Chasing Melody

by Erin Cristofoli

  Chapter Fourteen

  Elle

  It was in the early hours of the morning when I woke. I could tell that we were on the road. Still groggy, I was trying to think about what could have possibly woken me up, so I stilled to see if Ivy might be up when I heard the soft sounds of a guitar coming from Chase’s room. We’d had another late-night fooling around. I was exhausted, but every minute with Chase was worth it.

  I tried to hear what song he was playing, but I didn’t recognize the tune; it sounded like more of a slower, softer ballad than the band was usually known for, and I wondered if it might be something new for the album they were working on. Settling back under the warmth of my blankets., I closed my eyes and listened to the music, eventually drifting back off to sleep

  I had just finished up washing the dishes from breakfast, while Ivy watched cartoons, when Chase bounded up the stairs of the bus.

  “There is an all members of the band meeting right now.”

  What did that have to do with us? “Okay…”

  “Today that means both of you as well. Get ready and be outside in five minutes. Come on, lovebug, I’ll help you get dressed.”

  He scooped her up and, as I got myself ready, I could hear Ivy giggling loudly. I peeked out of the bathroom to find him blowing raspberries on her tummy.

  We all got off the bus and met with the rest of the band who were milling around the parking lot.

  “All right, Chase, what gives? I was enjoying some extra sleep,” Ewan griped.

  “Welcome to Surrey, BC. After our mini vacation that Claire was kind enough to plan for us, I was thinking that maybe we could squeeze in a few more fun things along the way. So, I planned something to do today.”

  “What are we doing?” Stixx asked.

  “Ah, but that is part of the fun; it’s a surprise.”

  Off to the side, I noticed a long van waiting to take us on a surprise adventure. Chase managed to ignore the entire car ride of inquisitions by the guys. I was more than happy to let him have his fun. The smile on his face clearly told me that he was excited to be doing this for us all. Around 20 minutes later, we pulled up to a large brick building that had been painted black. Putter’s Paradise was painted on top in large purple, blue, and green glittering letters.

  “We’re going mini golfing?” Stixx asked.

  “Yeah, but it’s better than that – it is glow in the dark golf,” Chase replied.

  Walking inside the building, we were all temporarily blinded by the contrast to the bright day outside. As we became adjusted to the darkness, the world was transformed into a strange world of oversized flowers and mushrooms, weeping willow trees, and woodland creatures, all neon and glowing by black lights.

  The teenage girl behind the front desk did a double-take, recognizing the band based on the glazed over look that came over her face. I lifted Ivy into my arms and watched the scene before me unfold. Brant leaned up against the counter, giving the poor girl a smouldering gaze until she actually squeaked – it really wasn’t fair of him. Once she managed to find her voice, she stuttered her way through a prepared speech.

  “W-welcome to P-Putter’s Paradise.”

  Chase too laid on the charm with a huge grin. “Thanks.”

  “I-uh-I see that you’ve rented the whole place, so I guess all we need to do is…” Her voice trailed off.

  Claire pushed past the guys and cleared her throat. “Honey, do we just need to get golf clubs?”

  The girl gave her head a shake. “Yes, sorry. I-uh, it’s just that you are famous, and no one famous ever comes here.”

  “Well, how about this. Get us all set up, and before we leave I’ll make sure that you get a photo of you with the band. Okay?”

  The girl grinned with a nod and led everyone over to get a glowing ball and club, Claire and the guys heading inside first. Chase, Ivy, and I decided we would follow along behind so as not to hold anyone up.

  When it was our turn, I watched Chase help his daughter with the club that was almost as tall as she was. It melted my heart to see how excited she was and how exaggerated Chase acted to get a laugh out of her.

  When it was my turn, I glanced over to the side, noticing Chase staring at my ass.

  “What are you doing?”

  “What? Nothing,” he replied quickly.

  So, he wanted to play it that way? Okay, he’d get nothing.

  I exaggerated my bend at the waist, pushing my ass out and giving it a little wiggle. I could hear him groan under his breath and it was all I could do not to look back again and see the look on his face.

  On the next hole, before I took my shot, I walked over to the hole, bending down seductively while pretending to look at the angle of my shot.

  “I know what you are doing,” he said with a smirk.

  “Don’t know what you are talking about.”

  When it was his turn, I made sure to stand at the hole, trying my best to look seductive. I guess it worked because he missed the shot, and I couldn’t hold back my laugh this time.

  Claire came back and grinned at us.

  “Would you mind if Stixx and I take Ivy for a couple of holes?”

  “I’m sure she would love that,” Chase answered, looking over and raising an eyebrow at me, a small smirk on his devastatingly perfect lips.

  Stixx joined us, grabbed Ivy and swung her around until she ended on top of his shoulders squealing in delight.

  “Come on, little bean, let’s go look around and see what other cool things we can see in this place.”

  And then we were alone, the air around us beginning to heat up. He came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. “I’ve been studying your form and I think I can help.” He placed his hands on top of mine.

