In Your Honor

by Heidi Hutchinson

  Lucy stepped further away from Shane and crossed to the other side of the table to be opposite him, hoping she didn't appear as flustered as she was feeling.

  “Business partner, huh?” she asked Lenny as she took her seat.

  “Yep, done deal.” Lenny handed the stack of papers to a girl waiting nearby.

  Lucy tried to keep up in the conversation as they discussed things like board construction, manufacturing, and vision, but most of it was lost on her. The pizza was good, though.

  “Are you nervous about playing Madison Square Garden tonight?” Shane directed her way, bringing her focus back to his too-handsome-for-his-own-good face. “Lenny said it's the biggest venue of the tour.”

  “I don't usually get nervous.” She frowned as she corrected herself. “But that makes me sound arrogant.”

  Shane smiled. “No it doesn't, we're athletes.” He gestured between himself and Lenny, who nodded in agreement. “Confidence is part of the game.”

  “She's fantastic on stage,” Lenny spoke up. “I think you'll really enjoy the show.”

  “You're coming to the show tonight?” Lucy almost choked in surprise.

  “Well, yeah. I mean, if that's okay...?” He was wearing that amused look on his face again.

  “Yeah, I... was... uh...” She had nothing. And they knew it. Lenny snickered but didn't rescue her. Lucy rolled her eyes at herself and went back to her pizza with a sigh. “I am the absolute coolest I have ever been. Gee, I wish I could meet intimidating and successful people more often.”

  Shane laughed and kicked her shoe under the table. “If seeing me there will make you uncomfortable, I can always come in disguise.”

  Lucy raised an eyebrow at him. “As long as it's not one of the Beatles, I don't think I'm ready for that kind of pressure.”

  “I don't believe you.” Shane grinned and handed her a napkin, indicating she had something on her chin. Yep, coolest chick that ever was.

  “She's a star,” Lenny interjected. “I really can't wait for you to see her. Did you get the pass I sent over?”

  “Yeah.” Shane glanced over at Lenny and then back to Lucy. “I thought you just played guitar...?”

  “She sings too,” Lenny said excitedly. “Luke has discussed with me the possibility of her having a carrier all her own.”

  That was news to Lucy, though her conversation with Taylor the other night made more sense now. She wished people would talk to her about these things instead of about her.

  She looked up and saw Shane watching her quietly, an unspoken question on his face. She shook her head subtly and he quickly changed the subject, diverting Lenny's attention back to talk of their new business venture and the next steps they needed to take. All the while he exchanged small glances with Lucy that she could only interpret as curious concern.

  Lunch wrapped up and Lenny announced that they had to get back to the arena in time for sound check. Shane walked them to the door of the elevator and shook Lucy's hand one more time.

  “I'm so glad you could make it today,” he said sincerely. “And I look forward to seeing you again soon.” He said it in such a way that Lucy wondered if he meant more than the show that evening. He broke off his gaze and hugged Lenny good-bye, leaving Lucy without an answer to her thought.

  ***

  By the time they got back to the arena, Lucy had all but forgotten Shane Brookings and his high-end New York City office in the clouds. Lenny had gotten a call from Luke and apparently tonight's show was going to be a very big deal. Something about Rolling Stone or some such being there to do a profile on Taylor.

  Triny had told Lucy to ignore the critics, they only wanted to suck you dry and leave you for dead. So she really didn't see it as the best news ever, but she understood that they wanted to get Taylor's name out there.

  Sound check was a mess. Greg had his hands full and Carl was freaking out, more due to his decision to quit smoking two days prior than anything else. Lucy wanted to stay out of the way, so she changed into her stage clothes in the bus and made her way to the stage. She looked around the massive complex and let the size soak into her. She tried to picture it full of the thousands of screaming fans that would arrive in a few hours. Instead of butterflies or nerves, a peacefulness settled over her.

  She could hear Greg and Carl exchanging sarcastic blows from the sound booth and she settled on the edge of the stage, dangling her legs over the side and pulling her guitar onto her lap. She softly plucked at the strings, and a tune she hadn't played in a long time came spilling out.

