Sing a Song of Love (14 page)

I looked at Jess closely, “You’re quite tipsy.  Think it
might be time to get you home.” 

“Mmmhmm and it feels really good!”

“Hey guys we are going to head back to the hotel, try and
get to bed at a decent hour.  Last concert tomorrow and then I promise you can
have a few late nights!”

They were refrained in their teasing as we left.  It had
been good to clear the air and in a few days, I was sure, Jess and I would be
ancient history.

Security was waiting for us outside and within twenty
minutes we were back at the hotel and enjoying the peace and quiet of our room.

“You can pay me more now that we can save on the expense of
two rooms!”

“Can I just and what will you do to earn that extra money?”

“Oh I’m sure I can think of something.  We kiwi girls are
renowned for our resourcefulness!”

Jessie was drunker than I had realised and was undressing in
the middle of the room and flinging her clothes for Africa.  It was a sexy
strip tease, though very wobbly and by the time she had gotten down to nothing
but her boots my cock was hard.  But I knew I was out of luck as she had gone a
weird shade of grey a few items ago and I had a feeling she wasn’t far off
talking to the bowl.  Right on cue she made a dash and I left her to it.

When it was all quiet I went in with a warm flannel.  She
was out cold on the tiles so I gave her face a wipe, pulled her boots off, and
picked her up and carried her to bed. 

The next day was agony and I cursed myself for going over my
two drink limit.  I hadn’t been a big drinker since my University years and any
more than six and I was toast as I had amply proved last night.  The last hour
was a bit foggy but I did vaguely remember ripping my clothes off to some song
that was playing in my head.  Thankfully Mack wasn’t too perturbed by my
drunken escapade and was enjoying paying me back for teasing him last night.

I lay back against the pillows to wait for breakfast.  I had
woken earlier to Mack ordering it and had been glad when I had heard the words
full cooked breakfast; just what I needed to get into third gear and make it
through today.

At some point over the next four days while we were taking
some time out I wanted to talk to Mack about us.  I needed to clarify what this
was as it was doing my head in not knowing.  Was it all over after Australia or
did he want to go the distance and see where this relationship took us?  I mean
I didn’t want him to propose or anything, but I did need to know we were on the
same page and his feelings for me weren’t just being influenced by great sex on
tap. 

Sometimes when Mack looked at me or murmured something while
we were making love, it wasn’t hard to jump to the conclusion that his feelings
were as strong as mine.  Then the moment would end and we would be back joking
and teasing or talking about work and I would wonder if I wasn’t reading too
much into it.  

It was so much easier in the olden days when there seemed to
be a natural progression of what came next in the courtship ritual; now days it
was all casual and fly by the seats of your pants. Sleep with the man and
figure out the rest afterwards!  No wonder the modern woman was stressed; you
needed a psychic ball to navigate the mine field of love. 

Or you could forego the status of being easy going and sit
the guy down for a serious talk! 

I had decided to go for option two as the first option was no
longer working for me.  Part of me was scared to broach the subject, as
depending on how things went, this could be a deal breaker.  And the end of my
time with the High Land Boys because if Mack saw no future past Australia then
I knew I wouldn’t be able to continue the tour.  It would be too hard drawing
out the inevitable and also it would put an end to us sleeping together.  Then
we would be back at the beginning, fighting the attraction, losing the battle,
and of course being miserable! 

It had taken a while to admit to myself the strength of my
feelings but I knew without a doubt that this was the real deal.  This was
love, the right sort of love.  And I knew this because I could even contemplate
living in Scotland or Timbuktu if it meant I would be with Mack.  What I
couldn’t imagine was a life without him in it. 

All I had to do now was figure out how I was going to tell
him this without freaking the bejeebers out of him.  I tried to put it out of
my mind and have faith that the words would come to me when the time was
right.  Also I was a great believer in denial.  Deny the need to do something until
it was absolutely necessary that you needed to do it.  Worked for me anyway!

I heard Mack closing the door and could smell the aromas of
the breakfast tray.

