“Oh no, you’re not,” Jake answered playfully.
He reached down suddenly and encircled both of her legs with his arms. He then lifted her straight up and flung her over his shoulder.
“Put me down!” she squealed, hitting his back with her small fist.
She took note of the direction he was headed in and began struggling even harder.
“Don’t even think about it!” she yelled at him when he halted at the edge of the pool. Behind him, Danny and Aidan were urging Jake to fling her into the pool. Several of the men already in the pool added further encouragement as they hooted and howled. Much to her dismay, Jake heeded the inspirational chanting of his peers. She felt him release, and several seconds later her body hit the cool water. She immediately rose to the surface, wiping the water from her eyes. Before she could utter a single word, Jake followed suit and jumped into the pool. She gasped as the water sprayed onto her face, causing her to wipe the water from her eyes again. She then felt Jake’s hand on the small of her back as he pulled her forward. Before long, his face was dangerously close to hers. He was momentarily lost in her eyes, and he couldn't help feeling enticed by the wetness of her lips. He bent down, intent on tasting the sweetness of her mouth. But before his lips could meet hers, a huge splash sounded out and startled both of them. Carly moved away from Jake to find refuge at the edge of the pool and turned to find that Aiden had been the culprit. Soon, more people followed suit. Carly just shook her head at the wild, reckless scene unfolding in the pool. She turned to find Jake and spotted him standing outside of the pool. His arms were around the lovely, long-legged redhead with the startling emerald eyes she had noticed earlier. The tall beauty was putting up a feigned struggle before he threw her into the water. He then jumped in after her and lifted her into his arms, playfully threatening to toss her into the water again. All the while she was giggling delightedly, and her eyes seemed to sparkle like two gemstones as he awarded her his full attention. Carly’s throat constricted with newly sprung anger, and she lifted herself out of the pool. She turned once to see if he had even noticed her getting out. Jake's attention remained fixed on the lovely, green-eyed creature. With a feeling of indignation causing her blood to boil, Carly stormed into the house and up to her bedroom. She tore off her wet clothes and slipped into a robe. Heavily engrossed in thoughts of throttling Jake, she barely noticed the knock on the door. She paused, searching for the perfect words to throw at him to perfectly convey her anger and disappointment. She finally got up and barely opened the door, peering through the crack.
“Why did you leave the party?” the male voice inquired.
Carly’s heart immediately sank when she realized it wasn’t Jake after all. She did her best to sound cheerful as she replied.
“I’m just tired. I’m going to bed. Good night, Danny.”
With that, she shut the door. Peering at the half moon through the window, she pondered the disturbing events of the night. She had never felt so completely isolated and out of place. She could not ever recall a moment when Jake had made her feel so insignificant. She finally decided that it had been the chaotic atmosphere of the party tonight that had prompted her best friend’s insensitive behavior. She reassured herself that tomorrow things would be better and that Jake would be a lot more attentive.
Chapter Twenty-One
Carly awoke the next morning with a lingering yawn and rolled over to her side. She nearly scrambled off the bed when she saw Jake seated at the edge, a sly grin marking his sunny face. She grabbed a pillow and threw it straight at his head. He easily caught it with his outstretched hands.
“Don’t scare me like that,” she growled, still feeling the sting from last night, albeit less intensely.
“I was wondering when you’d wake up,” he said. “I made us lunch.”
“Lunch!” she said. She glanced at the bedside clock and almost shrieked with dismay.
“I slept ‘til noon?”
Jake answered with a nod.
“How could you let me sleep that long?” she asked, the annoyance all too evident in her voice.
“You just looked like such an angel, sleeping so peacefully,” he answered, that same sunny grin still on his face.
She groaned with utter frustration and then froze as she eyed him with a wary expression.
“How long have you been watching me sleep?”
He threw her an ominous glare and feigned a voice resembling that of Dracula.
“I’ve been watching you all morning, my darling.”
She threw another pillow at him, and this time it hit him squarely in the face. Jumping out of bed, she plucked a pair of jeans and a t-shirt out of her suitcase. Before she could move to the bathroom to change, Jake snatched the pants out of her hand.
He said, “Before you do all that, I want you to try the lunch I made. It took me a long time to get it just right.”
“So, you’ve been slaving over the stove all morning. I’m actually quite impressed,” she said as she followed him downstairs and into the kitchen.
