One (Bar Dance) (17 page)

I heard Bray asking in my ears. “Who can hear me?”

I raised my hand as if I was in elementary
school. I watched Rand and Sam nod.

“From the top.” Bray said.

We went through each song three times. The first time through Sam would simply listen. The second time she would stand up and do a few steps. The third time she would come and move with me. Each time was better. Even I knew that. After song four I was done. Done as stick me with a fork done. I collapsed in a chair and pulled the head phones off. I knew that they were sweaty so I brushed them against my pant legs before I hung them over my leg.

I waved my hands in the air. “That’s all that you get from me today.”

Bray just beamed at me. “Give me a second.” He hit buttons and moved switches like a man on crack. Then sound came across the speakers in the room. Bray kept my eyes. Sam jumped up and was moving like a mad woman. Fifteen minutes later Rand grabbed me out of the chair. He twirled me around time and time again.

Bray finally stood and walked to Sam. “Can I put you on retainer?”

She smiled at him. “You going to pay me to have this much fun?”

He nodded. “A shit load of money.”

“Then I guess I have to forgive you.” She twirled one more time.

I laughed out loud. I didn’t think that I had it in me but I did.

It felt good.

No.
More importantly, it felt wonderful.

Chapter Twenty Two

I had taken my boards for RN today. I didn’t feel great about them. I don’t know if it was the test or the patient that had died in my arms almost a week ago.

An older co
uple who had adopted a child, they claimed came from Haiti, had been admitted. She was as white as snow and no way came through Haiti. She had come from somewhere far north of that. As in Uki-whatever used to be Russia. I had seen it before. Orphanage. Alcohol birth. Malnutrition. Papers said that she was almost two. She was probably four or more judging by how many teeth she had. She had been in the states for two weeks and I could still make out bruising. She had a cast on both legs and one arm. Bone cancer. The doctors had no clue what they were up against until she went in a coma. I held her in a rocker as she took her last breath.

It was probably the most uncomfortabl
e thing for her and me. Also a blessing in disguise. Slavery still existed. Just not openly.

Her new parents didn’t know how to act. Or more importantly how to re-act. This was not the child that they had met months before. Now she was dead and they had spent a couple hundred thousand dollars to get her here and she was gone. I
had been on a two day mandatory time off.

I was done singing.
Had been for almost a month. Bray was working on ‘mixing’. Yet another term I didn’t understand. I didn’t really care.

Ra
nd was great. Quietly consoling me about my patient. Keeping my mind and body busy so that I didn’t get too worked up about my tests. Yet still letting me study after work until bed time. If it wasn’t for him I would probably have forgotten to eat.

Now I was sitting in my kitchen with the TV on. A game playing in the background. It reminded me of Rand. So even though I didn’t care much for sports I had it on. I was seriously contemplating the merits of tequila over ice cream. The more I thought about it the better it was sounding. I looked at the clock
. Three seventeen. A little early to start on the hard stuff.

Maybe.
Or maybe not.

I was reaching for my phone to call Sam. She would be able to tell me if it was too early when it rang. That of course started me enough to make me squeal. I didn’t recognize the number but I answered anyhow.

“Terra?” A man’s voice that was familiar but I didn’t know why it was familiar.

“Can I help you?”

“Vince Ross. Bray gave me your number. Well actually my secretary did from all of the papers that she keeps track of.”

“Vince
?” I had no idea why he would be calling me personally.

“So I
seem to have taken you under my wing. Normally I would just have people take care of this. The PR dogs are going to descend and I wanted to give you a heads up.”

“PR?”

“Public relations. Photo shoots. Interviews. Shit like that. Your contract limits all of it. Almost blindingly so but we need photos.”

“I don’t have a lot of spare time Vince. I just happen to have today off because I took my boards.”

“Great. Great.” He said it as if he was shooing a fly from his face. “They have strict instructions to only call on your days off or after your work schedule.”

“I also painted my toenails purple this morning. I thought that would be fun.” I was testing to see if he was actually listening to me.

“Great. If they don’t adhere…”

I hung up on him. He wasn’t listening.
I stood up and had the ice cream out. Three scoops in the bowl when my phone rang again. I picked it up. “Vince.”

“Our call seemed to have dropped.”

“No Vince. I hung up on you. You were talking but you weren’t listening. Did you hear anything past purple?”

“Purple?” He genuinely sounded lost so I knew he hadn’t been listening.

“Boards?” I tried again.

