The Songwriter

by Jensen, A. P.

  Trey rose from the couch and put his guitar on a stand. He had his back to her and when he stayed that way, she lost patience with him.

  “I don’t know what happened to you last night but a head’s up would’ve been nice! How would you feel if I decided to change things up and you had no clue what was going on?”

  “Johnny slept in your bus,” Trey said and turned to face her. He was wearing a hat that shaded his eyes.

  “So? Are you listening to what I’m saying?” Gwen shouted. “My nerves are already stretched to the breaking point every night, then you pull something like what you did last night. If you want me to be a nervous wreck, you don’t have to do anything else- I’m already there!”

  “How long is he staying?”

  “Who?” Gwen bellowed, beyond furious.

  “Johnny.”

  She threw her hands in the air. “Why are you so obsessed with Johnny?”

  “Johnny’s not the guy for you, Gwen.”

  “Johnny’s perfect for me. We understand one another. As for you, I feel like the more time I spend with you, the more confused I am!”

  “Same here. How the hell do you even know Johnny?”

  “I didn’t come here to talk about Johnny.”

  “Well, we’re going to talk about him. How do you know Johnny?”

  “He’s a songwriter, I’m a songwriter… See a pattern here?”

  “Johnny doesn’t ‘visit’ all songwriters.”

  “I love Johnny. He’ll be around for a week or so, then he’ll be gone and you can forget your issues with him. What I want to talk about is you deciding to experiment with me last night.”

  “I thought I’d change it up.”

  “Change it up? Why the hell would you change it up right when I don’t even have a routine?” she barked.

  “You don’t want a show to become routine.”

  “Believe me, performing will never be routine for me! So if I decide that I want to change our act, I can just improvise?”

  He crossed his arms. “I prefer you run it by me first.”

  “I prefer the same,” she retorted. “What is wrong with you lately?”

  “Me?” he shouted.

  “Yes! You! Ever since Gabe came around you’ve been an ass and now that Johnny’s here you’re keeping me onstage, improvising when you know I’m not comfortable!”

  “I didn’t mean to freak you out last night.”

  “Then what were you trying to do?”

  Silence.

  “Trey?”

  “I don’t like seeing you with him.”

  “What does that have to do with-” Her eyes rounded and she shoved him. “You kept me onstage to keep me from Johnny?!”

  A muscle ticked in his jaw and he said nothing. She grabbed a pillow off the couch and swung at his face, knocking him back a step while his hat sailed across the room. She smacked him with all her might.

  “My personal life is none of your business! If I want to sleep with every Tom, Dick and Harry I will! God, you are such a chauvinist. You don’t want me but you’re trying to keep me from-”

  Trey snatched the pillow out of her hand and tossed it across the room, grasped her shoulders and shook her.

  “Johnny’s not good enough for you!” Trey shouted.

  “Then who is?” she breathed.

  “Am I interrupting?”

  Johnny was in the doorway, top button of his jeans undone. His eyes were heavy and he had bed hair. He eyed them sleepily. “I woke up when I realized you were gone.”

  Trey’s hands tightened on her. Gwen pushed him away because this was getting them nowhere. She walked towards Johnny, who saluted Trey and they walked off the recording bus back to her own.

  “You okay?” Johnny asked quietly.

  “I am so damn tired of being treated like a kid! He thinks I’m stupid or something.”

  Gwen sat at the table and glared out the window. The sun was up now and people shuffled sleepily across the lot, making sure they weren’t forgetting anything before they got on the road again. Johnny set a full mug of coffee in front of her as the bus driver nodded to them and started the engine. Johnny ambled into the bedroom to shower and her phone rang. She saw who it was and tried to erase the anger from her voice.

  “Hey Wade.”

  “Hey baby sis. I hear you’re a celebrity.”

  She rolled her eyes and sipped her coffee. “I don’t feel like one.”

  “Watcha doing?”

  “Gwen, can you pass me-” Johnny yelled.

  “I’m on the phone!” Gwen shouted.

  “Who’s that?” Wade asked suspiciously.

