“Bleu? How? How did he…?”
Sam laughed and pointed to the corner of the room. “There’s a staircase over there you can enter the studio in. I wanted to bring you through the old loft door and surprise you.” Bleu settled himself on a large dog bed near the drum set.
“This is an incredible surprise, Sam. I’m speechless… and these degrees!” She caressed the black, lacquered picture frame one of them was displayed in. “I had no idea you had a Ph.D. or a Masters. This is amazing!”
Sam shrugged nonchalantly and walked over to a small kitchen area. He grabbed two beers out of the stainless steel mini-fridge under the counter. “It’s such a large space and the house doesn’t have a basement. As a teenager, I’d imagine what it would be like to bring a drum kit up here and jam. When I took over the property, I got my wish.” He smiled happily and handed her the cold beer, oblivious to her comment about his degrees.
“Wow,” was all she could say. She followed him over to the couch and sat down continuing to look around at the impressive space. He set his bottle on the floor and picked up a black Takamine guitar and started to strum the beautiful instrument. “So, you record up here too?” she asked.
He glanced at his fingers while he strummed. “I’ve taught some lessons up here and I’ve done some dabbling with recording. My goal is to make a living with this studio one day.”
She watched him pick effortlessly at the strings. “You play guitar too?”
He looked up at her with smiling eyes. “Of course. I want to hear you sing Casey. I’ve been thinking about this all week. You’re a great backup singer, but I want to hear just you, up close and personal.”
She blushed, taking a swig of her beer. “Okay. What do you want me to sing?”
He playfully strummed “Back in Black” by ACDC making her laugh before he started a bluesy, strum pattern. “How about some old school Patsy Cline?” he suggested.
Casey nodded. “Key of C please.” She pulsed with his rhythm as both of their feet tapped in sync to the beat. She was amazed by his talent on the guitar and watched his fingers pick and strum easily to the classic song, “Walking After Midnight.” She started the verse low and soft allowing the song to build, and was a little nervous singing in such close proximity to him. But her talent soon took over and she settled into their impromptu jam with ease. At the key change, Sam’s whole body became engrossed in the song, and he pulsed to the rhythm, as if he were totally into her. When she belted out the last chorus, her last note hung in the room and he closed his eyes as it faded, not moving a muscle. When he opened them, the look he gave her was magnetic.
“Girl, you can SAYNG!” he hollered making her jump. “My God… that was incredible! Thank you for indulging me with your talent.”
“You’re welcome, kind sir,” she replied, aware that her cheeks felt hot again. “Now it’s your turn. I need to hear you jam on those pretty drums.” Sam humorously pointed to himself and then to the drums with his eyebrows raised. “Yes, silly. I need to hear some of that rhythmic talent of yours that won’t disturb the neighbors.”
As if energized by her request, he hopped up and placed the guitar back in a stand. When he sat behind the kit on the drum stool, he pulled two sticks from a holder with a flourish and pointed one right at her. “Okay, this one is dedicated to the lady.”
The immediate rhythm he created pulsed right through her and she stood to get a better view. Sipping on her beer, she nodded, and couldn’t help but move her body with the cadence he made on the impressive instrument. Sam was good…. No, he was great. He squinted his eyes as he fell into a syncopated tempo that would make any jazz drummer envious, and occasionally bit his lower lip ever so slightly. Casey was mesmerized watching him. It was obvious he was dedicated to his craft, his joy palpable as he played. In that moment, she knew how he felt because she, too, was an artist. It was a high like no other. She got him.
When he finished in a flurry of cymbal crashes, Bleu barked as if to say, “Bravo!” Casey clapped excitedly with pure elation, and shook her head. “Boy, you can play!”
“Why thank you, ma’am.” He saluted before he placed the sticks back into the bag and rejoined her. Grabbing his beer, he sat on the couch and patted the seat next to him. “That was fun.”
“Yes, it was.” She sat beside him, and he immediately put his arm across her shoulders as he took a long pull from the bottle.
