Teacher: Act Two (A Hollywood Rock n' Romance Trilogy Book 2)

by Merrill, R. L.

  She was fuming and I could tell she wanted to say something else, but then Patricia was telling her off in a less professional way than I just had. She turned on her heel with her nose in the air and left a wake of perfume that would forever more make me sick to my stomach.

  We walked away from her and loaded our bags into Patricia’s car. They were suddenly feeling very heavy and I wished I could take them all back. Mrs. Manning’s comments had me feeling dirty. She knew exactly what to say to get to me. Patricia got in and slammed the door.

  “What a pretentious bitch! I am so sorry, Jesse. Are you ok?”

  I smiled weakly at her. “I am. She didn’t say anything I wasn’t already thinking.”

  Patricia’s face crumpled. “Jesse! You cannot possibly believe anything that witch just said! Oh, wait until Danny hears about this...”

  “Danny is NOT going to hear about this, Patricia. Ever. He doesn’t need this kind of stress right now. I’m fine. I said my peace. Maybe she’ll leave Jane alone now.”

  I took a deep breath and let it out, trying to calm myself down. It wasn’t working. I felt Patricia’s eyes on me so I turned to look at her.

  “Uh uh. I am not letting you feel bad about any of this. Sweetie, Danny loves YOU. He picked YOU. He is ridiculously rich and has very little to spend his money on. Hell, he gives half of it away as it is! Even if he never recorded another piece of music, he and Jane could live comfortably on his money for at least two more lifetimes. I’m not trying to brag, here, but I want you to know what a tiny drop of water this little shopping trip is in the bucket of Danny’s fortune. We didn’t even spend enough to equal what he makes an hour when he’s producing for other people. Maybe ten minutes. So I’m not going to let you be upset about him taking care of you. Fuck that evil woman!”

  I barked out a laugh. I couldn’t help myself. Patricia swearing and getting downright violent over the exchange we had with Grace was too much. I was even picturing the two of them coming to blows on Melrose.

  She started laughing and said, “Let’s go have a drink. I’m not taking you home with this on your mind. I’m not done having fun yet!”

  “Lead on, Mama Bear.”

  She chuckled some more and pulled out into traffic. She took me to her favorite pub, saying she needed a Guinness to wash that nasty wench’s perfume out of her nose and I was hysterical by the time we got to Rock n’ Reilly’s on Sunset.

  The place was a perfect mix of Irish and rock n' roll, and the fish n’ chips were so worth any pain I might have in my hands later. So was the Kilkenny, she insisted I try.

  “I really can’t stand women like her,” she grumbled, still on about Grace Manning. “I’ve been in this business for 15 years now and there’s always one like her to put a bad taste in my mouth. I don’t care if her precious boys went to Juilliard, or if she played in the National Hungarian fucking Orchestra. She’s a person. She’d be nothing if it weren’t for her husband and his management of her career. Thankfully, Julian and Bronson take more after their father when it comes to relating to people.”

  “I just don’t understand her fascination with Brooke. You would think if she was that protective of Danny that she would have been furious Brooke had an affair and publicly embarrassed him."

  Patricia nodded and called her some more choice names. She was on her second Guinness and had really let her hair down. "Oh, that was such a terrible mess. I felt awful for him. Even though they weren't close, he still worked really hard at trying to make her happy. When he wasn't being a dick, that is."

  I almost spit out my beer. "I don't see why you guys always refer to him like that! I mean, he can get grouchy, but a dick? I don't think so."

  Patricia reached over and patted my arm, saying, "May you never have to experience it. I pray he knows better than to ever talk to you like that."

  "Why do you put up with it," I asked.

  She shrugged. "Because I get paid to? No, I'd do it anyway. It's not often that he does it, and he more than makes up for it with how wonderful he is the rest of the time. He's just super sensitive and has a quick temper. The combination can be harsh sometimes, I guess."

  I finished my Killkenny and ate one last fry. "Thank you so much for today, Patricia. This has been way more fun than I would have thought it would be. I like hanging out with you. Although let's not go where we'll run into Her Hungarian Highness again next time."

