“Oh.” She tilted her head back slightly. “Roxanne is.” She dropped it at that, but he got the feeling there was more on her mind.
Maybe she was worried about her friend. Frank did have quite the reputation as a ladies’ man. At least Rich could ease her mind in that department. “You know…” he took on a serious tone, “my friend is quite taken with your sister.”
“Look,” she said, “you don’t have to sell me on Frank Garrett. What Rocky does is strictly her business.”
“I’m serious. She’s all he’s talked about ever since the night they met.” Rich thought the whole thing was a bit corny.
“Would you do me one favor?” She took on a look of genuine sincerity. “Rocky…she’s very naïve…and vulnerable,” she said as if it were a secret. “Would you explain that to Frank?”
“I don’t understand,” Rich said, baffled.
Candy hesitated and seemed to be searching for the right words. Finally, she shook her head and looked at Rich. “She doesn’t understand about guys just wanting to get laid.”
“Not that I know all the details, or anything,” Rich said carefully. “But I don’t think sex is Frank’s main objective.”
Frank stood behind Roxanne while she unlocked the front door. “I had a nice time tonight,” she said, entering the condo.
“So did I.” He followed her inside. “But I’d like to take you on a real date when I have a night off.” He’d used that line before, but this time he really meant it.
“I’d like that.” She stepped down into the living room and claimed a seat on the end of the couch. “But I did enjoy watching you guys play tonight. You’re pretty good.”
“Yeah.” Frank’s sharp laughter pealed out before he could stop it. “As far as playing other people’s music goes,” he added, criticizing himself for his inability to write a song.
“Well…I have a feeling you’ll do okay.” She had such certainty in her voice that he could almost believe it. “Someday, I’ll probably be standing in a long line,” she supposed, “trying to get tickets to your show.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” he said decisively. “You will be right there by my side.”
Garrett-Hollander was among the best—as far as bar bands go. Rich could play the guitar like nobody’s business. The problem was that no one could come up with any original lyrics. And everybody knew that without original music G-H wouldn’t get anywhere in the rock-n-roll world.
Frank wouldn’t let himself forget that. Music was his life. He knew he’d never be any good at anything else. And now, Roxanne had come into the picture. She wasn’t like the others. Her mere presence made him feel like he could do anything. He felt a certain sense of pride, looking out over the audience and seeing her sitting there watching him play.
Somehow, he knew she was the one thing in this world that could motivate him. He wasn’t sure how, but he knew… somehow…some way…and some day…she would be the root of his success.
During the next few weeks, Frank and Rich spent every spare moment they had with Roxanne and Candy. Right away, Frank began his transformation of Roxanne. He changed the way she dressed, draping her in elegance and a subtle hint of sexiness. He taught her to show off her beautiful head of hair, and to carry herself with confidence.
His efforts paid off. Roxanne had turned into an extraordinary beauty. One worthy to be on the arm of Frank Garrett—the rock star.
***
Chapter 4
Glen and Glenna owned a place out in the country that was excellent for parties and rehearsals since there were no neighbors around for miles. Every summer they threw a Fourth of July bash, and this year they’d invited Roxanne and Candy to their unfettered celebration that always included the rest of the band.
The drive out to Thonotosassa had been quiet for Roxanne and Candy. The silence spoke volumes. But Roxanne wasn’t going to encourage Candy because it seemed that all she wanted to talk about these days was Frank Garrett and what he did and didn’t know.
Candy cleared her throat.
Uh oh, here it comes.
Roxanne fiddled with the stereo buttons, turning up the volume.
Unfortunately, the radio didn’t drown out Candy’s question. “Have you told Frank about Chuck?”
“No.”
“Don’t you think you should?”
“No.”
“I think he’ll understand.” Candy sounded sure of herself. “Besides, you’ve got to tell him sooner or later.”
Later was better than sooner, as far as Roxanne could see. She’d barely accepted the fact that she’d fallen head over heels for Frank the first time she laid eyes on him. She needed time to let it sink in, then figure out what she was going to do about it. Her biggest fear now was the thought of losing Frank. Maybe that’s why she didn’t want to tell him about Chuck.
The best defense with Candy was diversion. Roxanne decided to turn Candy’s examination around on her. “What about Rich?”
“Hey, Rocky…” Candy objected quickly. “How ‘bout you handle the settled down scene,” she said. “And I’ll cover swinging singles.”
At Glen and Glenna’s house, Frank had been hanging around out front, waiting for Roxanne to arrive and it seemed like it was taking forever. The thought had crossed his mind, more than once, that maybe he should’ve gone and gotten her himself. When he’d just about convinced himself to get in his car and go find her, he saw the dust clouds billowing up the lengthy gravel driveway. Finally, the green van appeared amid the haze.
