Adrian (5 page)

I
glance
over at Adrian as he gazes out the tiny plane window to watch takeoff. Pressure builds in my ears, and I yawn to make them pop. The guys are beyond excited about this opportunity. When we found out we had an all-expenses-paid trip to LA as soon as we could get there, I decided to stay with them to cut the demo. For all I know, this adventure will end with no deal, we can continue on with the way things have been, and I can avoid leaving.

Across the aisle, Aaron is tapping on his thighs as Aleck scowls, and I wonder how long it will be before Aleck grabs Aaron’s hands to make him stop. Nessa and Andre are a few rows ahead, and I suspect their heads are together as they dream big about a rock star career. My sister, who I had to force to sing with us months ago, has fallen in love with more than her mate. She’s in love with performing too.

I lean into Adrian as I say, “You’ve been quiet. Why aren’t you sharing your dreams for the fortune we’re going to make?”

“I’m afraid to get my hopes up.”

I gaze into his ice-blue eyes. “You don’t think we’re good enough?”

His brow knits, and I think he’s searching for the right words. After a few moments, he says, “You’re not into this one hundred percent, are you?”

I reach for his hand. “I’m behind you one hundred percent. You and your brothers are crazy talented. Even Nessa keeps getting better. But me?” I sigh. “This isn’t my dream, Adrian. I still want to be a doctor. I won’t leave you guys hanging, but if the demo turns into something more, then we need to start searching for my replacement.”

“I thought that might be what was going through your head.” He tilts my chin up with his finger. “Thanks for sticking with me. There isn’t anyone I’d rather have on this journey.”

He kisses me lightly, and I place my hand on his warm cheek. “I’m not going anywhere. I want a deal to happen for you more than anything.”

“I know, babe.” He puts an arm around my shoulders to pull me close as he speaks in my head.
“Ever hear about the mile high club?”

I chuckle imagining my large mate fitting in the tiny lavatory with me to have sex and reply,
“You go check out the size of the bathroom first, and then let me know what you think about that idea.”

“Buzz kill.”

I slap his chest, and he grabs my hand as I say,
“I bet we get a sweet hotel room with a big bed.”

“And a shower with endless hot water,”
he says.
“I really want you in the shower.”

Heat burns in the pit of my belly as I imagine the things we’ll do later, and Adrian shifts in his seat. “
This is going to be a long flight.”

Nessa has come down the aisle, and she says to Adrian, “Go sit with Andre so I can talk to my sister.”

He winks at me as his seatbelt clicks open. “I’ll check out the bathroom on the way.”

I move to his seat, and Nessa plops down next to me as she asks, “Mile high club?”

I nod. “Did Andre suggest the same thing?”

“Yes.” She rolls her eyes. “Brothers.”

“So are you nervous or excited?”

“Both, but that’s not why I’m here.” She frowns at me. “I want to know what’s up with you. Is your control thing really what’s making you anxious, or is it something else?”

I sigh. My sister and I are close, although since we both found our true mates, we haven’t spent much time together. We were roommates last semester, and apparently she can see right through me. But I don’t want to put a damper on her excitement, so I say, “I’m worried about my control, yes. And part of me doesn’t want to let you all down. I feel like I haven’t been putting time into my music the way the rest of you are, and I hope I’m not the weak link.”

Nessa shakes her head. “That’s my ball and chain. You’ve always played, but I never worked on my singing until recently.” She lets herself fall back, and the seat bounces. “But somehow Link wants us, so we’re going to have to let that go, aren’t we?”

“Yes. This is really important to the boys, and we need to do our best.”

Nessa sits up again and puts her hand on my arm. “It is. We don’t know what it’s like to go hungry, and I imagine that had to have done a number on their self-esteem.” She’s right. And I want to slap myself for being so selfish as she says, “So we’re giving it our all, right?”

I nod. “Right.”

Adrian is walking down the aisle toward us, and Nessa gets up before he gets to us. Adrian asks, “Get what you need?”

She winks at me and asks him, “Did you?”

