The Plan: A Sweet and Sexy Rock Star Romantic Comedy (The Creek Water Series Book 3)

by Whitney Dineen

  Gizzy gestures for Huck to lead the way, before slowing down beside me. “That’s not the full story, ma’am. Huck Wiley has never once brought a lady friend to a show before.”

  He drops Maggie to the ground, gently setting her on her feet. Then he gives her a push toward her daddy before adding, “You’re the first in the twelve years that we’ve been friends.”

  I’m not quite sure what to say to that. I finally manage, “That you know of.”

  He shakes his head. “I’d know, and you’re the first. That means something.”

  My insides perform a spastic dance of joy. Huck has been telling me that I’m different from other women that have been in his life, that I’m special. While I believe him most of the time, it’s always nice to have confirmation. I don’t have an opportunity to bask in the glow of Gizzy’s comment because as soon as we enter the building we’re caught up in a buzz of frenetic activity.

  A gorgeous blonde woman with tattoos and classic rock-and-roll hair, jumps into Huck’s arms and declares, “Huckleberry Finn, give me a kiss!”

  He smacks her on the butt and kisses her right on the mouth. Nothing long and lingering, but it’s no peck on the cheek. A wave of horrifying jealously nearly overwhelms me. I want to tell her to keep her hands to herself. I want to tell her that Huck is mine, but for some reason I don’t want to embarrass him like that, so I keep my mouth shut.

  Huck says, “Tanya, I want you to meet Amelia.” He points to me and then his daughter. “You already know the rug rat.”

  Tanya—I think her name like it’s a synonym for smallpox—ruffles Maggie’s hair. “How are you doin’, kid?”

  “I’m good. Dad and I moved to Pasadena,” she tells her.

  Tanya’s eyes go all big, bigger than her heavy eyeliner already makes them look. “You better watch out or your daddy’s going to turn you into a real little lady. If that happens you won’t be able to hang out with the likes of me anymore.”

  Maggie laughs. “Not me, I’m rock and roll just like you are,” she tells the woman Huck was just manhandling.

  I can’t help but wonder who Tanya is. Is she a groupie? Is she part of the band? Whatever she is, Huck and Maggie clearly think the world of her, and for some reason that annoys me.

  Gizzy says, “Tanya, take Maggie and Amelia back to Huck’s dressing room and then get them all set up with passes. Once they’re good to go, bring ’em out on stage so they can watch us warm up.”

  “I’m on it,” she says reaching for Maggie’s hand. Then she smiles at me. “Come on.” As I watch her walk away with Maggie, I feel real panic start to build. I look at Huck to see if we’re really supposed to go with her, but he’s already walked off with Gizzy.

  Either man could stop traffic on his own, but together, they look like they own the world—both extremely confident and more talented than any human being has a right to be.

  My chest starts to hurt as I watch them walk off. It feels heavy for the first time since arriving in Chicago. I hurry toward the direction where Tanya went off with Maggie and start to count, “One … three … five … seven …”

  Maggie turns around and runs back to get me. When she realizes I’m counting, she says, “It might be time for something harder. Let’s do the states. Alabama … Wyoming … Alaska … Wisconsin … Arizona …” By the time we reach the dressing room and North Dakota, I feel like I’m back in control.

  Tanya leads us into a room bigger than my whole apartment. “There’s a TV over there, along with a bunch of games if you’d like.” Then she points to refrigerator. “Drinks are there, but craft services is set up right outside if you want something else.” She pats Maggie’s head while saying, “I’m just going off to get your passes.”

  When she walks out the door, I turn to Maggie. As casually as possible, I ask, “Who is she?”

  Chapter 53

  “That’s Tanya,” Maggie says like I hadn’t heard her name.

  “I got that. What I mean is, what does she do? Is she in the band or something?”

  “She’s part of Uncle Gizzy’s crew.”

  I don’t know if that means she’s a party girl or what. But whatever she is, I make a snap decision not to like her. She’s too pretty and too friendly with Huck and that doesn’t suit me at all. I try not to let my thoughts show though, as I don’t want Maggie to see my dislike of someone she’s fond of.

