by JL Paul
I managed to keep my mouth rumbling to a minimum and therefore kept from embarrassing myself. I managed this by shoveling food in it constantly. Michelle eyed me with disdain, her eyes triumphant by my obvious poor manners. I didn’t care. Better her and her family think me a slob than me to say something stupid and embarrass Jake and his family.
Finally, dinner finished and we bid each other goodnight. I climbed into the backseat of James’s car with Greta and heaved a huge sigh of relief. Jake chuckled in the passenger seat. “Were you a little hungry, Iz?”
“Ha. Ha,” I retorted. James raised at brow at his son.
“Iz has an unfortunate habit of rambling sometimes,” Jake explained. He winked over his shoulder at me.
James laughed as my cheeks burned. “Don’t worry, Iz. I wouldn’t have cared if you would have ticked them off. They’re a little stuffy and always trying to outdo everyone else in the neighborhood.”
I relaxed as Greta giggled beside me. “Michelle has the hots for Jake anyway.”
I perked and glanced at Jake who suddenly found the streetlights outside his window fascinating.
“Really?” I asked. “Another member of your fan club?”
“Can’t help it, Iz,” he said, a little smug. I was certain he was smiling as I noticed his cheek lifting.
“Glad to see your ego is as big as ever, dear brother,” Greta groaned.
We reached the Johnson house and Jake and I bid the others goodnight. We got in his Mustang and drove back to his house. He held my hand on top of the armrest as he concentrated on the traffic.
“I told you my dad would love you,” he said.
He did, true, but no need to stoke that already oversized head of his. I mean, he was pretty much right about everything. “Yep.”
I watched his face out of the corner of my eye and a crooked smirk crinkled his eyes. My heart lifted, and I suddenly couldn’t wait to get back to his house. I wanted nothing more than to be curled up in his arms, all alone.
“Did you bring a bathing suit?” he asked, breaking the silence.
I was starting to question his sanity. It was February, after all, and I wasn’t anxious to take a dip in the little lake in the back of his house. “No, I guess I forgot it. I don’t know how I could have forgotten it, though. I mean, the heat wave we’ve had and all.”
He chuckled. “I meant for the hot tub on the deck.”
Oh. “Oh.” I clamped my lips together. That made sense, I guess. “No. I didn’t even think about it.”
“Don’t worry. We’ll try the hot tub next time.”
My heart flittered against my ribs. Every time he mentioned a future that included us, together, my heart expanded and my stomach flipped. “Okay.”
He held me again that night, his soft heart beat lulling me to sleep. We spent all day Sunday either wrapped in each other’s arms or walking his grounds in the snow. He talked about how his band got started and his close friendship with the other guys. He asked me about my family and things from my childhood. He quizzed me constantly, in an effort to learn every minute detail about me, and I loved him all the more.
We ate dinner in front of the fire, for once not speaking much, and I caught him gazing at me with such fire and longing in his eyes that I nearly shoved our plates away and begged him to forget about his morals. But I knew he wouldn’t so I kissed him tenderly instead.
Monday morning dawned gray and overcast with the threat of snow. I gathered my things quietly, trying to keep the gloom off my face. As we hit the highway, I voiced my concerns to him about driving me all the way to school and driving back alone.
He lifted our clasped hands to kiss the back of mine.
“Just trying to get every second of Iz time that I can.” My smile spread slowly across my face. “I won’t see you for a few weeks. Not until your play and that’s three weeks away.”
I pushed that depressing thought out of my head, but it returned when we reached the school. He parked and killed the engine. Turning to me, he took my face in his hands.
“I hate leaving you again, Iz, but I promise I’ll be thinking of you, and I’ll call you as much as possible.” I nodded, too afraid to speak. I thought if I kept my mouth shut that the tears would remain behind my eyes. I was wrong.
He pressed his lips to mine. “Don’t cry, Iz. It kills me when you do.”
“I’m not,” I protested, wiping a rebellious tear away. He kissed my forehead and held me close to his chest.
