“I don’t know what I’m thinking right now,” Anna said.
“It’s because you’re here,” Davey said. “You’ve been here all day and night. You should sit yourself.”
“Yeah, I know. I’m just used to something so different once my shift is over.”
Davey treaded lightly. “What else do you do?”
“What do you mean?”
“You said you weren’t just a waitress.”
“Oh. Yeah. Well, this is a part-time job for me. I’m a teacher actually. I teach art and music.”
Davey’s eyes lit up. “Music. You’ve got my interest some more.”
Anna swallowed. “Some more?”
“Anna, from the second you walked to the table before, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. I know who I am and I know how things appear... but there’s something special about you. I can just sense it.”
“Oh.”
Davey hoped he didn’t say too much in one sentence to Anna. But he had to say something. He had to let her know he wasn’t looking for a quick hookup. Then again, Davey wasn’t sure what exactly he was looking for. If anything, it should have been nothing more than what already waited for him. This became part of the peril of breaks during a tour. When the shows ended, it became harder to transition into whatever a normal life was supposed to be. The first few days were the hardest but when you add to that a woman showing up with an infant...
“I swear, Anna, I’m not trying anything here,” Davey said. “I saw you, and there’s just something. You seem like someone I would get along with an be able to talk to.”
Anna tilted her head. “The guitarist from Chasing Cross wants to talk?”
“Who do you think I am, Johnnie?” Davey teased.
Anna smiled and blushed.
He didn’t like dropping names, but it always worked. Little did Anna know, Johnnie was head over heels for a woman he met in a café.
“I’m going to say something,” Davey said as he stood up. “I don’t want you to freak out the second you hear it, okay?”
“Okay.”
Davey stepped towards Anna. He could smell her. Beyond the scent of the restaurant there were subtle hints of a fruity shampoo and a gentle perfume. Davey’s senses were excited. Sensations shot straight to his head, his heart, and someplace else.
“Come to my room,” Davey said. “There’s tons of room. I’m not asking you to sleep in a bed with me or anything, Anna. I have full room service, bar service, whatever we want.”
“To your room,” Anna said. “And I’m supposed to just go like this?”
“She has a change of clothes in her car!”
Davey saw another waitress standing at the bar, holding a light blue drink with a skinny red straw in it. She looked like she had had too many wild nights in her life.
“Debbie,” Anna called out.
“Thanks, Debbie,” Davey said, smiling. He looked back to Anna. “So, you have a change of clothes?”
Anna closed her eyes. “Yes.”
“Is it just clothes or a bag or...”
“It’s an overnight bag, okay? I... just in case.”
This was exactly why he needed her to come with him. Beyond her beauty and beyond the deathly stare from her perfect eyes, she had something inside her that just called to Davey.
Maybe they could talk to each other.
Maybe they could relate to each other.
Maybe they could...
more
...
“Free drinks,” Davey said, inching closer. He touched Anna’s wrists with his fingertips. “Free drinks with the guitarist from Chasing Cross. And you never know, maybe some of the band will pop in too.”
Anna stared at Davey. Davey smirked.
“That’s not fair,” Anna said.
“What’s not?”
“Using your rockstar status to get me to come with you.”
“But you’re coming, right?”
Anna blushed and nodded.
(8)
Whirlwind was the best word that came to mind for Anna. From the second she retrieved her overnight bag from the backseat of her car to passing Debbie at the bar (who tipped her glass towards Anna and winked) to being escorted out of the restaurant into a black car that drove them to the hotel, to finally, having Davey slide the credit card sized key into the hotel room door, Anna felt as though she was holding her breath.
It was the biggest hotel room she’d ever seen, something she couldn’t afford, even in her wildest dreams.
Davey put his hand to the small of her back and didn’t take it away as he guided her around the room. It looked more of an apartment, something that reminded Anna of her first apartment right after she graduated college and started working as a substitute teacher.
There were defined rooms for a living room, a small dining room that connected to a kitchen, and then, of course, its own bedroom. From Anna’s perspective, the place was massive for a hotel room, but as she looked around, seeing three guitars, and seeing how settled Davey appeared to be there, she realized the place was home for Davey.
Or at least today’s home.
Whenever Chasing Cross would play their next show, he’d have a new home. Then another. Then another. And then another.
Anna clutched her overnight bag tight, holding it to her body. Davey moved to the kitchen and found two glasses and offered Anna a drink.
“Why not,” Anna whispered as Davey already started to pour the amber liquid into the glasses.
He handed Anna the glass and tapped them together.
Anna sipped the whiskey, her face puckering from the intense burn. She put the glass down and said, “How about a beer?”
“Fair enough,” Davey said.
When he turned and opened the fridge, Anna caught herself studying him. The wideness of his shoulders. His height. His messy hair. When he turned and twisted the cap off the bottle, Anna saw him from the side. His face and features were like a cut out. A chiseled silhouette that could walk, talk, and be touched.
Anna took a big drink from the beer bottle, realizing that she could find herself in trouble before the night’s end. Good trouble, but still, trouble.
“Can I ask something?” Anna asked.
“You can asking anything you want,” Davey said.
“Why are you here?”
“Here? The hotel? Or here... as in life?”
Anna smiled. “The hotel.”
“Well, we had a couple shows this week...”
“Shouldn’t you be on the move then?”
“The tour is on a break,” Davey said. “We take breaks here and there and Rick broke his arm.”
