One Breath Away
Disclaimer: See Chapter One
Author's Note: See Chapter One
Poetic License and Suspend Disbelief as always.
Carterfinley has 14 brownie points. My Darker Side has 16 brownie points. Good job, ladies. =)
- - - - -
Chapter Three
Jackson woke at nine a.m. He pulled on some clothes and ran down to the corner for the Sunday paper, coffee and a bagel. He came back and sprawled out on the couch as he ate his breakfast and skimmed the majority of the newspaper. He could hear snoring coming from Eric's room as he opened the 'Arts and Entertainment' section.
The 16th annual E. Stone Art and Music Festival takes place today at Wilson Park.
Gates open at 11:00 a.m.
Scheduled to appear: Tramp, Brotherhood of Blood, Silver Strand and Fruit Loops.
Various local artists will have booths set up. Food available.
Admission: $5.00
I've been wanting to see Silver Strand. Maybe I'll check them out. Jackson finished his breakfast then took a shower and got dressed. He left Eric a note, picked up his guitar and cell phone and went outside. He locked his guitar in the trunk and headed to Wilson Park.
- - - - -
It was a beautiful day for an outdoor festival. Melissa followed in Nathan's wake as they perused the art stalls. From his big mop of wild curls to his confident personality, loud laugh and bright clothing, he was definitely a force that attracted attention everywhere he went. When they'd met at the gate the first thing he'd said as he hugged her was, "Girl, we have got to get you in some color!"
"What? I'm wearing green. That's a color."
"Dark green. Boooring! I mean some real color. You'd look good in chartreuse. Or pink."
"Yeah, 'cause pink is so my color." Melissa put her hands on her hips and said, "Nathan, I swear, if all you're going to do is pick apart my appearance today, I'm leaving."
Nathan dropped the lock of her hair he'd been examining. "Look, Melissa, you're so beautiful. I just wish you'd stop trying to hide it."
"Stop it, Nathan! I'm not trying to hide anything. I'm just not…"
Nathan held up his hand to stop her. "You're right, let's not do this today. I barely get to see you anymore with our crazy schedules and we're here to have fun! I'll behave. I promise! "
Melissa smiled one of her thousand watt smiles. "Good, I need some fun. But remember, you have to go find your own when I'm watching the bands."
"I know, I know. Don't worry. Rodney and Art are meeting me when the bands start."
"Good."
Nathan rolled his eyes at her. "Threaten me all you want but we both know you can't leave. You have a job to do. Now, let's go find you something colorful to wear!" Melissa couldn't help but laugh as he grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the first row of stalls.
- - - - -
Jackson was in the back of the crowd listening to Tramp. They hadn't sounded like they'd improved any since the last time he'd heard them several months ago. In fact, he thought they sounded worse. He left the concert area and started wandering among the art stalls. There was handmade jewelry, pottery, paintings, photography, silk screened clothes and tons of other things. Jackson was browsing through some great photographs of Europe when he heard a commotion. He looked up to see a boisterous guy with a wild mop of hair and brightly colored tropical print shirt looking at hand-painted scarves and shirts at the booth across the aisle. He had a bright pink scarf around his neck and was wrapping a royal blue scarf around the girl with him. Jackson heard him say, "Now see honey, look how gorgeous that looks on you! Five words girl, ir-re-sis-ta-ble!" He spun the girl around to look at herself in a mirror.
Jackson felt his heart speed up a little. It was her. The girl from the bar.
"May I help you with anything?" the man selling the photographs asked.
"Huh? Um, no. I'm fine," Jackson said. He put the photo he was holding back in its bin and started weaving through people to get to the scarf booth.
He finally got there but she was gone. He picked up the blue scarf her friend had wrapped around her. He was right, it did look gorgeous on you. He looked up and down the aisle but there was no sign of her or her lively friend. How does she disappear so fast? Maybe she's just a figment of my imagination. He smiled at the thought. Wait, she's probably here to see the bands. I'll find her there. Jackson smiled again in anticipation.
