“Guys, this is Chad. He is the singer in the band, Troubled Pasts.” Cami introduces.
Christian shakes his hand, then I do the same. Christian speaks up first, “I’m Christian Townsend, Camryn’s brother, and this is my best friend and business partner, Jamieson Banks. We own Townsend and Banks, LLC. We have a meeting set up with your band on Tuesday morning. It’s nice to meet you . . . small world. I had no idea you knew my sister, Camryn.”
“It’s nice to meet you too. I had no idea that Camryn knew you. Our managers set this meeting up for us. I only met Camryn last year when she did a piece on us for Key Notes.” Chad calls the rest of the guys over and introduces them. We all shake hands, Camryn walks away and heads over to be with the girls. Lincoln stands with them, keeping a watchful eye on everyone. Lincoln is one who takes everything in. I thought I was tough on welcoming newcomers into our group, but Lincoln is who you need to get past in order to be in our close circle. Lincoln gives me a look, as if I got this covered. Mingle with your clients. I’ll keep an eye on the girls.
CAMRYN
I GRAB MY cell off the nightstand to look at my calendar for the next three months, I’m booked solid. This was the only week that Shelby didn’t have events scheduled, so I took advantage of spending quality time with my family and friends. I didn’t realize just how much I needed this down time to relax and enjoy myself.
This week has blown by in the blink of an eye. I spent Monday at the spa with my mom and every night my mom has shown me a new dish to prepare for dinner. She thinks I don’t cook enough being that I live alone, so she is showing me quick meals that I can make. Our house has been a revolving door this week with different guests stopping by to visit or stay for dinner.
Karsen and the girls were able to come to dinner on Thursday, which was Karsen’s only day off from the hospital.
My cell vibrates in my hand. I look down and see a text from Morgan.
Morgan: Hey. What time are you heading to Aces tonight?
Me: Not sure yet, I’ll definitely get there before Jamie starts. Will Karsen be there? I know she works a lot of hours at the hospital.
Morgan: Being an ER nurse will do that. Not sure if she is or not. I haven’t talked to her. Are you excited to finally see Jamie perform?
Me: It’s been ages since I’ve seen him perform, so YES, I am excited.
Morgan: Aces should be packed. Side Effects pulls in a decent crowd.
Me: I’m looking forward to it. C-ya tonight.
Morgan: C-ya.
There is something about seeing him on stage, commanding the audience’s attention that I find undeniably hot. The way he interacts with everyone is what makes his performances memorable.
Tomorrow night I have an event in Boston, so Christian and Jamie are going with me. Christian was a little reluctant at first, claiming he didn’t want to go. But I played the guilt card since I will be traveling a lot while I am home, and won’t get to see him as much as I would like. So after persuasion, they both agreed to make the four-hour ride with me.
I shower and slip on a pair of skinny jeans, my Boyce Avenue t-shirt and a pair of chucks when Morgan texts me that she’s reserved us a table. Morgan said that she isn’t sure if Lindsey and Karsen are coming. I am hoping tonight is low key since we have an early morning. I send a quick reply to Morgan that I’ll meet her there at nine o’clock. I apply a minimal amount of makeup and blow dry my hair into loose curls, then pull it back into a ponytail.
My phone rings and I hurry out of the bathroom. Christian’s name flashes across the screen and I slide my finger to answer. “Hey, brother, what’s up?”
All I hear is Christian laughing. “Hey . . . Cami . . .”
“It’s me. I said hello, what’s up?”
He must have stepped away from the crowd, because the line quiets, “What time do you plan on getting to Aces?”
Checking the clock on the nightstand I see it’s only eight o’clock. “I’m finishing getting ready, then I’m meeting Morgan there at nine. Why, are you there already?”
“Yeah, I got here a little while ago. Jamie needed help setting shit up. Parker had something to do and won’t get here till right before they go on. I just wanted to check to see if you needed a ride.”
I smile knowing that my brother always worries about me. “Thanks, but I’m good. I have dad’s Range Rover. We’re going to need it to head to Boston tomorrow, so I figured I would save us a trip back home in the morning to grab it. I’m just gonna park it near your place and catch a cab over to Aces.”
