Sing a Song of Love (9 page)

I headed back to my room to get ready and to ring Alina. 
She had been concerned that the boys were too young to handle the pressure of
touring and I wanted to reassure her that they were fine. 

I placed the call and was glad to hear Alina’s familiar
voice on the other end.

“Hello Alina.  How are you?”

“Oh I’m fine Mack!  How’s my boy?  And Robbie and Josh? I’ve
been thinking about them all day.  I hope they are OK?”

“Few nerves but mostly excitement.  You should be so proud
of them.  And they are ready. They sound great!”

“Oh that’s a relief!  Lance did ring this morning but it’s
hard to tell with that one.  He always sounds bright even when he is out of
sorts.  Glad you are there to keep an eye on them.”

I asked her how the farm was going and she filled me in on
the latest happenings and I was glad to hear that Hamish, Gina’s husband, was
working out so well.  I told her about my trip up north and swimming with the
dolphins and Jessie popped out of my mouth in general conversation before I
could think to censor it.  You don’t let anything slip with Alina as she has a
six sense when it comes to me or any of her bairns. 

I set off the inquisition and ended up spilling the whole
story, ending with this morning’s outburst.  She was a great listener and I
felt better for finally talking to someone about Jessie.

“It sounds like you have feelings for this one Mack.  What are
you going to do about it?”

“Nothing Alina.  We come from different sides of the worlds
and I can see that she would never leave New Zealand any more than I could
Scotland.  Jessie comes from a large, close family and I couldn’t do that to
her. Anyway you know how my career is; it doesn’t leave much time for a
relationship.”

“But you can’t live like that for ever Mack. Don’t you want
to give it a chance with Jessie to see where it goes?” 

“Nope just sounds like a distraction I don’t need right
now.  It’s hard enough not thinking about her as it is without adding fuel to
the fire.  Anyway I want to stay focussed on the boys’ tour and I can’t do that
if I’m mooning around about a girl.”

I could hear Alina laughing about that and telling Gina who
by the sound of things had been listening in.  Nothing was ever sacred with the
women in our house.

“Gina said she can’t imagine you ever mooning about a girl
and that she must be something.  What do the boys think of her?”

“They all get on like a house on fire.  In that respect
things couldn’t be better.  It will be fine Alina, I just need to keep my
distance, and in a few months I’ll be home and it will all fade in to the
past.”

I could hear Alina clicking her tongue which she did when
she thought someone was talking baloney.

“Well give that son of mine a big hug and tell him to break
a leg!  And for what it’s worth I think you owe Jessie an apology for this morning’s
outburst.” 

It had been good to talk to Alina and she was right that an
apology was in order.  But it had also confirmed in my mind that it would never
work between the two of us.  We had such different lives.  Now I just needed to
work on keeping the jealousy under wraps and stop acting like a possessive
caveman.

I returned to the set early to make sure everything was
ready for tonight and after I had gone through my list I finally relaxed and
let the excitement for tonight build. 

People started filling up the grounds around four and by six
the field had disappeared under the mass of bodies.  The noise level was rising
and you could hear their excitement.  Shortly after that the flood lights came
on amidst a mighty cheer and I couldn’t contain my grin.

I found myself a good spot on the wings just before the guys
were due to come on stage.  The crowd by this time had enjoyed the opening act
but were ready for the main event.  They were starting to chant their name when
Lance walked out.  The crowd erupted and kept up the chanting and stamping as
Robbie and Josh took their place, along with Jessie and Cam and the backing
orchestra. 

Lance put his hands up in greeting as he leant into the
microphone, “Hello Queenstown.  How you all doing tonight? And more importantly
are you ready to have some fun?  We’re going to start off with one of our
favourites.  It’s a song about home, a place nearly as beautiful as this.  Are
you ready boys?”  

Lance counted them in and I couldn’t help grinning proudly. 
He was born to be on stage and was a natural!

By the time they had finished the first song the crowd was
solidly behind them yahooing and whistling and stamping their feet.  It was
like there was a massive barn dance going on in the valley and when Robbie
swapped his guitar for the banjo in the next song and stepped up the tempo the
crowd roared in appreciation. 

