by Cathryn Fox
“This is a disaster,” Jake said. “A little bit of fame and look at us.”
“What the hell does fame have to do with this?” Trent asked. “This is about the health of our lead singer. And everyone keeping secrets. We’ve had enough secrets, right Jake?”
“Guys, come on,” Mack said. “We’re not getting into past bullshit right now. Focus on the present.”
“So he obviously wasn’t on drugs,” Gray said. “He just has something with his throat.”
“What’s our next move?” Mack asked.
Gray turned and looked at Mack. “Maybe we should stay put right here for the night. Then tomorrow we do what we had planned… we split up for a bit. Let Luke go see his doctor and then we meet up and talk. I mean, whatever he needs, we’re with him, right?”
“Of course,” Mack said. “I would never…”
“I think Luke’s afraid that we’re going to replace him,” Jake cut in. “Kind of like how he replaced Rick from Chasing Cross.”
“There’s a difference between a lead singer and a drummer,” Trent said.
Mack kicked the table, sending it jumping toward Trent. “What the hell does that mean?”
“Whoa, calm down,” Trent said. “I didn’t mean it in a bad way… Luke didn’t quit the band. Everyone knows he has a throat condition.”
“There’s no need to think it or even talk about it,” Gray said.
“Agreed,” Mack said. “I guess we really would die for this band, huh?”
Gray let out a breath and shook his head. “I don’t know what to say.”
“I say we drink,” Mack said. “We drink. We think. We sleep. I need to get to my motorcycle.”
Mack got up and stood next to Gray. They both looked out the window, the faint reflection of themselves against the glass. The brotherly bond between the four members of Fallen Tuesday may have been tested, but it wasn’t broken.
Amy rarely worked with her cellphone in her pocket. When it was time to focus on dinner, nothing was more important than serving everyone in the restaurant. By nine that night every baked good Amy made had been sold. Uncle Tom came to the kitchen and begged Amy for more. She explained that they weren’t brownies from a box and that they took time.
“Well, then we need to make time,” Uncle Tom demanded. “We need to figure out how to make this work.”
Amy had an opening right then to talk about her idea for a bakery, but she couldn’t do it in front of the entire kitchen staff. She played it off by smiling and sending Uncle Tom back to the restaurant to mingle.
After the texts from Denny, Amy didn’t feel safe unless she was in the restaurant. Even then, being around her staff and her uncle wasn’t enough. They didn’t know the potential danger of Denny and Amy secretly worried that if Denny did something she would be putting everyone else in harm’s way.
Dinner service got busy. Amy’s phone stayed silent with the exception of one text message that came through from Luke. When Amy felt her leg vibrate she hurried to finish plating a meal and then excused herself from the kitchen. In reality, Amy didn’t need to cook nearly half as much as she did. Her kitchen was well staffed and had some great talent in it. Her plan had been to take over the restaurant and hand the kitchen over to Jeff, but Uncle Tom ruined that. It made the idea of the bakery so much more doable because Amy could be in two places at once… not physically, but mentally, yes.
Amy went into the office and read the message from Luke.
Tour is off. My throat is messed up. I’ll explain… I’m coming to you tonight.
Amy wasn’t sure what to do with the message at first. The great news was that she would see Luke tonight. She hadn’t expected to see him for another week, maybe longer. But then there was something about his tour and his throat. What had happened? If the tour was off did that mean Luke couldn’t sing? Her stomach felt uneasy from nerves.
Amy forced herself back to work but her focus wasn’t in the kitchen. It was a first for Amy. The idea of losing focus for her career scared her, but so did the idea of seeing Luke. Their last time together had been more passionate than Amy could ever remember with another man. Every few seconds Amy caught herself looking up, waiting to see Luke. She wasn’t sure if he would just walk into a crowded restaurant in public like this. It made her body tingle imagining it though. He was a famous rockstar and he was coming to see her.
“You’re smiling a lot tonight,” Jeff remarked.
