by Lara Wynter
I see Autumn before she notices me. Finn has his arm protectively around her shoulders as if she were a rare jewel, which of course she is and it gladdens my heart to see them so happy. Finn whispers something to her and she looks up. I grin and see her face light up as well, and then we are both running. My bags are left abandoned as we come together. I ignore the pain in my arm and shoulder as Autumn hugs me tightly. It’s nice to have a friend who understands you so completely.
“Jemma! I can’t believe you’re finally here. It seems like forever.”
“I know. I still can’t believe you eloped, and I didn’t get to see you get married.”
“We just wanted to avoid the publicity. Maybe now that things are less crazy we can have a second wedding for all our friends.”
“That sounds like fun.” I take a step back. “You look beautiful. Married life obviously agrees with you.”
Autumn’s smile radiates. “It does. Especially when you have the most gorgeous, amazing, talented husband on the planet.”
“Oh my, I think I’m blushing,” Finn jokes as he joins us, hauling my bags.
In person, he is ridiculously attractive, that dark hair and those piercing blue eyes. “Hi, Finn, I’m glad you’re taking such good care of my girl.”
He pulls me in for a quick hug before releasing me. “We take care of each other.”
He somehow manages to look into my eyes without seeming to look at my scars. I can see how Autumn fell for him. Still, he’d have to be pretty special for her to put up with the paparazzi who follow them around everywhere. I know I couldn’t do it. Peaceful Shores may have helped me deal with my past trauma, with the physical scars and the trauma of the court case, but all I want now is a chance at a normal life.
“We’d better head out,” Finn says while glancing around quickly. “It won’t be long before someone spots us, especially the way you girls were shrieking before.”
“I do not shriek,” Autumn says.
Finn grabs her hand and tugs her forward still carrying my suitcase. “Of course not, babe.”
“You know better than to call me 'babe,' pretty boy.”
I grab my smaller bag and follow close behind as they continue to tease each other. Just as we head out the exit doors, a man comes running up from behind.
“Finn, Autumn! Give us a smile?” He lifts a large camera in front of them, stopping them from moving forward. I dip my head and make sure I’m hidden behind Finn’s body as the flash goes off.
“Not now, man,” Finn says abruptly.
“Just one photo, Mr. Holloway. You know they’ll only run stories about a break-up if you don’t smile.”
A huge man, dressed in a black suit, pushes his way in between Finn and the photographer. Finn doesn’t hesitate. He escorts Autumn and me to a sleek black Mercedes and ushers us into the back seat. Another man in black efficiently loads my bags into the trunk and before I can take in what’s happening, we’re pulling away from the irate photographer and into the busy mid-morning traffic.
Finn sits on the far side of the car, with Autumn seated between us. “Are you both alright?”
“I’m fine, honey. You know it really doesn’t even bother me much anymore.” Autumn squeezes my hand gently. “Are you alright Jem?”
“Um, I think so. It all happened so fast, it’s kind of hard to take in.”
“Stan and Leon are pretty good at eliminating any potential problems before they turn nasty,” Finn says. “They’ll be in charge of Sophie’s security while we’re away on tour so I thought it would be nice for you to meet them today.”
The man in the front passenger seat looks back at me and smiles. “Hey, Jemma, I’m Leon. You can call me Leon.” He grins, showing me a set of perfect white teeth that gleam against his dark skin.
“And I’m Stan,” the equally huge man driving the car adds helpfully but keeps his eyes on the road as he drives through the busy streets.
No one seems surprised by my scars, and I suspect that Autumn has talked to them all about me beforehand.
“Will you be staying at the house with us?” I ask Leon.
“I have an apartment over the garage if you feel comfortable with me there. Stan lives nearby with his family. He’ll come in the mornings to take Sophie to school and then drop her off again in the afternoon. But we’ll both escort you if you take Soph out on the weekends or evenings.”
“And what if I go out on my own while Sophie is in school?”
