The Widow and the Rock Star

by J. Thomas-Like

  “I have to say, Vivienne, you sound much happier than you have in years. Years.”

  I didn’t know how to respond, so I said nothing.

  “When do you think you’ll be coming home?” Mom asked suddenly. The question surprised me.

  “Oh, soon, I’m sure. Jake and I are having lunch today to make some final decisions about the movie deal and what’s going to happen with the foundation. I think he might have a couple more interviews set up for me, but I’d like to get home before the middle of the week.” As the words left my mouth, I knew they weren’t true. “There’s really no reason for me to stay.”

  “Hmm,” Mom murmured. “Maybe you should stay for a little while longer? You haven’t seen Pepper in so many years. I think the time with her would do you good.”

  I stood up then to lean on the railing of the balcony. Mom had no idea how much she had hit the nail on the head. “Well, I can’t mooch off the movie studio forever. Once I make my offer, they’re going to want me to get out of this hoity-toity hotel.”

  “So stay with Pepper for a while.”

  “Mom, I can’t—”

  “Why not?” she demanded.

  I held the phone away from my face to stare in surprise at her profile picture on the screen. The conversation was turning weird, like she was reading my mind.

  “No, Mom. I need to get back home. I’ve got my house to take care of, and—”

  “Don’t you dare say me. Don’t even think about coming home just to take care of me.” The edge in her voice was the same one she used on me when I was a kid and was hinting at doing something stupid.

  “I wasn’t going to say that,” I said meekly.

  “I would hope not. I am perfectly capable of seeing to my own welfare.” Mom sniffed, clearly offended.

  “Of course you are!” I assured her. “I need to get home so I can get back to work. I’m going to need to pump out a book a week if I plan on paying back the foundation.” It was the only valid reason I could give her.

  “Hmm.” I could hear the doubt in her voice. “I don’t think you’re being honest with me.”

  Dammit. She could always tell when I wasn’t telling the truth.

  “Look, Mom, I will be honest. I am tempted to stay for a while. I’ve had a lot of fun with Pepper and the weather is awesome.”

  “What about Will?”

  Dammit! How was I supposed to answer that?

  “What about Will?” I answered her question with one of my own.

  Mom sighed and I knew she was frustrated with me.

  “Vivienne Astrid Stark, you make my brain itch.”

  I burst out laughing in spite of her anger.

  “I’m sorry, Mom. I don’t mean to.”

  “I know you don’t mean to. But you do. I told you I could see how Will looks at you. I was hoping not to have to say I could see you looking at him the same way.”

  I groaned and closed my eyes. A picture of Will floated in my mind’s eye. Handsome as ever.

  “Mom, I don’t want to talk about this.”

  “I know that. But I think you should. It sounds like the two of you have become quite close in these last few days. Tell the truth now.”

  “Yes,” I whispered. “I like him very much.”

  “Honey, that’s great! Then why don’t you stay? I can look after your house and make sure things are okay. You have your laptop, so do your writing out there. I heard you say there was no reason for you to stay, but I think you have lots of reasons. You only have one reason to come home. I don’t want to be it, please, I don’t.”

  I could feel the tears threatening again. “Mom, it’s not just you, but you are a big reason for me to stay in Michigan. There’s only us. You don’t have anyone else, if you need anything.”

  “Piffle! I have plenty of friends and neighbors I can rely on. If you come home and throw away your chances at having a normal life, I’d never be able to live with myself. I’d feel guilty forever.”

  “Stop! You wouldn’t have anything to feel guilty about. I’m a big girl and I can make my own decisions. There are lots of things going on in my head right now that I can’t begin to explain to you. But no matter what I decide, promise me you won’t blame yourself. I’m looking at every angle right now, not just the mom angle.”

  “Do you promise I’m not your sole reason for coming home?”

  “I promise, Mom.”

  “Then I promise not to feel responsible if you make any unwise choices.”