- - - - -
Melissa was at the stage area listening to Brotherhood of Blood. They were a little better than Tramp but not much. Derek, their lead singer, had a decent voice and wrote good songs but the lead guitarist was barely average and as a whole they had a really thin sound. What a letdown, this could be a brilliant song in the hands of better musicians, she thought. She headed to a quieter area where she could record some of her thoughts on her digital recorder. She could never use it in the clubs and bars, they were too noisy but it was perfect for this venue and she didn't have to blow her cover by writing. It just looked like she was talking into a cell phone.
- - - - -
Jackson kept walking the fringes of the crowd looking for his mystery woman. No luck. Maybe she left. Maybe she couldn't take any more of this shitty guitar playing, he thought as he heard another wrong chord. I'm probably the only one who noticed. Their amps are so damned loud it's just a jumbled mixture of noise. This song has decent lyrics, the musicians just suck, he thought. Jackson shook his head in disgust at the screaming 'fans' who appeared to enjoy the noise. They're either all drunk, stoned or tone deaf, he couldn't help thinking.
Jackson sighed and went back to wandering through the stalls. Maybe she'll be around to see Silver Strand, he thought. He decided not to worry. If I'm meant to meet her, I will.
He checked out another photographer's stall and bought a large, framed photograph. He didn't know why, but the picture spoke to him of peace and tranquility yet also a wildness and some other quality he couldn't quite figure out. He decided he just liked the way he felt when he looked at it. As he walked toward his car with his purchase the vendor placed an exact copy in its place.
Jackson returned and bought himself a bottle of water then went to listen to Silver Strand. He didn't notice Ian, Alec, Jimmy and Mason walk up. They greeted each other then stood there and listened to the rest of the set.
While Fruit Loops was setting up they discussed the merits of Silver Strand.
"Needs a stronger lead singer."
"Needs better songs."
"Whoever wrote their stuff is emotionally stunted."
"And not very smart…"
"With better writing and a stronger lead they could be okay. Their guitars and drums are pretty good."
"Yeah, I agree with that. And that one song, A Clown's Prayer, was good. I wonder who wrote it?"
"It wasn't any of them, it's too good."
Fruit Loops was finally ready to go. They started their set with their most popular song, Last Act. Jackson liked this song, it was a cross between metal and rock. After that song was over, he told the guys he'd see them at practice. He prowled the edges of the crowd looking for the mystery woman. He made two circuits then gave up. He felt a bit of a let down as he went to check out a row of stalls that he'd missed earlier and really wanted to see before he had to leave.
He was looking at some leather and silver necklaces when he looked up and there she was. Across the booth from him. Her brown eyes met his blue ones and held for a few seconds. Time seemed to slow down. He realized he was staring so he gave her a little smile and nod. She smiled and nodded back. He felt a little twinge in his midsection and he swore he felt his heart skip a beat. Jackson opened his mouth to say hello when she was whirled around by her friend. He and his buddies were quite loud and all talking at once. They led her off. She gave him a quick backward look over her shoulder and Jackson swore her expression was a mixture of disappointment and apology. He tried to follow them but by the time he made his way around to that side of the booth, the woman and her noisy friends were nowhere to be seen.
Jackson felt a stab of his own disappointment. He glanced at his watch, almost time for practice. He looked around one more time then resigned himself. He returned to the booth and purchased the necklace he'd been looking at then went to his car. I'll meet her eventually, I know I will.
- - - - -
Melissa was having a really good day. She had heard one decent band, browsed some great art, bought a few things and gotten some hang time with Nathan. She'd even met his latest crush, Evan. They seemed perfect for each other.
Now, she was listening to Fruit Loops as she browsed a jewelry stand she'd passed by several times. She had already purchased a necklace and was now contemplating some bracelets. She glanced up and found herself trapped in a pair of amazing blue eyes. Melissa felt a little flip in her stomach and time seemed to stand still as he smiled and nodded at her. She smiled back and saw him open his mouth to speak when she was spun around and Nathan and his friends were chattering loudly in her face as they pulled her away with them. She had just enough time to glance back at blue eyes and give him an apologetic look. She noticed he looked disappointed and oddly, that comforted her. Why am I suddenly feeling sick to my stomach? she thought. Melissa realized she wasn't feeling sick, she was feeling excited and interested. God, Mel. Has it really been so long that you forgot what that feels like? she asked herself. She thought back and slightly nodded to herself. Yeah, it has been that long. Not since…She couldn't make herself even think the name.
