Strings Attached, page 13
“Why don’t you come by tomorrow and find out?”
Chapter Nineteen
Thirty-eight-degree November air stung Nikki’s cheeks as she made her way across DJ’s parking lot. They had agreed to one o’clock, but Nikki wanted to surprise her by showing up with food in hand. She walked into the store at twelve thirty, and the sounds of a bluegrass jam greeted her. She rounded the corner and caught the last verse of a duel between Jerry on banjo and Drew on guitar. Once again, she was blown away by their amazing talent.
Their obvious love and admiration for each other tugged at Nikki’s heart. She’d never had that kind of bond with her father. It took a minute for either of them to notice her. Drew’s face lit up with a breathtaking smile that chased away Nikki’s bitterness in a heartbeat.
“You’re early,” Drew said with the enthusiasm of a child.
Nikki wondered if that was from the high of the musical connection she’d just shared with her father or happiness at seeing her. Either way, she was so damn beautiful Nikki didn’t know how in the world she was going to keep her hormones in check.
Drew looked at the bags in Nikki’s hand. “You already got our food?”
“This way you can enjoy your full lunch break.”
Jerry placed the banjo on a stand. “Something she doesn’t do nearly enough.” He turned to his daughter. “I’ll keep an eye on things. You kids go and enjoy yourselves.”
Nikki handed Jerry one of the bags. “This one’s for you.”
“Shucks, you didn’t have to do that.” Jerry accepted the bag and peeked inside. “How’d you know classic Italian was my favorite?”
“You kiddin’ me? It’s a Moe’s. It’s everyone’s favorite. I figured I couldn’t miss.”
Drew gave her a smile that said she’d just scored some major points. She made a mental note to make sure she kept a smile on Jerry’s face, too. Not that it would be hard. She adored the man already. Jerry and Drew both offered to reimburse her for the food, and she refused.
She followed Drew to her office. The walls were decorated with a photo of a classical guitar against a black background, a collage painting of orchestral stringed instruments, and a Monet and Van Gogh mixed in. It was definitely a working space, but it looked as if Drew had done some recent tidying by clearing a space on her desk. She excused herself briefly to retrieve sodas from the mini-fridge in the small break room across the hall. Drew closed the door and positioned a metal-framed, vinyl chair in front of the desk. She motioned for Nikki to sit and then sat behind the desk across from her.
Drew avoided eye contact as she emptied the contents of the bags. Did the temperature just plummet in here, or is Drew nervous to be alone with me?
Something was off. The longer the silence stretched between them, the less she trusted the situation. That’s it. No more pussyfootin’ around.
“So, why the change of heart, Drew?”
Drew twisted off the bottle cap and took a long swig. “I saw you in the grocery store yesterday.”
“And you didn’t bother to say hi?”
“No, I was…surprised to see you there.”
“Why? Rock stars need to eat, too, you know. Where do you think we get our food? Flown in by helicopter?”
“That’s not what I meant—”
“Maybe you were too busy judging me for splurging on exotic, imported, off-season fruit.”
“No—”
“What can I say? I like melons.” She grinned. She knew she was being a brat, but enough was enough. She needed to get under Drew’s skin somehow and get her to lighten up.
The increasing redness on Drew’s face was either a blush or simmering anger. “Why do half the things that come out of your mouth have sexual undertones?”
Yep. It’s a blush. “They only sound sexual if you have a dirty mind. Which tells me you either have a dirty mind, or it’s been a hell of a long time since…” Nikki held up her hands in surrender. Old habits die hard. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that.”
Drew sprang from her seat. “You are unbelievable!”
Nikki slouched back and interlaced her fingers behind her head. “And you have yet to throw me out of your office. Why is that?”
She could practically hear Drew’s squeaky wheels spinning as she obviously fought to maintain her professional composure. Nikki didn’t give two shits about professionalism right now. Even Jaymi’s and Randi’s proverbial reprimands in her head telling her to “shut the hell up” took a back seat to her persistent curiosity. There had to be a fire in Drew buried deep down somewhere. She just needed someone to light the fuse.