“Well, you can go out on your own then…unless you want some company?” He adds hopefully.
A laugh escapes me. “I think I’ll be fine on my own, but thanks for the offer.”
“Looks like you struck out again, lover-boy,” Stan says.
“Hey, just being friendly,” Leon says.
Leon’s not bad looking, but he must be at least 6’7” and very muscular. I can’t really see myself with someone so physically big. Not to mention all the attention we'd attract being so opposite in looks.
“You’ll love the house,” Autumn gushes, “it’s so beautiful, all timber floors and big windows, and the gardens are spectacular.”
“Do you like to garden?” Finn asks seriously.
“I do. I find it relaxing.”
Finn actually snorts. “Not another one.”
“Shh,” Autumn says placing a hand on his arm. “Don’t tease her.” She turns back to me. “Wes loves gardening too, but Finn doesn’t get why anyone would want to spend their time playing in the dirt and muck. Actually, I really don’t get it either.”
I find it hard to imagine the sexy keyboard player from Infusion Deep pulling weeds and planting things, but I guess looks can be deceiving. At least if all else fails we’ll have something in common we can talk about besides Sophie. “You should both try it sometime. It’s wonderfully rewarding to see something you’ve planted and cared for come to life and flourish.”
Finn nods. “I guess music feels a bit like that for me. I think I’ll just stick with that.”
“I’ve tried it,” Autumn admits. “It was okay I guess, but there are other things I prefer more.”
Finn whispers something in her ear and she giggles. She’s so different from the scared insecure girl I met at the counseling center. I really hope they can keep their relationship strong despite all the pressures of their world. From what I can see they have a good chance of making it.
The houses are getting bigger and further apart as we enter a more prestigious part of the city. I’ve never lived anywhere like this before. My mouth drops open as we pull into an immaculate driveway and the large black gates open up to let us in. Autumn wasn’t joking about the house being fantastic. It’s surrounded by trees and flowerbeds and gorgeous windows overlook the drive. Stan opens my door, and I step out, spinning slowly to take it all in.
“They’re here!” A girlish voice shouts loudly. Sophie comes toward me at a run. She’s almost my height but still hasn’t filled out much. Her brown hair hangs loosely around her shoulders. She surprises me by hugging me tightly. I wince as the pain from my burn scars flares but she quickly releases me.
“Autumn’s told me so much about you. If I can’t go on tour, I’m glad she found me someone fun to hang out with.”
“Thanks, Sophie. I’m looking forward to it too.”
“Wow, you’re really beautiful. I can’t believe someone would hurt you like that.”
I breathe in sharply. Autumn told me she was direct, but I’ve never had anyone speak so forthrightly to me before. It’s refreshing in a way, knowing exactly what she thinks.
“Well, he didn’t get away with it, he went to prison for what he did to me.”
“For his whole life I hope?”
“Unfortunately not, but I’ve forgiven him for what he did.”
“Really! Wow, I don’t think I could ever forgive someone for that.”
“Carrying the hate inside only hurts yourself in the end, Sophie.”
“Does it still hurt?” Sophie rea
ches her hand toward my face.
“Sophie Rose Bowman, you behave yourself,” a man’s voice shouts from across the drive.
Sophie takes a step back and her skin flushes. “I get a bit carried away sometimes.”
“Don’t worry, I like honesty…” My voice trails off as I look up at the man who has just walked over to us. Wes. The sun shines down on his chestnut brown hair, highlighting the natural strands of red and gold. But it’s his eyes. Brown with flecks of gold within. They are the eyes of a much older man. And I’m lost in their haunting depth. I can’t say anything and I can’t look away. How does a man who can’t be older than his early twenties get eyes like that?
“Hi, I’m Wes.”
I look down at his outstretched hand and it’s as if I’ve forgotten what I’m supposed to do. He lets his hand fall back to his side, the hurt at my rudeness reflected in his eyes.
