FG 3 - The Wedding Blitz (9 page)

             
“Joie, I don’t plan on joining the others in the lighting booth tonight,” Riley explained as I glanced back at Hawkins as he walked away. “So if you want to stay back here, I’ll understand.”

             
“What? Why? Where are you going to go?”

             
“The lawn,” he shrugged looking decidedly unhappy.

             
“Not going so well right now, huh? Well not to worry, you know I go where you go, Riley,” I looped my arm through his. “No one’s going to recognize us with Hawkins gone anyway.”

             
“Thanks Joie,” he looked relieved to be off the hook.

“It’s ok, I get it,” I rested my head on his shoulder feeling sad for him as a crew member swung open a door for us that led out to the crowd of fans.

The Gorge looked like it had the typical seating arrangement in the front of the amphitheater but up above the lawn seating was divided by different terrace levels of grass which rose in layers to the top of a very steep hill. Riley and I stayed close to each other since there only seemed to be one path leading in and out of the seating area. Once we were further up the hill, the smell of warm French fries from the nearby food vendor made my mouth water.

“Do you want anything?” I turned to ask Riley while dragging him into the waiting line.
“Yeah, I could use a drink. I’m thirsty.”

“What do you want?” I asked when it was our turn in line. “It looks like they have Mountain Dew products.”

“Honestly, I could just use a bottle of water,” he explained. “I’m parched.”

“Actually make that two,” I told the teenager behind the counter since I felt parched from the dry air too. “And an order of your cheesy fries, thanks.” 

“Can you tell my lips are chapped?” Riley nervously ran a finger over them like he was worried Harlow might see him with white lips even though he had assured me we weren’t making any visits to the lighting booth anytime soon. 

“No you’re good for now but we’re definitely going to have to make a quick stop to pick up some chap stick. This dry air’s something else.”

“Welcome to the west,” Riley sighed as the cashier handed us the food and drinks.

The air may be dry but it was Washington State at the end of summer so once the sun set the cool air blowing off the river made the temperature instantly drop causing my teeth to chatter from the bone chilling cold. Riley dished out some extra cash for a blanket at one of the t-shirt vendors so that we could huddle together on the lawn under the blanket.

We were sitting up so high from the stage that I didn’t think either of us missed Rob Harlow coming out the side of the backstage door. As he crossed through the crowd to the lighting booth Riley’s eyes stayed fixed on him. “So I’ve been thinking,” Riley’s eyes continued to linger after him but I pretended not to notice as I looked out at the winding river behind the stage. “About your wedding…,” he drifted off and then finally turned to me. “How do you feel about an outside wedding?”

“Riley, honestly I’m letting you have as much leverage as you want when it comes to planning the wedding.”

“It’s just that I was thinking about that row boat we saw at the
Chihuly
Museum and how I could incorporate that into your wedding.”

“You want me to get married in a rowboat?” I instantly regretted the whole
as much leverage as you want
sentiment since I could easily see me tossing both Hawkins and me out of the boat.

“No—but I think it would be perfect for a grand entrance especially with the balls of glass overflowing at the front and back of the boat.”

“Oh it would be a grand entrance, alright,” I half laughed as I munched on a few cheesy fries. “Riley, did you ever consider the fact that I might fall out of it?”

“Well I’m not going to let you fall,” his brow pinched.

“Are you going to be in the rowboat with me?” I know I was hopeful.

             
“No,” he explained. “But I was thinking I would be there to help you get out when you docked. So you know…,” he nodded encouragingly but I didn’t exactly follow. “I can walk you down the aisle.”

             
I swear for a second my heart melted but I was so touched that I was left speechless.

             
“You know because your dad can’t be there,” he continued to explain. “I hope I’m not overstepping—

             
“Thank you, Riley,” I leant my head against his shoulder and sniffled, overcome by emotion. “I already know this weddings going to be amazing,” I sighed as I munched on another cheesy fry. 

             
“You never dreamt about it?” he asked dreamily and I noticed his eyes wandered over to the lighting booth again. It was enough to make my heart break because here I was unenthusiastic about the idea of a big celebration, aside from Riley’s part in it, and here was Riley about to give me the wedding of
his
dreams.

             
“After my dad left I stopped dreaming about a lot of things,” I confessed. “But Hawkins is
not
my dad and I love him. So if I can’t make it work with him, I’ll probably die an old maid,” I smiled.

             
“Oh please—you’re definitely not going to die an old maid,” he knocked his shoulder into mine. “Forty years from now if we’re still single—

             
He went to joke, instantly causing me to laugh but I laughed so hard that the fries in my stomach suddenly didn’t agree with me.

             
“Oh no,” I clutched my stomach. “I don’t think Tanner liked the fries.”

             
“Tanner? Who’s Tanner?”

             
“The baby—” I openly gagged causing Riley to instantly recoil from our tight bubble under the blanket.

             
“The port-o-potties are down to the right!” he yelled as I got up and stumbled away but not before I heard him start to loudly gag behind me. By the sound of it I didn’t think I was the only one who was going to be tossing their cookies.

As I swiftly staggered down the line of people waiting to use the restrooms, a few enraged fans tried to stop me but they quickly cleared out of the way when I openly gagged again. Thankfully, I was almost there when I entered a circular space surrounded by the outside bathroom stalls. I found the first available one, and finally did what I came to do in peace.

With my fists balled against each wall, I waited there until I could get composed again. As I rinsed out my mouth with the bottle of water I still had with me I felt bad for the poor soul who was going to use this stall next as I turned around and opened the door.

