To-Do Him List

by Denise Marie

  A moment of snickers filled the air behind her before nothing…a distant buzz. Her head wobbled. Her body became the string attached to a balloon that’d lost too much air. She opened and closed her eyes but the screen still blurred.

  “Breathe, honey. You’re going to pass out.” Katherine placed her hand on Isabelle’s shoulder and squeezed.

  The words sharpened and she jumped. Deep breaths, strong enough to cause her shoulders to rise and fall in an exaggerated motion, stopped the room’s spin. “I…um…What?” She leaned forward and dropped her forehead to the desk; the girls laughed when the sound echoed.

  “A man who doesn’t put up with your stubborn side. I like him already. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s hot.” Taryn rubbed Isabelle’s back. “Oh my God, maybe you will get to see where Drew Michael’s tattoo goes under those perfectly molded jeans. I am so jealous right now.”

  “Think the country girl can handle a little rock and roll?” Abigail placed her hands on her hips and raised her eyebrows, always able to spur everyone’s madness.

  She forced her head up off the desk, touched what she assumed to be a very noticeable red spot on her forehead, and glared at Abby. “I can be a wild woman too, ya know. Well, I will be.”

  She raised her eyebrows and cocked her head, not sure who she convinced. Back straightened and not able to back down now, she swiveled to the computer, and slumped.

  “Well then, get typing, wild woman.”

  A supportive hand touched her shoulder, and she didn’t have to double-check to know it was Abby.

  She opened a new email before the courage faded and typed.

  Subject: Re: Bucket List item #10

  Dear Cole, I’m in.

  She ended the message with her cell phone number and hit send before she changed her mind; still not quite sure he would contact her.

  “Well, now that that’s settled, I have to get back to work. Let me know when he calls you.” Abigail strode out before the girls had a chance to respond, or see her face.

  “Me too.” Taryn wrapped her arms around Isabelle from behind and squeezed tight. She placed her hand over Taryn’s arm and squeezed back before Taryn tore hers away, wiped her face, and marched out the door.

  Now that the room held less intimidation, she directed her uncertainty to the friend who wouldn’t break down. “Katherine, I’m scared.” She traipsed over to the couch and sat with a pillow stuffed in front of her. “I’m trying to pretend like I’m not. I don’t want pity.”

  “Izzy. There is a difference between pity, and sympathy for someone you love who has just been dealt the shittiest hand in their life, which might I add, is usually the case when you lose your money to us on poker night.”

  She waved her hand in the air and grabbed her purse. Tears pooled in her eyes. “That Gravol should help you relax for a while. Take advantage of it and get some rest while you can. Something tells me after the next time your phone rings, you won’t get much rest, day or night.” She winked and opened the door to leave, a little more hurried than usual.

  Isabelle fought it, but Katherine was right; what else was new? Not long after the girls left, her eyes drooped and she snuggled back onto the oversized couch.

  ****

  She stretched out and yawned. Nothing hurt.

  Thank God.

  After what she imagined only a moment’s rest, Isabelle glanced back and forth, disoriented at the darkness outside and the time on the clock. Midnight? She sighed and scrubbed her face.

  “Yep Abby, I am a wild woman.”

  A little more alert, she tossed the pillow to her side and locked up the house. Long gone were the days of unconscious slumber on the couch, too lazy to go to bed. A comfortable night’s sleep trumped all. Steps away from her bedroom door, her phone beeped, and she startled. “Yes, ladies, I’m fine. Give me a minute.” She ran back to the living room. If she didn’t respond to whichever one of her friends texted her, she would be in trouble.

  Though, a little more comfort before a longwinded conversation took priority. She grabbed her phone, ran back to her room, and changed into the concert T-shirt she slept in every night. “Yep. Country girl gone rock and roll, that’s me.”

  She lit up her phone, and climbed into bed. “Let me guess, Mother Hen?” When her glance landed on his name, she dropped the phone. When he included the number in his email, she’d programmed it into her phone, but didn’t expect it to be real.

