High Note

by Jen Luerssen

  Her scent is overpowering as she comes in and I’m surprised when she embraces me from behind and kisses me intimately on my shoulder blade. “Look at me,” she whispers and I turn to face her.

  She is makeup free and her hair is soft and free of the earlier extensions and hairspray. She’s so beautiful it almost hurts. “I’m such a lucky bastard, you here in front of me, totally bare,” I say honestly.

  “I’m the lucky one. I know you want to punish me and I kind of want that too, if I’m honest, but I want you to know when I say that I’m yours, I mean it. There’s no one else between us. No contestants, no exes, no kids, and certainly no fucking Chet Fine.” I laugh and she steps into me and hugs me.

  “Jack, I love you too,” she says and I let out the breath I was holding.

  “I know it, darlin’,” I say cheekily as I cup her face in my hands. Then, I kiss her like she deserves. Like I love her now and in all the minutes, hours and days that lay before us.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Not so Merry—Sal

  The week after the finale was a whirlwind of love, sex, and Jack. After he “punished” me the night after the finale, we stayed in for days talking, eating, sleeping, and of course, fucking. Our relationship is closer than it’s ever been and I know that we are strong right now. We trust each other and have fallen into a comfortable routine of bickering, teasing, flirting and loving each other. Gone is the anger, doubt, and mistrust.

  Evan is bringing the kids home today and I’m ecstatic, I’ve missed them so much. Jack left a few hours ago, promising to return later this evening. He still insists that we not exchange phone numbers, which I think is a silly superstition but romantic as well. I work in my office for a few hours, answering emails, fielding phone calls about Jack and me from my publicist, High Note’s publicist team, and marketing team. The cat is out of the bag—we were photographed kissing on set and have had paparazzi following us this week when we’ve ventured out a few times for food.

  Since I still don’t have his number—I know I could get it easily, but I’m content playing his game for now—I send him an email.

  Jack-You are making my life harder with this no phone thing. Plus, I miss your voice, you big jerk. I’m surprised you are so opposed, imagine the sexting we could be doing . . . not to mention the dick pics you could be sending me.

  The kids should be here any minute and I can’t wait. I’m happy you want to meet them and they will be excited to show you their dumpling making skills.

  I look forward to showing you some of my skills later. ;)

  Love,

  Your Sally

  A few hours later and the kids are home, and we are elbows deep in flour and pork mixture, making fried and steamed dumplings. I’m surprised that Jack hasn’t arrived yet, also a little bummed he never returned my email. My surprise turns to irritation, anger, and disappointment when he doesn’t show at all. Both kids are in bed, exhausted from their trip and the excitement of being home. At 10:16 pm I sit in front of my laptop and check my email again. Still nothing, so I send another.

  Jack-I hope all is okay with you, I’m wondering where you are and am now very pissed that we didn’t exchange numbers. For now, I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt, hoping you were held up and are dealing with an emergency. If that’s the case, know I’m worried and need you to get in touch with me.

  Love,

  Your Sally

  It’s now been two days of silence from Jack, and I’m losing my mind. Did I imagine all of it? He pursued me, we have a connection, he told me he loves me. Plus, the sex, it’s better than I’ve ever had and I know it has to be for him. Finally, I give up and call High Note to get his number. I end up getting to talk with Manny, who is an amazing stage director and friend.

  “Jack, he’s not so bright. He’s been in love with you for over a year and hasn’t ever gotten your digits?” He laughs and laughs.

  “Manny, you know Jack, he’s quirky. Can you give me his number?” I interrupt his hysterics.

  “Sure, Miss Sal. Anything for you.” He giggles in between relaying Jack’s number to me and once I have it down, I hang up.

  I punch the number into my phone and press call. The call immediately clicks over to voicemail like it’s turned off. Jack’s message makes me smile because it’s so him. “You’ve reached Mr. Jack Hansen’s phone and I’m so glad you’re callin’ me, please leave a short message and I’ll be back with you as soon as I’m done bein’ me.”

