In the Fast Lane

by Sherryl Hancock

  “Well, I’m no stick, so I’m safe there,” she said.

  “You’re perfect,” he told her.

  Shannon smiled, thinking this guy was too good to be true. He liked her with the extra weight? Was he nuts? No, he was just a good guy, that’s all there was to it. She remembered well the night he’d had to carry her out of the bar, he’d told her she wasn’t heavy, just drunk.

  They talked for a long time that day, only getting off the phone when she absolutely had to get ready to go over to the costume fitting.

  “Call me later if you get a chance,” he told her. “We should be at the hotel by eight or nine. I want to hear what you did for your birthday.”

  “I’ll call you,” she assured him, just wanting to talk to him again.

  In the end, Allexxiss took Shannon and Tammy out for Shannon’s birthday. They had dinner, went for drinks, then Shannon and Tammy stayed at the club they were at. A cab brought them home, even though they’d had numerous offers for rides home. Shannon was feeling pretty great about herself at that point.

  Glancing at the clock on her nightstand she realized that it was really late, too late to call Tommy. It was 2:30 a.m. As she climbed into bed, she felt a stab of disappointment that she didn’t get to call him. She was laying in her bed, thinking that she’d call him in the morning when her phone rang.

  “Hello?” she answered.

  “Have a good time?” Tommy asked.

  Shannon smiled brightly. “I had a good time,” she said. “I’m really buzzed, but I think I’m supposed to be on my twenty-first birthday, aren’t I?”

  “I know I was passed old cold by the end of the night on my twenty-first birthday,” he said, grinning in the darkness of his hotel room.

  “Well, I’m not passed out, yet,” she said.

  “Anyone next to you?” he asked then, his tone changing slightly.

  “What?” she asked, not understanding the question.

  “Did you bring anyone home with you?” he asked more succinctly.

  “Oh,” she said, “no, I don’t really do that kind of thing. I guess it’s the good old-fashioned mid-west upbringing. I can’t pick men up in a bar and bring them home.”

  Tommy was silent for a few moments and then said, “Good.”

  Shannon couldn’t help but smile at that. So, he was jealous, was he? It was hard not to like that. Once again, they talked for hours. She told him about growing up in Wisconsin, and he told her about his childhood. It was a great birthday.

  ****

  The following weeks on the tour were much improved. Devlin and BJ had apparently made up and were back to working well together. It was obvious too that BJ was getting more rest and Cassie kept an eye on him from a friendly distance. John also kept an eye on the singer, noting that BJ seemed to be back on an even keel again.

  On the night of the concert in New York, Tommy made sure to leave Shannon’s name with security. They were told to escort her and Tammy backstage and to the blue room if they decided to come backstage at all. The blue room was where everyone hung out before, during, and after the show.

  At six thirty that night, Tommy was dressed and ready for the show. In the blue room, he sat smoking a cigarette, listening to the music that was on constantly. He wore a black tank top, black cargo-style pants, his studded belt slung low over his hips, and his black combat boots. His style was pretty simple. He also wore black leather bands on each wrist, and silver and black earrings in the various piercings, including a black onyx barbell stud in his eyebrow. He was the epitome of the gothic, hard rocker.

  Shannon saw him first, sitting on one of the long couches. He was listening to music with a cigarette clenched between his teeth. He was doing the fingering for a guitar part in the music he was listening to. Shannon watched him with a smile on her face. Tommy was a true musician, he loved music to the very soul. It was reflected in his face, with how connected he was to the song he was listening to. He didn’t even see her at first, he was so mentally involved. When he did glance her way, she saw him do a double take.

  “Shannon?” he queried, his face reflecting shock.

  She smiled broadly, walking toward him as he stood up.

  “Holy shit,” he said, his smile wide as he held his arms open to her.

  Shannon walked right up to him and hugged him, feeling his arms go around her hugging her tight. He pulled back, looking down at her, his eyes moving over every inch of her.

  “You look incredible,” he said in awe.

