Standard Disclaimer – I do not own Twilight or any of the characters from the story. All song selections have been provided by my amazing beta, NoWayWithWords. She is the greatest! She has set up a YouTube playlist that includes the songs chosen for the chapters. If you would like to check it out, see my profile for the link
The chapter song is "Flying Solo" by Keri Noble.
Chapter 14 – Spread Your Wings
The hotel where Garrett and I were staying wasn't that far from the stadium, so we got there quickly. We were sharing a room with two double beds. I thought it would be a little awkward at first, but the more I thought about it, it was no more awkward than sleeping in the same bus with seven men. Once we decided who was taking which bed, the rest was no big deal.
I sent Jasper and Rosalie a text message to let them know that everything was going according to plan and then went to bed. We got up early the next morning, so we stopped for coffee and breakfast before checking out of the hotel and heading for Austin.
The drive to Austin from Dallas was only four hours, so we got there around lunch time. We stopped at a Mexican food restaurant to grab something to eat before heading to the hotel. The weather was beautiful and sunny so Garrett suggested we spend the afternoon hanging out by the pool and getting some sun. This required a shopping trip for bathing suits.
Garrett found some blue board shorts with green and gray sharks all over them. I found a lavender bikini with cute little ruffles on my bottom. It was a bit smaller than I usually felt comfortable wearing, but it looked great on me and I figured I should absorb as much sun as I could. I knew I wouldn't get much of an opportunity to get a tan once I got back home to Forks.
Just like in Dallas, Garrett and I were sharing a room. We got checked in, changed into our bathing suits, and grabbed towels. The pool was on the roof of the building, so we took the elevator all the way up.
When we stepped out onto the roof, Garrett quickly assessed the security of the pool area layout. He decided it would be best if we situated ourselves in a small area off to the side that was partially obstructed by a low row of potted shrubbery.
As we successfully avoided the attention of people swimming and laying out, we made our way around the shrubbery and found that one of the three lounge chairs was taken by a man that could only be described as fourteen shades of beautiful.
He was stretched out on the lounge chair wearing a tiny white bathing suit that fit him so snugly that it left absolutely nothing to the imagination. He was lean but muscular, like a swimmer. He had spiky blond hair that looked like it had grown out and needed to be cut, and golden skin. He obviously spent a lot of time working out and tanning.
I walked over to him and said, "Excuse me. Are these seats taken?"
He opened his eyes and looked up at me. I was floored by his beautiful blue eyes.
"Sorry, honey, you're not my type." He had a very sexy Australian accent.
I laughed and said, "That's ok. I'm not trying to pick you up. I'm just trying not to be recognized."
He cocked an eyebrow and said, "And you are?"
I sat down and started putting suntan lotion on my skin as I answered, "Bella Swan. I'm a musician."
"I recognize the name. Who's your friend?"
"That's Garrett. He's in charge of my security."
He winked at Garrett, "Not exactly my type, but he'll do," he mumbled, and then focused his attention back on me. "Oh, I'm Caius, by the way. I am an ophiologist."
My eyes must have glazed over because he explained further, "It's a type of herpetology."
I still had no idea what he was talking about. He rolled his eyes and said, "I'm a scientist that specializes in snakes. Like Steve Irwin only with a PhD."
That I understood. "Wow, that's kind of interesting. Personally, they creep me out, but they're still interesting."
"Yes, they are. I've been part of a cultural exchange program, so I've spent the last year here in Texas studying snakes that are indigenous to the southern part of the United States, particularly Texas. My part of the program ended last week, but my counterpart won't finish up his part for another month, which means I have a month off to kick back and relax before heading back to the zoo, where I work."
"I've been on tour for the last few weeks and will be doing an acoustic performance at the bar across the street tonight. I can probably get you in if you're interested," I offered.
"That would be great. One of the things I like most about Austin is that you can always find a curious cowboy in a crowded bar. I could really use a good looking cowboy to waste some time with." He gave me a wink.