  Maggie and I hang up our dresses on a clothing rack and I show her what I’ve brought. There’s a nineteen-forties-style black cocktail dress with a halter-style neck. I wear it with a garnet choker I made along with matching pair of burgundy high heels.

  “I’m going to need to borrow that when I grow up and get some boobs,” Maggie declares.

  I can’t help but laugh. She’s years away from doing this dress justice, but I like that she can appreciate its power now.

  After I show her the rest of the clothes, she announces, “There’s no way I can choose. Each one is more amazing than the next.” Then she says, “I’m going to use the bathroom. It’s right there.” She points to a door next to the couch. I shouldn’t be surprised that Huck’s dressing room has its own private bathroom.

  While Maggie is in the little girls’ room, Tanya walks in carrying a couple of laminated cards in lanyards. She lets out a slow whistle when she sees the black and white mod mini-dress I’m holding up in front of the mirror. “Don’t wear that one,” she says. “Every guy within arm’s reach will be grabbing for you.”

  “I like this one,” I tell her with attitude. I wonder if she doesn’t want me to wear it because she doesn’t want Huck grabbing for me. Because she wants him for herself.

  She shrugs. “It’s gorgeous for sure, but you don’t want to be too much of a distraction while Huck’s out there doing his thing. If he’s worried other guys will be hitting on you, he won’t be focused on performing.”

  I stare at her like I’m trying to dissect her with my eyes. Who is she to Huck? I want to come right out and ask but I don’t want to appear as insecure as I am. “I don’t mind if he’s distracted when he looks at me. It’s certainly better than him not seeing me.”

  “There’s not much chance of that,” she says good-naturedly. “He brought you here, and Huck Wiley does not bring women backstage while he performs.”

  “Why’s that?” I know what Huck said about not getting involved with women other than for you know, but I want to hear what Tanya says.

  “Huck doesn’t do complicated. He’s a man who knows what he wants and that’s always been to keep his romantic relationships pretty straight forward.”

  I can’t stand being in the dark for another second and I may not have another chance to ask without Maggie nearby. So, I blurt out, “Are you one of Huck’s uncomplicated relationships?”

  “I have been,” she says. My heart hits the floor in a resounding thud I swear I can hear land inside my head. Before I can rip every last hair out of Tanya’s head, she continues, “but we’re nothing more than friends. We live a life on the road that most people don’t understand. Sometimes you just want a physical release with no strings. That’s all it’s ever been for me and Huck.”

  Oh my god, what am I doing here? How in the world did I think that Huck Wiley could ever settle down with one woman? How arrogant that I could believe I’d ever be enough for him. My expression must show my distress because Tanya’s face contorts with concern. “Amelia, just because that’s how it’s always been doesn’t mean that’s how it always will be. Huck may very well have reached the point where meaningless hook ups aren’t enough. I’m guessing that’s the case because he brought you here.”

  I feel utterly despondent. I’m talking to one of Huck’s women like we’re swapping recipes and not talking about sex. She’s so cool and matter-of-fact about it, like it doesn’t mean a thing. But how in the world could it not mean anything? I don’t engage in that kind of activity without serious thought and commitment. Once again, I’m forced to acknowledge that Huck and I are
two very different people from two very different worlds. I need to figure out if it’s possible for those worlds to align.

  Instead of agreeing with her that I’m special to Huck, I say, “I’m not sure you can teach an old dog new tricks.”

  “Good thing Huck isn’t a dog then.” She hands me my lanyard. “Amelia, rock stars have a surreal kind of life. Most women don’t see them for the men they are, they see him for the fantasy they’ve created them to be. Clearly, you’re different. Don’t let Huck’s past get between you.”

  That’s easier said than done. How can I trust that he can have a meaningful romantic relationship with a woman when he’s told me himself that he’s never had one? That’s like him thinking he can jump out of an airplane with no prior instruction.

  Tanya tries one more time to make me feel better. “Everyone can change. Personally, I think Huck’s found his match. You just have to be brave enough to trust your instincts.” She smiles at me and asks, “Are you gonna be okay?”