He laughed. “Busted. But I have a good reason.”

“That would be?”

“The ass on the woman who walked past my car. I haven’t seen that great of an ass in ten years or more. That is saying a lot since I live in LA.”

“Thanks for the non-compliment to my ass Vince.”

“You have a dancer’s body. Great to look at but not near enough meat to grab on to.”

This surprised me. I saw him with pencil thin model types that had enough boobs, of the fake type, to give them back problems. “I would never have guessed you like a woman with meat on her bones.”

“I do. I just don’t get much chance to meet them.”

“Any-who.” I said. “Why are you calling me?”

“What are you doing this weekend?”

“Painting my toe nails. Purple I believe I told you.”

“Good. When I drag you off to a photo shoot you will at least have pretty toes.”

“Photo shoot?”

He huffed. “I knew the dumb ass would forget to ask you.” I heard a deep sigh. “People come in the
n gussy you up and take about five thousand pictures of you until you yell at them.”

I poured a double shot of tequila over my ice cream. “Great
.”

“I’ll have the driver pick you up at eight Saturday. We’re doing it at Bray’s studio so we can get the band too.”

“I’ll drive myself. Don’t send a driver.”

“No way Terra. If you drive yourself you can escape. I’ll have a driver…”

I hung up on him again. This time I shut my ringer off.

Rand came home and found me on the couch. I had my second bowl of ice cream on the coffee table. He eyed up the room. What was left of the ice cream melting on the counte
r with the bottle next to it. I was on the couch nearly asleep at six thirty at night. He quickly assessed the problem and fixed it. He made a quick protein shake and brought it to me.

I drank in groggily. Then I took the two ibuprofen that he handed me. He walked me upstairs and put me in the bathroom. “Get ready for bed.” He told me.

I stood there blinking at him. He chuckled and stripped my scrubs off. He sat me on the toilet. I did my thing and flushed. He stood me back up and took off his shirt. He put it on me did two buttons and put me to bed.

I think.

I didn’t really know since I think fell asleep on the way up the stairs.

Chapter Twenty Three

Sam agreed to meet me for the photo shoot. Rand insisted that he go with me. I was great with both of them being there. They felt like a shield for me. The three of us walked in with jumbo take away cups of coffee.

I knew that was unnecessary when I saw all the pastries and smelled the coffee. Another catered day.

Whatever. I wasn’t paying for it or maybe I was and just didn’t know it. Either way I didn’t care since it meant that I didn’t have to eat another hamburger for lunch. Not that I didn’t like hamburgers but…

Vince met us barely inside the door. I did the introductions backwards on purpose. “Sam this is Vince Ross. Vince this is Sam one of my best friends. She has been helping me here while I recorded.” I wanted him to know how important it was that she was here. I didn’t want her dismissed. “Your remember Rand, my boyfriend.”

Vince was a smart man and caught on immediately. I had not given him a title but the two with me I did. He moved so that we could all see the room. He nodded with his chin. How many people in this room do you actually know Terra?”

“Bray.” I scanned further. “Alice, Tony and Mike. I don’t remember if I was given their last names.”
I shrugged. “Nobody else.”

“I’ll introduce you one by one to the room then. Clockwise or counter clockwise?” He asked.

Sam was to my right, as she always was. Vince was to her right. “Counter since you are leading.”

I was introduced to two men and one woman. The PR team. A
fter Vince described their jobs I labeled them HR. Human resources was basically what they did. They seemed totally disinterest in me so I didn’t even bother to remember their names. Vince said under his breath. “The viper team.”

The next group was Alice, Tony and Mike. I was greeted warmly and got hugs from all three of them. The rooms feel seemed to change after that. I was warmer except for the HR/PR people. They seemed to get colder.
Definitely vipers.

Next were the Hall brothers. The oldest of the three did the introductions. “I’m the smart one. Those two I call dumb and dumber.”
They were all in jeans and t-shirts of varied color. Late twenties and good enough looking. Not Frasier good looking just good old boy looking.

I never did get their real names. Lastly was an older man. He looked in his fifties but he had laugh lines around his eyes. I had hope. He eyed me from top to bottom then back up. It wasn’t in a lecherous way. I didn’t feel invaded. Vince finally said. “This is Stubbs.”

I smiled at him. “The only one on my side, besides Bray, that doesn’t want to tour. I think I like you already.”