I giggled and smiled widely as I thought of someone who would appreciate a sexy Aussie. "I know a rocker that would absolutely drool all over himself for you. You are exactly his type."
Caius perked up, "Will he be at the bar?"
"No, he's at a beach house down on South Padre Island. That's where I'm heading from here."
Garrett reached over and tapped me on the arm, frowning. "Bella, you shouldn't tell people where you are going. It alerts the press and encourages followers."
"Sorry, I wasn't thinking."
Caius laughed, "Don't worry. I won't say anything and I have no interest in following you around, but I wouldn't mind hearing a little more about this rocker you were talking about. Does he sing?"
"No. He plays bass guitar. He's pretty good looking and kind of quiet. From what I've seen, he does quite well for himself romantically. I guess you could say he's quite the playboy."
A dreamy expression crossed Caius' face. "Does he have any tattoos? I have a secret thing for guys with tattoos."
"He has a few. I've only seen the ones on his arms. I don't know if he has them anywhere else."
"He sounds like someone I would like to meet. It's a shame he won't be there for the show. I guess it just wasn't meant to be," he sighed dramatically.
When I rolled over to sun my back, Garrett put suntan lotion on my back for me. I was pleasantly surprised at how soft Garrett's hands were. The feel of him rubbing the lotion into my back was so soothing that I fell asleep right away. I woke up some time later to the sound of Garrett telling me it was time to go inside, or I would get sunburned.
I said goodbye to Caius, then Garrett and I headed to our room to shower and relax a little before heading out to dinner. My skin was a little pink but not painful. It made me look considerably healthier, which was good.
While we were relaxing, I picked up the guitar and started practicing. I should have been practicing for a few days, at least, but I was being lazy, so I didn't get around to doing it. As I picked up the guitar and strummed a few notes, I realized that I hadn't actually played in a while and I was quite rusty.
I managed to make it through three of the songs that I planned on singing at the bar with only a few mistakes, so I went back through them over and over until I could play them well while singing. Thank God they were pretty simple songs to play. I glanced at the clock as I was toying with a fourth song and started to panic. I was running out of time. There was no way I had enough music to fill the 30 minute minimum that I was contracted to be onstage, so I picked up my phone and called Jasper.
"Hey, Bella, how's it going down there in my hometown?"
"I'm freaking out, Jasper. I don't usually play and sing at the same time and I'm a little out of practice. I can only get through three songs well enough to play them on stage. Most of these songs I've never even seen the music to. What am I going to do?" I was rapidly approaching panic mode.
"Calm down. I'm sending you a list of songs that you can play without any legal repercussions. If you know any of them, use them as fillers. Another way to space it out is to spend time talking to the audience. Tell them funny stories about the music or about yourself. They really like that kind of stuff. It's more personal and makes them feel like they're getting to know you."
"Ok, I think I can do that," I told him, taking a few deep breaths to keep from hyperventilating.
"The most important thing is to be yourself and have a good time. If you are having fun, they will have fun." I could hear his smile in his voice, and I couldn't help but smile in return.
"Thanks, Jasper, you're the best."
When I got off the phone, I pulled up the list of songs. Lucky for me, two of the songs on the list were ones I learning in school, when I was learning to play the guitar. I picked up the guitar and ran though those songs easily, which made me feel much better.
I called the guy at the front desk and asked him about the bar across the street. He said most people wear shorts and sleeveless shirts because the air conditioning doesn't work that well. Keeping that in mind, I put on the shorts Alice designed for me with the ruffles at the bottom, and the matching button up shirt. I stepped into some sandals, put my hair up in a ponytail and was ready to go.
On our way out of the hotel, we were stopped by some fans so I signed autographs and posed for pictures for a few minutes before Garrett announced that it was time to move across the street to the bar.
When we finally reached the bar, the manager led us to his office to keep people from bugging me as they filed in the door. He asked if I could pose for a picture with him so he could post it on his wall with a bunch of other famous people. You could tell from the pictures that most of the people were at the beginning of their careers when they played in his bar. He liked to help young musicians get their start.