When he finally released me, I followed him out of the car. He retrieved my bag from the trunk and took my hand. He walked me to my dorm, ignoring a group of gossiping girls who clamped their lips together and stared as we passed. He dropped my hand and draped an arm around my shoulders.
I unlocked my door and tugged him inside. I kicked the door closed and wrapped my arms around his neck. He chuckled and pressed me closer, running his hands lightly up and down my back. I was comforted by the steady rhythm of his heart
He dropped a kiss to the top of my head and gave me one more squeeze. “I have to get going, Iz.”
I held him tighter. “I know.”
He laughed. “That means you have to let go of me, angel.”
“Don’t want to,” I murmured. He pried my hands loose and held them in his. My bottom lip trembled.
“I’ll call you tonight, okay?”
I nodded. He released my hands to cup my cheeks and capture my lips with his. My pulse went wild as my heart clawed desperately at my ribs. When he pulled away, his ragged, uneven breath matched mine. His pained eyes ripped a whole in my soul, and I could hardly stand to watch him walk out the door.
“See you in a few weeks, angel,” he said as he left. I shut the door softly, my back against it. I slid to the floor, ecstatic that he was mine but miserable that he was gone. I tried to cheer myself with thoughts that I’d see him soon. And I recalled images from our long weekend together. My love multiplied, and despite the fact that I wouldn’t see him for three weeks, I didn’t think I’d ever been happier.
That was about to change.
Chapter Twenty-One
I kept my nose to the grindstone both in class and at play practice. It helped, sometimes, to keep my mind off missing Jake. He called as much as possible and he, too, was keeping busy. Nick had spent a weekend with him finishing the basement and the other guys were over constantly working on new music. He admitted to me, in a sheepish tone, that he was keeping busy so the time would go faster and the weekend of my play would come sooner.
I was so smitten.
His twenty-first birthday was coming up the first week in April. He’d once told me when he got his house settled, he was thinking of getting a dog. He wanted a black lab like the one he had when he was a kid. He’d raved about how much room he had for a big dog and talked about throwing a stick off the short pier so the dog could dive in after it. His face had taken on such a boyish expression that I started researching breeders first chance I got.
I found a breeder not far from school so I grabbed Cammy and we visited them one weekend. A pudgy pup with big brown eyes sat on my foot and gazed up at me. When he blinked at me, I fell in love. I put a deposit on him that day.
I called Nick on the way back and let him in on the surprise so he could keep Jake from going out and getting a dog himself. Not that it wouldn’t be all bad to have two puppies romping around in Jake’s huge backyard but to be honest, I wanted to give him one first. After that he could adopt a whole litter of puppies and a flock of chickens for all I cared.
The week before opening night was absolutely crazy. And hectic. We had rehearsal every night until eight or nine, and then I had to rush back to my room to finish homework. I’d fall into bed around midnight so I could toss and turn until morning. I hardly talked to Jake all week and the one time I did it was just to find out how many tickets he needed.
Opening night finally arrived and everyone was a huge mass of frayed nerves. The last week of rehearsal had been nothing sh
ort of a disaster. I had missed lines, flattened notes and forgotten dance steps. Ms. Norbert, bless her sweet, optimistic soul, had kept her patience and had reassured us that we’d get it together by show time.
I hoped she was right.
I paced backstage and listened as the auditorium filled up with eager students and proud parents. I knew my own parents, grandfather and brother were out there. Jake had requested four tickets so I figured the other guys would be here, too.
Ms. Norbert called for places and Phillip McGuire, the guy playing Roy, gave my hand a quick squeeze. I managed a feeble smile and waited for the curtain to rise.
As soon as I stepped out on the stage, my nervousness vanished. I was in my comfort zone and hit my stride early. My lines came effortlessly, and I found that I was having fun. When I hit a high note during the first music number, a raucous “hell yeah, Iz,” wafted to the stage. I nearly laughed but caught myself in time. I made a mental note to kick Ronnie in the shin the first chance I got. Hard.
