Resounding Kisses (8 page)

After a long silence, he pointed above, showing her the brightest star. “See that one. That is the North Star.”

She snuggled tighter against him. “Yes. It’s about the only one you can see in New York.”

Ter squeezed her shoulder. “Every night I’m away from you, I will look up at the North Star and think of you. If you do the same, we’ll be connected and it will be almost as if you were with me.”

“I will definitely do that.” Ivy said. “I would have never thought you to be the romantic type. But this is soo romantic.”

“I never thought so myself, but with you, everything is different. You have captured my heart and I want to do all those things with you I always found cheesy. Like holding hands, looking at the stars and thinking of you.”

After several minutes, Ter pulled her to her feet. “We need to head back.” He drove them back to her apartment and then kissed her goodbye at the doorway.

“You don’t want to come in?” she asked, her teeth sinking into her lower lip.

“Better not. I have to be at the airport early in the morning and Grant’s already warned me we have to leave on time.”

“I understand.” She closed the distance between them and they kissed one last time.

Ivy opened the apartment door to see that Bella was already home and waiting for her. “Hi.”

“Hi, yourself. Where have you been?”

“Ter took me to the Hamptons for dinner.”

Bella’s eyebrows rose. “Wow. It sounds like you two have been having all sorts of fun.”

Ivy’s lips formed a smile she couldn’t dispel. But then she remembered he’d just left and she didn’t know when she’d see him again.

“What’s the sad look for?” Bella asked.

“He’s going back to Chicago in the morning and I don’t have any idea of how this is supposed to work. I mean, my work is here, but his will take him all over the place. And what if he meets another girl at one of his concerts? I might not even know…”

“Whoa. Slow down here, Ivy,” Bella cautioned her.

Ivy took a deep breath and nodded. “Sorry.”

“Look, he’s a keeper, right?” Bella didn’t even wait for her answer before she continued. “Take it one day at a time. There’s no need to worry right now about everything that might go wrong.”

“I’ll try. Good night, hon.” Ivy went to bed and once again, she envied her best friend for being so laid back. She really wished she could be more like her, but she’d been raised in a very strict home where obedience and respect for her parents wasn’t just expected, it was demanded. Her parents had always worried about everything and she’d been taught to prepare for the worst. It wasn’t like she had an off-button for that part of her.

The next morning, she woke up to a text from Ter telling her how much he missed her already. As if that would help. She thought about him all day at work, a miserable day where she’d made it through, but just barely. She missed him so much.

He called her in the afternoon, but she was in between meetings and they couldn’t talk for long. And when she’d gotten off work, he was already preparing for his concert. With her heart full of love and sadness, she went outside in the evening, looking up into the sky and trying to find the North Star.

When she found it amidst the city lights, she instantly felt the connection to Ter and could almost hear his deep, gravelly voice in her ear. That night, she slept a lot better in the certainty that he was far away yet still connected with her. Maybe things would somehow work out. Maybe she shouldn’t worry so much.

In the morning, she found another text from him, telling her how much he loved her and she hugged the phone to her chest. He loved her! She should have been scared, but all she could feel was the rightness of the moment. It was right. And it was real. She knew it.

She pondered whether to call him or not. It was early, six-thirty in the morning and he’d be sound asleep. The image of his sleeping face spilled warmth from her heart into every corner of her body and she decided to let him sleep. He’d probably gone to bed late after his performance last night.

She texted him:
I love you, too
,
and was startled when her phone rang a few seconds later.

“Ter? You’re awake?”

“Not really,” his sleepy voice answered. “But I put the text message tone on extra loud so I would wake up and could call you to hear your voice.”

Ivy’s heart jumped. “That is so sweet. I miss you so much.”

“I miss you too. I have to stay another week, because we have two more concerts, but then I’ll be on the first flight to New York, lovey.”

Ivy wasn’t sure she could wait that long. Her entire body was hurting, and not only from being sore because of their intensive love-making last weekend.

Later that day she went to see her boss.

“What brings you here, Ivy? How are things going with Electric Flow?” he asked.

Ivy put on her most confident smile. “Pierce, everything is going fine. Terrence agreed to the contract, but I still need to get the other band members to sign.”