“You don’t want to tour?” He eyed me suspiciously. He was
graying with a moustache that came down to his chin and extended about an inch. He had on jeans that had seen better times ten years ago. His t-shirt was once black with some kind of insignia on the pocket about an eon ago. His mouth twitched but he tried to hide it. “Why don’t
you
want to tour?”

“I’m new to this crap. I have a new-ish boyfriend,” I pointed to Rand and smiled, “And a job that I love. Why wouldn’t I want to stay close to home?”

“You’re still working?”

I rolled my eyes and gave the head shake that clearly said ‘duh’. “I like to eat. I don’t work, I don’t eat.” Then I spread my hands, again showing the ‘duh’ sign, along with the head shake.

His mouth gave another quirk that he didn’t try to hide. “You and I are going to get along just fine little lady.”

Vince pointed over to another corner. “Those are makeup and clothing along with video people. I don’t even know them so we’re done.”
He left us with Stubbs.

I looked at Stubbs. “Do you know what I’m supposed to be doing?”

He looked at me. Really looked at me as if he was searching for the heart of me. He seemed to find what he was looking for. “You really are new to this aren’t you?”

I felt papa warmth radiate from him. He wanted to take me under his wing and guide me. I nodded to him. “Bray is supposed to be guiding me but he has gotten a little,” I was looking for a kind word.

“Been being an ass as usual.” Stubbs helped me out.

I wrinkled my nose. “Mostly. Vince is…”

“A shark.”

I smiled at that remark. “Other than that I have these two.” I pointed to Rand and Sam then I shrugged. “I have no clue.” I drug out the no as long as I could.

Stubbs eyed me up again. “You as good as they say you are?”

Again I shrugged. “I don’t even know the measuring system.”

He smiled a wicked smile at me. “Today you and I make it up as we go. You with me?”

“You going to stay with me?” I asked tentatively.

Stubbs threw his head back. Not only did he have a deep gravelly voice he had a laugh that melted my heart. It was deep and resonate. I was trying to figure out a song that I could add that sound to it was that good. He did a shrill whistle through his teeth. “We start now.” He announced to the room.

The hair, clothing, video people started objecting loudly. Stubbs stared them down. “Are you implying that she isn’t already drop dead gorgeous?”

I had on low rise jeans, black dancing shoes, a pink and I mean bright pink cami with Angie’s cover on again. I hadn’t returned it. Yet. I was thinking it may be a non-return borrow.

Bray walked to the four of us. “I was thinking of just putting on the songs and letting Terra sing. Only a few of you here have actually heard her live. I want the two One songs done with the whole band on film.”

Stubbs nodded at him. “I want the poison trio in the deep corner. I don’t like them and I won’t work if they are anywhere else.”

Bray gave a wicked smile. “I agree.”

I figured they were talking about the HR/PR viper crew.

Stubbs gave a short whistle and motioned to the film crew. The
y came closer. He pointed to the corner. There are going to be three there. Avoid it at all costs. Try to keep the board out of shots if possible. The focus is this one,” He pointed to me, “And this one is back up.” He pointed to Sam

The head photographer spoke. “Can we lose the covers?” She pointed to me and Sam

Stubbs answered for me. “First few songs, no. After that it’s up to her.”

I smiled gratefully at him. I wasn’t ready to bare skin yet. I was in a room full of people that I barely knew. I was also in a room full of mostly men with my man watching. I wasn’t ready to show that much skin.

“Five minute mark people.” Bray hollered to the room.

Stubbs saw me flinch. So did Sam. Sam grabbed my hand. Stubbs did one better. He wrapped me up in a hug and said with his gravelly voice. “You are the one that is in charge here no matter what anyone else thinks. You don’t like something, you stop. I have your back. I love the music. I hate the industry.
I have nothing to lose.”

I nodded against him and he released me. He then put his hands against my upper arms. “I mean it. You want the poison trio out of the room, tell me. You want Vince out, tell me.
”

I nodded and Sam grabbed my hand again, then released it.

“Go show me what you got kid.” Stubbs gave me a slap on the butt.

I heard a w
hirring sound as the mic’s got lowered and the music started. I smiled at Sam. She gave me a soft shove and I was on. Half way through the first song I stopped singing. Stopped moving. I looked at Stubbs and he gave me a nod. I turned to Bray. “Can we start over?”

He nodded and the music
paused. I motioned for Sam and she came to me. I whispered to her. “I’m nervous.”

She
looked at Bray and the music started then she started moving. “Just like at the bar, you and me. Find the one person and move.”