“Come on,” Sophie says, breaking me out of my trance. “I’ll show you your room.”
I look back at Wes as Sophie tugs me by the hand toward the house. He turns toward Autumn and Finn who are still standing on the driveway near the car, deep in conversation.
Chapter 3
Wes
Thoughts and emotions flit through my mind. None of them what I should be feeling toward someone I’ve just employed to take care of my baby sister. Autumn had told me she was beautiful of course, and believe me, I’ve seen my share of beautiful women. Fame attracts all sorts of people, among them many stunning women. But I’ve never seen anyone who could actually make me go weak in the knees. I thought that was just an expression, not an actual thing. Why wouldn’t she shake my hand? Did she think I was staring at her scars? Because honestly, I hardly even noticed them. If anything, they only enhance the perfection of the rest of her face. Of course, I would never base a relationship solely on looks. If I ever get married and commit my life to someone, I want to know it’s based on a deeper connection than that. For all I know, Jemma isn’t the sort of person worth getting to know. Perhaps she’s shallow and vapid. Who am I kidding? From what Autumn’s told me she is smart, kind, funny and loving. Probably much too intelligent for a guy who barely made it through high school.
Autumn places a hand on my arm, and for once it doesn’t stir any feelings within me. “So what do you think, Wes? She’s amazing, isn’t she?”
“Yes, she is. But I think I may have upset her already. She didn’t shake my hand. I think she thought I was staring at her scars…but it wasn’t that. I just wasn’t prepared for how stunning she is…”
“You like her, hey?” Finn grins.
“She’s my employee, Finn.”
“Yes, well, Autumn was mine too if you remember, and look how perfectly that worked out for me.”
“Finn, stop,” Autumn says gently. “Jemma isn’t looking for a relationship right now. She isn’t ready to move on after what happened. And I know she would never consider a life in the spotlight. Can you imagine what the paparazzi would say about her and what happened? They’d drag it all up again. Her life would be a living hell.”
“Sorry, love, I remember what it was like for you.”
“Shh, that’s not what I meant. That was different. What we had was meant to be and I wouldn’t change a thing.”
“Really?” Finn says. “Even my deranged brother kidnapping you?”
“Well, I won’t say I wasn’t terrified at the time, but I knew you’d come, and I haven’t had any episodes since it happened. In a way you could say Jason helped cure me. I know I can face the worst that life throws at me and I won’t break.”
“You are amazing, my love.”
Finn and Autumn draw closer, and I know they have completely forgotten that I’m standing there. Not wanting to intrude, I walk back to the house. Stan and Leon head up to the garage apartment. The place they often hang out when they aren’t required to attend to anything in particular but need to be on call just in case. The house is quiet. The girls must still be upstairs. Unsure whether to head up and find them or leave them to get to know each other, I drift aimlessly through the living area. Eventually, I find myself wandering downstairs to the piano.
The Steinway baby grand was one of the first things I bought after the house. I lift the lid and gently run my fingers across the keys. I begin to pick out a new melody, not really concentrating, just feeling the music. I’ve never written something so easily before but it’s as if somehow I’ve always known this song. My eyes close as I play through the bridge and back to the chorus. In my mind, I see bright blue eyes and golden hair. I push the image away as I continue to play. As always, I will do what’s right. I will treat Jemma Jones as an employee and nothing more. Because that’s who I am, that’s what I do.
Jemma
My bags are unpacked. It didn’t take long really. I don’t have that many personal possessions. What I did have he destroyed, and I don’t have the money to replace them. It doesn’t matter. I have what’s important, my faith, my friends, and my family. I refuse to spend any more time thinking about my ex-boyfriend. His name will never cross my lips again.
Sophie was giving me a tour of the house until her friend Anna called. I left them to chat about what boy did what at school yesterday. I remember being thirteen and how exciting it all seemed. If only that rosy glow of childhood reflected real life. I guess for the lucky ones it does. But for some, reality casts a dim shadow. I stop myself, stop my thoughts from drifting down that path. I know better than that.