Melissa was gratefully pulled out of her thoughts by Nathan asking her to go out to dinner with them.
"I really need to go home and do some work," she said weakly.
"Oh please, Melissa," Nathan said, exhaling loudly. "You know you'll be up all night writing because you won't be able to sleep."
"I have a deadline, Nathan," she insisted.
"Is your deadline tonight?" She shook her head. "Then it's settled. You're coming to dinner with us and you'll like it. Understand?"
"Alright! I'll come," she said, defeated. She knew it was no use arguing with Nathan once he'd made up his mind. And she hadn't really put up a fight anyway. She wanted to be as distracted as possible.
Three hours later, Melissa was hugging the boys good-bye outside a Mexican restaurant. She hugged Nathan last. "Okay, you were right. That was a lot of fun. And I really like Evan," she whispered in his ear.
"Me, too," he whispered back. Then loudly he said, "I told you, never doubt 'the Nathan'! Seriously, Mel, it was nice getting to hang with you today. We need to do it more often."
"I have some time in the middle of the week, I think. We could do lunch or dinner."
"Promise?"
"Yes. Just call and let me know your schedule."
"Okay. I'll talk to you soon."
"Bye."
Melissa drove home, changed into her pajamas then sat down at the dining table with her digital recorder. She opened her laptop and started her first review. By eleven o'clock she had barely put three sentences on the blank page and she didn't feel like trying to write anymore. She stood and stretched then plopped down on the couch and turned on the TV. After channel surfing for a few minutes she came across Hero. "Oh, I love this movie," she said aloud. She lay back and lost herself in the visual poetry on the screen. After the movie was over she unwrapped the framed photograph she'd purchased at the festival and propped it against the wall. She sat opposite it and let it suck her into its calm setting. She swore she could feel the ocean breeze, smell the salt air, hear the palms rustling in the wind. This picture had captivated her from the second she laid eyes on it. It made her feel peaceful but at the same time…untamed. Maybe my next vacation should be on some private island, she thought. Where I can skinny dip and walk around naked like the natives. She snorted. Yeah, right. Next vacation. How about first vacation? Melissa took one last look at the picture and was reminded of a stunning pair of blue eyes she'd seen that afternoon. She went to bed and dreamed of a peaceful island surrounded by water that was an incredible shade of blue.
- - - - -
Jackson flopped down on the couch, happy to be home. Practice had gone really well. Crashed had nailed their new songs and had the beginnings of two more from Alec and Mason. Eric had left a note that he wouldn't be home until tomorrow. The writers for The Seven sometimes pulled all-nighters on Sundays to make sure they were ready for the table read on Monday.
He ordered a pizza and started channel surfing. Sweet! I love this movie! he thought. He helped himself to a beer then settled on the couch to watch Hero. He loved the visual artistry of the movie as well as the action and sometimes got so caught up in the visuals that he forgot to read the subtitles. The doorbell rang. He paid for his pizza then sat down with another beer and finished watching the movie.
When it was over he unwrapped the photograph he'd bought and hung it opposite his bed. Just as I thought, perfect. It will be the first thing I see every morning and the last thing every night. Jackson lay down on his bed with his arms behind his head, staring at the photo. This was a really good day, he thought. The festival was relaxing, I saw a lot of friends, good art, we had a good practice and…I almost connected with her. Jackson sighed. Hopefully we will connect soon.
Why am I so obsessed with meeting her? Is it because she's beautiful? Or because she could be a music critic? Jackson shrugged to himself. He thought maybe it was both of those things but a voice deep inside told him he knew better. There was something in her eyes that had caused him to have a physical reaction to her. That had never happened to him before.
It had been more than a year since he'd really dated anyone and even longer since he'd slept with someone. Jackson just wasn't the kind of guy to fuck around with a girl for the hell of it. For one thing, he was too responsible and he'd seen the consequences of being promiscuous more times than he cared to admit. The guys were always giving him a hard time about it. Eric had too until 'the Abby incident'. Since then, Eric never mentioned the fact that Jackson didn't date. He had his reasons.