“Okay, call me when you are on your way and I will meet you outside.”
“Sounds like a plan. See ya in a little bit.” Once I hang up with Christian, I gather what I need for the weekend and throw it in my small suitcase.
Christian is waiting outside of Aces as he promised when my cab pulls up. I pay the driver, and walk over to meet him along the wall. Christian nods his head in the direction of the bar, “It’s pretty packed in there, good thing Morgan saved a table for us.”
The music booms outside before Christian even opens the door. There is a line outside half way down the block of people waiting to get in. Once Christian opens the door, it is mad chaos before my eyes. He was right, the place is packed. Most of the high top tables are now placed along the outskirts of the room allowing more room in front of the stage.
Christian leads me toward the table where Lincoln is talking with Morgan. When Morgan notices me by Christian’s side, she walks over and hugs me. “Tonight should be a blast, Jamie has a great set lined up,” she yells over the loud music.
Knowing that we can’t have a conversation with how loud it is, I just nod my head acknowledging that I heard what she said. I look around the room to see if I recognize anyone when I spot Jamie on stage. He’s talking to the band members. Lincoln walks away and heads toward the bar along the back wall. I notice that he sends a waitress in our direction to take our order. I’m keeping it pretty simple tonight and order a vodka and cranberry.
When the waitress returns with our drinks, I pull out one of the stools to sit next to Morgan. Christian is working on the soundboard and I see Jamie walking over in my direction. He carries himself with confidence. He is built like a sex god. He has muscles in places that I didn’t know muscles existed.
He looks absolutely gorgeous tonight in his black, fitted, long sleeve shirt and jeans. His shirt sleeves are pulled up showing off his arms of colorful tattoos. He has his Boston Red Sox hat turned backwards, which I love. I love Jamie’s hair whether it’s under a hat or not.
I can stare at Jamie for hours and never get tired of looking at him. I have always thought he was attractive, but recently I have come to the realization that he is downright sexy. He is tall, rawboned, with a ruggedly handsome face. I would love to know what it feels like to have the weight of his body pressed against mine. To have his lips on mine. I squirm in my seat, when I realize I’m getting turned on just sitting here thinking about all the things I want him to do to me. As Jamie walks toward me, we never breaks eye contact. His hazel eyes are mesmerizing. Hazel like mine, flecked and ringed with gold. Sometimes it’s like Jamie and I can have an entire conversation with just our eyes. I’m just really glad he can’t read my mind right this minute.
When Jamie reaches my side, he pulls me into a hug and kisses my temple. “Like what you see?” he wiggles his eyebrows at me and his smile instantly shifts into a devilish grin.
Laughing, I smack his chest. “What’s not to like? With the way this place is packed tonight, you’re like my very own Rock God.”
Jamie squeezes me closer to his chest, leaning in so he is right next to my ear, “Well, when you say it like that, I can be your full-time Rock God, if you’d like?” He leans back, winks, then reveals his signature smile.
Goosebumps immediately shoot up my arms, which Jamie doesn’t fail to miss. He rubs his hands up and down my arms. “You would like that wouldn’t you, Cami?” Pulling away, he kisses the si
de of my neck, sensually licking as his lips move over my skin, instantly making my panties wet. “You know you want me,” he whispers seductively in my ear. Once those words leave his mouth, he turns around and walks back to the stage. He looks back over his shoulder raising his brows at me, knowing the effect he is having on me. He’s playing dirty now.
Side Effects takes the stage at eleven o’clock, once Parker finally arrives. Jamie screams into the mic, “Hello, everyone!”
The crowd roars, and the group of girls in front of the stage throw their arms in the air and jump up and down. “Are you excited to hear Side Effects tonight?” Jamie smiles as his voice speaks into the mic.
The cheers from the mass of people is deafening. Jamie waits for the crowd to go quiet, then he cups his palm to his ear. “I don’t think I can hear you.” He works the crowd into chaos again. My eyes scan the dance floor, which is packed with a sea of people.
