“I'm sorry, Elijah. I have a little secret. Would you like to hear it?” She asked nervously.
“Absolutely. I want to know all there is to know about you, Kendra,” I said, encouraging her.
“I don't really care about money either. I've been brought up to love it, respect it, crave it, and I do respect it but I'm not one of those women. I don't need fancy clothes and a big house. Don't get me wrong, I have those things because that's what's always been expected of me, but I don't need them. My parents would kill me if they heard me talk like that.” She took another drink, and I could see she was nervous.
“Well, your secret is safe with me. Now, I've made us reservations for dinner. Are you ready?”
“Uh, yeah,” she replied before guzzling down the rest of her drink. Her body shivered from the assault of alcohol. “Ugh, you really know how to make a drink. That was fantastic,” she said, setting her glass down. I looked at her, amazed and enchanted. I drank the rest of mine and lead her out of the room. The sun had set on Vegas allowing the city to light up the sky. Hundreds of people wandered the streets making it easy for me to go unnoticed. The tourists paid more attention to a man dressed up like me then they did to the real me. Thankfully, they knew me as Elijah, the rocker with leather pants, messy just-fucked hair, and t-shirt. They didn't recognize me with my combed hair, jeans and a nice button up shirt. I'd created that other persona to take the brunt of being a star while I could be me in real my real life. It didn't always work, but it's working now.
“Where are we going?” she asked as we walked across a sky bridge that took us to the other side of the strip. There were street performers scattered everywhere. I dropped hundred dollar bills in a few of their jars as we passed by.
“It's a surprise,” I teased. She looked so beautiful in a short summery type dress. Her honey blond hair was pulled up with pieces that escaped and hung around her face. Her green eyes sparkled under the Vegas lights. She carried a purse across her body and a sweater. I wanted so badly to put my arm around her. To hold her hand. To just touch her. I knew it was a bad idea to push though and settled for walking close to her.
We walked into one of the smaller casinos on the strip and headed to the elevator in the middle of the gaming floor. It took us up to the second floor and my favorite restaurant in Vegas. We approached the hostess. “Hi, reservation for Tim Dalton for two,” I said to her and saw a flash in her eyes. She recognized me but was professional and didn't mention it. “Right this way, sir,” she said and led us to a corner table.
The place was buzzing with people. I watched as her eyes scanned the place. I couldn’t decide if she was impressed or not.
“Have you eaten here before?” I asked her as I pulled out the chair for her to sit in.
“Uhh, no, I haven’t,” she replied hesitantly. I’d guessed that this wasn’t the kind of place her fiancé brought her to. I hated him. I didn’t know him but just the fact that he was the asshole that was good enough to marry my girl was enough to create a hatred I couldn’t help. I had a feeling he’d never step into an older casino like this. I loved the older casinos. I usually went unrecognized and they housed some of Vegas’ best gems, like this place.
“This is not your kind of place is it, Kendra?” I asked bluntly.
“I’ve just never been here is all,” she began. “And honestly I was expecting a place with a little more privacy.”
“Well, if I am being honest, this is more my style. I didn’t grow up with a lot of money and as we addressed earlier in my room, I don’t care that much for it. Besides, this place serves the best food on the strip,” I said with a smile before relaxing into my chair.
“I think I’ve offended you again,” she said softly.
“Offended? You’ve yet to offend me, sweetheart,” I responded just before our server approached the table.
“Good evening. Can I get you something to drink? Appetizer?” The man dressed in farmer overalls asked.
“I’ll have an Iced Tea please,” I told him, surprising myself. I always ordered the Bloody Mary but being around her was enough intoxication. I didn’t need the aid of liquor. I nodded towards Kendra.
“I’ll have that too please,” she said, flashing me a smile, her gaze never leaving mine.
“Would you like an appetizer?” He asked.
“Do you mind if I order for us? I promise you’ll love it.”
“Please, be my guest.”
“Chicken and Waffles please with an extra plate,” I ordered before handing him back the menus.
“I’ll be right back with your drinks, sir.” He grabbed the menus, and we were alone again. The place may have every table full, but she was the only person I saw.
“Chicken and Waffles huh?” She asked, amused.
“Have to maintain this figure,” I told her, rubbing my hand across my chest. She laughed, and my heart did a front flip. Her laugh was more infectious to me than any music riff. We chatted casually until our food arrived. Her eyes widened at the mammoth plate of food. Two thick bacon infused waffles, lazily stacked upon one another, while three large pieces of fried chicken breasts are piled on top of the waffles held in place only by a knife pierced through the layers of chicken and waffle. Crispy, fried onions garnished the plate as well as a large cup of maple syrup.