“That’s not good,” Anna said.
“No. But that’s Rick. He’s the wild one.”
“That still doesn’t answer my question. Shouldn’t you be on a plane or something? Flying to a warm island?”
“You would think that,” Davey said. “But as for now, I’m right here. And that’s okay with me.”
“Because of you girlfriend?”
“Ah, playing my card, huh?”
“Just asking a question.”
Anna started to feel a little more relaxed. Her body was tender and sore from working and she continued to catch whiffs of herself, knowing she needed a shower.
“Anna, I won’t lie to you,” Davey said. “Okay? But that doesn’t mean I have to share everything right now.”
Davey moved towards Anna, his hand touching hers on the counter that separated them. Anna looked at Davey’s big hand covering hers. His left hand. The hand that moved along the neck of a guitar, creating his famous music. That hand was touching Anna’s right hand. The hand she used to write with... to take food orders... to carry food trays... to help students draw or paint.
It just seemed like such a strong contrast between them.
“Do you trust me when I say that?” Davey asked, his voice almost like a whisper.
Anna nodded. “Yes.”
“Good. And I promise you, I’m single.”
Anna’s heart jumped and started to pound within her chest.
“So whatever dirty thoughts you were thinking...” Davey winked and pulled his hand away. He did so slowly, making sure the tips of his fingers lingered on Anna’s hand.
Anna looked down and saw that Davey purposely kept his fingertips touching hers.
“I need a shower,” Anna blurted out. “Right now.”
“Okay. Bathroom is behind you, first door you see.”
Anna looked at Davey, almost tempted to make a flirty comment.
Don’t peek on me...
Want to join me?
I’ll be naked, and wet...
Anna turned as her cheeks were on fire.
She felt herself shaking as she walked.
She was in the hotel room of Davey from Chasing Cross.
And now she was going to take a shower...
in the hotel room of Davey from Chasing Cross.
**
Davey watched Anna walk away, this time able to enjoy the sight without remorse. Nobody was there to look at him or judge him. He had a little whiskey in his blood and a beer, and while it didn’t do much, thanks to his years of living the rockstar lifestyle, it still felt good to feel something in his blood other than coldness and hopeful regret. Staring at Anna’s backside and her hips as they danced a sexy
tick-tock
dance had Davey gripping the edge of the counter in the kitchen, ready to break it apart. The sexiest part of the entire thing was that Anna had no idea what she was doing. Her body just looked and moved that way naturally.
By the time Anna disappeared into the bathroom and shut the door, Davey was ready to go. He was so turned on, he put his head down, shut his eyes, and growled. Again, this feeling was something he wasn’t used to. He wasn’t used to actually caring about someone who he brought to his hotel room. And he wasn’t used to waiting. By now, under different circumstances, they’d be in bed, rolling between the sheets.
With Anna... it wasn’t just that. He told her it wasn’t about that and he meant it. Sure, he wanted Anna in bed, but he wanted to hold her. He wanted to touch her, everywhere, and let his fingers glide along her curves and caress her skin. He wanted his lips to taste her lips, to memorize her tongue, and he wanted to get lost in her eyes.
But a part of Davey didn’t want that for only one night.
No.
One night would be amazing, but it would be temporary. And it would hurt him. To see Anna walk away and know it would never happen again would hurt so bad.
Davey put the glass of whiskey to his lips and finished it off. It was probably the equivalent of two very big shots, but Davey didn’t care. He knew if Johnnie was there, he’d have a shit fit about it. And he respected it, but at the same time, Davey wasn’t the one who did dumb things like get lit and drive a car. He winced at the mental jab about Rick, but Davey planned on staying put. He had no reason the leave the hotel, as long as Anna stayed there.
He heard a knock at his door and felt his heart sink.
His first reaction was
shit, it’s Cassy
.
The last thing he needed was to have Cassy show up, especially so damn late. What if she brought the baby? Davey hated the idea of putting Anna in such a delicate situation.
When he opened the door and saw Danny standing there, holding a guitar, he sighed in relief.
“You scared me, man,” Davey said.
“Why? Did you think I was another woman with a kid?”
“That’s not funny. Not at all.”
“I’m not a funny guy,” Danny said. He pushed his way in.
Davey shook his head. Danny looked like Johnnie, sometimes way too much like Johnnie, the only real difference being their height. But what Danny lacked in a few inches he made up for in attitude. He was the bad boy rockstar, quite often mixing with Rick’s wild side as a rock n’ roll toxin.
“Let’s write some tunes,” Danny said. “I’m bored.”
“Bored? We just played a show last night. Where’s Chris and Rick?”
“They went out for the night,” Danny said. “I didn’t feel like going.”
Davey saw the slight look of jealousy burning in Danny’s eyes. Tonight was probably supposed to be one of those nights where he and Johnnie would hang out and write. But Johnnie was far away, in the company of Jess.
“Well, I’m sorry Danny...”
Before Davey could finish his sentence, the water in the bathroom turned on. Danny’s head twisted and he pointed to the bathroom.
“Who’s that?”
“Nobody,” Davey said.
Danny looked around the hotel room, his eyes getting wider by the second.
“Don’t say a thing,” Davey said. “I don’t want to hear it.”
“I don’t see any baby stuff,” Danny said. “No stroller. No diaper bag. No smell of baby food and shit...”