“A year ago tomorrow, we were in the Finger Lakes of New York wine tasting. We hired a limo that drove us to the wineries of Seneca and Cayuga.”
“Where are you taking me Raeford, on a wine tour?”
“Madison, let me finish. We drank a lot that day, and hit the hotel to chill before our concert that night. We had a show at the Glenora Winery. It was awesome our stage looked out over tons of vineyards. It was a packed crowd and right down in front was Ashley and her friends. Rand took hold of the microphone as he does and welcomed New York and thanked all the wineries for the spirits they supplied to us earlier in the day. We were all feeling good and played one of our best shows.”
“Raeford where are you going with this?
“Well, after the show Ashley praised Rand on his newest song, which she’d been pushing him to complete. I remember her hugging Rand tightly as she kissed him and shouted to us that she was heading back with her friends to the inn.”
“I don’t think I really want to hear about him and her kissing, I feel upset already.”
“I know how you feel but let me finish. We were staying to sign autographs. We were on such a high from our show, while we were at the autograph table signing away, there was a terrible accident just a few miles away.”
“Raeford what are you trying to tell me?”
“While Ashley and her friends were driving back to the inn, another car flew through the intersection in Watkins Glen. It was like something out of a NASCAR race. The other car crashed into their vehicle and the impact flipped them into oncoming traffic.”
Raeford paused and, I had to close my eyes, my mind was racing thinking that either Rand lost his girlfriend tragically or she survived and he was with her now. I opened my eyes to see Raeford tear. He took a deep breath. “Ashley’s life was so bright and promising and then suddenly in a moment it darkened. She hung on for days on life support. We cried and we took turns talking to her, singing to her, and we prayed.”
“Raeford, I am so sorry.”
“Something had to be done to save her, but the doctors told us her brain was going to bleed out. The decision was made to remove her from life support. Rand was the only person to do this. Rand let her go, and something died in him at that moment too. Ashley was his twin sister.”
I suddenly gasped and then broke into tears, the breath left my chest, and I felt like I couldn’t get air. Raeford comforted me and he continued to rock me, he held me to his face as tears rolled down into my hair, and we both cried. We remained holding one another for a long time. I heard Raeford choke up and sob, only it wasn’t Raeford, it was Rand standing in the landing to the loft. How long he had been standing there neither of us knew. Raeford rose up slowly releasing my hold on him and as Rand walked up I heard Raeford tell him in a low voice, “Man, she should know.” Rand reached out and pulled Raeford in for a man hug and walked to me, he sat; he pulled me in, he cried, so hard. All I could do was hold onto him.
He whispered to me in between his tears that he received a call to go to attend a candlelight vigil in Ashley’s honor and he had silenced his phone during it. He thought he would get back here to see me a little late but then he mentally broke down and couldn’t compose himself for the longest time. He had arrived on the loft landing below the moment I had melted down about him being in love with Ashley and carrying on about all the signs I was seeing. He didn’t have it in him to begin to tell me the story of this love that he lost, when he heard Raeford begin to tell it, he let him go. If it was any comfort to Rand after all this, I at least know he may have heard I was falling for him.
Rand walked over and stood near The Wall, he removed the cuff that he wore for Ashley and kissed it and hung it next to her beautiful photograph. He turned toward me and came over slowly, he pulled me up into him and as we held each other, I now knew what had been taken from him that had hurt him so badly. I wasn’t certain that I could ever repair this. He looked at me and asked, “Madison, please stay with me?” I didn’t say a word as I simply slipped his hand in mine calmly and walked with him, his arms around my waist out of the barn and across the moist grass up toward his house. I took his keys from him and after a try or two found the key that fit the front door and I led him to his grand bedroom at the end of the upstairs hallway. I climbed into his bed, and he settled in next to me. He wrapped himself around me and didn’t let go, he cried, he sobbed and all I could do was remain there holding onto him. I knew my being there was helping him. I also knew that when the sun rose in the morning it would not be a brand new day, it would be a worse day for him as it would be the anniversary of Ashley’s passing. I was grieving for him; I held in my tears and bit my lip to pass the crying urges. He need not worry about me right now.