  Before I can answer one way or another, Maggie comes out of the bathroom. Tanya switches her focus to Huck’s daughter and says, “Heads up, Squirt.” She throws the other lanyard to Maggie.

  We follow Tanya out of the dressing room and down a long set of stairs before crossing through some heavy double doors that lead into the concert venue. My brain is in such a fog that I can’t quite take in the expanse of the arena I’m standing in. This place is enormous, and I can’t for the life of me fathom what it’s going to look like full of people. The thought makes my pulse accelerate and my throat begin to constrict.

  Maggie takes my hand in hers and gives it a firm squeeze like she’s offering me comfort. I’m not too proud to let her do it, either. Of all the people that are going to be in this building tonight, I know the ten-year-old at my side knows what a wall of anxiety feels like.

  The stage is full of burly-looking men. There’s long hair, no hair, dreadlocks, mohawks, full beards, fu manchus, tons of tattoos and body piercings—not a single man bun in the whole group. Some of the guys look so alarming I feel like I’m at an old-school freak show at the circus. Either that or I’m on another planet watching an alien life form. Creek Water is definitely not a metropolis that hosts such a conflagration of individuality.

  The men are dragging cables across the stage and are connecting them to giant black boxes. “What are those?” I ask.

  “Amplifiers,” Tanya says. “They’re the reason the audience can hear what’s going on up there.”

  Huck and Gizzy are talking to a couple of other guys who I’m guessing are in the band. They’re patting Huck on the back and bumping into him like they’re performing some kind of male bonding ritual. They obviously feel tonight is going to be something special with him sitting in.

  We aren’t there for five minutes before Huck and Gizzy pick up their guitars. One of the guys moves to sit behind a huge drum set—there must be at least twelve drums and cymbals—another sits at full-sized keyboard with a short wall of dials and knobs above it. There’s a bass player and some guy holding a string instrument that looks like little more than a wide stick.

  Gizzy turns to them. “What do you guys want to warm up to? Only rule is it can’t be one of our songs or one of Huck’s.”

  Huck smiles. “I got one.” He starts playing on his own for a short time before the drummer picks up a driving beat that makes my feet start to tap along. Huck leans into his microphone and says, “I’m dedicating this one to a beading instructor I have the pleasure of knowing.” He winks at me before the whole band kicks in and I recognize the song. It’s an old Van Halen song my daddy plays when he’s reminiscing his glory days, “Hot for Teacher.”

  Oh. My. Word. I’m so completely starstruck I almost forget to breathe. I have loved the sound of Huck Wiley’s voice since my very early twenties. If you count up all the time I’ve spent listening to him sing, it would probably add up to full months of my life. And right now, right this very minute, he’s on stage dedicating a classic rock song to me. Not to Tanya, to me. I haven’t the words to describe how that makes me feel.

  Even though I know Huck is a star, nothing prepares me for actually seeing him on stage doing his thing. I’m glad my heart knows how to beat on its own because right now, I can barely remember my name.

  The band plays four more songs before the sound guys have everything hooked up. Tanya gives them the thumbs up and hollers out, “You’re good to go.”

  Gizzy says, “Okay, one more song to make sure we’re all set.” He looks down at Maggie with a huge smile on his face. “Your call, Squirt. What do you want to hear?”

  The drummer shouts out, “No way man, the last time you let her decide we had to play ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.’”

  Maggie yells back, “You better watch out, Mac, or I’ll have you playing it again.” All the guys bust up laughing at being heckled by a ten-year-old.

  The bass player calls out, “What’s it gonna be, Mags? I’m starving and Gizzy ordered us ribs for dinner.”

  Maggie makes a show of really thinking which song it’s going to be. She finally calls out, “Bon Jovi, ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’!”

  Gizzy answers her call, “Tame, but better than ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.’” He gives the sign to start. Swampback and Huck Wiley sing the rockingest version of the song I’ve ever had the pleasure of hearing.

