Chapter 11-Leila
“She said she wants to talk to us.” I look around the back room of The Zone with an exasperated expression. Three times they have separately asked me if Lori was going to say “yes or no” in the past ten minutes. Each time I’ve told them that I had no idea.
“I’m sure if it was a no, she would’ve just let you know and not make such a production about it, right?”
I love these guys, but boy are they dense.
I give Logan an exasperated look that screams, “I don’t know” and shrug for the fourth time. It’s been a few days since I broke the news of my master plan to the guys and Lori. Lori has been absolutely silent on the entire subject. She hasn’t said a word and has acted like I never mentioned it. Alisa, who knows all the details because Logan filled her in, thinks it’s a great idea and loves the notion of being Lori’s sidekick. She is busting at the seams and wants to shake some sense into Lori, even though I promised myself that I would be patient and not try to influence her. Alisa agreed to the same, albeit reluctantly.
The boys promised not to say a word to Lori or to harass her regarding her decision. Unfortunately that gave them Carte Blanche to harass and bother me.
The more the guys mulled over my idea, the more they felt it was perfect. I’m not convinced of Matt’s sentiment, but Logan promised me that he was on board. Evan said Logan did admit that he helped Matt see the benefits of my plan. I don’t want to think about how he went about helping Matt. Logan must have ripped him a new one.
Joseph stands and starts pacing the room. He turns towards me and barks, “Where the hell is she?”
Jeez.
Finally, the door opens and Lori breezes into the room looking very calm, relaxed, and stunning. Her hair is loose and shiny and her emerald eyes sparkle. Her curvaceous body leaves nothing to the imagination in skin tight jeans, obscenely high-heeled sandals, and her black t-shirt with “The Zone” spread across her ample chest like a Hooters waitress wanna-be.
“Hi guys. How’s it goin’?” She takes the chair Joseph just left and makes herself comfortable. They all stare at her like she is an alien and say nothing. I need to take control of this situation, before I hurt someone.
“They are driving me nuts! Lori, please cut to the chase.” I pleadingly grasp her arm.
I think I can hear Logan’s heart beating from where I am standing. She stands, lays her hands on the table, and looks at each of their faces while smiling smugly. This is an Emmy award worthy performance and basically I’m going to kill her.
“Well” she remarks in her cocky kind of way. “I have been chewing over Leila’s plan. Although I think it needs a lot of work, I feel she is a very smart girl. There isn’t a person on the planet that can do this job better than I can.” She and Matt really are perfect for each other.
Logan jumps up and hugs her. “Lori, you are absolutely right. I agree that you have exactly what we need in an agent. You are tenacious, smart, ruthless, and you have the biggest set of balls a girl could possibly have.”
Lori is beaming and looks over at me for reassurance. I nod encouragingly while smiling myself. Joseph and Evan both move around the table to hug Lori as well, and she enthusiastically returns the gesture.
An awkward silence falls over the room like a wet blanket. Matt still hasn’t moved or said a word. A few torturous seconds pass when Lori poignantly looks over at Matt. “Let’s address the one issue I’m sure you are all concerned with. I want to say it out loud so there isn’t any confusion.” She says while pinning him with her emerald green eyes and crossing her arms defiantly. Everyone remains silent, as we are all stare at Lori in shock that she is going to go there.
“Matt, in the past, I know you and I have had some…” She pauses to look up at the ceiling and then looks at him. “Let’s call them differences? I’m done. Now that I’ve made the decision to be your agent, nothing will stop me from the end result. I’ve decided it’s not worth jeopardizing my success or the band’s. I’ve decided you simply aren’t worth it.” Her apologetic shrug belies the true feelings in her eyes.
Matt and Lori stare each other down. The awkwardness earlier was nothing compared to the tense aura hanging in the room now. We shift our eyes from Lori to Matt and back again like we are watching a tennis match.
Matt stands and folds his arms across his chest to mimic Lori’s posture. Something is off. He doesn’t look relieved or even accepting of Lori’s announcement. In my opinion, he looks stunned. Watching him closely, I can see confusion swirling around in his mind like a tornado. I probably know this man better than anyone else in this room, including his own brother.
It suddenly hits me. I think Matt liked Lori chasing him these past few years. It’s a revelation that makes so much sense. His cocky attitude, his better than the rest act, his god’s gift to women performance…all of it makes sense. Lori’s pursuit was the perfect circumstance for him.
Matt was acting out the role of rock-star.
I am so on to the bastard.
I switch my focus to Lori, who is transfixed on Matt. Either she finally sees him for who he is, or this is a master plan she has hatched up. Either way, they both are holding their cards, and bluffing. Neither of them can fool me.
Finally Matt narrows his eyes and concedes. “Welcome to Cliffhangers, boss.” Lori extends her hand and Matt shakes it slowly. Their eyes lock and silently challenge, “Game on.”
Of course, the guys are oblivious to this entire exchange. Men.
The chatter in the room becomes deafening with the guys throwing ideas at Lori of different festivals and competitions they want to enter. Lori is bouncing off her own ideas of band image and exposure. It takes all of three minutes for me to see this was a match made in heaven.
Watching my former band and their new agent interacting is such a defining moment for me. I know that she will take real good care of my boys. When faced with a challenge Logan is right…Lori is ruthless.
They are all ignorant to the fact that we were due on stage five minutes ago. Sal will be appearing any minute to find out what the delay is.
“Um…guys. I hate to break this love-fest up, but we’re late.”
“Let’s blow our show and celebrate.” Joe says, looking around the room nodding and grinning like a kid in a candy store.
Lori points to the door and says, “Get to work.”
Saluting his new drill sergeant, Joe laughs and hugs Lori. “Yes, boss.”
The Cliffhangers all file out of the room like good little soldiers. Matt throws Lori one last look before leaving the room.
Lori smirks prompting me to ask, “What are you up to?”
She shrugs innocently. “Nothing.”
“Bullshit.” A few seconds later, she winks confirming my suspicions.
I watch her closely as she puts on her best poker face. I don’t have time to get into it this with her right now.
“I’ve got to get out there. Thank you.”
“What for? I should be thanking you. You were right. Those boys need me.”