As morning came, I woke to Rand sitting up in the bed writing in his journal with one hand resting above my head. With each pen stroke he would look down at me. He came in close to me and kissed my forehead, I closed my eyes and he then licked my sleepy lids, my insides seeped with a pleasant tingle. He then said in an intriguing way, “Thank you for last night.” His tone sounded like we had just completed a night of sex and we hadn’t but it’s not that I wouldn’t have wanted to. Rand rose and headed to the kitchen to again make me a great breakfast. Several times while we ate, he apologized and I just shook my head side to side to relay to him silently, “no” as he had nothing to be sorry for.
“So thank you again for my great breakfast. Is there anything you need today?” I wanted to begin this day on a happier note knowing the sadness he was surely feeling.
“I need you, Madison can you stay here with me today?” He continued, “I know I need you and want to give you so much, but I don’t know if I ever can. I’m glad you know what happened and I wish I had been able to tell you.”
I told him I would stay for the day only if he would get me to my home for some much needed clean clothes. After breakfast he took me back to my home for a bit so I could change and as I was in my bedroom he walked in and took my travel bag from my closet and began filling it with some other clothes of mine.
Laughing he said, “You can leave this at my place so I won’t have to bring you back here anytime soon.” I walked over and I pulled him into me and kissed him. I started to kiss him on his lips and trailed downward. I leaned into his tee shirt and said, “I’m here for you, this is going to be a very hard day for you.” He tightened his hold on me.
The band members, one at a time had phoned him today to share their memories of Ashley and share with him his pain. I held his hand through all the calls and I wiped his tears after each one. During the afternoon, I went to the sunroom and phoned Jillian and filled her in on what happened. She actually surprised me by saying that Raeford called her last night when he left me and Rand and stopped by to see her and opened up to her.
“Madison I know your heart is hurting but I know you can feel enough to help Rand through this. From what Raeford told me you are the one to help Rand.” The fact was, I was falling hard for him, but I was certain he didn’t have what I would need; I didn’t think he would ever commit or even move forward with me. For now I just had to take him in and I was on the other side now, I needed to help another.
Early evening we were in his study and I was seated on one end of the large sofa and he was at the other. The doorbell sounded. Rand got up and went to answer the door; Maxwell had been away all day and stopped in to see how he was coping. Maxwell seemed pleasantly surprised to see me there when he entered the study. He sat with us and got us up to speed with the itinerary for the Texas concerts and then said after a brief break it would be off to the west coast. This took Rand’s mind from the present day and he looked like he was finally coming back to the Rand we loved. I sat with Maxwell for while and shared with him some teasers of the writings of the band that I had. He laughed at some and others he said that I nailed the storyline. I felt comfort in being there with him and Rand; I felt I was supposed to be there. This day was surely just as hard on Maxwell s
ince he had been Ashley’s uncle. When he tired and felt he should head out, Maxwell said a goodbye and hugged me tightly. He told Rand to take it easy for a few days and then get to rehearsal. I heard my phone sound while they were saying their goodnights at the front door.
I received a text from Rand?
I can’t begin to thank you for staying. I miss texting you. Can we head to bed? I just want to hold you. I’m relieved I made it through this day and I couldn’t have done it without you.
I pulled my notebook out and knew I had to write at this moment, another love note to him quickly, while Rand and Maxwell continued their conversation in the foyer.
Rand:
My heart is so broken for you right now. I have now been told who the lovely Ashley was and I cry as I write these words to you. I cannot believe what sadness you must contain within yourself. I only hope I can somehow, someway bring in to you some ray of hope that you can feel for another. I am glad that Raeford told me the entire story as I would never have wanted to put you through such pain again. I am here for you and I don’t think you even know that.