  Chapter 54

  Once the band and the crew are assembled backstage for dinner, Gizzy stands up to get everyone’s attention. He shouts, “Listen up, you guys.” Easily thirty pairs of eyes turn to him and everyone stops talking. There are eight tables in the main area outside of the dressing rooms, most of them full.

  “You all know that Huck Wiley is sitting in with us tonight, right?” Cheers and whistles fill the air. I easily spot Huck on the opposite side of the room from the stairwell where he left me and Maggie. He’s radiating an energy that could probably light up Creek Water for a month.

  “You probably all saw Maggie at warm up, but I want to make a special point to remind you that Huck’s little girl is here, too.” He gestures to Maggie. “Come over here, Squirt.”

  She skips over to him and he lifts her up on his shoulders. “This is Maggie. She’s more important to me than all of you combined. What that means is that you’re going to need to keep all your activities age-appropriate tonight, got it?” Heads bob up and down. “That means none of your normal bad manners.” There are a couple of groans, but no one comes right out and complains.

  Then Swampback’s lead singer says, “I know you’re going to have a hard time believing what I’m going to say next, but you’ve got it straight from my mouth, so believe it.” He motions to me. “Come over here, Amelia.” To say I feel self-conscious would be a massive understatement. I’m borderline dizzy as I cross the room to stand next to the giant that is Gizzy Jacobs. He announces, “This is Amelia. She’s Huck’s lady.”

  Shouts and whistles of appreciation follow his statement and my face fills with heat. I brave a glance at Huck and find him smiling at me with such tenderness it makes my feet feel like they’re floating above the ground.

  Gizzy holds my arm and continues, “That means she’s your little sister, your mother. Let’s just call her your grandmother to be safe. No touching, no looking, nothing. If she asks you a question, you can answer it like you’d answer your granny. Do I make myself clear?”

  One of the crew yells, “Welcome to the chaos, Granny!” The crew hoots their appreciation as Gizzy turns to me. “That’s probably exactly how they treat their grannies. You need anything while we’re on stage, tell Tanya and she’ll take care of you.”

  “Thank you,” I tell him. “I appreciate it.”

  He throws a giant arm around me which makes me feel like a small child. “Thank you, honey. We’re happy to have you join the family.”

  I’m a little overwhelmed by the big deal everyone is making of my being here. Huck Wiley is obviously no choir boy, but so far everyone
is treating me with a great deal of respect. It makes me feel like I might actually be special to Huck and that’s the only thought that’s keeping me from running out of here in a blind panic.

  I hurry into Huck’s dressing room before anyone tries to engage me in conversation. I’m not sure I’m going to be able to eat anything, but I do know I need to be alone. I need to sit with my thoughts. I’m inclined to like Tanya even though I’m hugely envious of the intimacies she’s shared with Huck. She doesn’t seem to be jealous of me. In fact, she seems genuinely happy for us. The problem is there may very well be twenty or more Tanyas around Huck’s life and I’m guessing they’re all not going to feel similarly inclined.

  I roll my hair in hot rollers before putting on a nineteen eighties Madonna-inspired mini skirt with a matching corset top. I pair it with some hot pink fishnet pantyhose before pumping up the volume on my makeup. I smoke out my eyes with a charcoal liner and outline my lips before applying Russian Red to the center. When my hair comes out of the rollers, I tease up the top for some of the rock n’ roll volume that Tanya so effortlessly has going on. Then I step back to take in the overall effect.

  I twirl in front of the mirror to make sure my outfit is doin’ its thing. That’s when I realize that Huck snuck in at some point. He’s been leaning against the door watching me primp. I begin to tremble as he walks toward me like a hungry lion in pursuit of his dinner. I have no idea what’s going to happen between the two of us, but I know I want to enjoy whatever this is.

  Huck runs his hands down my bare arms, causing goose bumps to erupt all over my body. And when I say all over, I mean all over. He leans and whispers, “You know why women wear clothes like the ones you’ve got on, don’t you?”

  “Because they like them?” I ask innocently.

  “No, ma’am. They do it because they’re hoping it will inspire their man to take them off.”

  “Huck,” his name falls from my lips like a plea.