other man away.

It was late in the afternoon when Darius called a meeting to go over the progress of Waking Blind's album. As they all took seats in the conference room, Jude was dismayed to discover that Tommy was sitting next to her. Thankfully, Chuck was on her other side, and when he realized who she was sitting next to, he put an arm around her shoulders. Hugging her close, he whispered to her, "I'm right here, honey. Just ignore him, okay?"

Nodding her head, she smiled at his words. Turning to him, she whispered in his ear, "Thanks." She settled into his embrace, much like she had the night before, taking comfort in his strength.

After the brief meeting, Jude moved to stand, but was stopped by a hand on her arm. Looking up, she began to panic when the realization hit that it was Tommy holding her down. "What do you want?" she asked, trying to be calm despite the anxiety that gripped her.

"Jude, I'm sorry, I need to explain..."

"Nothing." Before he could get another word out, Chuck interrupted him. Glaring at Tom, he gently put a hand on Jude's other arm.

She smiled up at him gratefully, a bit of the anxiety easing away. She allowed him to help her up, not letting her eyes leave his the entire time they walked out of the office. If they had, Jude was afraid that she would break. She was barely able to hold it together all day, and sitting next to Tommy during that meeting hadn't helped. At least twice her hand had brushed with Tommy's, each time sending a spark through her body. She couldn't have handled talking to him, especially alone and with no reinforcement. Jude knew that she was done with Tom Quincy. She needed to grow up, and she needed to move on.