Lucky Break (14 page)

"Put your money away, child. I told you, that's not my dress. Those fools who keep giving me the wrong stuff can take the loss."

"But what about the shoes and the alterations? You have to at least let me pay for those."

Edra pointed to a sign that read "Free Alterations", then crossed her arms over her pillowy chest.

"Please Edra. I can't just accept all this for free."

"Listen honey, I've lived a long life and I've seen many things. I can see not enough people took care of you. Definitely not the ones who should've at least. You come back here tomorrow and tell me all about your date and we'll call it even, how's that?"

As her eyes filled with tears of appreciation, Jordan smiled and nodded, unable to speak.

"Aww come here baby," Edra said before giving her a strong hug.

Jordan hugged her back thinking Edra felt like an oversized pillow, and let out a long breath as her tears began to spill. She cried into Edra's shoulder and was happy that Edra didn't comment on it. Once Jordan regained her composure, Edra handed her a shopping bag with the shoes and the dress.

"Now you knock 'em dead tonight. And I'm serious, I haven't been on a date in ages. You come back and tell me every detail so I can pretend it was me in that pretty dress out with Troy."

"Its Dylan."

"Well when I was your age, his name was Troy. God rest his soul."

Edra smiled softly and pointed to a black and white photo in an old silver frame, sitting on the counter. In the picture was a younger, thinner version of Edra standing next to a man holding a guitar in one hand, his other arm around her.

"We were married for fifty years. What a mess I was when I met that beautiful man." She smiled, obviously reliving the moment. "Now get out of here, you're running out of time and I know you want to look perfect."

Jordan took the bag and headed out, then turned back around, ran over and gave Edra a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you. For everything. Really," Jordan said, tears making her eyes shine.

After taking a quick shower, Jordan managed to get ready just in time. As she took one last look in the mirror, she heard a knock on the door.

"Wow! Look at you!" Dylan said. "I'm not worthy."
 

He pretended to bow and she laughed before moving out out of the way to let him in. Smelling like mint as he walk past, she noticed his shoulder length light brown hair shone more than usual. This was also the first time she saw him in a pair of khakis with a navy buttoned shirt. She wondered if he brought that with him or did some last minute shopping too.
 

"Not worthy. You can be a real jerk sometimes, you know that?"

"You're stunning. You really are." He smiled and kissed her lips.
 

She felt herself melt from his words. Jordan had a hard time letting people in. After all the disappointment and heartache she experienced with her family, she believed no one could truly love her. She had a hard enough time loving herself.

Dylan was the first person she ever really let in. He didn't know any of her secrets though. Talking about that wasn't something she ever thought she would do.
 

Normally she kept people at arm's length, but Dylan kept hitting that stone wall she had up until there were cracks. It made her wonder if he would be the one to break all the way through her armor.

"Are we eating downstairs in the restaurant?" She asked as she grabbed her room key.
 

"No, we're on a date. I'm taking you out."

"Out? Have you ever been to Dallas before? Where are we going?"

"I told you my mom and I were like gypsies. There isn't a place I haven't lived."

Even though he said it casually enough, she knew there was more going on in his past than he let on. It made her feel closer to him knowing they were both damaged.

"So then where to?"

"Dinner and a show."

"Really? Ok," she said suspiciously.

She was curious what he had in mind but she knew him well enough not to bother asking. He laced his fingers between hers as they walked through the lobby and outside where they got into a taxi the bell hop called.

"Samuell-Grand Park please," Dylan told the driver. "We're stopping at Whole Foods on Greenville on the way."

As the car pulled away from the hotel, Jordan couldn't keep her mouth closed anymore. She needed to comment, ask, learn something.

"Whole Foods? The grocery store? When you said dinner and a show, is this your way of getting me to make you dinner?"

"Alright fine, I'll tell you. Geesh, you make surprising you very difficult, you know."

She grinned cutely at him then batted her lashes before laughing.

"They have sandwiches and stuff there. I thought we'd get some sandwiches and was watch Shakespeare in the park. I know how much you love him."

"Serious? Which play?"

"Midsummer Night's Dream."

She giddily bounce in the seat. "I've always wanted to see that. I can't believe you went through so much trouble."

"I'd do anything for you, Jordan." He leaned over and kissed her. She couldn't stop smiling.

After choosing sandwiches and snacks at Whole Foods, they found a spot on the lawn and Dylan laid a blanket down that he brought with him. The smell of the freshly mowed lawn hung in the warm air.
 
Set against the trees of the park, the stage seemed organic. Holding hands, they admired the sun setting through the trees as they waited for the performance to start.
 

Jordan was amazed. Never would she have guessed he'd remember a passing comment she made once about something she read in school. She was so enthralled by Dylan, that the play was a blur. She spent the entire time holding his hand and wishing time would stop at that perfect moment.
 

Feeling a bit melancholy, she didn't say a word on the ride back to the hotel. She never asked him if there were other girls, or what he did during other tours. She didn't want to know. And Jordan never spoke about the future.

