Love Notes ((Book Two of the Heartbeat Series)) (13 page)

“Oh, that was Connor he is actually a friend of Thomas’s. He lives close by and we’ve become friends lately, I think he needs a shoulder to cry on. He really screwed up his past with a girlfriend. If you weren’t with Kent right now I would surely introduce you.”

“I will pass, and keep Kent. He and I are getting along great I just have to see how long he can hold out to have me sexually. I mean we do stuff, but haven’t done “it” yet. He says I am keeping him satisfied but I wonder.” Cecile was blushing as she spoke.

I had to let out a laugh and Jillian followed me with busting out a laugh and we both had tears in our eyes. I still couldn’t fathom how this beautiful, bright, bouncing babe Cecile was still a virgin.

“Hey don’t laugh at me…I once almost went all the way with a guy I loved, he was my world. I got cold feet and he took off for a roll in the bed with a random girl.” Cecile pouted.

“Sorry Cecile, I didn’t mean to laugh. You and Kent will get there! He likes you and I can see you like him every time you’re around him. When it’s right you will be jumping his awesome body for sure.”

“Thanks Madison, I just feel sometimes inadequate in the bedroom area as I haven’t had experience going all the way.”

“Cecile, I remember when I was first with Raeford, although I was with other men before, it was so different, he was so romantic and serious. I wasn’t sure how sex would be with him. But I will tell you girlfriend it is freaking awesome!” Jillian shared and then slowly licked her lips and smiled.

“Well girls, I am not going to kiss and tell about Rand and I.” I made the gesture that I sealed my lips and threw away the key.

“Oh come on Madison tell us something juicy! We live vicariously through your incredible life with the hunk singer,” Jillian requested.

Just when I was about to give them one small juicy bit from a moment Rand and I shared, I heard the doorbell chime.

“Well, saved by the bell! Cecile since you’re up do you mind seeing who’s there?” I asked her.

I was finishing pouring us another round of frozen Mojitos this time adding an extra pour of rum as we all were staying here and wouldn’t be driving or leaving any time soon. As I went back toward the kitchen I caught Cecile’s face of shock as she stood in the front hallway.

“Cecile you’re scaring me, who was at the door?” I asked nervously.

“Well it’s a very handsome, sexy looking older version of Rand and he is still out on the front porch and wants to talk with you Madison.”

“What?” I was now a bit tense.

I passed her and went to the door and as I peered out, yes most definitely I was looking into the deep blue eyes of an older fine-looking man. It was unbelievable as he looked like Rand only much older. I took a step out the front door to the porch, “May I help you?” I asked him.

“Madison Tierney, you are lovelier in person. I used followed your newspaper column. I am Paul Rand, Max’s father.”

The moment he told me who he was I felt happy for Rand that he came here to see him, but then suddenly I felt something horrible settle in my stomach. “Paul, Rand is not here, he is on tour for a few weeks. I’ll be happy to tell him you stopped by.”

“Actually Madison I stopped here knowing he was on tour.”

“I don’t think I follow you?”

“I came to talk with you if you would be so kind to give me a few moments of your time.”

I hollered back into the house to the girls that I would be back inside in a few minutes. They were already laughing so surely they were not missing me in their conversation. “So what do you need to talk to me about?”

“Madison can we sit a moment together out here on the porch?”

I nodded to him and we sat across from one another on the porch chairs. I was glad he did not suggest we go inside because I knew Rand would not want him stepping a toe into the door of his home. I stared at him for a moment taking in how he looked like Rand, or that this would be how Rand would age. I knew in the years ahead Rand would still turn the ladies’ heads.

“Well I read recently a few things. First about the horrible accident you were in. I hope you are getting better.”

“It was pretty awful but I am getting back to normal finally.”

“I also see that congratulations are due as I read you and my son are engaged?”

“Yes, we are. Although we haven’t set a date.”

“Well a beautiful girl he has gotten himself!”

“Thank you Mr. Rand, but I feel a bit uncomfortable talking to you while Rand is not here as this is his home.”

“Madison, please call me Paul and I don’t mean to make you uneasy. May I ask why do you call my son Rand?”