“This is going to save my day!  Hope my plate is loaded high
with grease!”

Mack smiled indulgently, “Sure is with doubles of hash brown
as they always work for me!”

We tucked in and all conversation stopped for a while.

“Have you ever been to Australia, Jess?”  Mack enquired
between mouthfuls.

“You going to think I’m really backward but I have never
left New Zealand!  I almost toured with a Kiwi band once around Aussie but at
the last minute the plug got pulled.  But I have been around the North Island
umpteen dozen times!”

“I hope you have a passport then!”

“Brand spanking new.  I almost considered roughing it up a
bit so I would look more like a seasoned traveller.” 

As usual it was never hard to fill in time with Mack.  Even
if we were abandoned on a deserted island for a month I think we would still be
chatting at the end.  I sighed and pushed away the remainder of my breakfast
and headed for the shower.  The worse thing about hangovers was they always
made me feel morose!

I felt better after a shower and almost fully restored by
the time I had brushed my teeth.  I definitely was not going to break my two
drink rule again in a hurry though.

Even though I had a hangover I felt more relaxed than I had
been in a while and I put it down to no weird letters for almost a week.  And
the fact that it was the last concert tonight and then we had ten days off.  I
was really looking forward to getting out of the city and eating some home
cooked meals. Goodness I was actually looking forward to cooking them as well. 
Anything to break out of the routine of hotel living.

The last concert went off without a hitch and it felt great
to be officially on holiday.  I grabbed my stuff and headed down to where the
boys were waiting.  They sounded excited to be on holiday as well and I could
hear them organising celebratory drinks.  I had a look around for Mack and saw
him talking to the roadies and wandered over.

“Are you heading out for a drink with the boys?”

“Was thinking about it? You keen?”

“No I’m dreaming about sleep.  Was a long day!  But you
should go and celebrate with them.  Lance especially will want you there.”

“You ok about heading back to the hotel on you own?  I’ll
organise one of the security guys to escort you all the way back to your room.”

 “Sounds good.”  I reached up and gave him a hug and
whispered in his ear, “You can wake me when you get home!”

“Was already planning on doing that!” 

Mack smiled down at me before giving me a long lingering
kiss.

“Almost wish I was coming straight home.  Text me when you’re
safely back to your room.”

With promises that I would I left with one of the security
guards, who escorted me to an unmarked car.  He opened the boot and told me to
drop my bags in, before he escorted me into the back of the car. 

Soon as I had discarded my handbag I felt naked as I no
longer had access to my phone.  I tried to laugh at myself but I had an uneasy
feeling and it seemed to be connected to the fact that it was the same guard
who bumped into me yesterday.  I shrugged it off and focussed again on my ten
days off!

There was something bugging me about the security guard’s
response when I had asked him to escort Jessie home.  He had said he would see
her safely back to
our
rooms.  It just seemed odd, as I hadn’t thought
our relationship status was known to anyone other than the High Land Boys and
Cam.  And even they didn’t know we had interconnecting rooms, though it
probably wasn’t hard to guess.

I put a call through to the head of security to see if it
was common knowledge, as my mind wasn’t going to let this go until I had
checked it out.  I knew how quickly gossip travelled so was thinking it was
probably an unprofessional slip of the tongue.

“Hello George, its Mack.  I have a quick question.  Is my
relationship with Jessie common knowledge with your guards?”

“Well its news to me but often I don’t hear what’s
circulating seeing as I’m the boss!  Why?”

“One of your guards just said an odd thing when I asked him
to escort Jess back to her room.  He said he would make sure she got back safely
to
our
room.  I’m probably over reacting but after the letters I just
wanted to check up.  Jess and I do have interconnecting rooms but I didn’t
think it was common knowledge.”

“Give me five to talk to the other guards on duty and I’ll
ring you back.”

By the time George rang back I was starting to panic as
Jessie wasn’t answering her phone.  I knew I was probably being irrational but
I couldn’t shake this feeling.