  She laughed hard and said, "Sounds like a plan, and yes, you and I will definitely hang out again. I haven't had this much fun in forever!"

  She dropped me back at Danny's where Jane and Nora insisted on a fashion show.

  "Jesse those dresses are perfect! My dad is going to drool all over you."

  "Thanks, but ew!"

  We laughed and Nora assured me the choices were perfect. I asked if I could hang them in her spare room so Danny wouldn't peek. She took them, saying, "They better go in mine. I don't trust him! Oh, I cleared you a drawer in Danny's closet for your things, although we will likely need to get you a dresser when you bring the rest of your stuff. When is that happening, may I ask?"

  "Yeah, Jesse! When are you moving in for good?"

  I looked helplessly between the two of them. "I don't know guys! I'm trying to do the right thing here!"

  "Exactly, so when are you bringing the rest of your things," Jane said. "Because the right thing is for you to be with my dad."

  I groaned and Nora laughed at me. "Jane, I think Jesse is worried about what is proper. She and your dad have only been seeing each other for a few weeks, even though they've been in love since they first met." They both snickered. "And some folks think that you need to wait a certain amount of time before taking such a big step. And it is a big step. Some folks even think that people should be married before they live together." Her eyes held mine and I wondered what she was getting at.

  "What do you think is right, Nora?"

  She smiled at Jane and said, "I think it is different for everyone. Personally, I think finding someone to love so deeply is a gift that should be cherished and that not a second should be wasted worrying about what is right or wrong. When it's love, it just is. When people think too hard, they just make it more difficult than it needs to be."

  She had a sad smile on her face as she spoke to Jane words I was sure were meant for me. I took them to heart. The way she put it made so much sense. Was I really making things more difficult than they needed to be?

  "I hope I find a love like that someday," Jane said dreamily.

  I hugged her and said, "I hope so, too. It's scary and exciting and makes you feel like you’re on top of the world hanging from a ledge by your fingernails."

  Nora laughed. "That about sums it up."

  Jane went and stood next to Nora. "Have you ever been in love like that," she asked her.

  Nora cupped Jane's cheek in her hand. "I have been in love like that. Unfortunately for me, the person I was in love with wasn't able to stop worrying about what was right or wrong, and it became too late for us."

  Heavy. Poor Nora. She must have been alone for a long time. Long enough to get to the point where it just didn’t seem worth it to get back out there. She looked up at me and her eyes warned me to let her experience be a lesson. I smiled at her, trying to convey that her message was received loud and clear.

  The three of us spent the rest of the afternoon walking Legs, trying to teach her to sit, and swimming. I needed to start really working out if I was going to keep up with Danny's late night proclivities. Jane and I raced each other back and forth across the pool, and by the end, I was barely able to make it! Nora took over racing her and had much more stamina than I did.

  We ate leftovers for dinner, made a huge batch of movie theater popcorn, and piled into the theater. Jane wanted to watch Harry Potter movies, so we started with the first one and she was asleep by the middle of the second. I looked over at Nora and watched her smoothing Jane's hair back.

  "I want you to know that I really heard wh
at you said earlier. I think you are right. But how do you let go of the worry?"

  She smiled at me, thinking for a minute. "I don't know the answer to that. I guess it depends on what you're afraid of."

  "What was the love you spoke of afraid of," I asked, hoping I wasn't prying where I shouldn't.

  She sighed and laid her head back against the seat. With eyes closed, she spoke. "She was afraid of coming out to her family."

  I wasn't really surprised, but my heart hurt for her. "Nora, I'm so sorry," I murmured.

  She smiled sadly. "Thanks. It was a long time ago and everything worked out how it was supposed to. I'm happy with my life, really."

  "Can you really be satisfied without that kind of love, though?"

  She frowned. "I don't let myself dwell on what I don't have. I did that for a long time. Being here with Roland, and then Danny and Jane, I have a family. I get to do whatever I want. I spend time with my sisters. I have a full life. My partner ended up marrying a man, getting abused, getting cancer, and passing away several years ago. I pity her because she was never truly happy again after we parted. I am happy. I can say that much.”