  “You always made that song sound the best,” Blake said as he took a seat next to her.

  “It was one of your favorites.” Lucy smiled but didn't pause the song.

  “Only when you did it.” Blake sighed and nodded to the sound booth. “Who do you think would win if it came to blows?”

  “Hmm,” Lucy thought about it, “I don't know. Greg is pretty strong, but Carl has that nicotine withdrawal that might give him an edge.”

  Blake chuckled softly and crossed his arms over his chest. “You're not nervous about tonight, are you.” It wasn't a question.

  “Not even a little bit.” Lucy grinned at him and finally saw him crack the serious look on his face.

  ***

  “How are you always so happy?” he asked her, his eyes searching her face for any sign of dishonesty. It wasn't there. She really was who she appeared to be.

  “You already know the answer to that, Blake.” She smiled and rolled her eyes.

  “Remind me,” he persisted, his voice coming out rough.

  She sighed and stilled her playing. Her teeth came down on her bottom lip then she reached over, touching the clenched part of his jaw. Her fingertips pressed lightly until his jaw relaxed. That used to be her signal for when he was frowning at her, and he tried to soften his expression. “Because I feel what I feel while it's happening. I don't bottle it up and save it for later. When I'm mad, I let it out. When I'm sad, I cry until I can't. That way, it can't sneak up on me and ruin my day.”

  “I wish I could be as brave as you are.” He bumped her shoulder with his own.

  “You are.” She looked at him seriously, a small frown pulling her eyebrows together. “Blake, you're the bravest person I know.”

  “Ah.” He suddenly felt very uncomfortable and his mind raced for a way out. He grit his teeth together as she read his face perfectly.

  “Let me guess, you have to go?” She raised a dark eyebrow at him and he gave her a crooked smile.

  “It's freaky how well you know me,” he confessed.

  She didn't say anything, only smiled in that knowing way and went back to strumming her guitar. He waited a few more minutes before he stood up, and she raised her head and waggled her eyebrows at him. He shook his head at her before jogging down the stairs and heading to the green room.

  “That seemed like it went well,” Kendra muttered as she followed him into the empty dressing room. “Don't forget, she's got a solo tonight, you won't want to miss it.”

  “Not going to be a problem.” Blake offered a fist-bump to her and she rolled her eyes but indulged him anyway.

  Blake was feeling good about things. He hadn't lost control of his thoughts and actions in weeks. He'd been getting along really well with Lucy on a regular basis but he still limited how much one-on-one contact they had. He needed to take this slow. He needed to show her he wasn't the messed up, whiskey-soaked adolescent she used to know. He could be a man. He could be her man.

  ***

  Shane stood with his back to the open office area, gazing out at the city below. It was a magnificent view, but he missed the mountains. He was anxiously looking forward to his flight to New Zealand tomorrow, he needed to get back on a board.

  He rubbed the stubble on his face and felt his mouth curve into a smile. He couldn't stop thinking about the weird girl that Lenny had brought with her earlier that day. Lucy Newton. Weird wasn't the right word, but he hadn't been able to find a be
tter one yet.

  He had enjoyed her easy laugh and lack of grace. She was... unusual. But he had found an easy rapport with her.

  He had noted the many handmade bracelets, the natural windblown tan of her skin, the sweet smell of honeysuckle that seemed to surround her. Her dark eyes were framed by thick lashes that gave them a smoky, seductive quality that was alluring and sweet at the same time. Her long, chocolate hair kept swinging into her face and she would push it back with annoyance.

  She was wildly, dangerously, haphazardly... beautiful. That was the word.

  If she was that magnetic out of her element, he couldn't wait to see her in the spotlight.

  Chapter 7

  Soul to Squeeze

  Lucy's heart raced as she took her final bow and waved at the energetic crowd. She had never played in front of so many people all at once and she felt... full. It was everything she had dreamed of since as far back as she could remember.

  She handed her guitar to one of the techs and jogged down the stairs, where Blake caught her in a hug and swung her around.

