by Lois Kasznia
“Look what the cat dragged in,” said Sam as she leaned against the living room door frame.
“You should’ve been with us,” said Jordan with a smile. “Oh, man, we had a blast!” He walked to her refrigerator and opened the door. “Hey, do you have any beer?”
“There’s a couple of cans in there,” answered Sam and she turned to Jett who had been studying her carefully. “What?”
“Next time we party, don’t turn me down.” Jett sat down on the couch and waved off Jordan’s offer for another beer.
“I didn’t turn you down,” explained Sam. “This is a big change in my life for me, and I had to pack. I didn’t want to be so hung over that I wouldn’t do a good job. I don’t want to be flying back and forth just because I forgot something.”
“So, it had nothing to do with me?” asked Jett almost petulantly.
“No, it didn’t,” mocked Sam with a smile, noting the sensitivity of Jett’s ego.
“Okay, you’re forgiven.” Jett’s face lit up with a smile.
“Why don’t you two get some sleep? Jett, what time are we leaving?”
“Ralph said we are taking off around four. What time should we leave?” Jett yawned loudly.
“Best we leave here by two thirty,” suggested Jordan. “Come on, Jett. We can sleep in the spare bedroom. Sam? Wake us up at two.”
“Right.” Sam rolled her eyes. “It doesn’t take men any time to get ready.” Sam watched the two of them stumble to the spare bedroom and just shook her head. She should try and get back to sleep, but Sam’s mind had gone on overload as she quietly prepared for the trip.
****
“I can’t believe we made it,” breathed Sam as they boarded the plane. “I really didn’t think we would.”
It had been an event. When Sam had gone into the bedroom to awaken the men, Jett had pulled her into the bed with him. Sam had shrieked causing him to snap out of it and looked so embarrassed of what he had done that, he kept apologizing. Jordan and Jett both took showers and by the time they were out of the place it had been close to three. Then, there had been an accident on the highway which delayed them even further and they reached the airport with fifteen minutes to spare. While entering the terminal, the door to Cracker’s cage came loose and he bolted around the terminal until someone caught him. Taking the leash, Sam marched Cracker up the airplane’s stairs and they stored the dog cage in with the rest of the bags. Cracker jumped on the seat of the plane and made himself comfortable, with a trace of a dog smile.
“No one ever told me traveling with you could be so much fun,” said Jett to Sam as he crossed his legs and put his hands behind his head. He stretched to his full length and smiled.
“Yeah,” laughed Jordan. “Sam is a trip.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” snipped Sam. She patted Cracker, put in her iPod and ignored the two men.
“We’ve got a lot to talk about,” said Jett as he shook Sam’s feet, jarring her out of her trance.
“Like what?” asked Sam.
“My schedule for next week. Toby will drop you off at your place tonight, so why don’t you come in around noon on Monday. Gives you a chance to get settled in. This week will be light because I’ve got rehearsals for our upcoming tour and, of course, there’s the show. The guys and I will decide what tracks we want you play on, so keep practicing.”
“Is it okay if I take Thursday off?” asked Sam.
“Sure.” Jett studied her expression, looking for an explanation
“Thanks.” Sam felt funny telling him about her date with Ian.
“The guys really liked you last night. You did an awesome job.” Jett’s blue eyes were so intense and never wavered.
“Thanks. I had fun.” Sam met his gaze.
“Good.” Jett’s attention turned to Jordan and they began to discuss other matters leaving Sam out of the loop.
Sam fell into a deep sleep and didn’t awaken until the plane went into its descent. Cracker started getting nervous, jumped off his seat and began to pace the aisles. He sat by Jordan for a bit and then went to sit by Jett, leaning heavily against him, panting like crazy.
“I’m sorry,” said Sam as she started to get up to get Cracker.
“No, it’s cool,” said Jett, petting Cracker fondly. “He’s a cool dog and I can see why you couldn’t leave him behind. He’s probably scared shitless.”
“Yeah, pretty much so,” agreed Jordan. “Isn’t there a dog area in LAX Sam can take him?”
