Love's Autograph

by Michele M. Reynolds

  LOVE’S

  AUTOGRAPH

  Michele M. Reynolds

  Copyright © 2014 by Michele M. Reynolds

  Love’s Autograph

  Copyright © 2014 by Michele M. Reynolds

  Amazon Edition

  Stephanie Sayball, Cover Artist

  All rights reserved. No parts of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without prior written permission from the author.

  This is a work of fiction. Characters, names, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or persons (living or dead) is entirely coincidental.

  For more information about the author or her books please visit:

  http://mmreynolds.blogspot.com/

  [1. Fiction 2. Romance 3. Lesbian]

  First Ebook Edition, 2014

  CHAPTER1

  “How are we going to get you out of here?” Dina asked as she continued to text on her phone and stare out the window. Usually, Dina's hair was pulled back into a ponytail, but today her red curls hung around her face. She shook the curls out from hanging over her eyes and continued to tap on the screen of her phone.

  “There are hostiles all through the lobby and surrounding all exits,” Clara said in an official tone. “I think we need to call in the local police department.”

  The three of them peered from the fourth-floor window down to the street below. They could not see an inch of the street. There were no cars, but there were meandering colors. The street was full of people and Ellie could see her limousine slowly making its way to the hotel.

  “Hostiles? They’re my fans and they’re a little excited. Clara, you're head of my security, not in combat in Iraq,” Ellie said.

  “Someone posted that you were at this hotel. Idiots! We’re going to be late for the fundraiser,” Dina said as she navigated the screen of her phone. “I'm texting Yuri and letting her know that we won't be there.”

  “We can't be late,” Ellie insisted. “Clara, how long for the police to clear this up?”

  “We’re looking at upwards of an hour,” Clara answered.

  “I can get out in a disguise,” Ellie said as she held up wig and hats.

  “Forget it. I ran into one of the staff. He stated that nobody is able to get through the crowd and out of the building,” Clara said. “Let's call the police.”

  Ellie looked down at her fans again, then stepped back and leaned against the wall. Deep in thought, she gazed at her guitar resting on the bed.

  “Ellie! I know that look. What are you thinking?” Dina asked. Ellie grabbed her guitar off the bed and ran out the hotel room door.

  “Follow me!” Ellie yelled back to Clara and to the gaggle of security guards standing outside her door. Ellie ran down the hallway with the neck of the guitar in her hand. The muscles of her arms bulged out of her white t-shirt and her tattoos were just a blur as she pumped her arms back and forth.

  “Ellie!” Dina yelled from behind her. Down at the end of the hall Ellie saw a sign of a stick figure walking down stairs. Ellie pushed the door open and her hiking boots hit the stairs. Her footsteps echoed through the empty area. She was careful to avoid hitting the railing and wall with her guitar. She made her way down three flights.

  She broke through the door leading to the lobby. It was multi-level, and the top portion was empty except for a clerk behind a desk. This level had a balcony that overlooked the lower lobby area.

  Ellie gazed down at the mass of people. Some of the hotel staff were standing at the bottom of two sets of stairs that curved down into the lower lobby. The staff held each other's hands and blocked the way of a crowd of fans trying to come up the stairs. It looked like an unevenly matched game of Red Rover. As Ellie peeked over the railing, several fans looked up. Dina, Clara and several security guards emptied into the lobby a few feet from Ellie.

  “Ellie, what the hell are you doing?” Dina asked as she tried to catch her breath. “We don't have enough security to keep you safe from all these fans.”

  “It's EJ!” a fan from below yelled. Staff members on the stairs looked up and panic fell on their faces. This mob was more than what they were equipped to hold back. The fans started to push hard on the staff. Ellie's security guards were positioned at the top of the stairs.

  “Pull that table over here,” Ellie directed her security. They jogged over and pulled an antique oak table to where Ellie was standing.

  “We don't have enough power,” Clara said.

  “I have all the power I need right here,” Ellie said as she held up her guitar. “I'm not going to be late for that fundraiser.”