Maybe I'm so intrigued because she's not throwing herself at me like every other girl I meet and I'm finally ready to get back out there. I'm sure as hell not getting any younger.
Jackson focused on the photograph again then turned off his light and fell asleep. He dreamed of his mystery woman on a gorgeous beach wearing a blue scarf.
- - - - -
Melissa woke up around three a.m. Nathan was right, damn him! she thought. She often didn't sleep at night. She got up and went out to the dining table to finish her reviews of the festival. She started typing and didn't stop until she was done. She re-read all of her critiques then emailed them to her editor. She checked the time: 7:40 a.m. Melissa yawned and stretched. With a quick glance at the beach picture, she felt a wave of calmness wash over her. She pulled the shades, crawled into bed and fell asleep immediately.
- - - - -
Jackson woke around seven thirty. He took a run then after a shower he picked up his guitar and practiced the band's new songs. An idea for some lyrics suddenly popped into his head so he grabbed his lyric book and started scribbling. He tried to pick out a tune to go with them but nothing sounded right. He put the notebook and guitar away. If there was one thing he knew, he couldn't force a song out before it was ready.
Jackson did some laundry then made himself lunch. He checked the time and pulled on a fresh uniform. He was just heading out the door when Eric came home.
"Hey."
"Hey."
"How was your day and night and day?" Jackson asked.
"Tiring but productive. How was that festival yesterday?"
"Pretty good."
"How was the music?"
"Some sucked, some was okay."
"Did you see your new girlfriend, Taylor?" Eric asked with a smirk that turned into a huge yawn.
"Ha ha. Real funny. I think Ian's seeing her red-headed friend."
"Really? Good for him. It's been too long since he's had a girl."
"I agree. She seems really nice and has a good ear for music."
"How was practice?"
"Really good. If we practice a few times this week we should be good to go for Friday."
"What time are you off tonight?"
"Midnight. I gotta go. Later."
"Be safe."
"Always."
- - - - -
It was a beautiful day so Melissa walked to a nearby park and spread a blanket under an ancient oak. She lay down on it and pulled out a notebook. A story had been tugging at the corners of her mind and part of a dream had clarified the plot. She took a few minutes to watch several toddlers and their mothers on the playground a dozen yards away. She smiled watching the little kids scream with delight as they slid down the slide and begged to go higher on the swings. Melissa sighed contentedly, picked up her pen and began writing. There was something about writing longhand that appealed to her and made her feel closer to the story. She was so into it that she didn't notice how much time had passed until her cell rang.
She checked the Caller ID then answered. "Hey boyfriend, what's up?"
Same old, same old, girlfriend. How about you? What are you up to today?"
"I'm at a park doing some writing."
"Have you finally started the great American novel or is this just something for work?"
"Don't know how great it will be or if it will be a novel, but it's a start and I'm liking it."
"Good for you."
"Are you working?"
"I'm on a very short break."
"Can we get together this week so I don't have to hear you whine about not spending time with me?"
"Sorry, honey, that's why I'm calling. I'm booked solid all week. The old bitch I used to work for left town suddenly, no notice. There's a huge society gala this weekend so now everyone is calling me desperate for help getting ready. Art and I are up to our eyeballs in gowns and shoes. I even had to hire Evan to help us out. Not that I'm complaining. At least we'll get a little time together this week."
"Sounds like you two are getting serious."
"Yeah, I guess. I mean, I hope. I'd really like to find what Art and Rodney have. I think Evan may be the one."
"Well, I'm happy for you if you're happy. Just give me a call when your schedule opens up."
"I will. Hopefully I'll be able to steal a few of the old bag's clients this week so I may be super busy for some time. I'll give you a ring next week and let you know. Love you, girl!"
"Love you, too, Nathan. Bye."
"Kisses!"
