Table of Contents
From UNSUNG:
Chapter 1: Guana Island
Chapter 2: Charlotte
Chapter 3:Raleigh
Chapter 4: Wantagh
Chapter 5: Harrisburg
Chapter 6: Detroit
Chapter 7: Detroit
Chapter 8: Camden
Chapter 9: New York City
Chapter 10: Mansfield
Chapter 11: Toronto
Chapter 12: Chicago
Chapter 13 - Minneapolis
Chapter 14: Morrison
Chapter 15: Seattle
Chapter 16: Seattle
Chapter 17: Los Angeles
Chapter 18: Atlanta
Chapter 19: Atlanta
Chapter 20: Los Angeles
Chapter 21: New York City
Chapter 22: Los Angeles, CA
Chapter 23: Los Angeles
Acknowledgements
About the Author
Contact information
Copyright © 2016 by Jackie Chanel
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From UNSUNG:
The rain soaked through my sundress quickly. The thin fabric clung to my legs as I walked. This wasn’t just a walk in the rain. It felt like a cleansing. My mind, my body, my soul…each step in the rain washed away another layer of inhibition, another layer of fear.
Is Aiden really the one? Is he mine? He’s my best friend, but is he really who God put here for me? He has to be. Why else are we so close? What other reason is there for us to be so close? He must be meant for me. That is the only reason I can think of. He’s mine.
He’s an ass most days of the week. He’s careless but he’s okay with it. He’s confident, arrogant, and my God, he’s the best musician I’ve ever come in contact with. Only I know how insecure he can be, how vulnerable he can be.
He’s everything that I loved about Xavier, Tristan, and all the other guys I dated, all rolled up into one golden haired, green eyed package.
I love him.
Aiden was sitting on the porch when I approached from the path. He hopped up from the chair and bounded down the steps.
“Why’d you walk? I sent Thomas to come get you.”
“I know. I wanted to walk.”
“You got your hair wet. I thought you couldn’t do that.”
I grinned slightly at him and touched his shoulder length hair. “Now your hair is getting wet.”
“What is up with you? Are you high?” he asked. “Is that why you wanted to walk?”
“I’m not high,” I said. I put both hands around his neck and pulled his face towards mine. I lifted my head and touched my lips against his.
“Yes,” I whispered in his ear. “Yes.”
Aiden opened his mouth. Nothing came out.
I smiled, feeling strangely at peace. My decision was final. As the idea solidified in my head, I literally could feel my heart swelling with the feelings I have for this man, the feelings I’ve kept buried for so long.
“Definitely yes. I love you.”
“Are you sure?” This time he looked stunned and didn’t know what to say. I didn’t want him to say anything. We have all the time in the world to talk. I rested my head against his chest listening to his heart beat erratically and sighed.
“I thought you’d be happy.”
Aiden wiped the water dripping down my forehead. “I’m happy. Believe me, I’m happy. I just never thought you’d say it.”
“Neither did I. But I got a stern talking to from the Runaway Bride. It got me to thinking.”
“About what?
“Me. You. Us,” I said. “When I met you, I couldn’t stand you. But there was something there, something so great, that I never wanted it out of my reach. I didn’t know what that was until you moved in. You’re it, Aiden. Besides our daughter, you are the only person in my life who makes me completely happy.”
I put my hand on his bare chest and traced the sun tattoo that I’ve adored since the first time I saw it. Dark and mysterious, simple and meaningful at the same time. Aiden’s black sun. Me over his heart.
Aiden took my face in his hands and lifted it until I was mesmerized by the emotion sparkling in his eyes. He kissed my forehead softly and dragged his lips down the bridge of my nose until they touched mine. I parted my lips, allowing him in, knowing that I would let him inside of me in every way. He already is.
He kissed me deeper, urgently pulling me closer, holding me like he never wanted to let me go. I didn’t want him to let me go. Ever.
Chapter 1: Guana Island
3 Days Until Tour Starts
“Yes. Definitely yes.”
Those three little words were the most important words I’ve ever heard.
“Yes. Definitely yes.”
I didn’t ask Sunny to marry me. Even I’m not that drunk in love to do something like that. What I asked was for her to stop saying no every time I made a move to bring us together. To stop saying, “No, I don’t love you” when I knew the truth.
And she finally said it.
I think I’m still in shock. The realization that this girl, this woman, the mother of my child is FINALLY mine hasn’t settled in. Even watching her walk around the beach house packing up the remains of what should have been a disastrous weekend seems surreal.
She’s so beautiful. The first time I ever saw Sunny, she was walking down the stairs of our apartment building. She was wearing very short denim shorts and a Purple Rain t-shirt that she’d obviously cut the sleeves off and ripped up to give it that look people referred to as fashionable back then. Her black motorcycle boots and Ray Ban Aviators made her look like a roadie on a rock tour.