But for a couple of missed lines here and there, the play went rather well. We congregated together backstage, congratulating each other happily, relieved and saddened that opening night was over. Ms. Norbert bustled about proudly, arranging us for our curtain calls. My hair was plastered to my forehead and I wiped my sweaty palms on the red dress I had to wear for our last number before taking Phillip’s hand. We were last to take a bow and the applause was thunderous. The lights were far too bright, and I wasn’t able to scan the audience to find Jake.
Once the curtain calls were finished, Ms. Norbert ordered us to the lobby for a meet and greet. She insisted our fans would be eager to congratulate us on a fine performance. I think they were eager for us to change so we could all leave but who was I to contradict the director?
Phillip took my hand and dragged me to the lobby. Another small round of applause went straight to my cheeks and turned them redder than my dress. A reporter and photographer from the local newspaper were snapping pictures. I groaned. They had interviewed us before the show and I hadn’t expected them to stick around. I shrugged and stood on my toes, trying to locate my family and friends.
Finally, my brother found me and lifted me in his arms.
“Not bad,” he smirked, tugging me through the crowd to my parents who gushed embarrassing praise all over me.
Jake and the others stood back and let my family greet me before Jake stepped forward to thrust a bouquet of red roses in my arms. He kissed my cheek sweetly, sending my pulse into overdrive, and I couldn’t wait to get him alone so I could kiss him for real.
Nick wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed my cheek. “You were amazing, Iz,” he whispered, his green eyes sparkling.
Ronnie spun me around until I was dizzy. He kissed my head, grinning, until I kicked his leg.
“Ow! Hey! What was that?” he whined, rubbing his shin.
“I heard you,” I said, eyes narrowed.
“I was just caught up in the moment, Iz,” he grinned.
My laughter finally emerged in a snort. I kissed his cheek and hugged Matt, thanking them all for coming.
My head whirred excitedly, my adrenaline pumped. All my nervousness before the show was forgotten in my mind as Annie and Cammy joined our group, all smiles. I chatted with them briefly, telling them about all the little mistakes, until I noticed the other cast members slowly make their way back to the dressing room.
My parents and my grandfather bid me a goodnight, promising to see me the next evening and left. I beamed expectantly at my friends. Annie took the flowers from my arms and shoved me toward the hall.
“Go change. We’ll take these back to your room and meet you all at Mario’s.”
I loved Annie more than junk food at that moment.
***
At Mario’s, the preferred pizza joint of Meridian Valley students, we pushed a few tables together and Ronnie ordered the pizzas. I was a little scared—I’d witnessed firsthand the unusual toppings Ronnie liked.
We attracted quite a bit of attention, including Lance and his new girlfriend, Patrice, a starry-eyed sophomore. I wondered vaguely if he’d been at the show but when I looked into Jake’s blue eyes, I found I didn’t really care.
Jake, Seth and the others had checked into a hotel in town, and I longed to spend the night wrapped in Jake’s arms, but it wasn’t possible. I wasn’t allowed to spend the night off campus without parental consent. Besides, we had early morning rehearsal, and if I were to stay with Jake, I would have a hard time leaving him in the morning.
I had one last dramatic sigh left in me and I released it slowly. Jake put his arm around the back of my chair and leaned in close. “Are you okay, angel?”
“Yeah,” I said, offering him a soft smile. “I was just thinking how much I’d like to stay with you but I can’t tonight.”
He scooted my chair closer and kissed my temple. “Maybe tomorrow night.”
I rested my cheek on his shoulder, content to at least have this time with him. “I’ll have to get my mom to give me permission. This school and its rules.”
He chuckled and clasped my shoulder. “They’re for your own good.”
He kissed my cheek near my ear making me giggle as he eased me closer, kissing my jaw. I shuddered and wished we were alone so I could kiss him properly and tell him how much I loved him. It was bad enough my brother was blatantly ignoring me as he attempted to hold a conversation with Matt on the other side of the table.
“You two are just too cute,” Cammy said, dreamily. Her eyes glazed over and a sickly sweet smile flavored her lips.