Drew closed her eyes and let out a long breath through her teeth. She lowered herself back into her chair. “Because…I saw a side of you that I…it’s because of something else you bought. I wasn’t talking about your melons.”
Nikki feigned offense. “You don’t like my melons?”
“Will you shut up about the melons already?” Now Drew was fighting a smile. And turning red again. “I’m talking about the Thanksgiving dinners you bought for the needy, you jerk.”
Nikki dropped her hands and sat forward. “How did you know about that?” If that cashier said anything after I specifically said to keep it anonymous…
“I was in line at the register next to yours. I heard the whole thing.”
“Oh. Well, it was nothing, really.” She shrugged and rubbed her thumb back and forth along the arm of the chair. “It’s not like I’m volunteering my time down at the soup kitchen or anything.”
“Nikki, how can you say that?” Drew leaned forward and clasped her hands together on the desk. “You gave meals to a hundred families. That’s a big deal to those people.”
She didn’t know what to say. All the times she’d been trying to do something—anything—to change Drew’s opinion of her, and she managed to do it without even knowing Drew was there. Maybe the key was to stop trying. Suddenly, the old building didn’t feel so cold anymore.
“I’m sorry for being a jerk just now.”
“No,” Drew said softly, waving her off. “I owe you an apology, too.”
As if the room was eavesdropping on her thoughts, the heat kicked on, ticking and clinking as if it was joining the conversation.
“I’m listening.”
Drew pried open a bag of chips as if buying a moment to gather courage. “I’ve been making assumptions and passing judgment on you since we met. Not that you don’t get out of line sometimes, but at least you’re gracious enough to acknowledge those transgressions and apologize for them. I, on the other hand,” she released a long sigh, “have continued to hold them against you based on my own issues. Issues that have to do with you as a celebrity, not with who you are as a person.”
The tension seeped from her shoulders. “But you don’t really know me as a person.”
“Exactly my point.”
Drew picked up a pen and rolled it between her fingers. It drew Nikki’s attention to the blotter-sized calendar planner on the desk. It was covered in cartoony doodles of animals and musical instruments, many of which would have given Charles Schulz a run for his money. Drew’s name was randomly mixed in between the drawings, each one written in a different lettering style.
Looks like Drew has artistic talents, too.
“Drew, are you saying you’d like to get to know me as a person?” Nikki’s hopes rose the instant the words left her lips.
Drew raised her head and finally looked her in the eye. “Yeah, I guess I am.”
She studied Drew’s face, trying to get a read on whether her interest was sincere or if she was only making peace so that she wouldn’t rescind her offer. “Why?”
The directness of her question seemed to throw Drew off for a moment. She unwrapped her sandwich and gestured for Nikki to do the same. Buying time again. She appreciated Drew’s nature to answer thoughtfully, a trait Nikki wished she had. Her temper and unfiltered vocal reflexes had gotten her into trouble more times in her life than she cared to admit.
“To put it simply,” Drew looked away shyly, “in spite of my best efforts not to, I like you.” She quickly took a swig of her drink.
“Well, it’s probably no secret that I like you, too, Drew.” Nikki reached for her soda. “What do you propose we do about that?”
“I thought…I was hoping…do you wanna hang out sometime? To be clear, I’m not asking you out. I thought we could get together—”
“As friends?” Nikki’s heart soared when they finished the sentence together.
“Yes.”
She returned Drew’s smile. “I’d like that very much.”
They held each other’s gazes. Maybe they’d finally reached a cease-fire. A comfortable silence swept Nikki’s barriers away like a frozen river freed by the sun’s warmth at the end of a harsh winter.
Nikki broke eye contact and swallowed hard. “Other than Randi, I don’t have any other friends outside of the band.”
Drew looked surprised by her admission. She traced a pattern with her finger over one of the doodles and frowned. “I don’t have many friends, either.”