Funny how life is, my ex-husband shattered me and now is trying to come back into my life. Something though changed after he left that I cannot recapture…but also since he left and we divorced I’ve found you. I know we are not a couple, but then again I don’t know what we are to one another; I just know I don’t want this to end. Since I cannot label what we are, I don’t ask you to answer to me, I seem to take what you can give me and for now it is more than I have felt and I will gladly accept that. But I would love to be more assertive and ask you things more openly that I’m thinking but you are so empty inside that I back away and I walk on egg shells and treat you so tenderly to not loose this taste of happiness you’ve allowed me to sample.
Fate is a funny meeting place of many and our paths have crossed at this time for a reason. I hope one of us figures it out. I hope it is an essential crossing of our lives to perhaps join one path together. Rand as you play your guitar on some songs; I feel every stroke you pick with. As you sing, your words and eyes pierce through me like an arrow.
My mind aches at the love lost and sadness you and I both feel, but can we rebuild our lives when it seems like there’s no foundation to build on? Can either of us take a chance on the other trusting and believing?
I only seek to find what lies ahead, and I hope it is you Rand standing at the crossroad for me to venture forward. I give you a sweet, tender kiss as I write to try to display there is love out here and hope.
Maddy xo
I stayed that night with him and I didn’t leave for the next few evenings. Each passing day got a bit sweeter. Rand would snuggle up to me each evening and although we didn’t have the passion sweep us away yet, I kept him calm and feeling warmth during the darkest days that he was dealing with. We were now on another level, we just seemed to hold onto one another, and savor the time spent in each other’s arms. Rand did become more affectionate, kissing and hugging me more. A few times when we were in public he seemed to play down or actually ignore some of the lovely girls that were always hanging around.
I wasn’t sure where Rand and I we were heading but for right now I was back on board with him and the entire band and enjoying my life.
Chapter Six – Thomas’s Return
We were all heading to Texas and I arrived this morning with a cowboy hat and boots to match, ready to kick up my heels in this next state. We had received a briefing from Maxwell which contained a schedule of three concerts to come, along with some added free time in between each. The first show was in Austin, then off to San Antonio, and then lastly to a resort in Galveston. Rand was in a very good mood this morning and as we sat together on the plane, he tilted my cowboy hat down low and came underneath for a very long, drawn out, lip smacking, wet kiss. Even though we had kissed a lot recently, I was still missing his lips and the past few weeks had been full of love lost memories and a lot of painful emotions. This felt good as he took my mouth to his and gently swirled his tongue with mine. He reached under my chin and cupped it, never breaking our embrace.
Raeford tapped me on the brim of my hat, and handed over his phone, just before we were about to take off. “Hello” I answered.
“Well I just wanted to tell you to have an awesome time. You go girl, write your story and make sure it’s juicy.” Jillian said. “Oh, and aren’t you meeting up with Thomas at one of the shows?”
I answered, “I’ll make it very descriptive just for you and I’m not meeting up with him, we’re just going to talk.” I hadn’t wanted to think about this at all. Thinking of meeting Thomas had my emotions all over the place and I certainly didn’t want to bring it up to Rand. Rand wasn’t following my conversation with her which was good, although I was choosing my words very carefully. I had already obtained a VIP access pass for Thomas from Maxwell, telling Maxwell I was meeting an old friend to take with me to the concert. I didn’t think I really had to tell anyone any more about who he was. With Jillian still speaking to me on the phone she continued, “Oh, and Madison can you….” in a whisper voice like someone would over hear her on the phone in my ear, “watch Raeford for me. I really do like him.” I laughed and said, “I certainly will, love you Jill, we’re taking off now.” Rand pulled me into his chest and I remained there until we landed.
