For your reading pleasure. Sorry again my chapters seem to end making you want more. Just stay tuned and I will post as soon as I can.

Chapter 14

Tommy started thinking there wasn't enough aspirin in the world to work with Karma. She'd been complaining non-stop since he told her they were leaving for Montreal. "Karma, why don't you go home, pack, and meet me back here." He just buried his face in his hands when she was finally gone.

"You look like you could use some sleep." Kwest said walking in.

"Yeah. Sort of a long night." He said getting up and pacing the room.

"T, what's up?"

"I gotta go to Montreal for a week with Karma."

"That sucks, but why do you seem like it's the end of the world?"

"I don't want to leave Jude. And Darius booked her a different show every night that I am gone."

"That sounds like D. But did something happen between you two? I mean you've never acted like this when you had to leave for a few days."

"No nothing happened because I'm an idiot."

"What did you do?" Kwest was very protective over Jude. Even though Tommy was his best friend, Jude was like a sister.

"It's more like what I didn't do, or what I quit doing."

Kwest was confused. "T, what are you talking about? You're not making any sense."

"Okay, after I started dating Jude, she told me she wanted to wait until she was older."

"Right. I know all this."

"Well, last night she tells me she's ready."

"Wow. You didn't reject her did you?"

"No, I mean yes and no. At first I did because we were on the couch in the living room."

"Thank god, Sadie would have never sat on that couch again."

"Will you listen?" Tommy said frustrated.

"Continue."

"Later, after a cold shower, we were upstairs and we talked. I quit over thinking it. She's old enough to make her own decisions on this. Who am I to tell her she'd not ready?"

"So what happened?"

"I took two cold showers last night."

"So when it came to it, she wasn't ready?" Kwest still felt confused.

"No, I'm the idiot that quit carrying a condom my wallet."

"Oh. Damn."

"Yeah, now I have to go home and pack to leave for a week."

"At least it's just a week." Kwest said behind him.

"Hey, are you going home to pack?" Jude said approaching him.

"Yeah. I already sent Karma home. You want to come home with me?" He asked in a hopeful tone.

"I better not. I have get the band and rehearse."

"Call me after your show?"

"Of course." She said with a huge smile.

"I love you, and I'll see you in a week." He said before kissing her cheek.

"I love you, too."

Tommy hated when he had to play businessman. He was a producer, and he wished that was all he had to do. But no, Darius was sending him to Montreal to present Karma to investors. He was never good with investors. He remembered when he thought he could do better than Liam with them.

Everything at G Major was falling into place since Darius taking over. Tommy was trying to get used to his new VP position. Jude's bootleg was doing well, so Darius was back to booking things for her. She even had a song in a movie that was getting ready to premier. He was happy his girl was on top again. He was trying to figure out the best way he could sit by her at the premier. He just had to suffer through G Major business meeting first. Liam was about to put him to sleep.

"Ah Miss Harrison." Liam said as Sadie was approaching. "Looking to invest in G Major?"

"Actually I was thinking of parking my millions somewhere more glamorous and I need to ask you a favor." She said pointing at Tommy.

"Thank you. This is dull." He said standing up.

"And you think you can do better?" Liam asked snidely.

"Record label investors need something with more sizzle. I think Darius would say the same thing."

"I think Tommy's right." Sadie added.

"Then why doesn't Mr. Quincy kick off tonight's presentation with a little A&R report?"

"I will."

"Alright then." Liam walked away.

"What kind of favor do you need, Sadie?"

"Tomorrow night is Jude's premier."

"Yeah."

"Kwest has to work. Would you be my date since you can't be someone else's date?"

"I think I can do that."

"Thank you, you're the best, or almost the best." She said and skipped off.

He worked on his report the rest of the day. He knew Jude was in media training. How hard could this be? When it was time for the meeting he was hit with a blast from the past.

"Tommy!"

"Chas, man"

"We missed you on the Boyz Attack reunion tour, good times."

"What can I say? My baggy white suite was at the cleaners all summer."

"You know I'm not in town long, my friend. We gotta go party with Bruno, kick it old school, you hear?"

Tommy looked back at the meeting that was about to start. Did he really want to be a businessman or his old self? "I appreciate the invite, but duty calls." Maybe he didn't like being a business, but he also knew he shouldn't go out a party like he used to either. He had Jude now. "Life as a honest man."

"Where is the girl that turned you on to this businessman routine?" Chas asked.

And though it wasn't for Jude, in a way it was. He wanted to prove he'd changed. "Thanks for stopping by." Chas waved and was gone.

The presentation was a disaster. The investors didn't care about glitz and glamour. They weren't impressed with anything he thought they would be. They really just wanted facts and figures. He wished he'd never questions Liam. Obviously, Liam had more than a seventh grade education and talk to these men.

He went straight home after the meeting. He wanted to forget the day ever happened. He couldn't even remember why he thought he could do it. He was about music, and everybody else could deal with the business. The worst part was it wasn't even his girlfriend that convinced him to do this. It was her sister.

The next night instead of picking Sadie up and going to the premier, where he knew he should be, he went and met Chas and Bruno. He hadn't meant to drink as much as he did. Even though he had a pocket full of phone numbers, all he wanted was Jude. He hadn't seen her in a couple of days, so he went to her house after leaving the bar.

"She's not home." Sadie said opening the door.

"Can I wait for her?"

"Come on in."

He collapsed on the couch and pretty much passed out. He didn't know how long he'd been there when he felt eyes on him. He peeled his eyes open and saw Jude looking at him.

"Tommy, what are you doing here? And where were you tonight?" She didn't look mad she just looked concerned.

"I'm stupid, Jude."

"For missing my premier and getting this drunk, yeah."

"No, you don't understand, I'm stupid. They expel me from school for fighting, and I never went back."

"You quit school?"

"Grade seven."

"Tommy what's all this about?"

"I convinced myself that with this VP position I could actually be a businessman. And your sister agreed with my idea. Then I blew a presentation."

"Tommy, babe, you're a producer, a wonderful producer. Let Liam take care of the business. That's why Darius named two VP's."

"I'm sorry I missed your big night."

"That's okay. I sat covering my ears and eyes the whole time. I took my dad. I think he and I are going to be okay."

"That's good, but why did you look so upset?"

"Let's just say a lot has happened over the last couple of days."

"Want to talk about it?"

She shook her head. "You need to sleep this off. Make sure you are gone before my mom gets up. I'm going to bed."

He nodded and kissed her forehead. He was asleep again before he knew it.

He didn't try his hand at business again. Hopefully this week Karma's voice and music would do most of the talking, so he wouldn't have to.

"How are your shows going?" Tommy asked over the phone. He'd been gone two days, and missed her like crazy.

"Not the same without you back stage."

"I'll be home before you know it."

"I just miss you, and feel bad you are stuck with Karma."

"You know she's not that bad. She keeps running of on her cell phone."

"So you have some peace and quiet?"

"Yeah. I better get some sleep. We have an early meeting in the morning."

"I gotta be up early, too. I love you."

"Love you, too, girl."

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