He grins at her as he lets her by. When Adrian sits, he leans in close as he communicates telepathically.
“The bathroom’s too small, but we could do a little something under a blanket.”

“No way.” I tug my backpack out from under the seat in front of him and say, “I’m going to find a book to read, and you’re going to find something to do too.”

He sighs as he slouches down. “Fine. I guess it’s nap time.”

I reach my hand over to touch him, and he takes it to place it over his heart as I say,
“I love you, Adrian.”

“I love you too, Ginny.”

When we arrive in LA, a car is waiting for us. Nessa and I watch with amusement as the boys check out all the features in the limo. Aleck crinkles his nose at the exhaust that filters in when Aaron opens the moon roof and stands to stick his head out. Andre yanks him down. “What are you, ten?”

“It’s LA.” Aaron says, “I’m normal.”

Aleck says, “Rein it in. We want Link to think we understand what professional means.”

Adrian is sitting across from me and leans forward to take my hands as he asks, “We have a couple hours before the meeting. Should we hit the gym?”

I nod. Nessa is sitting next to him, and she asks, “It helps?”

“Yeah.” I shrug as I sit back. “Who knew kicking ass was my new hobby?”

Aaron asks, “You kicking Adrian’s yet?”

Adrian says, “She’s close. You don’t want to mess with my girl.”

Aaron holds up his hands. “Wasn’t planning on it.” He leans back and crosses his arms while pushing out his biceps. “I just want to know if she can fight off all the honeys that are going to want a piece of me.”

Aleck cuffs him on the head. “You really are ten.”

The car slows, and Nessa glances out the window. She says, “We’re here.”

I mutter, “Thank god.”

We step out, and plastic wheels clatter on the concrete tiles as two bellhops retrieve our luggage from the trunk. Nessa grabs my arm as she gazes at the gold-framed glass doors. She says, “Wow. This place is nice.”

A red carpet is laid out, and a man in a suit approaches us. He’s tan, and when he opens his mouth, his teeth practically sparkle as he asks, “Second Sound?”

I nod and extend my hand. “I’m Ginny.” I introduce everyone, and the man tells us his name is Sam.

He leads us inside and takes us over to the elevator. Aaron turns in a circle to check everything out before Andre grabs him and tugs him along with us. Sam says, “You’re in the penthouse suite. I’ve got four bedrooms. Is that correct?”

Aleck says, “Yes.”

The elevator doors swish open, and we step in. Sam swipes a keycard and pushes the button for the penthouse before he turns to us and says, “A car will be in the lobby to take you to the studio at four. You’ll get a tour and see where you’ll be recording tomorrow.”

He’s silent for a moment, and nobody says anything, so he reaches in his jacket to pull out a business card, which he hands to Aleck and says, “Call me if you need anything.”

We’ve reached our floor and step out into a small hallway that opens up to a large room with cream-colored carpet. A floor-to-ceiling window is straight ahead, and Aaron rushes over to it. The view is of city streets and buildings, but he’s enthralled. I glance around to discover there are two doors on each side that I guess lead to the bedrooms, and an opening that I think leads to a kitchenette. Sam places room keys on the glass coffee table, and I notice a large fruit basket.

Nessa says, “Thank you, Sam. I think we’ve got it from here.” The elevator doors swish open again, and the bellman rolls a cart in with our luggage.

I grab my backpack to find cash for a tip, but Sam says, “I’ve got it.” He presses money into the guy’s hand before he turns to us. “Welcome to LA.” He offers us his toothy smile before he leaves with the bellman.

When the doors shut, Aaron grabs an apple and plops down on the couch. “This place is sweet.”

Nessa says, “It is really nice.” She turns to me. “Mind if I work out with you?”

“Not at all.”

“Good, because now that we’re here, I’m getting nervous.”

Me too. My skin prickles as my bear hovers at the surface, letting me know I need to get physical, and soon. “I’m going to go change.”