Nikki barely heard her, but the lonesome tone in Drew’s statement resonated loudly in Nikki’s mind. Perhaps she and Drew had more in common than musical interests. She sat forward and smiled. “Okay, so let’s hang out. What would you like to do?”
Drew’s face lit up, a glint of confidence returning to her eyes. “We’ve become rather good at eating together. How about dinner?”
“I would love to have dinner with you. I’ll take you anywhere you want to go. My treat.”
“Oh no. I invited you, and you bought us lunch. How does a home-cooked meal sound?” One corner of Drew’s mouth hitched upward in what was probably a touch of anxiety over her response, but to Nikki, it was sexy in an unassuming way.
“After living on the road and eating out for the last six months, that sounds like heaven on earth.”
“That’s what I was thinking. Are you free Saturday?”
“Saturday’s good.”
With the awkwardness diminishing, they dug into their sandwiches. Drew said, “There is one thing I need to ask you, though.”
Nikki’s excitement dimmed. Drew had already expressed concerns about drugs and alcohol. What else was she worried about? “Shoot.”
“Do you like cats?”
Nikki chuckled in relief. “Yeah, cats are cool. Unfortunately, my mom had allergies, so the closest thing I ever had to a pet was a small tank of tropical fish when I was a kid. Now I’m never home enough to take on the responsibility, so it wouldn’t be fair to them.”
“Good. I would’ve been bummed if you’d said no.”
Nikki dramatically swiped the back of her hand across her forehead. “Whew. Me too.” She popped the last bite of half her sandwich into her mouth. “So, you have a cat, huh?”
“Three.” Drew smiled, as if thinking of them instantly warmed her heart. It was fucking adorable.
“Whoa. You’ve got your own little family, huh?”
“Yup. Andres, Vinnie, and Fret.”
Nikki took a moment to take in the wall décor once again. “Let me guess. You’re a fan of Andres Segovia, Van Gogh, and…who’s Fret named for?”
“Wow. You’re good. Fret named herself. She likes to play guitar with me.”
“Can’t say as I blame her. With you for a teacher, I bet she’s already mastered pull-offs and hammer-ons.”
Drew laughed at the reference to fret-hand fingering techniques. “She’s a regular Eddie Van Halen. In fact, I think in her next lesson, I’ll teach her how to play with her teeth like Jimi Hendrix.”
“Now that’s something I’d pay to see.”
“I wouldn’t have to charge much. She’ll work for Pounce treats.”
“I’ll stock up.” Nikki emptied her soda. “I’m really excited about taking up a new instrument.”
Drew lowered her brows into that serious look that was so unbelievably sexy it nearly unraveled Nikki’s composure.
“Oh yeah?”
“Are you sure you’re up for the challenge of teaching me the cello?”
Drew leaned back in her chair and grinned. “You bet I am. You know, I would’ve thought you’d rather learn the banjo or mandolin. How are you going to work a cello into Passion Play’s sound?”
“Who says I have to? Maybe I just want to learn for my own enjoyment.” Nikki knew the lessons would be as pleasurable as the satisfaction of mastering something new.
Drew stood and gathered the wrappings of their lunch and threw them in the trash. “That is the most important reason to learn.”
Nikki opened a package of cookies and offered one to Drew.
“You’re spoiling me, you know. I’ve got a wicked sweet tooth,” Drew said before crunching off a big bite.
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Nikki bit into hers. “So, you really want me to ask Randi to play bodyguard for your bank runs?”
A five-minute discussion of that topic turned into more than an hour talking about Drew’s numerous ideas for additional teaching programs she wanted to implement at DJ’s. Drew’s enthusiasm lit up the room. With every one of her animated comments or ideas, Nikki’s appreciation for her own music instructors grew exponentially. She’d taken them for granted at the time. In her determination to be the best and her tunnel-vision focus on achieving her goals, she hadn’t fully grasped the difference teachers made in the world.
The realization only intensified her attraction to Drew. “I’m sorry I teased you about performing.”