  After the beep I hesitate, not knowing what to say. “Um, Jack, it’s Sal. I’m really freaked out by the radio silence. Call me at least to let me know everything is okay with you, even if it isn’t with us.”

  I end the call and put my head in my hands. Maybe I should be crying? Not my style. I’m pretty angry and a little hurt, but mostly just confused. I know he was headed back to see his dad soon for the holidays but he wasn’t due to leave for a few days.

  “Mommy, can we get started?” I’m jolted out of my funk by my eight-year-old, Molly. She is standing next to me holding the bag of cookie cutters I sent her to the basement to find.

  “Yes!” I exclaim, trying to muster up all of my holiday spirit to bake Christmas cookie for the next few hours. “Let’s get all the ingredients out and Nana’s recipe.”

  This week has flown by but at the same time has been a slow torture of inexplicable silence from Jack. Christmas came and went and I had a great time with Molly and Eli. They flew to Aspen with Evan this morning. This is my first holiday spent alone, Evan left me two days after New Year’s last year. I’m miserable in my solitude and have endless time to go over every minute Jack and I spent together and critique it to death for what I did wrong. He is still 100% not returning any of my messages. I now assume he’s at home in Tennessee with his Dad. I’m just baffled that he hasn’t at least sent me a fucking text.

  I haven’t sent him anything after the voicemail I left him a week and a half ago. I have some pride and know when I’m being blown off. My eye goes to the invitation to Carla’s New Year’s Eve party on the fridge. It’s tomorrow and I was looking forward to going when Jack and I were together so I told her I’d be there. Might as well go, can’t wallow forever and I’m so bored.

  I spend the next day with Rosie and Gigi, they are my closest friends and also happen to be my hair and makeup stylists respectively. They travel with me on tour, are hired on by High Note, per my contract, and are loyal and honest friends. Not only do they keep me looking good, they also keep me grounded. We get ready for Carla’s party and drink whiskey and ginger ale, chatting about our kids, our relationships and they grill me about Jack. I give them a little detail about his dirty ass but leave out the fact that I haven’t heard from him. I’m still hopeful that Jack has some reasonable explanation for completely ignoring me for two weeks. Maybe I’m naive and too quick to give him the benefit of the doubt. I do know that I don’t want Rosie and Gigi to know how I feel right now because I want this to be a fun night for us all.

  “So Jack is a dirty talker, this I can see, but what I really want to know is the size of his twang?” Rosie says emphasizing “twang” with a southern accent.

  “Hmm, his twang is super-sized, I do declare,” I say jokingly, but then feel an overwhelming sadness that I may never see that twang again.

  “To all the twang we’ve loved before!” Gigi shouts and holds her glass up to us. We clink our glasses, drink and dissolve into hysterical giggles.

  CHAPTER TEN

  New Year, New Day—Jack

  I am an asshole. I haven’t slept in 24 hours and I’m a total asshole. I’m stretched out on my childhood bed in my father’s house, fully clothed. So, not only am I an asshole, but I’m also pathetic. My dad passed two days ago and I can’t sleep. He was my best friend and I’m a little lost without him. The funeral was today and the only people who were there, aside from myself, were his two buddies and his sister, my Aunt Bea. He wanted a quiet funeral. No fuss. He’d probably be pissed I inv
ited anyone at all.

  No sleep for me, but plenty of whiskey. I’ve been drinking it since I got the call from my aunt that my father had taken a turn. I was about to get in the shower, looking forward to getting back to my Sally and meeting her kids, when my phone rang with my dad’s ringtone.

  “Hey, Pops!” I said merrily.

  Instead of hearing his gravelly voice I heard a sniffle and then Bea’s quiet voice. “Jackie, you gotta come. He’s bad.”

  “Bea, can I talk to him?” I asked, holding my breath.

  “No, he’s not conscious but he may come to if he had a reason,” she said and I knew what she meant.

  “I’m on my way.” I hung up the phone, grabbed my already packed duffle and drove like the wind to the airport. I kicked myself that I didn’t have Sal’s number to let her know but I’d try once I was home. Once on the plane, I started drinking and I haven’t stopped.

