Between a Rock and a Hard Place

by Jenna Galicki

  At least Jessi had the luxury and amenities of a cushy hotel room available, instead of being forced to stay on the small, overcrowded tour bus all the time. She settled into the small couch with her phone and her Tablet while she waited for her men to come back from the studio so they could go to dinner. She started sketching, but her mind drifted back to the store. It was still early in New York, so she decided to check in. She purposely dialed the main number to the store instead of the manager’s personal cell phone.

  A salesgirl answered cheerfully. “Good afternoon, thank you for calling Jessi Blade. How can we help you?”

  Jessi was impressed with her welcoming tone. ‘Hello, this is Jessi Blade. Is Rachel available to speak with?”

  “Hello, Mrs. Blade. She’s right here. Hold on while I transfer you.”

  There was a click on the line and a song played while Jessi was on hold. It was one of Immortal Angel’s hit singles.

  “Hi, Jessi, I was going to call you,” Rachel said. “We had a small mishap the other day but I took care of it.”

  Jessi stomached tightened. She was gone two weeks and already there was a problem. “What happened?”

  “There was a mix-up with a shipment of fabric. One hundred yards of black silk showed up for delivery. The truck driver had a purchase order and didn’t want to take it back, but I finally convinced him.”

  “Who ordered more fabric?”

  “Martha, the head dressmaker. She thought it was for the new designs you left for construction. It sounded like an honest mistake or miscommunication, but I’ll keep an eye on her. Your sister, Ella, has been spending a lot of time in the store, too.” Rachel’s voice took on an amusing tone. “I think she wants a job here.”

  “Thanks for staying on top of things and keeping me informed.” Jessi let out a deep breath. “I feel better knowing someone I trust is in charge.”

  Jessi pushed aside the heavy curtain that covered the window and gazed at the panoramic view of Stockholm. She was looking forward to dinner, sampling the local cuisine and maybe exploring a night club. She loved European culture. She only wished there was more time to enjoy it before they moved on to the next city. She rifled through her suitcase in search of an outfit to wear to dinner. She should have hung her clothing up a soon as they arrived in Sweden yesterday, but she still wasn’t used to living out of a suitcase.

  She heard voices outside the door which meant that Tommy and Angel were back from their studio session. She let go of the brocade fabric and rushed to greet them.

  Tommy smiled as soon as he saw her. “Hi, hon. Did you have fun today?”

  “A little, but it’s not really any fun without you to enjoy it with.” She put her arms around his waist and settled into his shoulder. If she could stay in his embrace all night and forgo their plans, she would.

  “What about me?” Angel kissed the back of her head before heading to the fridge to get a bottle of water. “Don’t you need me to have a good time, too?”

  She picked her head up from Tommy’s shoulder long enough to smile at Angel. “Of course.” She missed them both, but she longed for the physical contact of Tommy’s flesh on hers. It didn’t need to be sexual. She just wanted him next to her, holding her.

  She looked up into his eyes and noted sadness. He gave her a half-hearted smile. “I’m sorry. I have to cancel our plans for tonight. I need to get back to the studio. We’re making progress on a new song.”

  Her smile faded as the evening she envisioned vanished and disappointment descended upon her.

  Tommy bent his head and gave her a tender kiss. “Let’s order room service so we can spend some quality time together before me and Angel have to get back to work.”

  She sighed and relinquished their plans. Since when did writing music become work, anyway? It was so much easier when they were home and had the studio in their basement. She could pop down whenever she wanted and check in with them. It was distracting. That’s why she would never drop in the studio while they were on tour. The in-home studio allowed them to spend time together. It didn’t separate her from Tommy and Angel. She could listen to samples of their new songs and offer input. This new arrangement, where the label paid for studio time and they were under pressure to complete an album while they were on tour, was awful. It put stress on Tommy and it segregated her from both Tommy and Angel.