Drew wrinkled her eyebrows in question.
“When we first met and I bugged you about getting your dad on a stage or in a studio? You were right. We all have our own dreams, and it’s not my place to judge yours.”
Drew sat back and smiled contentedly. She searched Nikki’s face, and her eyes softened. “Thank you for saying that. It means a lot, coming from you.”
“Passion Play wouldn’t exist, and I wouldn’t be where I am today, without teachers like you. And shop owners like your father.”
Drew shrugged. She cleared her throat and stood. “Yeah, well, I wish everyone could appreciate my dad for who he is.” Drew frowned, and Nikki caught her glance at a framed photo on the desk she hadn’t noticed before. A preteen Drew, Jerry, and a woman she assumed was Drew’s mother. Jerry looked much the same, minus the graying hair. Drew stood in front of them, Jerry’s arm protectively draped over his daughter’s shoulder. Although Drew and Jerry were in modest casual attire, the mother was dressed to the hilt in an expensive, low-cut short dress, her hair done to the nines.
She desperately wanted to ask Drew about the picture, but now wasn’t the time or place. “Well, I’d better go so you can get back to work. We still on for dinner Saturday night?”
“Definitely. I’ll text you the address.”
“What can I bring?”
“How about dessert?”
“Your wish is my command.” Nikki released her hand and headed out the door wearing an unabashed smile.
She couldn’t wait for the weekend to arrive.
Chapter Twenty
Saturday night couldn’t come fast enough. Nikki spent her nervous energy cleaning her condo from top to bottom, practicing a few of Passion Play’s new songs, going for a drive to get used to the new vehicle, browsing for over an hour at Bull Moose Music, and spending far more than necessary on used LPs. She resisted the temptation to busy herself with the company of friends, feeling instead that time alone for a little introspection was of higher priority these days.
She headed to the bathroom for a shower. She put extra effort into grooming and shaving and getting the spikes in her hair just right. She walked naked to the bedroom and fingered the outfits in her walk-in closet.
They’d be eating in, so she didn’t need anything too dressy. But she didn’t want to go too casual either. Regardless of their agreement that this evening was about hanging out as friends, she still wanted to look good. She selected a fitted white cotton button-up shirt and a pair of designer jeans. She pulled on ankle-high black boots and finished off the look with a black leather vest.
She parked the Jeep behind Drew’s truck in the driveway of a multifamily town house. She took a minute to steady her hands and ascended the few porch steps to the apartment.
Drew opened the door, and Nikki couldn’t move. She was in blue jeans and a royal blue button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows—and a black apron covered in plump mustached chefs and wooden spoons. She looked sexy and adorable as she discreetly scanned Nikki head to toe. The warmth of the oven and scintillating aroma of marinara invited her in before Drew could do so.
She returned Drew’s smile. “Hi.”
“Hi. Come in.”
“Whatcha got cookin’?”
Drew said, “Chicken parmesan. I just need to turn on the garlic bread that’s in the toaster oven.”
Something brushed against Nikki’s leg.
“Hey, who’s this?” She looked down and saw a tiger cat scrutinizing her with pale green eyes. It had a white blaze on its nose that flared out around the mouth and chin, and a white chest and feet.
“That’s Fret. What’ve you got there?”
Nikki handed her a bottle of wine and then pulled a carton of gelato from the plastic grocery bag. “And I figured these wouldn’t hurt.” She removed the Pounce canister from her coat pocket.
Drew chuckled and shook her head. “Are those complimentary, or will Fret have to play for them?”
“First one’s on the house.”
“Don’t give them any until we see how dinner comes out. If I screwed it up, we’ll all be dining on cat treats.” Drew set the wine on the table and put the dessert in a nearly empty freezer.
“Good thing I bought the gourmet flavor.” Nikki caught sight of a giant puffball of an orange cat lounging in a pet bed, making no move to join in. Fret rubbed against her again. “Hey, cutie pie. Can I pick you up?” She petted Fret’s head, and she began to purr.