Melissa smiled as she closed her phone and flexed her hand. She was happy for Nathan. He deserved to find a good guy and be happy. She checked the time. She'd been writing for almost four hours. Dang! No wonder my hand hurts. Melissa re-read the last page she'd written. She finished her thought and made a few notes in the back for plot points then closed the notebook. She sat up and looked around. Most of the mothers were gone or packing up. Guess I should go, too. She stood and folded her blanket, picked up her notebook and headed home. I should do some laundry and grocery shopping, she thought as her mind's eye flashed on her nearly empty refrigerator.
By six Melissa had put her laundry and groceries away, had a light dinner and cleaned up. She sat down at her small dining table with her laptop, notebook and digital recorder. She pulled up a list of questions and a phone number in New York. She hit the speaker phone button and dialed the number. Robert Russell of The Uninvited answered on the second ring.
"You've got Bob."
"Hello, Mr. Russell. This is Annie Arliss, we have an interview scheduled for now. Are you ready?"
"Sure am. I just want to say that I'm a fan of your writing, Miss Arliss. And call me Bob. Mr. Russell was my father."
"Thank you, sir...uh, Bob. Call me Annie. So, tell me, Bob, who has inspired you the most in your life?"
The phone call lasted almost three hours. Robert Russell was polite, funny, articulate and forthcoming. Melissa knew she'd have a great story from this interview. She thanked him and hung up. This is practically gonna write itself. She flexed her fingers a few times then began writing her article. A few hours later she proofed the last paragraph and smiled. This is gold. She saved the document then opened her email. She sent a message out to several industry magazines to see who was interested. Of course she always gave her editor the chance to bid last but the highest bidder always won. She only solicited the top magazines because she was trying to build her reputation.
Melissa checked her personal email and replied to a few. There was the customary Monday email from her mother. She opened it and sighed. Very formal and disapproving. It ended with the same old question, 'Melissa, have you come to your senses yet? I can still get you into pre-med or law if you'd prefer, for the next quarter.' Melissa shook her head. Her reply was just as formal.
Mother, I hope this finds you in good health. I am fine, thank you.
My job is going really well, I continue to write for the paper and I've picked
up several free lance jobs this month as well. I am still single, don't smoke and
have no tattoos. I went to an art festival and picked up a lovely beach picture. I'm
sure you'd like it. Have a good week. Love, Melissa
She hit send. It was the same every week. Had been ever since she rejected her parent's dream of her becoming a doctor or lawyer, the only professions they felt were worthy of their family. They'd cut her off. She'd gotten a full academic scholarship to a good school and had started working for the paper to earn beer money. She'd gotten her journalism degree, graduated summa cum laude and earned several other awards but it still wasn't good enough for her parents. She'd taken on several jobs each summer and had lived with friends to save money. She worked her way up at the newspaper so by the time she graduated they offered her a nice entry-level position. She'd found a small apartment in a relatively safe neighborhood and had lived there happily ever since. She hadn't seen her parents since her junior year. Her father had to have back surgery so she'd gone to see him at the hospital. She had dutifully visited every day until he was released, sitting in the deafening silence as they ignored her, stiffly kissing their cheeks before she left each evening.
Melissa had tried several times to make peace with them. She had been polite and respectful in her refusals to accept their terms. They had remained inflexible and their rejection of her lifestyle and career choices had been complete. It had crushed her inside but she wouldn't show it to them. They would consider her weak. It still saddened her, especially since her father died two months later without accepting her choices. Her mother had barely acknowledged her at the funeral. Melissa used to cry, but no more. She was used to her mother's disapproval and accepted it as something that would never change; it was part of her personality.
I wonder how long she'll keep it up, hoping I'll change my mind and go to med school. By the time I'm thirty? Melissa smiled ruefully. She can't expect me to start a new career then, can she? What will happen when she does give up? Accept me and start talking to me again or completely disown me? Melissa had contemplated this very thing dozens of times over the years. She shook herself out of this train of thought. Doesn't matter. I'm a good person. I don't smoke, do drugs, drive drunk, or sleep around. I have a nice apartment that I keep clean, nice friends and a good job that makes me happy. That's how it should be. I tried to make amends but they wouldn't budge. I have no reason to feel guilty. It had only taken six months with a therapist for Melissa to finally believe all of that. Worth every penny.