Once they settle down a little, Jamie looks over at me. Butterflies are in my stomach. The cocky grin appears on his face just as if he’s letting me know the effect he has on me as well as on this crowd. He turns his attention back to the audience, “I hope everyone is ready to have a hell of a time tonight.”
All the lights in Aces shut off, leaving the bar black except for the lights lining the back of the bar. It is completely quiet when Isaac taps out a few thumps on the drums. Parker joins in with a few simple chords on his guitar. The crowd erupts, immediately recognizing the fan-favorite song. Jamie’s voice fills the air with the first few words of the song and the goosebumps from earlier blanket my skin.
A spotlight focuses on Jamie and his gaze is steady as he sings, never breaking eye contact with me. This is a song I haven’t heard him sing in years. It’s one of the very first songs he wrote with my brother when they were in college. As he sings, What About Me, my heart pounds in my chest as I listen to the words.
The words hit me like a ton of bricks. Jamie is singing about a relationship between two friends. The guy is saying that he will always be there. That his love never went away, even when the girl did. That he could never find the right words to say, that there were always unspoken words between them. How he was afraid that things wouldn’t work if he revealed his feelings. But rather than telling her that he loved her, he just stayed by her side as a friend.
When he gets to the chorus, I can feel the tears building in my eyes. He continues with how his love has grown for her over the years that no matter what happens he will never leave her. The time is right between them now, then he sings, “What About Me? Why can’t it be me?” He is singing with so much love in his voice, but at the same time, I hear pain. His eyes never leave mine while he sings. I can’t bring myself to look away either. After all these years, I never realized that this song could be about me and Jamie. That this song was about me and Jamie.
When the song ends, the lights go out and the mood is completely changed when Isaac starts the beat on his drums. Jamie’s voice starts in singing Crazy Bitch by Buckcherry and the crowd goes wild. With every word he sings, the audience sings along with him. People have their hands in the air, rocking to the beat. When Jamie gets to the chorus, he holds the mic out over the group in the front near the stage and they sing into the mic. The crowd is loving this song and everyone is moving to the beat of the music.
Jamie looks over at me, nods his head, and smiles at me, “But you fuck so good, I’m on top of it.” The smile in his eyes contains a sensuous flame. He turns away laughing, continuing with the lyrics. “When I dream, I’m doing you all night. Scratches all down my back.” Girls are screaming at the front of the stage and Jamie just continues to work the crowd. He was born to perform. I love to watch him own the stage.
I get hit with a cherry, which makes me look away from the stage to see who threw it at me. Morgan is laughing, “Girl, I think Jamie popped your cherry tonight.”
My eyes go wide and my jaw drops. “Shut up. I can’t believe you.”
Morgan is now laughing hysterically. When she composes herself, she leans into my ear, “Your cheeks are red as shit, and if I had to bet, he has your panties on fire. Girl, if I was single, I would do him. I don’t know what the fuck you’re waiting for. But if you don’t snatch him up, some other girl surely will.”
Pulling back from Morgan, I continue to look at her face. Not sure if she is going to continue to talk smack or not, I turn away and look back at Jamie. He is singing I Won’t Let You Down by Static Cycle. He knows I am a huge fan. He’s still watching me. Waiting to see what kind of reaction he’ll get. I wanted to come out tonight for a simple night of music. A night out with my friends. I didn’t sign up for this. Why did Jamie select these song choices for tonight’s playlist?
My breathing becomes rapid. My chest tightens and my heart races. I know my face is flush. I need fresh air. Pushing back my stool, I get up and walk away from the table without saying anything. Working my way through the crowd, I continue to push my way toward the side exit.
“Hey, sweetheart, are you okay?” the bouncer asks me as I approach the exit we came in through. Nodding my head, I push the side door open and head outside. The fresh air immediately fills my lungs. My heart is still racing and I’m trying to catch my breath. Breathe in, breathe out, I recite over and over in my head. When my breathing starts to regulate, I lean over placing my hands on my knees. Not paying attention to my surroundings, I don’t realize when someone walks up behind me, until their hand is on my back causing me to scream and jump away from the person.
