“Hey, guy, how was the concert?” my new best mate, Max asks as he answers the phone.
“Good,” I answer. “I met a girl and need some of that foster big brother advice you seem to be so good at.”
A little girl’s excited screams I hear. “Is that, Hunky Kip, Daddy?”
“Yep,” he answers her. “Do you have a second to say hi to your number one fan?”
“Always,” I say with a laugh and the little girl squeals as he hands her the phone.
“Hi, Hunky Kip, I miss you, do you miss me?”
“Of course I do, Zoey. Are you being a good girl and helping your mommy and daddy?” I ask.
“Uh, huh, I am. Are you coming back to see us soon?” she asks.
“Not really soon, sweetheart. I have to do some shows and sing my songs to the people. You’re going to come to Los Angeles and see me for Christmas, remember?” I ask.
“Oh, yeah,” she says. “’Member I want a pony but don’t tell Mommy, ‘member, kay?”
“I remember, doll. Can I talk to your daddy?” I ask.
“K, here you go Daddy.”
“So, you met a girl!” Max says as he gets back on the phone. “Tell me how you managed to do that?”
“I found her on the campus doing Yoga and I think she hates me,” I say.
“Well, that’s not too bad,” he says. “The bad thing would be if she loved you already without knowing you, right?”
“Right,” I say and brighten up a bit. “I sang her a song on stage. It’s that one, ‘Ask Me to Kiss You’, and she didn’t. It was a bit humiliating.”
He laughs. “I bet! Shit, has that ever happened before?”
“Never. It gets worse,” I say. “I drug her back to my dressing room and proceeded to press my body all up on hers and begged her to please kiss me. She still said no.”
“She has some will power, I’d say,” Max says. “I would assume you have no way to ever get in touch with her again, though. So it’s pretty much a pipe dream then, isn’t it?”
“Not really, she left her address with my manager,” I say. “She asked me to come to her graduation party if I was really interested in getting to know her.”
“Damn!” he says. “So, are you interested in getting to know her?”
“More than I care to admit,” I say and stand up and walk over to the window of the fifth floor hotel room. “Sixth Street is just outside the hotel doors and I really should just go down there and party and find some random chic to mess with. Or there’s a red head who has followed me from town to town and she gave my guitar player the key to her room, where she waits with three other chics to entertain us all.”
“But, this girl you found doing Yoga is in your head, isn’t she?” Max asks.
“How fair would that be to go see her at her party?” I ask.
“Is it really so far-fetched to think that you could have a real relationship right now. I mean, don’t other people who have to tour figure this stuff out?” he asks.
“I don’t know about in the beginning of one. Later on, yeah, but even then most crap out after a while. I’ve seen it happen again and again.” I close the curtain and move back to sit on the bed.
Max’s voice is soft as he says, “Look, I know you want me to give you the right answer, Kip, but the truth is I don’t have it. You have to look inside yourself and see what you really think. I know you don’t want to hurt some innocent young woman, and if that’s all you think will happen maybe it’s best to leave her alone, you know?”
“Yeah, I know. It’s just that I never felt anything like I felt from the first moment I touched her narrow shoulder. Like electricity ran straight through me and I ran my hand down her arm and took her hand in mine and I never wanted to let it go, even though she tried to tug hers away.” I close my eyes as I remember the exact sensation.
“Damn it, Kip!” Max says. “I feel for you, that’s just how I felt when I grabbed Lexi’s hand the first time. I know this won’t be easy for you to hear, but unless you can really be what this girl needs in her life, leave her alone. The road to where Lexi and I are is long and hard and full of potholes.”
“So your advice is to forget about her?” I ask.
“If you think you can, yes.” I hear him sigh then he says, “But who am I to tell you that, look what all I went through to get Lexi into my life and keep her here. Do whatever your heart tells you to, bro.”
“Thanks, Max. I will give it some thought before I make a decision. You’re a real mate. Tell Lexi and Zane hi from me. Bye now.”