Roxanne parked behind Frank’s car and got out of the van. He greeted her with a passionate kiss. She returned it, hungrily. He hadn’t tried to sleep with her, fearful of chasing her off, but he was convinced she wanted to give herself to him. He just couldn’t figure out what was stopping her. Was she really waiting for him to make the first move? He’d been going back and forth on that idea for a while.
“Later on,” she said, lacing her fingers with his. “Will you come back to my place with me?” She looked at him and for a second, he thought he saw a hint of fear shade her eyes darker. “There’s something I need to talk to you about.”
“Something wrong?” He wasn’t happy about the nerves cracking his voice, but what could he do?
“No.” She shook her head and gave him an everything’s okay sort of smile. “There’s nothing wrong.”
Rich came out of the house and headed straight for Candy. He pressed his lips against hers and she fought with the feelings overcoming her from his sweet, tender touch.
She knew Rich thought he was falling for her. And even though her body argued, she had to discourage it.
“Let’s go for a walk.” He tugged at her hand.
“All right,” she agreed reluctantly.
He led her away, holding onto her hand a little too tightly, like he was hanging on for dear life. “You know you’re very special to me?” he said, his words wrapped in apprehension.
“So are you.” She hoped he understood there were stipulations.
“What I’m trying to say is…” He stopped talking long enough to clear his throat. “You know I really like being with you.”
“The feelings are mutual.” She knew what was coming next, and she had to stop it. “So don’t blow it by saying something you can’t follow through on.”
“I thought we were on the same page?”
“So did I,” she said, even though she knew they weren’t.
“Why do you think it’s so terrible for me to want to tell you that I love you?” The pain that notion could bring spoke out in his tone. Rich’s anger overcame any fear of rejection that he might have been experiencing.
“Listen—” Somehow, she managed to remain calm. “—I know you think you love me. But someday you’ll be out on the road and you’ll find out differently.”
Candy’s good senses wouldn’t let her venture onto that particular page. Not with Rich, or any other musician for that matter. If that’s what Roxanne wanted to do
, then more power to her. But it wasn’t what Candy was going to do. She wanted no part of it. She wasn’t about to get all wrapped up in Rich, just to find out she hadn’t been anything more than a passing fancy. She was certain he’d realize, sooner or later, that she wasn’t all he wanted or needed. But she didn’t want to lose his friendship over this.
“If you insist on telling me that you love me…that’s fine,” she said with a one-sided shrug and a bit of a head shake. “But our relationship remains as is. No strings.”
Around four o’clock Frank and Roxanne left to go back to her place, with a promise that they’d meet everyone out by the bay around eight o’clock for the fireworks show.
Once at her place, they lounged on the loveseat tucked midway up the stairs. Something was weighing on Frank’s mind, and Roxanne wanted to know what it was. “What’s wrong?” she asked, winding a lock of his wavy hair around her finger.
“I’ve tried so hard to come up with some lyrics.” He searched her face as if it would bring him comfort. “Hell, I’ve tried to write you a song. But I can’t come up with any words to express how I feel about you.” His tone was dark and denouncing. “The only thing I can ever come up with is…I love you.”
She wasn’t expecting that. “Really?”
“Yes. I love you, girl!”
Roxanne draped her arms around Frank. “Want to know something?” She teased him with sweet, sensuous kisses.
“There’s only one thing I want to know right now.”
“I love you, too.”
A wave of relief rushed over Frank. She loved him. That was all that mattered. Nothing could stop him now. Except maybe his inability to write a simple little song.
“But wait…” She pulled away. “We’ve got to talk. There’s something I have to tell you.”
The seriousness of her tone evoked the return of Frank’s fear. “What’s up?” he asked, but wasn’t sure he wanted to hear the answer.
She hesitated for the longest time. He could almost see the wheels turning inside her head. It doused him with an uneasy feeling.
“Candy isn’t my sister.”
That’s it? His fear vanished. “That’s not such a big deal.”
“She’s my sister-in-law.”
Now Candy’s actions toward Rich were starting to make sense. “She’s married to your brother?”
“I don’t have a brother.”
If Roxanne didn’t have a brother, that could only mean one thing. Frank’s fear reappeared. “You’re married,” he said conclusively. “Jesus, Roxanne. You just told me you love me.”
“And I do.”
“But you’re married.” He glared at her, hoping she felt some of the contempt that had overwhelmed him. “You sure pulled one over on me.”
“Wait just a minute.” She backed away from him. Fire lit her eyes as she started shaking her head. “Don’t you go passing judgment on me.”
Well, here it comes. Frank knew this game all too well. Now she’s going to try to come up with excuses. But he didn’t care about her excuses. Nothing she could say would excuse this.
“If you’re going to condemn me, the least you can do is hear me out.”
