Waiting in line at the cinema, no one noticed who was at my side. Beaus hand never left mine and standing side by side we were just like every other couple around us. His cap was kept a little low over his forehead, but nothing that made him stand out. He paid for our tickets and before he could do the same for the popcorn, I had it taken care of.
“I could have paid for that, I’m taking you out remember?” He reached over and had some of my raspberry slushy earning a glare from me considering he said he was fine with a plain coke.
“Yeah, but I’m not going to let you pay for everything after all those roses!”
“Don’t worry about money, I got that covered.” He kissed my cheek, his lips cold from the frozen drink and I wiped my cheek as if I was disgusted.
“I’m not worried about it, but I’m not going to let you throw it around on me.”
“Can’t I spoil you?”
“Of course, just in tiny doses. You don’t need to try and impress me” He seemed confused, and I remembered what he said about getting Julia everything she could possible want and it still hadn’t been enough. “I have you, that’s all I want.”
We found a seat towards the back where it wasn’t as crowded as the rest of the theatre and getting comfortable I was glad he chose somewhere new that had the movable armrests. Turning the single seats into a two-seater he yawned and put his arm around my shoulders, holding me close as the popcorn balanced between us.
“As if I didn’t see that coming” I teased and all I got in response was a piece of popcorn being thrown at my face. By the time the movie finished, Beau had stolen all of my slushy and unimpressed I took the last of his coke. We walked out with me still under his arm, my arm around his waist and we blended in unnoticed, even though I saw three people with Taking Back Monday band shirts on.
“Late lunch?” He offered and we found a restaurant nearby. I didn’t hold back, ordering a burger and milkshake he did the same. We talked easily, sharing fries as we ate and he told me all about what happened in Canada. It was hard not to be inspired by how much passion he had for performing, it was a huge part of him and I’d never seen him happier.
“How did you eat all of that and the fries, plus all that popcorn?” He teased as we left, and I only shrugged rubbing my belly which was stuffed.
“I like to eat?”
“I’ve never gone out with a girl who would eat real food and actually eat all of it. I’m impressed!” He kissed the tip of my nose and thankfully all that food stopped the butterflies that swarmed through me. “Ready for part two?”
“There’s more?”
“Sure, we’ve done the movie and eating thing, now time to do something fun!”
“I wish you’d said something, I wouldn’t have eaten so much” We headed towards the pier and I really regretted having a full stomach at the sight of the rides and Ferris wheel.
The rest of afternoon we played mini-golf, messed around on the carousel and as the sun began to set we had a carriage to ourselves on the Ferris wheel and as beautiful as the sunset was, it didn’t matter as we sat side by side making out like teenagers.
“Today has been amazing, thank you” I reached and kissed his cheek, his smile making me smile. We walked along the pier which was lit up like a Christmas tree in the night. The weather may have started to cool down, but it didn’t stop the crowds and finding a free table we ordered dinner.
“I have one more thing planned so don’t think it’s over yet”
“Any clues? If it’s more rides, I’m not eating dinner!”
“No, you’ll be fine” He promised.
“I was thinking, about us and have you told anyone?” I tried not to sound nervous, but he still frowned.
“Yeah, the guys, Mum, my millions of twitter followers…” My mouth dropped on its own accord and he laughed, “Kidding. But only about twitter.”
“Will you meet my parents? I know it’s early and it will be really uncomfortable. I really want John to like you, but he is stubborn. Maybe my family can peer pressure him and…”
“Stop rambling. I’ll meet your parents and John will come round eventually” He paused as our food arrived, “Did you want to meet my Mum while we’re talking about family?”
I nearly choked on my chip at that and rather than make sure I wasn’t choking, he laughed and patted my back.
“You’d want me to meet your Mum?”
“She’ll love you, I know it.” He seemed so casual about it and I couldn’t help but freak out. His band didn’t like, how was I going to go with his Mum?
“You don’t think it’s too soon?”
“Well technically it’s been over a month and I have no intention of breaking up with you, so why not?”
“Where do you come from, like where does she live?” I finally asked, pausing to chew my pizza.
“LA, I’m sure we can get you over there with no dramas. Even if De Lucca has to arrange another ‘mandatory’ meeting or something” He winked and I wasn’t sure how that would happen.
“So because you’re like one of his biggest bands, you can demand things?” I thought of the breakfast in the meeting and knew he had done that too.
“You could say that,” I was missing something, I knew it. “Hurry up and eat, we need to be somewhere by eight”
The somewhere was the Sky Deck and stepping out of the elevator we headed over to the clear ledge that hovered over the city. No one was around and just to our right there was an ice bucket and glasses set up on a table with strawberries and chocolate. He headed over and grabbed a strawberry while gazed out over my city.
“You did this?”