  Ellie hoisted herself onto the table. The crowd started shouting “EJ Way!” Ellie stood on the table. She held her guitar in one hand and pointed her other hand up to the ceiling. Within seconds the crowd grew quiet.

  Then a token fan yelled, “I love you EJ!”

  “Quiet!” another fan yelled.

  “Thanks, I love you too. Hi everyone! What a surprise for you to all be here,” Ellie called to the fans below. Laughter fell across the crowd. “Anytime you surprise visit a friend, you run the risk that she has other plans. Unfortunately, I have a very important fundraiser that means a lot to me.”

  A disappointed “Awww!” rang out across the lobby.

  “But, before I go, I'd like to play you a song. If, and only if after the song you all can make a path for me to get to my car. Can you all do that?” Ellie asked.

  “Yeah,” the crowd answered.

  “Nice. And… and... ,” Ellie paused. She wanted to ensure her exit after the song. “And to show my appreciation for your cooperation, I'll arrange for several free concert tickets as well as backstage passes to be randomly given away on my website. The code word to enter the contest will be...” Ellie hesitated.

  “Lobby Jam,” Dina whispered to Ellie.

  “Lobby Jam,” Ellie repeated to the lobby. “So here it is – a song I wrote a few nights ago. It's called Time Machine.” Ellie threw the guitar strap over her shoulder and started to strum the chords to the song. Each note was amplified by the walls and curved ceiling.

  Ellie sang: Each word that I gave to you I'd take them away, pull them back.

  Each time my pulse raced for you.

  Want to slow it down.

  If I had a time machine, you would never know that love I gave.

  Time machine. Rushing back to those late nights and mistakes I made.

  The fans were quiet. They swayed back and forth. The song was slow and had a calming effect on the fans. It was a new song and they were forced to listen intently. As the song finished, Ellie nodded to security and kept strumming. Security helped her down from the table.

  The fans began to clap and then stopped when new chords were played. Ellie made her way to the curved stairs on her right as she continued to strum. Dina was at her side and Ellie’s security surrounded them.

  “Okay one more for an exit song. Sing it if you know it! Go on my site and use Lobby Jam as the code word. Don't tell your friends. If they wanted the code, they should've been here. My Way World!” Ellie said. She walked down the stairs as she sang the song. It was more upbeat than Time Machine. The fans joined in. Ellie hit the bottom stair and the fans broke into the chorus. “My Way World nobody else knows.”

  The fans fulfilled their side of the bargain and made a path for Ellie and her team to pass through. Some fans slowly and gently reached out trying to touch Ellie. There was no danger and no pushing. “My Way World,” the crowd and Ellie sang the chorus. The team reached the outer doors and the crowd started to push toward her.

  “My Way World!” Ellie sang louder, and the fans screamed and started to sing. Her d
river opened the limousine door and Ellie walked to the back of the limousine. She nodded to her security and they lifted her onto the trunk of the limousine. She then walked onto the roof and kept singing. She nodded to Dina, and Dina entered the car. Clara sat on the trunk. Security surrounded the limousine. Ellie stomped her boots on the roof and the limousine inched forward.

  Ellie sang the next line, “Looking around from this perspective, everything seems perfect to me!” The fans went wild. Their cheers shook the roof of the limousine. Ellie finished the song with a guitar solo. Dina opened the sunroof and Ellie handed her guitar to Dina.

  “Thank you!” Ellie called. “I have the best fans!” Ellie then slipped in through the sunroof. She heard some ruckus on the roof. Then Clara's size twelve boots and extra-large body squeezed through the sunroof. The last thing to appear was Clara's short, spiked, bleached-blonde hair.

  “Ms. Way, that was a dangerous maneuver you just pulled,” Clara said. “You're lucky that it didn't end in casualties.”

  “It worked, didn't it,” Ellie said.

  “What made you think that it would work?” Dina asked. Ellie noticed Dina had pulled her red hair back into a ponytail. Dina's face appeared flushed.