  I had a week with him before he left me forever. My phone sits on my dresser, dead and useless. I feel dead and useless. He woke up one time and I got to tell him all about my Sally and how much I loved him. He was quiet and was struggling but he let me know he was proud of me, loved me, and was happy I found my soulmate. Ugh, if she ever wants to see me again, that is.

  There’s a knock on my door and Bea comes in uninvited. “Jackie, I love you, but this is bullshit. You need to get up and get on with it. Your pop would not want you to wallow like this. Go home, go to your girl, and make it right. Sober up, shower, take a nap, and then go home.”

  She’s right. I need to get up. So I do, I get up and pick my Aunt Bea up off the floor and kiss her on the cheek.

  “Fool, put me down,” she says, laughing.

  “You’re smart, Aunt Bea. I’ll be back in a few weeks and we can figure all of this out.” I gesture to the house and farm.

  “Don’t you be silly, we have it under control here, go back to your life in LA and don’t worry about us. We will always be here for you.”

  I kiss her again and she slaps my chest. “Take a shower. You stink.”

  It’s New Year’s Eve. I’m back in LA and dressed in my best tuxedo for Carla’s annual party. I hope she’s there. When my flight got in this afternoon, my intention was to go to Sal’s right away. I finally got her email and voice message and I know I’ve dug myself a hole. I headed home to regroup and saw tonight’s invite like a beacon. I’m wholly in love with this woman and I want her forgiveness and understanding so badly. I’m going to try to get that the best way I know how, a grand gesture with a musical number, of course. I called Manny and Carla and a few other friends and they were all on board.

  I hear from Carla that Sal is definitely coming with her friends, Rosie and Gigi. Once I know for sure, I put my plan into motion. I arrive at Carla’s early and set up. Carla’s home is in the Hollywood hills and it’s a beautiful, mid-century mansion with a huge main room that opens to a large patio outside. The weather is clear and cool but Carla has heaters on the patio and around the pool. There are twinkle lights everywhere and the catering is set up and ready to go. Every year her party is well attended, fun and classy. People would give their first born for an invite. Tonight, they are getting a little extra.

  She’s breathtaking. Sal is here, she’s by the pool looking radiant yet sad. Her dress is a work of art, as usual. It’s a shimmery gold color and drapes over every fucking curve of her body. Her hair is up and I’m mesmerized by her graceful neck, the curve of her shoulder. I’m staring like some psycho, but I don’t care. She turns to Gigi, who hands her a glass of something. Sal knocks it back, puts it on a passing waiter’s tray and takes a deep breath. Fuck. I did this to her. I made her insecure and sad. I am an asshole. I’m making it right though and will be making it up to her every day until I’m forgiven.

  “You ready, cowboy?” Carla pats my back, catching me spying on Sal. “Better make it good, you fucked up and just so you know, there are plenty of us that will make life difficult for you if you fuck it up again.”

  I sigh, knowing her threat is real. “It’ll be good, and if she blesses me with another chance, I won’t risk fucking up again.”

  Carla hugs me. “Sorry about your dad, Manny told me.” She releases me, smacks my ass and says, “Knock her dead, Jack.”

  The party is in full swing and it’s about 11:45 pm. I have one chance to get this right. Carla made sure everyone was outside, supposedly for the New Year’s Eve countdown. She turns the music off and taps a mic set up on a balcony overlooking everyone, I hang back in the shadows. “Good evening, everyone. I’m so happy all of you could join me tonight to sign in the new year. Before we countdown I have a little surprise for you. Waitstaff are passing out sparklers and we’d love it if you’d hold them up.”

  Carla waits for everyone to get a lit sparkler, then resumes her introduction. “Please lift your sparkler and join me in welcoming a man who is a sorry ass.”

  The lights on the balcony go out and I step up to the microphone, guitar in hand. “This song is for my Sally, I know you’re mad, and I deserve it. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.”