  Hi Isabelle, Izzy, which do you prefer? It’s Cole. Now a good time to call or is there a husband I might piss off?

  Deep breaths prevented another spell like earlier. She picked up the phone, didn’t have to hear his voice yet, so why not dare to test the new wild side? The corners of her mouth rose slightly as she bit her lip and replied.

  Just me keeping this bed warm. Sure

  Clearly Cole wasn’t one to text and get distracted, the next text bounced back, instantly.

  Shame. Give me a minute to find somewhere quiet to talk.

  ****

  Drew stood stiff in front of the bathroom door with a cocky grin. It was the only place on the bus for privacy and when someone rushed toward it with a phone in their hand, it meant one thing. A girl. “Fuck off, man.” He shoved Drew out of the way and glanced over his shoulder. “Knock on the door and you’ll get Nair in your shampoo.” He slammed the door shut.

  Hoots and hollers from the guys echoed, and even the dramatic moans vibrated through the door. He put the toilet lid down and sat, but his knee bounced with force while he stared at the screen with her number on it. He ran his fingers through his hair, touched the green icon, and held the phone up to his ear.

  “Hello?”

  Even her voice is beautiful.

  He cleared his throat and held his knee down with a firm hand. “Hi Isabelle, or Izzy, you didn’t say which you prefer. So I guess this means you really do believe me?” He played with the roll of toilet paper, giddy like a little kid, and grateful for Zander’s brilliant idea.

  Not that he’d mention it.

  Her quiet laugh calmed his nerves, and gave him a hard-on impossible to hide.

  “My friends call me Izzy. I have no preference as I like both. You got my attention, Cole. I apologize for my apprehension. If I had to guess, not many women play hard to get in your world?”

  He could hear the smile in her voice along with another noise; did she bite her nails? The image of her scoring his chest with those teeth and going down, further, made his pants feel a bit tight. He leaned against the back of the toilet and lowered his zipper. The added room didn’t allow for the relief he needed. He scanned back and forth between his free hand and his cock. Now wasn’t the right time.

  “You’re right. It was refreshing to be challenged for a change.” A deep chuckle escaped him before Drew’s earlier words replayed in his head. You know why people do these so called bucket lists, right?

  Cole frowned. He hadn’t fallen for anyone since Alexis and his reaction to Izzy shocked him.

  “So, your band is on tour? Where are you right now?”

  He creased his eyebrows. The tone in her voice had changed from flirty to, serious. “Yes. We’re on the road right now, but we’re on our way to the recording studio back home, just outside of New York. We’ll be back on the road in a couple of days though, for a show in Columbia, South Carolina this Saturday. We’ll be stopped about a half hour away from the airport there Friday afternoon, so Brett can visit with his…parents.”

  He glanced over to the door and winced, didn’t want to explain that further. “Anyway, we have a rule. No driving through hometowns without a stop. Do you want to meet us there, or do you have to make some plans first?”

  He hit himself in the forehead; he sounded desperate. “I assume you are interested? Actually, do you even like our music?” He bent forward, elbows to knees and clutched his shaggy blonde hair between sweaty fingers to stop the rambled words that spilled from his mouth. It was so quiet he couldn’t even hear her breath
e. He held the phone away a brief moment and inspected the screen.

  Still lit up. “Izzy? Are you still there?”

  “Yeah, sorry, I’m here.” Her voice sounded pained. “I can speak with the principal of the school I teach at in the morning to request an immediate leave of absence. I’m sure he will understand. I haven’t taken time off since—”

  Cole caught it, the inhale of breath right before what he imagined was her hand over her mouth.

  “Since?”

  “Nothing. I have to be honest, I am more of a country music fan than rock, but I am very familiar with your group. My closest friend is a reporter for our local tabloid. She often tells me the latest gossip. Provided I can get a flight out of Tampa, yes, I think I could meet you in South Carolina, if you don’t mind. I assume it really shouldn’t take more than one week to get the feel of what life is like on tour. I’ll be out of your way in no time, I promise.”