“Hi Mack, I’ve contacted the police as a precaution as I
spoke to my guys and they had no idea about you and Jessie.  Also I can’t get
hold of Pete, that’s the guard she is with, and they should be back at the
hotel by now.  It could be nothing to worry about but I have given the police
the plate number of the car and they have orders to pull it over if they see
it.”

“Fuck, I knew something was wrong.  Do you think Pete could
be the person behind the letters?”

“Could be Mack, but we did do full police clearance on our
guards and they all had clean slates.  We just have to wait and see.  They may
just be caught in traffic, though it is weird he isn’t answering his phone.” 

“Christ, I didn’t see this coming.  I hired you guys to
protect her and it sounds like the creepy bastard writing those letters may
have been one of yours all along.  I can’t believe this.”

“Mack, please try and stay calm.  It could all be nothing.  But
I need to go as I have calls to make and I need to mobilise our guys as well. 
I’ll ring you as soon as I hear anything.  Also can you round up the guys and
head back here as I want all available guards out looking for Jess.”

“Ok we will be back in ten and George, find her for me.  And
don’t let anything happen to her.” 

I felt like I had been soccer punched and could hardly
breathe.  Fuck why had I let her go back to the hotel on her own.  All I could
think of was Jessie, all alone, and how scared she would be feeling. 

I walked over to where Cam and the boys were waiting for me
and filled them in on the situation.  The colour drained from their faces and
they looked as shocked as I felt.

“Which guard is it? Fuck, this can’t be happening?” 

Cam looked grey and his face was conveying his need to deck
someone, which was pretty much how I felt. 

“Do you know a guard called Pete?”

“Yeah I was talking to him the other day and he was asking
all sorts of questions about Jess, but I didn’t think anything of it.  What an
idiot I am, it should have set off alarm bells considering the letters.”

“You weren’t to know Cam and anyway who would have thought
one of our security guards were behind the letters.  But we need to get back to
the hotel as we need to organise a search.  Do you know anything personal about
this guy?”

“Nothing, he was too busy asking about how I knew Jessie and
about our history.  I just thought he was interested as he liked the band. 
Shit, I am such an idiot.” 

Cam dropped his head into his hands and I could hear the
depth of despair in his voice.  I couldn’t go there otherwise I would break
down too.

“Ok Cam, get it together mate, we have to stay positive. 
Lance get Cam, Robbie and Josh back to the hotel and stay there.  I need to
know that you guys are safe.”

“Where are you going Mack?  I want to come with you.” 

Lance looked devastated and I pulled him to me for a hug. 

“I need you to take the others back, which is the best thing
you can do for me. Ok?”

Lance nodded and I was glad when they were safely on their
way back to the hotel.

I knew I had to keep busy otherwise I would go mad.  I
walked over to one of the guards and asked him if he knew Pete.  They had obviously
been filled in on the situation as he tried to reassure me that they had the
situation under control.

I roughly pulled him to me and read his badge, “Doing
nothing, Carl, is not my style.  Now what do you know about Pete?”

Carl looked shaken by my treatment but I was too angry to
care.  I needed someone to blame and the guards who had hired and worked with this
freak seemed like a good place to start.  If I stopped being angry, I would be
scared and I didn’t have time for that right now.

“He hasn’t been working with our company for long so I don’t
know him very well.  He tends to keep to himself.  Gem probably knows him the
best as they usually sit together at breaks.”

“Ok which guard is Gem?”

He pointed towards a tall guy with a beer gut and I walked
over to see what I could find out. 

“Carl says you knew Pete the best.  Anything he ever said
stand out that might help us find Jess?”

“I have already spoken to the police and told them
everything I could think of.  The main thing he talks about is his ex. 
Apparently she walked out on him for another man about six months ago.  He has
nothing nice to say about her and looking back maybe I should have questioned
his stability.  He was always ranting and raving about what he wanted to do to
her.  But I thought he was just acting like a scorned lover with all that bravado
shit.  The weirdest thing is he once showed me a picture of her and I remember
thinking at the time she looked a lot like Jess.”