“Bye, make good decisions, Kip.”
Make good decisions? I don’t think I’ve ever really learned how to do such a thing!
I know what the right thing to do is, but is the right thing really what I want to do?
Why can’t life be more like a silly love song that always ends with a happy lyric?
Part Two: Falling Star
Peyton
The sound of laughter fills the air as water splashes me. One of my high school friends, Chloe, jumps into the swimming pool in my family’s back yard. I wipe my face and laugh. My parents put on a huge college graduation party for me, inviting most of our relatives and nearly all the town which isn’t much. I come from a small town, a little over an hour away from where I went to college in San Marcos.
White lights fill the large oak trees in both the front and back yards. No expense had been spared as several kegs and a full bar take care of the guests. I make my way back into the house to retrieve another platter of chicken wings to take back out to the poolside. Several guests are playing pool in the game room as I enter the house. “Who’s winning?” I ask one of the guys I graduated with, Lyle.
“Me,” he says. “You wanna play me next?”
I shake my head. “Nah, I have to mingle.”
The doorbell rings and my Uncle Mike answers it as I turn around with the platter or food. A group of guys I’ve never seen before stands at the door. One of them ask if this is my graduation party. He has a slight accent, maybe British. I sit the tray down and walk over. “Hello,” I say as I extend my hand.
“Really? That’s all I get,” a familiar voice with an Australian accent comes out of a tall, muscular guy’s mouth, but I don’t recognize him. His hair is shoulder length, straight, and sandy blonde, then I look into his blue eyes and see flecks of brown in them and my hand covers my mouth as my eyes go wide.
“Is that you, Kip?”
He smiles and walks in past my uncle and scoops me up in his arms. “It is.”
I cannot believe he came!
I giggle as he twirls me around. “Put me down, silly.”
He puts me down and I look at him as I run my fingers along his jaw. “My God, you look different.” I look back at his band and shake my head in disbelief. “You all look so different. I’d never know it was you if I past you on the street.”
Kip takes my hand and pulls me close to him. “It is okay I brought my mates, right?”
“Yes, of course.”
Kip points at the first guy, a tall, dark haired guy with a slight purple tinge to his wavy hair. “This is Bobby.”
“Hi, I remember you, the purple spikes,” I say and smile.
“I remember you too,” he says. “The chic who left my mate hanging on stage.”
Heat fills my cheeks as I blush. “Yep, that was me. Sorry about that. I wasn’t trying to embarrass him.”
Kip slips his arm around my shoulders, giving them a squeeze. “You didn’t, don’t worry. The next bloke here is our drummer, James.”
He smiles and nods. “Thanks for inviting us, Peyton. It was very nice of you.”
“It’s was very nice of you to come. I never thought Mr. Pop Rock would take me up on the offer, I must confess,” I say and give him a smile and a nod too. The two men he’s already introduced come into the living room as I gesture for them to come in. “You guys make yourselves at home. There are tons of food and drinks.”
The thi
rd guy Kip introduces. “This is Troy, my lead guitar player.”
“Hey, Peyton, it’s nice to officially meet you,” he says and shakes my hand.
I giggle. “You too, Troy, please feel free to mingle and let me know if you need anything.” I turn to look at Kip in amazement as he looks so different. I find myself touching his cheek.
Kip smiles and brings his hand up to hold mine as I stroke his tanned skin. “Different, huh?”
“Very,” I answer. “You’re actually a very handsome man without all that crap on your face and in your hair.”
He raises his eyebrows and winks. “Why thank you. I do believe that’s the first compliment you’ve given me.”
“I’m really sorry if I’ve been rude. My roommate from the dorm tells me I have been and I don’t mean to be.” I lead him to a sofa in the far corner of the massive living room. “Please have a seat, Mr. Dixon. So tell me why the hair and make-up? Why would you hide such a handsome face and silky hair from the world?” I ask as I gesture to the sofa.