“Yes, they do. One more thing, I haven’t had a chance to tell you some of the details since our chat. I wanted to let you know that I told the guys I feel they need to replace me. They gave me a hard time, and think it’s unnecessary. It is now your job to convince them.”
“Absolutely.” She says without a pause. “I love you Leila, and it will be hard for them to find someone as perfect of a fit as you were, but you’re right. This will be item number one on my “to do” list. No worries.” She leans in and hugs me tight.
“I know you will take care of my boys and get them where they need to be. I love you.” I mumble into her shoulder as my voice cracks from emotions.
Lori chuckles into my hair and hugs me tighter. “You aren’t going off to war, Lei.”
As we make our way into the bar arm and arm, Alisa spots us and immediately and grins from ear to ear. Lori does not miss a beat and accuses, “She knows?”
Oops…
Alisa storms over to where we are standing with both hands on her hips. “Yes I know! Logan told me. I’ve been dying to talk to you about it for days. Jesus, Lori, what the hell? At least a hundred times I was going to bring it up, but this one over here made me swear on a stack of bibles not to say a word. Do you know how hard it was for me to act normal for the last few days? It’s been complete and utter torture. Logan was so stressed and every time I would bring it up he would make me zip it. Evan avoided me at all costs so he wouldn’t have to listen to me bitching on how unfair it was to keep this in. I could have gotten an ulcer from the stress. Both of you owe me so big for this. I want a spa day with the works, not to mention a percentage of the profits once those yahoo’s make it big.”
She finally stops only to take a breath and is about to start another rant when I interrupt. “I love you Lis, and yes we owe you one. I know this was very hard on you. I wish I could stay and chat about it, but I have to go do my job now.” Kissing her cheek, I bolt towards the stage. Tentatively I look back to see Lori shooting daggers at me. I’ve just left my one friend alone to get reamed for the next four hours from my other friend with no escape. She is going to kill me for sure.
Evan meets me at my keyboard. “Such a great idea you had. You are so awesome Lei.”
“I know.”
“Humble as shit too.” He kisses my cheek and saunters over to his side of the stage to grab his bass guitar.
I catch a glimpse of Sal standing across the bar and pointing to his watch as Matt hastily addresses the crowd. “Hey, Hoboken. So sorry we’re late. I promise we’ll make it up to you!” A few girls call out crude, suggestive offers as Matt laughs jovially. He really should laugh more often. It’s so sexy. I swear he’s like Sybil with his multiple personalities. He ranges from dickhead to dreamboat.
Matt turns to give us his cue and we finally start our first song.
Sal tries hard to look annoyed, but he can’t quite pull it off. There is a decent crowd tonight, so naturally the girls are super busy at the bar. I’m hoping this is making it difficult for Alisa to continue her rant on Lori. When I glance over, though, Alisa is still yapping away and Lori is still rolling her eyes dramatically. I probably owe them both a spa day after this.
Melancholy hits with a violent force. This has been my life for the past few years. Spending many nights a week on this very stage and singing with this awesome group of men with my two dear friends in the same room tending bar makes me realize how much I’m really going to miss this. A lump forms in my throat from the bittersweet events simultaneously occurring in my life. It’s bitter because these chapters of my life will all end very soon and sadness doesn’t begin to describe my emotions yet sweet because I have landed a job as a back-up singer with a very talented rock band and I’m about to live my dream in just a few weeks.
From my position on stage, I slowly scan the room to commit every single detail to memory. I want to recall where the boys stand at their respective places on stage, the girls at the bar working hard, the back of Matt’s body as he suggestively seduces the crowd with his voice, the worn wooden floors and well weathered walls, the view from the stage of the dimly lit corners, and even the faces of the patrons as we perform. I need to remember every single detail.
The bar doors suddenly open throwing a temporarily glow into the room from the streetlamps outside. This happens so many times during the course of any given night that it can become distracting. Casually glancing up at the doors just as I do every time they open, I suddenly freeze from panic. I recognize that posture.
OMG…it’s Jack.
Guardedly I watch as he looks around the bar while taking a few steps deeper into the room. I still can’t see his face, but I don’t have a doubt in my mind that it’s him.
My body starts to tremble from nerves or from being so damn horny. Perhaps it’s both?
Jack leans in to talk to his friend. I can’t see the other man’s face either but spiky hair tells me its Hunter. They move towards an empty table to the right of the stage adjacent to my position. Jack takes the seat directly facing me while Hunter sits next to him. Their table is under one of the recessed lights and affords every female in the bar an unfettered view of his gorgeous face.
Case in point…
Kelly, one of our waitresses, is chatting at another table and turns to tell them she’ll be right with them. One look at Mr. Sex God and her mouth hangs open in the most unflattering way.
Lori and Alisa are working opposite ends of the bar. Lori notices him first, quickly followed by Alisa. They both stop in their tracks, completely stunned into silence. It’s a definite first.
Every female in the room is gawking at him and either he doesn’t have a clue or he couldn’t care less. Matt, I’m guessing does have a clue. His head turns towards Jack, probably because he noticed all female eyes are no longer looking at him.
As for myself, I can feel his gaze on me like Superman’s x-ray vision. But I chose to keep my head down to avoid staring into his gorgeous eyes. Because once I do, I’m toast. I can feel him watching my every move. It’s unnerving. My knees are wobbling, my hands are trembling, and I’m pretty sure I can feel sweat trickling down my back. It’s a ridiculous reaction to someone I barely know.
Although he’s taken my breath away every time I’ve seen him, this reaction I am having tonight is different. The onslaught of nervous jitters that are now controlling my body must be because he is here to size up my performance. What if he doesn’t like what he sees?
The wobbling, trembling, and sweating go on until the last song before our break begins. It’s a duet between Matt and I, front and center sharing a microphone.
That means I need to walk across the stage and pray that I don’t fall, or pee my pants, or throw up. In fact, at this very moment I should be standing next to Matt instead of being rooted to the floor at my keyboards.
At ten seconds into the song, Evan gives me the “what the hell are you doing?” look.
At twenty seconds into the song, Matt gives me the “get the fuck over here, now!” look.
I take a quick glance at Jack, who is leaning forward with his elbows on his knees as if he’s waiting for the plot of a murder mystery. Could this get any more humiliating?
My brain starts screaming at my body like a drill sergeant.