“I think so,” said Jett thoughtfully. “I saw it on TMZ but the dogs were all little. Wait until Toby meets him. He’ll go nuts.”
The plane landed safely and taxied to the gate. The trio shuffled tiredly out the door with Cracker in tow. Cracker couldn’t wait and pooped on the tarmac. Sam looked on helplessly, not knowing what to do but one of the help just waved for her to let it be.
“Now we know what Cracker thinks of LAX,” laughed Jett. He swung his arm around Sam’s shoulder. “You know? I really like having you around. You’re a lot of fun, Sam.”
“You haven’t seen anything yet,” laughed Jordan.
“Thanks,” said Sam good-naturedly. “Now where?”
“Follow me,” said Jett and Sam walked behind Jett and Jordan through the terminal, noticing how people stared at them openly. Toby had been waiting for them and made such a fuss over Cracker.
“Sam, he’s awesome.” Toby bent over to Cracker’s level and Cracker gave him lots of kisses.
“You don’t mind him riding in the car, do you?” asked Sam anxiously.
“Of course not. I just love dogs, especially big ones.” Toby opened the door and Cracker leapt in, claiming the seat behind Toby. Jett, Jordan and Sam squeezed in trying to find room in the rest of the back seat.
Toby negotiated the drive while the three passengers were quiet. “You guys alive back there?” he asked.
“Pretty much wiped out,” yawned Jett. “You have the key for Sam?”
“All taken care of, Boss.” Sam looked wide-eyed at the place that she would now call home and she hadn’t even gone in yet.
“Oh my,” said Sam as she looked over at Jett. “Thanks! This is gorgeous.”
“Enjoy.” Jett smiled at the sincere look of appreciation on Sam’s face. “Toby will take your things up so you can settle in. Call me if you need anything.” Jett continued smiling as Sam and Cracker got out of the car.
“Here you are,” said Toby proudly as he opened the door. “I even took the liberty to go grocery shopping for you. I didn’t know what you eat, but everyone needs some milk and juice. I also got you eggs and bread.”
“Oh, Toby. That is so nice of you! I really appreciate it.” Sam started to tear up at his act of kindness.
“Tell you what,” suggested Toby. “Make a list tonight and you and I can go tomorrow before we head into work. Jett probably won’t want you to come in until the afternoon.”
“Sounds wonderful,” said Sam. “Look at Cracker! He’s sniffing out the place for me.” They both smiled as Cracker ran around with his nose to the ground.
“You can walk him in the park. Most everyone does,” said Toby. “Look, I have to run, but let us know if you need anything. I’ll stop by around ten tomorrow, okay?”
“Sure!” Sam closed the door and wandered around the huge two bedroom condo. It appeared smaller than what she had back in Chicago, but fancier. She started to unpack and found her spiral notebook. She jotted down each room on a different page so she could make a list of what it needed. She hoped that Jett would appreciate her organizational skills.
By morning, Sam had everything pretty much organized so that she felt ready when Toby picked her up. He showed her around the area pointing out the best places to shop stressing he still liked to find a bargain. When they were done, Toby helped her put the groceries away, something Sam wasn’t used to, but he enjoyed himself so much, Sam didn’t have the heart to tell him that she could do this herself. They were done in no time a
nd headed towards Jett’s place.
“Jett, said to come on back,” said Toby as he pulled up to the mansion.
“Thanks for all of your help today,” said Sam as she got out of the limo. She still couldn’t get used to the outside statues and tried not to look at them as she walked in
“So, how did you do?” asked Jett greeting her at the front door. He was dressed in black tights and sneakers.
“Going for a run?” asked Sam lifting an eyebrow in question.
“In a bit. What are you going to work on today? Oh, by the way, how’s the apartment?”
“It’s really nice, thank you,” said Sam. “I am going to work on your emails. I saw you had over one thousand which haven’t been looked at and they are over three-weeks-old.”
“I’m a busy man,” answered Jett. “Answer what you can, but save them if you have questions. One thing I won’t reveal is anything about my next episode. And try not to be shocked when reading some of them. I never knew how graphic some chicks can be. I do now, but just a warning.”