He sits and pulls me down with him. “The make-up and hair are the manager’s idea, not ours. Truth be told though it does make it easier for us to go out in the open than celebrities who are more easily recognized. And I don’t feel as if you’ve been rude, just overly cautious where I’m concerned.”
I think I have every reason to be cautious where he’s concerned!
“You resemble your mother. She’s gorgeous, not that your father isn’t.” My eyes move from looking in his to looking at the hand he’s placed on my exposed thigh as I’ve changed into a short skirt and tank top once I got home. My flesh is warm beneath his hand and a slight electric current seems to be running up my leg.
With his other hand, he takes a lock of my hair and twirls it between his fingers. “And I thought you had no interest in me, yet here you talk about Mum and Pop.”
He wears some form-fitting, black slacks that hug his muscled legs. Almost without realizing what I’m doing, I run my hand over the top of his thigh.
“Please, they’re on the celebrity spotlight shows practically once a week, even though his band hasn’t toured or come out with anything new in the last decade. What it must be like to be their child, their only one, right?”
My hand on his thigh doesn’t go unnoticed, and he takes my hand in his, then brings it to his lips, leaving a kiss on it. “That’s right, I am their only child. You must have done some homework on me, Peyton. As far as the reason my parents are still on the gossip shows is simple, somehow rock stars never fade from the spotlight.”
He places my hand back on the top of his thigh and I feel so comfortable with him for some reason. Perhaps it’s because he actually came to see me. I have to ask, “Do you like it there?”
His eyebrows go up and I notice he’s removed the little diamond stud he had in the left one earlier today. “In the spotlight?”
I nod and find that I have to run my hand through his hair as it looks like spun silk and I have to feel it. “This is so much better than that spiky thing you had going on.”
A short laugh he makes then answers, “At times I do like the spotlight and other times I don’t. The money keeps me interested though. I like the thought that I make some of my own money and am not simply wealthy from my inheritance alone.”
“That’s interesting. I’ve never thought about how a person who is born rich feels about it.”
Lightly, he runs his hand over my tanned arm. A gold necklace with a gold open book pendant hangs around my neck and he takes it in his hand to look at it closer.
“You weren’t wearing this earlier. What’s that inscribed on it?” he asks as he squints to read the tiny writing. “Oh, it says, ‘Once upon a Time.’ Hmm. What’s that about?”
He noticed I wasn’t wearing my necklace earlier! He looked that hard at me and paid that much attention to what I had on! Maybe he really does like me and isn’t looking to make me another notch on his bedpost.
“My parents gave it to me as a graduation present. I’m a Literary Arts degree holder now. My first book is nearly ready to go, just as soon as I find an agent.”
“A writer. Is what you want to be now you’re all grown up?” he asks with a smile.
The tips of his fingers flow over my collar bone. I have to stifle a moan from the effect it has on me. “Uh, yeah, that’s my plan. I write romance novels. Well, I’ve almost written one and plan to write many more.”
“A romance writer; didn’t get that one right,” he mutters.
“What’re you talking about?” I ask.
“I predicted a veterinarian,” he says. “I was way off.”
I shake my head, and say, “I like animals, but I’ve never got the calling to go that far. I’m being a terrible hostess.” I take his hand and stand. “Come with me, let me get you something to eat and drink.”
“I could eat,” he says.
He rises and follows me, slipping his hand out of mine to run it around my waist. We fit so perfectly together, and I’m seeing just how hard this will be to keep my head on straight. The sound of him inhaling fills my ear.
“What are you doing?” I ask as I pull away from him, but he holds me tight so I can’t get too far away from him.
“Your perfume is intoxicating. What’s it called?” he asks.
“I’m not wearing any,” I say with a laugh. “You really are wasting your lines on me, Kip.”
His brow furrows, and he leans in taking in another deep breath. “No, I smell something fantastic. Perhaps it’s your shampoo.”
I swat his arm, and say, “Come on! My shampoo is intoxicating? Really?”
He pulls me close again. “Maybe it’s you that’s making me feel intoxicated, Peyton.”