She smiled to herself and turned on the eleven o'clock news. The sound of sirens blaring from the TV caught her attention and her smile changed to a look of anxiety.
"…five car pileup on the I-5," the reporter was saying. "Two fatalities so far and at least nine more injured. Police are still investigating the cause but one eyewitness tells us it was a drunk driver weaving across the lanes. Again, this is unconfirmed. All southbound lanes are blocked and will be for the next several hours. To detour you should take…" Melissa tuned out the detour directions being given. She hit the mute button and watched the firemen, policemen and paramedics scrambling around trying to put out fires, remove and treat victims. The scene was eerily lit by several fires and the glare of bright spotlights from the TV crews. In a corner of the shot you could see two bodies covered by tarps. One looked really small. A child. Melissa shuddered again and flipped through channels until she found a silly romantic comedy. Ah, this is what I need. She turned the volume back on and forgot about the news.
- - - - -
Jackson arrived home sometime after two a.m. He was dirty, exhausted and upset. Eric was in his room, Jackson could hear his snores. He went straight to his bathroom and took a long, hot shower. It had been a rough night and he just wanted to forget. He grabbed a beer then lay on his bed and put his ear buds in. He turned on his iPod and cranked the volume as the soothing sounds of Vivaldi's Four Seasons filled his brain. He stared at his new picture and wished himself there.
- - - - -
Melissa woke on the couch, the TV still on. She stretched then went to take a shower to wake up. She had three phone interviews scheduled today. Can't believe I fell asleep on the couch again. My back is gonna be hateful today.
- - - - -
Jackson woke up around eleven. His light was still on and his iPod was dead. He turned off the light and set his iPod in its charger. He walked out to the kitchen. Eric was sitting there eating cereal.
"You're still here?" he asked.
"They don't need me until one today. So uh, how was it out there?"
Jackson rubbed his eyes. "Bad," he said quietly.
"I'm here if you need…anything."
"Yeah, thanks."
"What are you doing today?"
"Ian and I are going to check out some venues, try to book a few more shows. Maybe work on some new songs."
"That sounds cool. Nice chillaxin' day."
"I hope so. How late will you be?"
"Don't wait up. It'll probably be another late night."
"Alright. I'm going for a run."
"Later." Eric watched his friend with a worried expression but, he knew better than to push.
- - - - -
Melissa had finished writing up her third interview. They hadn't been as good as Robert Russell's but then, none of them were as big as The Uninvited. She had checked her email then sent a few new messages. There was quite a bidding war going on for her Russell story. She smiled at the prospect. This could get her noticed. If nothing else, possibly a raise at the paper. She edited her Russell story again, making a few tweaks here and there. She was sure Bob would be pleased with it.
- - - - -
Jackson and Ian had checked out several venues and possibly had two more shows lined up. They were now sitting in Ian's living room, working on a new song. Ian lived in the four bedroom guest house on his parent's large estate. They were far enough away from the main house and it was so well soundproofed that their music didn't bother anyone. The living room was their rehearsal studio. There was a drumkit, piano, keyboards, several guitars, various other instruments, microphones and amps set up all the time. The guys just brought their guitars and plugged in. Ian was in the process of turning his three car garage into a recording studio.
Jackson and Ian worked really well together, on the music and the lyrics. Both could play several instruments so they would make rough recordings for the others to get the idea of a new song. Ian was a well-known and respected studio musician and producer and the gold and platinum records he'd worked on were hanging on the walls. He had gotten Jackson a few jobs in the past when a band came up short while recording and they needed another guitar or drummer. He'd even played keyboards a few times.
Just as they finished up, the doorbell rang. Ian opened the door to Daley.
"Hi."
"Hi. I'm not interrupting am I?"
"No. Jackson and I just finished up."
"Hi, Daley," Jackson said, nodding to her as he put his guitar away. He noticed she was carrying an overnight bag and trying to hide it behind her back.
"Hey, Jackson. How's it going?"
"It's going and so am I. You two kids have fun," he said, smirking at Ian.
"I'll burn a copy of the new song and send it to everyone tonight," Ian said.
