Simon: Rockstar Romance (The ProVokaTiv Series Book 3) (15 page)

I had an unexpected Skype from my mom, something she rarely did, always saying that I was so busy that she didn’t want to interrupt me. It made me believe she had something on her mind, but she was never one to just cut to the chase. I waited, wishing to high heaven that she’d just say it. Finally she eased into it.

“This Jessie you’re working with is quite beautiful. From all the pictures I’ve seen, it looks like you have a very nice friendship started, Simon.”

I laughed. “Yes, she is nice and we do have a nice friendship.” It was too much fun to hold back, so I just took advantage of this little game and delighted a bit in listening to Mom struggle. Sometimes if I held back too much she’d drop whatever topic she’d been fishing for, saying that I was exasperating, and other times she pressed on. What would today be?

“How did you two meet again?”

“She’s friends with Brynn and Trinity,” I said. I really didn’t know if that meant anything to her or not. It probably did. She was always checking in on what the cyber world said about the band, especially me. At times, my sterile disposition had horrified her, but then Hunter would surface doing some bizarre thing, making her thankful for my more solemn approach to life.

“And they date Gauge and Hunter, right?”

“Yes.”

“So…” She drew the single word out and hung it out there to me like I was fish and the word was the bait.

“So…” I mimicked.

“Oh, you’re impossible. Just like your father.”

“Mom, she’s great and this festival is coming together wonderfully. It was a great idea, part hers and part mine.”

“From the stories, you two are making a good team. People have hinted in feedback on the Facebook page that you two look like maybe…”

I cut her off. “Maybe we’re just good business partners, and friends.”

A soft scraping noise from behind me caught my attention. I turned to see a black thing on the floor, just on the inside of my door. “You okay?” I heard my mom ask.

“Fine, someone just slid something under the door.”

“Be careful, it could be something dangerous, Simon.”

“I’ll be careful, but Mom, I really do have to go. The show’s tomorrow and the guys will be arriving in a few hours and we have to rehearse and do a complete walk through for the concert.”

“Okay, well I’d tell you to call me when it’s done, but I know you won’t.”

“But I will call when I have time,” I said. “Bye Mom. Love ya”

“Love you, too, honey.”

As soon as I clicked the hang up button, I was on my way over to the door to see what it might be, maybe something from the hotel. I picked it up and looked at the cover and shook my head, softly saying, “Not all things need to be eradicated; some need to be explored, Proposal by Jessie Martineau.”
What’s this about?

I dropped into the chair by my computer and began to read so fast that I could barely process the words. I had to reread each section several times. Holy shit, was this wild. Was I interpreting this right?

I don’t know how she’d come up with it, but it was pretty damn brilliant to find such a way to appeal to me. Jessie did get me and I knew that my worrying about me being too harsh or abrupt for her maybe wasn’t as necessary as I’d thought it had been. By not exposing her to that, I thought I was acting like a gentleman, but it wasn’t delivering a satisfactory conclusion. There was no keeping my hands off her or my thoughts pure when I was next to her, and when she wasn’t next to me, I was thinking about her constantly.

The largest grin spread across my face and I couldn’t stop it, even though my face was starting to hurt.  This proposal was seriously so cool, so clever and thoughtful. I’d never imagined that a woman would do something so bold, finding a manner that spoke to me loud and clear. There was no mincing her words or intentions with that proposal and I didn’t have to think twice about it. I was in!

However, I also had that competitive side and no way was I going to be one-upped. Nothing short of a grand gesture to respond to Jessie was in order. We wouldn’t be seeing each other today because Brynn and Trinity were in town now and she’d be busy with them. I’d be busy with the bands, but also with Dominic preparing a few last minute details. Dominic! That’s who I needed. When that concert came tomorrow night, we’d have to make room for one more event among the many. I couldn’t wait.

I was bursting and it was time to confess. “Guess what I did?” I said, looking at my two besties who were sitting across from me with a suspicious grin. We were in the hotel room, Trin and Brynn on the couch, me the chair next to it.

“Kissed a girl and liked it,” Trinity said.

“Haha, real funny,” I said. “It’s bigger than that would be.”

“Bigger? Hmm…what makes Jessie Martineau go bigger,” Brynn said, leaning in and putting her hands on her knees. Then she got back up and took a sip of her wine. “Aha, this has something to do with a guy, I think. It’s not a ‘new idea to save the world’ type of expression you’re wearing, it’s a different type of passion.”