  “That was incredible,” he gushed as he buried his face in her hair. He set her down but kept his arms encircled around her waist. She grinned broadly at him, seeing the pride on his face. His approval meant the most to her, no matter how much she wished it didn't.

  “You did great, Newton,” Taylor nodded at her, downplaying his own elation. “You definitely make my job easier.”

  Lucy looked up at Blake again, his strong arms still holding her. His smile twitched, as if he had something extra to say, but he only stared at her. Her body was reacting to their close proximity and she didn't know if this was within the parameters of friendship.

  “You have to get ready for your own show,” she reminded him, biting her lip as her face began to heat up from a whole new reason.

  He leaned in close, his lips grazing the outside of her ear and her heart stuttered. “Don't go far, I want to see you after.”

  He pulled away just enough for her to have eye contact with his nearly emerald green eyes. She gave him a crooked smile and nodded. He released her with a wink and left to join the rest of his bandmates for their pre-show ritual.

  Lucy blew the air out of her lungs and watched his back until he was gone. When his eyes were that dark green color, she had a hard time focusing on the friendship part of this arrangement. But she really really needed to remember that. Even if that look he gave her had her remembering too many instances of sneaking out her window and into the night.

  She took one more careful breath and started down the hall. Her thoughts and forward movement stopped abruptly when she collided with a strong body. She'd managed to run straight into Shane Brookings, in all his massive, athletically perfect glory.

  “Careful!” Shane steadied her, placing both hands on her hips then removing them quickly.

  “I'm sorry,” Lucy laughed at herself. “That's what I get for walking with my eyes closed.”

  “Your eyes were open,” Shane chuckled at her, “but your head was obviously somewhere else.”

  Lucy sighed dramatically and shrugged as Shane laughed again. She was getting really good at being a complete idiot in front of this guy.

  “Luke is back around there.” She pointed to where the guys were gathered a short distance away.

  “I came to see you, actually.” Shane visibly swallowed and looked down shyly. Lucy did a double-take.

  “You what now?” She blinked at him, not understanding.

  “I wanted to tell you that you were great.” He let out a nervous laugh. “I guess that was it.”

  Seriously?

  Ball.

  Court.

  All Lucy's.

  Well, a conversation couldn't hurt. Right?

  “I was just going to change...” She paused, not sure if she was reading this situation correctly. “You wanna come?” She gestured with her head towards the door leading out to the buses. His eyes lit up at her suggestion and he fell in step next to her.

  Kendra appeared from out of the shadows with a cross look on her face. Lucy almost didn't recognize her. Normally, Kendra was soft-spoken and almost apologetic about her very existence.

  “You can't take him to the bus with you.” Her face was pinched like an old schoolmarm and Lucy thought she was joking.

  “C'mon, Kendra, what's the big deal?” Lucy forced a confused chuckle, but Kendra didn't budge.

  “I'm sorry, Lucy, but you know the rule. No babes on the bus.” Her face stayed flat, but Lucy sensed the underlying edge in the girl's voice.

  Shane smiled slyly and muttered to Lucy, “I didn't realize I was such a dangerous babe.”

  Lucy snickered in response, which only caused Kendra's face to harden into ice. “You can wait for Miss Newton in the green room.”

  Miss Newton? Lucy wanted to laugh. But she didn't. Instead she rolled her eyes sheepishly at Shane. “Wait for me?”

  “As long as it takes.” He smiled winningly and Lucy felt her stomach do a back flip. Kendra cleared her throat loudly and Lucy felt her eyes widen in exasperation. What was this chick's deal? Shane saw her expression and he grinned. Kendra grabbed his elbow and turned him around, his amusement growing.

  Lucy watched with fascination as Kendra's tiny dancer's body manhandled Shane's much larger frame back down the wide hallway.

  “I'll be right back,” Lucy called over her shoulder as she jogged out to the bus.