A few minutes later, a guy at the door called the manager and said that there was some guy names Caius at the door asking to get in without a ticket. I told the manger that I asked Caius to come. The manager said Caius could come in but that there were no seats available, so he would have to stand with Garrett.
"That's okay. Garrett and Caius can sit on stage with me," I teased.
The manager nodded his head and walked out the door to escort Caius back to the office, where Garrett and I were.
Caius was dressed in an old pair of jeans, a ratty looking short sleeved shirt that had pearl snaps up the front, dusty looking boots, and a straw cowboy hat that looked like it had been chewed up by a large dog.
"Damn, Caius, it's a shame you play for the other team. You look fuck-a-licious," I said with a wink.
He laughed, "I have been called a lot of things in my life, but fuck-a-licious is definitely not one of them."
Caius sat with Garrett and me while we waited. When the manager came to tell me that I would go on in ten minutes, Garrett informed me that he would be sitting on the corner of the stage, watching the crowd. Caius volunteered to sit on the other corner to help out, so Garrett gave him a few pointers on what to look for, what was allowed, and what was not allowed. Caius paid close attention to what Garrett was saying. It was obvious that he was taking this very seriously. He even asked a few questions, which impressed me.
Garrett and Caius walked out in front of me, when they called my name. They went to opposite sides of the stage and looked over the crowd before I stepped into the room.
When I stepped into view people started cheering, whistling, and clapping, and it was loud! I blushed as I climbed the steps up to the small stage. Every chair that could fit in the place was filled. I could feel the heat in the crowded room when I stepped into the spotlight. I took a seat on a low, padded stool and adjusted the microphone.
I cleared my throat and murmured, "Hello, everyone, thanks for coming out."
The crowd cheered again. I heard a few people shouting, "I love you, Bella!"
I blushed and laughed. "Um… thanks, I guess. I don't think I have ever been told 'I love you' by someone I've never met."
A lady in the front row tossed a red felt cowboy hat up on stage and shouted, "This is from my daughter, to remind you of Texas."
I picked it up and put it on my head. "It fits perfectly. Thank you. How do I look?" The crowd went wild again.
"Like I was saying… Thank you all for coming out to hear me play. I have to tell you the truth. I've never done a performance by myself like this. It's a little intimidating, so you'll have to forgive me if I mess up a little." I picked up the guitar and strummed as the room went silent.
"Wow! That sure quieted everyone down." They laughed a little. "When I was fourteen, my piano teacher moved away, so I stole my dad's guitar and signed myself up for lessons. After almost a year of practice, this was the first song that I leaned to play that I had heard on the radio."
People started to sway as I played the song I learned so long ago. Some people were singing along quietly. It was just like I was playing for a bunch of my friends at a party.
When I finished the song, I smiled and said, "I was so proud of myself for learning that song that I drove my parents crazy, playing it over and over. Who would have known that a high school music teacher trying to earn an extra buck and this little song would convince a shy small town girl to come out of her shell and learn to love performing?"
I started one of my own songs, explaining to the audience, "This song was on my first CD. Some of you may not know that I was in a band a while ago called Swan Dive. We didn't last very long, but a few of the songs we wrote together made it onto my solo CD. I like this one…"
I played the song then followed up with another one. The room was heating up. I could feel the sweat on my forehead. Garrett handed me a napkin to wipe my face.
"Wow, it's kind of hot in here," I said as someone brought me a glass of ice water.
Caius took his shirt off and started fanning himself with his hat. I heard a few women in the audience moan and start whispering to their friends.
I nodded toward Caius. "He sure is pretty, isn't he? He makes a good stage decoration, don't you think?"
Caius blushed as the women and a few men whistled and cheered. I kicked off my sandals and said, "Okay, let's see if you know this one. It's older than most of you, but it's a great song. If you know it, sing along."
I played another old song while people sang. It was great. After that song I played the last of the songs from my CD that I knew how to play. I looked at the clock. I had fulfilled my obligation, but everyone was having such a good time that I didn't want to leave.