“MOVE YOUR ASS AND SING SOLDIER!”
With a deep breath, I turn and make my painful, humiliating way over to Matt as gracefully as I can manage while ignoring his evil stink eye. I pick up the vocals at the chorus, and hope everyone in the room thinks it was planned.
A higher power takes over and bestows me with an outer body experience. As if possessed, I begin to play the role of rock singer somewhat convincingly. Rasping the lyrics in a very seductive, suggestive manner, I place my hand over Matt’s while he is holding the microphone stand. His eyes widen slightly at my touch and a slow smile creeps on his handsome face.
I move closer so Matt and I are now a few inches apart, close my eyes and imagine singing with Jack. The image in my mind is breath taking. Jack’s face is so close that I can feel his breath. Wanting to feel his lips on mine, I impulsively lean in even closer, as we seduce each other with the lyrics.
I completely lose myself in the daydream I have conjured up in my mind, until I hear the crowd’s applause cruelly yank me back to reality. The applause is different than I’m used to. The whistling is deafening!
Despite the crowd’s reaction, I think, actually I know, that I just made a complete fool out of myself. Evan, Joseph, and Logan are all frozen with shock while Matt is grinning like a fool. He shakes his head and he announces to the crowd we are taking a short break.
Wishing the stage would swallow me whole at this very moment, I walk over to my keyboards afraid to make eye contact with anyone. Evan’s loud bark in my ear causes me to jump. “What the hell was THAT?!”
I can attempt to lie, but it won’t work. Evan knows me too well. “He’s here. Jack and Hunter are both here.” I whisper desperately. As Evan tries to look behind him, I grab his face violently. “Don’t you dare turn around, I’ll kill you!”
He laughs. “Is that who your little performance was for?”
I narrow my gaze and whisper, “I don’t know what came over me.”
“Why are you freaking out? So he came to see you perform? Don’t you think you need to get used to his presence?”
“Yes, but not tonight and not in my bar!”
Evan throws me a look. “Lei, don’t be ridiculous.”
“He makes me so nervous.”
“You need to get over it. You are probably looking at him like a celebrity and not your band mate. He’s just a guy, Leila, just like me.”
“See, here’s the thing. I am looking at him like he’s my boss. And what if my BOSS hates my performance?”
“Now you’re being even more ridiculous.”
I sigh and whisper through clenched teeth, “Fine.” Then I grab his hand in a death grip and drag him off the stage.
“Your hand is sweating.”
“Shut up!”
Matt, Logan and Joseph head straight to the bar, as they do every time we perform. “Guys, come over here when you get your beers. I want to introduce you to my new band mates.”
Joe turns to see who I’m talking about. One look at Jack and Joe instantly figures out the reason for my new found sex appeal on stage. With a wide smirk he walks backwards to the bar, making obscene gestures with his hips. Jackass.
Matt also figures it out, but he looks annoyed and pissed off.
I ignore him and approach Jack’s table. Not realizing I’m still squeezing the life out of Evan’s hand. “Ow.”
“Hi. What brings you to Hoboken?”
Hunter smiles warmly. “Hey Leila. We wanted to see you guys perform. You sounded great up there. I loved the last song.”
“Thanks, Hunter.”
I turn towards Jack and I think I hear a whooshing noise in between my ears, as I get hopelessly lost in his smoky grey eyes. We suspend time by intently staring at each other.
Evan attempts to capture my attention by squeezing my hand, but it doesn’t work and I effectively zone out. Thankfully he takes control of the situation.
“Evan Miller.” He shakes Hunter’s hand first then Jack’s. Jack gaze flicks over to our clasped hands as he shakes Hunter’s other one.
Awkward silence stretches between these three gorgeous men and me. Jack speaks first directly to Evan. “You guys sound awesome.”
“Thanks. I’ve seen you guy’s play as well. Congrats on all your success. You deserve it.”
Jack and Hunter flash quick, shy smiles at Evan’s compliment. My heart swells from the pride I feel for Evan. He’s truly a class act.
“Leila, I can never get tired of your voice, but now I have an awesome visual as well. That was hot. You sure know how to work a crowd.”
Whoa, what?
All eyes now focus on me.
“Um…thanks?”
With a laugh, Jack follows up. “Compliment. It’s definitely a compliment.”
He liked it? But more importantly, he thought it was hot? Having Jack Lair tell you something is hot is by far the hottest thing I’ve ever heard.
Evan squeezes my hand painfully, which causes me to flinch and break eye contact first.
“She says thank you.” He speaks for me. My hand is throbbing from Evan’s assault. I glare at him and he counters by raising his eyebrows. Without words, we are able to have a very heated conversation. He thinks I’m acting like a complete ass and I believe he’s blatantly trying to embarrass me.
“Um…you should meet the rest of the guys.” I announce in a pathetic attempt to cover the embarrassing exchange that just occurred between Evan and me. I’m still rubbing my hand as I motion to my fellow band members to come over. This is good. The more people to distract from my absurd behavior the better.
Evan makes the rest of the introductions, since I’m rendered useless. Joe and Logan grab some chairs from a nearby table so we can all sit. They all strike up a conversation effortlessly, except for Matt. He is the only one sitting in silence.
Jack turns towards Matt. “You have a great voice man.”
“Thanks.” He answers indifferently.
More silence.
He sits there like a total lump and does not participate, in the conversation. Occasionally sipping his beer in complete boredom. Dreamboat is gone and dickhead is back. In spite of Matt’s obvious jealous brooding, the rest of the guys discuss their music and future plans.
Kelly sashays over with a pitcher of beer and smiles sweetly at Jack. I’ve never seen Kelly move her hips that way before. “It’s on the girls. I’m Kelly.” She thrusts her hand at Jack, then at Hunter. She’s talented enough to pour a round for the guys while her eyes remain firmly glued to Jack. It’s quite a performance.
Jack looks confused. “Girls?”
Pointing at the bar I answer his question. “Alisa and Lori are our bartenders as well as our good friends.”
He turns and like a magic trick both of their mouths drop open at the exact same time. There isn’t a doubt in my mind they are both experiencing the crotch clenching at this very moment. Logan raises his eyebrows at Alisa’s behavior just as Jack raises his glass and nods a thank you.
