More Than a Song

by Chris Paynter

  Rita, one of the youngest employees at the clinic, giggled. “Oh, Mary. You say that about any hot, new lesbian artist who plays there.”

  “This was different. I know you’re straight, Rita, but trust me. This woman would’ve gotten to you, too.”

  Liz heard more murmuring and giggling. The desk where she sat working on her notes wasn’t exactly concealed, but it was parked behind the towering stack of client charts. She couldn’t believe she was straining to hear the rest of their conversation.

  “And oh, my Lord, could she play that guitar. Just like Bonnie Raitt, I tell you. I’d love to have been the neck of that damn thing, the way she rode that pill bottle up and down it. Woo-wee!”

  Rita barked out a full laugh at the comment.

  Liz shook her head. Rita was diminutive. Liz marveled every time she heard that unique laugh bursting forth from her.

  The employee on the phones for the morning hollered from her perch out front. “Hey, Mary. Can you check if Dr. Springer got that prescription ready for Clover York? Her mommy’s on the line.”

  Mary rounded the corner and stopped short. “Dr. Springer. I didn’t know you were back here.” Her cheeks glowed with an adorable full blush.

  Liz gestured to the notes she was working on. “Catching up on some paperwork until my first appointment. Clover’s prescription is on the second shelf.”

  “Right. Okay.” Mary quickly grabbed the prescription bottle.

  “Be sure to tell Ms. York to have Clover take it with food.”

  “Will do.” Mary hastened around the files. “I didn’t know she was back here. Why didn’t you tell me?” Mary whispered to Rita, probably not knowing Liz could still hear her.

  “I thought you knew.”

  After that, their voices grew more hushed. Liz smirked, then her smile slid from her face. A part of her wanted to be included in the gossip, a part of her held back. In her limited time at the clinic, she’d been accepted and treated well. But she still felt a little apart from the other doctors and how they interacted with the staff. Maybe in time, she’d have that.

  * * *

  Dani woke up the next morning with a hangover. She slowly sat up on the side of the bed. Frodo, still curled up in his usual spot, quietly snored, oblivious to the world. Dani’s mouth felt like an entire bag of cotton swabs had taken residence inside.

  “I knew there was a reason I didn’t drink like this,” she mumbled as she rose. Her bare feet slapped heavily onto the hardwood floor on her way to the bathroom, jarring her already throbbing head.

  She opened the medicine cabinet, pulled down the aspirin bottle, and dropped two onto her palm. She twisted the tap, threw the pills back into her throat, scooped the water into her hand, and shoveled it into her mouth. She swallowed hard and had that inevitable and involuntary shudder run through her when the bitter taste of the aspirin hit her palate.

  Dani started the shower. While the water warmed, she went to the bedroom to rouse her beagle.

  “Frodo, wake up. Time to face the world.”

  In response, he barely raised his head to blink at her. He stretched out his legs and yawned. Then he promptly plopped his head back on his front paws.

  “Come on, dude.” She tugged on the covers to make him move. “Mommy has to get ready for work.”

  He stood up, stretched once more, and hopped down to the floor. She followed him downstairs and let him out. Dani flipped on the Keurig machine in the kitchen and headed back upstairs. She undressed and stepped into the hot shower. As she shampooed her hair, she suddenly remembered she was meeting C.J. James for lunch.

  What the hell do I wear? “Wait,” she said out loud. “What does it matter what I wear?” But she knew the answer. She was attracted to C.J. James. Dani rinsed her hair. She closed her eyes while she stood under the water and let it cascade over her face. Warning bells went off in her head when she met C.J. She exuded danger—like a late-night walk alone in a rough part of town.

  Dani quickly finished up. She pulled out a pair of khakis and a navy-blue cotton shirt from her closet. There, she convinced herself. That’s not dressing up too much.

  She checked the weather on TV to make sure no storms were forecast for the day. The weathercaster promised it would be clear and in the upper sixties, so she left Frodo outside. As she drove to the shop, she replayed the previous night in her mind. When C.J. placed her hand on Dani’s knee, Dani had felt lightheaded.

