Lucky Break (6 page)

"Holy shit! That's Jude Morrison," Kat whispered.

Lucky surveyed the room quickly and realized Paul was still missing. She shook her head with disbelief as she realized why Jude was there.

"You ok?" Jordan whispered to Lucky. "You look pale."

"There's no way. No freaking way is Jude joining my band. He's too big. He's too–"

"Hot!" Kat interrupted as she fanned herself. "Woo! I think I'll be hanging around the tour bus more if he's in the band. You know he's wild in bed. I know a girl who knows a girl who slept with him. The stories I've heard just about what that man is packing! You wouldn't believe it. And the number of women he's slept with..." She shook her head in disbelief. "You know he's got skills. He's definitely had enough practice."

"I've heard all about him. Everybody has. Women in every town, dick the size of..." Lucky's voice trailed off as she tried to think of something large to compare him to.
 

"Did he ever get married? I thought I heard he did after Silverlight broke up."

"No idea. I don't think so. Or it didn't last."

"No biggie, I'd take him either way. Hell, she can join in!"

"This isn't about that Kat. Just listen to me. He can't be in my band." Lucky said. "He'll ruin everything. No. No way. I don't care who he is! If anything, that's worse. If he's in the band, it'll suddenly be his band. This isn't how it's supposed to be."

Richard stood up and cleared his throat then waited for the low din to subside as everyone turned their attention to him.

"Ok now folks. For those of you who don't know, I'm Richard Black of Black Dog Recordings. I'm going to be blunt. Last night's show was a wreck. This isn't a long tour. You don't have time to work out the kinks or even to fuck around. For many of you this is your only chance at stardom." He looked around the room at the roadies and the band as his words sunk in. "Paul is gone. You're all on my dime and I expect you to do your best. I'm sure Lucky wants only the best for her tour too so I got her the best. I'm sure you all know Jude Morrison. He's joining the tour."

Picking up his long trench coat and a small briefcase, Richard Black left the room. Everyone sat stunned except for Jude who stood up and walked to the door. Kat flew after him and caught up to him as he left the room.

Chapter Six

Jude

"Hey Jude." Kat giggled as she grabbed his arm to stop him from leaving. "I can't wait to work with you," she purred.
 

He pulled his arm away from her and stepped back as he looked her over. Confused he looked around the room, knowing she wasn't Lucky and wondering why Kat was there.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Kat Krave. I play keys. I can't wait to get to know you better."

"Keys? I've seen you before. You don't play keys, you barely play at all," he scoffed. "Now be a good girl and run along. I don't have the time or patience for this."

As Jude entered the red and gold hotel lobby, he spotted Richard standing by the entrance's revolving door waiting for his car, and made his way over to him.

"Dick, I told you before I'm not babysitting for a bunch of children."

"They're not children Jude. They're older than you were when you started touring."

Jude gritted his teeth. He hated when other people were right. Fifteen years ago, at the age of sixteen, Jude drove out to LA with some buddies in the hopes they'd make it big. Jude did. He didn't know what happened to his old friends.

Back then Richard Black still went by Dick and he was a young man with a dream. He spent a few years working at record companies and believed he had what it took to make money. He just needed the right band.

Spending his nights at dive clubs that hosted new acts, he knew the local bands and their politics. He had a dream band in mind but everything had to line up. He wanted to take the singer and guitarist from one band, bass from another, and form a brand new band. He just needed a drummer.

Jude was playing drums with his old buddies then. When Dick heard him behind the kit, he knew he found his man. It didn't take much to convince Jude to meet the other guys and once they played together everything else fell into place. Within a couple of years Silverlight was the biggest band in the world.

"You know why I'm doing this. You better hold your end of the deal."

"Yes, yes, I know. You want out of your contract. I guarantee it. I just wish you'd reconsider my offer."

"No. I've had enough. You know it was a shit deal."

"You agreed to it. I'll remind you that it wasn't my idea to begin with. I would've been happy for Silverlight to go on forever, she convinced you otherwise. But you were in love." Richard rolled his eyes.
 

"Yeah. Too bad Donna didn't feel the same."

"You know she loved you. She still asks about you."

"Don't talk to me about her. I know she's your niece and all but I don't want to hear it."

"Trust me, she singlehandedly led to the break up of the greatest rock band of this generation. Do you know how much she cost me? She's the last person I want to talk about." Richard's rental, a BMW, pulled up and he took the keys from the valet. "Have you listened to Lucky's music yet?"

"No," he growled. "I'll learn my parts, don't worry."

"I know you will. But listen to it. I think you'll be surprised. The kid's really good."

Richard drove away. Jude entered the hotel as the band left the restaurant. He resented having to join this tour with a bunch of kids just starting out. He knew Dick wanted him to listen to her music, but what did Dick know? Money was all he cared about. He knew this Lucky girl was going to be some pop tart not much different than that Kat girl.

As he walked through the lobby a couple of women in their thirties ran over to him. While they were dressed in business attire, they squealed like young girls as they approached him.

"Jude! Jude Morrison! Oh you are even hotter in person!"