The house is beautiful. Not only that, but it has a lovely homey feel as well. The thought of living here for the next few months is very appealing. If I save enough, I should be able to get my own small apartment when I leave. Already, I know I’m going to miss the beautiful acres of garden that can be seen out all of the many windows. I ache to put my hands into the soil and help it flourish. If Wes doesn’t have a gardener when he’s at home, he’s done an incredible job.
Eventually, I wander downstairs to the only part of the house I haven’t seen yet—the music room. Stopping at the bottom of the stairs, I take a deep breath. The most beautiful music is coming from within the large room. Wes is turned mostly away from me, I can see his hands on the keys, but not his face. Of course, I’m familiar with the band’s music – you’d have to be deaf to have missed hearing Infusion Deep on the radio. But this is different, more haunting and achingly beautiful. It’s full of longing, and I find myself moving closer. I’m not really a rock fan, but this, this I could listen to all day. Is this the sort of music that Wes prefers? I wonder who wrote it. I’d love to get a copy to listen to.
Wes has his eyes closed, and it gives me a chance to really look at him. He kind of looks like the boy next door on steroids. Just that bit more… his face is more angular, his brows just that bit more arched, his lips just that bit fuller and his eyes, of course, those eyes that take things to an entirely new level. His arms are strong and muscular without being bulky. He’s wearing just a simple white T-shirt and blue jeans. If only he was the boy next door. If only the world didn’t want a piece of him. If only… A sigh escapes me.
Somehow he hears me, and his eyes flick open. I take a step back, my foot hits the cymbal stand. I tumble backwards my arms flailing as I go down amid a crash of cymbals. As the din subsides, I stare stunned at the ceiling, until Wes’s face fills my vision. He looks concerned, not angry, just concerned. It’s the anger I’m expecting so it takes me by surprise.
“Are you hurt?” Wes gently brushes a stray curl from my cheek and my skin flames at his gentle touch.
His reaction is so different to that of my ex boyfriend, for I moment I don’t respond. “Uh…I’m so sorry. I hope I haven’t b-b-broken anything.”
“Oh, don’t worry about that. Zane never packs anything away properly. Here, let me help you up. Can I touch your back?” Concern fills his eyes. “Will it hurt?”
I guess Autumn has filled him on what happened to me. I won’t have to explain how my ex threw boiling oil over me in
a fit of rage. It’s a relief in a way. I hate having to talk about it all the time. I sit up as he gently supports me. “No, it’s fine, my back I mean. It’s just my left arm, and my shoulder, where the skin is still tender.”
Wes squats down so he’s facing me. “Is it okay…to talk about it…I mean, I don’t want to upset you. Especially after, you know, before, when we were outside.”
“Oh no, it’s a relief actually. I’d much rather get it out in the open instead of pretending there’s nothing wrong. Just having everyone stare at me and then look away is the worst.”
Wes’s eyes darken. “That wasn’t what I was looking at. Before, I mean. I just haven’t seen anyone so…um…so beautiful before.”
I laugh self-consciously. He seems so sincere, it’s hard to fathom that he’s lying. But he must be. Just trying to make me feel better, I guess. “Can you help me up?” I ask to mask my discomfort.
Wes stands, takes both hands and gently pulls me to my feet. I can’t help noticing he puts most of the pressure on my good arm. How is it this man is still single? Maybe he’s not interested in just one woman, privileges of being a rock star, I suppose.
“That song was beautiful. What was it? I’d love to get a copy.”
“Oh, it’s nothing. Just something I was making up to amuse myself.”
“Oh my gosh, you wrote that! Wow, I’m impressed. What else have you written?”
Wes glances out the window, looking embarrassed by my praise. “Finn writes most of the music. I usually just add a few ideas, play around with it a bit.”
“Well, if you can write like that you should record it. I know I’d buy a copy.”