Here's the next chapter. I don't own anything.

Chapter 16

Tommy walked back to his hotel with a smile on his face. Jude's birthday was going to be the best. He just needed to get home and finish everything. Only a few more days, and he couldn't wait until he was back with his girl.

Right on cue his cell phone rang. "I was just thinking about you."

"You better always be thinking about me, Quincy."

"I am. What's up?"

"Sitting in my dressing room wishing you were here. How was your meeting?"

"They seemed impressed with Karma's talent."

"That's good."

"Yeah. Now I think I will go back to my hotel and relax in the hot tub."

"Oh I'm jealous."

"I seem to remember a hot tub in our past."

"Yeah, that wasn't our finest hour."

"No, it wasn't."

The last place Jude ever thought she'd be was at a musical that Sadie was in. It wasn't a secret that Sadie did not have the voice in the family. But it was something she wanted to do. It was cute watching Kwest so proud of her. Tommy had promised to come, but there had been no sign of him. She knew he'd been working a lot of overtime. This VP position was weighing him down.

"Did I miss much?" Tommy asked sliding into his seat as the last line of the show was sung.

"Yeah, like the whole thing." Jude said under her breath. Sure Tommy wasn't obligated to support Sadie, but Jude had really wanted him there.

Backstage she watched the way Kwest was with Sadie. It made her jealous because she and Tommy couldn't be like that in public. "So, are you giving me a ride home?" She asked as everyone was leaving.

Tommy felt horrible. He'd promised Jude he'd be at the show, just so they could spend sometime together. But he ended up having to work later than expected. "I have to get back to work. Tomorrow night you and me though."

"Don't forget my mom's birthday is coming up. Sadie and I are planning a party."

"I know. Don't worry. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Jude, you coming?" Portia called out to her.

"Yeah." She gave Tommy one more look before she followed them.

Jude and Sadie were so excited about their mom's birthday. They were going all out for the surprise party they were planning. "So, is Tommy coming?" Sadie asked.

"Said he was, we'll see. Hopefully work can wait one night."

"Yeah, Kwest has been working a lot too."

"Anyway this party is going to be the best."

At G Major, Spied was helping Jude with a new song. "Sounds good."

"Okay I get my girl now." Tommy said from the doorway.

"I thought we still had a half hour?" She'd been trying to make the song perfect before Tommy heard it.

"When are you not eager to get back in the studio?"

"Never, I'm with you."

"What are you working on?" He asked taking the stool beside her.

"Just a classic Dolly Parton-esque ditty about watching helplessly while love falls apart, ya'll."

"Dolly, huh?" Tommy knew he'd been like the non-existent boyfriend lately, but he didn't think they were falling apart. "Jude, I'm sorry I haven't been around lately. It's just…"

"I know."

Tommy looked around making sure they were alone. He turned her stool where she was facing him. He ran his hands up her outer thighs. "I promise when things slow down around here."

She knew what that meant. "You're canceling dinner again?"

"Liam's booked the weekend off, so I'm in charge. I'll be here all night probably."

"Well you better be at my mom's birthday tomorrow. I miss you."

"I already promised." He said before leaning forward and kissing her lips lightly.

"Let's get to work." She said with a shy smile. He'd never shown affection for her when they were in the studio.

He felt like he couldn't breath. If he had to pull one more all nighter he was going to pull his hair out. He went to Kwest hoping he could help. "I'm frying on all this overtime. I'm gonna need you to stay tonight."

"Can't my cousin Teesha's in town."

"Model cousin?" Models were always Tommy's weakness.

"Yeah, I had to cancel plans with Sadie to take her and a few friends around town as a favor to my aunt."

"That sounds more like a job for Tommy and his on going model addiction. Or are you on some kind of patch for that now?" Portia approached them.

Tommy looked back at Kwest. "If you're done early, I'll be here."

"You know I thought you'd changed." Portia said before he could leave the room.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Your sixteen year old artist? Tommy what are you doing? I saw you two earlier."

"That is none of your business." Tommy said and stormed away.

G Major was the last place Tommy wanted to be at a quarter to midnight. He imagined his girl across town tucked into her bed peacefully sleeping. He wished her was with her, wrapped around her. He heard noise coming from the lobby, and walked out to find Kwest with a bunch of girls.

The next morning Jude was woke up by a delivery guy that was there to early. She and Sadie had to go to G Major to hide what was delivered. They walked in and there were girls sleeping everywhere. "It's like a model bomb went off." Jude said.

"At least Tommy and Kwest are out of range."

"And the all look starving hungry. So, let's do what we need to do before they wake up and eat our donuts."

Jude went to get what they came for and heard yelling. "You're cheating on me?" Sadie's voice rang out.

"Sadie, what's going on?" Jude asked approaching them.

"Kwest here was using Tommy's office for privacy. I caught him."

"Sadie, what are you talking about?"

"He's totally cheating on me."

"Kwest would never cheat on you. There has to be an explanation." Jude said and looked at Kwest.

"She's my cousin. I told you I was taking her and her friends around town for a favor to my aunt. They wanted to see the studio, and it was late. Sadie, I would never."

"I gotta go." Sadie said walking away.

Tommy heard yelling and hoped it would go away. He was asleep in Studio B. He walked out the door and ran right into Sadie. "Whoa, what's going on? Why are you crying?"