  Dinner arrived by way of several bellmen with elaborate dishes under silver domed plates. The smoke salmon and wild rose hip soup were obviously Angel’s selections. It was fortunate to share your life with someone who possessed a sophisticated palate; otherwise she would probably be dining on a burger and fries right now. Their meal was set on the balcony overlooking the bay. It was perfect and it was romantic, even though it was overshadowed by the fact that they only had a short time together.

  Tommy seemed preoccupied and quietly stared off into the distance as he picked at his salmon. After a few minutes he turned to Angel. “Did you think the riff in Toxic was too much like Cyanide Sensation?”

  Angel shook his head. “No. I didn’t make that connection at all.”

  Jessi perked up at the mention of the band’s new music. “Is that the name of your new song, Toxic? Can you play it for me?”

  He retrieved his guitar from the living room and leaned against the balcony railing. He held his guitar pick between his teeth and pulled his hair back.

  Jessi put her fork down and leaned forward, impatient to hear the first snippet of the band’s new song.

  The melody was fast and Tommy’s hands were a blur as they moved up and down the neck of the guitar. Jessi bobbed her head and tapped her foot, and Angel added a few lyrics.

  “I love it!” she said. “I can’t wait until it’s done.”

  “Thanks, hon. That’s why we want to get back to the studio.”

  The sunset overtook the sky in seconds, covering it in a splash of deep pink. The three of them simultaneously turned to the horizon to take in the spectacular splash of color above them.

  “Oh my God, that’s beautiful!” Jessi exclaimed. “Did you ever see the sky such a pretty shade of pink before?”

  “It’s as beautiful as your hair.” Tommy turned back to the sky and got a faraway look in his eyes. “Actually, I did see the sky like this before. Only it was a sunrise, not a sunset.” His gaze shifted to Angel. “It was in Hong Kong.”

  A memory sparked behind Angel’s eyes and he smiled back at Tommy. “That was incredible. Do you remember how cold it was? And you were on the beach freezing with just that little blanket after we went in the water. I started to think that maybe dragging you out of bed at dawn wasn’t such a great idea, and my plan at a romantic interlude would end with you losing a limb to frostbite.”

  Tommy laughed. “I thought you planned that, so we could snuggle together under the blanket and conserve body heat.”

  “Oh, that would have been a great ploy, my prince, but it was totally coincidental.”

  A dreamy smile spread across Tommy’s face. “Well, whether you planned it or not, it was nice.”

  Jessi listened to them share a special memory and relive an intimate moment that didn’t include her. It reminded her that she had missed the entire trip to Asia. Her expression must have soured, because they relinquished their romantic recollection and concentrated on the sunset they were all sharing right now.

  “Look at the doves!” Angel pointed to a group of birds somersaulting in the foreground.

  Tommy turned to Jessi and rolled his eyes, mocking Angel. “I don’t think they’re doves, A. I think they’re just white pigeons.”

  “It’s the same thing,” Angel said.

  “I don’t think so. I think they’re two different types of birds.”

  “Well, I think you’re wrong. I think they’re exactly the same.” Angel pointed to Jessi’s phone. “Would you like to settle this, sweetheart?”

  “Where’s your iPad? That thing is usually glued to your left hand.”

  Angel glanced
at Tommy with a glint in his eye before answering. “We made a deal. No electronics at the table.” He leaned forward on his elbow. “The only reason I didn’t make you abide by it was because I know you need your phone for work.”

  A knock on the door pre-empted her search for an answer and she put her phone down to answer it. It was room service again, delivering an assortment of freshly prepared desserts. There was a dense cheesecake served with jam that Angel called Ostkaka, a gooey chocolate cake that was more like a brownie, and a dome-shaped cake covered with green fondant. Its unique color caught Jessi’s attention right away. “What’s this one called?”

  “It’s a Princess Cake.” Angel smiled at Tommy. “I thought it was perfect.”

  Tommy sat back in his chair. “Are you calling me a princess?”

  “No.” Angel laughed. “It’s for Jessi.” He pushed the plate towards her.