Amy looked at Jeff and raised an eyebrow. “How do you feel about closing down tonight?”
“Alone?”
“Why not?”
“You’ve never let me do that before,” Jeff said surprised.
Amy reached back and untied her apron. “Well, maybe you should tonight. I have other plans.”
“You… have plans?”
“Cut it,” Amy warned.
Jeff smiled his flirty smile he offered Amy twenty times a night. She almost felt guilty like she was going to hurt Jeff, but she couldn’t help herself. She had no interest in Jeff and he knew.
Amy took her apron off and hung it up. She stared at it, knowing that everything in her life was suddenly changing. She couldn’t hide from her feelings. She couldn’t hide from her past.
When Amy turned she saw Uncle Tom standing with his hands on his hips.
“What?” she asked.
“Planning on leaving early?”
“No. I’m staying. Just… giving up a little power for the night.”
“Yeah, for the night,” Uncle Tom said. “Does it have anything to do with my dining room right now?”
Amy tried to look past Uncle Tom. “What’s wrong with the dining room?”
Uncle Tom laughed. “Your guy friend just showed up.”
Amy gasped. Luke was there.
Chapter Eleven
Luke walked into Tommy Two’s like any other patron there. He barely made it to the hostess station before the young woman standing there dropped her pen and put her hands to her mouth. Just like that, Luke was busted. He wouldn’t be able to sit down and eat as a normal guy or as a friend of Amy’s. He would be treated like a rockstar celebrity.
“Listen,” Luke said as he approached the hostess. “I’m looking for Amy. I need to see her.”
The young woman nodded. She still couldn’t speak. Luke then saw Tom walking toward him. His face seemed puzzled but he smiled and shook Luke’s hand.
“Hey, Luke!” he said.
Luke winced. It called the attention of half the restaurant. When everyone looked and saw Luke, the reaction was mixed. Most of everyone knew who he was. Some people pointed. Some people stared in awe. Then came the muttering and whispering. People asking each other if this was really happening. People daring each other to say something to Luke. Finally, a woman at a table called out, “I love you, Luke!”
The restaurant broke out in laughter.
“What brings you here?” Tom asked.
“I need to see Amy,” Luke said.
“I thought you were out traveling.”
“Change of plans,” Luke said.
“I’ll be right back then,” Tom said. “Grab a seat at the bar.”
Luke looked at the bar. The walk wasn’t far, if he was going to walk a straight line. He knew he wouldn’t be walking a straight line. Luke hadn’t walked a straight line since his music career exploded last year. And considering all that had just gone down with canceling the rest of the tour, Luke needed the fans. He needed to see them, shake hands, sign autographs, and talk to them.
So that’s what he did.
Anyone that had the guts to come up to him, he talked to. To his disbelief, everyone wished him better health. Luke made sure to order a water at the bar because he didn’t want to give the wrong impression of himself. That’s all the band would need… lead singer of Fallen Tuesday leaves the tour but is caught drinking! The headline and picture would bring another storm to the band. It was the price of fame, one that Luke never considered because the fame itself
always seemed much more worth it.
Luke had received plenty of hugs, a few pats on the back, a toast to him from a few guys at the bar, and even a local doctor who offered to take a look at Luke’s throat free of charge. Luke politely declined and explained he had a doctor already taking care of everything.
When the kitchen door then opened and Amy came walking from the back, Luke smiled. He couldn’t help himself and he didn’t care who saw him smile or what that smile implied. He waited for Amy to come to him. His hands twitched and his heart raced. He wanted her to run up to him and hug him. Instead, she stopped right in front of him and looked just as confused as he probably did.
“Hey,” Amy said.
Luke nodded.
He felt foolish standing there like an idiot. He was a rockstar. He did whatever he wanted, when he wanted. Yet, somehow, this woman was able to cut right through him and rattle his nerves.
Luke pointed to the empty stool next to him.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” she said. “I mean, I got your text… are you okay?”
