Love's Back Pocket

by Heather C. Myers

  “Nothing,” he replied, forcing a smile that did not quite reach his eyes.

  “Oy!” a voice called, startling both Tommy and Holly. The pair jumped slightly, and cast a look back at Drew who was wearing a shit-eating grin because he knew he had spooked them. Tommy raised an inquiring brow and gave his band mate an expectant stare. “Holly, could I speak with you for a short moment?”

  Tommy couldn’t stop his dark brow from arching up if he had tried. Why would Drew want to speak to Holly? Was he having sessions with her as well? An odd sort of feeling wrenched in his stomach, causing Tommy to pause. When he had been with Delilah, he had felt this sort of feeling before … and with good reason. It was jealousy. But as Tommy watched Holly nod her head a couple of times and head back into the bus, he idly wondered why he would be jealous of Drew merely speaking to Holly. It wasn’t like he had—or wanted—any claim to her.

  But what if it was some sort of code? a voice asked.

  “A code?” Tommy murmured to himself, hearing the door close behind the young woman.

  Yeah, the voice encouraged. Like some secret sexual code. What if they’re having sex right now?

  “That’s absurd.” Tommy glanced out at the field once again, but it didn’t stop a growl of anger at even the notion she was having sex with Drew from lodging itself in the back of his throat.

  --

  “Are you crazy?” Drew asked Holly before offering her a towel. Holly took it with a demure grace, wrapping it tightly around her wet shoulders. “Standing out in the rain like that? Did your parents ever inform you that if you stay out in the rain for a long portion of time, you might catch a cold? Or even worse, die?”

  Holly forced a chuckle out of her lips, though it was strained due to the mention of her parents. However, Holly swallowed her sorrow and forced a smile on her face as she regarded the man. “Is that why you wanted to talk to me?” she asked him, arching a skeptical brow. “To scold me about staying out in the rain for a long time?”

  “No, actually,” Drew said, giving her a dry smile at her obvious sarcasm, “but I could if you wanted me to.” This time, Holly’s lips curled up genuinely. “I figured that this would be a good time to teach you to cook a meal. For lunch, I decided to prepare marinated chicken for everyone.”

  “Will we be able to cook with the bus broken down?” Holly asked, though cooking would provide her distraction from having nothing much to do.

  “I’m sure the bus will start up shortly,” Drew informed her. “Actually, much of the preparations take place before we technically cook it. And the cooking is merely setting the tray in the stove. So, go get changed into a dry set of clothing because I’m not going to let a death rest on my conscious. When you’re finished, come to the kitchen and we’ll get started, okay?”

  Holly nodded in agreement. “All right,” she said, then turned and headed back to her room.

  In a manner of minutes, Holly returned in an oversized UCLA sweatshirt, sweatpants, and a pair of mismatched socks on her feet. Her hair was clipped up rather carelessly with one of her many clips so it wouldn’t be any sort of distraction. She was glad Drew had told her to change; she felt infinitely warmer. She walked into the kitchen where Holly found Drew taking a cooking sheath with raw turkey breasts onto the sink. When he saw her, he smiled.

  “Okay,” he began, sweeping his arm in the direction of the chicken, “I started earlier this morning by thawing the chicken breasts. I’m in no way insulting your intelligence, but allow me to tell you—you take the frozen chicken, place them on a cooking pan after spraying the pan with pan spray so they don’t get stuck. Fill the pan up halfway with water and let it sit somewhere safe so shit can’t get into it. It takes a while to thaw. When it finishes, pour out the water. Now’s where you come in.”

  Drew gently took Holly’s forearm in his hand and pulled her so she was standing behind the sink. Various spices were set near the chicken, almost as though they were waiting for Holly’s undivided attention. “Now’s one of the most important part of marinated chicken,” he told her. “Marinating the chicken.” He picked up salt and pepper and handed it to her. In the next fifteen minutes, Drew explained the different seasonings and spices, how much to sprinkle on the chicken, what was good and what wasn’t. Holly found that she enjoyed cooking, and even more so, Drew’s presence. He was funny without being overtly charming, nor was he full of innuendos as Tommy was.

  “And now,” Drew said, his studious eyes looking over the marinated chicken, “we wait.”

  Holly arched a brow. “Wait for what?” she asked him.

  Drew chuckled. “For it to marinate, of course,” he chided with a grin.

  Holly giggled a bit, a slight blush touching her cheeks. “Of course,” she murmured. “And then what?”

  “Well, the chicken needs to marinate for a few hours,” Drew told her. “And once it’s ready, we’ll stick them in the oven for forty, fifty minutes. And then…” He pressed his fingers to his lips and kissed the tips before expanding them. “Voila! What we have is marinated chicken, cooked by you, my dear!”

  “I couldn’t have done anything without your help,” Holly said, but even she couldn’t deny that she felt somewhat accomplished at cooking her first meal.