  Shannon smiled, biting her lip. She had hoped to have this effect on him. She knew it would be a shock for him seeing her now, compared to the way he’d seen her last. It was a very big difference, and Tommy was suitably surprised.

  “Thanks,” she said, still unable to stop smiling.

  He shook his head slowly, as if trying to reconcile who she was now.

  “Um, Tommy,” she said then, taking Tammy’s arm and pulling her forward. “This is my best friend, Tammy.”

  Tommy nodded and smiled at Tammy. “Shannon’s told me about you. “It’s nice to meet you,” he said, extending his hand to her.

  Tammy took it, staring up at him. Tommy was a big guy, but on top of that, he was really good looking. He had a very dangerous-looking edge to him, and he reminded her of Vin Diesel with the shaved head, and big build. He was actually a little more handsome than the rugged Vin Diesel. He had a smoothness about him that said he could look just as good dressed in a suit.

  “Hi,” Tammy said, unable to think of anything witty to say to him. Tommy nodded, smiling at the girl.

  Greg walked over to them at that point and Shannon introduced them. Greg started talking to Tammy, asking her about how she knew Shannon. Tommy appreciated his friend’s assistance at running interference.

  Tommy grinned down at Shannon again. Shannon was just staring at him. He was much more handsome than she’d remembered, and knowing him the way she did, made him more attractive to her. He wasn’t the guy that she thought was dating Cassie Roads anymore. He was the guy that had sent her flowers for her birthday and had talked to her on the phone for hours on end.

  Tommy hugged her again, thrilled as hell to have her there. What he really wanted was a few moments alone with her. His body was doing somersaults at how fantastic she looked. He’d considered her pretty before, more the kind of woman he normally dated. Having gotten to know her, he’d found that she was a very beautiful person on the inside. The transformation she’d made was just icing on an already perfect cake in his eyes. But he couldn’t deny the physical attraction had just doubled.

  “I can’t get over how great you look, Shan,” he said.

  She smiled again, unable to stop. “Well, I have a confession to make,” she said. “I kind of look more like this normally.”

  “Normally?” he asked as he gestured for her to sit on the couch behind them.

  “Yeah,” she said as she sat. He sat next to her and put his hand on her waist. “I actually had to gain weight for the movie, plus they dyed out my natural highlights to that mousy-yicky brown,” she said making a face.

  Tommy laughed. “Well, I thought you looked pretty good then.”

  “Oh please!” she said, shaking her head. “I looked horrible! Why do you think I hesitated to go out with all you beautiful people?”

  “Maybe Cassie is beautiful,” Tommy said. “Greg and I are pretty average.”

  “You are not!” she exclaimed. “You are beautiful, Tommy, very handsome.”

  Tommy grinned, shaking his head. “I can’t say I’ve heard that a lot,” he said.

  “Then you haven’t listened,” she told him, her tone chiding.

  “I tend to intimidate women,” he said, grinning, and flicking a finger at his pierced eyebrow. “Go figure.”

  “You’re not the common kind of handsome, no,” Shannon said, “but you are definitely handsome. And you’re nothing like your image projects. You’re a very sweet man.”

  “Don’t let that get ou
t,” he said, winking at her. “It’ll ruin my rep.”

  Shannon laughed, nodding her head. “Your secret’s safe with me.”

  Tommy smiled, his eyes looking down into hers. Shannon’s breath caught in her throat as he leaned down and kissed her lips. He was soft at first then his hand reached up to cup her cheek as he deepened the kiss. Shannon wound her arms around his neck, kissing him back with all the passion and attraction she’d been harboring for him. When their lips parted, she looked up into his eyes, thrilled to her very core that he’d kissed her and for the way that he’d kissed her. It was a signal of what she hoped meant the beginning of a relationship between them.

  “Are we still on for dinner?” he asked her.

  “Definitely,” she said, nodding, her voice still sounding affected by the kiss.

  He smiled warmly and then leaned down to kiss her again, this time with more passion. Shannon was lost in a sea of heat. She held onto him, just enjoying every moment.

  “DT!” a voice called from the doorway.

  Tommy broke the kiss to look up, as Shannon buried her face in his shirt, embarrassed to have been caught kissing him by someone else.