As she passed me without even a glance in my direction, the next thing I noticed about my upstairs neighbor was, despite being relatively short, Sunny’s legs were long, making her look at least two or three inches taller. Her hair was short back then, cut like Halle Berry’s, and streaked with gold highlights. Her skin was smooth and the color of Jif peanut butter. She had a small waist, round ass, and thick thighs.
I was definitely trying to figure out when I’d get a chance to slide into her apartment. Having a sexy chick like that living right above me could be an obvious friends with benefits situation. At least that was my thought until I actually met Sunny.
Friends with benefits was out of the question. Friends was even less likely.
It’s funny how life works out. At one time, Sunny and I couldn’t even share a table at Rabbit’s without Kat breaking up an argument. Now, I never want her out of my sight, out of my arms, or out of my bed.
“Aiden!” Sunny called from the bedroom. “Roxy said she’s about to call you again. Answer the phone this time.”
I groaned and sat my notebook on the coffee table. Even though I’ve been ignoring Roxy’s phone calls, she knows not to bother me days before a tour starts. She and the Live Nation people may be experts at putting shows together and I have two road managers, but my hands are all over every single aspect of my tour from wardrobe to set lighting. Every time I hit the stage, my fans deserve the best show of their lives and I give them that.
I was going over some last minute changes to the stage design. I have a feeling that Erica is going to want to be as far away from me as possible even though she’s the one who broke up with me and cancelled the wedding.
“What’s the problem now, Roxy?” I said as soon as Roxy’s face appeared on my Facetime.
“You’re not in LA,” she barked. “Where the hell are you?”
“On the island. Sunny and I decided to stay for a couple of days.”
“Oh, you just decided, huh? So what? I’m just supposed to get five equipment trucks and seven tour buses on the road to North Carolina while you and Sunny star in your own private rom-com? Is that it? You have a brand new bassist and you’ve only talked to Zack once since you hired him! Should I cancel your tour so you can hang out with your girlfriend or whatever the hell you’re calling her today?”
“Chill! We’re not due in Charlotte for another three days. I’ve talked to Zack more than once and you know that. He’s even been rehearsing with us. And you don’t have to get anyone on the road tomorrow. I have Perry and Steve...you know my road managers, right? We’ve only had them on every tour I’ve ever done. Sunny and I will meet up with Mona and everyone in Charlotte on Wednesday.”
“You and Sunny? Why is Sunny going to Charlotte? We have Shane.”
“I asked her to come with me on the road as my guest. She’s not working.”
I began laughing at the outraged expression on Roxy’s face but that quickly came to an end as Mount St. Roxy erupted in an explosion of furious curse words strung along with phrases like ‘Are you insane?’ ‘Why are you trying to sabotage your career?’ ‘This is a cruel joke’, and ‘Do I look like I’m laughing, Aiden? Do I?’
I waited until she ran out of the breath before speaking because knowing Roxy Steele, she’d run out of air before she ran out of words.
“I asked her to come with me because I don’t want to start whatever we’re starting with me on the road for three months. And you know what, Roxx,” I frowned. “I already know that everybody is going to have a problem with Sunny being on the road with us. Guess what. I don’t give a fuck. You and Tracy aren’t even going to be there. And everybody else only has a job because of me! It’s the Aiden Tyler Plead the Fifth Tour, not Aiden’s band and road crew’s tour!”
“Goodbye, Aiden. I can’t even talk to you right now.”
Just like that, Roxy hung up. I powered off my phone and tossed it on the sofa angrily. I’m at a point in my career and in my life where I’m tired of everyone around me expecting me to justify my actions and decisions. They’re all on my payroll! I don’t have to explain why I’m bringing Sunny on the road to them or anyone else. This is my tour. I’ll do what the hell I want!
“So,” Sunny chuckled as she entered the living room, quiet like a ghost. “Roxy doesn’t want me with you on the road, huh?”
I grinned and nodded. “Nah, not so much. Wives and girlfriends are a distraction. Plus, she knows what happened last time.”
Sunny curled up on the couch and leaned against my chest. I could still smell the Oil of Olay body wash was that she used this morning in the shower. Her skin was a couple of shades darker than it was when she arrived a few days ago. Most importantly, when I looked into Sunny’s eyes, they weren’t dull and worried. Well, they weren’t dull. Her bright hazel eyes are always filled with worry about one thing or another because she’s a worrier.
“Was I really that bad?”
“Yes,” I laughed. “We had fun but there was a reason we had two buses for the band. You were super bossy, even when Roxy came back and you were just my assistant.”
“Someone had to enforce some rules,” Sunny pouted. “If I hadn’t been there, you would have never made it to a show on time.”