  Chapter 22

  It was still raining even after the show. As Tommy headed outside and into the downpour, he realized he was frowning at the fact that Holly wasn’t there. Again. He thought that when she had seen the show back in San Diego she rather enjoyed herself, but when was the last time she had come to see him? Not that he didn’t have an array of admirers waiting to be his muse for the evening. Women of all ages, sometimes even mothers and daughters, would get dressed in their sluttiest outfits just hoping for a glance in their direction. And Tommy Nye was happy to give it to them.

  But …

  He shook his head, pursing his lips as he trudged along the better half of the parking lot where the tour bus was waiting. Tanya was at nearly every concert they had thrown, and there was not a doubt in Tommy’s mind that she would be at more. It was clearly written in her brown eyes how much she adored Mitch, and suffice to say, the same went for the drummer. Every set, he managed to lock eyes with her for a portion of the song before resuming his concentration. Tanya didn’t even seem bothered at the string of beauties throwing bras, panties, and other such articles of clothing at Mitch. Tommy could admit it; both Mitch and Sean drew in the younger crowd. But it was like Tanya wasn’t even fazed. There was that much trust between them, and they had known each other a few weeks at best.

  Tommy bit his bottom lip, feeling the drops mat his hair to the edges of his face. He had never really thought about it, but having someone there so completely devoted to solely him was a tempting notion, and while at that moment, he wasn’t picky about who that may be, he still seemed to want Holly to be out in the crowd as he sang. He could admit it; he was definitely attracted to the young woman. Maybe it was because she didn’t seem to reciprocate his feelings, maybe it was because she could see through the charm Tommy surrounded himself in, maybe it was because of something else entirely, but Holly was attractive to him due to more than just her good looks. And Tommy was intent on finding out why. Maybe then he wouldn’t find himself so pathetically drawn to her.

  “When was the last time you got laid?” he asked himself, running his hand through his hair. Maybe that was why Holly’s presence seemed to dominate him. He hadn’t been with a woman since the tour started, quite a feat for the rambunctious singer. Yes, maybe he just needed to get laid. No wonder Holly was so alluring to him; she was the one thing he couldn’t have. So, all he needed to do to remedy his odd situation was to get some from someone he could have.

  Maybe, a voice in his head allowed, but the forbidden fruit always seems to taste the sweetest.

  Tommy stifled a groan as he opened the door to the bus and immediately sought shelter in the vehicle. His eyes glanced around the lounging room, trying to see if anyone was awake. He wasn’t
tired. As of late, his thoughts have been keeping him awake, and right now, he wanted some entertainment in the form of a person. His eyes narrowed when they came in contact with Holly’s door. She had to be reading, right? It wasn’t that late.

  The man swaggered over to the door with confidence, and then knocked.

  It took a moment before an exhausted Holly opened her door a crack, looking—or glaring, he couldn’t tell—at the man before her. Instead of speaking directly, she merely raised a brow, inquiring in simple terms at what the fuck he wanted at midnight?

  “Oh,” he said, pausing in to take her messy hair, her tired eyes, her pajamas, “you were sleeping.”

  Holly looked like she wanted to say something – probably a retort from the way her lips pressed into a thin, white line and her nose got a crinkle over it. Instead, she sighed heavily through her nose before regarding him warily. “What do you want, Tommy?” she asked, her voice husky with sleep.

  “Well, it’s raining,” he told her. As though she couldn’t hear the drops of rain descending for herself. This time, she actually rolled her eyes before returning her gaze to him, staring expectantly. “Anyway, I thought you’d be up reading. I thought maybe you wanted to take a walk with me in the rain since you like rain and all.”

  Before she could stop herself, a smile curled onto her face due to the fact that he remembered something about her that had nothing to do with her body.

  “But I can see you’re tired so—“ Tommy began, but Holly cut him off.

  “Since you’ve woke me up, I highly doubt I’ll be able to fall asleep so quickly. Just give me a second …” In a manner of moments, Holly threw on tennis shoes, sweatpants, and one of her hoodies before emerging from her room. She found Tommy had one umbrella in his hand and an eager look on his face. “Do you have another one of those?” she asked skeptically, arching that damn brow of hers.

  Tommy glanced down at the umbrella before shaking his head and throwing her a charming smile. “Oh, no,” he said, shaking his head. “We can fit under this one. You ready?”

  “Yeah,” Holly replied, though she was eyeing the umbrella with doubt. She followed Tommy out of the bus and into the rain.

  Tommy skillfully opened the rain repellent contraption and brought it over both of them. Holly had to come in close to be shielded from the downpour, so her shoulder was touching a good portion of his arm.

  “Tell me,” Tommy began, casting a glance down at her, “why would somebody like you be single? I mean, you’re smart, you’re gorgeous, you’re funny, and Drew told me you whipped up that marinated chicken we had for lunch. You know, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”

  “So I’ve heard,” she murmured, still startled by his forwardness. “Um …” She frowned a bit, the rain providing eloquent background music to her thoughts. “I don’t know. I never really thought of having a relationship, I guess. I was just so focused on school …” She let her voice trail off, tilting her head to the side slightly.

  “Now that you’re out of school, do you think about it more often?” Tommy inquired, his sparkling green eyes intent on the profile of her face. “I’m sure guys are clamoring just to have a few moments with you.” He refrained from saying alone in case she took it the wrong way and he accidentally offended her. It wasn’t like it would have been the first time.

