Joy Ride (25 page)

Now her parents were having trouble understanding this new version of her and with good reason. The adventurous person who’d been hiding inside her very precise, very controlled self had burst forth without warning, and she continued the struggle and understand it. To figure out after all these years who she really was.

“Oh, honey, you’re absolutely right.” Angela reached out a hand to her daughter’s arm. “We’re just concerned is all. You seem so…different lately. Drifting away from us. We just thought it would be nice to spend your birthday together.”

“Why don’t you tell us what you’ve got planned?” her father asked. “Maybe we can join you.”

Emma swallowed a hysterical laugh. “I don’t think you’d be very comfortable. I’m going to a concert.”

“We’ve been to concerts before,” her mother said. “What wouldn’t we enjoy?”

“This is a rock concert. You don’t even like the music. And that’s okay,” she added hastily as she saw her mother’s lips thin. “We each have different tastes. I just want you to acknowledge there’s nothing wrong with it.”

“I suppose it’s dumb to ask if Andrew’s going with you,” her father said drily.

“Andrew? Why would it even occur to you? How many times do I have to tell you Andrew and I are no longer together?” Emma’s eyes widened. “Let me guess. He’s been bugging you again, hasn’t he? I’m sure he’s bending your ear, despite the fact I asked him to back off.” She pounded her fist on the table. “Damn him. He needs to get a life. A
new
life.”

“Emma.” Her father sighed. “He really would like the two of you to get back together again. All he’s done is ask for our help.”

“Not happening.” She looked from one parent to the other. “It’s over. I told him and I’m telling you again. He needs to move on. And what kind of man keeps bugging a woman’s parents like this? It’s not as if we’re teenagers. No, you’ll just have to understand that it’s over with Andrew and me, and so will he. There’s no fixing. No going back. It’s done. Period. The end.”

Angela smiled at her. “I guess it’s just so hard for us to realize you’re an adult. Almost thirty. And to accept that you’ve had some kind of epiphany or metamorphosis or whatever and are making big changes in your life.”

No kidding. Hard for me, too
.

“Mom. I’m definitely old enough. You can trust me to make good decisions.”

Oh, yeah, right
.

“All right.” Angela rose and began to clear the plates. “Then let’s just have dessert.”

“How about if we have dinner the night before?” she suggested. “But without Andrew.” She looked from one to the other, mentally crossing her fingers. She didn’t want to shut them out completely. “Will that work?”

Her parents exchanged a look but in a moment they both nodded.

“And I’ll do my best to tell Andrew he needs to start looking elsewhere,” her father added.

“Thank you,” Emma breathed. “I’d appreciate it.”

***

“You definitely need a new outfit,” Annie said.

Emma wrinkled her forehead. “Another one?”

“Absolutely.”

It was Thursday night and they were at Annie’s having their own happy hour with margaritas from Annie’s blender. She just hadn’t been in the mood for Hot Salsa and besides, at Annie’s she was much more comfortable. It occurred to Emma that she was soaking up a lot more alcohol lately than she was used to. But right now she needed liquid courage. Her brunch with her parents had been far less confrontational than she’d expected. But Andrew had been waiting in front of her house when she came home and that confrontation hadn’t gone nearly as well. Only when she’d threatened to report him as a stalker did he get the message and leave. Hopefully for the last time.

Why hadn’t she ever seen this stubborn streak in him before? Or was it the need for control? Either way, she was done with him. After Marc’s invitation to the concert and the resurgence of all her fears, she’d stayed away from the club this week and had done a lot of soul searching. Trying to find the answers to who she was before and who she was now. When she saw Marc again, she wanted to be a lot less conflicted. When she was with him she tended to lose sight of everything else.

“Hey. Earth to Emma.”

Her head snapped up. “Did you say something?”

“Apparently nothing you heard. Where was your brain? Not at here, that’s for sure.”

Emma sighed and sipped some of her drink through the straw. “Sorry. Just…thinking.”

“About Mr. Hottie?” Annie laughed. “I pulled up the picture of the band again. My, my, my. He is one sweet, luscious man.”