  She was so lost in thought that she didn’t realize she’d made it to Main Street. She turned onto Main then into the alley that ran alongside the store. She saw Tina’s Malibu already in the lot. Damn, am I that late? Dani glanced at the clock on her dash, relieved to see she was only ten minutes later than her normal time.

  She entered the store through the back door.

  “Hey, Tina!” she shouted.

  “Glad to see you could make it.”

  Tina, dressed in her typical “Dani’s Den of Books” T-shirt and faded blue jeans, was cleaning the windows with a squeegee. And of course her Braves hat perched on her head. Did she ever not have the thing on? Wait, Dani thought, she didn’t wear it at her commitment ceremony with Barb, but only because Barb had a conniption fit when Tina pushed to wear it.

  “Very funny, T. I’m not that late.”

  “How do you fe—” She stopped and gave Dani a once-over. “Damn, woman, where the hell are you going today?”

  “I’m not dressed up.”

  “Riiight. You always wear khakis and that L.L. Bean shirt to work. Hell, the only time I’ve seen you wear that is when you went out on your first date with Katie.” Tina’s expression changed. “Wait. Are you going out with her today?”

  Her. Tina had already reduced C.J. James to a “her.”

  “C.J. and I are going to lunch, but that’s all it is. Lunch.” Dani was trying to convince herself at the same time.

  Tina didn’t say anything. She turned back to what she was doing. Dani decided to drop it. She understood Tina’s concerns. Hell, she had the same misgivings. Even so, she wanted to see C.J. again one-on-one without a roomful of women with admiring eyes.

  Dani walked to the back and slid C.J.’s CD into the CD player. Her voice filled the store. Definitely easy on the ears, too.

  Tina had finished cleaning the windows and stepped around the counter to grab the keys to open the front door. “Don’t suppose we can listen to something else this morning, can we?”

  Dani raised her head from the inventory list she was poring over. “What is it that you don’t like about her?” She wasn’t angry about Tina’s reaction anymore. She really wanted to know.

  Tina stared down at her shoes. “It’s that... Oh hell.”

  Dani got up from her stool and stood in front of Tina. She held Tina’s hand. “I hope you know you can tell me anything.”

  Tina looked up. The concern written on her face touched Dani. The fact she didn’t automatically go into a tirade about C.J., but was carefully weighing her words, meant something to Dani.

  Tina took a deep breath. “I don’t know what to say, other than I have a bad feeling about her. Yeah, she’s gorgeous. Yeah, she has a great voice. But there’s something about her that’s off.”

  Dani nodded. She couldn’t deny what Tina was saying.

  “You’re my best friend, Dani. I don’t want to see you hurt.”

  Dani pulled Tina into a hug. “That’s why I love you. But I’m a big girl. I think I can handle Ms. James.” Dani wondered if she sounded as unsure as she felt.

  Tina gave Dani a squeeze and ended the embrace. “Just be careful, okay?” she said softly.

  “I will.”

  Dani busied herself with the inventory. She patrolled the store and noted any books she needed to order. She didn’t know what time it was when she heard the bell jingle at the front door. Bent over and checking books on the bottom shelf, she felt someone beside her. Dani glanced up and saw C.J. Was it already lunchtime? She rose to her feet.

  C.J.
, wearing a pair of faded old jeans and a long-sleeved denim shirt with tears in the elbows, gave Dani a crooked grin. Dani felt foolish in her khakis and L.L. Bean shirt. What the hell had she been thinking this morning?

  C.J.’s crystal-blue gaze raked over Dani’s body from head to toe. “Damn. You look great.”

  “Th-thank you,” Dani stammered. She held the inventory list in front of her like C.J. had X-ray vision, and somehow this ten-page inventory list would protect Dani from scrutiny.

  “Want to get out of here?” C.J. asked.

  “Let me tell Tina I’m leaving.” Dani turned to walk the other way so she wouldn’t have to brush past C.J.

  Dani dropped the inventory list onto the counter. Tina was at the computer.

  “C.J.’s here. I’ll be back in a few.”

  Tina nodded.

  C.J. waited for Dani at the front door. She motioned with her chin to the speakers positioned throughout the store. “You’re playing my music.”