  It had alternating layers of airy sponge cake and jam, topped with a thick mound of whipped cream, covered with light green marzipan and sprinkled with powdered sugar. It was beautiful and the different flavors were interesting and complemented each other. She took another fork full of the cake. It was delicious. “How did you know about this cake, Angel?”

  “I’m not that familiar with Swedish cuisine, so I researched it,” Angel gave Tommy a comical smirk, “on my iPad. We couldn’t leave without trying it.”

  Jessi languished over her dessert, not only because it was scrumptious, but because she knew that once dessert was over, Tommy and Angel would be off again, while she stayed behind.

  Tommy reached over the table and touched her hand. He stopped her fork from dissecting the last small crumb on her plate. “I wish I didn’t have to leave. You know I’d much rather spend the evening with you than with Damien and Jimmy.”

  His words were genuine and his eyes were apologetic. She tried to return a smile, but the message got lost somewhere between her brain and her mouth. She put down her fork and pushed her chair back. “I guess the sooner you go, the sooner you’ll get back.”

  She walked them to the door with Tommy’s arm around her shoulder and wished he didn’t have to go.

  He stopped to kiss her and she fell hard against his chest. She latched onto his neck and she didn’t want to let him go, but she knew he had to leave. “Hurry back,” she whispered.

  “I’ll be home as soon as I can.”

  Angel’s hand ran across her upper back. “Can I get a hug, too?”

  She buried her face into the center of Angel’s chest and held him just as tight. Saying goodbye to Angel, even though they were only leaving for a few more hours, doubled her sadness.

  Angel kissed her cheek and held her in a close embrace. “Don’t stay in the room. Get out and enjoy the city.”

  She nodded, although she didn’t feel much like going out again without them.

  She watched Tommy and Angel walk down the long hallway to the bank of elevators, arm in arm. Angel turned to Tommy. “Shall we solve the mystery of the pigeon versus the dove?”

  “Go ahead,” Tommy answered. “The loser has to pack up the equipment tonight.”

  They stopped walking while Angel scrolled through his iPad, unaware that she watched from the doorway.

  “Scientifically,” Angel read from his iPad, “there is no difference between pigeons and doves. Both belong to the dove family. What we commonly call pigeons are actually rock doves.” Angel turned the iPad around to show Tommy. “It’s right here on Ask.com.”

  Tommy threw his head back and laughed. “Yes, because that site is a wealth of accurate information.”

  “Don’t try to renege on our bet. I won fair and square. What’s the matter? Is the college graduate afraid to admit that someone with a mere high school education has outsmarted him?”

  Tommy laughed again, and they continued walking further down the hallway. Jessi watched until she could no longer hear their playful banter. At first, she enjoyed listening to the way they teased each other, but as they proceeded toward the elevator, arm in arm, blackness fell over her heart. All she saw was Tommy walking away, smiling and laughing with Angel, and she wished it was her instead. At the very least, she wished she was part of the equation.

  Warm lips on her cheek made Jessi realize she had dozed off. She knew by the pressure of his kiss that it was Angel. He took her arm and placed it around his neck while he supported her by the waist and helped her to her feet.

  “Go to bed,” he whispered. “It’s late.”

  She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and tried to focus on the time displayed on the cable box. It was almost midnight. She was frustrated that she fell asleep waiting for them, but it was exhausting trying to keep up with the store, create new designs and handle her duties for Falcon Records.

  When she didn’t make any attempt to move from the spot where she stood, Angel tried to coax her toward the bedroom.

  “Where’s Tommy?” she asked, still rooted in front of the couch.

  “He’s in the shower.”

  “I want to wait for him.” She stretched her arms over her head, sat back down on the couch and looked up at Angel. He looked tired, with dusty shadows under his lower lids. “Are you almost done with the album?”

  “Far from it, sweetheart.” Some of the weariness left his eyes and they brightened. “But the few songs we have are really good. Tommy’s been helping me with the lyrics. I didn’t know he was a talented songwriter. I guess we’re still learning things about each other.”

  She was surprised he didn’t know that Tommy wrote dozens of songs for her. “You mean Tommy never wrote a song for you?”