“Maybe,” I said. “Come on, guess.” I took a sip of my wine, which felt like medicine to calm my jumpy insides. Simon had seen what I’d done by now, I knew for certain, but I hadn’t seen or heard from him. I wanted to be cranky with anxiety, but I had brought the situation on myself.

“Simon and you got married and adopted all the kids at the orphanage,” Trinity said.

I rolled my eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“You’re asking us to guess something that you think is beyond anything you’d ever do. I figure if I throw any shit out there that you’ll finally get sick of it and ‘fess up,” Trinity said, slamming the rest of her wine.

“Good plan,” Brynn said. “I’m going to go with joined an African tribe as their goddess of medicine—the blonde with mysterious ways.”

“Fine!” I said. I jumped up and banged my knee on the coffee table in front of me, which hurt like hell, but my desire to share what I’d done trumped the pain. “I sent Simon a business proposal.” The dull looks on their faces made me realize that I had to elaborate quite a bit. “It was a proposal talking about why we’d be a good couple and telling him I loved him.”

“Whoa! You love him?” Trinity asked, her jaw dropping. “Damn, you move fast girl.”

“He said it first,” I countered.

“He did?” Brynn asked. “He actually said he loved you?”

“Yeah, after the rainforest thing,” I said.

“Funny that you forgot to mention that on our Skype the other day,” Brynn said, raising her eyes. “What did you say after he said that?”

“I didn’t answer at first, but I did afterward, behind the bush.”

“Is that metaphorical for pussy?” Trinity asked.

She was so crass, but that did make me laugh. “We both said it then but haven’t since.”

“Have you had sex since?” Brynn asked.

I nodded my head yes.

“What did he say about the proposal, Jessie?” Brynn continued.

“Nothing, we haven’t seen each other. Won’t until the concert.”

“I’m looking forward to this concert more than ever,” Trinity said. “There’ll be a whole lot going on.”

“Yeah,” I took another sip of wine.

“Jess, that is really cool,” Brynn said, her eyes sparkling a bit. “That idea is so Simon. I don’t know how you came up with it, but kudos.”

“Hey, how did you come up with that?” Trinity asked.

“I was on the treadmill and saw something about someone considering a business proposal. It just sort of sprung to life, I guess.”

“Well, I can’t wait to see how it plays out today,” Brynn said.

“Maybe nothing will happen today, who knows,” Jessie said. “Today is about the concert. You’re going to die when you see all these cute kids doing their parts of the show. And the information we got to share on Ebola—it’s great, really good stuff.”

“So your goal of your professor eating crow will be fulfilled,” Brynn said.

“And then some,” Trinity added.

“Let’s toast to that!” Brynn raised her glass.

We clinked goblets, mine already nearly empty. I’d better stop drinking my way out of my case of nerves. I had to get ready. No way did I want to be hungover now that the day was finally here after a whirlwind couple of months. I just hoped I’d still feel like it was all worth it when it was over.

Performance after performance went out without a hitch. Everything about the show was going brilliantly, but my nerves were building. I’d managed to avoid Jessie the entire day, certain I’d jump the gun and blurt out my response if she were even within a twenty foot radius. Even now, I’d managed to position myself off to the side of the stage opposite from Jessie. Every once in awhile we’d make eye contact and smile, but quickly turn away. I’ll admit, I could almost sense her anxiety over not talking to her about what she’d given me, but soon enough, she’d know my response. I had to remember that.

As I watched Jessie standing next to a reporter, answering questions, pride surged through me. She was so poised, like she’d been doing this her whole life. And I knew she was looking straight into the camera, drawing people in with that incredible smile of hers and her genuine enthusiasm. God, she was amazing.

I was startled out of my Jessie-induced reverie by a tap on my shoulder.

“Simon, hi.” It was Brynn, with Trinity at her side.

“Hey,” I said, hugging them both.

“Excited?” Brynn asked.

“Yeah, all this work, but it’s paid off. Good for Blaze Line and for Jessie, too. We’re all winning.”

“Winner,” Trinity said in an odd voice.  Who was that, again? Oh yeah, some SNL character, I think.

The two beamed at me and I smiled back. Had they caught me staring at Jessie? Did they know something was going on? Maybe, but they wouldn’t be in an elite group of people for long. And I knew they didn’t know what I had planned. Only a handful of people knew about it, including Dominic, the stage manager, and the audio manager.

