When I Look to the Sky (42 page)

Coming Soon

Feel Like Makin’ Love

Book Three in the Rock and Roll Trilogy

Directional Change

He couldn’t sleep. His mind was running in too many directions… His thoughts, such vivid pictures in his mind that he could feel them… his life flashed like the frames on a jittery old-reel-movie.

He saw his dad as they played ball in the yard when he was a boy. He could feel the keys on the piano as Phyllis’ soft, delicate fingers lay over his own, showing how to lightly touch them. He saw Nathan as they developed a high school friendship, and Dina, and all that he had shared with them over the years.

He felt the microphone in his hand the first time he took the ‘stage’ that Nathan’s dad had built in their family’s garage. He smelled the smoke and stale beer that the clubs they played in reeked of. The music bug bit him hard. He saw Nathan back away to give more of himself to his family. He saw the other guys do the same as time passed. He lived life on the road for too many years, and as much as he loved it, he realized that he’d allowed it to cheat him of far too many things.

And he saw his ‘Bethy.’

He remembered the sound of her laugh when he walked in the room the night he met her, so many years ago. He inhaled and smelled the scent of her. And then, he felt the whoosh of air that you feel on a scary ride, thinking of Matthew’s words; “That was some kinda ride you took her mama on.” And he felt sad.

He felt exhilaration remembering the feel of her as he held her in his arms when they went to the GRAMMYs in 2002 – the moment his life was forever changed. He saw the words on the page of the book,
Rock and Roll Never Forgets
that he had written – “I think about what life brings, and gives, then takes away.”

And he thought about the last and best gift Beth had shared with him; Carlee.

What a precious gift he received when she came into his life. The gifts he’d received just by her being in his life gave his heart a jolt, and he felt happy. He loved her like he never dreamed possible. He saw the little red-haired girl grow up before his eyes. He thought about all they shared, what they learned together, and he remembered every stop on their trip through Europe. He remembered and the excitement she brought to him, by sharing the world through her eyes. He saw the beautiful, young, passionate woman, she’d become. He thought about Matthew, thought about the love they learned through conversation – long distance love, but he couldn’t imagine anyone who loved stronger. He knew Carlee’s passion for life was a result of the loss she’d experienced. He could see that love-look in their eyes from very early on, and thought about love-at-first-sight. She was married now, building a life with him in London.

And he thought about his life without her. He’d just turned sixty-eight; he knew that life held no promises. He learned long ago that you had to take chances, but after Beth, he’d kept his heart for Carlee. Now, he was ready to move on.

He didn’t want the type of relationship he’d shared with Adaleigh. He was ready for a woman who could be a friend, companion and a lover. He thought about Geni, sleeping just across the suite, in another room, and for the first time in many years, he was lonely. As he lay there, he heard her laugh and that rich southern-draw in his mind; found that he heard it often. He heard the conversation they’d shared that evening, rehashed her words in his mind. “Confused, but curious,” she’d said. He knew he was ready to explore something more. He thought about the first kiss, and her comment that she wanted another one, and the kiss they’d shared after. He knew they both hesitated, but he felt the desire to ‘see what happens’ from them both. He knew he had to take it so slow, there was so much to consider, but he knew he wanted to take another step.

He’d sure had a journey to look back on.

~ ~ ~

His phone rang. He looked at the display, but he knew it was Geni. The clock read 4:10.

“Andy, I just wanted to make sure you were awake. What time is the driver taking us to the airport?” she asked.

“Mmm hmm.” He wasn’t going to tell her that he hadn’t slept. “They’ll come up to help with our bags at six. I’ll call for coffee.”

They boarded the plane for Jacksonville at seven…

About the Author

Barbara S Stewart (7/13/1959) - Is a yankee-billy. She was born in Havre de Grace, MD, but raised a BRATS (you’ll find it in the book!).

Residing in Middleburg, FL with her husband, Gene, they
share their home with a fat cat named Kooky. She’s worked in the electronics industry, and most recently in healthcare. In 2009, she was awarded the American Cancer Society’s HOPE award for volunteerism.

She writes
love stories, and the ideas usually evolve from music – a song she hears that ‘paints a picture.’ She refers to her writing as ‘the sound-track of her life.’ Sprinkled through her stories are humor and sadness based on experiences shared with family and friends. If you know her you may read something and think, ‘is that me?’ You never know… She loves books by Adriana Trigiani and Nora Roberts, and loves exploring new, self-published authors like her.

The third book in the
Rock and Roll Trilogy – Feel Like Makin’ Love
will be released later in 2013. She also has another work in progress,
The Face in the Mirror
that she hopes to release sometime in 2013, as well.

She loves to hear from
readers, and you can find her at:

http://barbarastewartwrites.com

email:
[email protected]

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Barbara-Stewart-Author/352239824808537

Twitter: bsswrites