He turns away from the girls and misses the best part which is Lori clutching the bar and mouthing obnoxiously, “OH MY GOD!”
Alisa shows more class by resuming her bartending duties, all the while sneaking nervous looks at Logan.
“That’s really nice of them. Thank you, Kelly.” Hunter says.
“My pleasure.” I could swear Kelly grazed Jack’s arm with her ass before walking away.
Oh brother.
The guys all interact so comfortably with each other while drinking their free beer. You would think they all have known each other for years. As Jack discusses details of the tour with Evan, his eyes continually find mine. Each and every time, I’m caught staring. It doesn’t seem to stop me from staring though. Watching him shooting the breeze with my close friends and speaking passionately about his music is riveting.
Lori waving her arms at me like an air traffic controller interrupts my trance. “Um…I’m sure the girls want to meet you guys. I’ll introduce you if you want.”
Jack turns and Lori waves at him. “Sounds good.”
“We’ll catch you guys later. You’ll stick around after the show?” Evan asks as he stands.
Hunter nods, “Sure, we’ll be here.”
“Cool.” Evan and Joe both head to the back room and leave Logan and Matt to linger a few seconds longer.
Matt starts to follow as well but then stops suddenly. Almost as an afterthought, he looks over at me and then at Jack. “Take care of her.” He says, his tone a touch threatening.
“We fully intend to.” Jack responds, taking his challenge.
“Did you hit your head?” I ask, clearly shocked by his comment. Matt pats my shoulder before walking away.
Looking over at Logan, I voice my concern again. “Seriously, did he hit his head?”
“Not recently, but maybe it’s finally caught up to him.” Logan shrugs. “Let’s go meet our lovely bartenders.” He adds shooting daggers at his lovely bartender girlfriend.
The girls see us coming, Alisa hides behind Lori to avoid Logan’s glare while Lori adjusts her boobs and fluffs out her hair.
“Hey guys, this is Jack and Hunter. They are both in Devil’s Lair. Guys, this is Alisa and Lori. They are two of my closest friends, and they both make a mean margarita.”
Alisa introduces herself as Logan’s other half in hopes of scoring some points with her displeased boyfriend. Lori shakes their hands and adds, “Bartending is a side job. I’m the Cliffhangers agent as well.”
Oh lord.
“Hi girls, it’s nice to meet you.” Jack woos them with his dazzling smile.
Hopelessly I watch as the possibility of setting Lori and Hunter up spins into a fiery crash and nosedives to the ground. She hasn’t noticed him because she hasn’t taken her bulging eyes off Jack.
Damn it!
“You’re gorgeous.” Lori announces dreamily while looking at Jack. As an afterthought she throws, “You too, Hunter.”
Amused, Jack sneaks a sideways glance at me before answering. “Why thank you. You gals aren’t so bad yourselves.” Jack’s words have Lori giggling like a schoolgirl and flipping her hair.
Oh for God’s sake.
I’ve had enough of this display.
“Well ok then…I got to get back to work.”
Just as I’m about to walk away, Jack takes hold of my elbow. “Wait.” He starts jumbling out his next sentence nervously. “Um, we are having a party Sunday night at our place. Yeah, um, we would love if you ladies could come. Maybe bring the guys, too?” This is strange, as Jack doesn’t do nervous. He’s clearly uncomfortable and has me wondering why he’s bothering with the invite?
Even though Jack is speaking to me, Lori nods her head like a bobble-head and speaks for all of us. “We wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
The chain of events that occurs next has me staring numbly as if I am watching a car crash in slow motion. Lori gives Jack her best Lori-is-most-definitely-into-you doe eyes. Jack graces Lori with his CCDS smile. Lori fans herself and winks. Jack laughs again. Lori bats her eyelashes.
Ugh. The entire exchange has me nauseous.
Wait. Was his invite a last minute decision once he met Lori? Is my invitation a ruse? Damn it…I DID NOT see this coming.
“Lei, we have to go.” Logan says with a definite edge to his voice. Before he walks away, he leans over the bar and whispers something in Alisa’s ear. Her reaction is one of a kid who just got reprimanded for misbehaving. This is not like Logan. He is not usually a jealous person normally. Jack can single-handedly bring the worst out of most men, and the lust out of most women.
“I have to go. I’ll see you guys later.” I excuse myself to follow Logan to the stage, where Evan, Matt and Joe are waiting for us to resume our show.
During our second half, I continue to torture myself by watching the flirting duo interact with each other. Hunter has moved back to his table while talking on the phone. Can’t say I blame him. He may as well have been invisible. He also didn’t react to Lori like most men do when they first meet her. Not like Jack is reacting at the moment.
After Logan walks away, Alisa moves on to help another customer. This leaves Lori and Jack alone to continue their conversation as if no one else existed in the bar, and for me to stew on stage for no logical reason whatsoever.
Matt keeps glancing over at them making me wonder if this is bothering him as well. He is used to being the best looking guy in the room. No doubt his jealousy is simmering even more so now that Lori seems to have moved her obsessions to Mr. Lair. Is this part of her plan or has she truly moved on already? It figures the day she decides to get over Matt Rizzo is the same day Jack Lair walks into the bar. What are the odds? I almost feel sympathy for Matt.
Jack returns to his seat and has a brief conversation with Hunter as they both glance back at Lori while smiling. This totally consumes me. Lori walks over to their table with two beers in hand and is now playing the role of waitress.
Lori sits in a chair next to Jack and leans into his ear.
He leans back and she laughs.
She puts her hand on his arm.
He grins.
She gets up leans in and says something.
He nods.
She gives them both her best smile.
They wave.
She saunters back to the bar and speaks to Alisa.
Alisa responds.
Lori nods enthusiastically.
Watching this play by play unfold from the stage has my own mind racing with jealous, harpy thoughts. I hardly know this guy so why should this bother me so much? I try to break it down piece-by-piece and figure out why the prospect of Lori and Jack together has me tied in knots.
I am neither attached to Jack, nor do I plan to be. We are co-workers. He is my boss, end of story. On the other hand, I really don’t think I can handle living through a budding romance between a man I clearly lust over and one of my best friends. It would be too painful to watch them fall madly in love.
By the end of our very long, very torturous show, I have Jack and Lori married with two point five kids, a center hall colonial, a dog, and a minivan.
