by Finn, Thia
When she turned around to say goodnight he took the keys from her hand, unlocked the door and reached in to flip on the porch light.
“Do you always take over like that? I can unlock my own door, you know.” She didn’t know what to think about his sudden take-charge behavior.
“Yeah, I know you can, but I needed to do it.” The look he gave her was something she wasn’t sure how to respond to, so they stood there, silently staring at each other for a moment.
“So, I’ll see you tomorrow at nine o’clock in the studio. It’s going to be a long-ass day, so be prepared.” He reached toward her and flipped the dark locks of hair back over her shoulder, his knuckles lightly brushing the skin on her neck. The cab’s horn broke whatever tension had taken hold as they stood there, but she was holding her breath, looking into his eyes when he simply dropped his hand back to his side gave her a small smile and turned and walked down her steps. She felt a surge of disappointed at the loss of the warmth that his simple touch provided.
He didn’t look back as he headed to the cab. “Yeah, I’ll be there,” she called after him. Damn, could I be anymore lame?
After washing off the stress and grime of the day and the load of makeup from her skin, she was finally able to crawl into bed. She thought back on the wild day she’d had, ending with some unspoken something when she’d looked KeeMac in the eye. The guy was drool-worthy and she didn’t know how she felt about having those thoughts about him. She was sure it was a bad idea she would regret if she encouraged them or even allowed them to continue.
She had never had much time for a social life. The crushes she’d had in high school were quickly kept at bay by her parents who made sure she didn’t have enough down-time to explore any mutual attraction. The guys in college were as focused as she was on their art, and often gay, so nothing ever made it passed the friend stage. Now, at twenty-one, she found herself with no experience in the romance and sex departments. She had a feeling that was all going to change while hanging out with this bunch. With groupies and girlfriends, she thought her reference bar was about to be raised exponentially. These were the last thoughts lingering in her mind as she drifted off into a heavy sleep.
Chapter Seven
Arriving a little early to the studio, Chandler greeted Peri with a smile. Today’s arrival felt much better than yesterday’s. “Are you ready for this?” Peri smiled in return.
“Yes, I’ve been up for hours already, listening to their music. I got the feeling yesterday they were not all excited about me changing the way Jacoby played in any way, so I wanted to listen to his interpretations of the music so I would be able to copy it exactly.
“What you should have done was slept in! You’re about to be caught up in a whirlwind, and your feet might not touch back down for eight weeks.” Peri said it jokingly, but Chandler knew she was probably speaking the truth.
“I’m ready. I want to be perfect for them though, so I’m willing to put in the extra time on my own.” Performing with this band was a huge opportunity for her and she did not want to let them down in any way. Perfection is something she demanded of herself, and she would not change that, especially now.
The rest of the band trickled in one at a time. Mornings were definitely not their best time of the day, if their looks were any indicator. Cash briefed the band in the conference room first about scheduling, rehearsals, and sound checks. He wanted them to at least have an understanding of how tight their time was going to be once they departed. The only real down-time they would have would be on the bus, when they weren’t sleeping. The rest of that time he wanted spent on them writing new material so they would have music and lyrics ready to lay down when they returned to Austin.
Chandler didn’t think this would apply to her much since she was only a fill-in, but she would be happy to work with them however much they would let her. She loved writing new music, and had a lot of experience at it in college. Her composition classes were something she excelled in, and she was silently thrilled at the prospect of getting to do something meaningful with the band, even for the short time.
“OK, guys—and Chandler—get to it. You’ve got all day today and most of the day tomorrow to teach her anything she needs to catch up on for the first show in Dallas.” So it would seem that the first travel day would only be a few hours’ drive away. But once they arrived, Cash made it clear that they wouldn’t have much free-time outside of sound checks and then prep leading up to showtime. AD was actually the second act, appearing between a local Dallas opening band and Frission, the main event. They all looked forward to being the headliners themselves with their own opening acts one day soon.
Gunner led them down the hall to the rehearsal room and made his way behind his kit all while twirling his sticks through those long fingers. He flipped his shoulder length blond hair back when he sat down and caught it in a leather strap he kept around his wrist for exactly this purpose. The excitement of getting on the road was ramping up everyone’s energy quickly and Gunner starting in on an impromptu solo managed to get everyone’s blood pumping this morning.
KeeMac turned and looked at the others as he picked up his favorite Fender Telecaster. He produced a Herco pick from his front pocket and gave the guitar a quick tuning. “Let’s do this! Chandler, the playlist is set and you should have a copy on the keyboard. We will start at the top and run through it with you. When you see something that’s a problem, let me know and we’ll stop and work ‘em out with you.” He finished with his typical smirk directed at her, but she was already accustomed to it, nothing to read into there. It was just part of his natural charm.
He was very no-nonsense about the music. His professional attitude as he they worked the list impressed her. They all seem in a different mode today, focused, and she was surprised at the work ethic in which they attacked the rehearsal. Several hours later KeeMac finally called for a lunch break. She was both exhausted and exhilarated. She knew it would be intense but nothing like it played out. These guys were serious about their music. Deep down, she was pleased with the rehearsal. It was what she was used to, and they didn’t disappoint.