"Kwest was in your office. And he walked out with…"

"Teesha? His cousin? She fell asleep on my couch. He told me he was going to crash in there with her."

"Really?"

"Why would I lie Sadie?"

"Tell Kwest I'm sorry and I'll see him at my mom's party." All Tommy could do was watch her walk away.

Tommy walked into the lobby as all the models were waking up. Kwest was standing there talking to Jude. "I promise Teesha is my cousin."

"I believe you, Kwest. I see the way you look at my sister. I know you wouldn't cheat."

"Hey you two." Tommy said making his presence known.

Jude smiled seeing his disheveled hair. "Hey. You get stuck here all night?"

"Yeah. Sadie told me to tell you she was sorry and she'd see you at the party." He told Kwest.

"So, she believes me?"

"Yeah man. You ready to get some work done?" He asked Jude.

"Lead the way." She was amazed how he didn't pay any attention to the beautiful women around them.

When Jude got home, Sadie was setting up for the party in her own little world. Then their mom called and told her Don was taking her to New York for the weekend. So they decided to call off the family and invite friends for a disco party.

Jude watched when Kwest got there. Sadie ran to him and hugged him. It made her smile because she knew how they felt about each other.

"You know Kwest isn't the one that shouldn't be trusted around a bunch of models. Kwest is completely loyal." Portia said coming up beside Jude.

"She really loves him."

"You know Tommy is the one with an obsession for models. If anyone hooked up with any of them, it was him."

Jude looked straight ahead. What did Portia know? Tommy wasn't the same guy he was when he was married to Portia or was he? Portia didn't know about them, so why would she be saying this?

Tommy was running late. He'd gone home to get some sleep after the recording session with Jude. He's turned his phone off so no one could wake him up. When he turned it back on, he got a text form Jude saying the party plans had changed.

"T, you're late." Kwest said to him when he finally got there.

"Yeah, I over slept. Didn't know there was a dress code."

"It's a disco party."

"How are you and Sadie?"

"Fine."

"Good."

Just then Jude stormed over to them. "So how many numbers did you get last night?"

"What are you talking about?" Tommy was completely confused.

Jude had let what Portia said sink in, and it was tearing her up. "Maybe you just hooked up with a couple. I mean they were models and everyone knows Little Tommy Q can't resist models."

"Jude you're causing a scene. Let's go inside to talk."

"I trusted you, Tommy."

"I didn't do anything."

"You were supposed to be different. You were supposed to be the one that I believed in. Stop lying to me and just go home.

Tommy was speechless. He hadn't done anything. He'd fallen asleep at the soundboard mixing one of Jude's songs. Jude had been the only thing on his mind. "Jude." He said and reached for her, but she pushed him into the hot tub.

Jude curled up in her bed crying her eyes out. "Jude." Sadie said coming in the room.

"Go away Sadie. I don't feel like having company."

"Not until we talk. Why did you accuse Tommy of cheating? Kwest said Tommy was working the whole time they were there. He loves you, Jude."

"Really? I barely see him unless we're working. He breaks promises left and right. And Portia said…"

Sadie interrupted her. "Portia, his ex wife? What did she say?"

"That Tommy loved models, and he's be the one to hook up with one before Kwest. And I know he wasn't faithful to her."

"You can't listen to her. I don't think she is fully over him."

"But Sadie, she doesn't know about us. Why would she say those things to me if he wasn't like that?"

"I don't know, Jude. But before you throw away your relationship, talk to him."

"I will tomorrow."

Tommy drove home wondering what the hell was going on. When they'd left the studio that day she was fine, but obviously she'd gotten it in her head he could cheat on her. He was gonna have to make Jude talk to him the next day.

Jude got to G Major early the next day. She wanted time to talk to Tommy before they had to record. She went by hospitality made them both a cup of coffee then went to his office. "Hi." She said putting his coffee in front of him.

"Hi." He replied looking up at her. He looked into her eyes trying to read her thoughts.

"I think maybe we should talk. I'm sorry I pushed you in the hot tub."

"Jude what happened? When we left here yesterday everything was fine."

"Tommy, I'm not like all those girls. I can't compete."

"Who said you have to? You are all I want."

"But Portia said." She stopped mid sentence.

"Portia said what? Jude she was trying to put doubt in your head. I was working the whole time I promise."

"Why would Portia want to put doubt in my head. She doesn't know about us."

"Actually, she saw us day before yesterday. I didn't say anything because I didn't know she'd do something like this. Jude, I love you. I would never cheat on you. I'm not the same guy I was when I was married to her." He said cupping the side of her neck, and looking her straight in the eyes.

She looked down biting her bottom lip. "I love you, too." She looked up and he was leaning in to kiss her. Before their lips touched, the door swung open and Portia walked in.

"We have a problem." She said holding up a tabloid with a picture of Jude pushing Tommy into the hot tub with a huge headline saying 'Lover's Quarrel?' across it.

"Great." Tommy said throwing his arms up in the air. "You know this is all your fault." He said to Portia.

"At least your parents didn't kill me." He laughed at the memory.

"That seems like such a long time ago, but it's only been a little over a year."

"I know."

"I better go. You enjoy that hot tub."

"I love you, and I'll talk to you later."

"Okay, love you too." Jude closed her phone smiling. She couldn't wait until Tommy was home.

~Please review~