I tightened my arms around Sunny’s waist then kissed the top of her head. She’s delusional or forgetful but I’m not going to remind her how annoying she was on the road or how Delilah managed to successfully work longer tours than Sunny and manage to not piss off seven tour buses full of road crew members and my band.
This time is going to be different. This time Sunny isn’t being paid. She’s not part of the tour. She’s my guest. She’s my girlfriend and if Mike and Eddie can bring their girlfriends and wives out on occasion, then I can damn sure do it. Doesn’t matter how annoying she is. Sharon and Jessica are certainly more annoying than Sunny has ever been.
I don’t care who bitches about it. We’re going to fly Summer out and be together as a family for once and for all. This time is definitely going to be different.
It better be.
“Well, let me say this,” Sunny sighed. “I want to go with you and it won’t be the same as last time. But taking three months away from work isn’t really feasible right now, Aiden. I have to work. I have clients. I may have to leave from time to time and I need you to be okay with that.”
“I’m cool,” I told her. “This isn’t a vacation. This is my job. But you don’t understand how much I’ve missed seeing you on the side of the stage while I’m performing. Work if you have to but please be at my shows.”
“Do we have to be on the bus the entire time? Can’t we fly to some of these cities?”
“You can,” was my reply.
The best part of being on tour is actually being on the road. A forty-city tour is just one big ass road trip. You can’t really appreciate America unless you traveled around it on the open road. From pop -up shows to hold in the wall bars, I wouldn’t trade traveling on the bus for a plane any day.
The road is what makes touring fun. It’s where we get to meet real people, not just other famous folks. There’s Miss Louise who runs a bakery that she stole from her dead husband’s side of the family back in ’74 in a small city outside of Dallas. Miss Louise makes the best cherry pie I’ve ever had. She’s been making pies for musicians and their road crews who come through Arlington for over forty years.
Then there’s Sheriff Jefferson in West Memphis, Arkansas who hates all music except bluegrass and the Zac Brown Band. He hates to see ten big tour buses “clogging up his goddamn highway.” I love giving Sheriff Jefferson a hard time because his kids are big fans. I send concert tickets to the Sheriff’s Department every time I hit the road and he gets pissed every time. He’s the only cop in the world who has my phone number and calls it to remind me that I’m a little shit and I better not cause any trouble his “goddamn city.”
I’ve been a touring artist for almost fifteen years. The people I meet on the road are just as important as the fans who pack the venues. The bar and club owners who let us do impromptu sets and the unsigned talent who damn near piss themselves when I ask if I can jam with them, the hotel housekeepers who make sure we have everything fresh and clean and then leave bottles of water and Tylenol on the nightstand while we’re out partying...these people make a hell of a difference.
It’s not Sunny’s job to worry about them. She has her own circle of buyers and models and sewers and whatnot that she adores. We just work in two different industries. She doesn’t have to understand mine because I sure as hell ain’t trying to understand hers.
“So, you won’t mind if Summer and I hopped on a plane and met you in a few cities instead of spending days on a bus?”
“No, I won’t mind,” I answered truthfully. “But I do want us to spend as much time together as possible.”
I ran my fingers along
the curve of Sunny’s jaw. Her skin felt like silk underneath my fingertips. She leaned her head back as I leaned over to brush my lips against hers.
“This is the beginning of us,” I said gently. “We’re finally together. We’re a family.”
Chapter 2: Charlotte
The Charlotte Airport was a madhouse when Sunny and I stepped off of our flight. We flew first class commercial this time which probably wasn’t the best idea since Sunny and I were trying to keep our new relationship out of the public eye right now. It’s only been a week since the world found out that my wedding was called off. No one on my staff and those who aren’t on my staff thinks that Sunny and I should make any type of announcement right now. They think my reputation can’t take that hit.
As usual, my people don’t understand my fans. I could not care less about what the people who gossip about me online think about my relationships or lack of real relationships. My fans, the one who love me and my music, they just want me to be happy. They understand that you can’t help whom you love.
Sunny traveling with me never raises suspicions anyway. By now, everyone knows that we have a child together. More importantly, they know that she’s one of the two stylists that I use. Shane usually tours with me because Sunny isn’t allowed but it’s not uncommon for her to pop-up on the road. It’s the perfect cover since we can’t tell anyone we’re together.
As soon as we exited the jet way, my security whisked us away from the gathering crowds outside the gate. The best thing about being a celebrity is that you get to find out all the secret entrances and tunnels at all the major airports.
I tend not to travel with a lot of security. I’m not Harry Styles or Justin Beiber. My entourage usually consists of my band. However, Roxy insists on security when I’m on the road. Sunny does too when I’m traveling with Summer. I do have some rambunctious fans but most of them are cool.
“A.T, how long we stayin’ in Charlotte?” Ortiz said from beside me.
Love Notes (Friends Lovers or Nothing Book 4) Page 1