  “No.” He paused. “Why? He writes songs for you?”

  “Well, not lately, but, yeah. He’s been writing songs for me since we first met.”

  Angel furrowed his brow and his eyes drifted to the floor. She knew he was wondering why Tommy never wrote a song for him and she felt bad for him. She knew what it was like to feel slighted, even if it was unintentional. Then she remembered Without You, the song was about the both of them. “He wrote Without You,” she pointed out. “You inspired him to write that song.”

  Angel perked up. “Yes, I remember. It was our biggest hit.”

  “So far.” She smiled, happy to see the light return to his face.

  “So what have you been doing all night? Did you and Alyssa go out?”

  “No. I got a call from Rachel, my store manager. More trouble at the store.” She leaned her head back on the couch with frustration. “I wish she would just handle it. She’s trying her best to keep the place running smoothly, but she needs to defer a lot of decisions to me. I guess it’s my fault, too. I’m not ready to just hand over all the responsibility to someone I don’t know that well, and who doesn’t instinctively know how I would handle a situation.”

  Angel placed his hand on her shoulder and started massaging her neck. She relaxed under his touch.

  “Why didn’t you go out after the call? I’m sure that didn’t take all night.”

  “No, but then Marissa called to go over the itinerary for the next few days and after I got off the phone with her, one of the dancers showed up with a wardrobe issue. He was missing one of his outfits for the show. Somehow it didn’t make it back into his case and the venue didn’t know anything about it. It’s a good thing he’s fastidious about his wardrobe; otherwise, you would have been short one dancer tomorrow night, because he refused to do the number without it.”

  Angel laughed. “That’s Maurice. He won’t settle for anything less than outrageous. He’s a true diva. That’s why I picked him for the tour. Did you find his outfit?”

  “Yeah. It was mixed in with one of the other dancers’ wardrobe cases, but it took hours to find. Then Maurice accused Noelle of purposely stealing it from him and hiding it in her case. It was drama central.”

  Angel stared at her for a second with that small smile that she grew to know and love. “Why don’t we see what’s taking Tommy so long in the shower?”
<
br />   “I think that’s a wonderful idea.”

  She led the way toward the sound of running water, which grew louder as they neared the bathroom. She seamlessly stepped inside the shower without slowing her stride or shedding the old Immortal Angel T-shirt she still wore to bed every night. She wrapped her arms around Tommy’s wet, soapy body, rested her head on his glistening chest and relished the closeness of his skin. “I thought you’d never get home.”

  His slippery hands sailed across her lower back and he placed his lips on her shoulder. “I wish I didn’t have to go in the first place. I’d much rather be here with you, or out exploring the city with you and Angel.” He stared down at her T-shirt, now soaked and clinging to her naked breasts, and one hand crawled up and over them. The other hand cupped one butt cheek and a finger pulled at the strap of her thong.

  Angel drew the shower curtain back and stepped inside, behind Tommy. He glided his hands around Tommy’s waist and pressed his naked body against Tommy’s back.

  Tommy glanced at Angel over his shoulder, and then at Jessi, and held up the bar of soap. “I’m really dirty.”

  Before Jessi could take it from him, Angel snatched it for himself. She was momentarily miffed that he was quicker than she was, even though she knew it was part of their game.

  Tommy chuckled when he saw her narrowed eyes. “I’m sure Angel needs help.” He guided Angel’s soap-filled hand over his hip and across his abs, creating a thin sheath of lather.

  Jessi scooped up the suds and worked them into a froth. She rubbed the soapy mixture into his upper thighs using a slow, circular motion. She teased him with the creamy liquid, massaging his legs and inching closer to his groin, but retreated before she touched his growing erection. A long series of sighs left Tommy’s lips, and she knew she was driving him crazy with anticipation.

  Angel created a similar white, foamy covering over Tommy’s shoulders, kneading them with his strong hands.

  Tommy lolled his head from side to side, rolled his eyes up under their lids and sighed.