  “Mom—”

  “No, I’m going to have my say. You can look at all your angles and make all kinds of excuses, but you can’t turn your back on happiness.” She hesitated ever so slightly, then started talking faster. “This is my fault. I’ve always babied you, kept you too close. When Bruce died, I should have kicked you to the curb and forced you to make a new life for yourself. Instead, I let you wallow around here for too long and by the time you did leave, you were too mired down in your guilt and depression to live like a normal person.”

  I was stunned by her words. I couldn’t have disagreed more. My mother, and Dad to some degree, had been my biggest supporters in the darkest days after I lost Bruce. In my view, she was the one who kept me from going off the deep end. I had lived with her and Dad for six years after becoming a widow before finally deciding to buy my own house and that was only because I’d been able to save a down payment in those years. She hadn’t coddled me. She had given me the time I needed to get some strength back. Maybe not strength enough to find another relationship, but certainly the fortitude to live, period.

  “You’re nuts,” I said with feigned petulance.

  Chuckling, she continued, “Think what you want, Vivienne, but you need to consider the rest of your life very carefully. I won’t be around forever, and you can’t use me as an excuse to keep from moving forward. You’d only be a phone call or plane ride away.”

  How did this all get started? I had thought we were going to chit chat about nothing and somehow we’d gotten embroiled in a weird conversation I’d had no intention of having.

  “That’s enough for now, Mom.”

  “Yes, you’re right. I’ve said my piece and now it’s up to you. Think carefully and make the right choice for yourself, Vivienne. You need to be the priority now.”

  Smiling, I made a kissing sound at the phone.

  “Thanks, Mom. I love you and I’ll talk to you later.”

  Chapter 36

  Pepper was dreaming about Gabriel and walking on the beach. The dream was so real. She thought she could feel the sand scratching between her toes and hear her favorite song playing. When the music stopped, Pepper felt sad, but then it began again.

  That’s my phone, Pepper’s conscious mind said within the dream and she clawed her way to wakefulness. On the nightstand beside her bed, the cell phone frolicked and bounced, blaring “Merry Go Round” by the Jane Dear Girls. Before she could grasp it, the music cut off and “missed call” filled the display. Pepper groaned and let her head fall back onto her pillow, but within seconds the phone repeated its serenade.

  “Hello?” she muttered, answering the call with her eyes closed and no clue who it could be.

  “Good morning, sleepyhead!” Vivienne sang.

  “What time is it?” Pepper snuggled deeper beneath her blanket, tilting her head to balance the phone on her cheek and ear so she didn’t have to hold on to it.

  “Actually, it’s afternoon now. It’s quarter to one. Are you still in bed?”

  Pepper yawned.

  “Uh huh.”

  “What time did you get in?”

  “Dunno.”

  “Wake up!” Vivienne called out, laughing as she did so. “I want you to come have lunch with Jake and me.”

  Pepper groaned inwardly, wanting only to stay where she was and hopefully return to the pleasant dream she’d been having. What would she do at a lunch with Vivienne and her agent, besides listen and be bored?

  “Nah,” she croaked, he
r voice still wounded from the night before.

  “Are you coming down with something?” Vivienne asked.

  “No, I’m just really tired.”

  “Oh, poo. Come on, I really want you to be there.”

  “Why?” Pepper’s eyes fluttered open against her will. Sighing, she reached up to catch the phone as it slid off her face when she sat up. She threw the covers off, then swung her legs over the side, surprised at the soreness she felt from all the walking last night.

  “Because! I’ve got a lot of decisions to make and you’re a really good voice of reason for me. Please, won’t you come?” Vivienne pleaded. “Plus, I had a really long conversation with my mom this morning and I want to talk to you about that, too.”

  Pepper smiled as she walked to the bathroom.

  “Okay, Viv. Anything for you. Is Mom okay?”

  “Oh yeah, she’s great. Feisty as ever.”

  “What time is lunch?”