"No hurry. You can do it tomorrow. I'll see ya."
"Bye," Ian and Daley said together. Ian closed the door behind Jackson.
"Do you think he suspects?" Daley asked.
Ian pulled her into his arms and nuzzled her neck. "Of course he does. So what?"
"We haven't known each other that long. I don't want your friends to think I'm a slut."
"You're not. And they know me. I don't just hook up to hook up. Don't worry, Jackson won't say anything."
Daley pushed the hair back from his face and caressed his cheek. "You are so not a typical rock star."
"Well there's the problem. I'm not a rock star."
"Okay. You're so not a typical musician." Daley stood on her toes and kissed him.
"Can we move this conversation to the bedroom?" he asked between kisses.
"I thought you'd never ask," she replied.
"Slut."
"Rock star." They shrieked with laughter as they raced each other to the master bedroom.
On the drive home Jackson had a sudden inspiration. He drove to the beach and watched the sun set. It had been a while since he'd done this and he found it was the perfect ending to a good day. He had gotten out his pain from the previous night by banging on the drums at Ian's. Working on a new song had helped, too. I need to take a vacation soon, he thought. A nice tropical beach somewhere. Jackson sighed as he took one final look at the last rays on the horizon. He climbed in his car and headed home.
- - - - -
The rest of the week was relatively uneventful for Melissa. She worked on her novel and did a few more interviews and reviews. The bidding war for the Russell story was still going on much to her delight. And tonight was another show to review. She'd pushed 'blue eyes' from the festival to the back of her mind.
- - - - -
Crashed had practiced long and hard Wednesday and Thursday. They had five solid new songs for their Friday gig. They had just finished arguing out the new set list. Arrival was always first, The Storm, last. Everything else was negotiable. Their arguing hadn't gotten too heated, there were only a few songs they disagreed about but they quickly resolved it with a spirited game of 'Rock Paper Scissors'.
Jackson was stoked to show off their new stuff. Luckily, the rest of his work week had been mild and routine and he'd been able to get past Monday night's events.
They were playing at Vibes. It was a mid-sized venue and would be packed. Silver Strand was also playing. The guys met at eight. Jackson subconsciously scanned the row of barstools looking for his mystery woman. He was hoping she'd show up. Ian had invited Daley so he knew Taylor would be there. Eric had come and promised to keep Taylor occupied.
"I'll thrill her with my behind the scenes stories from The Seven set. But Jackson, I don't understand why you don't just have a fling with her. She's hot."
Jackson had looked at him, perplexed. "Seriously? Eric, does she seem even remotely my type?"
"Well, no."
"Have I ever been the kind of guy who fucks around just to get laid?"
"No."
"Then that settles it. I'm not interested. I don't want a fling. Period."
"Okay, okay!" Eric held up his hands in surrender. Then he cocked an eyebrow and narrowed his eyes. "You met someone didn't you? I can't believe you're holding out on me. I thought we were friends!" Eric sounded indignant.
"I haven't, I'm not and we are," he replied. "By the way, you sound like a girl," Jackson teased.
"Stop trying to change the subject and spill," Eric replied. "Who is she?"
"I haven't met anyone." Yet. Jackson was spared further conversation with Ian, Daley and Taylor's arrival.
"Hi, Jackson!" Taylor said brightly. "I can't wait to see your show tonight. Daley said you have some new songs. I'll bet they're really great."
"Hello, ladies. Yeah, we've worked really hard on the new stuff. I hope you enjoy the show."
"Oh, I know we will. So, will we get to see you after the show t…"
Jackson cut her off. "Uh, sorry, we have to go warm up now." Taylor's face fell. "But here's Eric. He can keep you ladies company." Ian whispered something in Daley's ear and she smiled shyly.
"Well hello, Taylor. Nice to see you again and may I say you are looking very sexy in that dress." Taylor beamed at him.
"Thank you, Eric. I'm glad somebody noticed," she replied looking pointedly in Jackson's direction.
"Oh, I noticed," Eric said. Your boobs are practically falling out, how could I not notice? he thought.
