Love's Autograph (25 page)

“
Maybe that was true once, but not anymore,” Ellie said. “You just want to be in the limelight again.”

“
No, I miss you,” Jenny said.

“
You can't see past your own reflection to miss me,” Ellie said. “You need to leave.” Ria walked back to the door and slammed it.

Jenny said,
“Oh, this must be your fling, huh. Who you sleeping with?”

“
Jenny, stay out of my life. Get dressed,” Ellie said as she walked out of the bedroom and into the living room. She found Ria standing there looking at her.

“
Who's in there with you?” Ria asked.

“
It's Jenny,” Ellie said. “Look Ria you should go until I get rid of her...” Behind Ellie, Ria saw a tall blonde draped in a sheet.

“
Who is she?” Jenny asked. “And why is she in my room?”

“
Why am I in
your
room?” Ria asked.

“
You see,” Jenny started. “Ellie has this thing. She sleeps with a different girl every night. I don't mind it, but now I'm here. So you can go now.” Jenny saw the room service uniform on the floor. “Oh nice Ellie, a hotel staff chick. That's an all-time low.”

“
Jenny!” Ellie said.

“
Oh, is this Jenny Vito? You're Jenny Vito.” Ria said in an excited voice. Ria walked toward Jenny with an outstretched hand.

“
Yes, I'm Jenny,” Jenny said as she held out her hand. Ria grabbed her hand and yanked Jenny toward the door, opened the door, and tossed Jenny out.

“
What the?” Ellie said. “I can explain, nothing happened. I don't even know how she got in here.”

“
What the hell!” Jenny yelled pounding on the door. “I’m out here in a sheet. Nobody does that to me.”

Ria held up her pointer finger to Ellie. Ria opened the door,
“You’re right, Jenny. Apologies.” Ria grabbed Ellie's cell phone from Jenny's hand and with two strong tugs ripped the sheet from Jenny. Jenny stood there in dark green bra and panties. Ria slammed the door. Jenny screamed at the top of her lungs. Ria looked out the peep hole and saw Clara running down the hall toward Jenny. Ria walked into the bedroom, scooped up Jenny's clothes and purse and tossed them out the door. Ria turned to Ellie with a scowl.

Ellie stammered,
“Wow, so I swear... I didn't know she was coming.”

“
Please,” Ria said. “Do you really think that I don't know Jenny's history with you? Also, do you think I believe in the half hour I was at the gift shop you were planning to have a quickie with her?”

Ellie said,
“Thank goodness. I'd hate for her to come between you and me.” Ellie started laughing and said, “You threw her half-naked into the hall.”

“
I did, didn't I? I can't believe I did that,” Ria said. “She has a hot body, too. Doesn't she?”

“
She does,” Ellie said. “Do you want me to go get her? Would you like to have a go at her?”

“
Don't you dare,” Ria said as she walked toward Ellie and kissed her passionately. Ria tugged at her towel.

“
Easy, killer,” Ellie said. “I need to save some energy for the concert.”

Ellie and the crew headed to Yankee Stadium at
11:00 a.m. There were last minute stage adjustments to be made, interviews, makeup, and sound checks. Ria and Ellie did not see each other until 4:00 p.m. when everyone got together for sandwiches. There was a lot of Yankee Stadium crew and media around so Ria had to steer clear of Ellie.

Somehow through all the interviews and madness of the show
, Ellie found time to text Ria.

Wanted: Woman to throw crazy exes out of my hotel room.

You are the sweetest, most beautiful woman.

Try the roast beef. It’s delicious.

Diet Coke really?

Stop flirting with the sound woman.
I'm watching you.

Where can I sign an autograph on you?

I'm head over heels in love with you. In case you didn't know.

Ria texted back:

I already have a job
, sorry.

You are pretty amazing.

Half-rum, jk.

You weren't watching me close enough.

We did more than flirt.

We just came out
of the janitor's closet.

Where CAN'T you sign one?

I have noticed.

The Tunnels
,
an Australian band, opened for EJ Way. Ellie insisted that Clara sit in the front row with Ria for the concert. She promised Ria it was better than watching from the stage and it would be less conspicuous. Ria was surrounded by sweating, screaming fans when Ellie hit the stage. Ria heard Ellie's fans talking to the right, left, and behind her.

“
I touched her hand once.”

“
I have a tattoo of her initials.”

“
I have been to twenty-three of her concerts.”

“
I wonder what she's like in person.”

“
She's pretty great,” Ria found herself saying out loud.

“
What?” a girl next to her yelled. “You met her.”

“
No, no I wish. I said this song is pretty great,” Ria said.

Ria stared up at Ellie jumping, strumming, dancing and singing on the stage. She was like a different person. She was not Ellie. She was
EJ Way. She was not the same goofy girl who chased her around the bed. She was not the sensitive woman who entered Maggie's social walls. She was a rock star. She had her pick of any of these twenty-something hot chicks. She was EJ Way.

A few songs into the concert, a tall blonde entered the stage, and the crowd went wild. It was Jenny.
EJ turned around and motioned for the band to cut and the music stopped. EJ Way stood eye to eye with Jenny. Jenny moved toward EJ and EJ backed away. The crowd grew quiet.

“
Hey, so you all know, I won’t play another song until Jenny leaves the stage,” EJ said. “I’m serious. I’m done with her. Jenny, you broke my heart, but never again.”