  As the lights come back on, I start to play the guitar. I hear some gasps and laughs and then a sprinkle of applause. Then I sing.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  I Will Always Love You—Sal

  Holy shit. I feel like I’m dreaming right now. Carla’s backyard is glowing right now with sparklers, Jack is here in the sexiest tuxedo ever, surrounded by twinkling lights, singing “I Will Always Love You.” He’s singing it seriously too, the Dolly version, not the Whitney, but he couldn’t handle Whitney. I find myself moving, gentle pushing from Gigi and Rosie. Space is cleared for me and I’m alone, being serenaded by country’s biggest star, in front of everyone we know and work with. I just stand, dumbfounded, and listen.

  Jack is staring right into my soul and singing about how he wishes me love and it’s beautiful and bittersweet. I’m distracted as he stops playing the guitar and hops onto the ledge of the balcony. He’s still singing, but what the fuck is he thinking? Before I can call out to him, he jumps and lands just a few feet down, on a hydraulic lift? What the hell? The lift was hidden in the dark against a wall so when Jack jumped it looked like he might plummet to his death. People gasp and shout but then cheer up again once they realize he’s performing a minor stunt.

  The lift slowly descends as Jack sings over and over how he’ll always love me. I mean, he’s singing directly to me. Once he reaches the ground he hops off and saunters over as he sings the final note, the high note. He has a horrible falsetto but it’s cute and totally Jack.

  Applause riots around us and he takes my hand, his eyebrows raised in question. I nod and he pulls me to him, holding me tight. “I love you, Sally.”

  “I’m going to kill you, Jack,” I whisper and he chuckles.

  “There’ll be time enough for that later, after I kiss my girl at midnight,” he says as people around us start to countdown. Once they get to one and shout “Happy New Year,” Jack and I back up and look at each other.

  “I won’t kiss you until you tell me you’re okay,” I say because he looks amazing but I can see in his eyes he’s had a rough time and I know in my heart it has to do with his dad.

  “Oh, Sally, I’m so okay, now that I’m here with you,” he says with a sad smile. “I’m so sorry about not gettin’ in touch with you. I want to tell you all about it, but later, okay?”

  I nod and lean in to meet him halfway for a sweet and chaste kiss. Despite its chasteness, I still feel the Jack zing all the way to my pussy. I think she’d forgive him for just about anything.

  We stay that way for a while, swaying back and forth in our embrace. Carla had turned music back on after the countdown and we weren’t the only couple dancing. I got a couple of winks and thumbs up from Gigi, Rosie, and Manny and all I can do is laugh. I make the decision to forgive Jack for whatever kept him from me. I’m happy with him, I’m happy right now. Will there be a discussion? Hell ye
s, but for now, I’m happy and for the first time in a week, I feel certain that Jack and I will survive this and anything else that comes our way.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Epilogue-With Thumbs—Jack

  Her glorious tits are glistening with lube as I rock my cock in between them. “You never wear a bra, you’re just asking for my dick to fuck these luscious globes.”

  Sal’s head is tipped forward and she swipes her tongue across the head of my dick every time I thrust up. She’s becoming more distracted though since I turned up the butterfly vibrator I strapped to her clit before I straddled her. I continue to fuck her tits as she pushes them together and lean down, forcing her to arch back to receive my kiss. It’s sloppy but I don’t care.

  When I pull away from her, I can’t stand it anymore and pull my dick from her tempting valley and flip her over, move back and slide into her sweet pussy. We are coated in lube so everything is slippery and warm and welcoming. The pressure must have kicked up on the vibe when I flipped her because I feel her pulse around me as she screams.

  “Shh, wife, you’ll scare the other people in the remote private huts,” I say, teasing her. That’s right, Sal is now my wife. My real, feisty, sweet, smart, loving wife. We are on our honeymoon in the Maldives because that’s where famous people go for privacy on their honeymoon. We’ve been enjoying all of our privacy, over and over.

  “Shut up, husband, and fuck me,” she says and I fall even more in love with her. “Make use of those thumbs too.”