“Really?” Sam wondered if he could be exaggerating.
“Really,” said Jett and he smiled as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Gotta run. I’ll check in with you later.”
“Bye.” Sam felt stunned at the gesture. Nothing suggestive, just friendly. He had adopted her like one of the family, and it felt good to have two brothers rather than just one. Happily, she made her way to the office and booted up the laptop.
“Okay, let’s start with the oldest one,” said Sam to herself. Clicking twice, the email opened.
“Jett, I think you’re fabulous and have never missed any of your shows,” read Sam. “Anytime you’re in St. Louis, please give me a call. Love and kisses, Charlene at three-one-four, two-seven-nine, one-nine-three-fours. I’ll really show you how to make love.”
“You know,” said Sam as she reached for a pen and paper. “This could be a lot harder than I thought.” Sam sighed, thinking of how to handle this. She decided to create folders within the mailbox to categorize the type of email and then she would ask Marvin and Jett about how they wanted her to respond. This one would fall into the file of Suggestive. Nothing racy had really been said, but maybe just a thank you for contacting us and thank you for your fan support. Feeling better, she moved to the next email.
“Jett, I love you so much,” read Sam. “I want to strip you slowly and my tongue will kiss every inch of your body…” Sam’s eyebrows shot up as she finished reading the email. “Ohmigod!” Well, that certainly defined graphic. New folder. Porno. Sam didn’t think a thank you would be the right words to respond to this email.
“Moving on.” Sam clicked on the next email.
“Jett, I think you’re a phony and when are you going to realize you’re a fake? You’ve lost it buddy. Give it up.” Easy name for that folder. Hate Mail.
“Jett, I am your biggest fan. This is the tenth time I’ve tried to reach you. I love you and we really belong together. What can I do to make you realize that I am your only true love? I will do anything, and I mean anything, for you. I’ve even included a nude photo of me, your one and only true love.” Sam quickly made a new folder. Stalking.
One by one, Sam chipped away at the massive amount of email, totally amazed how brazen and crude Jett’s fans were. Her private cell rang and it startled Sam out of her concentration. “Hello?” she asked cautiously.
“Hey, Sam. It’s Ian. You didn’t call last night. Did everything turn out okay?”
“Ian,” responded Sam happily. “Talk about a crazy, lost weekend, that’s for sure.”
“I figured something had come up since I hadn’t heard from you. How did you do onstage?” asked Ian, pleased Sam seemed to be glad to hear from him.
“Oh, that. It wasn’t so bad after all. After we were done playing, I split for home to pack up. Sunday, when we flew out, Cracker got out of his cage and ran all over the airport. We barely had time to make our plane.”
“I can’t wait to meet this Cracker,” chuckled Ian. “Where is the apartment so I can pick you up on Thursday?”
“Oh, Ian! I am so glad you reminded me of that. I have to forward my mail and I totally forgot to do it.”
“It’s Jett’s apartment, right? I think I know where it is. Now, what kind of bike do you like to drive?”
“What?” Sam didn’t think she had heard correctly. “Ian, I don’t have a motorcycle license. I’ve never driven a bike before in my life. I’ve ridden on one a couple of times with Jordan driving, but that is the extent of my experience.”
“Oh,” said Ian thoughtfully. “All the other women will be driving their own bikes.”
“Then maybe I shouldn’t go,” said Sam. “I’ve had limited experience with a lot of things other than music and working.” Sam felt so inadequate.
“No, no. I’m sorry. Of course you’re going.” Ian realized he had hurt Sam’s feelings. “I’m a good driver, so just hang on tightly.”
“I don’t know” said Sam uncertainly.
“Sam, I said its okay. It’s silly of me not to ask you about it. You know what they say about assuming something, right? I want to be with you on Thursday, holding me tight.”
“Okay,” relented Sam, her guard up. Apparently, Greek God wanted a goddess and Sam’s experience did not fit that picture.
“Really, Sam.” Ian could hear the caution in her voice, and he could just kick himself for being so insensitive. “I’ll pick you up around ten in the morning. We’ll make a whole day of it. I have a meeting at eight with the client so I’ll have you home in plenty of time. How’s the job coming along so far?”