We arrived at the Driskill, which was a legendary, landmark hotel in Austin. It was a breathtaking site to take in. The hotel design was very luxurious and historical; it was built in the 1800’s. I was told too that there was a lot of ghost activity here at this hotel. As the band settled into their assigned rooms and I was in mine, I heard a knock at the door, but when I opened it no one was there. Perhaps it was one of the ghosts of the hotel. I then returned to unpacking my clothes and heard the knock again, but it was coming from the door in the sitting area of my hotel room. It was a connecting door to the next room. Perhaps this was for families that stayed here, the children could be in the other area. I opened this inner door. Standing up against the frame was a sight to behold.
Rand was standing there in jeans that rested just below his hips and he was shirtless and barefoot. I didn’t speak, I just had to swallow and exhale slowly, even his naked feet got to me. Rand lifted his face up and sent me his electrifying smile. Already in my room when I arrived was a bottle of champagne, a bowl of ripened strawberries, and some selected cheeses and crackers on the table in the sitting area.
“Madison, I think we are missing something we both need right now.”
“Like what?”
“How about these?” He pulled from behind him, two champagne flutes. He then took the champagne bottle from the ice bucket walking proudly to the bed in the other room. He sat on the bed and tapped the bed for me to join him.
The rest of the afternoon we drank champagne, ate strawberries and cheese intermingled with kisses and licks to one another’s lips. We had created our own type of edible treats; appetizers that definitely whetted our appetites for more. Rand made use of his talented fingers and traced them along my face and then pulled my chin upward to meet his still hungry mouth. I found being in his arms and the taste from his lips that I could hunger for more. Although Rand and I could have stayed in my bed there, in that room for a long time, we decided to head out and walk about the hotel. Since previously hearing of ghost encounters in the hotel, my interest was piqued. Being a writer, I thrive on that, and was intrigued.
Our afternoon stroll took us down through the massive columns that lined the lobby and then we settled ourselves out on the mezzanine. Here we sat in the deep brown wooden rocking chairs looking beyond the white railed posts on this outdoor patio retreat. Just before we left my hotel room, I grabbed my voice recorder and Rand went through our connecting door and retrieved his journal, shoes, and thankfully a shirt. As we rocked, I softly spoke into my recorder and Rand was drawing and writing on several pages, I was certain creating new music.
The band had tonight off and Rand ha
d chosen to remain with me here at the hotel. We saw Maxwell and the band as they were heading out into the city of Austin to eat. We waved from the mezzanine to them below. Rand leaned over me in the rocking chair and took my hand leading me back to my room where the dinner he preordered for us was set up. He ordered so much food, knowing the hotel’s restaurant was very highly rated. We started with a roasted beet salad, moved on to a wonderful plate of butternut squash risotto, and then a huge Texas style aged rib eye. We both practically dove into the apple tart and whip cream topping without using our forks. We broke pieces of it away and fed one another, taking tiny bites of each other’s lips, licking fingers savoring the taste of the delicately flaked pie crust and the sweetness of the topping. I had a tiny piece of apple near my lip that Rand was to gracious to leave there for a moment and then he came in and removed it very seductively. I believe every meal should start with dessert.
This evening was wonderful, with our appetites satisfied and precious moments like this that we shared. It was so nice to have this calm with Rand in his busy lifestyle. I liked this side of him. During times like these, no one else existed. But the return of the band reminded me that they did. My hotel door was knocked on loudly and soon all the guys were marching in. They said they were stealing him from me for awhile and as much as I wanted to protest that he wasn’t mine to steal, I didn’t. Before he left my room, he looked back and he stole a deep, sucking, swirling kiss from my lips.
My hotel phone rang the next morning which was odd as I wasn’t sure who would use that phone to call me. “Good morning Maddy, I’m looking forward to seeing you tonight, I miss you,” Thomas said with such confidence it was clear he felt like he’d be getting exactly what he wanted out of this meeting.
Rock Notes (Book One of the Heartbeat Series) Page 9