  “Well, I saw this movie once,” Ellie said.

  “Oh, here we go. How many times do I have to tell you that what happens in the movies isn't real?” Dina asked.

  “I don't know. What’re you complaining about? It worked. I hope somebody recorded that. That would be a great live video,” Ellie said.

  “I'm sure it's already been downloaded a hundred times,” Dina said. “Stop doing these crazy stunts.”

  “I love my fans,” Ellie said. “I used my music and they listened.”

  “One day you won’t be so lucky,” Clara shook her head. “I know I'm strong but I’m not strong enough to fight off all those people.”

  “Look at this. I call it Rock Goddess,” Dina said as she shoved her phone toward Ellie. On Dina's phone screen was a picture of Ellie standing on the table back at the hotel. She was holding up her guitar with her left hand. Her right hand held up in a fist with her index finger pointing toward the sunlight. The sunlight from the skylight in the lobby fell perfectly around Ellie and made it look like she was glowing. Ellie noticed how she was as fit as she was in high school, but her arms were more muscular now. Ellie guessed that it was due to all her concerts.

  “Wow, did you take this?” Ellie asked.

  Dina answered, “No some fan posted it. Pretty good huh? I like how your hair falls on your face. It's tousled and untamed. It would've taken a professional photographer hours to get your hair to fall like that.”

  “I can't decide if I like myself better as a blonde,” Ellie said.

  “No, I like your natural brown hair. And it's a perfect length right now. Not too short and not too long.” Clara added. Dina raised her eyebrow at Clara. “What I meant was...”

  “It's okay Clara. It's good to have your input. This has to be my next album cover. Will you buy it from that person?” Ellie asked.

  “I already got Davie on it,” Dina said as she shook her head.

  “What?” Ellie asked.

  “It's just that you're crazy. You kill me. Running down there like that and jumping up on that table,” Dina said as she punched Ellie in the arm. “I liked the new song though.”

  “That's what I'm talking about. You're my favorite fan,” Ellie said.

  CHAPTER 2

  78 days later.

  Ellie sat on the leather couch in the lobby of Haps Records waiting for her ride. Dina and Davie sat on the ottomans opposite her. They were poking and scribbling on their tablets. Davie never seemed to wear the same outfit twice. A light grey v-neck t-shirt under a white sports jacket hung off his skinny body. Black, thick-rimmed glasses framed his face.

  “What are you wearing?” Ellie asked Davie.

  “Let's not pretend like I’m not the best dressed out of the three of us,” Davie said. “Someone today told me that I resembled Tobey Maguire.”

  “From Spiderman?” Ellie asked.

  “Yeah… sure, I can see that,” Dina said as she looked up from her phone and surveyed Davie. Davie smiled triumphantly. “A geeky, gay Tobey.” Ellie laughed, walked over to Davie and patted him on the back.

  “Why do I even bother to hang out with you two?” Davie asked.

  “I’m brilliant,” Dina said.

  “And I’m your boss,” Ellie answered.

  “Oh yeah, right,” Davie laughed. “I still think I look stunning.”

  “Hitting a weight room wouldn’t hurt,” Dina said as she squeezed Davie's bicep.

  “Dina stop! You’re horrible for his self-esteem,” Ellie laughed and winked at Davie.

  “Okay, to do a quick run-through: Tuesday is the radio gig, Wednesday we have the music video meeting, and the rest of the week we’ll be picking the band. You still want in on that, right?” Dina asked.

  “Huh, yeah, yeah,” Ellie answered. “Can you put all these in my calendar?”

  “Sure, but you said you didn't want me doing that anymore. You still experiencing the side-effects of that knock on your head? You said you wanted me to run through things with you,” Dina answered.

  “Enough talk of the head injury. Anyway, you're the best assistant I’ve ever had,” Ellie said. “I’m sure you can manage.”

  “I told you to be careful with walking out among your fans,” Dina said. “There was bound to be an incident where you got hurt.”