  “Yeah?” Tommy queried, grinning as he glanced down at Shannon.

  “You got twenty minutes,” the tech said, grinning too.

  “Thanks man,” Tommy said, nodding.

  The tech disappeared moments later.

  “DT?” she asked, looking up at him.

  Tommy shrugged. “Double T, for Tommy Timmerman. They’ve been calling me that on this tour.”

  “I like it,” Shannon said. Then she became visibly shy. “Tommy?” she queried, lowering her head, and picking at his shirt.

  “Yeah?” he said, leaning down, trying to catch her gaze.

  She glanced up and saw what he was doing, and smiled her.

  “Can I put one condition on dinner tonight?” she asked.

  “Okay …” he said hesitantly.

  “Will you promise that you’ll kiss me like that again?” she asked softly as she risked another glance at him.

  A slow smile spread over his face and his eyes lit up. “I promise you I’ll kiss you for hours on end, if that’s what you want,” he whispered against her ear.

  She sighed, leaning her head against his chest.

  He hugged her close and kissed the side of her head. “I’m so glad you’re here tonight,” he said sincerely.

  “I’m glad I’m here too,” she said. “Thank you for inviting me.”

  “Walk me to the stage?” he asked.

  “Sure,” she said, smiling up at him.

  They walked to the backstage area where everyone was getting ready, followed by Tammy. Greg had already moved towards the group. Tommy put his arm around her as they walked. Shannon relished the feeling. When they got to the deck area backstage, the guitar tech handed Tommy his guitar, a black Gibson with a red and gold gothic-style cross painted on it. He took it, tossed the strap over his shoulder, and connected it to the other peg on the guitar. Shannon watched in fascination. She’d never been around musicians, especially not right before a show. It was interesting to watch how they each prepared.

  She saw Cassie stretching as she stood talking to her bodyguard, who seemed to watch her every move. Tommy had told her that John and Cassie had become a couple. Greg Overroy, the rhythm guitarist, looked like he was achieving a Zen-like state with his eyes closes and his lips moving. Johnny Sands, the drummer, was twirling drum sticks, and tapping on anything that wouldn’t move, even tapping on Terry Newbi’s bass guitar, garnering a slap on the head from the bassist. Terry laughed and went on undaunted.

  When he got to Tommy, Tommy canted his head to the side, giving the smaller man a narrowed look.

  “Do it and you’re dead,” Tommy said simply.

  Terry held his sticks up in surrender and winked at Shannon.

  “Scary thing is,” Terry told Shannon in an aside, “he’s more possessive about his women so be careful.”

  That got him a good-natured shove from Tommy.

  “Go beat on something …” he finished ominously.

  Terry grinned again, then walked away. Cassie walked over then.

  “Hi Shannon,” Cassie said, smiling at the other girl.

  “Hi,” Shannon said, smiling widely, “you look really great.”.

  Cassie was dressed in her usual all black, with bell-bottomed pants that had laces starting at the side of her knees and laced all the way up the legs. She also wore a black blouse, that flowed long at the sleeves in a very gothic fashion. Her violet jeweled cross matched her eyes. Her face was made up as usual with dark makeup accentuating her lean cheek bones, and beautiful eyes. She was a tiny little package of dynamite. That’s how Tommy referred to her.

  “You look really great too,” Cassie said. Then she glanced at Tommy. “Scored here, huh Tom?”

  Tommy grinned, his eyes on Shannon.

  “Thanks,” Shannon said, shyly.

  “You gonna watch the show?” Cassie asked.

  “I want to, yes,” Shannon said.

  “Then you better head out there, we’re on in five,” Cassie told her.

  Shannon nodded, glancing at Tommy again. Cassie took the cue to walk away, knowing that Shannon wanted to talk to him for a moment.

  “Have a good show,” Shannon said, unsure of what to do at that point.

  “Thanks,” Tommy said, nodding. “Meet me back here after the show is over, okay?”

  “Okay,” she said, nodding.

