She came over, hugging him around his neck before looking him over for a moment. “My God, it’s wonderful to see you. I didn’t think you were going to bring your ass over.” She looked over to me with that same beautiful smile she projected to Anthony. “And I see you brought a date.”
“This is my friend Melanie Taylor. I invited her to come with me tonight. I’m doing her demo tape, she’s an amazing singer.” He beamed.
I went to shake her hand but instead, she pulled me in for a big hug. She was very strong for someone her age and stature. But after we hugged, she looked at my face. Actually, she stared at my face for a moment. “I hope you don’t mind,” she said while cupping my chin, then turned my face slowly from left to right while Anthony watched. “You have a very interesting face, those cheekbones are lovely and the dimples remind me of Shirley Temple how deep they are but of course, yours are just higher up than hers were. Has anyone ever taken your picture or done a portrait of you my dear?” She smiled while taking her hand from underneath my chin.
“Actually, I’ve had my picture taken several times before but never for the name of Art.”
“Well, you should, do you mind if I take a picture of you? Andre, I need my camera dear!” She snapped her fingers while looking around for the elusive ‘Andre’ who finally came out of nowhere with this camera, it had a huge lens on the front. “Now, I just want you to give me that glorious smile of yours and show off those dimples.”
When she said this, I instantly started to laugh.
She immediately started clicking away at the camera as the shutters clicked nonstop while others around me began to watch as Ashley continued.
To say I was embarrassed was the understatement of the evening because it was never my intention to be the center of attention.
“Anthony, get in there!” she suggested.
Then before I knew it, Andre had pushed him over next to me. Poor thing, he looked like a lost dog but I patted his back as he moved me in closer to him for a hug.
He then whispered, “Just imagine when you become a star and you have to probably go through this same exact thing. People asking for you to look here and there…Ms. Taylor.”
I ended up laughing at his comment to which he started in as well. It seemed that at that moment in time, it really didn’t matter how some of the people were watching us while we were having our pictures taken together. When I looked into those eyes of his, how they gazed at me with such admiration as if he was proud of having me by his side. Then I heard someone say, “Go ahead, and kiss her!”
Anthony looked around to see who it was that said it, as I nervously giggled.
“Now stop that everyone! I just wanted a candid picture of this lovely young lady, she just might be my latest muse. I hope you don’t mind,” Ashley told me.
Yes, I was in shock at this statement. “Not at all.” I glanced at Anthony then back at her with a smile. “I would deem it an honor really. It’s not often I get asked to be a muse for a portrait or painting.”
“Well, I can tell you that I plan to start on it this weekend for sure. Please do look around and enjoy your evening and thanks for bringing her, Anthony.” And with that, she was gone, mingling once again within the crowd of people as everyone went back to what they had been doing before our display.
“Well, that was startling and fun.”
Anthony snickered. “Yeah it was but it just means that I have the prettiest girl by my side tonight, so I’m dammed lucky. Let’s look around then shall we?”
We continued looking over the photographs of places and people in cities such as New York, Miami, London, Greece and many others. Places that I honestly had only dreamed of going but I soon found that Anthony had been to most of them.
“So you really went to Moscow and performed there?” I asked after we found a corner outside where some tables had been set up.
“I had got a call from my bud Al. He needed a bass player for a tour since the guy that was in his band got into a car accident and broke his arm and leg. He told me we were going to Europe which I had been several times. So when we got there, things were going great, meeting people, drinking and eating at different places along with staying at some of the strangest hotels ever…and there is another story in there too.” Anthony chuckled. “Well one night, Al got a call from a friend of his who lived in Moscow and he knew a guy that needed a band to play in his club. It was a last minute thing but the pay was too good to pass up. Well when we got there, the so called ‘club’ was actually in this old building that his family owned and the damn thing should have been torn down. It was crazy wild playing up in there because with all the bass coming from the amps, it literally shook the walls, someone fell through the floor, then of course, the fights going on right and left, it was crazy.”
“That’s insane, I’m surprised you guys didn’t get killed, it sounds totally unsafe. I don’t care if they were paying you guys two million, there’s no way.”
“Yeah after that, I decided to just stay where I’m comfortable which is here. Listen we are supposed to play over at The Rocket tomorrow, why don’t you come with your friends, I’d love for you to see me actually play.”
“Of course, I can bring some of the gang with me if they are not busy.”
He smiled. “Yeah, I really liked them. Great, well let’s look around some more. I saw some stuff that Angela did when she went to Paris.”
“I know where that is, I’ll meet you there after I go to the bathroom,” I told him as we both made our way back inside. I felt grateful there wasn’t a line when I got there which meant it was a quick go and freshen up at the mirror to wash hands and touch up makeup.
“Why hey there.” One of the stall doors opened and Ashley was emerging from inside as the toilet flushed.
“Why hello.” I smiled while touching up my lipstick.
She came over to the mirror and began to wash her hands in the sink next to me. But before I could leave, she spoke, “Wait a minute, don’t leave just yet.”