  “With who?” Johnny hollered.

  “My brother Wade!” she shouted and then to Wade. “It’s Johnny.”

  “Hmm. He’s going through another funk, huh? He was here a couple weeks ago.”

  “Yeah. He decided to drop in on me and my boss isn’t too happy about it. He thinks Johnny and I are sleeping together.”

  A beat of silence. “You’re not, right?”

  Gwen snorted. “No and you don’t have to get all big brother-y. I can take care of myself.”

  “I know. You’ve always been that way. I wanted to tell you I have full custody of Ben.”

  She leapt out of her chair and danced around as the bus went into motion. “You did?! Thank God.”

  “I know. Steph is worse than ever. She showed up in court high on something. The judge couldn’t give me custody fast enough.”

  She pressed a hand over her heart and sank back into her chair. “I’m so happy for you Wade.”

  Ever since Wade got Steph Carson pregnant, his life turned into a nightmare. Steph was jealous, dramatic, insane and recently started doing drugs. She was mentally unstable and Wade was on pins and needles, trying to placate Steph since she had their son Ben in her custody. No more.

  “Yeah, I’m relieved. Mom watches him while I work and Lisa and Jo have helped out a lot too.”

  Gwen’s family owned and ran the only hardware store in White Mist, Montana. Even her brothers in law worked there. Her family was very tight knit and Gwen visited twice a year, usually during the holidays. She enjoyed being with her family, but she also liked being in New York where she could be anonymous and private. She’d always been more of a loner, but her family was proud of her and didn’t force her to come back.

  “Oh, I can’t wait to see him. How was his first day in kindergarten?”

  While Wade chattered about his son and her nieces, Gwen forgot about her issues with Trey and lost herself in family talk. They talked for over an hour and Gwen got an earful of town gossip. Gwen smirked when Johnny joined her at the table.

  “A little birdie told me you had a little too much fun the last time you were in White Mist,” Gwen said archly.

  Johnny glared at the phone and then her. “How was I supposed to know she was married?”

  Gwen snorted and slapped her hand on the table. “You are so clueless. Maybe you should’ve asked somebody. They would have told you in a heartbeat!”

  “Whatever. Thank God Regan was there when that bastard came for me. He had a bat and everything! Regan held him off while I got away.”

  She eyed him narrowly over her coffee. “So that’s why you’re here.”

  Johnny patted her arm. “I’m here because I love you and you get me and because he was a huge bastard.”

  “Johnny, Johnny, what are we going to do with you? We need to get you a woman!”

  He winked roguishly. “I have me a lot of women, baby.”

  “I mean a real woman, not a plastic Barbie doll. You know, a woman with a brain that you love and want to be around all the time.”

  “That’s what I have you and Regan for.”

  Gwen thought of the women she knew, but had absolutely no idea what kind of woman would make Johnny happy. Johnny enjoyed Regan because she had that same restlessness that was embedded in him and she was honest, loyal and crazy. Gwen connected with Johnny beca
use of their love of music. So Johnny’s woman had to love music and be restless and crazy. Gwen blanched. Not a good combo.

  Gwen pulled a legal pad towards her. “Let’s get down to business. What kind of album are you building?”

  Johnny leaned forward and tried to convince Gwen that a new album built around a woman serial killer would go platinum. After fifteen minutes of singing snatches of songs, which included Hate You Bastard, Love you but still have to kill you and Love to Kill, Gwen put a stop to it.

  “Johnny, I love you so I have to stop you. That’s a crazy idea.”

  Johnny pouted. “But it’s never been done before.”

  Gwen slapped the table. “Exactly. So we have to find a new focus.”

  Johnny looked like a petulant child and Gwen went into high gear. For hours, she threw ideas at him until one clicked.

  “I can do an album about being a wronged man,” Johnny said triumphantly. “I was an innocent victim and these women are deceitful and they can’t resist the Bentley. Is that my fault? No siree. This is great!”