"Do any of you know how to play the guitar?" I asked.
A few hands went up. I pointed to a young girl in the middle of the room. She couldn't have been more than 16 or so. "Would you like to come up here and play a song for us?"
The girl said no, at first, but her friends kept pushing, so she eventually came up to the stage. I handed her the guitar and asked what she wanted to play. She said she could play "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)," by Green Day. I knew the song really well, because I had been a fan of Green Day for years. I told her I would sing while she played. She did a great job. When she was done, the room filled with applause.
I picked a guy to come up and play next. He looked a little older than me. He played "Wild Thing," by The Troggs. I don't know anyone that doesn't know that song, so everyone was singing along at the top of their lugs. It was a blast.
I told the story about getting recruited while I was singing karaoke in a bar that I wasn't old enough to drink in. Someone asked me what song I was singing.
"I used to pick common songs and change the words to make them dirty. My friends used to dare me to go on stage and sing the dirtiest things I could think of. They just knew I would get kicked out of the bar, but I never did."
A girl in the back said, "You said you stole your daddy's guitar. Is that the same guitar?"
I laughed, "No. Actually that guitar is at home. I borrowed this guitar from Edward Cullen. We are currently on tour together and he had it on the tour bus, so I asked if I could borrow it."
Someone else asked, "Do you still have the red dress from your CD cover?"
"Yes. I had a seamstress alter it to make a shorter dress that I could wear on stage. She turned the extra material into a skirt that I am also wearing on stage."
"Why didn't you just buy some new clothes?" a lady in the back wanted to know.
"Money was always tight when I was a kid, so I learned not to waste it. Why go buy two new outfits when I can change one dress that I will rarely wear again into something useful for a small portion of what I would have paid for the new clothes?"
A man sitting by the bar spoke up, "What were you doing before you became famous?"
"Oh, I don't know that I consider myself to be famous, but before I got a record deal, I was a waitress at a diner in my home town."
A man the back of the room asked, "Will you sign my hat?"
"Sure, if you sign mine." I turned to Garrett, "Do you have a pen? I want to pass my hat around so everyone can sign it." I looked out at the crowd, "I'm going to pass my hat around so everyone can sign it. There's not a lot of room, so please write small."
Garrett pulled out a fine tip permanent marker and started passing my hat around, while people brought up things for me to sign. I was busy signing things and posing for pictures when someone shouted, "What's it like touring with Edward Cullen?"
"He's great and the guys in the band are incredible. They are playing for both me and Edward, so they are doing double duty. Edward is an amazing performer. He really knows how to keep the audience involved. If you ever get a chance to see him live, I would highly recommend it."
"I heard rumors that you and Edward Cullen got secretly married in Las Vegas," exclaimed a voice from the side of the room.
I laughed, "That is hilarious. No, we did not get married, as a matter of fact; I had only met him face to face a few days before we played in Las Vegas."
"I saw your show in Dallas. You and Mr. Cullen did a sexy version of Dirty Boy. You should perform together more often, or at least do a video for Dirty Boy."
"Thanks, I'll have to keep that in mind," I said with a grin.
A lady came up front with her little girl to get an autograph. The girl was adorable. She was thin with dark brown skin and expressive dark eyes. Her hair was braided back with bright colored rubber bands holding the thin braids.
"Excuse me, ma'am. Can you please sign my t-shirt?" the girl asked with a huge smile.
"Sure, why don't you come up here on stage, so I can reach your shoulder?" I could have easily reached, but I thought she would get a kick out of being on stage. "What's your name?"
"LaShaun."
"It's nice to meet you, LaShaun." She was smiling ear to ear while her mom took pictures of me signing her shirt. I noticed that she was looking closely at the guitar. "Do you know how to play?"
"No, ma'am. Momma says I have to save up my birthday and Christmas money so I can get one."
"If you get one, you have to promise to take good care of it and practice all the time. It's not going to be easy, but it's fun once you get the hang of it."
I sat down on the stage with her and showed her how to hold the guitar. I helped her put her fingers in the right position and talked her through a simple kid's song while people brought me more stuff to sign.