I did. Surprisingly it was Stubbs. I sang. I rocked. Sam rocked. And I was disappointed when the music stopped.
At some point I had shed the cover throwing it to the side. Sam had backed off somewhere. I hadn’t even noticed. I stood breathing hard. Covered in sweat. When I quit moving the room seemed cold. I would have started shivering but Rand was there with a towel and a water bottle. I walked to him and he wrapped it around me then pulled me to him in a tight hug. “You are so beautiful.” He whispered in my ear. “I think that I love you.”

I started.

“Not the quiet type that you just keep to yourself.” He kept whispering. “I want to tell the world.”

I somehow pulled my hands out of the towel and put them against his cheeks. His eyes told me that he meant what he was saying. I put my lips against his. “I think that I love you too.” I whispered to him.

He studied my eyes just as hard as I had his. “If I had a ring on me I would ask you to marry me.” He held my eyes still whispering.

“If you had a ring or if you didn’t I would say yes.” I said to him. Not whispering.

The room erupted in whoops and hollers. I looked around. Bray looked sheepish. “I have good acoustics.”

I planted my head in Rand’s chest. I pulled it back up. “Are we engaged?”

“Yes!” The room announced to me. I started giggling. I giggled hard enough that I couldn’t hardly breathe.

Alice came close. “Now we need to do the last two.
Drink up.” She looked around and I felt Stubbs come up behind me.

“I hear that these are really emotional.” He stated.

Alice nodded. “I usually mind my own business but I would like to be behind you with the two guys. You on a stool with the video on the four of us. Mostly you.”

I turned to Stubbs. He shrugged.

I looked to Bray. “I like it but I want it to be live with the rest of the guys.”

“I want my cover-up back on.”

A young-ish girl ran up with a shawl. It was black with gold-ish coloring in it. She also had an alcohol wipe rubbing the posts on a set of earrings to die for. Huge gold hoops. About twenty of them that twirled around each other. “I have a new cami in gold that would look great under this.” She pulled it out from under her arm and I took it.

“Excuse me for a minute.” I said to the room at large then I walked to the bathroom with Sam following me. It was one room. No stall. It didn’t matter to me.
Sam and I had changed clothes too many times to count in front of each other.

“You need food first?” She asked as my stomach rumbled.

“Definitely.”

“Thank God. I’m starving.
I think that you should wait to change though. What if they have ribs or something out there?”

I gave her a horrified look. “They wouldn’t do that to me would they?” I had a very bad habit of wearing anything that I ate. The messier the more of it that I wore. I have been known to have some in my hair if it was ribs or wings.

**

We walked out and found everybody in the foyer eating. Obviously we weren’t the only two that were hungry. Vince walked up to me with a plate. It had a few assorted salads and a sandwich. Two of them actually. “Can I have a minute alone with you?”

“No.” I said automatically.

He nodded. “Notice anything different about the grouping of people?” He asked quietly.

I started eating and surveyed the room. “I see a bunch of people that work together on a regular basis eating together. What’s to notice?” I backed towards a chair as Rand held out a water bottle towards me. “Thank you.” I said and took a large swig.

Vince had sat beside me. “They work randomly together. As in years between. Stubbs especially. He is one of the best drummers in the business. He won’t tour so he only gets studio time and not a great deal of that anymore.”

I looked to one of my newest friends. “I like him.” He must have felt me watching him. He turned his head towards me and winked. He was talking to one of the Hall brothers. Since I still didn’t really know their names I had no clue which one. I gave him a huge smile in return for the wink.

Sam had been waylaid by the girl who had brought me the new clothes. They were deep in discussion.

The poison trio were the only ones off by themselves. They had either decided not to eat or were already done since they didn’t have any food near them.

I looked to Vince. “I still don’t see what you do. What am I looking for?”

“Nothing important right now. So how do you feel about how today went?”

I gulped down the last bite of my sandwich. “I’m more worried about the last two songs. The other ones are fun, easy. Those two aren’t. I either do them right or fail miserably. I don’t see a middle ground on them.
” I paused and then added. “I haven’t done it with the whole band yet either. I don’t know how they will react to them.”

Stubbs
had come close. He just seemed to be there when I needed him. “Do you want to do a run through first before you sing?”

I just lifted my shoulders. “I don’t know what I need.”

He searched my face then looked around the room. He did his shrill whistle and motioned all the players towards him. “Our girl is worried about the last two. Who has an opinion?”