Heat crawled up her cheeks. “Actually I was mentally cursing Andrew again. And myself for acting like I was a docile child for so many years.”

“Listen, girlfriend.” Annie touched her arm. “There’s absolutely nothing wrong with parents wanting their kids to have a nice, safe life. And for a lot of people that’s definitely more than enough. But everyone’s tastes are different, Emma. It just took you a lot of years to find out what yours really are.”

“I know, I know. I’m just so conflicted.”

“Okay. Do you really, really like this guy?”

“More than like, I think.” She licked some of the salt from the rim of her glass. “Can you fall in love with someone so quickly, Annie?”

Her friend shrugged. “Sometimes all it takes is twenty-four hours. But Emma. If that’s the way you feel about him, don’t you think you at least should tell him your name? Playing that game is getting a little old.”

Emma nibbled her thumbnail. “I just wish I could be sure how he felt about me. I have this panicky feeling that if the concert goes well and things go well for him, that’s the last I’ll see of him.”

“Why? He might be on the road but today we have such things as cell phones and video chats.” Annie grinned. “You’ve heard of those, right?”

“Of course. But he has to
want
to use them. Annie, I can’t keep up with him. Who am I? An almost-thirty-year-old woman with a boring job and a boring life.”

“Honey, if you were so boring he might take you home with him once. Maybe even twice. But that would be the end of it. Have a little confidence in yourself.”

Emma chuffed a short laugh. “I can just imagine what my folks would say if I showed up at their house with him.”

“Your folks need to accept the fact you’re a grown woman making your own choices.” She paused. “Are you ashamed of him, Emma?”

“Hell, no. I just wouldn’t want them to make him uncomfortable.”

“I think it’s all in how you present the situation.”

That was so true. The sharp edges of her relationship with her parents were easing. Maybe they’d be more receptive. Especially since his background apparently wasn’t all that different from hers. If she wanted something permanent with him, she had to be the one to set the stage with her family. If she cared enough for him, then this was what she needed to do. Be proud of him. Show her feelings. Let everyone–
everyone
–know they were together.

“Meanwhile,” Annie continued, “you won’t be taking him anywhere if you don’t tell him who you are.”

“I know, I know.”

Annie scooped some salsa with a chip and popped it into her mouth. “Maybe the night of the concert would be a good time. Especially if things go really well. He’ll want to celebrate with you. You can tell him your name and about your birthday at the same time.”

“Fine. Fine, fine, fine.” She drew in a deep breath and blew it out. “I’ll do it then.”
And hope Miss Redhead isn’t there or attempts to get in my face
.

“Then Saturday we need to go shopping and get you a new outfit. Which is how I started this conversation.”

“Another new one?”

Annie nodded. “Something really special.” She winked. “Just put yourself in my hands, girlfriend. I’ve got ideas.”

Emma laughed. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”

“Just remember.” Her friend was giving her the no nonsense look. “It’s you he wants or this would have been over long ago. “He likes what you bring to his life. And he’s proud enough of you that he wants to show you off.”

“I can’t help being nervous. You know that.”

“This is going to work. I feel it, Emma. Now let’s get you tricked out so you can knock the socks off everyone.”

“I only care about one person, Annie.”

“I know, but this is kind of your coming out party, sweetie. No more hiding in the shadows or keeping your name a secret. Showing Marc that you’re definitely the prize he wants.” She winked. “Not to mention his friends and all those groupies that hang around the band.”

“Yeah?”

Annie smiled at her. “Yeah. This is it, Emma, The brass ring. Just grab for it.”

In that moment Emma actually felt she might be able to do it.

***

This is stupid. Idiotic. I must be braindead
.

It was early Thursday evening and for the second day in a row, Marc was prowling the grocery store where he’d first run into Music Lady. How long could he hang out with an empty basket before the manager got suspicious and called the police? But he figured since if he’d bumped into her there once before, she must live in the neighborhood and it would be logical for her to appear again.

