CHAPTER THREE
“I’m so happy to see you!” Meg grinned as she hugged Susan on the second Saturday night of January.
“Nice tan,” Susan said, as she tossed her tote bag on the hotel room bed and looked around. “One day in the sun, and you’re golden brown.”
Meg shrugged. “I just hung out by the pool today and read. I needed the rest.”
“I was disappointed you didn’t want to stay with us, but after the temper tantrum the baby had when I was leaving, I can’t say that I blame you.”
“I get it,” Meg replied. “Some days I feel like throwing a temper tantrum myself.”
“Any more run-ins with Craig?”
“No, thankfully. I try to avoid him as much as possible,” she said with a sigh. “You know, I never thought it would take this long to get over him.”
“Well…you know what they say.”
“What?”
A devilish grin spread across Susan’s face. “The best way to get over a guy is to get under another one.”
Meg burst out laughing. “Oh my God, you’re too much. Maybe one day.”
Susan raised one eyebrow, and commented, “Maybe tonight.” She looked her friend up and down, and added, “You’ve got to get dressed. I want to make the most of these back-stage passes.”
“I am dressed.”
“You can’t wear that,” Susan said, frowning at Meg’s baggy jeans and tee shirt. “Good thing I came prepared,” she added, pulling out a white crocheted cropped tank top and a pair of skinny jeans from her tote bag. “Put these on.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes, seriously.”
Meg picked up the tank top, fingering the lacy material. “It’s so pretty. I haven’t worn anything like this in a long time,” she said with a sigh.
“Neither have I, since I got pregnant and had the baby. Nothing fits anymore.” When Meg hesitated, Susan repeated, “Put it on. Now.”
Meg removed her tee shirt and jeans, prompting Susan to observe, “Well, at least you have sexy underwear on. Hopefully someone will see it tonight.”
“I don’t know about that.” Meg pulled Susan’s jeans over her hips, and observed, “These are a little tight.”
“They’re not tight – they fit you perfectly. They show off your curves.”
After slipping the white crocheted top over her head, Meg turned around and was shocked when she saw her reflection in the mirror. “Wow.”
“Wow indeed,” Susan agreed. “There’s my hot best friend. You’re back in business now.”
As the band members walked together from their tour bus into the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Jack put his arm around Sky. “You okay, buddy?”
Sky shrugged. “Yeah. I just can’t believe it’s been ten years since...”
“Look…I know you’ve sworn off women since the incident with that Mallory chick a couple of weeks ago, but maybe some female companionship might help. No one would blame you tonight.”
He shook his head as they passed through the stage door. “I don’t know.”
“Well, Mac is holding the invites to the after-party. Just let him know if there’s someone you want to get to know a little better.”
“Thanks, buddy.”
Jack caught up with his girlfriend Becky, who usually came along to the meet and greet sessions. As they approached the fans lined up to meet the band, he said, “Sky’s not himself tonight.”
Becky looked over her shoulder, and watched Sky shuffle along with his head down. “You’re right. I’m worried about him.” She was unable to continue because the screams of fans drowned her out.
The cheers snapped Sky out of his funk. He looked up and watched as fans used their phones to snap pictures of the band walking towards the location where the meet and greet photo session would take place.
As he reached the end of the line, his eyes locked in on a tall woman with long chestnut-brown hair and a deep tan. He stopped in his tracks, as a bolt of electricity traveled down his spine and straight to his groin. I’ve never seen eyes that color green before, he thought. And that body. Damn, she’s hot. Maybe Jack is right. Maybe I do need a girl tonight.
He realized that the rest of the band had assembled in the photo area while he had been staring at the woman, and he ran to catch up with them. While the band posed for photos with fans, Sky fidgeted and kept an eye on the end of the line. His palms became sweaty as he watched Mac hand out invitations for the after-party to the fans passing through the meet and greet area. He’s gonna run out of invitations before she gets to the front of the line.
“Time out,” Sky said to Jarrod, the band’s photographer. He jogged over to where Mac was standing, and asked, “Can you give me one of the invites for the after-party? There’s a girl at the back of the line, and I don’t want to run out of them before she gets up here.”
He took the piece of paper Mac handed him, folded it, and stuffed it in the back pocket of his jeans. Yeah, baby, he thought as he looked towards the back of the line. We’re gonna have some fun tonight.
“Hi, I’m Jack. This is Sky,” Jack Bishop repeated by rote as the mob of fans cycled through the meet and greet photo session.
Susan approached the two singers, but Meg held back a little. I’m so nervous. What am I supposed to say to them?