Jessie looked incredible up there.  She too was made to
perform and was in her element up on stage.  I couldn’t take my eyes off her as
was probably the case for every man in the audience.  She had a charisma that
wasn’t just sexual.  The way she moved, her facial expressions and the pure
honesty in her voice was like an open door to whom she was and it drew you in
like a fish on a hook.  Lance had the same quality but for me tonight it was
all about Jessie.  I found it hard to believe a label had not snapped her up
before now.

When the show ended the crowd started up a chant of ‘encore’
till everyone came out on stage once more.  They had saved one of their new
songs for this moment and the crowd loved it.  It was a slower ballad but
catchy and by the time they had sang the chorus through twice half the audience
were joining in which the boys up the front were encouraging.  It was a stellar
performance and I was almost as sad as the crowd below when it ended.

They took their final bows amid thundering applause and
walked off stage. 

“Well Mack did we pass?” said Lance grinning like a Cheshire
cat.

I swept him up in a bear hug, “with flying colours, so
proud, and I can’t wait to see what the papers say tomorrow.”

“Come here Robbie and Josh,” and I hugged them as well.  I
was bursting with pride and only wished Alina and the other boys parents had
got to witness this too.

“OK how about drinks on Edinburgh?  After that performance I
think they owe us a good night out! What do you say Cam and Jess?”

Cam was jumping up and down and was on the same energy high
as me and Jessie, though looking doubtful, nodded her head.  Crap I had
forgotten my outburst.  I made a mental note to apologise as soon as we had a
quiet moment.

“Alright the cars are waiting around the back.  Don’t head
out without security as there is still a lot of people out there.  We don’t
want a stampede or anything as I think you boys may have broken a few girls’
hearts tonight!”

Josh looked interested in that, “Really?” 

Robbie gave him a clap on the back, “Yeh don’t you remember
the movie Almost Famous, and all the hot groupies.  Even the ugly ones get
lucky!”

Josh gave him a good natured shove as they walked back stage
and I could hear them continue their banter. 

Josh at six foot two was almost as tall as me and definitely
as broad and was anything but ugly.  He looked older than his years and like
most Highland men was hairy so always had a hint of five o clock stubble. 

Lance was the same; tall and broad with dark features and
the same blue eyes as me. He was just a cleaner version without the tats. 

Then there was Robbie who was small boned and fair.  He was
still tall but without the broadness of the other two and had the most liquid
brown eyes.  Alina always said if Robbie had been a dog he would have been a
cocker spaniel as he was just so adorable and if he had a tail it would have
been constantly wagging!   He always had the lion’s share of the girls though
which I had found amusing over the years.

I had organised an after party at a local bar and we set off
once everyone was ready.  I was disappointed to see that Jess had chosen to
travel with Dazz as I had been hoping to clear the air prior to getting there. 

As we walked into the bar a cheer went up and someone popped
the cork on a bottle of champagne.  As soon as everyone had a glass I made a
toast to the boys and thanked all the crew for their hard work and then made an
excuse to slip away.  I really wanted to catch up with Jessie.

 I had felt such conviction after talking to Alina that our
current path was the correct one but after tonight all I wanted to do was share
what I was feeling with someone.  And that person was Jessie.

I saw her at the corner of the bar chatting to Dazz and a
few other roadies and felt a wave of jealousy surge up.  I fought it down and
managed to civilly ask for a moment alone with Jess.

I grabbed her drink before she could say anything and lead
her over to a quiet table.

“Jess about this morning that was out of line.  I was being
a total ass.”

Jess who had been looking apprehensive gave me a half smile
at this but didn’t say anything.  Seems I would have to do better than that!

“I just can’t bear the thought of any other guy having their
hands on you which is ridiculous as it’s not like I have any claim.  Can you
forgive me?” 