Frank ignored her plea. He didn’t want to hear it, but he couldn’t walk away either. The only thing he could do was sit there. The thought, maybe I could get her to leave him, crossed his mind briefly.
“Chuck was Candy’s brother,” she said. “I grew up knowing both of them my whole life. Next to Candy, Chuck was the best friend I’ve ever had.”
Frank didn’t say anything and he didn’t look at her.
“When he asked me to marry him, it just seemed like the natural thing to do.” Roxanne began to wonder if the natural thing to do had been the right thing to do. “So we got married a few months before I graduated from high school.”
It didn’t matter if it had been the right choice or not. That song had played. And yet, Roxanne couldn’t help wondering if Chuck had felt like he’d been dancing alone.
“Where is this guy now?” Frank jumped back into the conversation.
“Umm…he’s dead.” Those words were still hard to say out loud. She stopped long enough to collect her emotions. “We were married only a few months—” Tears dampened her eyes and blurred her vision. “—when he died on a motorcycle.” Finally, her tears fell.
Frank’s fear disappeared. Suddenly, he felt sorry for both Roxanne and Candy. He pulled her to him, hoping his embrace would bring her comfort. “Hey,” he said softly, brushing her tears aside. “I’m very sorry. I’m sorry you had to lose someone that meant so much to you.” He wished he could find the words to help her. “But I’m also sorry that I doubted you before you had a chance to explain. I’ll never do that again.”
“Don’t you see, Frankie...” She choked back the tears as she looked at him. “Now that I’ve met you, I finally know what it’s like to feel that excitement that comes with love.” She hung her head. How could she admit that what she thought she’d felt for Chuck wasn’t actually what she’d felt at all. Sure, she’d loved him, but she wasn’t in love with him. “But I never wanted him to die.”
“I wish I could make your pain go away,” he said. “It’s not your fault.”
“I know. But I can’t help but wonder if he feels betrayed by all this.” Her words flowed out with a little shrug. “Surely he must know that I feel things for you I couldn’t have ever felt with him.”
“Roxanne...” Frank wanted to help her, but he wasn’t sure if he had the capability. He’d have to do some persuasive talking, and quickly too, before Roxanne talked her way out of them because she felt guilty. “Don’t you think that wherever he is…above all else…he’d want you to be happy?” he asked. “Even if it means you’ve found the kind of love with me that you could never have shared with him?”
Okay, so maybe Frank had a point. Chuck would never be so selfish that he’d begrudge Roxanne happiness.
It was like she saw a light at the end of the tunnel. The time had come to put Chuck to rest, once and for all. As the tunnel’s light grew brighter, Roxanne was consumed by an even bigger doubt.
Now that she and Frank had declared their love for one another, it was only a matter of time before they ended up in bed. And it wasn’t that she didn’t want to. She was worried that her sexual inexperience would turn out to be a problem. Chuck was the only man she’d ever been with. How could her one-man sexual experience put her in the same league with the girls Frank was used to bedding?
Simple. It couldn’t. And once Frank realized she didn’t have a clue, he’d look for someone who did.
Before Frank found out about Chuck, he suspected that Roxanne might be a virgin. He’d liked that idea all too well. But in light of her revelation, that was no longer possible.
He got that she loved them both, yet in very different ways. But Frank possessed something from Roxanne that her late husband never had and never would have. Desire. It occurred to Frank that her need to be with him was a new experience for her. He hadn’t lost sight of the fact that Chuck could be, and probably was, the only man she’d ever been with.
Frank decided he could handle that. After all, he’d be the only man alive who’d ever have her. But more than that, Frank would be the only man to possess her mind, heart, body and soul.
As far as Frank could see, things were going to be fine. Just as soon as he had the opportunity to satisfy her hunger, Chuck Simon would become a distant memory—one that seemed more like a movie she’d seen somewhere rather than reality.
***
Chapter 5
Frank had to be certain Roxanne could handle his hunger. “You sure you’re ready for this.” He had to be sure, otherwise his desire could scare her away.
“Yes,” she said, holding onto his hand tightly. “You have no idea how much I want this.” An impish smile curled on the corners of her mouth. She was thinking about having sex with him. It was sexy as hell and it turned Frank on. “But you’ve gotta underst
and,” a fearful quality echoed in her tone, “I’m not like the other girls you’ve been with. I’m not...experienced...like them.”
“Roxie...” His hand slipped up her arm, drawing her closer to him. “I don’t want you to be like them. I just want you to be you.” His free hand explored the line of her jaw. “This is a journey...” He kissed her with his eyes. “...that only you and I can take together.”
“Then let’s go,” she urged softly.
Frank’s confidence flourished. Here she was...ready, willing and able and very eager to learn anything he wanted to teach her. And what he intended to teach her was that nothing or no one could ever fill the space inside of her that he planned to claim as his own.
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