"I had your poster hanging in my bedroom in high school. Remember that Becky? That was during Silverlight's second album."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the band coming closer and one of them stood out to him. She was a girl with long light brown hair and curves that wouldn't quit. Her eyes were covered by a pair of sunglasses that hid half her face, but it didn't matter. He couldn't tear his eyes away from that body. He wanted her like he hadn't wanted anyone else in a long time.

"Excuse me ladies. I hope you enjoy your conference."

Jude left the two women and headed over to the band. He had been so wrapped up in his own problems, that it never occurred to him to ask Dick about Lucky. He just figured with a stupid name like that, she'd be grinding on stage with a bunch of dancers while she lip-synced.
 

Ignoring the other members in the band, he walked up to Lucky. "Hi, I'm Jude–"

"I know who you are. Everyone knows who you are," she said.

Clenching his jaw, he gritted his teeth.
Nothing worse than a woman with lead singer disease. She probably thinks she's better than me
.

"Good. Everyone should."

He angrily walked away. He didn't know what he was thinking anyway. Some pop tart in his bed was the last thing he needed. Especially on tour. It was better to just keep his distance.

Jude collected his things from the front desk and went outside. Throwing a large duffle bag over his shoulder, he walked over to the band's new ride, a sleek modern bus designed with his specifications.
 

He refused to slum it in some beat up excuse for a bus. As Jude took his first step onto the bus, he turned towards the band who stood under the hotel awning looking lost.

"You guys coming or what?"

The glossy black bus had every modern amenity. From wifi and TV, to mini refrigerators and a microwave. The wide, tan soft napa leather seats lined the first three quarters of the bus. In the back was a small room with a bed large enough for two people.

"Hey Stan, good to see you," Jude said to the slender, grey haired driver as he boarded.

Jude went all the way to the back of the bus and sat on one of the oversized seats. Reclining the seat all the way back, he put his earbuds in his ears. He figured he'd might as well listen to Lucky's album and get that out of the way.
 

Surprised by what he heard, he skipped through pieces of different songs to get an idea of the whole album.
 

"Shit, that girl's got talent."

He looked up to watch as she boarded the bus, enjoying her smile and greatly impressed with her songwriting. When he noticed her look towards him he leaned back into his seat and smiled. Lucky was the exact combination of talent and beauty he couldn't resist.

WELCOME TO DC

Chapter Seven

As the bus began its trek out of Philadelphia and towards Washington DC, Lucky replayed her reaction to Jude over in her head. She wasn't worried anymore about him taking over and making it his show anymore, he gave her the impression he didn't even want to be there.

Stretching out on the comfortable leather seats, she figured she should talk to him. They wouldn't have gotten such a sweet ride if it wasn't for him. The least she could do was thank him. Besides, maybe she needed to apologize.

She lifted her head to look over the seats and saw Jude had his earbuds in. Her heart flipped and she put her hand on her chest as she wondered when that would stop happening. She didn't want to bother him if he was busy, but she knew if she didn't talk to him then, she would never get the guts to do it later.
 

Sucking in a deep breath, she counted down at three and stood up. She chewed her bottom lip nervously as she walked the couple of aisles to the back of the bus to meet one of her idols.

His eyes were closed but his foot tapped to the music so she knew he was awake. With his sleeves pushed up to just under his elbows, he revealed part of what she knew was a full sleeve tattoo. She thought about how many times she wished she could see that tattoo up close and admired the deep orange koi swimming up the wild sea of black and grey waves.

"Jude?" She whispered.

She couldn't speak louder. Her nerves were getting the best of her again. Giving up she began to turn back to her seat when he grabbed her hand and she felt a bolt of electricity shoot through her, making her heart pound.

"Where you going?" He asked.

"Oh I just didn't want to bother you. I'll come back later."

"You're here now. What?"

"I...I wanted to thank you for the bus and...apologize for before if I acted a little..." Her voice trailed off as she tried to think of the right words.

"Bitchy?"

As she looked at him, his bright green eyes with golden flecks dug into her soul. She hated him for calling her out, even if he was right. He wasn't anything like she imagined and that angered her even more.

"You'd better learn the songs on time. Its been a while since you've played, so I'm sure you've got rust," she said hoping she got a little of that bitch back in her.

Upset and disappointed, she walked back to her seat and sunk down into it. She thought about that quote about never meeting an idol because they never live up to your expectations. Pulling out her notebook, she began writing as she tried to forget about him.

"You're stuff is good," Jude said as he stood in the center aisle.

"Sure its not too bitchy?"

He laughed and pushed her bag aside as he sat in the seat next to her. His shoulders were so broad, they rubbed against hers in the oversized seat. Feeling his heat so close to her, she fought her instinct to giggle and blush like a little girl.

"Its my turn to apologize. I think I let my ego get the better of me."

"Don't let it happen again," she teased.

"Yes ma'am!" He laughed again and saluted her before walking back to his seat.
 

Watching him walk away, she thought about how gorgeous he was. She still couldn't believe he played drums in her band. It was a dream come true, all of it. When she thought of how many late nights she spent in the rehearsal studios at school, trying to get drummers to play like him, it blew her mind. Now not only was he part of her band but he was just a few feet away.