“By the way,” she added with a sardonic tone, “it looks better in here when there aren’t a bunch of crazy people all over the place.”
The heavy dose of sarcasm in Carly’s tone didn’t escape Jake. He laughed at her while he stepped behind her and planted his hands on her waist. He steered her toward the kitchen table and she looked down at the plates set on the table. She said dryly, “Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.”
“Yeah, I’m obviously not much of a cook,” he chuckled.
She laughed and then plopped down on the chair.
“Hey, I don’t make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for just anyone,” he said playfully.
She eyed him dubiously before taking a bite of her sandwich.
“So, I’ve been meaning to ask you. What happened to you last night?” he asked. “I mean, one minute you’re in the pool having a good time, and the next you’re gone.”
“Having a good time,” Carly replied with a heavy dose of sarcasm. “You actually thought I was having a good time?”
Jake took note of her tone and straightened up in his chair. His expression became earnest.
“Were you mad at me?” he finally asked.
She could see the concern in his eyes as he asked the question. She sighed and decided that what had happened last night couldn't be changed and, therefore, was not worth bringing up. Besides, she didn’t want to spend her time in L.A. arguing with Jake or holding grudges. She changed the subject.
“So what’s on the agenda for today?” she inquired.
“I’m glad you asked,” he said, going along with the departure of topic. “You’re accompanying us to the concert at Venice Beach.”
“Great,” Carly responded. Jake could tell she was feigning enthusiasm. "I love spending my time hiding away backstage being jostled around like a useless rag doll, always in everyone’s way.”
Jake frowned at her.
“Sorry,” she said, changing her tone to sound a bit more agreeable. “I will gladly go and offer you my support. I guess I’m just a little moody this morning.”
“Yeah, I can tell. You should be nice to me. Especially after I went out of my way to make you this gourmet lunch.”
“A gourmet lunch, huh? That’s definitely an exaggeration, Harmon.”
“I love it when you smile,” he said.
She couldn't help admiring the dimples on his face as he grinned widely.
“You ready to go see the beach?"
Her face brightened like the morning sunshine at this revelation. How could she have forgotten about that? Did Jake have that much of an effect on her that she could so easily forget about something she'd been looking forward to ever since leaving Clanton?
“Of course I am,” she exclaimed.
Her mind raced as she imagined walking along the Pacific's coast and beholding the infinite stretch of blue water continuing on into the distant horizon. She wondered what it would feel like
digging her feet into the warm, velvet sand and watching the majestic ocean waves end their tumultuous journey in the form of a benign tide on the sandy beach.
“So, when do we go?” she asked zealously.
He chuckled and replied, “Not soon enough, obviously.”
She quickly finished her sandwich. The sooner she could shower and get dressed, the sooner they could be on their way. Hours later, StoneLief’s limousine carefully made its way through a crowd of screaming fans. The limousine halted behind the expansive stage that had been set up to face the crowded beach. Men dressed in black crew t-shirts were busy running around and testing equipment onstage. Camera crews for several of L.A.’s top news channels cluttered a large pavilion that jutted out over the beach and provided a perfect view of the front of the stage. A barrier made up of orange barrels and yellow tape, as well as several uniformed officers positioned behind the barrels, served to keep the screaming fans at bay while StoneLief exited the limousine. They climbed out and stood in plain sight of fans and paparazzi. Several flickers of phosphorescent light flashed all around them as photographers eagerly snatched valuable snapshots of each of the band’s members. Jake heard his name being called from every direction. A man Carly surmised to be in his early 40s wearing a black pair of designer sunglasses and a blue, silk button down shirt with black slacks, slipped through the back door of the stage and hurried toward them.
As he approached, he exclaimed, “Guys! You finally made it! Let’s get you backstage!”
Jake turned to her and explained that this was John Burleson of Infinity Entertainment, and that John was their agent and manager. She thought the man would introduce himself to her but, instead, he completely ignored her. She followed the band and Mr. Burleson to the backstage area and nearly gasped with incredulity at the chaos she bore witness to. Her incredulity burgeoned as she noted all of the famous faces of alternative rock, pop, and hip hop.
“That’s…”
Jake nodded, laughing. He then said, “I’ll introduce you to some of the other bands later. Right now, it’s gonna be a bit hectic.”