Just as they do every night, the boys literally jump off the stage and beeline to the bar for a round of shots. They only do one and it’s always tequila and I always pass. As they all turn right, I turn left towards the back room. Fighting the urge to grab my stuff and exit via back door, instead, I put on my happy face and walk back out to the bar, jacket and bag in tow, ready to make as quick of an exit that I could.
Our fun, happy bunch is predictably doing their end of night shots. They invite Jack and Hunter to join their holy ritual. Two lonely shots sit on the tray waiting for my ass to arrive to the bar. “I’m not doing a shot.”
Lori rolls her eyes. “God forbid. This one is mine.” She picks up the tequila and the last shot that is much lighter in color than all the others. “This one is yours. It’s ginger ale.” Matt, Lori and Joe all chuckle at my expense. They tease me mercilessly every single night. Why should tonight be any different?
Actually the difference is, that tonight I’m going to kill her.
Evan comes over and throws his arm around my shoulder. “Leave Lei alone.”
Lori smiles sweetly at Evan. “Ev, are you going to tour with Devil’s Lair, too or is Leila hiring a NEW bodyguard?”
“That’s not a bad idea Banzini. Things will be boring around here without Leila to bust on.”
Ignoring Lori and Evan, I turn my attention to Jack and Hunter rolling my eyes. “See what I have to put up with? It was really nice of you guys to come see our show.” Turning back to my friends, I smirk and wave my middle finger at their laughing faces. “I’ll miss you all so much.”
“Wait, if you don’t like ginger ale, I have apple juice.” Lori antagonizes me.
“Bite me Banzini.”
“With pleasure Marino. Bend over.”
“Ok…I’m outta here.”
Evan kisses my cheek as I turn from my ball busting, hysterically laughing friends, Jack and Hunter included.
“Leila, I want to give you our address.” Jack calls out as he rushes to catch up to me.
“Oh, ok.”
I plug the address he recites into my phone. We stand facing each other, and I’m pulled into the magnetic field that surrounds him.
An awkward silence stretches between us.
“You ok?”
“Yeah, I’m just exhausted.” I lie from necessity. I’m not in the mood for small talk at the moment. Jack watches me closely for a few seconds.
“Um, ok, see you at the party Leila?”
“Yes, we’ll be there. Bye Jack.”
Jack steps closer so we are face to face. My heart skips a beat, then another. “I’m glad we came tonight. Your band is really good. I knew you were talented, but seeing you performing with your band, I kinda feel like we’ve stolen you from them.” It looks like he wants to say something else, but chooses not to.
His presence consumes me.
His words confound me.
I whisper a very quiet thank you. I’m clearly at a loss for words.
“Ok, see you Sunday.” Jack looks directly into my eyes, and I fall under the spell of his gaze. He then grips my shoulder as he walks away, leaving me panting and wondering if he is going to wait for Lori to finish her shift.
Damn it!
***
What do I wear to this stupid thing? I stare at my closet hoping that something presents itself to me. It’s getting late, and I’m almost out of time. I’ve dilly-dallied, had three glasses of wine, which was a big mistake in hindsight as I’m now running around trying to get ready while slightly tipsy – another mistake.
Evan and Lori are due here any minute. Logan, Alisa, Joseph and Matt are meeting us there. I was surprised that Matt decided to come. My gut instinct was to un-invite him. Evan assured me Matt would be on his best behavior. My response to Evan was that we’d see.
The door buzzes scaring the crap out of me.
“I need five minutes.” I call into the intercom, now panicked. Jeans, shirt, mascara, lipstick, a squirt of perfume between my breasts (I have no idea why, no one will be near them tonight) and I’m done in seven minutes. Not bad.
I take a deep breath and leave my apartment feeling even more buzzed from the adrenaline rush of getting ready in record time.
On my way down three flights, I consider my original plan of setting Lori up with Hunter.
Maybe it’s not too late?
Maybe Hunter will capture her attention tonight?
Maybe Lori will become deathly allergic to Jack?
Evan and Lori are sitting in Evan’s car waiting for me. The minute I slide into the back seat, Lori starts yapping.
“What a week this has been. Lei, you are the best. First you hand me a dream job on a silver platter. Next you introduce me to the best-looking man I have ever seen. Then he invites us to a party at his place. Life is so good.” She reaches back to squeeze my knee.
I feel bad for being angry with her. It’s not her fault she is so irresistible to men.
“Evan can you stop at a liquor store? I want to pick up something to bring with us.”
“Sure, Lei.”
I settle into the back seat. The soothing motion of the car makes me feel very sleepy all of a sudden.
Evan watched me through the rear view mirror and asks, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I’m just a little buzzed.”
“Buzzed? You? Why are you buzzed?” Lori turns in her seat watching me skeptically.
“Don’t look at me like that. I am a little nervous about tonight. I had a glass of wine that led to three.”
Evan and Lori exchange a look, which I decide to ignore. They aren’t my parents. I close my eyes and drift while picturing Jack’s face.
It takes longer than it should to get to Brooklyn, between my brief catnap, stopping for liquor and the tons of traffic we hit cutting through Manhattan. We are over an hour late by the time we arrive at Jack and Hunter’s building and my buzz is gone. From the sounds coming from the fourth floor, the party is definitely in full swing. Evan carries the case of beer he and Lori split, and I have the bottle of Tequila that I decided on.
Scott answers the door looking confused until he spots me behind Evan and Lori. “Hey Leila, so glad you could come.”
“Scott, this is Evan and Lori. Guys, this is Scott. He’s guitarist for Devil’s Lair.”
Hunter spots us standing at the door. “Hey, you made it” He says walking over. “Your friends got here a little while ago. We were wondering where you were.” He is holding hands with a brunette beauty that is partially hiding behind him. Hunter turns to her and says, “This is Amanda.”
She smiles shyly and waves.
Well any small hope I had left of Lori and Hunter hitting it off just took a free-fall off the roof without a parachute. That explains a lot.
“I’m Leila. This is Evan and Lori.” I turn back to Hunter and shrug. “Sorry, we hit some traffic.”
I’m instantly distracted as I spot Jack walk into the room. He notices our arrival, and walks straight over to us looking like a runway model. My mouth goes dry and Lori groans besides me and licks her lips like she is about to have him for lunch.