For a moment I was taking in the kindness in his words and although I felt odd sitting here with him it wasn’t like he was a stalker or bad man, his only faults were bad in the sense he left his family.

“I have always called him Rand. But Paul, I really need you to tell me why you have come here.”

“Madison I have watched my son for many years. I have watched him on the internet and heard him play. I will share with you that I left because, in our family, it seems to be a curse to venture into the music industry.”

“What do you mean a curse?”

“Well I came here to see you to warn you. My parents were both up and coming singers and they finally got a break in a nightclub and the first evening they were to perform to a packed crowd. They were killed in an auto accident as they drove to their debut. I was an only child. It destroyed me to have them taken from me. Although I know accidents happen, it seemed to reoccur years later.”

“I know it is none of my business why you and Rand haven’t talked but don’t you think you should share this with him?”

“Madison please let me continue as I may not get another chance with you to tell you. Years later I met Angela, my beautiful wife, my love and mother our twins Max and Ashley. Angela knew how my parents died and promised me that music would not invade our family. She knew I was scared that something bad would happen again. My wife Angela and her brother Maxwell dove into the music business and along with them, they brought my son Max even though I protested all the way to having him in that career.”

“Paul he is a very talented singer and musician. You should be proud of him.”

“Madison, my being proud of him comes with a price, the price of life. His music that became so important that again, it took loved ones away from me. My wife Angela got sick with cancer and then after one show, my daughter Ashley was suddenly and tragically taken. I don’t think anyone will understand that I can’t be a part of this and see more people die, see my son die.”

“Paul it is just a coincidence. Being a musician or a dentist, whatever your occupation is doesn’t necessarily make horrible things occur.”

“Madison when I read you were almost killed recently I realized it seemed more like destiny. If you could only get him to get out of the music business then perhaps good things would happen for you both, not tragic.”

“Paul I won’t ask Rand to leave his music. Wonderful things have occurred as a result of the music, we met one another because of his being in the band.”

“Madison I don’t want to take up more time, I just wanted to come see you and share with you why I can’t be with my son. I am not a horrible man, I am just horrified by what has been taken from me, so many that I loved and the one constant thing that tied them all together was music.”

“Paul I will tell Rand you were here when he returns, he should know about your visit.”

Paul started to get up and walked over to me. He leaned into me and gave me a sincere hug. “Madison, it was a pleasure meeting you. I hope I haven’t startled you, I just needed to tell someone that I don’t think the ending will be a pretty one if Max remains on course in the music business.”

“Paul I have listened to you, but I cannot agree with you.”

With that said he turned and walked down the porch steps. He did turn to say, “Max has done well in his life and I hope for everyone that he gets to continue for many years, but from my experiences it has all ended badly, tragically.”

I couldn’t comment. I thought about this bomb of conversation that he just dropped on me and my head was about to explode. I turned and went inside. My girlfriends looked at me puzzled. “You will never believe who that was and what our conversation was.”

I began to tell them that he was Paul Rand, Rand’s father and that he came to warn me that bad things will happen if Rand stays in the music business. Part of me wondered if this man was for real, but then again the pattern that followed him seemed to have a horrible track record. I worried about how I was going to explain this unannounced visit from Rand’s father to him. I would surely wait until he was back here and in person. There was no way I could begin to tell him over the phone. My list of “tell him” items was growing. There was my brotherly friendship with Connor and now my conversation with Paul Rand, and Thomas and his constant sly remarks. What is next?

“Ladies I need a drink.” I reached out and downed a full Mojito only it was frozen and brain freeze suddenly wacked me in the temples. I can’t remember how much we all drank but we did stay up very late and then finally took ourselves each into a different bedroom to sleep. Our home, actually that still sounds odd to me to say that out loud, our home here had many bedrooms so it was nice at times like this for them to be comfortable in one of the rooms. As for me, I lay in our bed and looked at the wall and saw the light illumination of the portrait “Embrace” that hung in front of the bed and wanted Rand’s embrace and that is what my last thought was before dreamland took over. In my dreams I heard music. It was the ring of my phone I jumped up and frantically moved in the darkness in the covers to find my phone and take the call. It was then that I heard a light serenade playing to me through the phone, and then it stopped.