I groaned as a blush brushed my cheeks. I hid my face in Jake’s chest as he rubbed my back, sending shivers down my spine.
“Get a room already,” Annie chided, joining in with the rest. Obviously totally humiliating me was a new sport and they all wanted a turn.
“I’ll gladly get you a room, Bella, if that means you won’t make out with Jake at the table,” my brother piped in, only adding to my embarrassment.
Okay, someone shoot me now. Please.
“That’s okay, Seth, thanks,” Jake laughed. “I’ll see that she behaves.”
Although my face had to be a raging, deep red, I sat up and glared at them all equally. I opened my mouth to chastise them but the waitress took that moment to begin piling pizzas on the table. Ronnie flashed a grin and offered me the first slice. My stomach churned at the smell so I had to turn my head, much too frightened to see what was causing it.
“Come on, Iz,” he wheedled. “Live a little.”
“No thanks,” I frowned. “I’ll wait for the normal pizza to get here.”
He shrugged and crammed half the slice in his mouth.
***
Jake drove me back to school, alone, and I could hardly contain my joy. When he cut the engine, I grinned at the clock. I had twenty whole minutes of Jake time left.
He wrapped his arms around me and kissed the top of my head. My heart fluttered.
“I missed you so much, Iz,” he said in my hair. “Why don’t you spend your spring break with me?”
My fluttering heart soared. “Of course I will. I mean, I don’t really have anything else planned. Cammy talked about me going to Florida with her, but I’d rather be with you. My parents are always busy, so I usually just sit around the house.”
I had an urge to smack my own face. Can I ever not ramble?
He gripped my chin and pressed his lips to mine. My eyes drifted shut as I melted into him. He broke the kiss but his lips remained on mine. “I love you, Iz.”
My internal organs danced merrily. He’d told me he loved me on the phone a few times but it was so much better in person.
“I love you, too,” I responded before drawing his lips back to mine. He’d just deepened the kiss when headlights flooded the car.
“You’d better go. I don’t want you to miss curfew,” he said sadly. He ran his fingers through my hair. “Maybe you can stay with me tomorrow night.”
“I’ll figure it out,” I promised. I kissed him again as my hand fumbled for the door handle. “Goodnight.”
“I’ll walk you,” he said, getting out of the car. I meant to tell him it wasn’t necessary but as soon as he wrapped his hand around mine, I couldn’t.
After we checked in with Admin, he walked me to my building and pecked me once more before I scurried inside. I smiled sadly as I watched him stride down the hall and disappear out the door.
***
The play went even better the next night and afterwards, at the meet and greet, I pulled my mother aside and asked her if she would give me permission to stay off campus that night. I convinced her that I wanted to stay with Seth, Jake and the others to celebrate. She considered me curiously, eyes barely concealing a knowing glint, as she nodded.
“You’re eighteen now, Bella. You are an adult.” She squeezed my hand. “Be careful, darling.”
“Mom,” I groaned. “It’s not like that. Not at all.”
I wasn’t sure if she believed me but she did nod again. She hurried off to find Dean Fletcher while I rejoined my group. I whispered my news to Jake and ran off to change then hurry to my room to pack an overnight bag.
We hung out this time in the hotel’s small pub. The bartender was so ‘stoked’ to have Controlled Environment in his bar that he bought our table a round of drinks. After an hour, Jake and I left the others and headed back to his room. My cheeks burned as I wondered what they all were thinking. But one look at Jake’s relaxed face chased my worries away.
He held me in the dark as we talked for hours. We made plans for spring break until exhaustion finally won, and I fell asleep in Jake’s arms.
Jake once again drove me to school the next morning; the goodbyes were even harder. He placed a lingering kiss on my lips, a desperate edge to his lips.
“I’ll have the house ready for you by spring break,” he promised, caressing my cheek.
“I’ll come up that Saturday for your birthday,” I said.
Scowling, he ran his hands through his hair. “Um, Iz…geez… I forgot.”