  He rose and leaned his butt against the counter. A familiar edginess simmered inside him, and he didn’t want her exposed to it. He tugged the towel that hung on the wall and threw it.

  “I talked to the guys, and they’re cool with it. You can stay on for however long you like. Our manager on the other hand, will only find out after I get off the phone.” He kicked the toilet and the lid bounced loudly. He held his hand out in surrender to the toilet. He didn’t want to have to explain his current whereabouts yet either. Ugh.

  “We like to keep him running in circles. Keeps him out of our hair, but I am sure he will come up with some kind of legal document for you to sign. I hope that isn’t too much to ask?”

  She shuffled around on the other end of the phone, and her breath became heavy. He liked the sound of it.

  “It won’t be possible for me to make things difficult for you or your band’s future.”

  She coughed a little to clear her throat. He raised his eyebrow. She was trying to avoid something. After all, he was a man with baggage and knowledge of the many tactics of avoidance, that one included.

  “I have no problem signing any nondisclosure agreements, or anything for that matter. I can book my flight right away and text you the details. I’ll let you know when I land, so you can tell me where to meet up with you.”

  Her words were fast, rushed, but pain still lingered in her tone. He scooted back to sit on top of the small counter. His foot shook, and his mind raced with it, trying to decipher the hidden message in her voice.

  Is it awkward if I offer to pay for the flight? She said she’s a schoolteacher; do they make good money?

  Her laughter caught him off guard. “Okay now it’s my turn to ask. Cole, you still there?”

  His leg stilled and he relaxed. She couldn’t see the calm affect her voice had on him. “Still here. I can’t lie. I debated if it would be too forward of me to offer to pay for your flight. I don’t want to offend you but my dad taught me to always provide where a woman is concerned.” He rubbed at the stubble on his chin when she shuffled around again and groaned.

  “I have money in savings. You’ve already offered more than imaginable, so please, I will take care of my flight, and no, you didn’t offend me. I should let you go though, so I can make arrangements. It’s late.”

  He didn’t want the call to end, if it did, she might not follow through with this. Something about the hurt in her voice made the desire to reach through the phone and hold her so intense he ached. She couldn’t get to him soon enough.

  “Of course. Please let me know if you need anything. I look forward to meeting you in person.” He punched at the wall beside him with very little force, but it didn’t offer the same impact his fist through it would.

  A loud thump vibrated the door. “Stop the phone sex and get your ass out here, I gotta take a piss.” Zander might be smart from genetics, but his timing sucked.

  Although a lot remained the same, the tour just veered from its usual routine, and lightened his mood. “Stock up on ibuprofen, you’re going to need it.”

  “I have all the pain meds I’ll need, trust me. I’ll text you soon.”

  The air went silent before he could ask if she was okay. He tightened his fist around the phone, clenched his jaw, and whipped the door open.

  ****

  Not able to support herself anymore, she fell back onto the bed with the kind of ease only shown by someone in undeniable pain, and let the phone slide out of her hand. She glimpsed the bottle on the nightstand, closed her eyes, and sighed. Those pills offered a relief she longed for, but her plans required attention.

  She huffed and forced her way to the living room to switch on the computer, but needed something to calm her tired chills first. A mug filled with hot tea did just that. She held it to her chin and let the steam warm her face. Her mother claimed it was a panacea for all ailments, which would be nice for the current throb in her head.

  A flight to South Carolina for Friday only took minutes to book, a lot easier than expected. She sent him a quick text message.

  Hey Cole, it’s Izzy. Flight booked, arriving 6:30 pm. Will text you when I touch down, so you can let me know where to meet up.

  She jumped when his response appeared right after. “Doesn’t he have better things to do?”

  Perfect, I can’t wait. Now get some sleep, you will need it. Sweet dreams…

  She stared at her phone. Her shoulders relaxed, comforted by his words yet unsure what to make of them. Once again, she flicked off the lights, and dragged her feet to her room. Would it be possible to complete the list without hurting anyone in the process?