“I see. I didn’t expect you to make such progress in such a short amount of time.” Ivy wasn’t sure if Pierce was complimenting her or complaining. It was very hard to tell. “Ivy, you’re a brilliant lawyer.”

“You think that?” she asked, confused because his actions had shown otherwise.

“I do, but you still have lessons to learn. Listen closely.” He paused for a moment and leaned back in his chair. “You will never get anywhere if you don’t learn to ask for the things you want.”

Ask for the things I want? Is that even possible?
“I’m not sure I understand.”

“Don’t you?” he suggested, locking eyes with her.

She thought for a moment and then asked, “Why did you give me the Electric Flow account instead of one of the more prestigious contracts? If you think I’m so brilliant?”

“That’s easy. Nobody else asked for it.” His gray eyes stared at her and she had a slightly queasy feeling in her stomach.

“I didn’t ask for it, either,” she reminded him.

Her boss’ eyes were unreadable. “So what
did
you ask for? Tell me.”

Her stomach sank as realization hit. “Nothing.”

“Precisely. Nothing.” Pierce’s voice was as cold and unemotional as always. “Your colleagues weren’t so shy.”

“They asked you for the big accounts?” Ivy burst out.

“Yes, Jeremy and Colin knew what they wanted and they went for it.”

She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. It had never occurred to ask for what she wanted. Apparently, she still had to learn the rules of the trade. That you weren’t appreciated for your knowledge, but for the contacts you had and the demands you made.

Her boss chuckled at the perplexed look upon her face. “Ivy, you got Electric Flow because I can’t have you doing nothing and still pay you a salary. After Jeremy and Colin took their pick, I gave you what was left.”

Ivy tried to wrap her head around the news. “So, let me get this straight. If I had asked you for the Rihanna account, you would have given it to me?”

“Sure. I told you, you’re a brilliant lawyer.”

“Anything else?” She stood and headed for the door, needing time to process what she’d just learned. Before she could turn the handle, he called her back.

“Look, Ivy, being brilliant alone doesn’t cut it. I’ll tell you something and it might well be the most important career advice you’ll ever hear. You have everything you need to make it big in this industry, but you’re missing one key ingredient.”

“And that is?” She steadied herself against the door, not sure if she even wanted to hear his assessment.

“You need to sell yourself. Ask for the things you want and then don’t stop until you get them. Stop blending in and make people take notice of you. Don’t hide behind your work.” He gave her a hard, penetrating look. “Success in the music industry, and that includes all of us lawyers, is at least fifty percent marketing and only fifty percent skill.”

Ivy nodded and was about to leave, but Pierce’s words kept replaying in her mind. Ask for what you want.
Fine. Let’s start right now.
She squared her shoulders and looked into his eyes. “I need to fly to Chicago to meet the other band members of Electric Flow and to attend one of their concerts. That will speed up the process and save us money in the long run.”

Pierce raised an eyebrow at her, but put down the papers in his hand and stared at her hard. After a lengthy pause, she added, “I need to do this now. This week.”

His lips quirked up in the hint of a smile as he answered, “Tell Tina to make the travel arrangements for you. I’ll sign it.”

Ivy blinked once and then turned without a word and left his office, rushing back to her own, her mind racing with the possibilities. She called Tina, who assured her she would be on the next flight, which was scheduled to leave in less than three hours.

She called Bella at work and told her what happened.

“You’re leaving today?”

“Yes, right away.” Ivy grinned, hurriedly clearing her desk and gathering up her things. She needed to rush home, pack a small suitcase and head to the airport.

“I’m so happy for you,” Bella said. “Hugging you right now.”

“Hugging you right back. I’ll call you once I get to Chicago.”

Bella chuckled. “I hope you’re too busy doing other things to think about calling me. You go find your man.”

“I will.”

Ivy stepped off the plane several hours later and was hit by a sudden wave of nerves. She hadn’t called Ter to tell him she was coming to Chicago and now she was having second thoughts.

She retrieved her luggage and then hailed a taxi. She barely had enough time to check into her hotel and rush to Electric Flow’s concert so she wouldn’t miss their opening song.