“Y’all want to head down to the food trucks and then we can all have whatever we want?” Carter asked.
“That’s a good idea. I want some fajitas and you know Gunner will want the crab cakes from SoCo Cafe,” KeeMac piped up with the suggestions. “Chan, they have just about anything you want in one location.”
“Sure. I’ve eaten at those spots a lot, and we can have a cupcake to top it off.” She smiled, thinking about Hey Cupcake’s signature Red-Headed Stranger cupcake. It was her favorite, and it being named after Willie Nelson added some whimsy in her mind.
When he heard her comment about the cupcake, Keeton seemed surprised. “So, how long have you been in Austin? I thought you just moved here a few weeks ago.”
“Yeah, I just moved back, but I’ve lived here basically my entire life. My parents weren’t really much for eating at places without tablecloths and cloth napkins but I could live on food trailer food.” As they walked side-by-side along the sidewalk, Chandler explained about living between Austin and D.C., and going to Juilliard.
“You know, maybe Cash should have given us a little more of your background information before we interviewed you because you are full of surprises,” he laughed, and then gave her that smirk she was coming to expect from him. While he used it this time to cover his ignorance of her musical training that far exceeded his own, she assumed he unleashed it on most females. It made her wonder what other looks he used to lure them into his trap. One look from him was likely all he needed to capture the attention of most women. He was undeniably hot.
While they chowed down on their individual choices of lunch fare, the group talked about getting on the road. KeeMac filled them in on what he had learned about Chandler’s life. She was glad he did because she didn’t want to go through it all with them individually.
“We’ve got us a Juilliard-trained ban
d member, huh? No one would ever expect that when this bunch of misfits get on stage,” Ryan winked in her direction. Chandler laughed at his humor, and she was sure that his fun personality and easy-on-the-eyes looks meant they would get along great during their time on the bus. She was already enjoying this time learning about each member in a more personal way before they left. Ryan’s hair and fashion choices definitely made the most of his good looks but his mild country drawl was the very hot icing on the cake. She didn’t know where he was from originally but she doubted he had actually lived in Austin the entire time.
The afternoon went by quickly, and by eight they were all beat. Even taking short breaks for a Monster didn’t help after everything they had covered on their first day of rehearsals. When Cash wandered into the rehearsal room and looked them over, he could tell they were drained. “How did the day go? Any comments or requests?” They all mumbled rude comments in his direction but he laughed at their responses. He knew they had put in a long day since he had been checking in with Peri and she was giving him reports on their progress.
Chandler noticed that Keeton seemed to stick pretty close to her and spent most of their breaks with her. He made a point to ask her about the music each time, but then he would continue talking to her until the break was over. She learned how the band got to where they were, and they even talked a little about his life outside of music. She was happy to get to know him better and thought he was doing a really great job of making her feel like a welcome addition to the band.
Before they could leave at the end of the day, Cash gave them their marching orders, “Go home. Get some rest and pack your bags. You can bring most of it here tomorrow, and I’ll see it gets on the bus. Remember, you have a small amount of extra personal space on the bus, only a little space under the bus and even less space in your bunks. Don’t over pack or you’ll be sleeping with it. Be back here in the morning by ten. We can go over any last minute ideas or continue rehearsing as you need to and then you all will have the evening to yourselves.” There was more grumbling from the band as they dragged themselves out the door.
They each went their separate ways when they reached the parking lot, and Chandler continued toward the sidewalk to catch the bus across the street. When KeeMac spotted her waiting on traffic to cross, he called to her, “Hey! What are you doing?”
“The bus I need stops on the other side, down the road.”
“Chan, we are going to practically the same spot. I’ll take you home.”
“I don’t want to impose. You probably have places to go on your last night at home.” She was happy to be staring at him from behind her sunglasses so she could look all she wanted without him noticing.
“I’m worn out. I’m going home to hang in front of the TV for the rest of the night, watch baseball, eat pizza and drink beer. You live less than two damn blocks from me, I can take you home. Why didn’t you tell me last night you needed a ride over here this morning?” The glare he gave her was almost intimidating. “Riding the bus can be fucking dangerous, you know.” He had already made his way over to where she stood.
“I’m used to riding the bus or taking taxis. I’ll be fine. Thanks, though.” Chandler didn’t feel like she needed to explain herself to him but she did. She glanced at her watch and knew she needed to get to her stop if she wanted to avoid waiting thirty minutes for the next bus.
“I’m taking you home.” He was following close enough now that he was glaring down at her when she turned around and looked up, since she was almost a full foot shorter than him.
“Really? What gave you the idea that you could tell me how to get around Austin, or anywhere, for that matter? I’m sick of this princess BULLSHIT! I am an adult, I can make my own decisions, and I won’t take orders from anyone EVER again!” She stood her ground against him with bravado she didn’t really feel.
