by Jada Pearl
Shontell blushed. Now how in the heck could he have remembered that? I’m sure they saw a hundred, or at least a few hundred, women that night. And each year it was always the same, she thought to herself.
Yes, she did ask him for a piece of gum. She was being flirty. That night was one of the best pictures she had with them. She had been to every Detroit show—close to maybe thirty or forty shows—and it always felt like the first time. The guys were all still full of energy, and it showed as they interacted with each other backstage. It was such a rare occasion. One of the things she remembered the most was his cologne as she stood between him and John that night. It had the scent of sage and musk. It was so intoxicating.
Before she could answer him, Martin and the rest of the group came into the suite. The rest of the group was dressed similar to Nico, with John having on the same color shirt as he did. David and Dennis wore oatmeal colored shirts with yellow vests. The band members filtered in, and everyone mingled for about twenty minutes. Time passed so quickly and, before she knew it, they were heading to the club in the limo.
They arrived at the club and entered through the back. She watched as the guys got themselves ready to greet their fans. Within minutes, they were introduced and hit the stage in full energy. The crowd went absolutely wild. An hour into the night, Shontell was glad the night was going good. She had slightly prepared herself to deal with some of the normal issues—like the sound system failing or overcrowding—but tonight everything went as planned. Throughout the club, the ladies were dressed to impress, baring their cleavage and legs. The bouncer informed her that the line outside was still wrapped around the corner.
Shontell noticed how the women flaunted themselves in the presence of the guys. She laughed to herself, wondering if she would be just like them if she wasn’t working. Pulling her schedule from her purse, she double checked the time. She caught Mr. Downs’s attention and nodded to him. He gave her the signal back and motioned for one of the band members. The group had forty-five minutes or so to continue mingling. She noticed Dennis dancing with two women. The rest of the guys were still out posing for pictures as they were approached. She scanned the room and locked eyes with Nico. He was watching her. After a few seconds, she broke the eye contact; blushing and looking down momentarily. When she glanced back up, Nico was gone.
The DJ played one of the groups’ songs, and the crowd began to cheer. She was humming along and tapping her foot in sync with the slow music when she noticed Nico coming in her direction. She stood up in her place, trying not to look as nervous as she felt.
Holding his hand out to her, he asked, “Would you like to dance?”
Shontell looked around as she silently thought over his request. She took his hand, and they walked to the dance floor. He spun her around as she easily went into his arms and followed his lead. She loved formal social dancing, although it wasn’t done much anymore. Being in his arms felt so good…better than she actually wanted to admit. Just as she thought she would be able to handle dancing with him, he did the unthinkable. He started to sing to her softly. Shontell had to hold back her tears. She was shaking and hoped he didn’t feel it, but he did. He stopped singing.
“Are you ok?” he asked.
“Um, yes. I guess I am getting a little bit emotional being so close to you while you sing.” She felt embarrassed and said, “I’m sorry.”
Nico smiled but didn’t say anything. She was hoping he didn’t think that she was a lunatic for showing her emotions. When the song ended, she started to walk away, but Nico was still holding her. She stepped back a little and looked at him. He was staring at her intently.
“Thank you for the dance, Ms. Shontell. And, by the way, you never answered my question,” he reminded her as he finally let go of her. She stepped away from him but turned back in his direction. Giving into a nervous habit, she twirled her hair before she finally gave him his answer.
“Yes, that was me,” she smiled shyly. She motioned for the group to follow her as she headed up to the stage. “Good evening everyone! On behalf of Divine Attraction and the sponsoring organization, Precious Timing Events, we would like to say thank you for being such a great audience tonight. Let’s give Divine Attraction a huge round of applause!” The crowd erupted in cheers and applause as the group bowed and waved to everyone. “Now let’s all get home safely,” she added. They exited the stage to the back. As they waited for the limo to pull back around, they headed out into the night air.
Does the night have to end?
Nico
Nico regarded Shontell as she spoke to the club goers. He still was in some shock at his forwardness. He wasn’t one who could openly meet women, but he felt something pulling him to her spirit. He was glad he asked her to dance. He didn’t regret it one bit. He could still smell whatever scent she was wearing. It reminded him of coconut and berries.
Nico heard his name being called as his thoughts were interrupted. He turned his attention to John.
“Bro, I saw you dancing with Shontell. How was it?” John inquired, speaking low enough just for Nico to hear. He hesitated before answering, trying to find a word that described how it felt to have her in his arms.
“It was amazing,” he replied. John smiled, giving him a thumbs up as he joined in the conversation that was going on in the limo. Nico went back to his thoughts, replaying what she had told him when he felt her trembling. Shontell telling him that his singing affected her completely caught him off guard. That was definitely a first for him. He had met a lot of women, but none had made such an impression on him. Nico almost laughed out loud, recalling how happy he had felt when she told him it was her, confirming what he knew. His search was over. He never told anyone in the group how he had kept all the cards she gave them. Her words affected him on a sincere level, because he could feel they were genuine.
Pulling up to the hotel, they all piled out. The others were still talking animatedly about the club scene. He could have bet ten bucks on what was about to be suggested next.
