Lucky Break (10 page)

"Are you ok, Liv? Are you going to be sick?"

"I...I don't know. I'm just not feeling well all of a sudden."

Jude got up and poured her a glass of water, then sat down beside her, his muscular arm behind her on the back of the couch.
 

"Drink this, its just water. How much did you drink? I know you're young and on tour, but you should try to watch yourself."

"One. And I am watching myself."

"One? One drink? Geesh you're a lightweight. Guess you're a cheap date."

"Guess I would be."

"Guess?"

"I've never been on a date."
 

Damn, why couldn't she keep her mouth shut? It seemed she embarrassed herself more and more in front of him. And of all people too.
 

"Wow, why not? A beautiful girl like you must've had guys falling all over you."

She felt the heat in her cheeks intensify as she shook her head. She wanted to hear him say it again.

"You think I'm beautiful?"

"You know you're beautiful. Don't play coy with me. When you're on stage–"

"Yes, when I'm on stage."

"Ok I get it, but you don't need the stage."

He looked deep into her eyes and she felt lost, as if time and the world stood still. As he slid closer to her on the couch, she held her breath hoping he was going to kiss her.

He slid his arm onto her shoulders and pulled her closer. With his other hand he softly stroked her cheek before moving his fingers into her hair. Her heart was pounding wildly. Tilting his head slightly, their lips were about to touch when he stopped.
 

"Never been on a date, huh?" He whispered, his lips so close to hers she could feel his breath. "Have you ever...?"

She was too naive to really know what he implied, and the answer to anything he might mean would be the same anyway.
 

"No. Never. Nothing."

He kissed her nose and stood up, turning away from her.
 

"You really should leave."

"But why? What if I don't want to?"

"There's a whole world out there you need to experience. You need to try things, make mistakes, and move on from them. I don't want to be one of those mistakes."

"Fine," she said annoyed.

Lucky felt drunk but she couldn't say if it was because of the alcohol or because of Jude. Whenever she saw him she felt a little drunk. She stood up to leave and lost her balance, but Jude quickly caught her and helped her back onto the couch.

"Stay here. The couch pulls out, you can take the bed."

"I guess I'll be one of the many who get to say they spent the night in Jude Morrison's bed."

Lucky giggled softly as she felt her body slowly relaxing as everything finally caught up with her. Jude carried her into the bedroom, pulled the sheets back and laid her on the bed. He took her shoes off her then pulled the blankets up around her. After he put a glass of water on the nightstand beside her, he kissed her forehead and let her sleep.

Chapter Eleven
 

Lucky woke to the sound of her phone vibrating on the nightstand next to her. Sunlight was just beginning to seep through the partially opened drapes.

"Hello?" She whispered into the phone, then cleared her throat.

"Did I wake you dear? You had us worried. You never forget to call before bed," her mother said.

"Oh hi Mom, I'm sorry I was really tired last night."

She looked around the room then spotted a pair of Jude's worn leather boots by the closet door. Shocked she sat up realizing she wasn't in her bed.
Damn hotel rooms all look alike.
As she tried remembering how she got there, she remembered barging in on him and groaned.

"Is something wrong dear?"

"No, no, Mom everything's fine. I just remembered something I forgot about."

"How are things going with that new drummer of yours? Umm Jude...something. Isn't he that tattooed man on your wall?"

"He's not there anymore Mom, that was in high school." She sighed, glad Jude couldn't hear the call. "He's fine. No, actually, he's great. He's an incredible musician."

"That's good. Did I ever tell you a story I heard about him? You were too young for me to tell you before, but I guess now that you're a big rock star–"

"I'm not a rock star, Mom."

"Fine. Now that you're away on tour, I suppose you're old enough to hear this."

"I'd rather not to be honest."

"Remember your cousin Jessie? Well you know she's not the most conservative woman. Anyway she met him once while he was on tour with...what was the name of his band? Gold...silver?"

"Silver. Silverlight. I really don't want to talk about this Mom."

"But its a great story honey. Anyway Jessie managed to get back stage and meet the band. She took a liking to Jude and ended up back at his hotel room–"

"Mom! Please!"

"You need to hear this Olivia. I think its important."

Lucky knew whenever her mom called her by her real name, she meant business. Defeated, she knew she had no choice but to listen to the story, this time not from a friend of a friend, but from her own mom, first told by her own apparently slutty cousin. She couldn't wait to get off the phone.

"Fine, go ahead, but I've heard enough already."

"So they went back to his hotel room and ordered in some take out and listened to music. From what Jessie said his real passion was in songwriting, but the band had very specific roles and refused to give him a chance."

"Really? Go on."

"Oh now you're interested?" Her mother teased. "Well by the time they finished talking it was late so Jude offered her his bed to stay the night while he slept on the couch. Jessie was actually very upset he was such a gentleman, but when I heard he was going on tour with you I felt a little better about my baby being away from home."