I glance at Adrian, and he grabs our bags. I lead us to a room on the right while Nessa and Adrian follow to be beside us. It isn’t long before we make our way to the gym. Fortunately it’s empty, and my trepidation subsides because I know I’ll be able to spar with Adrian without strange looks.

Nessa hops on a treadmill for a jog while metal clangs as Andre adjusts the seat of a stationary bike. Adrian clears the area by the weights, and I bounce on my feet and loosen my muscles.

Our sparring session starts off easy as we both warm up, but I’ve been cooped up on a plane most of today, and I move quickly into fight mode. The more I do this, the easier it has become to let my warrior side out. The mild-mannered Ginny I used to be gets kicked to the curb as my bear takes over. The good thing about my polar bear mate is that he’s double my weight, and no matter how hard I hit or kick, he manages to take it. And usually he’s a bit faster than I am. But when I throw a roundhouse kick and follow it up with a quick jab, I take Adrian by surprise, and he staggers back.

I hop away from him. “Whoa. Sorry.”

He shakes it off. “Not a problem. That was good.” He waves his hand in a “come get me” motion. “Don’t stop.”

We fight a little more, but it’s apparent to me that I’m pushing his limits, and I get the better of my mate two more times before I stop. Sweat trickles down my face and drips off my chin. The whirl of the treadmill stops, and Nessa comes to stand by me. She says, “You really are supposed to be a warrior. I’m a little afraid of you right now.”

I am too. An unsettled feeling makes my stomach queasy, because I could have kept going, and a part of me wanted to make Adrian fall.
I wanted to win.
I paste a smile on my face. “Yeah.” I glance at Adrian. “I need a shower.” His eyes light up, and now my smile is real. I’m not sure what’s happening to me, and I’m going to do my best to avoid finding out for a little while longer.

T
he next morning
, even Aaron is quiet as we ride the elevator down to the lobby. Last night, we got the official tour of the studio and tested out the equipment with a few songs. We joked around, and it should have taken the edge off things, but I think everyone’s stomach is rolling with more than the sudden drop in elevation right now.

The limo is waiting for us, and we turn a few heads as we climb in. People tend to notice four men that reach seven feet in height with pale-blond hair and broad shoulders. When the door slams shut, I try to lighten the mood as I say, “You think they stare now. Get used to it, guys. This is the first step toward fame and fortune.”

I get a few attempts at a smile, and I glance at Nessa. She winks at me and opens her mouth to sing. “I’m a little teapot short and stout.”

I grin back and join in, but the guys just stare at us as if we’re insane. When we finish the song, I ask, “That’s not a childhood song where you’re from? Because there are cute little motions to go with it.”

Adrian says, “No. But now I want to see the dance.”

“Tell you what,” says Nessa. “If we get this deal, Ginny and I promise to teach you.”

Aleck starts to sing a song they do know. “Row, row, row your boat.” By the time we get to the studio, we’re singing in a round, and when we stop to get out, there are smiles on everyone’s faces. It imagine that some day the Lindquist boys will be famous and on some talk show where they’ll tell the story of singing children’s songs on the way to the demo tape that gave them their big break.

Noel meets us at the door. She’s dressed in a tight skirt and fitted blouse that shows off her curves, and when she stares at Aleck, her face flushes. She glances away and says, “Follow me.”

I nudge Adrian with my elbow and dart my eyes to Aleck. He’s staring at Noel as if she’s his next meal. Adrian raises his eyebrows at me as we follow her. She takes us to the recording studio, where Link meets us. He pours on the charm and assures us we’ll be great before he goes over everything we heard last night. Three of our songs will be recorded, and Aleck will sit in on the production. If all goes well, we’ll be on our way home tomorrow, and Link will approach the record label on our behalf. We should hear from him within a week.

I hoist my backpack over my shoulder. These days I don’t leave home, or a hotel room, without a change of clothes, and I was even clever enough to bring something that looks almost like what I’m wearing. Yesterday I scoped out a bathroom across the hall from where we’ll play, and everyone is on alert for the scent of my adrenaline so they can get me out before any of the humans see what’s really happening.