“We are going to the casino, Nico. You coming?” Dennis asked him.
Nico laughed to himself. He just paid himself that ten dollars because, as usual, they were predictable. Shaking his head, he told them to go ahead without him. Nico wasn’t in the mood to gamble, although he wasn’t ready for his night to end. He wanted to find a way to spend more time with Shontell.
Shontell
Shontell had observed the atmosphere in the limo. The conversation was very vivid as the men discussed the women. She kept her thoughts to herself. She loved her city, but the club scene was one she did not venture out into much.
She was seated near the far end, closest to the door. She could see Nico, but he couldn’t see her unless he leaned forward. This gave her an advantage at this moment, and she took it to watch his body language. He wasn’t as talkative as the rest of them, but it seemed they tried to make him talk. She did notice him and John whispering and knew that it was more than likely about her.
Usually, when she had artists come in town, she stayed at the same hotel. She was available if they needed anything from her. She waved to the guys and Martin while making her way up to her room. The hallways were filled with people coming in from the other downtown events. She couldn’t wait to lie across her bed
Shontell was just about to get undressed when her phone rang. Glancing at the glowing screen, she saw it was her best friend, Sandy.
“Okay, so give me the digs. Are they really hot up close and more personal?”
“OMG, yes! It has taken so much for me to be professional being as big of a fan as I am, but I did okay. But guess what? Remember when I asked Nico for his gum last year when we took pictures with them? He actually remembered that. Can you freaking believe it?”
“WHAT?! Are you serious?” her best friend screamed into her ear.
She took the phone away from her ear and started laughing. “Yep,” she said as she crossed her legs and made herself comfortable. They talked
about the rest of the evening, including the dance. While they were talking, she heard a knock on her door. She told Sandy to hold on and she got up and went to look out the peephole. When she discovered it was Nico, she quickly checked her clothes and patted her hair down.
Then she slowly opened the door.
Nico
Nico had stood outside her door for a few minutes before actually getting up the nerve to knock. He kept glancing around and was glad that the hallway was clear. When the guys decided to run over to the casino, he convinced himself that this idea was a good one. He couldn’t believe how anxious he was. When he knocked, he hoped that she would be okay with this. He didn’t want her to think he was crazy.
“Is something wrong?” Shontell asked, clearly concerned.
“Actually, no. I was just wondering if you were up for a nightcap.” He held up a bottle of wine and two glasses.
Hesitating for a moment, she opened the door wider. He walked in. He noticed that she was on a call as she went to grab her phone. She picked it up and spoke briefly to end the call. Maybe he was crazy for coming to her room; he didn’t know if she had a boyfriend or not. For a moment, he felt uneasy. Taking a breath, he said to himself, “Oh well, here goes nothing.”
“I hope you don’t mind my being bold,” he said as he gestured toward the wine. He pulled the cork opener from his pocket and set the bottle down to open it. “Sometimes it’s hard for me to sleep after we perform, and for some reason I’m very wired.” They sat on the couch in the sitting area.
“It’s okay. I was just up talking to my best friend anyway,” Shontell told him, helping him with what he was doing. She held her glass as he poured. “So after tomorrow, where are you headed?” she inquired.
“Well, we have one show in Indiana, then we go for media promotions in Miami, then we are on our cruise for five days, and then we have a week off before we go overseas for about six weeks,” Nico explained as he noticed her smile. His heartbeat sped up. He wished at that moment that he had the ability to read minds. “What’s that smile for?” he asked her. When she wasn’t quick to reply, he thought it was better not to press her. “So what about you? What fascinating things do you have set up?”
“Well, I have two corporate meetings early next week. Then, I am on vacation for two weeks while my business partner handles the smaller events we have planned.”
“Vacation! Now that’s a word I rarely use. Do you have any plans?” Nico leaned over and refilled her glass, then his.
Shontell laughed, and he looked at her quizzically. He felt like he was missing something. He took a sip of his wine, tasting the bitterness on his tongue as he admired her. She played with her hair. The action intrigued him.
“Actually, I signed up for your twenty-fifth anniversary cruise. I’m so excited. I love the water, but I’ve never been on a cruise before. So I am really looking forward to this.” Her face lit up with the admission.
“Wow, you really are a dedicated fan. But I think that is a great thing. I hope you enjoy yourself. Are you going alone?” Nico was hoping her answer was yes. He still didn’t know if she had someone in her life.
“No, my best friend Sandy is going too. It’s her birthday, so it was my gift to her.”
“Nice friend,” he said with an impressed expression.
“I try. We have been best friends since we were in fourth grade.”
“Wow. Those kind of friends are hard to come by. David and I are the same way. We met in the seventh grade and have always been close. Can I make a toast?”
“Be my guest,” she told him as she grabbed her glass from the table.
“To a new friendship that I hope lasts a long time.”
“To new friendships,” she replied.
They clinked glasses. Surprisingly, they finished the bottle. They talked a little more, and their conversation flowed easily. They discussed some of their experiences working in the entertainment industry. Once the conversation seemed like it was about to end, Shontell suggested a movie. Somewhere in the middle of the film, they both fell asleep.