Standing there feeling puzzled, I waited.
Ashley dried her hands and ran her fingers through her hair. “I usually wait till someone else comes into the bathroom because I hate leaving out by myself.”
I smiled at this. “Well, I don’t mind waiting. Can I ask you a question?”
“Yes.”
“How do you know Anthony?”
“Through my son, actually I think you already met him because he told me about you.”
“Really, what’s his name?”
“Well his name is Walter but everyone calls him Momo.”
“Oh my God, don’t tell me that you are Momo’s mom.” I ended up laughing along with her because I would have never thought. “Yeah, Momo was a character indeed. Now that I look at you I can see a bit of him in you, in the eyes and face.”
“Thank you, everyone always says that but that’s how I met Anthony, such a nice guy who really cares about his work and others as well.”
“He’s been such a great help with me and my demo tape along with being a good friend.”
“Well, I can say that he really seems taken by you, at least that’s what Momo told me.”
“What do you mean?”
She gave me a look of ‘You can’t be serious’
I saw this, but I really wanted to know what she thought.
“Sweetheart, my son talks to me basically every day almost, unless he’s out on tour. He came over for lunch at my place and we talked about all that was going on with our work. Then he told me about meeting this wonderful young lady with a voice that literally hit a nerve with him. He said that she was one of Anthony’s friends who he was doing a demo for. But he also told me that during the time she was singing, he watched how Anthony was looking at her. At first, he played it off as if it was nothing but then he said that he would notice when you were talking with other guys, how he would go around the room watching you and the guy talking, so that way he would make sure the guy wasn’t pu
tting on any moves. Momo told me that after that he knew Anthony was really into this girl. Not to get too personal but has he tried to put any moves on you?”
“No, he’s never tried to put a move on me at all. He’s been a perfect gentleman.”
“Well, I can tell you from what I’ve been told by my son that he really is in love with you. I also, just saw it for myself tonight.”
You see? I told you.
Dammit, shut up, momma!
Chapter Sixteen
“Earth to Melanie, come in Mel.”
I really wasn’t paying any attention to my surroundings as I was still very much in a daze after last night’s confessional in the ladies room. Was I that dumb to not see what everyone else had been seeing all along?
“Mel, are you all right?”
I gazed up at Sara as she was treating me to lunch today.
She looked so perplexed and worried about me not saying a word.
I took me a sip of ice tea first so I could form this question right. “Let me ask you a question here and I honestly want a truthful answer, alright?”
“Of course.” Sara nodded her head.
“Am I stupid?”
“Yes!” She laughed.
“Well damn woman, you could have thought about it first before answering the dang question.”
“You asked and I answered and yes, you are stupid sometimes, why you ask me?”
“But why do you think I’m stupid?”
“It all depends on level of stupid you can get as far as what topic in your life you are talking about?”
“Love.”
“Yes, you are really stupid in that field.” She smirked.
I rolled my eyes at her comment. “Remind me to never ask you anymore questions ever again.”
“Oh come on, listen I know it wasn’t the answer you wanted to hear but it’s the truth. Anyways, why are you asking me this?”
“Just been doing some thinking since last night.”
“When you went out with Anthony? I mean from what you told me it seems like you guys had a good time.” That’s when she saw the look on my face because I didn’t tell her the whole story…and now, she knew it. “What else happened?”
“Here you go ladies, club sandwich with potato salad and a kosher dill pickle on the side.” The waiter sat the plate in front of me when I raised my hand as he put down Sara’s plate with her Cobb Salad.
Then before I could even get my sandwich to my mouth I heard her say, “Don’t even put that sandwich in your mouth because you have something to tell me about last night!”
“Well, if you must know, I ran into your future mother in law last night.”
“What!” Her eyes rounded at me.
I literally almost fell out the chair laughing from the look on her face and then after a minute I calmed myself and explained, “When I went to the exhibit, I was introduced to a woman name Ashley who was the artist who had done the pictures and everything and I later found out that she was Momo’s mom. She was a very beautiful woman too, and I could see him in her face for sure. So when I went to the bathroom, she was in there and she told me something that kind of caught me off guard. She told me that Anthony had fallen in love with me.”
That’s when she started laughing, so much to the point where her head went back. Once she had calmed herself down a bit she replied, “I knew that this was going to happen because when we went to his place for that jam session of his, I swear he was eye balling you the entire night. He was very observant when you were talking with other guys. Even Charles told me that when you guys went out on the terrace, how he looked at you while you talked. He had a ringside seat to watch everything. So yeah Ms. Taylor, he’s in love with you.”
“He invited me to come and listen to him play over at this club called The Rocket.”
“Oh man, that place is a very happening place to be. So are you going?”
“Yeah, and so are you. I’m going to call Charles and see if he wants to go as well.”
When Sara said The Rocket was the place to be she wasn’t lying. The place was packed and hopping with people dancing, drinking, talking and walking around the club. I had never been here but of course, I was always up for a new adventure. I just hated that Charles didn’t get to come with Sara and me as he came down with a cold.