  “Oh really? Wow, I didn’t realize that I was in the company of a miniature golf expert. How about this? Is this better?” I asked, pushing my ass up against him.

  “So much better. I wish we weren’t here right now,” he growled.

  In an instant, Chase grabbed my club from my hand and was pulling me from the course over to a large 3D glowing cut out of a tree, pushing me up against the trunk and pressing his lips firmly against mine. And just like that, I was lost. Lost to the feeling of his hands roaming over my body, and to his lips as they caressed mine. That is until I heard someone clear their throat.

  “You two are acting like a couple of horny teenagers. Catch up already, would you? We’re already heading up to the next floor,” Ewan informed us, his eyes dancing with humour.

  “Fuck off,” Chase breathed, though with a small smirk playing on his lips.

  “Lucky bastard,” we heard him mumble as he left us behind the tree. Chase put some distance between us, which was probably a good thing because having sex in a mini golf course was probably frowned upon. He ran his fingers through his hair while I grabbed my club that he had dropped to the ground.

  “I guess I will go and take my next shot and you can catch up.”

  As I went to walk away, he swatted my ass.

  “What was that for?”

  He picked up his club and slid his arm around my waist. “I lose all sense when I’m near you. We’re going to finish what we started,” he told me, his voice deep and full of thrilling promise, and it sent a shiver through me.

  My next shot was the first one I missed. He’d won at the game of distraction. We skipped most of the remaining holes and moved out into the lobby where there were a large number of games. All of the guys took turns playing, earning a large number of tickets that they then let Ivy cash in for various prizes. The grin on her face was magical. Claire kept her word and made a point to get the girl out from behind the counter so that she could get her photo with the band.

  “Daddy? I’m hungwy,” Ivy told Chase once we were outside.

  Everyone agreed and quickly decided to walk over to a burger joint that was across the parking lot for lunch. The manager there was very accommodating when he realized who he was speaking to, pu
lling up a table to one of the booths so that we could all sit together. Chase pulled me into the booth with him, his hand resting on my thigh. Ours was not a quiet group by any means, with multiple conversations happening at once.

  “So, I may have heard you playing something early this morning,” I said quietly.

  “Oh, you heard that? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.”

  “You didn’t. I thought it was in my dream actually. It was a beautiful piece.”

  Like a flick of a switch, everyone quieted down.

  “Did I hear something about music?” Brant asked.

  Chase looked up to see all eyes were on him. “Holy shit, I’ve never felt more under the microscope as I do right now.”

  Stixx punched him from across the table. “So…”

  “I’ve been playing with a bit of music for a while now, not getting anywhere. Last night it came to me.”

  He turned to me. “And I’m still working on the one that we were messing around with, it’s almost done.”

  I smiled warmly at him, feeling grateful to have been able to help him, but more so that it was something special that we had shared.

  The guys all got up from the table and pulled Chase from the booth, clapping him on the back while whooping and hollering. Ivy, who was sitting between Claire and me, was clapping and giggling at the commotion. Claire was watching me. She smiled, leaning across the table to whisper. “He’d lost his creative mojo a while ago. But he’s found it again, and it has everything to do with you, Elle.”

  I shook my head, that wasn’t true at all. “It was all him. But I’m glad he has; it’s like a weight has been lifted.”

  It took a while for everyone to settle down again so we could finish our meal, the guys rushing to stuff their burgers in their faces, eager to get back and work on the new music.

  As we walked back to the van, Chase put an arm around my shoulder and pulled me closer. “Today has been a great day,” he murmured so that only I could hear. “I don’t think the guys are going to let me finish what we started earlier. At least not right away.”

  I nodded, feeling confident that while we would, right then he needed to keep the positive vibe going with the band.

  “I know. You go and do your thing. I’ll make sure the wait is worth your while.”

  His eyes narrowed. “You tease. I’ll make you pay for that later.”

  I couldn’t wait.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Elle

  We’d travelled back over the border into the States overnight, and we’d had to stop and let the officers check out the bus. When we passed the inspection, we’d continued on our way to Seattle. We’d been settled for a while, with Chase off doing stuff with the band. Ivy and I were in the middle of building an impressive castle out of blocks when Chase boarded the bus.

  “Daddy, we’re making a castle!”

  “It’s beautiful.” He smiled. “Auntie Claire is going to come over in a minute. Do you think it would be all right if she helped you finish your castle? I need Elle for a little while.”

  “What for?” she asked.

  He reached down and pulled me to my feet.

  “I’ve got a surprise for her,” he whispered loudly before turning to me. “You’ve got about five minutes.”

  He gave me just enough for me to run a brush through my hair which had been tangled in a tickle fight earlier with Ivy, before Claire cheerily greeted us from the front of the bus. She shooed us both away, but Chase paused at the top of the stairs, pulling out a tie from his pocket.

  “What’s that for?”

  “It’s a blindfold.”

  “You have got to be kidding me.” I laughed.

  “All I’m asking for is a little trust.”

  He motioned for me to turn around with his finger. With a sigh, I turned and darkness fell over me.