“What do you want to do now?” he asked, turning to look at her with a heated gaze. She shrugged and took a sip of her beer, playing hard to get. Taking the bottle from her hands, he set their drinks on the floor before he looked intently into her eyes. “That got me a bit worked up. You?”
She knew they were getting mighty close to that line again. “Absolutely.”
His fingers thread through her hair and his lips suddenly smashed against hers as their tongues swirled and their pulses joined together, creating a special kind of music. Casey knew they had something unique going on between them and felt nothing but pure delight as they started to create their own song together—perhaps the beginning of a love song….
A warm, furry creature wiggled in between the two of them and a long hot tongue suddenly licked her neck making her pull back with surprise.
“Bleu! Get down boy!” Sam sternly ordered his large dog. There was a hint of amusement in his eyes as Bleu leaned back but continued to keep one front paw firmly planted on Casey’s lap. Sam shook his head and stroked the animal’s fur. “I think this big baby is jealous.”
Casey laughed and patted the dog’s head. He licked her hand before he removed his paw and panted. Sam leaned his head against her forehead and sighed, the passionate moment shattered by Bleu’s interruption. Biting his lower lip, he entwined his fingers with hers and stared intently into her eyes. Her insides stirred with longing and she dared to hope they could continue their impromptu make-out session on the couch.
“Let’s say you and me head back down to the house for a nightcap,” he whispered.
Casey wrinkled her forehead and frowned. Was it something she said?
“Um…okay.”
As they walked back to the house, the only sound was that of their shoes on the gravel driveway and the occasional hoot of an owl in the distance. Sam held his hand out for her to take and they continued slowly up the wooden stairs. He held the screen door for her, palming the small of her back as she entered the mudroom. Before they went into the kitchen, he suddenly pushed her gently against the bead board wall with his hands on either side of her head.
“Oh!” she squealed.
“I know there’s a connection between us darlin’,” his voice rumbled. She could feel the warmth of his breath and just a trace of his lips grazing her skin. She couldn’t make out his expression in the shadowed room and nodded, wide-eyed, not sure how to respond. “I want you so bad. You have to know that,” he continued, pulling back from her. “I want to do right this time,” he mumbled, touching her lips with his index finger.
“Do right?” she asked softly, perplexed.
Groaning, he took her by the hand, and pulled her into the bright kitchen. She stopped in the doorway and watched him pace in front of the stove, running his hands roughly through his hair. When he turned around, he placed his hands on his hips. “I’m just going to come out and say it.”
Her stomach suddenly did a freefall and she held her breath, not sure what he was about to confess.
“Casey, you’re special. I’ve never met anyone who had so much in common with me. That first weekend we gigged together, I was totally into you from the start. What I’m trying to say is, I want to spend more time with you…. See where this goes.”
“And, that’s a problem?” She was trying to understand. He shook his head as if searching for the right words.
“Once upon a time, I was engaged, Casey. I was head over heels, ready to tie the knot and be with my fiancé for the rest of my life. That’s another reason why I bought the farm. And Bleu…. Well, B
leu was just a puppy and belonged to her, but she left us both. Flat out left us because she got cold feet. She left me with a new mortgage and a new dog, saying she needed to ‘find herself’ and not be tied down.” He continued to pace as he opened up to her in the middle of the kitchen. Casey quietly pulled out a chair and sat down, listening.
“She just left… I was devastated and to avoid the pain, I devoted all my time to my education and work and refurbishing the farm, staying away from the whole dating scene altogether. It took me five years and a Ph.D. to get over her. Five years! I haven’t been with anyone else since. And now you come along out of nowhere and knock me off my feet and I just don’t want to mess it up.” He sighed heavily and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand.
Casey wanted to comfort him and tell him she understood, but she kept quiet, allowing him to finish his lament.
“I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you all of this before. It’s been a long, painful process.” He pulled out the kitchen chair next to her and sat down, his eyes, blue lasers fixated on hers. “I want you… I know you can feel it too. But I don’t want to lose control and have this thing end before it even begins.” He rolled his eyes. “Good God, what am I even saying?”