The crowd started chanting,
“Leave, leave, leave.” Jenny stomped off the stage. The crowd roared. EJ stared up into the lights and then blankly out at the crowd.

“
You know. There is nothing like having your heart broken and then worse, having millions of people witness it. But don't worry. My heart is back together and stronger than ever. To all you people who have had your heart broken. Take a chance and go back out there. Find someone. That love is out there for you. You'll find it again. I have.” The crowd went wild. Ria looked around and started to feel nervous.

“
I found someone, but she's not for you. She's not for you guys to tear apart. I plan to keep her away from all this for now. She's amazing. She's wonderful. She's the first thing I think of when I wake up, and who I think of all day long. She's beautiful, and my heart has never felt so alive. Okay enough of this mush. This one is for her.
42 Chords
!”

After the concert, Ria waited in a hallway with Clara who was shifting back and forth, watching hyper-vigilantly as all the fans passed.

“
You nervous?” Ria asked.

“
I don't like Ellie being with the fans without me around,” Clara said. “Not to brag, but I saved her from a lot of close calls.”

“
Okay, let's get in there then,” Ria said. Clara walked in the door, but Ria was grabbed by the arm before she could get in.

“
It’s alright,” the man said to Clara. “We're going to have a chat. Hi, I'm Robert. I'm EJ's manager.”

“
Oh, hi,” Ria said. “Nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you.”

“
Not all good I know,” Robert said. “But when it comes down to it, I do everything for EJ's career. I make her money. And I can tell you one thing, you're not good for her or her career.”

“
Excuse me,” Ria said.

“
She hasn’t been going to meet-and-greets, publicity ops,” Robert said. “She hasn't been producing as much material. Listen, I know it's every chick’s dream to find a star to marry, but she's not the marrying type. Believe me. She's all glitter in the media. There's a dark side.”

“
I doubt that,” Ria said. “I'm going in to see her. Nice meeting you.”

“
You don't believe me? Ask her about Darcie.”

“
Okay, I'm going now.”

Ria entered the reception room and Ellie was surrounded by girls. Girls were pushing into her, grabbing at her and trying to kiss her. One girl opened her shirt and handed Ellie a marker to sign her breasts. Clara stepped in and escorted the more aggressive girls out.

“EJ, forget that girl,” one girl called. “Come home with me tonight? You can play all my chords.”

“
EJ, what do you see in that girl,” another tall red-head asked. “I'll be your dream girl. I won't make you wait.” She pushed Ellie back onto the couch and straddled her. Clara was busy escorting someone else out and could not get through the crowd fast enough to get the girl off of Ellie. Another security person pulled the red-head off of Ellie.

“
Enough girls,” Ellie called out. “Autographs are all I'm here for. Autographs and conversation. Anyone else tries to touch me with more than a handshake and you're all kicked-out of here.”

Ria picked up a CD
from a table and walked to Ellie. Ellie signed a hat, a t-shirt, and a CD before Ria handed her the CD she had picked up.

“
Hi,” Ellie said. “Who's this to?” Ellie asked as she looked up and saw Ria.

“
Ria,” Ria said. “I'm a big fan. That was a great concert. That girl who stole your heart must be something.”

“
I didn't say she stole it,” Ellie said. “I willingly gave it up. Nice to meet you. I’m glad you enjoyed the show.”

Ria went back to the hotel before Ellie. Ellie stayed behind doing interviews and pictures.

Ellie was riding back to the hot
el and received a text from Ria.

Ria asked,
Who's Darcie?

Ellie answered
,
Oh, I see someone has been talking to you. Do you want to do this over text?

I think I would rather.

She was a girl I was dating and then left her to date Jenny.

Ria asked
, So you cheated on her?

No, I broke up with her for Jenny.

Did you love her?

Ellie asked
,
Who? Jenny or Darcie?

Either.

Ellie said,
I thought I loved both. I was stupid and blinded by fame. Jenny had this way about her. I was stupid, naive.

Oh, okay see you soon?

Yes, we’re stuck in traffic. Probably a half-hour,
Ellie said.

Ellie sat in the limo and admired the
New York City skyline. She never got used to seeing the skyscrapers and bright lights. She still was a country girl at heart. She wondered who got to Ria about Darcie. She started to panic.

Ellie texted Ria,
Hey.

Yeah?

You are going to be there when I get there right?

I'm
packing.

W
hy?
Ellie asked.

Ria answered
, This is too much.

Wait for me will you? Then you can leave, but please wait for me.

Ria said,
It will be hard to leave once I see you.

Don't leave, please. I want you. I want to be with you.

I will see you back in Boston, okay?
Ria said.

Ellie texted,
I'll send a car for you.

Ria said
,
I have a cab waiting.
Ellie called Ria's cell and it just rang.

Ria texted,
I'll see you when you get back to Boston. Good luck tomorrow night
.

Ellie played in Yankee Stadium again the next night. Jenny did not show up on stage this time. She played in Western New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Connecticut before she had a week’s break and headed back to Boston. She had called Ria a bunch of times since Ria left New York. Most of the time Ria didn’t answer. Other times she picked up and said she couldn’t talk. When they did talk, Ria was distant. Ellie knew if she was going to get them back to where they were good, she would have to do it face to face.