by J. L. Paul
“How are Nate and Stacy doing?” she asked.
“Better,” Cole said. “At least, that’s what my dad said.”
“Is there anything I can do?” she asked.
He chuckled and inhaled deeply – probably smoking a cigarette. “No, Ally, there’s nothing you can do.” He exhaled. “But thanks.”
“Sure,” she said, ducking her head. “Um, call me if you need anything, okay?”
“I will,” he said. He paused. “Thanks, princess.”
“You’re welcome,” she whispered and shut her phone. She lifted her teary eyes to Jamie and offered him a watery smile. “How about that coffee?”
***
RJ strolled out on the deck, grinning. “Our flight is booked, bro. We’re flying home tomorrow.”
“Great,” Cole said as he glanced at the cell phone in his hand. He sat back in the chaise and closed his eyes, concentrating on the soothing sounds of the waves hitting the sand. “Of course it’s going to be hard to leave this moderate weather and step off a plane in those frigid Chicago temperatures.”
“I know,” RJ said as he hopped up on the deck rail. “But I’m ready to go home.”
“Yeah, me, too,” Cole said.
“Who were you talking to?” RJ asked. “I thought I heard you on the phone.”
“Ally,” Cole said. He snorted a laugh. “Apparently Jamie just told her all about the Stephanie situation.”
RJ nodded his understanding. He sighed and planted his hands on the rails. “What did she have to say?”
“Not much – just that she was sorry and wanted to know if she could do anything,” Cole said, replaying her voice over and over in his mind. He missed her but it was getting easier. Maybe once he got home and got settled and didn’t have to leave town so much he could fix things – or at least figure them out. Sure, he’d have to get back out on the road sooner or later, but not until they finished the new CD.
“Did you tell her we were coming home?” RJ asked.
“No,” he said. “I think Jamie probably told her.”
“Well, maybe we can all get together or something,” RJ said with a hopeful note in his voice. “You know, like we used to.”
“Yeah,” Cole said but he didn’t even convince himself.
***
Ally pulled her coat more firmly around her body as she rushed around her side of the car and met Robby by the hood. He took her hand and led her to the glass doors that were rattling from the noise it tried to conceal from the street.
“Um, Robby,” she said as she glanced at the burly man on the other side of the glass. “I’m not twenty-one yet.”
He smiled, his dimples visible in the light from the street lamp. “Don’t worry about that.”
He opened the door for her and greeted the bouncer with an enthusiastic handshake.
“How are you tonight, Robby?” the man asked. He was bald with dark eyes, a goatee and a thick neck.
Robby grinned and clapped the man on the back. “Doing okay, Milo. I see they’re packing them in tonight.”
“Yeah,” Milo said, his lips peeling back to reveal a row of bright white teeth. “I told you they were good.”
“Yes, you did,” Robby concurred. “That’s why I’m here.” He gestured toward Ally. “This is Jay’s daughter, Ally.”
“Hello, Miss Ally. Good to meet you,” Milo said warmly.
“You, too,” Ally said, shaking his calloused hand.
“You two enjoy yourselves now,” Milo said as another couple entered. “And let me know what you think.”
“I will,” Robby said as he squeezed Ally’s hand and guided her through the crowd. He located an empty table and claimed it quickly as Ally removed her coat. He pulled out a chair for her and she took it with a smile of thanks.
A waitress took their order and hustled away as Robby settled in his seat. He draped his arm on the back of Ally’s chair and shot her a wink before turning his attention to the band on the stage.
“I’ve never been out scouting a band before,” she said, leaning into him to whisper in his ear. His scent was amazing – a sort of outdoorsy fragrance – and she had a hard time fighting an urge to inhale him.
“Not much to it,” he said as the waitress returned and placed a diet soda in front of Ally and a beer in front of Robby. He lifted the glass to his lips as the band ended a song and launched into a cover of one of Tight Control’s biggest hits.
Robby’s eyes met hers and she smiled widely. “A true test. If they can nail this then they’re gold.”
Robby laughed and dropped his hand to squeeze her shoulder. She moved her chair closer under the pretense of seeing the band better and she shivered when he toyed with the ends of her hair. Even though there was still space between them, she was still very much aware of his nearness. Her heart was pounding, keeping in time with the bass drum, and her hands were trembling so much that she wrapped them around her glass of soda in hopes that she’d either calm them down or be able to blame the shakiness to the chill of the glass.