Knowing they were spending the night together, she began to have doubts. She worried it would ruin how things were between them. Jordan assumed Dylan would get his prize and leave like a child at the county fair.

As they entered the hotel, her shoes clicking on the marble floors, Dylan slipped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her close.
 

"Are you ok? You've been quiet. More so than usual."

"I'm sorry. I've just been thinking."

"Want to talk about it?"

"No. Not really. It's just stupid anyway."

They rode the elevator in silence then walked to his room. Once inside, Jordan kicked off her shoes, took his hand and led him to the bedroom. She needed to get out of her head and just live in the moment. To her, sex was how to do that.

As she reached up for his face, he pulled her close. Their lips met and she felt the rush his kiss always gave her, like her heart soared. She never felt that with anyone else.

His lips moved from hers to the curve of her neck where he knew she was sensitive. Feeling a combination of tickling and excitement from him, she pulled him closer to the bed until they fell onto it.

Passionately, he moved his mouth back to hers. Sliding his tongue in while she unbuttoned his shirt. She felt the cool air of the air conditioner hit her back as he lowered the zipper.

Tracing her fingers over the erection his khakis failed to conceal, Jordan unbuckled his pants, excited to finally see his erection. As she slipped her hand into his pants, he pulled away.
 

"Wait. Before this goes any further," he said.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"No you're perfect. That's just it. I've done this so many times before. I've rushed things just for the sake of pleasure. Of one night. I don't want one night with you Jordan."

"What are you saying?"

"I don't want to say the things I know would scare you away. But when I asked to spend the night together, I just wanted to be with you. Hold you through the night. Wake up beside you. I think we've both rushed into relationships before and that's gotten us nothing but disappointment."

"I'm confused. Are you breaking up with me?"

"No. I don't want this to just be a tour thing. I don't want the memory of our first time together to be just another tour stop. I want more than that. I need more. I need you."

"But–"

"But nothing. You're my future Jordan Blake. I don't want to rush that. And don't get weird on me because I said future."

She didn't know what to think and had nothing to say. He helped her out of her dress and they climbed into bed. He held her close and she wrapped her arms around him, feeling safe in someone's arms for the first time in her life. Feeling his still hard member pressed against her, she convinced herself Dylan Young was insane. And she loved him for it.

She woke the next morning to find herself still in Dylan's arms, his hair a bit wild, his cheek a little rough with stubble. He smiled at her and she grinned back as she looked up at him.

"You're even more beautiful first thing in the morning without all that eyeliner," he said.

"Shut up," she said then giggled. "I bet you'd look pretty sexy with a little liner."

"Guy liner on me?"

"Yeah, why not? Look at Billy Joe Armstrong, he's way hot."

"I'll have to remember that if we ever meet Green Day."

She laughed and ran her finger along his smooth chest.

"Thanks for the great date. It was amazing. I'll never forget it."

"There can be more of those. I want to take you everywhere."

"You're sweet."

"I'm serious, Jordan. When the tour is over I'm thinking about becoming a studio musician. I want to be with you. We can have nights like this all the time."

"What are you talking about? Dating?"

"Yes, dating and more. What do you think about living together? We've been spending so much time together and I'd hate for that to end. I love being with you. I love you."

"Love? Living together? I don't know, this is going a little too fast. I can't promise anything. I can't. Besides, you're full of it. Once the tour is done and you're in one place again you'll want to keep moving again. You said so yourself, you're a gypsy. I understand what we have is just for the tour and I'm ok with that."

"No, its not like that."

"Please, I really don't want to talk about this. I can't talk about anything with the future or love anyway. I just can't. I can't see it. Why can't things be simple? Let's just take things one day at a time."

"But Jordan–"

"No, I'm serious. I can't talk about this. Its too much."

She got out of bed and picked up her dress from the floor and started dressing.

"What are you doing? Where are you going?"

"Back to my room. I just...I don't know. I need to be alone. I really care about you Dylan, I just...I can't, ok? Please, just one day at a time."

"Ok, whatever you want. Whatever it takes."

She kissed him quick then grabbed her shoes and left his room without putting them on. She loved him, she knew it. She just couldn't say it. Could she imagine being with anyone else? No, but who knew what the future held?
 

People were unreliable to Jordan. One minute they said they loved you, the next minute they were lying to your face or screwing you over, she thought. She learned to protect herself at a young age.

Returning to her room she thought about how sweet Dylan was on their date and all night holding her. While she had sex with other guys before, not having sex with Dylan fulfilled something deep inside her. Sleeping with him was the most intimate thing she ever did and she felt closer to him than ever. Her heart felt full just thinking about him.
 

Jordan knew she'd be crushed when he came to his senses and left her, but taking it one day at a time she didn't have to worry about that yet. He didn't love her, he just wanted something from her. He'd probably be gone once he got laid. But he didn't even try. He stopped her. Confused, she curled up on the couch and turned on the TV hoping to numb her brain.