  “Hey, the fans just got out of hand,” Ellie said. “Sometimes there's something called a mob mentality. Nobody meant to hurt me.”

  “Yeah, that was one mean lump on your head,” Davie said. “What was it the doctors said, that it was worse than an NLF player?”

  “NFL player!” She corrected. “Davie, I swear I have to get you to watch more sports. Dina put that on my list ‘buy Davie sport package,’” Ellie laughed.

  “Don't waste your money,” Davie said.

  “You sure you’re ready to get back into the swing of things?” Dina asked. “After all, it's only been about two months since the incident, and you're still getting over you-know-who.”

  “I’m ready. I’m just having a hard time concentrating,” Ellie answered.

  “Wait, wait,” Davie said. “Last time she was like this was, let me think… yes, you were in love.”

  “Oh yeah,” Dina said. “I've known you for what, almost twenty years, and Davie has been your media agent for what, five years. You’re in love. Is that it?”

  “You guys think you know me so well. When is the last time I wasn't at the studio or home alone. I haven't been around anyone other than you goofs. I’m not in love. I’m preoccupied,” Ellie said.

  “Wait let me see,” Dina pretended to be typing something in her phone. “Yup, preoccupied is a synonym for in love.”

  “Look, my ride is here,” Ellie said. “See you guys later, and Dina please put all those dates in my calendar for me.”

  Ellie pushed open the glass door and walked out to the street. Car lights reflected off the street's puddles. Ellie ran to the car. A tall, slender man in his fifties jumped out, jogged around to the passenger's side, and opened the door.

  “Good evening Miss Way,” he greeted.

  “Hello, thank you. Thanks for picking me up on such short notice,” Ellie answered.

  “No problem, no problem,” he answered. They stopped at a flower shop and the driver kindly went in and picked a bouquet of flowers. Ellie still wasn’t comfortable being in public alone since the fan mob. She also did not want any publicity surrounding her buying flowers. When she reached her destination, she exited the car and gave the driver a sizable tip. She figured it was good karma for tonight's date. She usually tipped big anyway.

  As Ellie entered the apartment lobby she noticed its high ceiling with intricate gold design. The floor was white marble with subtle gray swirls. The elevator matched the building. It was antiquated but
stylish. Ellie had to push the button hard until it clicked, and then the doors opened with a ping.

  In the elevator Ellie shifted the flowers from hand to hand. The elevator doors held Ellie’s reflection. Ellie ran her free hand through her hair again. She moved her head from side to side so that her hair floated back and forth. She frowned and decided her appearance would have to do.

  Ping. The elevator opened. Ellie was in the elevator long enough for it to think she had come and gone, because the doors started to close. She reached out her hand and stopped the doors from closing and stepped out. Apartment 514 was two doors to her right. She walked a few doors down and knocked on the door. She heard the television. It sounded like cartoons.

  Ellie remembered Roxie had told her that Ria had a kid. She could not remember if it was a girl or a boy, nor his or her age. She did not even know what Ria looked like or her last name. She only knew that Roxie said she was beautiful, smart, fun, a lesbian and single. Roxie also told her that Ria was not the normal type of woman Ellie would date. That intrigued Ellie. Ellie was tired of the skinny, shallow and famous women that she had been dating. She wanted a mature woman and a long-term relationship.

  How long have I been standing here looking desperate with these flowers in my hand? She knocked harder. Ellie heard the door unlock, then it swung open and revealed a young girl. She was tall and skinny with long, straight, black hair. She was wearing sweatpants and a bright orange t-shirt two sizes too big for her.

  Oh great, she's going to recognize me as EJ. Here comes the screaming. The girl gawked at her.

  “Yes?” the girl asked. Ellie could not believe the girl did not recognize her.

  “Hi, I’m Ellie. Is your mom...” Ellie began to say.

  “My mother is still getting ready. Please come in. I am going to go back to watching television,” the little girl said. She said it in a robotic manner as if it was rehearsed.