  “Well, it was supposed to be here at the hotel at one-ish. But I’ll push it back and we’ll come pick you up. I’ll have Jake make reservations at a restaurant. How’s that?”

  “Perfect.”

  “Thank you!” Vivienne sounded relieved and excited at the same time.

  “Don’t thank me yet. I’m starving and you’re paying, right?”

  “Of course!” Vivienne laughed. “Pick you up about two?”

  “I’ll see you then.” Pepper hung up and chuckled as she started the water to the shower. While she shampooed and conditioned her hair, she went over her date with Gabriel in her mind, alternately praising herself for some witty repartee and kicking herself over a dorky remark. All in all, she felt good about the time she spent with him and was confident there would be a second date in the near future.

  She really wanted to tell Vivienne about Gabriel, but didn’t dare. It was obvious to Pepper that Vivienne should and probably would go with Gabriel’s company, EJR Productions, for the movie rights, but Pepper didn’t want to exercise any undue influence.

  Climbing out of the tub, she cursed herself for forgetting a towel and walked naked and dripping to the bedroom where she picked one out of the dirty clothes pile in the corner. It didn’t smell bad, so she used it to bundle her blond locks and then dried her body with a tee-shirt from a couple of days before. Standing in her walk-in closet, she pulled on fresh panties and a bra. While she was choosing her clothes, she heard the phone go off again and hurried to pick it up. It was Will and Pepper frowned.

  “Hey, what’s up?” she asked.

  “Nothing. I called Vivienne this morning but she didn’t answer.” Will sounded as though he had not slept a wink and he confirmed it when Pepper asked.

  “I know she’s busy today. She’s got a lunch with her agent at two and then I don’t know what else afterward.” Pepper contemplated inviting him along, but then decided against it. Vivienne had sounded so happy earlier, she didn’t want to chance ruining her good mood with another surprise. But then again, she liked Will. A lot. What the hell? Pepper thought.

  “She invited me to go with her at lunch. Maybe you should come, too?”

  “No, I don’t think so.”

  “You obviously want to see her. Why not tag along? How fast can you get to my place?” Pepper pulled her phone away to check the time. It was only 1:15 p.m. Shoving the phone back to her ear and holding it in place with her shoulder, she continued to flip through the clothes hanging in her closet.

  “I think that might piss her off.” Will sounded skeptical but excited at the same time.

  “So what? If it does, it does. Then you have your answer. And if it doesn’t, then you can keep wooing her.” Pepper giggled, then snorted, then giggled some more.

  “Easy for you to say,” Will growled. “You aren’t the one who’ll look like an asshole for showing up uninvited.”

  “No, I’ll be the asshole who invited you.”

  Waiting for Will to think it over and respond, Pepper clicked the speaker button and put the phone on the bed while she donned a pair of royal purple Capri pants and a plain black tee-shirt. She slipped her feet into a comfortable pair of black flip flops decorated with fake rhinestones. Grabbing the phone she moved back into the bathroom to work on hair and makeup.

  “Make up your mind pal. You gonna do this thing or not?”

  Will sighed.

  “Okay. I can be there in about twenty minutes.”

  “Good, because they’re picking me up at two. Get your ass in gear.”

  Pepper ended the call before he could respond, then worked on drying and styling her hair and putting on a fresh face of makeup.

  Twenty minutes later, she sat on the steps outside her apartment, waiting to see who would show up first: Will or Vivienne. Luckily it was he, rather than she, and Pepper gave him a winning smile and firm hug for support.

  “I still don’t know about this, Pep.” He was as nervous as a groom on his wedding day, hands sweaty and anxiety written all over his face. But he was freshly shaved and showered, looking incredibly hot in motorcycle boots, jeans, and a plain white tee-shirt with a dark blue chambray shirt over top.