“You know better, baby girl . . . don’t ever come outside alone.” Recognizing Lincoln’s voice, I walk over to him.
“I need a hug.” He wraps his strong arms around me. “Morgan said you headed in this direction. I figured I would check on you. You wanna talk about it?”
Lincoln always knows when I need a friend. He is always a great listener, and advice giver. Morgan is a very lucky girl. Lincoln is very attractive with his light brown hair. Lincoln’s piercing, brilliant blue eyes are what attracts women along with his personality. It’s just a matter of time until they get engaged. They have a very solid relationship, one built on trust. The love they have for each other makes me envious. I can only hope that I will have that one day. That someone will look at me the way Lincoln looks at Morgan.
Lincoln squeezes me, “Did I lose you there for a minute?” Realizing that I never responded to him when he asked me if I was okay and if I wanted to talk about it, I simply reply, “I’m okay. I just needed some fresh air. It was getting hot in there.”
Lincoln laughs, “Is that code for Jamie shouldn’t have opened up with that song or chose those songs for the playlist tonight?”
Leaning back so I can see Lincoln’s face, “How did you know?”
“It was written all over your face, Camryn. You know I am always here for you, baby girl. Even if you just want me to listen.”
Nodding my head, I whisper, “I know.”
Lincoln tilts my chin up so I am looking at him, “Just know one thing. He will always be there for you, and nothing will ever change that. If you can remember that, everything will work itself out. Trust me.” Lincoln kisses my forehead, “Come on, let’s head back inside before everyone comes looking for us. I’m surprised Morgan hasn’t busted the door down yet.”
We both laugh at his comment, “You know your girl too well.”
JAMIE
WE ARE UP and on the road early today. We didn’t stay long at Aces last night once our set ended. Christian stayed with me to help break down our equipment, while Cami caught a ride back to Christian’s apartment with Morgan. This trip to Boston couldn’t have come at a better time. Cami kept pushing Christian to come with us to Boston, while I, on the other hand, was hoping he would have come up with an excuse why he couldn’t tag along. I wanted some alone time with Camryn. Even if it is was just a few days.
We met with Troubled Pasts on Tuesday and they committed to studio time. Chad seems a little too interested i
n Camryn for my liking. He thought he was being nonchalant with his questions, but I caught on to him really quick. The guy has a set of brass balls to ask Christian for her phone number. Christian simply told him that if Camryn wanted him to have her number, then she would have given it to him. I totally can’t stand this douchebag already.
Christian drove, so I got to relax in the back seat. For a good part of the ride, my eyes were closed and I just listened to the two of them. The events from last night keep going through my mind. I haven’t had a chance to talk to Cami about why she left in the middle of the set. She was gone for a little while, then I saw her walk back to the table with Lincoln. Was she upset at my song choices? From the look on her face, I think she finally put two and two together with the lyrics of What About Me. She’s heard me sing that song time and time again not knowing that I wrote it for her. The two of us need to talk this weekend. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I will have a chance to talk to her alone.
After four hours in the car, I am happy when we arrive at the hotel and our rooms are available. Christian called to book a room this morning for us. The hotel didn’t have two rooms available, so Christian and I are sharing a room with two beds. Not exactly how I want to spend the night, but it’ll do.
Cami opens the door to her room and we head in to check the place out. The door to the adjoining room is open, so Christian heads in there. Her room is spacious with the king size bed in the middle of the room, a couch in a sitting area and large flat screen television secured to the wall above the dresser.
I walk over to check out the other room, immediately I turn around and head back to Camryn’s room with the king bed. I place my bag next to the bed, kick off my sneakers and climb onto the bed. Camryn lifts her eyebrows.
“What are you doing? You’re staying in the other room with Christian.”
Laughing at her, I place my arms under my head and cross my legs at the ankles “Are you insane, Tink? I am not sharing a bed with your brother.”
Unspoken Words (Unspoken #1) Page 7