“Wow, that looks sinful,” she said, grabbing the extra plate.
“You have no idea,” I responded as I pulled the knife out of the pile of food, causing the chicken to fall over. I stabbed a piece with the knife and set it on her plate along with a waffle and some onions. I put the syrup between us. “Want more than that?” I asked.
“No, this is plenty. I have my own figure to maintain,” she teased.
I watched her face when she took the first bite. “Mmmm,” she groaned quietly as she chewed a mixture of waffle, chicken, and maple. “Good?” I asked with a smile knowing the answer. This place had the best food I’d ever eaten. “Umm, wow. It’s like the flavors are dancing on my taste buds. Sweet and savory mixed with a bit of salty, it’s heaven!” I laughed, pleased that she was enjoying it.
“Told you, don’t judge a book by its cover.”
“Touché!” she said before taking another bite. We continued a comfortable conversation while we ate. I learned a lot about Kendra during dinner. The only rock she cares for is Briston, otherwise she loves country music. She is currently living in Florida and has a degree in education that she doesn’t use but hopes to one day. She spends a lot of time with Frankie, the girl I sent away from my dressing room a few nights earlier. I learn that Frankie is her best friend and Charlie’s sister. I also learn that Kendra loves old movies. Gone with the Wind being her favorite.
“I love that movie too,” I tell her and she looks at me as though she thinks I’m lying.
“What, a guy can’t like Gone with the Wind?” I pretend to be offended.
“No, of course you can. It’s just unusual.”
“Nah, my mother loved that movie. Elsie loves that movie. My father and I had to sit through it many times. I learned to love it. Now it reminds me of my mother.”
“Where are your parents now?” she asked before sipping her tea. I hadn’t talked about my parents in a while. Elsie didn’t talk about them at all.
“They passed away a few years ago. Car accident. They died together which I guess is a blessing as I don’t know how either would live without the other one.” It was strange to say the words out loud.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Elijah.” Her smile faded and she sat back.
“It’s okay. I miss them, but I get some kind of comfort knowing they are together. I honestly haven’t talked about them in a long time. I’ve kind of spent the last ten years in a haze, and that haze became a fog after they died. Elsie doesn’t like to talk about it much, but every now and then we will get together and watch Gone with the Wind for Mom and Jaws for Dad.” I smiled at the memory, and though I felt a tug at my heart, it also felt nice to remember them in a clea
r state of mind.
“They sound wonderful,” she said with a smile and her hand rested softly on mine. The conversation was getting a little too heavy.
“Are you afraid of heights, Kendra?” The girl I'd known wasn't. She was a thrill seeker. She loved adventure and never shied away from anything.
“Not at all, why? What do you have in mind?” She asked while we walked. Every time she showed a sliver of Chinda I felt my heart piece back together, little by little.
I pointed towards the Stratosphere. “You up for a little ride?” Her smile lit up her face as her head tilted back looking towards the top of the tower. “Or are you too scared?” I teased.
“Huh, scared?” She replied, still gazing upward. With her head craned back I had an unobstructed view of her neck, smooth and inviting. I saw her throat move slightly when she swallowed. It took all the strength I had not to cover that soft throat with my mouth. I so badly wanted to taste her. Kiss her. Feel her heart beat under my lips. I shoved my hands in my jeans pockets in an effort to keep from grabbing her and pulling her close to me.
“I'm not afraid of anything,” she said. Her voice was like a cold splash of water waking me up.
“Nothing?” I managed to say once I tore my eyes away from her elegant and tempting neck.
“Well, there are a few things,” she said, her voice drifting away. She nervously bit her lip, once again causing my mind to go in a very dirty direction. She was successfully killing me.
“What things?” I tried but something told me that she'd said enough. She looked down at her feet and she fidgeted nervously.
“Nevermind. I don't need to know. We are going to have fun tonight. Ready?” I held my hand out to her and felt a tingling sensation shoot up my arm and impale my heart when she took my hand in hers. I pulled her to the edge of the sidewalk and stopped a taxi. We climbed in quickly. “Stratosphere, please.”
She never let go of my hand during the cab ride but she didn't talk either. The carefree smile was gone and replaced by worry. I didn't press her, yet. We arrived and I paid the cab driver before we made our way through the casino to the elevators. Before long we were being strapped into the ride at the top of the tower and being thrust high above Las Vegas. I looked over at her and saw the smile return. She screamed in excitement and the ride pulled us up and dropped us, over and over, the whole time I watched her.
“That was great, Elijah! Thank you for bringing me here. It's been so long since I've done something like this. I almost forgot what it was like to have fun,” she said and though her face was smiling I saw sadness there.