  “It’s too late to back out now,” Pepper said, pointing for him to turn around. Marvin the driver pulled up in his black Lincoln Town Car and hopped out to help them in. The look on Vivienne’s face when she saw Will was all pleasure at first, then surprise, and lastly confused and a little irritated. Pepper was relieved that happiness was the first reaction.

  “Viv, I hope you don’t mind, I invited Will along. He stopped by to see me and I couldn’t very well leave him out in the cold.” Pepper grinned her signature toothy grin, waiting for the controlled response she knew Vivienne would give.

  “Of course not!” Vivienne surprised them all by leaning over and kissing Will full on the lips and grabbing his hands. Pepper had pushed him in first, so he had scooted across the seat to be across from Viv, and Pepper now faced Jake Rushmore who looked amused as hell.

  “Jake, this is my very best friend Pepper Taylor,” Vivienne pointed left, and then to the right, “and Will Foster.”

  “Pleasure,” Jake answered, shaking both their hands. “I’m glad you’re both joining us today. Vivienne needs to make some decisions and I can’t get her to do it.”

  “Heh,” Pepper snorted and Vivienne kicked her in the shin.

  “You two seem to have gotten her to do more in the last few days than I’ve ever been able to. I’ll lay out her options and then she can bounce all her doubts off you.” Jake smirked and nodded his head at Vivienne, who returned his haughty look of derision with her own.

  When they arrived at Fig & Olive, they were seated immediately in spite of the reservation having been made for only two. Jake assured them it happened all the time when celebrities showed up with a bigger entourage than intended, and didn’t give a hoot how much of a pain in the ass it was to rearrange everything. Vivienne apologized profusely to the person who seated them, and Pepper thanked them at least three times for their efforts.

  As they perused the menus, Pepper and Vivienne chattered with one another while Jake and Will talked about the band and other business. While her answers about her date from the night before were fairly vague, they satisfied Vivienne’s curiosity, and Pepper changed the subject. She caught some of what Will and Jake were talking about, and it sounded like Jake was fishing for Will’s business for representation.

  “Hey now, if you’re looking for new clients, I’m available,” she teased, giving Vivienne a wink.

  “That’s not a bad idea, actually,” Jake said as he sipped a glass of wine. “Given your friendship with Vivienne, I could probably find you some decent opportunities.”

  Pepper’s face looked pinched and she rolled her eyes.

  “Uh, thanks. I think.”

  Vivienne glared at Jake, but he didn’t seem to notice he had screwed up. Will saved him by changing the subject to The Widow’s Path Foundation. Eventually, the talk of business subsided somewhat as thei
r meals arrived and the delicious food served as a silencer.

  Halfway through lunch, Jake stopped eating and commandeered Vivienne’s attention.

  “Regarding the movie rights, I think your decision is clear. Gleaming Bee is offering the most money.”

  Pepper watched Vivienne shake her head and finish chewing and swallowing a bite of her salmon before answering.

  “I don’t care about the money. Their vision for the script is too far off track from the book. EJR is willing to stay more true to the story, and I would feel better letting them have it, even if they aren’t offering the same amount.”

  Atta girl! Pepper cheered silently.

  “I think you’re being foolish,” Jake countered. “You keep saying you want to repay the foundation and you could almost do it in one fell swoop if you take Gleaming Bee’s offer.”

  Shut up, you idiot! Pepper raved in her head.

  Vivienne sat back in her chair and raised her water to her lips, clearly thinking it over by the furrow of her brows and look of intense concentration.

  “May I say something?” Will raised his right hand a couple of inches off the table. He looked directly at Vivienne, waiting for her approval. She nodded enthusiastically, waving her hand for him to go ahead. “Are you asking for a percentage of the profits when the movie comes out?” He looked to Jake for the answer.

  “EJR is offering a percentage and a lower cash payment. Gleaming Bee just wants to buy the rights flat out for about a third more.” Jake glanced at Vivienne. “I’m not comfortable speaking exact numbers in mixed company. No offense, of course.”