Casey leaned into him, placing her hands gently on his. “Of course I want you, Sam. I’ve been attracted to you since I first saw you. I get it… relationships are tough. I’ve got stories too. For now, let’s just move slowly and see where we end up, okay?” He started to relax, and when she reached out and tugged on the little brown hairs on his chin, he offered her a weak smile. “At least we know we could be a pretty cool musical duo, right? That’s a start.” She smiled affectionately at him and he seemed to swoon.
When he brought her hands up to his mouth to kiss her knuckles, he sighed like a satiated lover. “You are by far the coolest girl I have ever met.”
Chapter Six
“And you didn’t sleep with him?”
“No, Laura. I didn’t sleep with him.” Casey was becoming exasperated with her sister’s inquisition as she sat in front of her vanity, combing out her hair. Still in her robe, she was sleepy, trying to wake up from her late night in the country.
“I don’t get it Cee-Cee. You’re both attracted to each other and yet, he couldn’t close the deal—at his own house in the country?”
Casey put her brush down and turned to her sister who was lying on her bed with a pillow tucked under her chin. “He just got over a bad relationship and wants to take things slow. He said he doesn’t want to mess things up by moving too fast. I think that’s very chivalrous of him.”
“Hmmm… but if you’re both attracted to each other…”
Casey cut her off. “Laura, I like the fact that he wants to take it slow, okay? It makes me love him even more…” She realized she used the L-word and glanced at her sister with chagrin who looked back at her with wide eyes.
“You love him?” Laura whispered as she hoisted herself up into a sitting position.
Casey closed her eyes and moaned. She knew she felt something. Was it love? She didn’t know. She’d never been in love before. “No! I don’t know… I… I like him very, very much. Maybe this could turn into something more. I don’t know….” Turning back to face the mirror, she vigorously brushed her hair.
Laura stood and kissed the top of her head. “This is the beginning, Cee-Cee. I can feel it. You’re a lucky girl.” Her big sister’s comment seemed genuine and she smiled as she left the bedroom, shutting the door behind her.
Casey eyed her reflection in the mirror, her face flushed—again. It felt odd knowing deep down she could feel it too.
***
The Delta terminal teemed with bustling travelers and employees. Casey stood by the automatic doors with part of their touring entourage, waiting patiently for everyone to arrive. It wasn’t unusual for a rogue gig to pop up on their calendar like this one—a huge corporate event in New York City. Lucky for them, they got it because the booking agent screwed up the dates. The original band scheduled to perform was in the middle of a Canadian tour and there was no way they could make the date. Casey’s group saved the day by being available at the last minute to make the weekend trip. She was ecstatic and looked forward to being in the city during peak fall season, ready to experience the beautiful autumn colors in Central Park in her off time. If only Sam were on this gig too, she could have her very own When Harry Met Sally moment in the middle of the city.
When she got the initial call, she quickly made arrangements for her niece for the remainder of the week and called out to her temp job which was always very accommodating. She finished all the laundry, stocked the refrigerator for her sister with weekend treats, packed, and was ready in less than twenty-four hours. It was unfortunate she wasn’t able to see Sam before she left. He was in the middle of another week of teaching and after-school tutoring with his students. Secretly, she still held out hope that their drummer wouldn’t be able to make this last-minute gig and fantasized about spending quality time with Sam in the Big Apple. They all had subs if they couldn’t make things work for unexpected gigs.
“Hey, pretty lady,” Rocky called out to her as he lugged his oversized backpack across his shoulder. He was wearing black knockoff Ray Bans.
“Hey, Rocky. Good to see you.” She hugged him, happily. Rocky was like the brother she never had. She also compared him to a long-legged, shaggy puppy. The man was always playful and getting into mischief.
“So who’s on this gig? Everyone? No subs?” He dropped the heavy backpack to the floor with a thump.