“Well, gotta roll. See you later,” Trinity said, and as the two left me there in the wings, I heard them laughing as Trinity said, “Yeah, I think he’s got it bad.”

I couldn’t argue there.

Two hours later, right before ProVokaTiv would play our new single for the first time, I was scheduled to come out and thank everybody. But that wasn’t the biggest announcement I had planned anymore.

As Paradigm left the stage, I walked out onto it, smiling and waving to the audience under the glare and heat of bright stage lights. Everyone was screaming and cheering, a combination of my entering the stage and for compliments to Paradigm, who’d really rocked it. They were definitely a great find for the label and they’d made their presence known with the concert in a big way. It hadn’t been my intent to try and outshine their performance, but I was also set to make my presence known at this event, in more ways than one.

“Thanks for coming,” I said. “What do you think of Eradication Festival so far?”

Everyone screamed.

“We have people here from every continent, forty-plus thousand people in the venue and others watching outside in tents. All here for a common cause—to bring awareness to and eradicate Ebola.”

Everyone screamed again. I waited for the crowd to quiet, lowering my hands to signal that’s what I wanted. Once that happened, I said, “But I must confess. I also have a different agenda here today.”

The silence was almost deafening after that.

I glanced over at Jessie, who was looking at me with confused curiosity, herself. “I need to have a very special woman come out here, Miss Jessie Martineau.” I turned toward her again and the cameras went to her, making her image appear on the large screens behind me as she stood there, shaking her head no. She had no choice, though. I’d see to that. I started chanting her name repeatedly and then everyone else did, too.  Finally Trinity gave her a very encouraging shove and she came out onto the stage.

The look she was giving me was one of horror and nerves all wrapped up into one. I extended my hand out, encouraging her over. When she got to me, she whispered, “What are you doing?”

“Showing the world who the inspiration behind this is,” I said, smiling at her.

I turned back to the crowd, “This is Jessie, the heart and soul of this festival. Let’s all give her a big round of applause.”

Everyone started clapping and she turned that sweet shade of crimson that she always did when she was embarrassed. We were still holding hands and her palms went clammy.

“First, I need Jessie to turn around.”

She looked at me and turned around, staring at the blank screen. A video message from her professor, Richards, the catalyst behind her determination, popped up. “Congratulations, Jessie. This is hands down a winning idea. I admit when I’m wrong, and I was wrong. Can’t wait to see you at graduation.”

I smiled at Jessie and she jumped up, hugging me tightly and then jumping backward, and jumping up again. “Thanks,” she said, her eyes sparkling.

Her reaction made me smile. That wasn’t all. “Why don’t you share a few words, Jess,” I encouraged, paying no attention to her obvious nerves.

She looked at me and her excitement quickly turned to disapproval, her nose wrinkled up and she shook her head no. I leaned in and whispered, “You’re still beautiful even when you disapprove.”

She let out a small laugh and relaxed. Then she took the microphone and I stood next to her. As soon as she started talking in her sincere, unrehearsed manner, I quickly turned my head and nodded to the stage manager. He gave a thumbs up and put the presentation up on the screen behind us.

Jessie finished up what she was saying and people in the crowd were saying, “Aww,” and giving loud hollers. Then they erupted into wild applause for her and I put my hands on her shoulders and had her turn around.

There on the screen was a picture of her with some kids from one of the day’s outings we’d had this past week. She looked at me. “What’s this?”

“Just watch,” I said. I turned to the crowd and said, “I hope you’ll all indulge me and watch this.”

Loud voices boomed out their approval and then everything grew very quiet. All eyes were on the footage, except mine. Mine were on Jessie’s face as she watched. She didn’t take her eyes off the screen, though she fidgeted nervously with her fingers as she watched all of these scenes that had been captured of her this past week unfold for the world to see. There were pictures of the two of us in there as well, many that I hadn’t realized were being taken, pictures Dominic had rounded up that I was seeing for the first time, too. These pictures were the story of our lives together thus far and hopefully just the beginning.

Then the screen faded and I looked back out to the crowd and took the microphone in my hand and said, “And that is why I like doing business with this woman, and why I love her.”

Everyone started to scream and I looked at Jessie, who was staring at me with her mouth wide open. I put the microphone down and went up to her, hugging her tightly and whispered, “So damn much I can’t grasp it.” Then I leaned in and kissed her with all the love I had at that moment for the world to see. That was how I chose to enter into what she proposed.