“Ian, you wouldn’t believe what some of these fans, women, have written to Jett. I feel like I’m reading porn. I don’t know how to answer them.”
“Really? He told me something to the effect before, but I didn’t believe him. Can you read one to me?”
“I’m too embarrassed to read one to you,” said Sam. “I will tell you this: they send lots and lots of pictures.”
“How are you going to answer them?” asked Ian.
“I don’t know. I’ve categorized them and I’ll ask Jett and Marvin how they want me to handle it. So, with your meeting on Thursday, are you planning on staying the weekend in California?”
“Yes and no. I have to fly to Seattle on Friday and then I’ll fly back to Maui on Saturday.”
“I’ve never been to Washington. I heard it’s really pretty up there,” said Sam wistfully.
“It is. I should take you to the shore up there. It’s one of my favorite places to go when I can get time off. In fact, there’s a lot I’d like to show you here and in Maui.” Ian’s voice sounded gentle, but excited.
“I’ll take you up on it,” said Sam with a smile. “I’ve got to get back to work. I’ve only done two hundred emails and I have a lot more to plow through.”
“Okay,” laughed Ian. “Don’t be a stranger.”
“No, I won’t.” Sam disconnected the call with a smile and got back to her emails. By the end of the day, she had plowed through over six hundred emails and had become numb to the contents of them. She didn’t realize how desperate some of these women were and she felt sorry for them.
Chapter Nine
“You still here?” asked Jett as he entered the office. He looked at Sam with an amused smile. “So, what do you think?” He sat at the corner of her desk, once again his gaze intent.
“Shocked at first, but by the time I had read over two hundred of them, I sort of became immune. Then there is the pity factor.”
“Pity factor?” Jett looked at Sam for an explanation.
“I mean, don’t take this the wrong way because you’re a good looking guy, but these are desperate women.” Sam held Jett’s gaze.
“I know what you’re saying. It really bothered me at first. I mean, I had been popular in high school and had my share of chicks, but when this hit, it totally caught me off guard. Between the drugs and women at my dispos
al, well let’s just say I’m glad I’m under control now. It’s crazy.”
“But how did you turn it off?” asked Sam feeling kind of sorry for Jett.
“You have to or you’ll go insane,” said Jett softly and he reached and petted Sam’s cheek.
Surprised at the gesture, Sam blushed again. “How do you want me to answer them?”
“Somewhere here, there’s a script for you to follow,” Jett said as he jumped off the desk and started shuffling the papers. He opened the desk drawer and sorted through the file folders. “Ah, here it is.” He handed the letter to Sam. “Regardless of what they write, we always answer the same.”
“Great to have fans like you. You make us what we are. Check out our website at www.savvy.com. Also, don’t forget to follow us on Twitter,” read Sam, and then she paused. “Shouldn’t you say something about your tour?”
“Good idea,” said Jett with a smile. “Just put that in where you think. This has been run by all of the lawyers to protect the band against a lawsuit. Now, what are you doing for dinner?”
“Dinner? Is it that late already?” Sam glanced down at her watch and saw it read close to seven. “Goodness! Poor Cracker! Jett, I’ve got to go.”
“Easy, Sam. We’ll go together and I’ll drive this time.” Jett stood up and jangled car keys in one hand. “You know? I’m in the mood for some good seafood, how about you?”
“Lead the way, and Cracker will thank you for life!” Sam followed Jett to his car.
“I told you, you could bring him here. I don’t mind,” remarked Jett as he held the door open for Sam.
“I just felt funny on my first official day,” said Sam, somewhat embarrassed. She slipped into the Maserati a little star struck. Sam just closed her eyes and counted her blessings.
****
The days went by so quickly, Sam couldn’t believe it when Ian called to remind her he would pick her up in less than an hour and she felt a little nervous. Sam couldn’t remember the last time she had been on a date. She had grown used to Toby and Jett joking around with her as one of the guys, but this was a real date. She must have changed her outfit at least ten times. Then it had been too late. The doorbell rang.