“Hey, darlin’,” drawled Sky. “Hey, sweetheart, come on over here,” he gestured. “Let’s get a picture together.”
Meg’s stomach did flip-flops as she approached Sky. Oh my God, he’s as gorgeous in real life as he is in photos, she thought, as she stared into his deep cornflower-blue eyes. She felt light-headed as she breathed in the scent of his cologne, and her flesh burned as she watched his eyes blaze a trail up and down her body.
Sky grinned and draped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her close. His Texas accent oozed charm, and he gazed at her like she was the only person in the room. “What’s your name?” He let his eyes wander again over her long, lean body and chestnut hair cascading in soft waves down her back. What a beauty.
“Meg. Meg Novak.”
He reached into the back pocket of his jeans, and extracted a piece of paper. “I’d like to get to know you better, baby. Here’s the address of the hotel where we’re staying. Join us in our suite after the show. We’re gonna party tonight.”
“Umm…I don’t know. I’m with my friend.”
Sky searched Meg’s emerald green eyes. Oh, yeah. This one I’ve got to have. “Bring her along. Don’t make me beg, Meg.”
Susan, who had been watching the interaction between Sky and Meg, interrupted. “Oh, we’ll definitely be there. Have a great show, guys!”
“What the hell,” Meg said, when they were out of earshot of Sky and Jack.
“I knew he’d be into you! This is awesome! Let me see what he gave you,” Susan said, grabbing the piece of paper from Meg’s hand.
“It’s just the address of the party they’re having tonight.”
Susan unfolded the paper and came to an abrupt stop. “Oh my God, Meg. They’re staying in your hotel.”
At that moment, the radio station representative corralled Meg, Susan, and the other radio contest winners, and escorted them to the side of the stage. He explained, “The band is going to go through their pre-show ritual, then they’ll start the show. You can watch from here.”
“This is so exciting!” Meg hugged Susan. “Thank you so much for inviting me. I can’t believe we’re going to be just a few feet away when they perform!”
When the house lights went down, the stage floor began to vibrate as loud music blared through the speakers. Meg and Susan watched as the band filed onto the stage, and Jack stopped to kiss the curvy girl with long blond hair standing next to them.
“Love you, baby,” Jack shouted as he took the stage.
“Love you right back,” she replied, before turning to Meg and Susan. “Hi. I’m Becky. Jack’s girlfriend,” she said, just as Sky bounded onto the stage, and the crowd erupted into wild cheers.
Lost in the music, Meg danced and sang along with the rest of the crowd as Sky, Jack and the band played one up-tempo hit after the other. Halfway through their set, she watched as Sky and Jack traded their electric guitars for acoustic ones, and sat down on stools that had been brought out to the stage.
“We’re gonna slow it down a bit right now,” Sky spoke into the microphone. “We’re gonna dedicate this next song to all the beautiful girls out there in the audience tonight.”
“To my girlfriend, Becky,” Jack chimed in. “You inspire me, and I love you.”
Sky turned and looked directly at Meg. “And to a very pretty lady I met earlier tonight,” he added.
Strumming his guitar, Sky’s rich, southern drawl-infused voice came through the speakers:
The world stopped turning when I met you
For just a moment I was lost in time
Meg’s body froze as Sky turned his head and sang directly to her:
I knew right then that I had to have you
I knew right then I had to make you mine
Meg stood mesmerized as Sky continued singing to the thousands of people assembled in the arena, and her heart skipped a beat when he turned his head and winked at her at the end of the song.
“I knew it! I knew you were his type,” Susan said as they reached the hotel parking lot after the concert. “Have fun at the party, and let me know what happens!”
Meg grabbed Susan by the arm. “Oh no, you don’t!”
“What?”
“You got me into this, so you’re coming with me. Come on,” she said, as she pulled Susan into the hotel lobby.
Meg consulted the piece of paper Sky had given her earlier. “The party is on the same floor as my room,” she said as she pushed the elevator button. Turning to Susan, she said, “I’m really nervous.”
“What’s there to be nervous about? It’s just a party.” Susan watched Meg furrow her brows, and she reached out to touch her friend’s arm. “Look, you know you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do, right?”
“I know. It’s just…”
“Just relax, and have a good time. Have a couple of drinks. And I’ll stay as long as you want me to.”
When the elevator doors opened, Meg didn’t need to check the piece of paper to know where to go. She turned to her left and followed the blended sounds of music and laughter.
When they reached the open door at the end of the corridor, Meg and Susan were greeted by two burly security guards. “Ladies, I need to see your driver’s licenses. I can’t allow anyone under twenty one into the party.”