“I don’t know. I’m assuming everyone was good to go….” Her heart suddenly fluttered in her chest as she watched Sam approach their group, towing his cymbal case behind him. He had a wide grin on his face, and she noticed right away he’d shaved his goatee, making him look young and fresh, his handsome face a wonderful sight to behold.
“Dude!” Rocky practically tackled him as he approached the group, giving him a bear hug.
“Hey, Rocky! Good to see you, man.” Sam pulled back from him and approached Casey to give her a lingering hug. He whispered in her ear, “Hey darlin’. Surprise.” His eyes danced with pleasure.
Elated, Casey couldn’t speak, and brushed her fingers across his baby-soft chin as they disengaged from the embrace. She couldn’t help the dorky smile plastered on her face as she watched the man she was really, really in like with converse with her other band mates. Standing in line to go through security, Sam leaned his body against hers from behind and rested his chin on her shoulder.
“You good with this?” he whispered.
She nodded and grinned. “Very, very good with this.” The whole weekend was ahead of them and she couldn’t have dreamed up a better scenario. They boarded the plane, her assigned seat several rows behind his, and texted back and forth before takeoff.
I can’t believe you didn’t tell me you were on this gig!
I wanted to surprise you.
Mission accomplished!
Can I have you all to myself tonight?
Absolutely.
Casey dozed during the two hour flight with an enduring grin on her lips. She was glad the gig was in New York, not only for its magic and adventure, but for the fact that Dora was going to be joining them as well. The weekend couldn’t get any better.
Several taxis carried their entourage to the Hilton Times Square on West Forty-Second Street where the corporate event was being held. Fortunately, the Hilton was also their accommodations for the next two nights. Casey, Rocky, and Sam shared one of the cabs and Rocky happily pointed out the sights of the city in the bumper to bumper traffic.
“What are y’all planning on doing tonight? Man, I can’t believe we get a whole Friday night off in the city!” Rocky was animated and talked a mile a minute while he nursed his third cup of coffee for the day. “You know my sister and brother-in-law live in Brooklyn. I’m taking the subway to their place tonight to catch up over some dinner. You cats are welcome to j
oin me.” He had pushed his fake Ray Bans up onto his head so that his long hair looked like it was held back by a headband.
“You’re too kind, my friend. I kind of want to take in the city tonight. This is my first time in the Big Apple you know.” Sam’s wide eyes reflected the city lights as he craned his neck to look out the window of the cab. “Man! I’ve never seen so many tall buildings!”
“What?!” Casey couldn’t believe what she’d just heard. Sitting in the middle of the two guys, she turned her whole body so she could stare at Sam in disbelief. “You’ve never been to New York?”
His grin seemed enhanced by his gorgeous, fresh face. “No ma’am. Care to show a country boy the sights?” He winked at her flirtatiously as their cab came to a stop in front of the hotel. Rocky immediately exited and started shelling out greenbacks to the cabbie while carrying on a full conversation with him about synthesizers. Sam grasped Casey’s hand before she got out. “This is going to be a great weekend,” he whispered, making her heart flutter all over again.
Their band manager handed out room keys in the lobby. Because New York was so expensive, most of the band had to share rooms on this gig. Dora already lived in New York, so Casey was lucky enough to get her own room. She held up the plastic key teasing Sam who was going to be bunking with Rocky.
“Dude, I’m probably gonna sleep on my sister’s couch tonight in Brooklyn, so you’ll have the room all to yourself for at least one night.”
“Cool, man. You heading out now?”
Rocky shrugged the giant backpack on his shoulders and looked like he might fall backward from the weight. “Yeah. You kids have fun tonight.” Casey wondered if he knew something was up between them.
“Be careful on that subway!” Sam yelled as Rocky gave a thumbs-up over his shoulder.
The band dispersed to their rooms, making tentative plans to hook up with city friends or catch a Broadway musical—nothing concrete as a group. Casey waited until she got to her room on the sixteenth floor to call Sam who was on the eighteenth floor.
Love Song: A friends-to-lovers rock & roll romantic suspense Page 4