Craving Talon (24 page)

“Wha…?” My mom’s stunned expression says it all.
 

“I got paid today for the two recordings Talon and I did while we were in Phoenix last week.”
 

“And they deposited over one million dollars into your account?” I can tell she’s having a hard time comprehending what I’ve said, which is okay. I’m not entirely certain I understand it either.
 

“Something like that. It’s a ten ninety-nine thing, so I need to get with a tax advisor, figure out what I need to do tax wise, and a ton of other things as far as that money is concerned. I wasn’t expecting it so soon.” God, I’m rambling. “Look, the point is, I have the money now and once I have everything taken care of we can discuss some things. I’d really like you to consider moving to LA with me.”
 

“Oh, why? I love it here. I have a job, friends.”
 

“I know, mom, just think about it for me, will you?”
 

“Oh alright. Can we go shopping now?”
 

I laugh at my mom. “Yes mom, we can go shopping.”
 

It’s just before one when we enter Macy’s and I call Kyle.
 

“Hey gorgeous.”
 

“Hi sweetie. Couple things quick…”
 

“Absolutely, what do you need?” he says back.
 

“First, can we bump the sound check, or can the guys do it without me at four?”
 

I can tell he’s talking to Talon when the phone drops away from his mouth. “She wants to know if you can run sound without her, or if you can push it back?”
 

I can hear Talon’s reply, “Is she okay?”
 

“Yes, I’m perfectly fine. In fact I’m better than fine, but my mom and I are going shopping. I don’t know if I can make it by four.”
 

Talon comes on the line. “How much time do you need, angel?”
 

I smile. “Can we push it to five?”
 

“Of course. But you need to be here, otherwise I wouldn’t care. We need to run ‘To Be Free’ a couple times. So five is the last possible time. We need to be clear by six thirty.”
 

“I can definitely do five. And since you two knuckleheads have me on speaker phone, I miss you both.”
 

“Aw panda girl, we miss you too. So hurry up and come back to us.”
 

“I’ll be there soon, and guys?”
 

“Yes, gorgeous?”
 

“She knows…” I just let the thought hang there.

“Knows what, baby girl?”
 

“She knows about the three of us and that we’re all together.”
 

“Baby girl, you didn’t.”
 

“No, she guessed, and she’s perfectly fine. She can’t wait to meet both of you, so put your game faces on.”
 

“Oh shit.” I hear them both say and I can just picture their shocked faces staring at each other.
 

“I’m standing in the middle of Macy’s and I have plastic burning a hole in my purse. Can I please go shopping now?” I whine and beg.
 

It’s Talon who replies. “Only if you’re shopping with my plastic.”
 

“Ha! I got paid today. I have my own, thank you very much.” I laugh.
 

“Got paid?”
 

“Oh, let’s just say I got a call from the bank about thirty minutes ago asking me if I was aware of a one million dollar deposit,” I whisper into the phone. “Which of course I wasn’t, but…” I shrug despite the fact that they can’t see me.
 

“From where, baby?”
 

“Bold, it’s the payment for the recordings.”

“Oh, crap, that was freakin’ fast,” Talon says, shocked. “The boys will be thrilled, they can get paid too.”
 

I laugh. Then whine, “Can I pretty pretty pretty please go shopping now?”
 

Talon and Kyle both laugh into the phone. “Have fun, baby girl, be safe. Stay close to Beck and Rusty.”
 

“Aren’t they supposed to stay close to me?”
 

Kyle laughs. “You know what I mean. Happy shopping, love,” he tells me
 

“See you soon, angel.”
 

We hang up. I look at my mom who is already piling up clothes for me to try on. I walk over to her, grabbing the stack. “I think you’re the one who needs a new wardrobe, not me. Come on.”
 

I hand the pile of clothes to the clerk and I take mom over to the woman’s section.
 

“Addie, I can’t let you spend this kind of money on me,” my mom says as we’re standing at the register with more than a counter full of clothes.

I put my hands on her arms. “This is nothing. You deserve new clothes and new shoes and anything else you want and for the first time in my life, I can honestly do this for you, so please, let me?”
 

“Oh all right.” She smiles. “Did you say shoes?”
 

I bust into a fit of giggles, turning to the attendant taking care of my mother’s load of clothes, “We’re going over to the shoe department. Can you have someone grab me when you’re ready for payment?”
 

“Yes, ma’am,” the gal says and my mom and I head off.
 

While roaming around the shoe department I spot a black suede pair of Louboutins, like the purple ones I had and haven’t gotten back from Dallas PD yet. They don’t have the purple suede ones in my size, in fact all they have is a size four. Anyway, deciding that it is my turn to spoil myself, I buy them, along with a brand new Michael Kors purse that is black and big enough for my laptop. I also find a new messenger bag that converts into a backpack. I don’t know the designer’s name, but it sets me back over a hundred bucks. My other one is ratty and ready to be tossed out.
 

My mom ends up with six pairs of shoes, and combined with my shoes and two bags it all totals nearly three grand. I hand over my debit card, cringing. I’ve never in my life spent this much money in one transaction, let alone bought thousand dollar shoes. The card processes and I sign it. Thank god I didn’t look like an ass with a declined card. I even had to give up my driver’s license. I feel a little insulted. I’m not a damn hoodlum. Then Pretty Woman pops into my mind and I look down at my skinny jeans, thick studded leather belt and t-shirt. Pair that with the panda hat Kyle bought me in NOLA. It was so damn cute; he snatched it out of my hands and paid for it. It’s got a cute cartoon panda face with big ears. It’s knit, like a beanie. My big sunglasses are resting on top of my head. I tried to wear them inside, but it sucked. It was Beck’s idea, but after five minutes, I couldn’t stand that everything was so dark that I pulled them off. I stuck my tongue out at Beck when he scowled at me.
 