Garrett and Caius were doing a great job of making sure people only came up one at a time for autographs, so I was surprised when two men stepped up together. I was in the middle of getting my picture taken with LaShaun's mother, so I didn't pay attention to the men until I was done.
I turned around and was greeted with bright green eyes and coppery hair hidden under a baseball cap.
"Hey, beautiful," Edward said with a smile. "You did great up there."
"Edward! Demetri! What are you doing here?"
Demetri gave me a hug and Edward kissed my cheek. "Edward and I needed to get away from Jane. I swear that woman is determined to bed one, or maybe even both, of us. When we left you behind in Dallas, she took it upon herself to move onto our bus for the trip to South Padre."
Edward interrupted, "We stopped here in Austin for gas early this morning, so Demetri and I decided not to get back on the bus. We figured we would hang out and watch your show, then ride back with you."
"What about your security guards? I don't think all six of us are going to fit in that little car."
Demetri laughed, "We left them on the bus, too. Peter told them to guard the house and make sure people left us all alone. Apparently they paid attention to the part about guarding the house, but didn't pay attention about watching Edward specifically."
Edward added, "Besides, we have Garrett here. He can handle any issues that come up."
That reminded me. "Oh, Demetri, before I forget, there's someone I want you to meet." I turned to Caius, who was talking to a group of girls. "Caius? Can you come here for a minute, please?"
He strolled over and picked his shirt up off the stage, but didn't put it on. He was wearing the ratty straw cowboy hat and his worn out jeans were hanging low on his hips, showing off his chiseled abs and those muscles that make a "v" shape that dips into the waistline of men's pants. As he walked over, he checked out Edward first then turned his attention to Demetri.
"Caius, this is Demetri. He's the rocker I was telling you about. Demetri, this is Caius. He is a snake scientist. You two can thank me later." I gave them a wink and turned my attention back to the fans that were patiently waiting in line. Someone brought my red hat back. It was covered in black writing, making it look fun and funky. I put it on my head and posed for a few more pictures with people. Edward kept his back to the people and Garrett kept them moving, so they didn't have time to ask him for an autograph.
As the crowd thinned out, I was approached by a man with a huge camera. He introduced himself as Mark Alstead, a reporter with Rolling Stone Magazine. He said he was doing an article on upcoming new talent and asked if he could have a few minutes of my time. He gave me a minute to freshen up and then took some pictures of me sitting on the stage with the guitar, wearing the cowboy hat.
I told Garrett to escort Edward, Demetri, and Caius to our room across the street so they wouldn't have to sit around an empty bar waiting on me and that I would head over when I was done. He tried to argue that he could come back for me, but I insisted I would be fine on my own.
The reporter asked me questions about my music, where I came from, how I got my start in the music industry, and where I would like to see myself in five years. I was glad that he didn't ask about Edward, or anything else that was too personal. When he was done, he asked what I was going to do with my hat. I told him I was going to hang it on the wall, so I could see it and always remember my first solo performance. He took one more picture of just the hat and shook my hand and thanked me before he left.
I took one last glance around the now-deserted bar and thought about how the evening turned out. With a smile on my face, my autographed hat in one hand and Edward's guitar in the other, I headed across the street back to the hotel.
A/N: So, she survived the solo performance. How do you think she did? Did you expect Edward to show up? Stay tuned. From here, they head to the beach house.
I know this is probably the shortest author's note I've ever done, but I only have a couple of minutes before I run out the door. The only reason I have time to even post this is because my husband is in the shower.
Ok. I suck at review responses. I'm sorry about that. I do love to read them all and I appreciate all of the kind words that you have been leaving me. I'm going to try to be better this week, but don't hold your breath.
Don't forget to watch the videos that NoWayWithWords has been posting on YouTube. Some of the songs don't have real videos, so she makes them herself. She is incredible. I appreciate all of her hard work on this as well as being my beta for everything that I write, and I write a lot.
OK, I have to go… See ya next week!