He inhaled deeply, his eyes closed. When he opened them again, his smirk had returned to his face. “Miss Chatam, it would make me so happy if you would please allow me to escort you home. I do not want to worry about you being on the bus at night with anyone who might see your beauty and wish to cause you harm.” Then he bowed gallantly to her then looked back up, full-smirk, and winked at her.
The request coming out of his mouth was so formal that she couldn’t help but smile back at him. And, he had said ‘please’ this time. She had to give in even though she didn’t really want to.
“That would be very nice of you, Keeton McDonald, if you would escort me safely home.” She decided to play along and return an equally formal reply but she couldn’t keep the cheerful grin off her face. The guy sure did know how to diffuse a girl’s short temper; she had to give him that. And he did it with humor. Keeton MacDonald had charm. Oh God, he’s a ladies’ man. You are, aren’t you, Keeton? You are going to be trouble...
He laughed out loud. “No one ever calls me Keeton any more, and I can’t ever remember someone saying I did something nice. Don’t tell anyone, or you’ll ruin my rep.” He gave her another playful wink then took her hand and led her back to his motorcycle.
She looked at him like he had lost his mind. “You are expecting me to ride on that thing, in Austin traffic? You’ve lost your mind. I’ll take my chances with the bus crazies.” She turned back toward the bus stop just in time to watch it take off. Now she would have to wait for the next one.
“Get the fuck back over here, Chandler. We can get there without getting on the interstate. You’ll be fine. Trust me.” All she could think was: famous last words, dude. He put the helmet on her head and tightened the straps under her chin.
She looked around his bike. “What are you going to wear if I have your only helmet?”
“I have another at home. I’ll start bringing it so we’ll both have one when we need it. But this time, I’ll just be extra careful.” He gave her The Smirk. She was beginning to believe that he pulled that look out to get his own way.
“Yeah, so, if I ever get back on here, I still want you to be extra careful. Actually, I want you to be extra careful any time you’re on this thing. You realize I don’t have a clue how to do this?” Her mother would have a stroke on the spot if she saw this happening.
“It’s simple,” he threw his leg over the bike and took his seat, “put your foot on the peg, throw your leg over, scoot up as close to me as you can get and hang on to me. Most of all, relax and enjoy it.”
She did as instructed, and then he reached behind him and grabbed her behind the knees and pulled her toward him, sliding her ass along the leather of the seat until her legs were snug against his hips. Oh my. Then he grabbed her hands where they were resting loosely on the sides of his waist and wrapped her arms tight around his body, overlapping her hands at his belly, and pressing her breasts against his back. There’s no way he couldn’t feel that, because she surely could... oh my. It might have been a casual touch for him, to have a woman’s arms and legs wrapped around his body, but for her the feeling of this man between her thighs, was sending shockwaves to her core.
The motorcycle roared to life, and then he kicked it into gear and they entered traffic. Her fear level shot to the top of the scale. Each move the bike made caused them to rub against each other, and she was hyperaware of the electricity that jolted her system. She wondered if this was how all motorcycle rides were, because, if so, then she was beginning to understand the appeal. Trying to simply breathe, she turned her head to the side, pressed her cheek to his back and prayed the entire way home.
Keeton was in Hog Heaven. He liked the feel of her wrapped around him. He just laughed to himself at how rigid she sat behind him. Her small hands stayed in place the entire ride as if she was afraid to move them. He knew she was petrified, but he loved it. Getting around in traffic and parking in this city was so much easier on the Harley. He hoped she would get used to it, because he could certainly get used to having her wrapped around him. The sparks were definitely there. He couldn’t decide if this was a good or bad thing, consider
ing the close confines they were about to find themselves in.
Despite arriving at her house unscathed, her legs were trembling when she tried to climb off. Clinging so tightly to her driver the whole way had fatigued and cramped her muscles and she barely had the strength to climb off, let alone stand. She handed him the helmet, curtsied shakily, and with the same formal language from before the
ride, thanked him for the adrenaline rush, “Thank you, kind sir, for seeing me safely to my humble abode.”
Keeton laughed at her again. “You know, you could get back on and go to my place and join me for pizza and beer. I might even be able to scrounge up a bottle of wine.”
“I don’t know, Keeton. I’m pretty tired. Today was another long day. Maybe I should say goodnight now.”
“Oh, come on Chan, live a little. Two motorcycle rides in one day would give you some exciting events to write about in your journal.”
She looked at him strangely. How did he know I still wrote in a journal? She had been doing it for years.
Taking one look at her face, he knew what was going on in that mind of hers. “You actually write in a journal, don’t you?” Chandler gave him a shoulder shrug, feeling like she had divulged a secret she would have rather kept to herself.
“Now you have to come over so you’ll have a great entry to add about today.”
“I don’t write every day, just so you know. I only write in it when I feel like I have something going on that’s a big deal or something I want to remember.”
“Chan, you hurt me deeply. Are you saying that spending time with me is not a big deal to you?” He feigned a hurt look on his face trying to gain her sympathy.