  “I thought it’d help sell the CDs,” Dani said as they went outside. “Although I think once it gets out how great you sounded last night, it won’t be hard at all to sell them.”

  “Thanks.” C.J. ducked her head. She actually seems humble about how good she is, Dani thought. Let’s chalk that up as a good sign.

  “Where are we chowing down at?” C.J. asked.

  “There’s a pub about four blocks down on Main. They serve great burgers and deli sandwiches. Is that okay with you?”

  “Can’t go wrong eating at a pub.”

  They kept quiet the rest of the way to the restaurant. When they walked through the door, the booming voice of the owner, Freddie, greeted them.

  “Ms. Dani Roberts, it’s about time your ass came back in here to visit!” he shouted from the back of the room. He made his way to the front. Freddie was a large man with dark wavy hair and a bushy mustache.

  “Freddie, this is C.J. James. She’s the first artist for the ‘Women in Music’ series.”

  Freddie offered his meaty hand. C.J. reached out and shook it.

  “It’s a pleasure. If you’re a friend of Dani’s, you’re a friend of mine.” He motioned to the room packed full of diners. “I have a booth in the back. Is that okay with you?”

  “That’s great,” Dani said. They walked to the booth and sat down across from each other. Freddie dropped off water and menus at their table.

  “So what’s good, Dani?” C.J. studied the menu. Dani peered at her over hers. C.J. caught Dani’s stare. They sat like that until Freddie returned.

  “Have we decided?” he asked. Neither of them spoke. He glanced back and forth at them, then caught Dani’s eye. “Okay. I take that as a no.” He gave Dani a knowing smile before walking away.

  Dani found her voice. “The hamburgers are excellent, like I said.”

  “I trust you implicitly on your choices.” C.J. gave her a wink and one of her cocky grins.

  Dani’s stomach fluttered, and her heartbeat throbbed in her throat. She broke the stare. She caught Freddie’s attention across the room, and he hustled over.

  “Y’all ready now?”

  C.J. handed him her menu. “Sounds like your burger and fries are what I want. Medium well on the burger.”

  “I’ll have the same, Freddie, but—”

  Freddie interrupted. “Well done, right?”

  “Thanks.”

  He scribbled her order and took her menu.

  Neither of them spoke for a few seconds. Dani got the courage to say something.

  “C.J., I have to tell you. I first heard your music last year. Unfortunately, it was right after a breakup. You really hit me with ‘Your Lies.’ It’s like you tapped into everything I was feeling. It shook me up, to be honest.”

  C.J. took her hand. Dani jumped at the touch. Whatever this was, it sure as hell wasn’t going away.

  “You’re not going to tell me I’ve already scared you off are you? Or that my music has?” She lightly stroked Dani’s hand with her fingers.

  Dani found her voice to answer. “I’d like to get to know you better.”

  C.J. smiled and sat back in her seat. She squeezed Dani’s hand and let go. “Why don’t we start tonight? My show should be ending about ten. Would you like to come see me perform again?”

  Dani wasn’t sure she was up for another night of listening to C.J.’s intoxicating voice. She wanted to at least be thinking clearly.

  “If it’s okay, I’ll catch up with you after your set tomorrow night. I’ll wait for you at the bar.”

  “Sure. Although I’d love to have you sitting there in the first row of tables so I could look at you all night.”

  Jesus, Dani thought. Is she really this smooth? “You’re too flattering.”

  “It’s the truth.”

  Freddie brought burgers and fries. Dani kept her head down and concentrated on her food.

  C.J. broke the silence. “What’s with your friend Tina?”

  Dani almost choked on a fry. Is Tina that obvious?

  “What do you mean?”

  “She doesn’t seem to care for me much.”

  “It’s not that at all. She’s my best friend and is a little protective of me. She knows it’s been a year since I’ve been with—” Dani stopped when she realized what she was about to say.

  C.J.’s eyebrows shot up, and her eyes danced with that same mischievous light Dani saw when she sang. “Since you’ve been with a woman?”

  Dani took a deep breath to try to settle her emotions. “The relationship I was in before, the one I told you ended a year ago. I decided to stay away from dating for a while.”