“Well, the staff did. I just booked it out.” He came over to stand by the ledge with me and below us the city was like the sky lit up with a million different lights. I’d come during the day, but never at night and it was breathtaking.
From behind me Beau rested his head on my shoulder and his arms curled around my waist, a little too tight. “Are you ok?”
“I’m scared of heights.” He admitted shyly.
“Then why do this?”
“I heard the view was nice” Beau laughed, clearly uncomfortable.
“You’re an idiot” His grip was like iron around me as I tried to turn around to face him and realizing I wasn’t moving away he eased up. “Today has been amazing,”
Beau’s lips found mine, the strawberry still fresh on his breath and I couldn’t get enough of him. I wasn’t sure if ever will and that scared me more than meeting his Mum or him meeting my parents. I grabbed the front of his t-shirt, pulling him closer and knocking the cap off his head. There was no one around to see him now, just me and he was all mine.
For the first time that day, I could see his face clearly as we broke apart. Our eyes met for a moment before he was back, no longer just kissing my mouth as he pushed my own shirt down slightly to kiss my neck, my shoulder and one hand slipped around to squeeze my ass, pushing my closer still as his other hand ran along my stomach and up over my bra.
“Beau,” I moaned breathlessly, finally opening my eyes the look in his nearly had me stripping off naked then and there.
“I love it when you say my name like that.” With a final kiss he stepped back and I was already craving his body back against mine. “We need to stop.”
I only nodded before he came closer; taking my hand he kissed it gently. “Drink?”
“Sure.” Separation was needed and I went back to the ledge, wondering if he’d come this close again. He did, sitting on the floor he pulled me down to sit between his legs and I leant back to rest against his chest where the beat of his heart was still pounding beneath the skin. We didn’t say much, just enjoying each other’s company as we looked over my city and that was enough.
Waking up I was surprised to find myself back in Beau’s car and yawning I realized I must have fallen asleep.
“Welcome back” He squeezed my hand from where he was still holding it and looking around I was disappointed to find I was nearly home.
“How did I not wake up?”
“You did, well I thought you did for a minute when I put you in the car”
“You should’ve woken me!” I yawned and he chuckled slightly.
“Nah you’re cuter asleep.”
“Will you stay tonight?” He hesitated and that told me my answer without him giving me one.
“I’ve gotta fly back at eleven, I’ll be dropping you off and going straight to the airport.”
“You came all this way for today?”
“I missed you, I needed the break”
Love. The warm feeling that filled my body and made me catch my breath had to be love.
“I missed you too. Thank you for coming”
“Stop thanking me!” He looked embarrassed and so I just smiled, fighting to keep my eyes open.
“What time do you call this?” Jess met us at the door, ruining my chance of a proper goodbye.
“Enough Jess. What is the time?” I looked for my watch and remembered I didn’t put it on.
“Ten past nine!” Jess snapped, crossing her arms.
“Inside!” I yelled at her, pointing back into the house and winking at Beau she closed the door.
“You’re lucky you have so many people around you who care about you.”
“You do too, you have the band and your Mum. Surely you have some friends and…”
“I have you”
“Yes you do” Instantly my arms were around his neck as his went around my waist, and I didn’t want the moment to end until the flashing porch light distracted us. “Jess!!”
The light stopped and Beau let me go, “I’ll see you soon ok, otherwise I’ll call”
“Ok” He turned to start going back to the car and I ran after him, “Beau?”
“Yeah?”
“I like you.”
“Good, because I like you too!”
There was something about the way he said it that made me think we weren’t talking about liking anymore.
-
The high from our date lasted until Thursday when John called me into his office. It had been a slow week, we were ahead of schedule with everything and yet he didn’t look happy as I entered.
“How was your meeting this morning?” I asked casually, hoping his response would help me guess where he was at.
“Fine. Educational that’s for sure!” He snapped sarcastically.
“Oh?”
“How come you haven’t told me about Beau? I was left unprepared for De Lucca’s questions about you and your relationship with him. Apparently someone flew in from the Canadian tour to visit someone on Sunday!” He roared just as Sparky walked in, turned and walked straight back out.
“I’ve been wanting to tell you! I knew you’d get all pissy so was hoping I could talk you into liking him first!”
“That explains Nana, but come on Bec! Despite that I thought you’d at least tell me!” He wasn’t as angry anymore, it was worse.
He was disappointed.
“What did De Lucca say?” I finally found the courage to ask.
“Nothing other than he was impressed of the way you seem to be changing Beau. Are you really sure about this Bec?”
“Yeah I am, just give him a chance John.”
Saved by the phone, I left him to answer it and went back to my desk where Sparky was waiting.
“So, cats out of the bag?”
“Yup!”
“Wanna go get lunch?” Nodding I grabbed my bag, waved to John and as we left the building got his lunch order. We were waiting for Johns takeaway when the lady next to me grabbed her friend and went to the window of the café. Not that it interested me until she spoke.
