Across the Miles (The Not So Bad Boys of Rock #1)

by Rhonda James

  “What are you doing tonight? I’m going crazy with all of this crap going on in my head.” Dek muttered, joining me in the studio lounge as Travis and Chris worked with the sound engineers.

  “Getting to you is it?” I chuckled momentarily, before reminding myself that I needed to be supportive.

  “Come on Sebastian. You, of all people, should understand what I’m going through. I have to get out of the house. I find myself just sitting there thinking about her. I’ve never been like this over a woman. Do you think it’s because she’s so far away? You know, maybe it adds to the desire.” His eyes searched mine, looking for affirmation, finding none.

  “Sorry dude, it sucks to have them so far away, and it does increase the desire, but the overwhelming need I felt for Brooke when she was far away never left when she came to live with me. I still need her, maybe even more.”

  “So, basically, I’m screwed?” His face scrunched up in agony. “Damn, I thought talking with you would help me, you’ve just made it worse. This is why I’ve avoided serious relationships.” He threw his hands up in the air, clearly exasperated.

  “Hold on. I’m here for you, man. I’ve been in your shoes, and I know how much it hurts. I know all about the ache in your chest, the images that flash through your mind when you try to sleep at night, the last kiss that lingers on your lips, making you crave another one. I know.” I gripped his shoulder and gave it a squeeze, trying my best to reassure him. “When Brooke was in Michigan I thought I would die living every day with all of that crap in my head. I asked myself many times if all of it was worth going through.” His face registered surprise at that admission. “In the end, even before she decided to come here, I knew the answer to that question was yes, she was always the one. All of those memories and images that I carried around like photo album in my mind, that at times felt too painful to endure, were, in fact, what carried me through.”

  “So, you’re saying that everything going on in here,” he circled his head with his hand, “is going to get me through, even though it hurts like hell to think about it and not have her with me when the pictures finish flashing?”

  “That’s exactly what I’m saying. Hang in there. If it’s meant to be, then, it will be. Although, I hope you took a few lessons from me and have been sending her little care packages regularly. Brooke and I did that, you know.” I smiled at the memory. I hadn’t given her anything in a long time; maybe it was time for another surprise.

  “I’ll be back in two days,” he said, jumping up and heading to find Pete, our agent.

  “Where are you going?” I smiled, already knowing the answer.

  “I’m not as creative or smooth as you hipster king. I figure the best surprise I can give Jade is me.” He shrugged, grinning from ear to ear.

  “Go get your girl!” I called after him, laughing on the outside but suddenly missing mine even more.

  Brooke~

  I couldn’t get over being in London; it was amazing. The restaurant was located in Covent Garden; an upscale theater district lined with fine dining establishments and plenty of shopping. The largest wholesale farmer’s market that sold fresh fruit, vegetables, and gorgeous flowers, everything you need to take your restaurant to the next level, was just a short walk away. Every day, thousands of people flock to the market, including every chef working in that area and surrounding areas. We stopped there each morning as Max gave me a walking tour of the city.

  Meeting the staff at Lardon’s of London went better than expected. I had been prepared for them to feel threatened by my presence, knowing how the restaurant was struggling to find it’s place in this district, and not knowing how much they had been told of my visit. I was just there to observe and make recommendations. Max had asked me to oversee a night of service and then meet with him to discuss my thoughts. I had done as requested, noting right away that the kitchen staff lacked cohesiveness, which is something we had always worked to avoid back in Michigan. If your crew isn’t tight, then they aren’t working as a team. A big no-no in the culinary industry. The restaurant was closed the next day, so Max and I took them all on an outing to a challenge course, requiring them to work as a team in order to overcome some pretty intense obstacles. It took some encouragement, and the participation of Max and myself as a show of solidarity, to finally win them over. Crossing over that finish line was a cause for celebration for all of us.

  Service the next night ran smoother, but there were still a few wrinkles that needed to be ironed out. I asked Max to join me during my next observation, hoping that he would see what I had witnessed in the beginning. It had only taken thirty minutes of oversight to catch what I had suspected all along; there was one employee sabotaging the entire dinner service. He slacked off during prep, he mouthed off to most of his co-workers, he ate off plates he was supposed to be preparing, and his participation during clean up was lacking. Any one of these infractions would have been reason for probation or firing at my old restaurant, Donnie had a very low tolerance for people who weren’t team players. After only a few minutes of discussion, it was mutually decided that this individual had to be let go, and he didn’t take it gently. He raised his voice and his fist, advancing on Max as he received the bad news. One of the managers witnessed the entire scene and within minutes the police arrived to arrest him. It made for a very tense evening, but proved to be the right move in the end as the next night of service was more streamlined, and the cohesiveness that I was looking for had been restored.

  “You’re quite adept at managing these scenarios.” Max informed me as we sat in the back of a limousine, on our way back to the hotel. “It’s almost as if you were made for this business.”

  “Well, food is something that I have always had a passion for. I guess it also comes from working in an establishment that, even though there were wrinkles from time to time, had worked out most of the issues and found a pattern that worked. I was very blessed to be brought alongside that type of leadership.”