Damn, he's good! Jackson thought. He always knows just what to say. Eric and Taylor started chatting away as Jackson and Ian headed backstage.
Crashed had a great night. The crowd responded really well to their new songs, especially Hunted, the new song Ian and Jackson had co-written. The guys had packed up all their equipment and headed back into the club to hang out for awhile. Eric and Taylor were sharing a table with Alec, Jimmy and Mason. Taylor seemed to be in her glory as Eric and Jimmy were competing for her attention. Jackson spotted Ian and Daley getting hot and heavy in a dark corner booth. Whoa, get a room! he couldn't help thinking.
Jackson had seen his mystery woman during their set and he was on a mission to find her and finally talk to her. He had almost made a complete circuit of the club and still hadn't seen her. I was sure she'd stick around to see Silver Strand. He entered a small side room and stopped short, his breath catching in his chest.
"Hey, CJ."
Jackson took in the long, brown, curly hair, golden brown eyes, flawless skin and bow-shaped lips. She looks exactly the same as she did two years ago. "Nicole," he said softly. "I…I didn't know you were in town. Um…visiting your family?"
"No. I moved back last week."
"Oh. So…you're here for good then?" God, I sound like an idiot.
"For now," she replied.
"What happened to the job in Atlanta?"
"It's still there. I just realized I didn't want to be."
"Oh." They stood there in awkward silence for a minute then they both started at the same time.
"You look good." "You sounded really good."
"What?" "What?" They both laughed a little.
"You first," he said.
Nicole smiled. "Crashed sounds better than ever," she said. "That one song, Hunted? I really liked it."
"Thanks. Tonight was its debut."
"Really? It sounded really polished. You guys must be practicing a lot."
"Yeah, I guess…" Jackson felt at a loss.
"You were saying before?" Nicole smiled up at him, cocking her head to the side.
"Oh, um, you haven't changed a bit. Atlanta must have agreed with you at least a little."
"Yeah, it was okay. I just missed the L.A. weather and the L.A. scene. Don't get me wrong, Atlanta was great, they have a really fabulous night life there, but the…vibe wasn't right for me."
"So, what brings you back? A job?"
"Yes. Cameron, Treece and Associates were happy to take me back."
"That's good."
"Yeah. I start on Monday and I have several really big clients to deal with so I figured this would be my last chance to hit the clubs for a while. Uh, you look really good, CJ. How's your day job?"
"Tough sometimes, but I like it." She nodded. They stood there in silence, neither knowing what to say next.
"Well, um, I should get back to my friends," Nicole said.
"Yeah, me too. It was nice seeing you again, Nicole. Take care."
"You, too, CJ. I guess I'll be seeing you around."
"Yeah, see you around," he said. Jackson walked out to the main room and headed for the nearest exit. He pulled out his cell and texted Eric that he didn't feel well and was leaving. Jackson found his car and drove home.
- - - - -
Melissa was in a good mood. The band she'd been sent to review had put on a good show, which she expected as she had reviewed them before. She was glad to hear several new songs in their repertoire and they were really good. These guys are real musicians, she wrote in her notebook. She knew their lead guitarist was a respected studio musician and producer but she didn't know anything about the other members. They can all play well and the lead singer has a great quality to his voice. It's almost...unique(?) she scribbled. Melissa finished her notes then headed for the door. She was meeting Nathan and Evan for a very late supper to celebrate their success this week. She also had her own reason to celebrate. The Russell story bid was up to six figures.
- - - - -
Jackson helped himself to a beer and sat down on the couch. He took a few pulls and allowed himself to relax a little. I sure as hell didn't expect to see her tonight. He took a few more swallows of beer. Nicole. He hadn't thought about her for more than a year. He didn't know what to think. He finished his first beer and grabbed another. He drank this one much slower as he sorted through his feelings. This was just so unexpected but…I'm over her. I know I am. I was just surprised, that's all. Jackson finished his beer then went to bed. That night, his dreams were all of the past.
- - - - -
A/N: Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed. Any feedback would be appreciated ever so much!
I know some of you will hate me for the way I wrote Nathan…that's just how I see him in this story.
PM with any references you see for brownie points. (There are a lot in this chapter!)