Luke shook his head. He touched his throat. He didn’t speak a word.
“What’s wrong with your throat?”
Luke just kept shaking his head.
“You can’t even talk?” Amy asked.
She touched Luke’s hand. Luke felt his blood warming fast. How could a woman just touch his hand and make him feel like this? How many women’s hands did he touch on a daily basis?
Luke shrugged his shoulders.
“Can you sing? Is… is everyone okay?”
Luke shook his head again and again.
Amy touched her mouth. “I’m so sorry.”
Amy looked really upset. Luke leaned toward her and put his lips to her ear. The sexual desire raging through his body tempted him to nibble on her ear. Maybe he could do that soon enough, but right then, in the restaurant where Amy worked or owned or something, Luke remained in control.
“I’m just playing around,” he whispered.
Amy pushed at him. “You’re a jerk.”
She laughed and Luke never heard a sound so beautiful in his life.
“I had to,” Luke said. “Sorry. I’ve been having a rough day.”
“So, you can talk? You’re okay?”
“Well, not okay,” Luke said. “You saw… the blood…”
“Oh, no,” Amy said. “Your tour is called off?”
“Yeah, it is,” Luke said. “I’m going to see my doctor soon to figure this thing out.”
“You should go right now, Luke.”
“My doctor is in California,” Luke said. “Not right down the street.”
“Oh.”
A dose of reality had hit Amy. The only time Amy had spent with Luke was in Syracuse. It only made sense that she placed Luke in Syracuse permanently, even though it wasn’t true. He had an apartment on the outskirts of Los Angeles that was too small but cozy. He hoped it would soon be given up for a nice beachfront house. But as he sat staring into Amy’s eyes, he didn’t care where his apartment or house was located. He only cared about the location of Amy’s eyes and hands. He wanted all her attention.
“I’m here right now,” Luke said. “I had to come see you. I… I really want to kiss you right now, Amy.”
Amy blushed. “Do rockstars ask?”
“No, we don’t. Ever. That’s what’s driving me crazy right now. I shouldn’t tell you, I should just do it.”
“Well…”
Amy bit her lip. The nervous look on her face was priceless. Luke leaned in and kissed her cheek. He then put his lips to her ear again.
“More comes later,” he whispered.
Amy looked flustered. She blinked fast, obviously searching for words.
“I…”
Amy touched her pocket. The sexy, innocent look on her face dropped away.
“What’s wrong?” Luke asked.
Amy looked at her phone and placed it on the bar. “Nothing important right now.”
Luke knew the look on Amy’s face. It was fear. The last thing he wanted to hear was that Amy was afraid again. He casually looked around the restaurant, but he had no idea what to look for. Not everyone that rode a motorcycle had the rough and tough appearance as Mack did.
“What time do you get out of here?” Luke asked.
“Soon,” Amy said.
Amy looked like she wanted to say something else but then Tom came over to her and gently touched her shoulder.
“Forgive me for interrupting here,” he said, “but I need to steal Amy for a second. Situation in the kitchen.”
Amy jumped up. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah,” Tom said.
Amy looked at Luke. “Stay right here.”
“I have nowhere to go,” Luke said.
The moment Amy left, his eyes went to her phone. It was wrong, very wrong to think what he wanted to do. Amy went into the kitchen and Luke considered his options. Checking her screen would be wrong if he was snooping or if he was checking for another guy or worried about something dumb. This could be dangerous. Very dangerous.
Luke reached to the bar and touched the phone. He hated himself but it was done. The screen lit up and there was a message from someone named Denny.
Denny? Who the hell…
Luke’s thought was lost when he read the actual message.
I wonder what Tommy Two’s would look like in ashes…
The screen turned back off and Luke felt his stomach turn. He saw Amy exiting the kitchen coming back to him already. His mind and heart raced even more. Just what kind of trouble was Amy into?