  Relieved to see his enthusiasm soar, they began to brainstorm lyrics. They drove all day and Gwen tried not to think about her stupid fight with Trey. She didn’t understand him. They had to deal with it at some point but with Johnny here Trey wasn’t rational. Maybe she would wait until Johnny left.

  By the time the bus stopped in Indianapolis and they set up camp in the parking lot, Johnny was on cloud nine. Gwen was exhausted. Dealing with Johnny was like dealing with a three year old. Joy, depression, elation, frustration- Johnny’s moods were all over the place but Gwen fielded them easily until Johnny asked her to sing on his album.

  “Absolutely not.”

  “Why?” Johnny whined. “You sing on tour, what’s the difference?”

  “If you ask me, others might and I don’t want to be a singer!”

  “Why?”

  She banged her head against the glass window. “Because I like songwriting and I don’t want to walk down a career path because people want me to. My passion is songwriting.”

  “I understand that but… it’s just one song. Okay I lied, maybe three. Please?”

  When Barbie and Cassie came on the bus and asked if she wanted a night on the town, Gwen nearly knocked Johnny over in her haste to get dressed. She was getting cabin/bus fever and she had sudden visions of a large mojito. Johnny pounded on the door when she locked him out of the bathroom. She dressed in a jeans skirt and halter top and platform shoes. She didn’t want to be the professional singer tonight. She wanted to be a regular girl on the town having fun. Johnny insisted on coming which cheered Barbie and Cassie. About thirty of them gathered and walked over to the local bar. Gwen was happy Trey wasn’t part of them. She didn’t want to deal with him tonight.

  They walked into the bar which was packed. They grabbed a table and Gwen winced when the local women caught sight of Johnny and converged like cattle. Gwen drank three mojitos and was practically kicked off the table when Oliver came with his entourage. Gwen joined the dancers in the middle of the bar and lost herself in the rhythm of pumping music and let loose. There was so much pressure being onstage and she just wanted a moment to be normal, have a few drinks and dance.

  When hard arms slipped around her waist she looked up, ready to tell the guy to back off but the words died on her lips. It was Trey who had his arms around her and his eyes were dark as he leaned down so she could hear him.

  “Your man is making out with some woman in the corner,” Trey said.

  Gwen shrugged. “That’s Johnny.”

  He gripped her waist. “So you two aren’t dating?”

  “No.”

  He didn’t say anything more. When she pulled away, he let her go but he shielded her from getting jostled in the crowd, not that she cared. When some guy tried to cut in, Trey shot him a look that made him back away quickly. Gwen dashed to the bar so she could down another mojito. Trey followed but didn’t drink anything. Feeling pleasantly fuzzy, Gwen waded back into the fray and he followed. When she went back to dancing she kept bumping into him. She turned and courtesy of her platform shoes was closer to his ear than she normally would be. She wrapped one hand around his neck and went on her tiptoes so he could hear her.

  “I’m still mad at you!” she said.

  Trey shrugged as if he didn’t care which pissed her off. She went on tiptoe again, pressing her body against his so she could get to his ear. Was it her fault he was so tall? His hands moved on her waist and his hand touched her skin as her halter shifted. She ignored the urge to raise her shirt so he could put that hand on more of her body. She was so hot!

  “You don’t have to protect me from men. I can take care of myself!” Gwen hiccupped.

  His eyes gleamed. “Really?”

  “Yes!”

  Trey cupped her chin, leaned down and covered her mouth with his. Gwen went rigid with shock. She froze against him, eyes wide as people continued to dance around them. When Trey pulled back, she licked her pulsing lips and saw him do the same. She stared at him, completely flabbergasted.

  “Let’s go,” he said and pulled her off the dance floor.

  He kept a hold on her as he walked them out of the bar and down the sidewalk back to the lot where the buses were. The night was pleasantly cool, but courtesy of her drinks she felt steamed and the pace he set made her head swim.

  “What the hell are you doing, Trey? Let me go!” Gwen said loudly.

  “We need to talk,” he muttered.

  “No kidding! You just kissed me. Are you having some kind of Natasha withdrawal?”