  “I’m not talking about just the food, Brooke. I’m referring to your ability to come in and analyze a situation and offer solutions, not just random opinions, but solutions that make sense and they work. That doesn’t just come from working with someone who does that well; that is a skill that you most likely already possessed and your mentor just helped you hone it. I see a lot of myself in you.”

  “Thank you,” I stammered. “That is an amazing compliment Max, but I’m afraid I am worlds away from being as qualified as you,” I huffed.

  “Ah, Brooke, my dear, I’m afraid that in many ways you’ve already surpassed me.” He popped the cork on a bottle of champagne and poured us each a small glass. “Here’s to the future of Lardon’s of London, may it be as well-received and profitable as its sister sites in the states.” We clinked glasses and drank in silence all the way back to the hotel.

  Now that things were settled at the restaurant, I approached Max with the request that I fly out earlier in the hopes of catching the end of Sebastian’s launch party. I wanted him to know that I supported him and was very proud of all the hard work that he and the band had poured into that project. Max had laughed and handed me a boarding pass for a flight that left in two hours.

  “But, how did you know?” I held it to my chest.

  “Are you kidding me? I know you already, Brooke Caldwell. I know you love that man, and from what I have seen, he feels the same way. Which makes it even harder for me to ask you this.” He guided me over to a nearby sofa, and motioned for me to sit down.

  “Is something wrong?” I asked uncertainly.

  “I’d like for you to run the restaurant in London.” I opened my mouth to protest, but he held up a hand. “Please, allow me to finish. It would only be for nine months, maybe a bit less, and I would pay all of your expenses while you were here. Maybe Sebastian could even join you. I’m getting older; all of the traveling I do has been wearing on Laura. You are younger, and not married; my thinking is that your lifestyle is more flexible tha
n mine. I realize that you just moved to California, in order to be closer to Sebastian, and I know that it would be hard to leave him again. Believe me, I wouldn’t be asking you this unless it was incredibly important. I’m not sure this restaurant will remain open unless I make this change. You’re my last hope.”

  All of the reasons to say yes piled up on my shoulders. This was what I had been striving for since I began cooking in my parent’s kitchen. It’s what Devon and I talked about while attending culinary school together, and what I had dreamed of during the years after his untimely death. I had worked my ass off for an opportunity like this, and I didn’t want to watch it slip away because I was afraid of being apart from Sebastian for nine more months. We had survived six months before; surely we could manage again. He would understand and support me, I knew he would.

  “Okay, it’s a deal. When do I start?” I asked, mustering all the confidence I could given the fact that a large part of me wanted to cry at the thought of leaving.

  “Now works for me.” Max beamed. I nodded, offering my best attempt at a smile, which was extremely hard to do when fighting off a bout of tears.

  I packed quickly, and made my way through the airport. The flight back was long, and I didn’t have time to change, before heading over to the party. It took some convincing on my part, but the guard at the door finally granted me access, but only after Natalie spotted me and came over to rescue me. I told her I wanted to surprise Sebastian; so she made herself scarce after pointing him out amongst the crowded room. I really hadn’t needed her direction; the magnetic pull between us guided me to him without my feet ever touching the ground. How in the world was I going to break the news to him without breaking his heart? Without it breaking mine?

  Sebastian~

  The launch party was in full swing; the room filled to capacity. We posed for countless photos, and sat for endless interviews, discussing our music and the upcoming tour. By the time I had answered the same question, no less than twenty times, I was itching to get out of there. Brooke’s flight was scheduled to get in early tomorrow morning, which meant that in less than eight hours I would have her back in my arms, and all I wanted to do was go home and wait for the limo to drop her off. She said that when Max traveled he went all out, flying only first class, and limos for transportation. Her time there had been successful, and enlightening. Spending that kind of time with her employer had given her great insight on his expectations for the restaurants, and what had motivated him to launch them in the first place. She felt that under his guidance she could maximize her knowledge and marketability. I did my best to love and support her, encouraging her to do whatever it took to achieve her dream, but I also fought like hell to keep the jealousy at bay. Now that she was finally with me, I didn’t want to share her. Each day was a struggle not to allow my fears to get the better of me and treat her like a possession, wanting to keep her for myself.

  I stood there, doing my best to listen, as a well-known record producer spouted off about his latest discovery. He had been going on, holding Chris and me hostage, for the last twenty minutes, and it took everything I had not to ditch Chris and make a mad dash for the exit. Instead, I nodded my head, which only encouraged him to continue, barely stopping to take a breath, as he rambled on. I sensed her before I felt her, the hairs on my neck and arms springing to attention as she drew closer. I felt small arms slip around my waist, before her full lips pressed against the center of my back.

  “You don’t know how happy I am to have you back home.” I covered her hands with my own, not turning to face her as she nuzzled me. “How did you get back so soon?”

  “I took an earlier flight,” she mumbled into the leather of my jacket. I politely excused myself as both men watched with growing interest. Chris knew the story, but this fool probably thought she was just another random chick. I didn’t bother correcting him, his opinion didn’t matter anyhow.