“Leila, you made it in one piece.” he teases.
“Evan drove.” I respond defensively. “I was merely a passenger.” Evan gives me a look.
“So, it’s all your fault Evan.” Jack elaborates while fist punching Evan.
“Apparently so.” Evan answers sourly.
Jack turns to hug Lori and then me. Man…he smells so good. He feels even better.
As Jack and Evan discuss the route we took to get here, Lori leans into me. “He smells so damn good.”
I smile weakly and nod, wondering why she hasn’t broken out into hives yet.
God forgive me.
Evan hands the beer to Hunter and I give my bottle of tequila to Jack. “Awesome. We are almost out. Thanks Leila. Come get something to drink.”
Jack leads us through the small apartment towards the kitchen. Besides my band, the girls and Devil’s Lair, Patti is here. She waves when she sees me. I have to make it a point to thank her. She is the reason I am now a member of Devil’s Lair. Also mulling around are Scary Sally, Trey, a selection of pretty girls and a few other guys I don’t know. In total there are a few dozen people cramped into this tiny apartment.
The short counter in the kitchen is littered with liquor bottles of all sorts.
Jack helps us select our drink of choice and grabs a beer for himself. Not seeing any white, I decide on a rum and diet coke. Jack makes a very strong drink. I casually grab an opened can and add more diet coke to my glass.
Shrugging, I say, “I’m a light weight. I usually drink cheap white wine.”
“It has to be cheap?”
“Yes, otherwise it’s awful.”
He laughs and rubs my back. Lori catches the whole exchange and is unable to hide a frown. I quickly become the least her problems. As we stand in the small kitchen, three other girls appear from nowhere surrounding Jack like sharks circling a seal. Lori slinks over and stands next to Jack, clearly staking her claim. Damn, she’s already territorial. I saunter out of the kitchen leaving the four beauties to duke it out as best they can.
Hunter is in a corner huddled close and whispering with Amanda. They make a nice couple. Hunter with his fair spiky hair and adorable smile and Amanda with her exotic long curly hair and warm brown eyes. In hindsight, he isn’t a good match for Lori. He is too sweet. Trey is more her style.
Wait… I have an idea.
Wondering if I’m too late with my brand new plan, I look over at Lori who is glued to Jack’s side. But in all fairness the three other girls have gotten closer to him as well. One of them is giving Lori a death stare every time Lori opens her mouth. Jack and Lori have been openly flirting, but surprisingly Jack isn’t making any moves. Although Lori is very touchy, feely, Jack is not. He’s keeping his distance.
This gives me a glimmer of hope.
I search for Trey and spot him across the room watching Lori. He doesn’t take his eyes off her. Why didn’t I think of this sooner? He is her typical bad boy rocker type, and I know that she will fall head over heels for him if she gives him just five minutes of her attention. I haven’t spoken more than two words to Trey since I met him, but I can’t let that stop me from putting my plan in motion.
I nonchalantly walk over to where he is standing. He turns towards me to acknowledge my presence.
“Having fun Leila?”
“Yeah, I am.” I respond lamely. I don’t have a thing to say to this man. Standing side by side in complete silence, five seconds in I am starting to feel uncomfortable. Thankfully, I notice Trey’s eyes glued to Lori once again. I seize the opportunity. “Have you met my friend Lori?”
“No I haven’t. Introduce us.” His request is more of a command.
“Sure, wait here.” I walk over to where Jack, Lori, and the trio are all downing shots. Lori always becomes the life of the party without even trying. Nothing intimidates this girl, absolutely nothing. She isn’t fazed in the least that the other three are all vying for Jack’s attention. She could give a crap.
She looks hot in a simple short red tank dress, her signature heels, and her auburn hair that hangs loosely to the middle of her back. While laughing and holding onto Jack’s shoulder, she downs another shot. It’s clear that she is beyond buzzed. I need to change her course of action immediately.
I lean over and whisper in her ear. “I want you to meet someone.”
“Oh Lei, take a shot. You need one!” Jack looks amused and holds out the shot glass he just had against his own lips a moment ago. Damn that’s hot.
Smirking, he says, “I’m afraid we don’t have ginger ale.”
“Funny.” I take it from his fingers, down the shot, and hand him back the glass in one fast motion.
Wow, that burns. I detest tequila. How can they down these things so effortlessly?
Jack laughs at the face I am making. Once the burning stops, I feel a slow, warmth spread in the pit of my stomach that feels kinda nice.
“Want another one?” He asks while staring into my eyes. What I want is to grab his face and shove my tongue down his throat. I really need to have sex before I start working with him or I will be charged with assault.
“No, I’m good. I just need to borrow Lori for a minute. We’ll be right back.”
I grab Lori’s arm and pull her across the room. She protests until I stop her smack in front of Trey. Her eyes lose focus for a second and then she gives him a slow smile.
“Lori, this is Trey Taylor. He is bass guitarist for Devil’s Lair. Trey, this is Lori Banzini, my good friend.” They shake hands, and it’s happening. They check each other out and Trey actually smiles.
Success!
I excuse myself after a few minutes of being completely ignored. Looking around the apartment, I try to decide who would be the lesser of all evils. Alisa, Logan, Hunter, Amanda, Scott and Patti are on the couch chatting like old friends. I guess they naturally migrated together since they are the only couples at the party.
Joseph, Matt, Scary Sally and a few guys are at the table playing some drinking game. Joseph looks relaxed and like he is having fun. Even Matt is smiling and having fun.
Evan has a cute blonde laughing at his every word. He feels my eyes watching him and turns towards me and smiles.
Missing in action are Jack and the blond who was shooting daggers at Lori. I feel a touch out of sorts and amble over to the mock bar to get another drink. Everyone else is buzzed and I am not.
Mixing a rum and diet coke, I feel someone’s breath on my ear.
“Are you having fun?”
I jolt around in an extremely clumsy way and spill half my drink. Jack chuckles and says, “Did I scare you?”
“Yes.” I respond truthfully. He did scare me. He does scare me.
He grabs a roll of paper towels and bends to clean up the spill.
“I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be silly. It’s no big deal.” He straightens and grabs a half full bottle of Tequila. “Can I show you something?”
