Keep To The Script (Complete)

~ Chapter 5 ~

"I'm good for the moment, Angel," she told him, still keeping the tone light and teasing. She liked this and she realized that the throbbing in her head had slowed to a dull ache. How was that possible when usually it took darkness, soft music, and tons of pills to touch that type of pain on her? Her eyes skirted around the place, and she nodded. "I like this joint. It's laid back, certainly not something I thought I would find a rising star to be in." He shrugged his shoulders as the bartender came over.

"Glad you're back, bro. The usual Corona?"

"Sure, Jesus. This is Judith, the writer I told you about," Angel said, smiling at her. Judith glanced between the two men and then tilted her head slightly. The resemblance was uncanny, and she ducked her head, realizing that she was meeting some type of family, and she was going to guess a brother.

"It's a pleasure, Judith. Angel wouldn't stop talking about your story." Judith lifted a brow at that.

"Tell me, Jesus, does he read a lot of romance?" She couldn't help but try to gain some information, especially if his brother was forthcoming with it. Jesus laughed and nodded.

"He does, claims it helps with the ladies." She shared a laugh with him and caught the eye roll Angel gave off. "Can I get you something to drink? A margarita? Tequila sunrise?" So, she was pegged as a fu-fu drinker huh?

"Bourbon on the rocks, three fingers please."

"Woah, my kind of lady. I'll be right back with that." Jesus walked off and Judith turned to look at Angel.

"Know the owner huh?" Angel leaned forward and looked at her seriously.

"Would you have run, JD, if I told you, it was my brother?" His eyes told the truth, and they were screaming that she couldn't lie. They both knew that she would turn tail and run in the opposite direction, and sadly, she had no reason behind it. She just claimed that having a friend in this town was going to be good. Did it matter as to the age of the friend? If Angel wanted to be seen with her, it couldn't be that bad, right?

"Fine, I would have." She played with the napkin Jesus had set down and Angel lifted a brow again.

"Why? There's no crime stating I can't talk to you, is there?"

"Of course not, Angel."

"So, why are you making it a big deal about me talking to you or getting to know you?" She opened her mouth and then shut it right away. Why was she making it a big deal? Because she let her imagination get the better part of her and assumed that he wanted something more than a friendship? Wasn't that dumb on her part? After all, he was an upcoming star and she would bet he had hordes of ladies after him, why would he want one pesky writer anyway? And what could he know about her other than the few things she wrote in some blurb? "Waiting, JD."

"No reason, I guess. I'll stop." He pushed back off the table and leaned back against the booth seat, a smile on his lips.

"Something tells me that's going to be quite unlikely." She shot him a glare as Jesus put the drinks before them.

"It's on the house, Judith. Just make sure to give my little brother here a hard time." Judith raised the glass to him and took a sip.

"I'll try my best, Jesus." Angel took a drink of his beer as he watched his brother walk away and then turned back to her.

"Where did you get the inspiration for this novel?" he asked as he played with the bottle in his hands. She licked her lips, her cheeks warm at the thought.

"I was in a coffee shop one day and saw the woman sitting alone at the table, her fingers drumming on the tabletop, a steaming hot coffee before that she hadn't touched. It was evident that she was waiting for someone, and it looked like she was getting more and more upset as the seconds ticked by. All of a sudden, this guy hurries into the coffee shop, his jacket waving behind him as he rushed through the doors.

"He caught sight of her, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her deeply. It's the most vital scene that I have fought tooth and nail not to change, and it's the scene that started the storyline. I questioned why she was waiting? Why did she look upset? Why was he in such a hurry to get to her? Why hadn't she touched her coffee? What were they thinking? Where were they going? And lastly, was their love so grand, or so new, that they didn't care about making out in a public place?" She paused as she looked down at the liquid in her glass. "So, I started answering the questions myself and you got the book."

"Jesus told you I read a lot, and I do. Romance is a top genre for me, and it surprises a lot of people, but there's such emotion that comes out with romance, and it's not just love, although that all plays a great part." He looked at her and gave her a real smile. "You have a gift, JD, and I hope you don't lose it. The world needs more stories like you gave."

"Thank you, Angel." She smiled, her heartwarming at that thought. "Why do you call me JD?"

"It's your pen name, right?" She nodded. It was just unusual to have people really address her as such. "I like it, think it's unique, it's got style and class, and it sure fits a gorgeous woman like you a lot better than Judith." And that had her eyes popping open wide, her jaw hitting the floor, and her heart doing a pattern she didn't know.