Ryan arrived at Julia’s apartment the next morning much later than he’d planned. On returning home the previous night, both he and Caleb had crashed, lack of sleep catching up with them. He rang the bell, but as he’d expected, there was no reply. Finally, he returned to their apartment to find an agitated Caleb.
“Where have you been?”
“I went back to Julia’s apartment. Either she didn’t return home or she’d already left for work.” Hell, he hoped it wasn’t the first alternative. The idea of Julia in another man’s bed kicked like a cranky mule. His hands itched with the need to hit something. Someone. “I’m not an invalid. I made it there and back without getting lost.”
Caleb scratched a hand through his scruffy black hair. “I was worried.”
“The doctors in Germany said I was fine. Most of my memories have come back. Hell, if I can remember the words to our songs there’s nothing wrong with me.”
No matter how much he denied it, Caleb was babying him and smothering him in the process. Ryan knew his friend worried, but he was good, or he would be as soon as he connected with Julia again. “When are you going to Tauranga?”
“Tomorrow.”
“And you’re staying a week?”
“Yeah, Jeff and Neil have both gone home to Wellington. They rang while you were out. They’ll be back the week after next so we can knuckle down and sort out new songs for the album.”
Ryan absorbed the info and nodded. That gave him a week to do his own thing up here in Auckland. “I might get stuck into the song writing.”
“And Julia?” Caleb passed him a coffee.
Ryan cradled the mug in his hands. “When I catch up to her I’ll talk, tell her what happened and ask her to drop the divorce proceedings.” He half-expected Caleb to jeer at him, to inform him he was a fool.
“Chicks on tap get old after a while.”
Caleb’s comment surprised him into a beat of silence. “Neil and Jeff won’t agree with you.”
“Think how much worse it’d be if the public discovered we were French Letters.”
“True.” Ryan sipped his coffee. “It’s great walking down the street without anyone recognizing me.”
“Yeah, there’s a lot to be said for mystique and stage makeup,” Caleb agreed. “Do you have any ideas for songs?”
“I have half a dozen done already.” Ryan couldn’t help the spurt of smugness that crept into his tone.
“When? Wait, they’d better not be friggin’ soppy ballads.”
Ryan shrugged, knowing it would annoy his friend.
Caleb let out a pained groan and clapped a hand to his head. “No! Say it isn’t so.”
“One or two.”
“But you’ve written rock songs?” A plea.
“Of course.” They were some of his best work, but the ballads, inspired by Julia, his mystery woman, were beyond brilliant, even if he said so himself.
“Go get them. You’ll have to wait until your girl finishes work before you can see her, anyway. We might as well make use of the hours and get a jump on the arrangements.”
At four thirty, Ryan stood and stretched his hands above his head. He groaned, his muscles protesting after sitting for so long. “Time to catch up with my wife.”
“I’ll give you a lift. I intended to take my car out of mothballs and give it a run anyway.”
“You’ll leave as soon as she arrives? Give us privacy.”
Caleb inclined his head, grabbing his keys as if Ryan had already agreed with him. “Come on.”
They pulled up outside the apartment just as a group of women piled into a cab. “Isn’t that Julia?”
Ryan’s eyes feasted on his shapely blonde wife, pictured her sparkling brown eyes and sultry smile. “Yeah, follow that cab. I’m not waiting around here all night again.” His heart gave several hard thumps before resuming its normal beat.
Caleb shot him a sideward glance. “You can’t accost her in public either.”
“I’ll give her my phone number and ask her to meet me tomorrow for lunch so we can discuss things.” Or he’d drag her to bed and keep her locked in his bedroom until she changed her mind about the divorce.
Skepticism bloomed on his friend’s face, and Ryan’s frustration boiled over. “Don’t look at me like that. You foisted yourself on me.” He sucked in a quick breath, then let it ease out slow. “Sorry.”
“They’re heading down town. Maybe they’re going for drinks at one of The Viaduct bars. I hope not. Parking is a bitch around there.”
“No problem. You can let me out and go home.”
Caleb didn’t reply, concentrating on driving instead. “Hell, they’re not going to The Viaduct.”
They drove up Nelson Street and ended up near Karangahape Road, known locally as K’ Road. Ryan stared at the buildings they passed with increasing puzzlement. The street had a sleazy reputation since many of the strip clubs and adult stores were located in the area.
“They’re getting out here,” Caleb said.
“Why?” Ryan watched Julia plus two other women exit the cab. His hungry gaze roamed her body. She made her black trousers and plain white shirt look sexy.
His.
No matter what she said, they had to give their marriage a chance.
Another cab pulled up in front of the first, and the passengers—a man and woman—joined Julia and her friends. They spoke briefly and entered the black door of a nondescript building. A neon sign flickered, several of the letters not working. The Last Frontier, he made out after concentrating on the blinking light.
“Why do they have keys for a strip club?” Caleb asked. “Damn, there’s no parking. Wait! No, I see one. The white Nissan is pulling out.”
“I have no idea why they’re here.” Ryan tapped his fingers on his knee while Caleb pulled into the parking space. As soon as the car came to a halt, he clicked his seatbelt free and opened the door. “Let’s go.”
Julia had disappeared inside. With ground-eating steps, Ryan was at the door in seconds. He tested the handle. Locked. He pounded on the solid surface.
“Hell, Ryan,” Caleb said. “If you keep that up, you’ll put your fist through it.”
The door flew open without warning and he came face-to-face with the guy he’d seen earlier. The man was big, a few inches taller than him, and built solid like a rugby player.
“Who are you?” Ryan demanded.
“We’re not open,” the man said.
“I want to see Julia.”
The man’s brows rose. “Who are you?” He tossed Ryan’s question back at him.
Ryan shot him a glare, counseling himself to patience when he really wanted to shove the man out of the way. “Ryan Callander. Julia’s husband. I’m here to see my wife.”