“Hey, don’t stop playing, that was lovely. I love hearing you play for me live.”

“Love, I wanted to play you some music that would carry into your dreams.”

“Well I was just dreaming about you, I miss you so much. I am lying here in our huge bed all alone and wanting you.”

“I miss you too, but didn’t you have company tonight that you want to tell me about?”

I hesitated, there is no way he would know that Paul, his father was here earlier. How could he?

“Madison, you still there? The girls did come over tonight, didn’t they?”

I let out a sigh. That is the company he was referring to. I knew I would tell him about his father but right now was not the time. “Sorry I’m here, I was drifting to thoughts of you. Yes, the girls and I have had a great night. They loved your idea to come here and they are going to hang for a few days.”

“Madison, how is Jillian feeling? How is she handling things? I am sure you are helping her.”

“She is feeling good, hopping about and I went and picked her up so she didn’t have to try to drive yet. As for her mental state, she is hurting, missing Raeford and it’s a shame, and I hope they work it out.”

“He is hurting, he misses her and what could have been with them possibly having a baby. He will sort it out. I am glad you’re not alone. Our home can be very lonely when you’re the only one there.”

“Well Cecile is a hoot she brought in food and she is great to make any situation upbeat.”

“Well, I’ll call you tomorrow night with another tune to reach you until I can be back to you and inside you.”

“I’ll let you play for me at any hour. And inside me, I cannot wait. I’m getting excited just thinking of your coming home and coming home to me.”

I was thinking of taking this quiet, sexy moment to another level on the phone, when I heard some background noise of male voices that quickly changed my tone. “Well, I hear you have company…the band boys are back.”

“Yeah they are, so listen sleep well, I love you.”

“I love you too.” I closed my eyes and drifted back to sleep I was remembering in my mind Rand playing a tune over and over again.

The next two days the girls and I had great bonding time. Earlier today we went out shopping and even brought my mother along. Tonight though after we returned my mother to my old home to be with my uncle, our trio was just beginning to wind down, shopping really tires you out. I began to select some great wine from Rand’s bar and they were planning to cook Italian. Tomorrow the house would be silent again as they were going to leave. Cecile volunteered to take Jillian into the city as she mentioned she had an afternoon meeting regarding my
Rock Notes
book.

“Madison, let me take over the kitchen, I want to cook this last meal here as a thank you for having us,” Jillian said.

“Yeah, I will help Jillian get around in this huge kitchen, so Madison go pour us some wine.”

I took Cecile’s direction and as I was pouring the wine, my phone sounded. I glanced at the screen and saw it was from Connor. I thought I would call him back later after they left as lately he just called to say hello and see how I was doing. I wish I had another single girlfriend at the moment because he was definitely a catch.

Our last supper together was great. Jillian made Chicken Saltimbocca with linguine on the side and homemade cannolis. It was so good. Cecile actually stuffed the Italian cannoli shells with chocolate and vanilla crème. We also finished off several few bottles of Apothic Red Wine, one of my favorites.

“Madison we will have to do this more often. Or plan a girl getaway. I guess I will be back to work next week, still hopping along with this leg but at least I can do without the crutches.”

“Yeah this was a great few days but I have a ton of things to get rolling for the release of
Rock Notes
.”

“Thank you both for being here. I would have been scared to deal with Paul alone the other evening.”

“Have you told Rand yet?” Jillian asked.

I shook my head no. “I will though when he returns, I have a few things to go over with him. He has been calling me nightly to sing me to sleep.”

“Oh how dreamy,” Cecile said sarcastically.

I was so stuffed from the meal and the wine we consumed which put me out the moment my head hit the pillow. I don’t remember hearing any nighttime music playing to me this evening. I missed it but I was so tired that I must have fallen into a deep sleep quickly. As I turned in the bed, I felt the covers stuck behind me. I reached to pull them to cover me, and no go, even the light fabric sheet wouldn’t budge. I reached again and a tender stroke ran over my forearm sending a tingling shiver through me. In the silence of the night, I felt the warm lick across my neck and the shadow of the body climb over me. I did not freeze for fear because I knew instantly who it was, and I brought the arms in tighter to me, Rand’s embrace.