“My pleasure, princess. Come on, let's tear this city up!” I wrapped my arm around her shoulder, and it felt so natural when she leaned her body into mine. I wasn't sure I'd be able to let her walk away from me when the time came if she didn't remember soon. Being this close to her was self-torture, and I told myself I should stop but I couldn't. She felt too good. Being with her felt right.
“Where would you like to go now?” I asked her as we slid back into the cab. My arm was still draped around her shoulder and her head leaned against mine. “Can we go back to your room? I have some questions I need to ask you and I need you to be honest with me. Okay?” she looked up at me and the worried look returned to her face. “Yeah, of course, princess,” I said and told the driver where to take us.
Chapter Five
“Can I get you anything, Kendra?” I asked her when we were settled into my room.
“Yes, one of those drinks you made me earlier please. I'm a bit nervous.” She was sitting on the couch, her hands rubbed together nervously. I made us both a drink and sat down beside her.
“Don't be nervous with me, Kendra. You never have to be nervous with me. Okay?” I watched as she took a long sip of her drink and steadied herself. She tucked one leg up underneath her and turned to face me.
“You said when you met me that I reminded you of someone you had once loved and lost right?” She began.
“Yes, I did say that and you still remind me of her,” I replied turning to face her, my hand brushing hers.
“Well, as you I told you there is a period of time missing from my life and I've had an infatuation with you since the first time I heard you sing. I didn't even have to know what you looked like; I was connected to your voice. When I did finally see your face though, wow, Elijah. It was like being sucker punched in the gut. I felt like someone reached in and pulled all of the air from my lungs,” she paused to take another drink. I sat still, willing her to say the words I wanted to hear so badly.
“You see, I'd been having dreams about you long before I heard your voice or saw your face. I can't explain it. I don't remember ever knowing you or even meeting you so how could I be dreaming of you? I mean, before I saw you in that video I assumed I'd made you up. Dreamed about you. But you're real and I knew you before but I don't know how.” Her eyes were wide with wonder and something else. Hope maybe. Hope that I could fill in the missing pieces of her life. I knew beyond a doubt that she was my Chinda but how do I tell her that? How do I tell her that her parents faked her death to keep us apart? Would she believe me?
“Does he know?” I asked.
“Who?”
“Your fiancé.”
“Oh. Ummm, yeah he knows. He is actually incredibly understanding. Charlie and I are together out of an arrangement made by our parents. He truly is a wonderful man and has stood by me through a lot but he is not in love with me anymore than I am with him but that doesn’t change things. We will be married regardless.” She took another long drink and looked at me. I wanted to say so much. My brain was twisted with thousands of thoughts racing through. I had to think of a way to convince her that marrying him was a mistake. I hoped her memory was returning and she would realize it on her own.
“What about your parents?” I asked, knowing this was the most important piece of the puzzle.
“What about them?” she asked, confused. She didn't know the lengths they'd gone to keep us apart.
“Do they know where you are right now?” I suspected they didn't. There's no way they would allow her to travel around like a groupie first of all, especially for me. I had to know though.
“No. My parents are in Europe. They've been there for the last month and will be there a few more months. I’ve only talked to them a few times. I asked Charlie not to tell them about this. I'm a grown woman about to be married but I don't think they'd approve,” she said honestly. She had no idea. I hated to think what they would do if they found her with me after all they'd done to keep us apart.
I turned away from her and chugged my drink. I let my head fall back onto the couch and closed my eyes. I had no idea what the hell to do. I could tell her everything. I was sure she'd believe me. It would explain her dreams as well as her connection to me. What would that mean for her though? For the life she'd built and loved before she heard me on the radio, saw me on the TV? What would it do to me if she chose that life over me? I'd mourned her for so long, nearly killing myself in the process and here she was, with me. So close, yet further away than before.
We were no longer kids. Our lives were not carefree. I had responsibilities to the band and she had responsibilities to the life she'd built, whatever those were. It wouldn't be easy for us. I was too old to believe love was enough. That was foolish and for kids. Could I walk away though? Tell her to go back to her life and forget about me. Us?
“I have loved you for so long. You remember me because we were together before your accident. I want to tell you everything, I really do but I can't. Fuck!” I stood up and paced the room.
“Why? Please tell me!” she said calmly from the couch. I was coming undone inside. Blood raced through my veins and my heart was beating out of control. I went to the bar and took two shots of whiskey to calm my nerves. I looked at her when I slammed the shot glass down onto the bar. She watched me curiously, her eyes begging me to tell her all I knew.
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