When you combine the entire ensemble I’m not the type of girl you usually see ‘round these parts or expect to spend a ton of money.
 

Mom’s clothes total more than seven thousand dollars. I had Beck and Rusty keep her busy so she didn’t panic on me. Then all of sudden three men dressed in livery show up, talking to Beck and Rusty. They do their bodyguard thing and the gentlemen collect the bags from behind the counter and carry them for us.
 

Who knew that in a small suburb of Kansas City the Macy’s would cater to the high class customer? Hmm, something to get used to? I mentally shrug.
 

We take mom’s bags to her car. She insists on taking her stuff home and coming to the venue before the show. I offered to go with her and have the guys follow us and she refused. We hug and say good-bye for now and the guys drive me back to the bus.
 

When the car pulls up to the bus, my guys jump out and come over to greet me.
 

“Where’s your mom?” Talon asks, looking into the car.
 

“She’ll be here later. Said she wanted to go home, put her haul away and get ready for tonight.”
 

“Well, let’s get your bags,” Kyle says going toward the trunk.
 

“Uh, this is it.” I lift the two bags in my hand.
 

“What? You went shopping and that’s it?” Talon laughs.
 

“I went a little overboard on my mom. Got her a whole new wardrobe.”
 

“Well, alrighty then. Come on, panda girl.” Kyle wraps his arm around my shoulders and tugs on one of my hat’s ears as he leads me toward the door of the bus.
 

“What did you buy?” Talon asks as we climb up the steps.
 

“Some stuff for me.”
 

Talon wraps his arm around my shoulders, pulling me in close, and he kisses my forehead before we head to our room. “Good for you, you deserve it. So what did you get?”
 

I smile and set my bags on the bed. “A pair of shoes, a purse and a messenger bag.”
 

“That’s it?” His disappointment is evident.
 

I laugh. “Yeah, it is.”
 

“You were so excited to go shopping. I thought you’d come back with a semi-truck full,” Talon says with a smile as he leans against the wall
 

“Well, I decided after I got off of the phone with you that my mom deserved it. I make good money at my job, but I’ve never been able to spoil her. I wasn’t broke by any means but between my condo and bills, I can afford the things I want, but not like this. I’ve never spent this much money at once, other than when I bought my condo.” I give a half smile.
 

“So show us, gorgeous,” Kyle says with a bright smile on his face. He sits down toward the foot of the bed.
 

I pull out the messenger bag first, showing it off. “That means you can get rid of that ratty one?” Talon teases.
 

I laugh. “Yes, and if it will make you feel better, I’ll even let you burn it for me.”
 

Both of them laugh, then I show off my new purse. “That’s a suitcase, not a purse.”
 

“Hey now, you know a girl has to carry her entire life with her everywhere she goes. She has to have a bag big enough to carry it all.”
 

Kyle rolls his eyes. “Your logic baffles me, but it’s gorgeous. Perfect for you.”
 

I pull out the box. Talon laughs. “Kyle, we’ve created a monster.”
 

“Actually, I miss my purple ones.”
 

“Oh,” They both sober quickly.
 

“So I bought a replacement pair, only they didn’t have purple so…” I flip the lid off the box, “I found matching black ones.” There is a satisfied look of relief on their faces. “Am I missing something?” I ask.
 

“Well, we don’t know when, or if your shoes will come back, so we ordered you a new pair.”
 

“Awe, seriously? You guys didn’t have to do that.”

“Well, to be honest,” Kyle says, “we didn’t think you’d buy yourself a replacement pair so we took care of it. They should be delivered to Minneapolis.”
 

“Well, thank you. I appreciate that, I love those shoes.” I smile.
 

“We noticed,” Kyle says. “I’m glad you bought yourself some stuff. I just wish you’d bought more.”
 

“I will, next time I go shopping, in a bigger city with a better selection.”
 

“Alright, panda girl.”

“So did you have a good time, angel?”
 

I sit down on the bed next to Kyle, looking up at Talon. “I had a great time. I’m sorry it can’t last longer.”

“Maybe you should take your break here?” Kyle suggests.
 

“That’s not a bad idea, but I have Sam still in my condo and I need to figure out what to do about that between now and then.”
 

“Has she called you?” Talon asks.

“No, and I don’t want to call her, at least until the last possible moment. I have security in my building so if something happens in my apartment, I will hear about it.”

“I need to get ready for the show,” I tell them.
 

“We have plenty of time,” Talon says as he sits down behind me. His hands come around my midsection and I shiver at his touch. Kyle comes to sit in front of me. His hands cup my cheeks.
 

“I think,” he kisses me, “it’s time,” he kisses me again, “for an Addison sandwich.”
 

I shiver. “What about the sound check?” I say breathless.
 

“We already did it,” Talon says as he kisses my neck.
 

“What about our song?” I can’t breathe, and if they keep this up, I won’t be able to think.
 

“We know what we’re doing.” Talon kisses my neck again, this time with a full on open mouth kiss. “Besides, we can make this quick or we can take our time. We set up a rehearsal for you at six. Which is about two hours away.” He kisses my neck again. Kyle moves off of my lips and onto my jaw and down the other side of my neck. “Since you’re back earlier than you thought you would be, we have time.” Talon goes back to kissing my neck while Kyle’s hands roam over my chest, his fingers brushing my nipples.