This concert included a meet and greet area for fans willing to pay extra. They were allowed to come back stage before and after the concert, catch a glimpse of their idols and interact with those willing to do so. A wave of jealousy hit Ivy when she saw all of the beautiful girls standing there.

Without thinking, she rushed to the VIP area. On her way, she looked around and observed several of the band members posing for photos, signing t-shirts and body parts, and exchanging hugs and kisses with their adoring fans. Most of which were young girls showing off their assets.

She gritted her teeth and scanned the entire area for Ter, but he was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps he was already headed towards the stage, she thought, when she finally spotted him walking towards the far side of the VIP area. Amidst five or six beautiful, well-endowed girls, all of them clinging to him and trying to touch him.

Her stomach churned with jealousy and she wanted nothing more than to scratch out the eyes of each and every one of those girls. Jealousy wasn’t an emotion she was used to and she was still trying to deal with this feeling when she watched one of the girls wrap her body around his and kiss him right on the lips. Logical thought went out the window as she saw red and charged towards the VIP area.
I’ll teach that girl to kiss my man!

She tried to dodge around the entrance, but the bouncer had seen her coming and, not knowing who she was, he picked her up and physically lifted her off her feet.

“Put me down!”

He did so, outside the VIP Area. “Miss, I can’t let you in here without a pass.”

A commotion to her left caused her to turn her head and she watched as Terrence and his band headed towards the stage. She wrapped her arms around herself, scolding herself for being so ridiculous to think that she could come here and things would be the same as in New York.

She’d thought he was different and she could trust him to be faithful, but he’d just proven otherwise. Her first impulse was to rush back to her hotel and hole up in her room to cry, when the lights dimmed and the crowd pushed towards the stage. Ivy fought her way to the exit against the flow of bodies as they pressed forward.

As she’d almost reached the doors, Electric Flow started to play their first song and Ter’s velvety voice captured her attention, sending shivers rushing up and down her spine. It was impressive on CD, but hearing him sing in reality was out of this world, making her legs wobbly.

She liked his voice when he was speaking, but his singing was so smooth, it was as if he was making love to her with his voice alone.

Caught up with the crowd around her, she started dancing and moving to the rhythm, content to enjoy the concert for now and deal with her jealousy later. When the song ended, Ter thanked his audience, introduced all of his band members and then he said, “The next song is brand new and I just finished it up last week. I’d like to dedicate it to a very special woman who has captured my heart.”

Ivy’s heart wanted to explode in her chest as she heard those words and the ensuing cries of disappointment from his female fans as they realized he’d just announced he was no longer single, but had lost his heart to…her. Her jealousy of earlier fell away and she could only stand there and watch him with her heart in her eyes.

He began to sing, and the lawyer in her wanted to protest. His contract clearly stated that he could not perform any new material on stage without the record label’s approval.
Lighten up, Ivy. It’s not valid yet because it hasn’t been signed. He’s not technically breaking any rules.

The song was a love ballad and as he sang the lyrics, she felt tears run down her cheeks. It was such a poignant moment, and even his screaming fans quieted down listening to his heartfelt emotion.

Electric Flow continued their normal program before thanking their fans for supporting them and heading off stage.

Ivy waited until the crowd had thinned and then approached the VIP area again. Once she arrived there, she reached into her purse and pulled out her I.D. badge from the record label. It was her ticket backstage and she flagged down the bouncer who’d stopped her earlier.

“Miss, I already told you–”

“Yes, I know what you told me. Now, let me tell you something. My name is Yvonne Kafando and I’m here representing the band’s new record label.”

“Miss, without an access pass, I still cannot let you back. That I.D could be a fake.”

Ivy blew out a breath in frustration. “Go get one of the band members. They all know who I am and will vouch for me.”

It took some convincing, but he finally nodded and looked around. He spied Jason, the drummer, walking past and called him over. “Do you know this woman? She says she’s from the record label.”

Jason turned to her and Ivy introduced herself. “Yvonne Kafando.”

Jason smiled. “I haven’t met her yet, but I know the name. She’s good. Let her pass.”

Ivy sighed and was proud of her new bold behavior when the bouncer stepped aside. She was backstage. Now what?