If You Ever Get Lonely

chapter 16

*** Stephen ***

        I can feel the sun on my face. Ahhh shit I forgot to set my alarm I hope it's not too late I have so much to do today. Last minute rehearsals with my band and Sound-check in the early afternoon. This is the biggest show we've ever played but I don't want to get out of bed I have a half naked beautiful smart woman in my bed. Summer was in my bed, half naked. In my arms. I open my eyes the sun's reflecting off that beautiful red hair of hers. There's not a damn thing I find unattractive about this woman. She feels so good in my arms against my body, everything about this seems so right. Memories of last night flood over me. Why did it have to start storming? Everything was going so perfectly. The night still turned out perfect anyway in my opinion. I have to stop thinking about last night. I groan and reluctantly let go of summer to roll over I don't want to bother her and I don't know how she feels or where we stand at the moment. I want her so bad. If she were any other girl I'd wake her up to finish what we started last night but something tells me that Summer isn't just any girl. No, not just any girl. My girl. I hope. I have to get out of bed and get showered my band will hate me if I'm late. this is important.

        I climbed out of the shower to find Summer sitting up in my bed. damn she looks good in my bed. This is a sight I wouldn't mind seeing more of. I kissed her softly and promised to see her later before heading out the door. I got to the spot where me and the band practice at and of course I'm late. Almost an hour late. How in the world did this happen? Never mind of course I know what happened. Summer happened. Never mind though I make my excuses and apologies to the band who all grumble at me knowing I'm lying out my ass. I stand at the mic and give the signal to begin but as I start singing I can't stop thinking about the feel of Summer's body against mine. I must have messed up my band had stopped playing. They weren't my band though. They were locals Their lead singer had been fired and they asked me to fill in for them for the summer. That's how I got the gig at the bar and the carnival and a few other shows in the area. "sorry guys I got distracted it wont happen again"  I feel horrible. the boys are local celebrities they never actually want to be famous they just like playing in Florida but it didn't matter every show they played was important to them. I had to get my shit together. finally rehearsals were going good when suddenly I can practically feel warm lips tasting of whiskey on mine. I stuttered on the words. Shit. After a few tries I finally get it all good. The band members warn me to make sure I keep my shit together tonight. Especially since I was trying to get noticed. Maybe they didn't want to get to Nashville, but I did. Then we had to do sound-check real quick. Finally we were finished and I had just enough time to run back to the house and grab a bite to eat before having to come back and set up for the show. I hoped Summer was still there.

*** Summer *** 

            Did last night really happen? I can still feel Stephen's lips on me and those hands oh God. I shudder. I've never experienced anything like that in my life. I don't know if I ever will again either. I bury my head in Stephen's pillow it smells so good I could stay in bed all day. I climb out of bed and throw my jeans on not bothering to take off stephen's shirt it feels too good on my body. I walk towards the kitchen to see if there's any food in the house. I'm thinking I got lucky I can smell the bacon cooking down the hall.  I turn the corner and see Kennedy still in nothing but a tshirt standing at the stove kissing Jason who's in his boxers. Holy shit. Jason is a damn good looking man there's no denying that but it's been years since I'd seen him with this little amount of clothes on. I shook my head to get those errant thoughts out of my head and clear my throat so the love birds know I'm in the room. Kennedy just laughs, checks the bacon, and goes back to kissing Jason. I don't blame her she's been without him for too long. I go over to the fridge to look for something to drink and seeing some orange juice I pull it out and set it on the counter and start looking for glasses. Jason tells me where they are. So many questions though. For starters who's house was this? probably just a summer rental. Kennedy's such an amazing cook my mouth starts to water as she starts piling plates high with bacon, sausage, eggs, pancakes, and even fresh fruit. This seems a bit much but whatever I'm hungry. 

         "You want us to do what?" Jason's lost his damn mind asking us to stay in this house for the remainder of our time here. I mean maybe that could work for him and Kennedy but What about me? "This is my house I bought it from a friend of mine as a vacation home after getting my signing bonus. We're all friends here and there's plenty of bedrooms"  Jason smiles at me "Plus you and Stephen seem to be getting along great, there's no point in you girls wasting money on a hotel"   I can see his point but I suddenly feel unsure. Jason was like an older brother to me I trust him and I've missed him I guess I don't really see a valid argument as to why we shouldn't stay. So it's settled. After breakfast we went to get dressed and then get our things and check out. Upon returning to the house I wasn't really sure what to do with my things. I asked Jason to point me towards the guest room. I didn't want to just assume that Stephen would want me moving into his room. He didn't even know about the arrangement yet. Would he be mad? I hope not. I was kind of hoping he's want me to share his room. Although this whole thing might make it harder to leave in a few weeks. I couldn't follow Stephen around the country while he chased his dreams. I have a life to get back to. I'd only slow him down anyway. It's only been a few days but I was falling in love. I never felt like this before. Just as I suspected I had never loved Mike. He'd never made me feel like this. No one ever had and I doubted anyone would ever again. Was I making the same mistakes Kennedy made years ago? Possibly. Maybe I could leave. Kennedy has Jason she'd be alright if I just left in the middle of the night. I can't do that though. Not now. I know that in the end i'm going to be the one hurting if i'm right about all this but I can't think about that right now.

*** Stephen *** 

          I walk in the house to find Kennedy and Summer had moved their things into the house. I'm so happy but why were Summer's things in the guest bedroom? Oh well maybe she just didn't know where to put them we'll fix that later. I barely have time to eat but Summer and Kennedy had made dinner. What lifesavers and they were good cooks. I don't think Summer could get any better. I have to eat quickly so I can get back and set up I finish eating and kiss Summer damn this is starting to feel normal. I love this girl. Wow I mean I really love this girl and I've only known her a few days. This is crazy. Amazing. Really truly Amazing. Nothing else matters in this moment. I walk out the door in a better mood than I can remember ever having been in before. I get to the carnival and I can see all the people running around and having a good time. I can't help but smile at everything I see. The world looks so much brighter and happier from this angle. We start the set up and before I know it It's getting dark and it's time to play. I look out into the crowd and right there front row I see my baby. Summer looks like an angel laughing and smiling with her friends. even from up here I can see the green of her eyes as she smiles up at me. I raise the microphone to my lips and start to sing. I've never sang the way I sang that night. Hundreds of eyes watching me. All those screams cheering for me. Only one really mattered to me. The pretty little redhead in the front row dancing to all my songs.