Meg and Susan handed over their licenses and watched as the guards scrutinized their identification. “I’m flattered you think I might be under age,” Meg joked. “I’ve been looking at twenty one in the rear view mirror for a couple of years now.”
After they entered the suite, Susan whispered in Meg’s ear, “I didn’t realize there would be this much competition. Look at all these girls.”
“I don’t care about that. I’m just here to have a good time,” she said, as she scanned the room. “Sky’s over in the corner, surrounded by a bunch of groupies. I’m clearly not on his radar screen. Let’s just get a drink and hang out.”
They maneuvered their way to the bar area, and ordered two light beers. They sipped on their beers as they watched the crowd gathered in the suite. After a few minutes, a tattooed guy with a blond crew-cut approached them.
“Hi ladies,” he said, as he checked them out. “I’m Beau Grady, the keyboard player for Johnson Bishop.”
“I thought I recognized you. I’m Susan O’Donnell. This is my friend, Meg Novak.”
“Good show tonight,” Meg said.
“Yeah, thanks. Sky and Jack know how to get a crowd going, for sure,” he said, distracted, as he looked around the room. He sidled up to Susan and put his arm around her shoulder. Whispering into her ear, he asked, “Want to get out of here? Let’s get to know each other better in my room.”
Susan gently, but firmly, removed Beau’s arm from around her shoulder. “I’m married,” she said, sticking out her left hand to display her wedding ring. “Got a husband and a little baby at home – but my friend Meg is single.”
Meg choked on the beer she was sipping when Susan insinuated Beau should take her to his room. “What?”
“Why not? How about we take a walk to my room,” Beau said while winking at Meg.
“This wasn’t what I signed up for,” Meg whispered in Susan’s ear, before turning to Beau. “Thanks, but I think I’m going to go to my own room now.”
Meg turned and stared at Sky. He was standing in a corner, captivated by a crowd of scantily-clad, cheerleader-types. Who was I kidding? This was never going to happen. She caught Sky’s eye, and felt her stomach drop. He’s so hot, though. I wish…
“You’re not leaving, are you?”
Turning towards her friend, Meg said, “Yes, Susan, I am. Thanks for taking me to the concert. I had a great time, and I’ll pop over to see you and Doug before I fly back home tomorrow.” She stole one more look at Sky, before walking out the door of the suite.
Susan caught up with Meg in the hallway. “Why are you leaving? The keyboard player wants to hook up with you.”
“I’m just not into him. Not my type.”
“Who cares? He’s single and cute. If I was single…”
“But you’re not,” Meg said, cutting Susan off. “I love you,” she said, as she reached out to hug her friend. “Thanks again for a fun night. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Although Sky usually reveled in the attention paid to him by the throngs of adoring girls at after-parties, tonight his eyes searched the room for one girl in particular. There she is, he thought, as his gaze settled on Meg.
He frowned as he watched Beau approach her and her friend. Is he hitting on her? What the hell?
“Great getting to know y’all,” he said, as he watched Meg turn and walk towards the door. Shit. Don’t leave. He had to peel a particularly clingy girl off his arm. “Nice talking to you, baby. Catch you later.”
He crossed the room and grabbed Beau by the arm. “Where is she?”
“Who?”
“Meg. The girl you were just talking to.”
“She left with her friend.”
“Fuck,” Sky cursed as he ran a hand through his hair.
“She said she was going to her room.”
Sky’s head snapped up. “What? Her room?”
“Yeah, that’s what she said. I think she’s staying here in the hotel.”
Sky bolted out the door and ran down the corridor. He caught sight of Susan just as she was getting into the elevator. “Wait, wait!”
Susan heard someone calling to her to hold the elevator. She put her hand out to stop the door from closing, and her stomach dropped when Sky Johnson jumped inside the elevator cab. “What the…”
Sky cut her off. “Where’s your friend?”
“Meg? She went back to her room.”
“What room is she in?”
“Umm…”
When Susan hesitated, Sky turned on the charm. “I feel bad that I invited her to the party, but didn’t get the chance to talk to her.” He saw the hesitation in Susan’s eyes, and added, “C’mon, give me her room number. Please.”
Meg might be upset if I give him her room number. But if I don’t give it to him, she might also be upset. I’m damned if I do, and damned if I don’t. Susan sighed, dug in her purse, and handed Sky a piece of paper. “Here it is.”
“Thanks.”
The elevator door opened at the lobby, and as she exited, she turned to Sky and said, “Meg’s a real sweetheart. Be good to her.”