Caught in his net, I nod mechanically. There isn’t a doubt in my mind that I would follow him to hell. Jack leads me into the hallway and then up a short flight of stairs. He turns to me just as he’s about to open a door and I first notice his eyes are slightly unfocused.
Crap. Is he drunk?
This could be a huge mistake. Drunken Jack and Horny Leila...oh fuck.
He opens the door to a beautiful rooftop hangout. I gasp from the view. It’s simply breathtaking. Jack smiles at my reaction. There are mini Christmas lights strung along the perimeter. There are a few plastic patio tables with chairs. There is a tacky pleather couch against the wall under an overhang.
“Wow, Jack this is incredible. If I lived here I would never leave.”
“I spend a lot of time up here. I love to come up and play my guitar. I become very inspired. A lot of my songs were written up here.”
“Why is the party not here?”
“Ssh… this is my secret. I’m not sure we are even allowed up here. No one in the building knows about it or uses it, so I’ve declared it mine.” He smiles devilishly and motions towards the couch. “Want to sit a while?”
He walks me over to the couch and sits close. I can feel every nerve in my body pulsing from his proximity. We quietly enjoy the cool night air and the spectacular view.
“I really loved your show. Your band is very talented.”
“Thanks. It’s nice to hear from someone who doesn’t live in Hoboken. We tend to forget that there’s a whole other world out there.”
“I get that. The same thing happened to us. Playing the same bars over and over, seeing the same faces. You get very comfortable and complacent.”
“Well, things worked out for you guys.”
“Us guys.” He corrects.
“You guys. I had nothing to do with your success.”
“You will. Once we tour and our fans hear your voice, you will be linked to our success.”
I quietly contemplate his words. Am I ready for that?
“So what’s the deal with Matt?” His question breaks my reverie.
“Matt?”
“Sore subject?”
Matt is who Jack wants to talk about? What the hell?
Laying my head back against the couch I look up at the night sky.
“What’s the deal with Matt? Hmmm…that’s a loaded question.”
“He seems angry at the world.” Jack’s met him all of five minutes, and he’s pegged him perfectly.
“You can say that, sometimes. There are also times when he can be Mr. Wonderful. Not sure what happened there. He is opposite his brother Logan.”
“Now that I’ve met them, it’s hard to believe they are even related.”
“Yep, it is.” I avoid Jack’s gaze, I continue to stare up at the beautiful star filled sky. I can’t help but wonder why Jack has fixated on Matt.
“You two have chemistry.” His blunt statement doesn’t squelch my curiosity. I don’t see why he would care if we did have chemistry, which we most definitely do not.
“No we don’t.”
“From where I sat it sure looked that way.” Jack takes a quick swig of the tequila, and leans back against the back of the couch, now avoiding my gaze.
If he only knew that the reason I acted that way was because I was fantasizing about him the entire time. Jack waits patiently for me to continue. I want him to know that I am not attracted to Matt and don’t want to be linked to him ever again so I decide to fess up.
“Well he and I dated, twice. Once during high school for less than a year. The second time a few years later for even less than that.”
“So you do have chemistry.”
“No, we have history.”
Taking another drink of tequila he then asks, “Why did you guys break up twice?”
“Damn, you’re nosey.”
Shrugging, he continues to watch me brazenly, waiting for my response.
Fine, he wants to know details? I’ll give him details. I shift sideways on the couch to face him and he does the same, our knees practically touching. “The first time was in high school. I guess I out grew him. He was stuck. The second was a few years later. I thought he matured and gave it another shot. Then he cheated. No strike three after that, I’m afraid. Cheating is a hard limit for me.”
Talking about Matt cheating on me spurs my insecurities with relationships. As if possessed, I continue explaining our demise to Jack. “He’s ruined me in a sense. Trust is a huge factor in why I’m still single and not attached. Even after almost four years.”
Jack regards me quietly, processing my words. “My ex-girlfriend also cheated.” That’s all he says. He doesn’t explain or elaborate in any way. I just spilled my guts and that’s all he’s going to give me. He leans back, watching the night sky, dropping his end of the conversation.
“When?”
He waits a few seconds to respond. His pregnant pause is a clear indication he was also hurt. “A long time ago. You can say she also ruined me, in a sense.” He says, his tone harsh and filled with resentment. Who the hell would cheat on Jack? What an idiot.
“Well aren’t we a pair?”
“Their loss.” Jack remembers the bottle in his hand and takes a long swig of the tequila. Turning towards me, his position shifting him closer where our knees are now touching. He makes no attempt to move them away.
“To ditching our cheating exes.” He leans closer and offers me the bottle of tequila.
I shake my head and groan. “Ugh, I hate tequila.”
“Come on, have one sip. You have to accept my toast. It’s bad luck otherwise.”
“Fine. To ditching our exes.” Taking the bottle I take a small sip. I steal a peak at Jack and note that he is trying his hardest not to laugh.
“What?”
“You are so cute.”
My heart pounds noisily in my chest. He’s just flirting. I’ve gotten to know him enough to know it comes naturally to him, but it still ignites my insides.
Suddenly he leans closer and tucks a piece of hair behind my ear. I unconsciously tilt my head and enjoy his warm touch as he caresses my earlobe. I’m falling under his spell and I can’t look away from those gorgeous, stormy eyes. I have never had a pull towards someone like I do towards him.
He shifts his gaze down to my lips. “You’re also so beautiful.”
My breath catches from his words. Slowly, he closes his eyes and moves towards me slipping his hand into my hair, pulling me closer until his lips softly touch mine. His breath smells of tequila and his lips are warm and firm. Surprise, shock, desire all swirl in my head as I accept his kiss. Our kiss lasts for three seconds. It may not seem like a long time, but it’s enough time to know I want to continue and now that I’ve tasted him, I’ll never forget it. Three seconds is also enough time for me to subconsciously realize that this is a bad idea...real bad.
An involuntary gasp leaves my “still tingling from his kiss” lips. Pulling away, his hold prevents me to go far. With our faces still inches apart and Jack’s eyes still closed, my deep desire to close the distance between us wreaks havoc on my logical, rational side.
Jack suddenly snaps back to reality. “Shit. I’m sorry Leila. I’ve had a lot to drink.” He pulls further away, but his hand remains at the back of my head, his fingers wrapped in my hair in a desperate hold.