Nico felt someone jostling him, and it took him a minute to remember where he was. He opened his eyes and adjusted his glasses. He looked into the smiling face of Shontell. He didn’t remember falling asleep. It must have been the wine. He wasn’t usually a heavy drinker. He scooted back and stretched. Standing up, he started picking up their wine glasses from a few hours ago. A part of him still didn’t want to leave her presence.
Shontell
She watched Nico sleep for a few minutes, telling herself that the man was beautiful. Turning the television off, she gently shook him.
“Guess we fell asleep watching the movie. My phone just went off. It was my wake up call. You have to be at the radio station in an hour, so you might want to go get ready,” she informed him, standing up.
“Will do,” he told her.
She watched his movements and tried not to stare. She started to clean up, and he reached down to assist.
“Oh, don’t worry about that, I will take care of it. I’ll see you in the suite in forty-five minutes.”
He nodded and headed toward the door. He stopped and came back to where she was standing.
“Thanks for giving me one of the best nights I have had in a long time.” He kissed her cheek and hugged her. He quickly walked out the room, and Shontell touched her cheek where he had kissed her. Her face felt flush from her blushing. She snapped out of her reverie. She cleaned up the sitting area and headed to the shower. She kept shaking her head to make sure that she wasn’t dreaming. It was nothing new for Shontell to be around celebrities or even date them for that matter. Nico made her very nervous for some reason…very nervous.
Nico
Nico grinned at his thoughts of Shontell. He was proud of himself for taking this chance; it usually wasn’t in his nature to really go after a woman. Shontell was like a breath of fresh air. He didn’t have to worry about her only being interested in him for what he had in his bank account. Her personality showed that she was her own woman. She liked him for who he was, and she was easy to talk to…unlike his ex, Tina.
He thought she was different until she proved him wrong. She had only wanted him for the lifestyle he had and not for what they shared. Tina loved to shop when she traveled with them. Yet she rarely interacted with him on more personal levels outside of the bedroom. He always felt like she was just fulfilling her end of the relationship. Did he love her? Yes. When the relationship ended, it hit him hard. It took him some time to realize that she loved his stardom, not him. His mother taught him to never let one bad experience keep him from trying again. Nico kept her words in his mind. However, Nico backed away from love, put it in a box, and threw away the key. It led him to work on his music, like he always had. Maybe that would change now. Nico had almost hit his door when his thoughts were interrupted.
“Um, bro, what are you doing coming out of her room at this hour?” Nico heard someone say behind him. He silently cursed himself for being caught. When he turned around, he saw that it was Dennis who was looking at him with one eyebrow raised. He could tell that his friend was waiting for him to answer. Dennis was like the mother hen of the group. He had been burned by a few groupies. He was always making sure they stayed on the straight and narrow, or his version of it anyway.
“Well, if you must know, I went by last night. We talked and watched a movie. She is a very nice lady,” Nico told him, trying not to get irritated by the sudden interrogation. He squinted his eyes at Dennis.
“Mmm hmm, guess that is why you didn’t come to the casino with us. Well, I hope you know what you are doing,” Dennis said with a frown.
“What? Making a friend? Didn’t know there was a law against that. You know at some point you will need to get over the things that happened to you. You just seem to keep picking the wrong ones,” he told his friend as he headed into his room. He left him standing there. Nico stood in his foyer, shaking his head. He didn’t know why he alw
ays let Dennis get to him. He grabbed his suitcase. Taking his clothes out for the day, he prepared to get dressed. He needed to make some calls before he went downstairs. He put his phone on speaker as he brushed his teeth and handled his calls. When he finished, he smiled at the mere idea of what he just did. It was done, and he was happy about it. He only hoped Shontell would feel the same way.
Blast from the Past
Dennis
Dennis knew he was right. He just wanted to look out for them. David was the only married one in the group, so he had to make sure John, Nico, and himself were cautious. He had very bad experiences with women, but he wasn’t sure what it was about Shontell that bothered him. She looked familiar, and he really couldn’t place where he had seen her. He let that thought go as he thought about what Nico had said to him. It took him a long time to get over some of the things that the women who he messed around with did. It wasn’t like he had low self-esteem, but he just didn’t pick them right. He had never been in love or even smitten by a woman. Did that make him strange? When David found Felecia and he saw the love he had for her, he was jealous and envious. Why couldn’t he have that kind of love? Now Nico? It just wasn’t fair. Maybe it was time he changed his outlook on women and his life.
Dennis started walking back to his room when his cell phone buzzed. Retrieving the text, he saw it was Jesse asking him what was up for tonight. Dennis stopped in his tracks.
“Oh, snap! That’s why she looks familiar,” Dennis spoke out loud. One day when he was visiting Jesse, he had seen a picture of them together on his fireplace mantel. She had lost some weight and cut her hair, but he was pretty sure that it was her. They must not be together anymore. He replied to Jesse’s text and headed out of his room. David greeted him in the hallway.