Jessie finally looked up at me with those beautiful,
expressive hazel eyes.  I could see the hurt I had caused with my words but I
could tell by her smile it was going to be ok.  She just didn’t have a mean
bone in her body and lucky for me she didn’t hold grudges. 

“You were a total ass but Dazz said you had been a grumpy
shit all day and it was pretty normal for the big cheese to be like that on
opening night.  Just don’t take it out on me again.” 

Jessie was doing her best to do school mam stern but she
looked way to happy to pull it off.  I couldn’t resist and I leant over and
gave her kiss.  I had missed those generous, warm lips and I wished we were
anywhere but here.

Jessie pulled away first and looked confused.

“Is that wise?”

“Probably not, but I’m feeling anything but wise right now. 
In fact all I want to do is get you alone so I can tell you again how sorry I
am.” 

“You are incorrigible; you know we are supposed to be
keeping this professional.”  Jessie looked torn and I almost felt sorry for
putting her in this position but not enough to stop what I was doing.

“Professional is so boring!”  And I let my hands wander up
her thigh under the table pushing her skirt up as I went.  I stopped at the
very top of her leg and moved my thumb slowly back and forwards over her
knickers and was glad to see her eyes dilute in pleasure.

“Watching you on stage has left me with no sense.”  I could
feel her hips start to squirm under my touch and the wetness of her arousal but
I was powerless to stop.

“Mack you have to stop that.  People will see.”

“Only if you are noisy,” and I grinned at her wickedly, “but
we can make our excuses if you prefer?”

“But it’s your nephews’ party you can’t leave yet?”

Jessie did have a point there but I didn’t want her to cool
off and her resolve about not fraternising to return.  All I knew was that I
wanted to end the best night of my life with her in my bed.

“How about we give it an hour and then we make our excuses?”

“This is madness Mack.  I thought we had been through this.”

My hand which had been behaving slipped under the elastic of
her knickers and dipped into her wetness before finding her clit and I felt her
thighs grip my hand in protest.

“Mack this is unfair.  And that feels so good.  You have to
stop or I won’t even give you an hour!”

I beamed at her capitulation and gave her another kiss
before I withdrew my hand and I could feel my own desire hard in my pants. 

“Do you want to dance?”  I didn’t want to stop touching her
and dancing seemed like a legitimate way of being able to continue this in
public.

Jessie smiled and nodded and I led her to the dance floor
which was already full of happy party goers.  I had always loved after parties at
the end of a successful concert.  The vibe was contagious.

I saw Robbie dancing with a pretty red head and gave him a
wink before I drew Jessie into my arms and forgot everything else.  It was so
good to feel her body next to mine and smell her familiar scent once more.  I couldn’t
believe how much I had missed her over the last ten days.

“Has anyone ever told you how good you smell Jessie?”

I could feel rather than hear Jessie laughing as she lifted
her head to look at me.

“Are you smelling me Mack?  That is so unsexy?”  Her nose
was all scrunched up as she looked at me doubtfully and I couldn’t help but
kiss the tip of it.

“I’ll be doing more than smelling you shortly you little
minx,” I whispered in her ear as I pulled her in even closer.

When the song finished we went to find Lance and Josh and
saw them up at the bar with Cam.  They were still dissecting their performance
and talking about what they could do to make it better.

“Do you boys ever clock off.  You’re supposed to be enjoying
your party not talking shop!” 

“That was such a buzz I can’t think of anything else.  And I
can’t wait for the next concert!”  I smiled at Lance’s enthusiasm and part of
me was glad he was so caught up in the performance and that all the trimmings
that come with being a rock star were of secondary importance.  I would hate
for fame to change him.

“Well your wish is granted as tomorrow its Dunedin.  I’m
going to turn in soon so you may want to keep an eye on Casanova and make sure
he gets some sleep tonight!” 

Lance and Josh laughed at that.

“Don’t worry captain, I will make sure they all get to bed
at a decent hour,” said Cam, giving me a pat on the back, “even our princess
here.”

Jessie gave his ear a playful tweak, “It’s usually me making
sure
you
get to bed.  Anyway I’m turning in too.  I’m pooped.”