“A bit hectic” was an understatement. Backstage could have best been described as an absolute chaotic circus of people running around as if preparing for the apocalypse. Everybody seemed to be talking in clamored and hurried voices that bespoke of panic and stress. Jake and the others were immediately sucked into the frenzied, convoluted environment. Before long, Carly had lost them. She looked around, feeling immensely out of place and unwanted. It felt as if she was completely invisible, and it didn’t help that concert staff consistently bumped into her without apology, shoving her from side to side as if she were but a piece of discarded trash on the ground. She caught a brief glimpse of Jake and called out to him. He, however, seemed not to hear her. And he appeared to be in heavy conversation with a member of the stage crew. Mr. Burleson, though, had heard her clearly enough. He approached her, wearing a fictitious smile that mutated into a sneer as he got closer.
“Dear, you really don’t belong back here,” he told her. “Why don’t you wait outside with the rest of the fans or go enjoy yourself on the beach or something. Jake’s going to be a bit busy, and you’ll just be in the way.”
She couldn’t have felt more insulted. She ultimately decided she would rather be at the beach than be stuck in the midst of this chaotic environment anyway.
She made her way around to the front of the stage and slipped past the barricades. She immediately took notice of the beach and felt a thrill of excitement as she beheld the picturesque portrait in front of her. As soon as she found herself on the grainy blanket of warm sand, she removed her shoes and dug her feet into the softness of it. She bent down and scooped a large heap of the sand into her hands and allowed it to slowly sift between her fingers.
“So soft and warm,” she whispered to herself.
She looked around and noticed that the beach was swarming with young people, all waiting for the concert to begin. She seated herself on the sand and stared out at the majestic scene created by Mother Nature and, even amidst the noise of the crowds, she could hear the foreign sounds of the ocean. She closed her eyes and drifted into a state of serenity. This pure bliss lasted no more than ten minutes, at which time she heard the echoing sounds of a voice projecting out onto the beach. A second voice followed suit, sounding strangely familiar. She abandoned her seat on the sand and peered at the stage. She saw a young man in colorful Bermuda shorts and a pretty woman in a white mini skirt and pink tube top utilizing their microphones to welcome the crowd. Carly immediately recognized the young man. He was a well-known MTV “Vijay.” She also recognized the woman. She had seen her many times on MTV interviewing famous musicians and actors. Her voice was filled with its usual dramatic excitability, and it seemed to be having the intended effect, for hordes of fans flocked to the stage. Carly was soon left to enjoy the beach in near isolation. She didn’t mind. In fact, she rather enjoyed being on the beach by herself. She sat back down on the sand and drew in her breath to experience the crisp air. She relished the sight of the clear, foam-tipped water lapping rhythmically and gently onto the beach. She looked out into the distance and wondered how far the endless blue stretched and what mysteries lay hidden beneath its vast surface. Behind her, the music started and interrupted her peaceful musings. She sighed and lay flat on her back, deciding she would remain like this until it was Jake’s turn to perform. Right now she was enjoying the seclusion and taking advantage of what she definitely would not have the chance to experience back in Ohio. It wasn’t long, however, before her eyes popped open to the sound of StoneLief’s name being announced on the microphone. She heard the surging cheer of the crowd, then the introductory notes of a popular song from The Road to L.A. album. She hesitantly lifted herself off the sand and trudged up the embankment toward the stage, all the while feeling remorse at having to leave the beach so soon. She grudgingly fought her way through the crowd of spectators packed together like sardines and finally found a satisfactory spot to stand to watch the performance. The rock music blared loudly and melodically, and she saw Jake standing at the fore. He sang the popular lyrics into the microphone while skillfully playing the notes on his guitar. At the end of the song, the crowd cheered wildly. StoneLief played two more songs from its album, then disappeared backstage. She attempted to make her way backstage as well, but was halted by one of the uniformed guards. He looked at her sternly, shaking his head.
“No one is allowed back here,” he declared firmly.
“But my friend is back there,” she said, pleading with him.
He remained relentless and continued to shake his head.
“You know how many people tell me they have a friend waiting for them backstage?”
Carly sighed frustratingly, then retorted sarcastically, “No, how many?”
He narrowed his eyes at her in response, to which she placed her hands firmly on her hips and reciprocated the displeased expression.
She had finally given up and decided to avail herself of more beach-time when she heard a familiar voice calling her name. She saw Jake approaching with an entourage of people following close behind him.
