CHAPTER TWELVE
Jewel finds Alyssa back in the green room. There are a few other people hanging around, but the band is nowhere to be seen. Jewel and Alyssa decide to grab some food from a diner down the road before the show tonight. Judging from the Yelp reviews, it has decent food. It seems like a little hole-in-the-wall place, which fits right in line with the Alyssa-Jewel tradition of trying hole-in-the-wall places while visiting different cities around California.
They walk to the car. It’s obvious that Alyssa is a bit distracted after having spent Day Two with Vincent. She is caught up in telling Jewel all about the things that she’s learned about the band. Their fairytale names, and how they’ve known each other for years. Jewel is pretty sure that Alyssa hasn’t been paying attention to the restaurant they picked, but she knows that it will sink in, eventually.
“There’s Rump, The Tailor, Old Suntan...” While Alyssa is going on, Jewel can’t quite swallow the emotions that have built up in her throat. Alyssa is oblivious to it. Alyssa is always oblivious to things when she has her mind focused on a guy.
Finally, Jewel interrupts.
“Ash wants me at his hotel room again tonight.”
They get in the car and Jewel starts the engine.
“He says he’ll come back alone tonight, but if I’m not there then he’ll find someone else. But he told me that he hopes I’ll come…”
Jewel pauses a moment.
“Did you know the band is in a biker gang? The Grimms? The ones that have caused all that havoc just a few years back? Organized crime. I guess that’s how they afford those nice hotels. That’s why they beat up those club managers...”
“Wow! Jewel. That’s great. Ash wants you with him tonight.” Alyssa says. Jewel glances at Alyssa with just enough time to see her wink.
“You weren’t listening at all! A gang! Ash and Vincent are in a gang!”
“A biker gang,” Alyssa retorts.
“That doesn’t make it any better!”
“Sure it does. He rides around on a sexy motorcycle with a bunch of other sexy guys.”
Jewel just shakes her head at Alyssa.
“Hey. I don’t care about all of that stuff. If Vincent wants me to stick around, then I’ll stick around. Mmm.”
Alyssa makes a few sounds as she recalls her sexual encounters with him. “Damn that man… um, anyway. I don’t think that you should be worried about it.”
“And I don’t think you’re worried enough!” Jewel shocks Alyssa with her newfound adult tone.
“You know, Jewel, Ash doesn’t sleep with the same girl twice. This could be a great opportunity for you. You can have a ton of sex with him and then just go back to work on Monday. It’s the perfect situation. Girl, you’ve got him right where you want him. You’re so lucky.”
Jewel pulls into the parking lot and they enter the little diner. As they do so, they’re greeted and given seats at a booth.
“Anything to drink, ladies?” the waitress says with a polite smile as she places the menus on the table. “I’ll be back to take your order in a few minutes.”
“Oh, just a water for me,” Jewel says.
“Water? Are you serious? That’s not the Jewel I know! I’ll have a Heineken, thanks.”
“Coming right up.” The waitress vanishes, leaving the girls a chance to continue their discussion.
“I don’t know about this.” Jewel admits to Alyssa.
“Oooh, look. They have a ⅔ lb burger loaded with pepper jack cheese, bacon and bbq sauce. Doesn’t that sound good? Says here it’s irresistible. Wait. Wait. Wait.” Alyssa starts to take in her surroundings.
“Aww, Jewel. This is kind of a hole-in-the-wall, huh? Wow. It’s been so long since we travelled together. I can’t believe you remembered.”
Jewel glares at Alyssa.
Alyssa grabs Jewel’s hand before going back to their previous topic.
“Look. I told you it’s nothing to worry about. You’ll have another great night with a famous rocker, just one more night, and then you can go back to work on Monday. You’ll feel much better after you have something to eat. I promise I won’t keep you out all night. I told you, it’s perfect.”
Jewel sighs, “All right. If you say so. I guess it could be harmless…”
...To have a little fun before work. It’s all good, she thinks to herself before picking out a burger on the menu that looks appetizing.
After they order, Alyssa alludes to Jewel how good Vincent was in bed. Jewel laughs and divulges some of the techniques that Ash used. Just like old times, they compare their men. When they get their food, both the women chow down.
With a fry in her hand, Jewel motions towards Alyssa, “Alyssa, this is definitely better than trying to date someone like that optometrist, and we aren’t even dating. I mean, could you imagine settling down with someone like that?”
When she speaks, she wags the fry around as if it were her own finger before shoving it in her mouth. She remembers just a few days ago she was wanting to try out “normal” men. She shudders at the thought.
“They can’t all be like that, right? I can find a normal guy that fits my needs, can’t I?” She asks herself, knowing that Alyssa’s answer would do her no good.
Alyssa never thinks about settling down. She has a weakness for musicians even more hopelessly than Jewel. While they talk, it’s a relief for Jewel to finally have her friend back to normal and not man-crazed, even if just for a little while. She’s never quite reasonable when she’s man-crazed.
After their meal, Jewel looks at Alyssa sincerely. “So you really think that I can just sleep with him tonight and it will really be okay?”
Alyssa just smiles and takes her hand. “I think you’re overthinking this. You deserve a little time to enjoy a man and be happy. So do just that. I don’t like all this settling-down talk. You’re not even 30! You know men. They’re happy to sleep with women, and even happier if you’re not going to bug them about sticking around.”
Alyssa pauses for a second.
“Vincent and I are hooking back up. When he does his show next month… well, let’s just say that he’s already on my calendar, and my to-do list.”
Jewel nods and sighs quietly to herself.
“That sounds great, Alyssa.”
This time, she finally convinces herself that it’ll be okay. After-all, men do like a woman they can hook up with and not have to worry about having strings attached…