“Why don’t we go to the bar and grab a drink!” Sara shouted as we held hands to make sure we didn’t split up within the crowd. It took us a few pushes and snapping at a few people who wouldn’t move at all to be able to get to the bar as she ordered us both beers.
Looking around, I couldn’t see the stage but I could hear the band playing as well as someone singing. “I’m going to check out the band!” I shouted towards her while scanning over the crowd as I was figuring out how I was going to get up towards the front to see even the band. Usually, in a club, it takes me a few minutes to figure out how to get from point A to point B and often times I was able to do just that.
“Wait for me woman. You know I can’t find you in all of this mess,” Sara shouted before handing me my beer.
“Hold onto my hand and I’ll get us to the front!” And with that we began our excursion through the unknown crowd of wasted, gyrating and loud people. Of course, people were pushing us and I know my foot got stepped on once or twice but I trudged on as I got a few words from folks I pushed out of the way but then I could see the ‘horizon’....
Well, not really the horizon but the stage, you get what I’m saying here.
Then there was the band, singing and playing their hearts out during the set. I saw Anthony playing his bass while singing on the mic. He looked like he belonged up there with his dark blue jeans and a white wife beater shirt that hugged his chest and showed off those muscular arms nicely even though I could see that he was sweating up a storm underneath the lights. But when he got on the mic, I could hear his strong voice flow from the mic and through the speakers that were above me. I stood there, closed my eyes while his voice went through me, hitting every nerve within my body, making me hot at first but sending shivers through me.
“Hey!”
I looked over seeing Sara smiling at me.
“Are you okay over there?” she asked.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I continued listening while clapping and singing along in my head as he finally saw me, giving me a wink and that killer smile of his.
It was about ten minutes before they finished their set and that’s when he made a B line towards me, giving me a hug as the heat from his body along with the sweat seemed to become a part of me. Someone else would have pushed him away but I didn’t, I enjoyed how he felt in my arms. “Now I finally got the chance to hear you sing!” I laughed.
“I know, how did I do?”
“You were amazing, we just got in a few minutes ago, and I had to come up front because you can’t see from way back there whose playing. But you guys were on fire.” All I could do was smile at him, I don’t think I had smiled this much with him before but tonight, it just felt different.
“Listen, I’m going to get me some water and a towel before we do another set, stay here and I’ll be right back.” He left us.
Sara poked me with her elbow. “You can now wipe your mouth off because you are slobbering all over yourself.”
“Will you shut up?” I laughed.
All the while, Sara continued to poke me.
“Stop it woman before you make my side sore.”
“Listen, I’m going to give you some quick advice before he comes back. You have the perfect opportunity to tell him how you feel that is if you feel anything for him, which I know you do have some feeling for him. Then see how it goes and let it go.”
I knew Sara was right. I mean, if I was going to go for it, I might as well go and try now. I had to find out exactly how he felt and I still really wondered if he had the same feelings that I had started to feel. Just then, I spotted him.
Anthony kept coming through the crowd while girls were try
ing their best to talk to him and gain his attention. But he would say a few words and make his way again, towards me and Sara. “I was going to ask if you wanted something to drink but I see you already have something.”
“Yeah, Sara got us a beer.” I looked around and that’s when the same group of girls that had tried to stop him before came over.
“Tony, are you going to play that song of yours you were telling us about?” said the redhead wearing a skimpy dress.
“Oh yes, we’ve been dying to hear it,” a blonde with a very squeaky voice added.
Then even though I was hearing this voice for the first time, it kind of irritated me and made me wonder if that was really her actual voice or whether she was just making it up.
Anthony looked at me, giving me a smile and asked, “You want to hear my song?”
“Hell yeah, I want to hear it are you crazy?”
Anthony beamed at me, but only looked at me and not anyone else. “Alright ladies, I’ll get back up there and sing it.”
They started squealing and clapping as he went through the crowd and made it up to the stage once more, as the rest of the guys came up, grabbing their instruments. Then Anthony said something to them before grabbing the mic. “How’s everybody out there tonight!”
The question was met by shouts and hollering from the crowd as both Sara and I joined in.
“This is a song that I had been working on for the past few weeks when I suddenly got a bit of writer’s block but inspiration came my way and I kept on going. I hope you guys like it.” Then he counted down and eventually, a soft melody rippled out from his acoustic guitar as the drummer played right along.
It started off so beautiful but when I heard Anthony start to sing, my God his voice went right through me and I found my chest starting to get heavy. It was as if I was having a problem with trying to breathe. His voice sounded so rich and soothing and seemed to pervade throughout the club as I continued to listen and watch him sing. Then he looked over at me and began to sing, smiling in between as I found myself feeling uncomfortable at that moment. But it really got uncomfortable for me when I heard him sing one of the verses from the song…
Sweet Sessions (Sweet Treat Series Book 3) Page 11