  She couldn’t wrap her mind around what just happened. Trey must be upset. That was the only reason she could think of that would cause him to kiss someone he didn’t want. She’d known him thirteen years and not once in all that time had he ever made a sexual move on her. Those chaste kisses he’d been giving her were what a grandpa would give to his granddaughter, so those didn’t count. The world tilted sideways and she stumbled. How many mojitos did she drink?

  “Why do you always bring up Natasha?” Trey asked.

  “Because she’s the big elephant in the room! I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for her.” When she saw the anger on his face, she patted his chest sympathetically. “You’re used to getting laid and she or someone else is usually around-”

  Trey glared at her. “What are you talking about?”

  She smacked his arm and he finally released her. “I know you, Trey Phoenix! You don’t know what it’s like to be single! Whenever you weren’t with Natasha, you were with someone else. You don’t know what to do now that you’re single and on the road. You’re even kissing me for God’s sake and I’m not even your type!”

  “Who said you’re not my type?”

  “Um, I don’t know any guy that would walk away from a half-naked woman!”

  “You were hysterical!”

  “Whatever. You walked away from me and the other day you said you don’t see me as a woman!”

  “You were talking about having sex with Gabe!”

  “I’m not your type.”

  “You’re wrong.” When she just stared at him he exhaled through pursed lips and ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t want to see you with Gabe or Johnny.”

  “Why?” she said, swaying on the spot.

  “Why do you think? I don’t want them touching you. You should be with me.”

  The mojitos caused her to survey him more objectively than she normally would have. Trey was gorgeous, sexy and charismatic- as were most performers. He was her teenage crush that she never got over and his butt was perfect.

  “You’re kind of a man whore,” Gwen giggled.

  Trey narrowed his eyes. “No I’m not.”

  “You are.” Gwen wagged her finger in his face. “I don’t date anyone in the music business.”

  “Why?”

  “Because everyone in the biz dates everyone and no one is faithful. No one stays together.” Gwen skipped down the
sidewalk. She felt so alive, so happy. “That’s why I went back to White Mist to find me a nice, simple guy.”

  “And did you find him?” Trey asked, keeping pace with her.

  “I did!” Gwen shouted triumphantly and then bent over, laughing.

  “Shit. You’re drunk.”

  Gwen smothered her laughter and walked sideways. “I may be a little tipsy but that’s okay.”

  Trey put his arm around her so she wouldn’t start walking on the street. “So you don’t date anybody in the biz and you found the perfect guy in White Mist.”

  Gwen smiled. “I did. He was perfect.”

  “And what happened to him?”

  “He asked me to marry him.”

  Trey stopped dead. “He what?”

  “He asked me to marry him and I said yes.”

  He gave her a little shake. “You’re married?”

  Gwen cackled. “No. I didn’t fit with the perfect man. I didn’t fit in my hometown either. I went back to New York.”

  Her eyes closed and Trey realized Gwen was fading fast. He started walking again, mind whirling. She’d been engaged? Why didn’t he know that? Because Gwen didn’t talk to him about her private life. She met him in different cities and helped him write songs, but she never told him about her love life or what she did outside of the music biz and he hadn’t asked. God, he was an ass!

  They were almost at the lot when Gwen went unconscious. He hauled her over his shoulder and carried her to his bus. He lay her on his bed and looked down at her for a long minute before he went out to the main living area of his bus and paced. He thought he knew Gwen- her personality, her strengths and fears and now he felt as if he didn’t know her at all. She was one of the most complicated women he’d ever met and he was going to figure her out if it was the last thing he did.

  Chapter Eight

  Gwen stumbled into Trey’s living room with oversized sunglasses over her eyes. Her clothes from last night were in a crumpled ball under one arm and she was dressed in one of his shirts that hit her at mid-thigh. Her stomach rolled and she put a hand over her mouth, willing herself not to throw up. Trey was nowhere in sight and when she stepped out of his bus she saw that everyone was in full swing for the show tonight which was only a few hours away. People did double takes as she located her bus and tried to make it there without falling over.