  Tommy said nothing for a moment as he moved his head around like he was stretching his neck. Shannon took that as her cue to leave. She turned to walk back to her seats but Tommy’s hand on her arm turned her around, and he pulled her to him. He kissed her deeply again, oblivious to anyone watching. He didn’t care.

  When their lips parted Shannon looked up at him, her eyes reflecting the heat he’d started again. Tommy grinned and winked at her.

  “I’ll see you later, beautiful,” he said.

  “Oh yeah,” she said, nodding and smiling.

  Shannon and Tammy made it back to their seats in time to see the purple spotlights come on. Tommy walked out on stage, playing the haunting first chords of one of their singles. Greg’s rhythm guitar began, adding to the haunting tune. The bass began next, adding a depth to the song, and finally there was the back beat as Johnny got up to his kit. The opening hit a crescendo, and then there was total silence as all the lights went out, shocking the audience. Then a purple spotlight trained on Cassie, as she started to sing. Tommy walked over to her and they stood back to back as he played a note. Her voice matched the note, raising in tone and pitch to an impossible level. The rest of the band joined in, and the song began in earnest. They had their audience; they’d grabbed them by the jugular and didn’t let them go through the entire forty-five minutes they were on stage. BJ Sparks had a number one band on his hands, and by the time Fast Lane did their final song, everyone knew it.

  Shannon had already known they were good, because of their album, but they were absolutely enthralling in concert. She’d had no idea. She watched Tommy in something akin to obsession. She watched his face as he played, and it was easy to see how much he loved what he was doing. He ran from one end of the stage to the other, playing to different parts of the crowd. He raised his hands constantly to the audience encouraging them to clap or yell louder, and he always got a response. His stage persona was much more theatrical than he really was in person.

  At one point, he donned a headset to do the duet with Cassie. He had a deep rich voice, that was a nice counter to Cassie’s. He was the deep, fierce background to her plaintive wail. It was a song about deep passion, and fire burning within. Tommy portrayed the angry betrayed lover, and Cassie the betrayer. It was a very fiery song, eliciting thunderous applause at its end. Again, Shannon was impressed. She was wondering if there would ever be an end to the sides of Tommy she’d see.

  There were a number of times during th
e show when his eyes would find her in the front row. He’d wink or smile at her. She’d smile, lowering her eyes demurely, as she got outraged looks from women around her. Tommy seemed oblivious to the other women at the concert. He only paid specific attention to Shannon. It was indicative of the kind of man he was, and Shannon adored it.

  By the end of the show she could see he was winded and tired. All the same, he gave it a hundred percent. He was still running from one end of the stage to the other, jamming next to Greg, singing next to Cassie, and occasionally taunting Johnny by hitting symbols with his fist. It was obvious that, as a band, they worked well together.

  When Fast Lane went off stage there was a fifteen-minute break. Shannon sat down in her seat. Tammy was very excited that they had such good seats. She was remarking on them when the girl on the other side of Shannon looked at them.

  “Do you two know the band?” the girl asked.

  Shannon glanced over at the girl, she was a definite groupie type. She was scantily clad with an ultra mini skirt and skimpy leather bathing suit style top. She wore a ton of makeup and high stiletto boots that came up past her knees.

  Before Shannon could answer, however, Tammy said, “Yeah, she knows them, and BJ Sparks too.”

  “How do you know them?” the girl asked Shannon suspiciously.

  Shannon hesitated, not liking the predatory look to the girl. The last thing she wanted to do was get into a fight with some girl at a concert.

  “Shan!” she heard someone yell her name.

  Shannon turned and saw Tommy at the side of the backstage entrance. He beckoned her. She smiled and got up, walking quickly over to him. When she got to him, he pulled her close and kissed her on the lips.

  “Sorry, just had to do that,” he said when their lips parted.

  “Oh, good, get me into more trouble,” she said, rolling her eyes.

  “Trouble?” he asked. “With who?”

  “Oh, some girl over there,” she said, nodding her head toward where Tammy stood grinning widely in their direction.

  “Really?” Tommy asked, looking around Shannon at the girl who was watching the scene with definite interest.