  “I highly doubt that,” she said, though her voice wasn’t self-pitying at all. In fact, if Tommy took in that sparkle correctly, she actually seemed to be amused. “Guys seem to be … intimidated by me. Tanya tells me it’s because I’m good looking and smart. But I don’t think so.”

  “Why do you think they don’t, then?”

  “I think …” she began slowly before her lips curled up into a smile. “I think it’s because I’m an acquired taste. I’m not stupid, Tommy. I know I’m not the typical twenty-six-year-old woman. Though I find it comforting that many women my age are determined to find a job before settling down. And I feel that I fall under that category. But I also understand I’m quirky and off-beat. I’m like sushi. You have to be in the right mood to have me, you know?”

  “I would never compare you to food,” Tommy murmured, his charm clearly laced in his bewitching tone. Holly chuckled, offering him a beguiling smile. He felt his heart skip at the sight then quickly cleared his throat. “Right. Well, I find that … I find that I am in always in the mood for sushi.”

  Holly’s lips curled up. Though it was not as bright as her previous smile, it was tender, touched at what Tommy said. Though the man could infuriate her to no end, she had to admit that he was charming, and when he wanted to, he could say the right things at the right time.

  She hesitated slightly, before asking, “Did you mean what you just said?” It was stupid, she knew, but Holly wanted to make sure Tommy wasn’t toying with her.

  Tommy stopped walking and turned so he could look at her, gaze into her eyes. “I always mean what I say when I talk to you,” he told her, and then threw her a disarming grin, “unless I say otherwise.”

  Holly smiled again, and nodded, quite content with his answer. “Thank you,” she murmured. She thought the rain would muffle her words, but Tommy heard them, and he, too, smiled in content.

  Chapter 23

  Holly woke up the next morning with the intent to bake something. She wasn’t sure why she had the urge to do such a thing she knew she wasn’t good at. Maybe the rain from last night was tainted with something other than merely water. It didn’t matter. When Holly wanted to accomplish something, nothing could get in her way and stop her. However, that didn’t mean she was going to be successful concerning her endeavor, but she was going to try.

  It was at least ten thirty in the morning, and once again, they were back on the road. Holly had no idea where they were heading now, and at that moment, she really didn’t feel the need to know. Before stepping outside of her room, she threw on a sweatshirt, and pulled the messy hair from her face, creating a sloppy ponytail. From there, she strode over to the kitchen, noticing that nobody was out and about yet. Before, this might have surprised her, but after being with these people for a while, she knew they all loved to sleep in, except of course, Ben the bus driver. She bent down and opened a low-level cabinet before finding cake mix she was hoping to turn in to cupcakes.

  “Now to find the frosting,” she murmured to herself, before smiling at her forgetfulness, “and the ingredients.”

  In ten minutes, Holly managed to collect two eggs, milk, and some butter, along with chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry frosting, and even managed to find sprinkles. She smiled, as though she was a pirate who just managed to find her buried treasure.

  “Okay,” she said, a tad breathless as her eyes skimmed over the food. “Now what?” She grabbed the box and started to read the instructions.

  The first thing she would need was a mixing bowl. It was relatively easy for her to find it since Drew had showed her where everything went the day before. When she found the bowl, she dumped the cake mix in, cracked two eggs in, poured in the correct amount of milk, and then finally placed the butter inside as well.

  After finding a fork, she started to mix the ingredients together and let her thoughts wander. Last night, she and Tommy had taken a walk together in the rain. She had never taken a walk in the rain with a man before. She had never shared a moment like that with anybody before, and to be honest, she wasn’t exactly sure if she liked it or not. At least Tommy hadn’t upset her during the walk. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more she realized how nice he was. When he asked her questions about herself, he seemed genuinely concerned to know the answer, and even appeared as though he was listening quite thoroughly. She felt at ease, sharing some bits and pieces about herself with him, although he really didn’t reciprocate the sentiment. It was almost as though he wanted to learn all about her. But wasn’t it her job to learn about him?

  She shrugged her shoulders, glancing down at the bowl. The mixing stage didn’t appear to b
e quite finished as of yet, so she switched arms due to the lulling burning she was feeling in her left arm. At least the friendship between both she and Tommy was starting to develop. He may even take her seriously, now that he knew more about her. The thought made her smile. She hoped that would be the case. His eyes flashed into her mind, that sparkling charm taking her by surprise. The man certainly was handsome, his charm deadly.

  When she finally finished, she grabbed the cupcake-shaped tin, and managed to pour the mix into the six spaces. As she went over to the next tin, she stumbled over her long sweatpants, causing some of the mix to fall into her sweatshirt. It wasn’t too bad, but still upsetting.

  “Shit,” she murmured under her breath, trying to figure out whether she should clean herself up first, or pour more of the mix into the tin. At that moment, the stove beeped twice, indicating that it was heated at 350 degrees and ready to bake. Holly bit her bottom lip before deciding to pour the rest of the mix into the tin. She was extra careful this time, and managed to not spill anything, on her or anywhere else.