  “Okay, let’s go.” I could hear the smile in his voice.

  Hesitantly, I took my first step.

  “You could have blindfolded me after going down the stairs.”

  We walked only a short way away from the bus before he stopped me and had me turn.

  “I need you to sit down please, slowly.” He half lifted, half pushed me onto a seat, lifted my legs and swung them around so I was securely on what I figured was a golf cart from the whirring sound that soon followed. When the cart stopped, he took my hand and led me on through a door and into a hallway where I could hear our footsteps echoing off of the walls.

  My hand brushed against the wall – a painted textured concrete maybe? Two more steps and the feeling of confinement around us changed.

  “We’re here,” he stated quietly.

  His fingers trailed up the sides of my arms until they were undoing the tie from my eyes.

  I looked around, at all of the empty seats surrounding us in the arena that he was booked to play the next night. The stage was already set up and ready for him and the guys. But I knew what I was looking at wasn’t exactly as it would be for a show. The lights that usually shone in shades of blue were now centred on the stage beautifully in soft violet and white lights.

  “What is all of this?” I asked, looking back at him. His smile was stunning.

  “I thought it would be fun to have some time together. So, I had a little fun with the help of the lighting guys. Do you like it?”

  I couldn’t believe he had gone to this trouble. “Of course, I like it. Thank you.”

  Chase took my hand in his. “There’s more. Come on.”

  He led the way down the aisle, skirting around a security barrier, to the edge of the stage.

  “Shit, I thought there was a set of stairs here. Ah well, up you go.”

  I let out a squeal as he grabbed me around the waist and lifted me up onto the edge of the stage.

  “Chase, I could have done that.” I laughed.

  “I just wanted an excuse to touch you.” He grinned hopping up after me.

  “You don’t need to have an excuse,” I replied quietly.

  Centre stage had been transformed with a blanket on the floor and a pile of pillows.

  “Wow, this is great. It’s funny, you know, when I was tidying up earlier, I noticed some of the pillows were missing. I planned to ask you about it, but I guess now I know.”

  We sat down staring out at the arena, just the two of us.

  Chase wasn’t done though. Just off to his right, there was a large bag. When he pulled it over, I could immediately smell the mouth-watering scent of burgers and onion rings.

  “Oh my god, that smells amazing.”

  “Good because I am starving and if you don’t dig in, there may not be any left for you later.”

  When I had stuffed myself with way more food than I should have, Chase cleaned up the mess before lying back into the pillows. He began to hum, I recognized the song as the one he had asked my opinion on.

  “Did you get that song finished?” I asked.

  “Maybe.”

  “Maybe? Am I allowed to hear it?”

  “Nope.”

  “Chase, come on.”

  “Nope. Do you know what I think I’d like?”

  “What’s that?” I inquired, raising an eyebrow at the mischievous look on his face.

  “Well, I play night after night and while I love what I do, no one ever plays for me. I think that tonight the roles should be reversed.”

  “You don’t mean me?” He had to be kidding. “Chase, I don’t play.”

  “The thing is, I don’t believe that, not for a second. With a mom and an aunt both teachers of music, I know you had to have been taught something.” He leaned in a little closer. “There is no one in here to hear you but me. Play something for me. Please.”

  Chase was right. Both of my loved ones had made sure to fill my younger years with music. The piano was my favourite, though Mom had taught me a few chords on the guitar. But it had been so long since I had had any desire to play either instrument. His suggestion filled my thoughts, pulling me
for a moment away from the fun I had been having. Looking over to Chase, who was watching me expectantly, the idea of playing for him made my pulse race, and I let out a long breath trying to steady myself.

  “It’s been a very long time, Chase, I’ll probably butcher anything I try to play.”

  “I don’t care.”

  “If I do, will you promise to not to bug me about it ever again?” I couldn’t believe I was even considering this.

  A slow, wide smile spread across his lips. “I promise.”

  Reluctantly, I got to my feet and looked around. I spotted a keyboard off to the side, where I knew Ewan switched from guitar to piano for some of their songs. I tried to take another slow, steadying breath as I sat down on the bench and placed my fingers lightly on the keys. I closed my eyes and pressed the first key, which I found was always the toughest part of playing at any of my recitals. As the sound of each note spread out over the arena, I could feel a warmth spread through my body. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a beautiful song and I could remember how much my aunt had loved to hear me play it. When the last notes faded away, I opened my eyes and found Chase watching me, his eyebrows raised. He got to his feet and began clapping.

  “Oh, stop that.” I smiled.

  “Well, I’ll be damned. I knew you were going to be good, but it was even better than I could have expected.”

  I walked back over to the pillows and grabbed one of the beers that Chase had chilling in a bucket for us. Popping off the top with a handy bottle opener, I held it up to him.

  “I hope you were planning to share these. Want one?”

  He took the bottle as he sat back down. “Yeah, thanks.”

  When I had my bottle, he held it up in front of him. “A toast: here’s to you, Elle, for taking a chance tonight and stepping out of your comfort zone. Admit it, it felt pretty cool doing that in this space.”