“Is that Rosa? Did you see her last week; she totally took down Bridge in that challenge!” My stomach dropped and I moved closer, ignoring the look from Sparky.
Sure enough she strutted like she was on the show now and a few people looked at her curiously. “I know, she is awesome. And I heard she has hooked up with Taking Back Mondays singer. A model and a musician, they’re so getting their own reality show!”
I headed outside, trying not to look like I was chasing her down. “Rosa? Is that you?”
“Ah Bec! Ciao!” She stopped to greet me, flicking her hair over her shoulder it was then I noticed the man with the camera over on the other side of the street.
“How are you? Saw you on that model show, you’re doing great!” I hadn’t watched a minute of it, but she didn’t need to know that.
“I know, I so got this. It helps that the directors love my connections. I had to name drop your brother a couple of times in my interview and I’m sure you’ve seen the pictures of me and Beau Morgan?”
“No?”
She reached into her oversized bag and pulled out a copy of Celebrity Plus, one of the biggest gossip magazines and the she handed it over. Glancing over the front cover it was only dated last week and a picture of the band was in the bottom left corner with one of her beside it. Taking Back Rosa?
I flicked through the pages and a collection of pictures filled one page beside the article, the ones from on stage at the nightclub taking up most of the room and a few others that I was positive wasn’t even Beau. “He is such a good fuck, I totally understand musicians now!”
Before I knew what had happened, she was holding her nose as blood was pouring out all over face and down the front of her blouse. Of course the photographer and his friend now paid attention, running across the road I froze.
“You bitch!” Rosa screamed and Sparky came out to grab me before I could hit her again.
“What happened?”
“Rosa is bleeding”
“Did she get hit by a car? Maybe she fell”
The crowd from the café came out behind him and dragging me with him, he spoke to the paparazzi that had been following Rosa. Before everyone got their phones out, he grabbed my arm and Rosa’s heading straight out the back of the café.
I felt sick, my hand hurt and I was still red, while Rosa was still screaming and threatening to sue. The poor chef just stood there watching and the crowd lingered by the counter hoping to catch a glimpse at what was going on.
“Don’t hit her again!” He snapped, going out to the crowd.
“Miss Catelli is fine, she tripped on her stiletto thanks to a crack in the concrete, luckily no damage has been done. Thank you for your concern!” Sparky had everything under control, doing what he had to with the staff, paparazzi and nosey people before helping her to clean her face up.
“What the fuck Bec?” She finally snapped, coming over to with her claws out. She had a bruise already starting to appear on her cheek, but her nose wasn’t broken.
“I’ll give you a job as hostess at the Aviary festival next month if you do not mention this to anyone” Sparky interrupted.
“Who are you anyway?” Rosa snapped, still glaring at me.
“Angus McDougal. I’ll be the head techie and can get you the gig, I heard some of your fellow contests have already applied,” The offer to tempting and they ended up shaking on it.
“We’re not friends anymore!” It was clear she was trying to get a rise out of me but I wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction. I was about to snap again, wanting to let loose years of built up frustrations only Sparky interrupted again.
“Your car is here, take my card. Call me about Aviary” Rosa snatched his card and nodded, moving towards the back entrance of the kitchen.
“She has my magazine” Coming back I realised I still had it in my hands. Instead of giving it back I ripped it up, throwing the shredded bits of paper at her. “You’ve gone mad!”
“No, I just had enough of your shit you fucking bitch!” I finally yelled back and Sparky quickly blocked me.
“Goodbye Rosa” She left without another word and shocked from my actions, I burst into tears. I had never hit anyone before; I don’t even know what came over me. “Ssh, it’s ok”
“What’s going to happen?” I finally stopped crying, hiccups taking their place.
“Nothing. I know those paps, they’re good guys usually. Rosa won’t say a word because she’ll want that job. What the hell happened?”
“I don’t know, she showed me the stupid article about her and Beau and she said she fucked him and I just snapped!” Sparky hugged me again, causing a whole new round of tears to start.
“Being with him, this is going to happen all the time. That’s just not the best way to deal with it Bec,” He soothed and finally we headed back to office with Johns lunch.
“I can’t believe I punched her, I’ve never done that to anyone! Thank you for fixing everything! How did you do it?” The pain in my hand registered again and I flexed my fingers. What was Jess going to say? Should I tell John and Beau?
“She deserved it, but not the best thing to do in public. Don’t sweat it ok? I work in this industry. Do you have any idea how many times i've had to help bribe drivers, security and paparazi to stop pictures of drugged up, passed out emotional wrecks of celebrities from getting published? Besides, it’s the least I can do for my fake girlfriend” I only nodded unable to find humour in his words, yet a part of me had never felt better.