  Chapter Four

  Dear Diary,

  Today I toured the unknown…

  Isabelle managed to get things in order, a process that went a lot smoother than she anticipated. Honesty with Principal Harris about her diagnosis netted an open-ended leave of absence, well wishes, and a job to return to after surgery. She neglected to inform him the latter might not be necessary.

  The key slid into the old deadbolt as rough as any other day, but it wasn’t any other day. She placed her hand on her stomach and dropped her forehead to the door. Butterflies always sprang to life with new adventures but never this many, and her friends who waited in the car more often than not took the adventure with her.

  She checked the lock one last time, and squeezed the handle of her suitcase. Her determination slowed with each step down her front porch. The soles of her feet were like lead, and encouraged her undivided attention on every aspect of life around her. Fathers and sons played road hockey between bouts of traffic, and the elderly couple two doors down sat out on their swing and sipped what she assumed to be tea.

  Her gaze stopped on Katherine’s car and a single tear spilled over. The girls were animated but she could still see the worry in their faces. She wiped her cheek in haste and continued to the car. No regrets.

  The luggage for one that she placed in the large trunk launched her solo adventure. She made a conscious note of her home one more time, and wasn’t offered any excuse to stay, so she climbed into the now quiet car and avoided eye contact. Be brave.

  The girls resumed their frivolous banter on the way to the airport, maybe to prevent tears but she sat there, quiet, and gazing the traffic.

  “Umph”

  A journal thrown into her lap jolted her attention forward. Abigail waved as if she’d said something gone ignored. “Stop your worrying. You’ll have the time of your life, and I’m jealous of you for a change.” She laughed. “So, use that book to write because we want to know everything.”

  “I’m a grown woman, Abby. I haven’t had a diary in years.” She set the book down on the seat, and stared at Abby with a tilt to her head. The mood in the car shifted. Giving light to the nervousness also gave it strength.

  “Izzy, shouldn’t every bucket list be written about? We expect you to text us, trust me, but you are going to be on a bus with a bunch of really hot guys. You will need some way to get your girl moments out of your head. And stop lying. We know you
keep a diary under your mattress.” Abigail grinned with confidence and snapped her attention to the front window once again, but removed her sunglasses from the top of her head to cover her eyes. Her shoulders slumped.

  Tears formed in the corner of her eyes when Abigail’s words sank in. She reverted her attention to the window, took a deep breath, and willed her heart rate back to normal.

  “Did you pack something for headaches? I can’t imagine rock music will be too soothing.”

  She eyed Katherine in the rear view mirror, and acknowledged the subtle message that lay beneath. Not many people were aware of the migraines she suffered because of the tumor. “Yes, thank you.”

  The shuffle at the airport provided a much-needed distraction from the weighty, unspoken, emotions during the drive. People passed, speeding to their terminals without a care in the world other than being somewhere on time.

  “Now boarding flight 425 to South Carolina,” echoed over the intercom. The girls stood up in unison and grabbed their purses off the chairs around them. It was habit for them to take up as many chairs possible, a demand for privacy wherever they were. The angry glares from others no longer fazed them.

  She gave her friends a quick hug, and marched through the terminal. Impossible to follow through dry-eyed given the loud sniffles she left behind.

  A box of tissues and a beautiful woman’s smile greeted her at the entrance of the plane. “Let me know if you need anything.”

  She flopped into her first-class seat, up-grade courtesy of her friends and hugged herself. The world outside of the small window moved, and would continue to do so without her. The observant and well-trained flight attendant offered a selection of beverages, sure to calm her nerves. She sighed, and then accepted the drink. The clear liquid burned as she reclined the seat and blared the music in her ear buds. She let her eyes drift closed and ignored the bustle around her. Country twang bellowed in her ears, and she laughed out loud for all to hear but didn’t care.

  The descent jostled her. The combination of migraine medication and alcohol worked wonders for the sleep deprived. A little foggy, she texted Cole while she steered her way through the crowd to the baggage claim.