He bent his head close to hers as the band finished the Tight Control song. “They didn’t kill it. As a matter of fact, I think they sounded pretty good.”
“I agree,” she said, inching closer.
They listened for awhile longer, ordering more drinks, and when the band took a break, Robby pecked her cheek. “Will you be okay here for a few minutes? I need to speak to the band real quick.”
She smiled at him. “I’m fine. Go do your thing.”
He grinned his dimpled smile and approached the band that was huddled around the end of the bar fueling up on bottled water and soft drinks. Their laughter stopped when Robby introduced himself and handed them his business card. Their faces changed from curious to incredulous in a matter of minutes and she laughed as the lead singer tossed an arm around Robby’s shoulder and gestured for the bartender to give Robby a beer. It delighted her to see a bit of color touch Robby’s cheeks and she couldn’t wait for him to return to the table.
He did return, a few minutes later, fresh beer in his hands. He took his seat and shook his head in amusement. “They were thrilled.”
“I gathered that,” she giggled, pointing at his glass. “So, when do they sign?”
Robby took a quick sip of his beer and set it on the table. “Well, it’s not that easy. They need to come in and play for Jay and Nate and then we’ll discuss it. I explained that to them but they were happy just to be invited to come to the studio.”
Ally watched the band talk excitedly amongst themselves as they collected their guitars and prepared to go back to the stage. She covered her mouth as she yawned.
“Are you ready to go?” Robby asked, his arm draped around her shoulders again.
“Yeah,” she said, laughing as she yawned again. She stood and allowed him to help her with her coat. He took her hand and created a path through the throng of bodies until they reached the door. They both bid goodnight to Milo as they entered the cold December night.
Once inside the car, Robby started the engine and let it idle, waiting for the heat to kick in. He rubbed his hands and huddled over the steering wheel.
“Thanks for coming tonight,” he said, shooting her a smile. “I usually come alone unless I’m with Jay or Nate.”
“It was fun,” she said, adjusting her scarf. “Like I said, I’ve never scouted a band before. It was interesting.”
He lifted a hand to the dash, testing the temperature of the air blowing from the vent. “I vaguely remember you telling me how wonderful Christmas time is in Chicago.”
She laughed and tucked her hair behind her ear, her eyes sparkling. “It is wonderful – but it’s still cold.”
He rolled his eyes as warm air began to flow throughout the car. “And where is all this snow you keep talking about, huh?”
She shrugged, the smile not leaving her lips. “It’ll come – just be patient.”
“Sure,” he said, unconvinced. “I can’t wait.”
&
nbsp; She laughed again and impulsively leaned over the console to kiss his cheek. They smiled at each other and the air suddenly became charged, crackling around them. He laced his fingers with her gloved ones and ducked his head.
“Ally, I still think we need to take this slow,” he said. “Cole and the others are back in town and maybe you should make sure this is what you want.”
“I know,” she said, staring at the top of his bent head. “And I will. I won’t hurt you, Robby. It would kill me, too.”
He lifted his eyes to hers and cupped her cheek with his free hand. He pressed his lips chastely to hers. “I know that. And whatever you decide, I’ll be okay with it. I don’t want to lose you, Ally, even if that means we remain friends.”
“Thank you,” she said, breathlessly. “I appreciate it.”
“Let me get you back to your dorm,” he said.
***
Jamie sighed when the warm air greeted him as he stepped inside the house. He shed his coat and hung it by the door, grinning at his friends.
“Bet you’re wishing you were still in L.A., huh?” he asked.
“Nah,” Cole said as he punched Jamie playfully. “It ain’t cold yet.”
RJ snorted and opened a bag of chips as he settled on the couch. He picked up the remote and switched the channel, turning on a hockey game. “Just in time, James.”
“Perfect,” Jamie said as he plopped next to RJ.
“Are you on Winter Break yet?” Cole asked as he snatched a handful of chips before falling into the recliner.
“Yep. Three glorious weeks,” Jamie said, his eyes still on the television.
“Hey, what are you doing this weekend?” RJ asked.
“Nothing, why?” Jamie said.
“Mom and Dad are taking all three of my brothers skiing and asked me to house sit - feed Ricky’s dog and the stupid little rodents he has in his room. I thought you guys could stay with me. We could hang out like we used to.”