Our morning session goes well, but when we get to the last song, I’m struggling with a tricky section. I can’t seem to keep from going too fast, and after the fifth take, my bear is rumbling. When we attempt the song again, I know I’m hanging on by a thread, and Adrian stops us before I even get to the hard part. He’s giving me my break, and all would be fine except for the sound guy. He yells, “What the hell is it this time?”

Whoa. My reaction is almost instant, and I scramble to leave the room. Aleck has the door open when I get to it, and he yanks on the bathroom door for me too as Adrian shoves me in. I slam my shins on the toilet at the same time I realize I’m already a bear. With Adrian at my back, there’s no room for me to drop, and frustration makes me growl.

“Ginny?” I turn and face Adrian as fear takes ahold of me. What if anyone saw me?

I shift back to human and gaze at him. “Adrian.” I shake my head as tears fill my eyes. “Please tell me I haven’t ruined everything.”

He says, “No. We got you in here in time. We’ll say you’ve got some kind of stomach bug and had to get sick.”

I nod as I glance at the strips of shredded fabric at my feet. I really should look into buying stock in yoga pants. I take a few deep breaths to ensure I’m going to stay human. Adrian tugs me against his body by my hips as he glances around. “Tiny bathroom, but I think it could work.”

A smile on my face surprises me, and I lay my head against his chest to let the tears in my eyes leak out and dampen his shirt. “What would I do without you?”

Adrian tips my chin up and stares at me with so much love it hurts. “We’d be miserable, and I hope we never have to find out.”

When he kisses me, I welcome the connection of my true mate. But I’m afraid we might discover what it’s like to be apart, because I can’t do this to the band. I’m a loose cannon in so many ways, and they don’t need the stress of watching over me on top of trying to do their best.

Once I return to the session, I’m more relaxed. The lack of physical aggression allows me to play well, and we end on a high note. I think Link bought the sick story, because his eyes keep glancing at my stomach, and I guess he thinks I might be pregnant. I may go with it when it comes time to convince him a replacement for me would be a good thing.

I lean against the leather seat in the limo, and it’s firm on my back as Aaron fills crystal glasses with amber liquid. Link arranged expensive champagne to be waiting for us, and the goblet is cool in my hand when I take it.

I lift my drink and say, “To the most amazing group of musicians. No matter what comes of today, we recorded music in LA!”

We all take a sip, and bubbles dance on my tongue before I swallow. Adrian gazes at me and says, “This is going to be a great story for our children.”

I nod. As long as we leave out the part where mommy shifted in the bathroom. Aleck says, “Link was impressed. I think we really have a shot at this.”

Nessa says, “Me too. You guys really took it to the next level in there.” She turns to me. “Ginny, I know you think what happened was a big deal, but you played so well I’m sure they’ve already overlooked it.”

I smile at my sister and say, “Thanks.” I know I did play better than usual, and part of it is due to my new reflexes, but it’s never going to be enough if I’m a liability that could endanger werebear. The truth is, there’s a group of human hunters that would love to eradicate our kind, and being in the public eye is not a good idea for a rogue bear like me.

I take another sip of my champagne and ask, “What should we do to celebrate?”

Aaron says, “I’m going out to spread some love.”

I glance at Adrian, and he says, “Ginny and I are going to stay in with room service.”

Nessa says, “Noel told me there’s a great club near our hotel she likes to go to”--she stares at Aleck--“
if
anyone’s interested.”

He shrugs. “I could be persuaded.”

Aaron hits him as he sing-songs the next words. “Aleck has a girlfriend,” and then says, “Now who’s ten?”

Andre, Adrian and Aleck all answer him. “You.”

Nessa and I laugh as we pull into the hotel. When I get out of the car, I take a moment to gaze out at the lights of the city. It’s a far cry from our home back in Maine, and I think about how big disappointment happens in this town. But big dreams are realized here too, and I make a wish for my mate and his brothers before I turn to follow everyone inside.