I want nothing more at this moment but to continue kissing him. And if I had a bit more to drink, I may not have been able to stop. Clarity is the only thing that stops me. Clearly seeing my future balanced precariously on this cliff gives me the strength to pull farther away. I woodenly reach up to take hold of his wrist, pulling his hand from my hair. “I should go.”
Taking hold of my hand before I had the chance to pull it away, he wills me to look at his face. “I’m really sorry.” His apology is genuine, and I believe him. The problem is me I don’t trust at the moment.
“I know.”
His hand releases mine, but his eyes hold me hostage inexorably and will me to forgive him.
I walk towards the door and look over one last time to see Jack sit heavily on the couch with his head in his hands. I desperately want to go back to comfort him, but that would be as irresponsible as continuing where we left off. Because surely touching him in any way at the moment would open my floodgates.
I quickly make my way back down to the party, which is still in full swing. As I cautiously enter the apartment, I feel like I have a huge blinking sign above my head that says, “I JUST KISSED JACK”.
Thankfully, no one seems to notice. Lori and Trey are sitting close in a corner, totally engrossed in each other. The others haven’t moved much during my absence either. The couples are still on the couch chatting. Evan has now joined Matt and Joe at the drinking game table. I decide to walk over to the couch and sit next to Alisa. Their conversation stops to acknowledge my intrusion. I pretend to be listening as I smile robotically.
Instead, I become absorbed in remembering his soft, warm, lips on mine. Where would it have led if I hadn’t stopped him? We haven’t even started working together, and we almost crossed a line already. I’m so lost in thought that I don’t even realize Patti is calling my name until Alisa nudges me.
“I’m sorry?” I ask looking confused.
“I asked you if you were having fun. You look like you are going to be sick.”
“I’m fine.” I lie. “Tequila and I don’t mix.” To change the subject, I continue, “Patti, I just want to thank you for getting me that audition.” The spunky blonde sitting on Scott’s lap smiles warmly at me.
“No need to thank me Leila. You got that job on your own. I merely opened the door for you. I knew you would be perfect for these guys.” She gives Scott a chaste kiss and jumps right back into their conversation. This leaves me to my own thoughts again, allowing me to slip back into my daze.
I must have been out of it for a long time, because when I glance around the room I notice the crowd has thinned considerably. Trey and Lori are missing, as is almost every girl. But then again Jack is still upstairs, which is probably why every female has disappeared.
Evan comes over and puts his hands on my shoulders. “Are you ready to go? You don’t look so good.”
“What time is it?”
“It’s almost two, I think. I’m ready if you want to leave.”
“Sure, I’m sober if you want me to drive.”
“Nope, I’m good. I only had one beer.”
“Ok. Let me find Lori.” Have she and Trey found their way up to the roof or are they behind closed doors? Conflicted, I really don’t want to knock on a door that is the only thing separating me from a writhing Lori and Trey. I also don’t want to go up to the roof and face Jack, either.
I really should say goodnight to him regardless. I shouldn’t leave on such uncomfortable terms. It’s not entirely his fault. He may have initiated the kiss, but I willingly participated for three seconds. Taking the steps to the roof, I slowly open the door.
It’s quiet, too quiet. Jack is still on the couch, joined now by a blond and a brunette. It takes me a few seconds to realize what I’m seeing. The blond is nibbling on one ear, the brunette on the other. His eyes are closed, and he turns his head towards the brunette. They start making out and I can’t stop staring. Getting a good look at them, they are life size versions of Barbie dolls, with long legs and huge boobs.
As the blonde kisses her way down his chest, she slides her hand inside the waistband of his jeans. Jack pulls away from the brunette’s lips and watches the blond through hooded eyes. He must sense my presence, because he shifts his gaze and locks eyes with me. I am frozen as he stares for a few seconds and blinks confusedly. Abruptly, he pushes the girls away and stands.
The brunette looks up at him and pouts. “Where are you goin’ baby?” Jack stands awkwardly between the fake boob twins with his shirt hiked up exposing his delicious abs and his jeans unbuttoned to reveal he wears black Calvin Klein boxer briefs. Forgetting he was just getting it on with two girls, my eyes drink in every inch of his hard body.
One of the fake boob twins says, “What the fuck?” and breaks me out of my trance. They both look at me like they are ready to take me down if necessary. I clearly interrupted their private party. Jack slowly takes a few steps forward, and I instinctively move back.
What the hell? Does he want me to join in?
Before he has a chance to say anything, I blurt out “We are going.”
“Leila…wait!”
Like a bat out of hell I run down the stairs and into the apartment. Evan has already found Lori, who looks completely sated, and asks, “Where were you?”
“Um, I went to tell Jack we were leaving. I’m ready.” I hastily grab my bag and wave a good-bye to anyone who is watching. Then I run out the door, down that stairs, and straight to Evan’s car so fast that I beat them by a full minute.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Evan says panting as he opens my door. “I’ve never seen you acting like this.”
“You look like you saw a ghossssst.” Lori slurs. She’s bombed. I hope she makes it to Hoboken without hurling. That would be the cherry on my night. “Traaaayyyy is sooo hot!” she says smiling at me. “He is soooooo sweet too.”
Sweet? Trey?
“Thanks for into…intro…putting us together. Jack was a waste of time.”
Turning towards her I ask, “Why?”
“He kept looking at you.” With that, Lori passes out. Evan seems lost in his own thoughts. I almost wonder if I just imagined what Lori said. She has no idea what she’s talking about. He was just going at it with two girls at once.
Shit…a threesome? How often has Mr. Lair participated in them? Is that why he kept looking at me? Is that why he came on to me? Is he a man-whore?
Here I thought he was upstairs battling with what happened between us, like I was doing downstairs. Instead he is upstairs about to have a threesome.
Evan glances at me. “What’s going on with you?”
I love him, but is simply cannot get into this with him right now.
“Nothing, why?”
“You’re acting very strange.” He waits a few seconds and asks, “Well?”
“Can we talk about it tomorrow?”
Staring at the road he sighs. “Fine.”
He’s not going to be happy if I confess everything. I’m going to have to withhold some info or Evan will undoubtedly kick Jack’s ass if he hears every erotic detail.