Jamie tore his eyes from the screen to raise a brow at RJ. RJ shrugged, answering his silent question. They both turned toward Cole in unison.
“What?” Cole asked, cramming his last chip in his mouth. “I’m game – you know that.”
“Yeah,” Jamie said slowly, dragging out the word.
Cole sighed heavily and rolled his eyes. “Yes, of course, we should invite the princess. But I’m betting she won’t come.”
“I think she will,” Jamie said. He scooted to the edge of the sofa, preparing to battle if he had to. “She misses you guys, you know. She misses the four of us doing stuff together.”
Cole ran his hands through his hair in exasperation. “Yeah, I know she does. But I honestly don’t think she’ll come.”
“She will,” RJ said with a wide grin. He turned that grin on his friends. “We just won’t give her much of a choice!”
Cole’s brow furrowed as he gazed at RJ speculatively. He could tell RJ was devising something and he wasn’t certain it would be good. “Okay, bro, I’ll bite. Tell us what you’re plotting in that devious mind of yours.”
RJ laughed and bounced once on the sofa. He clapped his hands together and motioned for them to gather round. “It’s so simple, really. This is all we have to do.”
And excitedly he revealed his plan.
Chapter Twenty
Ally browsed the books housed in Robby’s bookshelf while he tended to a phone call. She ran her fingers along the spines, admiring his collection. She glanced at him, over her shoulder, and caught his eye. He winked and her heart exploded in her chest.
Her feelings for Robby were escalating and she knew it was getting close to time to decide just what she wanted to do. She was also aware that Cole was indeed back in town but hadn’t attempted to contact her in the least. Maybe it was a sign.
She sighed and plopped in the chair in front of his desk as Robby ended his call. She cocked her head as he leaned back and tented his fingers. “Why are you in the office on a Saturday?”
He shrugged sheepishly. “I had some things to take care of. I might be gaining another band.”
“Oh?” she asked. “Someone you signed recently?”
“No,” he said slowly, eyes carefully trained on her face. “Not exactly.”
Her heart sank as realization washed over her. Her eyes nearly leapt from their sockets as she scooted to the edge of her chair and gripped his desk. “No way!”
He grinned half-heartedly. “Yes, I’m afraid so. What do you think about that?”
“You’re actually going to produce Out of Control?” she asked, dumbfounded. “Whose idea was that?”
“Theirs,” Robby said quietly. “It’s not set in stone yet, but it will probably happen.”
She gaped at him, wondering why Cole would want to work with Robby. Was it his way of giving her another chance and then maybe keeping a closer eye on her? The thought suffocated her for a moment. There was no way she’d be able to be with him if that was his plan.
“I’m okay with it,” she said. “I know the guys like you.” She bit her lip. “I just don’t want to cause any kind of problems between you guys.”
He smiled softly and leaned over the desk to pat her hand. “Ally, my personal life and professional life are two different things. I won’t let one interfere with the other and I’m pretty sure Cole, RJ, and the others feel the same way.”
She wasn’t totally convinced but she didn’t voice her concerns. She’d just have to play it by ear and hope that they could all find a way to play nicely if things between Cole and Ally continued to sour and things between Robby and Ally continued to progress.
“So, what are you doing tonight?” she asked. “Interested in taking someone to the movies or something?”
A playful grin curled the corners of his mouth. “I’d love to take someone to the movies but unfortunately, I have to work tonight with someone’s father.”
She scowled as she slumped in the chair. “Great. Now I’ll be bored.”
He chuckled and moved a file from one side of his neat desk to the other. “Sorry, Ally, but we really do need to get this single out – it’s way overdue.”
“I know,” she said.
A light knock on the door caused Robby’s brows to draw together. “Come in.”
“Hi, kids!” RJ greeted as he poked his head inside the door. He grinned and stepped in the office, Jamie and Cole dragging along behind him. “What’s up?”
Ally’s heart wiggled when she caught sight of Cole. He looked good – rested – and it made her feel just a touch better.
“Hey, guys,” Robby said, leaning back in his chair. He eyed RJ suspiciously. “What are you up to?”
“Nothing much,” Jamie said, perching on the edge of Robby’s desk. “We came to see what you two were doing tonight.”
Robby grimaced. “I’m working with Jay tonight. We’ll be editing until God knows when.”