  Truthfully, she was a tiny bit thankful that Kendra had made Shane stay behind, if only for the fact that it gave her a couple of minutes to put her head on straight and collect her thoughts. She was flattered and confused as to why Shane wanted to talk to her. She hadn't made the best impression earlier that day. Or maybe he had a thing for discombobulated chicks.

  Lucy paused as she tugged her sweaty shirt over her head. Maybe he didn't have a “thing” for her at all. Maybe he was just being friendly and she was reading too much into it. She kicked her pants into her bunk, calming down significantly. Yes, that made more sense. He was a nice guy, he was classy, he had manners. What the hell am I going to talk to him about?

  Deciding she didn't need to dress to impress, she settled on a charcoal tee and her jeans with the mustard stain on the butt. She twisted her damp hair into a haphazard knot at the top of her head and slipped on a pair of Chad's way-too-big-for-her tennis shoes.

  She shuffled back into the venue and saw Kendra standing guard outside the green room door. Kendra gave her a chilly look as Lucy reached past her and opened it.

  Lucy paused before entering, leaning over so only Kendra could hear her. “Chad thinks you're hot.” She took great pleasure in seeing Kendra blush a deep maroon before she pulled the door closed behind her. She didn't know what weird game Kendra was playing, but she felt better with that small exchange.

  Shane was lounging on a couch, his legs draped over the arm rest, reading a magazine. He rolled his head to the side and looked her up and down quickly. She felt herself blush even though there was nothing lascivious in his expression.

  He sat up and tossed the magazine aside. “I don't know how to tell you this, Newton.” His face was serious. “But your feet are enormous.”

  Lucy grinned and shuffled towards him. “Are you always so rude, Brookings?”

  “Mostly, yes.” He smiled and made room for her on the couch. “Our chaperone still out front?”

  “Ha! Sorry, I guess Kendra takes her job more seriously than I thought.” Lucy shook her head in exasperation and settled on the far end of the couch.

  “Don't apologize. I'm flattered that I got identified as the groupie that I am.” He winked at her and Lucy's earlobes started to burn. Please don't turn bright red. Please don't turn bright red.

  “Newton,” Shane said with slight concern, “your ears are getting very red... should I be worried?”

  Sonofabitch! Lucy closed her eyes and decided to own it. “It's what happens when I get embarrassed.”

  “You mean, if I
flirt with you, I'll know it's working because I have my own blush meter to look at?” He bit down on his lower lip in amusement as Lucy's ears caught fire. “I'm not very good at flirting and I want to make sure I do it right.”

  “You're enjoying this, aren't you?” Lucy glared at him as she crossed her arms over her chest and sank into the deep couch. He let out a deep laugh and she tried to look angry but it was too hard.

  “Okay, okay, I'll stop. No more flirting,” he promised, arching an eyebrow at her, “unless you want me to.”

  She shook her head and sighed, she had no reply and he seemed more entertained than ever.

  “I'm sorry, I'll make it better. Let me see those giant clod hoppers of yours.” He was still chuckling as he picked her feet up and placed them gingerly in his lap. He easily removed Chad's big shoes, dropped them to the floor and let out a gasp.

  “I feel lied to, Newton,” he said with disgust as he frowned down at her feet.

  “I never lied,” Lucy corrected him. “You assumed. All I did was point out how rude you were being.”

  “That's right.” Shane nodded in recollection. “My apologies... again.” He grinned at her and then sank his fingers into the pads of her feet. “Your feet are stiff!” he declared loudly. “When was the last time you had a good foot rub?”

  “Um, I think never.” Lucy relaxed her head on the armrest and closed her eyes. How did Shane do that? One minute her head was spinning with jitters, and the next she felt like she was with someone she'd known for years. The guy was in control of way more than himself, she realized.

  “That's a damn shame,” he tsked. “Especially for Triny Newton's daughter, she should be getting pedicures fairly regularly, in my opinion.”

  Lucy's head came up and she frowned at him. He kept kneading away with a playful smile on his lips.

  “Yes, I Googled you after you left. I'm not too proud to admit it.” His eyes flicked up to hers and her face started to heat up again.