  “I am happy you are in my life, Nora, and I know Danny and Jane adore you and feel the same.”

  She smiled at me with tears in her eyes, which she quickly wiped at and gave me a squinty look. “Don’t you get me going! You and your darn tears!” And then we were laughing so hard we woke Jane.

  “Did I miss the Basilisk part,” Jane asked sleepily.

  Nora kissed her head and said, “How about we watch the rest tomorrow night?”

  Jane stretched out and yawned. “Ok, I’m tired.”

  Nora got Jane ready for bed and I took Legs out for a walk in the backyard. After she did her business, I put her in her crate in Jane’s room and kissed Jane goodnight.

  “Goodnight, Jesse. I love you,” she whispered.

  My breath caught in my chest. “I love you, too, Jane,” I managed to whisper back before the tears started to spill.

  Nora was right, I felt like I hadn’t gone a day without tears in the entire time I’d been in Danny’s life!

  Speaking of Danny, it was after ten, so I imagined he’d be home at some point and I wanted to give him at least a sneak peek of what he purchased. My intentions were good. I got into one of my new nighties and displayed myself on his bed. I was doomed to failure. I probably didn’t even last five minutes.

  “What do we have here,” I heard Danny say breathlessly when he came in three hours later. “Someone left me this beautiful gift, wrapped for my pleasure.”

  I opened an eye to see Danny standing at the foot of the bed pulling at his lip. His shirt was stained with something dark, his face was swollen and had a scrape up one side. His hair was wet and he had a bandage on one hand. I shot up out of my sleep.

  “What happened to you?! Oh my God, Danny! Are you ok?”

  He laughed. “I’m great now.” He started to crawl towards me, but I put my hand out to stop him.

  “Into the bathroom, you.” He exhaled on a groan. I smelled beer. “What were you doing?”

  He plopped down on the counter and pulled his shirt off. I stepped up to him and looked at his face. He was going to have a nice shiner in the morning. “Let me get some ice,” I said, but he grabbed my hand and ran it down his cheek.

  “No, I’m fine. I already iced it, honey.”

  I stepped back with my hands on my hips. “Then tell me what happened!”

  He reached out and fingered the lacey strap of my baby blue baby doll pajamas. They had ruffled panties to match and lots of layers of chiffon. An underwire put the girls on display nicely, something I couldn't usually achieve. All I needed were furry slippers and rollers in my hair and I’d be at home on the set of Grease at the slumber party.

  His lip quirked up in a smile. “I love this. You are a fucking knockout!” He tried to pull me in for a kiss, but I cleared my throat and gestured for him to talk. He laughed and rubbed his hands over his face. “We went to a bar near the studio after we quit for the night because Alex was hungry and we ran into Stacey. He was drunk off his ass, again, and started talking about how my ‘little teacher had gotten all wet for him.’ I’d had a couple beers and was not in the mood, so I shut him up.” I couldn’t tell if he was more proud or embarrassed about his fight.

  I raised an eyebrow and crossed my arms over my chest, succeeding in drawing his eyes to my barely-more-than-barely-there cleavage. “So if you shut him up, why do you have a black eye starting?”

  He touched his cheek and laughed. “Well, he wasn’t alone, honey, and his buddy got in a hit before I shut him up, too.”

  I stared him down for a minute, but I was tickled by his story. “So you assured him your little teacher only gets wet for you, did you?”

  His eyes flared like he couldn’t believe I'd just said that. “Damn right,” he growled. He hopped off the counter and I put a hand on his chest.

  “Uh uh. You are not getting blood and sweat on my new nightie. My boyfriend bought this for me and I intend for him to get to enjoy it. So you go get yourself in the shower and clean up your mess. Then, maybe, if you come out resembling the man I love, you can touch the merchandise.”

  He whimpered and quickly stripped his clothes off. He took the quickest shower on record, never taking his eyes off me. I sat on the counter and waited patiently for him to finish, suddenly feeling very awake.