  “And I’m your first?” Again, C.J.’s tone was playful, and she had an incredibly sexy smile cross her lips.

  Dani swallowed hard. “You’re my first date. Correct.”

  C.J.’s grin grew wider. “I feel honored.”

  Dani flagged down Freddie for the check. She needed to get back to the store and clear her head. C.J. snatched the check from her. Dani started to protest.

  “I want to do this if this is our first date.” C.J. laid a twenty on the table. “I’m definitely treating.”

  Dani stepped out of the booth. C.J. stood up in front of her.

  “I need to get back,” Dani said.

  “I’ll see you tonight then?”

  “I’ll be there.”

  “Good.” They headed out the door and made it to the street. “I need to get back to Carl’s to rehearse. I enjoyed our lunch.”

  “Me, too.”

  C.J. started walking toward the bar but turned to wave and flash a smile.

  Dani gave a weak smile in return. “What are you getting yourself into, Roberts?” she said under her breath.

  * * *

  Liz entered her small bungalow and dropped her purse on the table beside the front door. She heard her dog’s scratches at the back door. It’d been cool enough to leave her out in the backyard today. Soon, the heat would get almost unbearable. Scratches quickly morphed into a full-out banging on the screen door.

  “I’m coming, Melanie. I’m coming.”

  Liz opened the screen door, and her blonde cocker spaniel hustled into the kitchen. Melanie’s tail was a blur as she circled excitedly at Liz’s feet. With her tongue lolling out to the side, she looked up at Liz with such adoration, Liz’s eyes welled with tears.

  “Oh, Mel.” Liz scooped her up into her arms and rubbed her nose against Melanie’s. “What would I do without you?”

  Melanie gave her a little lick.

  Liz set her back down on the floor, made sure she had a full bowl of water, and dropped some kibble in the other bowl. “Mommy’s pretty tired tonight, sweetie. I’ll take a quick shower, and then I’ll join you in eating dinner.” Melanie was already tearing through her food as if she hadn’t eaten in weeks. “I know I left enough food out there for you today. Quit acting like you’re starved.”

  Liz left the kitchen and walked down the hall to her bedroom. She stripped down a
nd ran the shower until the water was nice and warm. After her shower, she dressed in her cotton-shorts-and-tank-top PJ combo. She reentered the kitchen, opened the freezer door, and stared inside. She pushed around some of the frozen dinners and settled on a Lean Cuisine lasagna. As it thawed in the microwave, she grabbed the open bottle of red wine from her refrigerator and poured a healthy glass. She raised the glass to Melanie who sat in the kitchen, staring up at her with her big brown eyes. “Cheers, little girl.”

  The microwave dinged. Liz grabbed a fork out of the drawer and poked around at the lasagna to check if it was done. A couple more minutes should do it. Once the lasagna finished baking, Liz sat down at the small dining room table and dug in.

  As she sipped her wine, she thought back to Mary and Rita’s conversation from earlier in the day. A part of her wanted to check out this singer; the other part of her, the practical side of her who was still hurting from her breakup, shut down that idea. From Mary’s description of the singer, she sounded a lot like her ex. Therese had also oozed sex appeal. Liz had fallen for Therese’s magnetism without any thought. There had been danger signs. Liz had plowed through them like an out-of-control car plows through pylons at a closed-off construction site.

  She stared down at the wine and swirled the liquid around in her glass. “Come on, Liz. Not every woman is Therese.” Tell that to my heart, she thought, as she took a big sip.

  Suddenly, her client Dani Roberts’s face popped into mind. Dani was so gentle with her dog. Liz could often tell what kind of person someone was just by how they treated their pet.

  “Frodo.” Liz smiled. It was such a cute name for a beagle. “Must be a Lord of the Rings fan.”

  Seeing the two of them together had stirred something in Liz. Something she tried to shake and play off as nothing. But she kept returning to how she and Dani had locked gazes. She’d felt her heart beating double-time in her chest. She shook her head.

  “Don’t need to even think about it.”

  Melanie, after her feeding, sat beside her at the table and nudged Liz’s leg with her nose.

  “You agree, right, Mel? We’re happy here on our own.”