  We found a quiet corner, away from everyone else, and busied ourselves reacquainting our lips. Brooke’s lips are one thing that I wouldn’t want to go without. Her kisses make me feel as if I could conquer the world. Each press of that soft flesh tells me that she believes in me, that she’s there for me, that she wants me, and best of all, that she loves me. Her hugs run a very close second, but it’s her kisses that literally steal my breath.

  “Sebastian, take me home.” Without another word, I took her hand, and made my way through the throng of people, heading out the door to my waiting car, driving to the place I had longed to be all evening.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  “Happy Birthday to you.” I sang to him, waking him bright and early from a blissful slumber. The smile that spread across his sexy face told me that he was glad I woken him. At this moment, he looked too good to be true. His dark hair was a crazy mess, sticking out in all directions. His lips were reddened and full, most likely from being smashed into the pillow, silver studs peeked out below the fullness, beckoning me to kiss them.

  “Come here, you.” He pulled me on top of him, tickling me in the process. I giggled nervously and tried unsuccessfully to squirm away. This is how we had woken up most days since I had moved in. We were happy and doing our best to make up for lost time. I still hadn’t told him about me leaving, I knew it was deceitful, but I hadn’t been able to bring myself to say the words. With the launch of his album, his birthday party, and then leaving to kick off his tour, I may never find the perfect time. The longer I waited to tell him, the harder it became, because I knew he would be hurt that I wasn’t honest, and that I hadn’t discussed it with him before I said yes. Not only would this decision affect my life, but his as well. I knew that, and I was sure he would point that out to me somewhere along the way. I guess one reason that I hadn’t told him had been that I was afraid he would think I wasn’t committed to our relationship. After pondering this over for the past four days, I came to a painful conclusion. I am a selfish bitch. It hurts like hell to admit it, but it’s the honest truth. I realized this because, when presented with the opportunity to achieve my dream, I never once considered what it would do to those who loved me.

  “So, what do you want to do today, birthday boy?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. I think we could stay right here and I would be okay with that.” He chuckled.

  “Don’t you want your present?” I asked slyly, trying to motivate him out of bed.

  “I’ve already got my present.”

  “Oh yeah, what was it?” I arched my brow in confusion.

  “You.” He kissed me lightly on the lips. “You packed your bags and moved out here to be with me. If that’s not the perfect birthday present, I don’t know what is.” And with that, I felt like the biggest fake that ever walked the face of the earth. This was my opportunity to come clean, break the news and try my best to convince him that we could get through another separation. He was leaving for a five-month tour, so technically it was only four months that we would be apart. He was already prepared to be gone on the tour, we had worked it out so that I could join him during certain stretches, and even though it was going to be hard we knew we would survive. He could join me in London after the tour was over. I would have a place of my own that would serve as our temporary home away from home. This wouldn’t be that much different, other than my tiny omission; things weren’t as bad as I had projected. So why had I still not come clean?

  “Come on, I want to give you your present, but it’s in the living room.

  “Argh,” he groaned, reluctantly letting me go. I scurried out to the living room to stand beside the enormous box that was topped with a big red bow. When he stepped into the room and saw the gift, he stopped walking and scratched his head, intensifying the sexy mess. “What the heck is that?”

  “You have to open it to find out,” I teased, clapping my hands together in front of my face. “I hope you like it, you’re a hard one to buy for. You already have everything.”

  “Yes, I do.” He approached the box carefully, unsur
e of how to proceed.

  “Just attack it,” I encouraged. “I remember you mentioned at time that you’d never had one so I thought it would be the perfect choice.”

  He pulled on the ribbon and the sides of the box began to give way, revealing the large, black crate underneath. “What the hell?” He asked, just as a soft whimper erupted from within. He bent down and was greeted with a wet kiss between the metal bars. “You got me a puppy?”

  “Well, yeah. It seemed like a good idea at the time. You don’t like it?” I asked apprehensively.

  “Are you crazy? I love it! Come here buddy.” He called, opening the crate door. “Is it a boy or a girl?” The puppy pounced on him, covering him with precious puppy kisses, yapping happily as Sebastian rubbed his belly.

  “A boy. I fell in love with him instantly, and it reminded me of how quickly I fell in love with you. I knew he was the one.” I stooped down to pet him, scratching lovingly behind his floppy ears. I love Golden Retrievers; they are such kind and loyal dogs. Part of the reason I bought the puppy was to keep Sebastian company while I was working late at night. I had originally bought the dog before my trip to London. He had just become old enough to leave his momma so last night I had Chris pick him up and drop him off this morning. Natalie was going to keep him while the guys were on tour and I was working, though she didn’t know that I would be working far away and her babysitting was going to turn into a full-time task. Even with the knowledge of my leaving, I didn’t have the heart to tell the owner I didn’t want him, as I said, I had already fallen in love with his soulful eyes.

  “He’s perfect, babe, thank you. I’ve got something for you too, but you’ll have to wait until tonight at the party.” His mischievous grin made me very suspicious.