  He turned off the water and stalked toward me. I held out a towel for him and he did a cursory job of drying off before chucking it on the floor. Then he slowed, his fingers twitching in anticipation. It made me squirm.

  “I don’t know where to start,” he said with wonder. “Do I just slide those little panties to the side and make love to you right now? Do I make you model for me first and then strip you slow? Do I just tear it all off you and devour you? Hmmm, so many choices.”

  He traced the underside of my breast with one finger, his erection poking up between us. I took him in my hand and wrapped his warm flesh in the soft chiffon, slowly stroking him with the fabric. He closed his eyes and braced his hands on either side of me.

  “Nothing wrong with doing all three options,” I teased.

  That was all it took. He did exactly that. Option number one took place right there on the counter. Option number two occurred in his room, on the floor, in front of the fireplace (which I hadn’t seen in use to this point, but I was so happy to have experienced). We voted against option three. I liked this nightie and told him I wanted to be able to wear it again for him sometime. So the third time was in his bed and was even sweeter than the first two.

  Chapter Ten

  We woke up later than usual in a tangle of sweaty limbs and Danny picked up where we’d left off. Making love in the morning was fun and, as sensitive as we both were after the previous night’s activities, quick. Danny did indeed have a black eye and Nora gave him shit for it while we were eating breakfast.

  “Oh, don’t tell me you wouldn’t have done the same if he said that in front of you,” he cried in his defense.

  Nora just smirked and said, “Yeah, but I would have seen the other one coming and never got hit myself!”

  “Point taken,” Danny mumbled.

  She ruffled his hair. “When you going to cut your hair again, boy? Are you growing it out? Because if you are, why don’t you let me tame it a little for you,” she said.

  He smacked her hands away. “Let me eat my food, woman!” That set Nora and I to giggling. He growled at us playfully.

  “I’m going back to the studio at noon. I’m going to try to be home before Janey falls asleep. I miss her.”

  “She wants to stay home today from the ranch and be lazy. I told her that would be fine. It’s been a little crazy this week, and with you guys leaving day after tomorrow, she could use her rest.”

  He nodded. “Sounds good. You going to be ok with Legs while we’re gone?”

  Nora waved him off. “We’ll be fi
ne. Connie’s going to come and stay with me a couple of nights. She wants a break from her roommate.”

  He grunted in approval. “She’s welcome here anytime. She knows that.”

  Nora smiled at him. “You want her to come work on you before you leave, slugger?”

  He snorted, flexing his hand. “That son of a bitch had a hard head. I’m glad we’re not fucking tracking guitars today.”

  I shook my head. “Hey, did Alex get involved last night?”

  He shook his head. “No, that fucker was on the phone with Connie and only moved to protect his food. I shoulda bled in his fucking Tesla on the way home. Speaking of which, Nora, can you drop me at the studio? I left the Range Rover there.”

  She told him sure, since she had to run to the store anyway. He grumbled some more about Stacey and his big mouth until Nora and I were cracking up. I could not get enough of this man.

  After breakfast he went in to cuddle with Jane, who was definitely wiped out. I went in Danny’s room to do some stretching. I took my morning medications. So far so good on my second day. No side effects other than being really thirsty. I planned to swim later, too.

  When it was time for him to go, he kissed me lingeringly in the doorway. “Thank you again for the shopping trip. Patricia and I had a blast. She is really fun and made it completely enjoyable.”

  He smiled, running his thumb over my lips. “I’m glad, honey. I wanted you to have a nice day. Did you really have a nice day?”

  I bit my lip, determined not to tell him about Mrs. Manning and her nasty attitude. “I did. You have such wonderful people around you who all care about you a great deal.”

  He smiled. “I can’t wait to see what else you got,” he whispered against my neck.

  I thought about the leather cuff and decided perhaps that would be his welcome home tonight.

  “Maybe you’ll see more when you get home.”

  He closed his eyes and sucked in a breath, his hand rubbing his chest. “I love the sound of that. I love you.”