“What are you doing over there?” he asked. “Come over here.”
The security guard’s face turned red and he looked at her apologetically. She glared at him with an I-told-you-so expression that bore into him. He stepped aside to allow her entry, and Jake immediately grabbed her hand to lead her to the awaiting limousine. She gritted her teeth as her eyes fell upon several members of StoneLief’s entourage, most of whom were dressed in tight little miniskirts and a wide assortment of colorful bikini tops. Aidan and Mac each had their arms around two scantily clad beauties. She noticed that one of the girls standing next to Mac was eyeing Jake as if he was some sort of rare treasure. The raw desire in the blonde bombshell’s eyes bespoke freely of her strong interest in the lead guitarist. A group of photographers snapped pictures of the group, the bright flashes almost blinding
her. Mr. Burleson finally held up his hand and announced that StoneLief was ready to go. Before she knew it, she was being ushered into the car. She opted to sit next to Jake, but the blonde bombshell had the same idea and stole Carly’s spot. The blonde glared at Carly, a supercilious grin marking her pretty face. Carly quickly looked away, not wanting to reveal to the malevolent blonde her perturbation. Much to Carly’s delight, though, Jake seemed totally oblivious to the girl’s ensuing attention, and he remained heavily engrossed in conversation with Mac and Danny.
Thirty minutes later, the limousine came to a halt and the driver opened the door. Carly was the last person to climb out. And before she had a chance to take in her alien surroundings, a sense of chaos shook her to the core. Loud screams and shouts emanated from a frenzied crowd held at bay by large bouncers and blue velvet ropes on either side of the nightclub's entrance. From what she could recall from gossip pages in entertainment magazines and online celebrity websites, the “Blue Tiger” nightclub was extremely exclusive and catered to a lot of celebrities. She could barely believe she was standing there now, looking up at the blue neon tiger affixed above the entrance. She could hear voices shouting the names of StoneLief’s band members, and she could hear other voices begging the bouncers for entrance into the club. Several quick flashes of bright light flickered from behind either side of the velvet ropes, and she guessed that star-struck fans were taking advantage of StoneLief’s in-person appearance by memorializing it on film. Everything felt so surreal to her, and she barely remembered being pulled inside the dark interior of the nightclub, let alone by whom. Her eyes beheld the swarm of beautiful people hovering around the bar and occupying the dark blue leather booths set inside deeply carved niches within the darkly-painted, looming walls. A glittering, dark blue sphere swirling high above the dance floor cast an obscure, trance-like glow on the dancers as they swayed to the infectious dance tunes resonating from the DJ booth. Two male members of StoneLief’s entourage pulled her along until they reached an area of the nightclub that had been partitioned off with a dark blue velvet rope. A burly bouncer removed the rope, allowing the large group to enter their private, secluded quarters. Five beautiful women were already inside the VIP section, and they hurried over to greet the members of the band. Carly rolled her eyes when she saw the bouncer granting three more highly attractive women access to the private party. Looking for Jake, she spotted him at the bar and moved to join him. But she halted brusquely when she saw one of the beautiful girls separate from her friends at the pool table to join the lead guitarist at the bar. Carly swallowed hard and decided to find Danny instead, figuring his raw sense of humor would carry her through the night. Much to her dismay, though, she found Danny sprawled on the leather sofa with a busty blonde who looked like she had just stepped off the cover of Playboy. The woman was on Danny’s lap and was ardently kissing his neck. Carly averted her gaze in Jake's direction and found that two more girls had joined him. Encircled by three unbelievably beautiful admirers, Carly suddenly felt invisible and decided to go off on her own. No one noticed as she slipped past the social clusters that had formed all around her. Several of the nightclub patrons eyed her as she emerged from the VIP section, and they continued their prying stares as she strode along the crowded path around the dance floor, taking in the vivacious sights all around her. A cloud of light mist shrouded the dancers’ feet, and the strobe lights flashed sporadically to create a surrealistic illusion on the dance floor. She finally tired of strolling and sat at an empty table. Curiosity beckoned her to turn around to see where Jake was, and she immediately regretted doing so. He was still at the bar, and his hands were encircling the waist of one of the three women. Carly noticed how intimately close he was to her as he whispered into her ear. She giggled vivaciously in response to whatever those words had been. A bothered sigh escaped her downturned lips.
The Road to L.A. Page 19