Lucky shook her head in amazement, knowing he was asleep on the couch in the next room. She wondered how many times that happened with those friends of friends she heard so much about. Maybe that was the smoke and mirrors Stan talked about.

"Why did you think I needed to hear this?"

"Because I know there's a lot of temptation out there on the road. I know your father and I sheltered you from a lot of things, but just because you're away for the first time, it doesn't mean you need to try everything. Look at Jude. He's a big rock star and all he wanted was someone to talk to. Sometimes its the little things in life that are more important."

"Thanks Mom. I gotta go. Give Dad a kiss for me."

Thinking about everything her mom said, Lucky decided she needed to talk to Jordan immediately. None of it made sense to her, maybe it would to her best friend.

Slowly opening the door, not wanting to wake him, she was shocked to smell bacon and see Jude cooking in the small kitchenette. He was dressed just in his jeans, no shirt just like she remembered him last night. With his back turned to her, she was able to see a color tattoo on his shoulder blade of a scorpion.

Surprised to see him cooking, she didn't say anything for a moment. She admired the strong muscles of his back, the way it V'd down from his broad shoulders to his waist. As she imagined what his muscles felt like, she heard the bacon grease splatter.

"I see you like to live dangerously," she said as she tried to ignore the thumping in her chest.

"You're up. I was wondering when you'd wake. What are you talking about?"

"The bacon. And you without a shirt on."

He laughed as he plated scrambled eggs, bacon and buttered toast for her.

"Well I like to fly close to the sun."

"That's a good line. So you never answered me last night, do you write?"

"We're not talking about that. I hope you like scrambled eggs."

"Thanks, this is great. Why did you do this? They have breakfast downstairs."

"I thought after last night you needed a good breakfast."

"Well aren't you a gentleman," she said thinking about what her mother told her.

"Don't let it get out," he joked.

She wanted to ask why not but knew he'd never tell her. Besides, she might be reading too much into it. She looked over at the notebook on the coffee table, even from the short distance she recognized the tattered, stained edges that come from carrying a notebook everywhere.

"There's so much I want to know about you," she blurted out.

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not?"

"It just isn't. Besides, you're young. Go out with Kat and have fun."

"And what about you?"
 

"I'm doing my thing, don't worry about it."

Getting Jude to open up was like trying to get water from a stone. She almost gave up, especially since she wanted to talk to Jordan so badly, but then thought about that time she saw him play live with Silverlight.

"You know, Silverlight was the only live show I ever saw."

"That's too bad, there's a lot of great bands out there."

"You know, you're impossible to talk to sometimes. I'm trying to have a conversation here."

"Sorry, I just... I think we're better off not getting to know each other that well."

"Why not?"

"I already told you last night."

She was quiet for a moment as she tried to remember what he said last night. Unfortunately an emerging headache blocked any memory except for her making a fool of herself.

"Since you came on tour, I've been wanting to tell you how much you inspired me. I remember that one show like it was yesterday. Your solo was an experience."

"Now you're just trying to flatter me."

"No, really. The way you slowed it down. Those grooves and rhythms. It wasn't some big showy spectacle like other drummers do. You weren't just banging away. You played music. It was intimate and sexy as all hell."

"Thanks," he said.

His face softened and he leaned on the counter a bit closer to her. With the slightest movement of his hand, he touched hers and her heart banged wildly in her chest. She could tell he wasn't used to being complimented.

"I really mean it. Its because of you I decided to become a musician. Before that music was just for fun. It was then that I realized work could be fun. Every song I've ever written was for you." She realized what she said and felt her face flush. "I mean, the drum part. I imagined you playing it."

He leaned forward a little further and gently touched her chin and pulled her face closer to his. Lucky's heart continued its crazy rhythm as she held her breath, waiting for his lips to finally touch hers.
 

He kissed her. Quickly. His lips barely brushed against hers before he pulled himself away, backing from the counter she sat at, and crossed his arms over his chest.

"You really have to go," he said sternly.

"Oh, well ok then. Thanks for breakfast. I guess I should get ready to hit the road. How long is it to Dallas?"

"About twelve hours, just a bit longer than our last leg."

"At least we get the night off. Thanks for letting me spend the night. And I'm sorry about barging in on you and–"

"Forget about it."

She didn't want to leave Jude, but she knew she couldn't stay. Lucky wasn't paying attention to the time, but she knew they'd have to meet for the bus soon. As she left Jude's hotel room, her mind swam with questions for him she knew he'd never answer.

Jordan surprised her as she entered the suite.

"Where have you been? I can't believe you were out all night. Your mom called me last night and I had to lie to her! What is going on with you? This isn't like you at all!"