Maybe she’d need something on her way home from work. Wherever she worked. He hadn’t gotten around to asking her that yet. He was saving the more personal questions for when her skittishness wore off.

In the meantime, he had this insane need to see her. Make sure she was coming back to the club again. Two nights running, he’d even checked out Hot Salsa during Happy Hour to see if she and her friend were there having a drink.
Nada
. He missed her almost more than he wanted to admit, trying not to watch the door. Hoping each time it opened, she’d be walking through it. He just had to keep telling himself that she had a good reason for staying away, but for the life of him he couldn’t figure out what it could be. He just hoped to hell she hadn’t changed her mind about the concert. If this all came together, she was the one he wanted to share it with.

A flash of blue caught the corner of his eye and a thrill of anticipation ran through him. He turned, expecting to see her pushing her cart into the produce area and started in that direction. But when he looked again, he realized it was a total stranger. Disappointment was a bitter taste in his mouth.

Concentrate on what’s coming up, buddy boy. On the things you can do something about.

Rick had met again with Butch Meredith that morning and brought back the contract for them all to look at as well. He also had the layout of the Amphitheatre and the list of what they could request, including one guest pass per musician. Marc wanted to be sure he’d see ML at least by the weekend to make sure she had hers.

Rich had given him some shit about requesting a pass for a woman who wouldn’t even give him her name, but he’d put a cork in it fast enough. This could end up being a really big deal, and he wanted ML there to share it with him.

I must be nuts, fixated on a woman who won’t let me know who she really is
.

But he’d already figured out that this was a little more than a fixation. Although he’d changed the sheets on his bed, he’d left the pillowcases, hugging her scent to him at night when he fell asleep. How dumb was that? He was also plagued by erotic dreams of her that woke him with a boner beyond painful.

It wasn’t just the sex, though. Not by a long shot. It was
her
. Everything about her. He wanted her not just in his bed, but in his life. The problem was how to convince her. Whatever had her wound up so tight internally, the battle was far from over. One thing was clear: trust played a big part in this. He was deliberately going slowly with her because of it. She was as skittish as a creature out of its element.

He just wished he knew what exactly that element was. The little Twenty Questions games he’d coaxed her into playing gave him more information than she realized. A picture blossomed in his mind of a woman with a sharp mind, an inquisitive nature, but one who for some reason had hidden behind barriers most of her life. If he could just find the key to knocking them down, he could tell her what she really meant to him.

And how do you feel, smartass? Are you in love with her? Can you be in love with a woman you know so little about?

The answer, plain and simple, was…yes.

But he wasn’t going to find a solution to his problem wandering around among the tomatoes and apples. Sighing, he purchased potato chips out of a sense of guilt and headed home to get ready for work. If he was lucky, the woman of his dreams would show up.

Chapter Thirteen

Marc checked his watch again, wondering if the night would ever end. Keeping his shit together was becoming more and more difficult, and he didn’t want to blow this chance. Rick had called a quick meeting between sets in the club’s tiny dressing room.

“Okay, guys,” he began. “We’re packed tonight, probably because it’s Friday night and our last week. Everyone seemed a little on edge the first two sets so let’s have it. What’s going on?”

“I don’t know about anyone else,” Garrett said, tapping his sticks against his thigh, “but this week has felt a month long.”

“It’s always like that when something you’re waiting for is just around the corner,” Marc answered. “But I’ve been edgy, too.

For a different reason
.

“Okay, guys.” Rick shoved his hands in his pockets. “Heads up here. We’ve rehearsed every day and performed at night so your time should have been well taken up. Next week’s going to be even more intense. What we need to focus on is the fact we have forty minutes to impress everyone—the audience, the record people, promoters, even Deep Blue River. They’re looking for an opening act for their next tour and we want to be
it
.”

“You said Butch Meredith asked for a better cut of the video.” Danny fiddled nervously with his sticks. “Did he say why?”

“No, but I’d say it’s a positive indicator of his future plans and they include Lightnin’. This would be first class all the way so let’s not do anything to blow it. Like letting a case of nerves distract us. Okay?”