“Sorry about that,” Amy said. She saw her phone and quickly put her hand over it.
“That’s fine. Everything good?”
“Great,” Amy said. “Let’s get out of here. You can come to my apartment if you want.”
How could Luke turn down that offer? Amy was already on the move and Luke followed behind her. All eyes were upon them as they made their way through the restaurant. Luke kept a smile on his face and could only hope that every woman in the restaurant was jealous of Amy… and at the same time he hoped every man was jealous of him because of how beautiful Amy was.
The moment they were outside, Amy looked left to right as though she was crossing the street. They weren’t crossing a street though. She was nervous. Luke grabbed Amy’s arm and pulled at her.
“Hey, are you okay? You look nervous.”
“I’m fine,” Amy said. “I had a rough day too. I’m really happy you’re here. If there was a day or night I needed…”
Luke pulled at Amy’s arm again and brought her closer to him. She let out a gasp and hugged him. He stared down at her.
“I screwed a lot of things up today,” Luke said. “Because of a secret. I don’t want secrets between us, Amy.”
“There won’t be,” Amy said. “Let’s just get out of here.”
“Fair enough for me,” Luke said.
They had to take separate vehicles and Luke followed Amy to an apartment building. She parked and he pulled into an unnumbered spot next to hers. She led the way and the entire time Luke followed, his eyes danced up and down her backside. Seeing her, being with her, took all the sting away. The sting of his throat. The sting of his band. Everything.
Once they were inside the apartment, Amy began to defend the place as if Luke hated it.
“It’s nothing like that hotel room,” she said.
“I never said it had to be,” Luke said.
“I mean, if it’s not what you’re used to.”
“Amy, I live on a tour bus. Well, I lived on a tour bus. For months. This is heaven right here. It looks like my apartment in Los Angeles.”
Luke smiled but Amy didn’t. The distance thing bothered her, Luke sensed it. However, that was a subject best left for another time.
An awkward silence crept into the apartment as Amy was unsure what to do next.
“Do you, uh, want a drink?” she asked.
�
��No thanks. I want you to ask me what’s on your mind right now.”
Luke smiled and Amy looked away.
“Don’t be shy,” he said.
“Are you going to be okay?” she asked.
“My throat? I don’t know. Maybe. Maybe not. I still have my voice.”
“What about your band?”
“It’s not my band… it’s our band, the guys and I. I don’t know what they’re feeling right now. They’re kind of pissed at me. Rightfully so.”
“You really kept that a big secret,” Amy’s voice was happier than she meant it to be.
She felt relieved that she wasn’t the only one with a secret.
“I didn’t mean to hurt anyone,” Luke said. “I wanted to get through the tour and then figure it out. That didn’t happen.”
“How did they find out?”
“We had a surprise concert for some fans. Just one quick song, but I wasn’t ready for it. I sang my heart out… something I can’t control, you know? It’s been my dream to sing in front of fans. It’s what I do. I can’t scale it back. After we were done I went back on the tour bus and started coughing.”
“Blood?” Amy asked.
Luke nodded. “Everything got crazy after that.”
“I’m sorry,” Amy said. “I’m really sorry.”
“I’m sorry for the band and the fans,” Luke said.
“You’ll be fine.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I can hope.”
“Anyone can hope.”
Amy and Luke started to inch their way to one another. Luke intertwined his fingers with hers. They stared at each other. There were so many lingering questions. Yet, they both appeared to be okay with ignoring them for now.
He moved down and kissed her. He tasted the thin sweetness of her lips.
“I’ve waited for that…,” Luke whispered. He kissed Amy again. “For so long.”
“I know,” Amy said.
Luke took his hands from Amy’s and gripped her ass. He lifted her and Amy let out a smiling cry and hurried to put her hands around Luke’s neck. He held her and now she looked down at him.
“This is crazy,” Amy said.
“That’s how life is meant to be,” Luke said. “I want you to know that you can tell me anything…”