A tremble runs through my body as the warmth of his breath makes my skin flush with an excitement I’ve never known. “You’re a dangerous man.” His smile lets me know how right I am.
On our way to the bar outside, we run into my parents. My father glances at the way Kip holds me to him and looks me in the eyes. “Who do we have here, Peyton?” he asks.
“Daddy,” I say as I find myself beaming at Kip. “This is Kip. I met him at school today. Kip, this is my father, Matt Reed.”
Kip lets go of my waist and extends his hand out to my father. “Hello, sir, it’s nice to meet you.”
My father shakes Kip’s hand and asks, “Did you graduate this evening as well?”
“No sir,” he says. “I’m not a college boy. It was straight to work for me, right out of high school, I’m afraid.”
My father gives him a huge smile. “A workin’ man. Good to hear that,” he says then gestures to me. “I can’t say I’ve seen my daughter let anyone ever hold on to her the way she lets you. You must be something special.”
Kip looks at me as he runs his arm back around my waist. “Is that so?”
“Daddy, please!” I say then gesture to my mother who stands by my father’s side and gawks openly at Kip. “This is my mother, Donna. Mom, this is Kip.”
Kips takes her hand and kisses the top of it. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Donna. You have a beautiful and wonderful daughter.”
She blushes and giggles. “Thank you, it’s nice to meet you. Peyton has never let anyone hang on to her like she’s letting you. It’s kind of taking us by surprise. But you seem like a very nice, young man.”
If she only knew!
I roll my eyes at how lame my parents are making me sound. “Okay, anyway, I’m going to get us something to drink and eat. See you guys around.” I lean in to whisper as we walk away. “They don’t know anything about me and my private life. Don’t listen to them.”
Kyla pops up in front of us, making us stop. “My, my, my, aren’t you popular today, Peyton," she says as she eyes Kip. “So, aren’t you going to introduce me?”
I look up at Kip, not sure of what to say his name is. I hesitate then say, “Kyla, this is someone I met today. This is my best friend and now ex-roommate, Kyla.”
<
br /> He nods then says, “Nice to meet you, Kyla.”
His accent tips her off and her mouth falls open. “No way!”
I lean in close to her. “Don’t you dare say a word or you know everyone will be all over him.”
“Holy shit!” Kyla says as she stares at Kip. “You look so different. What are you doing here? I mean this is literally the middle of nowhere, Hicksville.” Her eyes go to his arm around my waist. “I can’t believe she’s letting you do that.”
Kip’s head tilts as he looks at me. “Hmm. What do you know about that? First your parents, and now your best friend. Does no one know of your personal life, Peyton?”
I look her in the eyes and say, “Keep your mouth shut Kyla!”
Does everyone have to point out how I never let any guys touch me?
“Touchy!” she says then turns to walk away, but looks back over her shoulder. “So the other guys who showed up here with those accents are from your band then. I’m going to go introduce myself.”
Looking back at Kip, I ask, “Weren’t we going to get a drink? What would you like? Wait, let me guess, some kind of hard whiskey I bet. Isn’t that what all you pop stars drink? Or is it some fancy new thing that’s all the rage in L.A.?”
Moving along to the bar he says, “Contrary to popular opinion, all of us don’t drink like that. I’ll just have a beer, thanks. And is that bar-b-que I smell?”
“It is. You have to try my father’s brisket,” I say as I grab a couple of cups from a stack on the bar and head to one of the kegs.
His arm slides away from me as he holds out his hands. “Please, allow me,” he says as he reaches for the cups.
I hand him one and he fills it up, then hands it to me. He takes the other and fills it, then his arm goes right back around my waist. “Now show me to the food which produces this wonderful aroma.”
Everything seems so easy with him for some damn reason. I know this is so temporary and he’ll be gone before I know it, but I can’t seem to go back to the place I was in when I first met him or he sang that damn song to me.
Hacked For Love & The Dom's Songbird Page 21