I only had a second to register that someone was waiting there and a fraction of a second even less to realize I recognized the cool blue eyes looking back at me. I felt my lungs expand as a scream crawled up my throat but the man quickly covered my mouth and shoved me back into the stall until I fell back into my own mess.

I sprang back up and instantly tried to claw at his face but he quickly grabbed a handful of my hair and whacked my head into the nearby wall. Afraid for my baby, and what he might punch or hit next, I forced myself to stop fighting back.

“That’s it?” he growled. “That’s all you got for me? I distinctively remember you kicking my ass last time we met. I was kind of looking for a little redemption,” the young government operative, who I personally had a hand in his discharge from the military after he and two other men tortured me for hours, confirmed my worst fears.  

“What do you want from me?” I gasped.

“My job back, you bitch!” he rammed my head into the wall again. The splitting blow left me disoriented and I staggered to gain my balance but slumped back onto the seat again.

“Please…please…don’t hurt me. I’ll call Robert Vance.”

“It’s a little too late for that.”

“I’ll do whatever you want, I’ll do... I’ll do whatever, I promise…just please don’t hurt me.”

“What would Hawkins think if he knew I had you all alone to myself and you said you would do
anything
I want? I know I like the way that sounds,” he leant in to lick the side of my cheek up to my temple causing me to grimace in revulsion. 

“You see what I really
want
, is for you to know that I can have you whenever
I want
, anytime
I want
.”

Revolted, I repositioned my knee prepared to hit him in the groin if he tried to do anything to me.

“But you won’t see me coming,” he yanked his grip on my hair causing me to grimace in pain. “Because that’s how
I
like
it,” he ripped my flannel shirt open in one quick jerk. “So be a dear, and go tell daddy, you’ve been a very naughty girl.” He yanked my head back and rammed his tongue in my mouth causing me squirm and snap my head to the side.

“You didn’t even put up a fight,” he smiled down at me. “I knew you liked it,” he threw back open the door and then suddenly came to stop.

For a second I thought maybe he wasn’t finished tormenting me when I overheard a gruff voice shout,
“What are you doing in there?!”
Clearly enraged, Riley dragged him out of the stall as if he weighted nothing at all. The ex-government operative looked like David next to Goliath as Riley continued to pummel the shit out of my attacker.     

It wasn’t long before the police at the venue became involved and restrained both men from continuing to beat each other to a bloody pulp or rather Riley from continuing to, but with one glance at me and my ripped open shirt, it didn’t take long for the police to put together what had happened. Once they learned who I was, Riley was released from the tight hold that two police officers had on him. He raced forward to where I was still frozen in the bathroom stall and quickly moved in to pull my ripped open flannel shut again.

“Are you okay, Joie? Did he
touch
you?” he asked as he helped me out.

“No, not like that,” I dropped my head with the confession as tears suddenly welled up in my eyes now that I knew I was truly safe.

“Do you know the man that attacked you?” an officer joined Riley’s side to question me.

“He’s the guy who tortured me,” I gasped for air.
“The guy who I got fired.”

Once the police had my statement, I locked eyes with Riley and it felt like it took all the energy I had to say, “I need to get out of here.”

“Okay—I got you,” he wrapped a protective arm around my shoulder to lead me away from the gathered crowd.

“This isn’t over!” the ex-government operative screamed in my direction as the police dragged him away. 

Riley pulled me tighter into him as he led me through the crowd until we finally came to a stop outside of the lighting booth. Harlow did a double take in Riley’s direction and quickly took off his head set to approach us.

“I didn’t know where else to go,” Riley sounded helpless. “Someone attacked her in the restroom stalls,” he explained. “I found her with her shirt ripped open.”

“Shit,” Harlow’s face fell and then he quickly waved, “Bring her inside. Someone
get
Hawkins,” Harlow called over his shoulder. “Riley, fix her shirt. It’ll kill him.”

I was grateful for the privacy that the covered booth provided as Riley helped me
discard
the filthy flannel to the side, in exchange for the white V-neck t-shirt he stripped off of his back.

Thankfully it was near the end of the concert and it wasn’t long until Hawkins was at my side again. He could tell that I was distraught and didn’t press me to explain anything but he was also really angry and scared and took some of his frustration out on Riley. “Why were you in the lawn when you should have been here with the lighting crew tonight?”

Riley opened his mouth to explain but couldn’t find the words.

“Because of me,” Harlow quickly interjected. “I…fired him. I don’t think he has what it takes to do this job. It’s my fault.”

“I can’t believe you!” Hawkins turned his anger onto him next. I knew Rob thought that he was protecting Riley by saying what he did but I could tell that it stabbed Riley right through the heart. For once I wasn’t thinking about my own agony as I watched Riley quickly turn to flee. “I’m so sorry Joie, but I got to go,” I heard him say to me before he left.

“What were you thinking?” Hawkins continued to snap at Harlow who watched the back of Riley disappear into the exiting crowd.

“Please stop!” I snipped out of hopeless frustration and then turned to lean into Hawkins. “Just please, get me back to the bus.”

“I’m sorry,” Hawkins instantly caved and I knew that he just felt scared and powerless.

“I know, and I don’t blame you or anyone else here,” I made a point to look at Harlow before we exited the lighting area. It wasn’t long before we were finally
back
in the safety of Hawkins’ tour bus, and I realized that we were alone. I knew Riley was probably somewhere where no one could find him for the time being.