Strings Attached, page 4
Nikki pressed the remote on her key and pried open the passenger door. A pile of wet, heavy snow slid off and dusted the interior. Nikki released the seat forward and placed the guitar she was carrying into the rear.
“Let me take that from you,” Nikki said, reaching for the other instrument in Drew’s hands. After she had them situated the way she liked, she emerged with a snowbrush in her hand. “Thank you again for your help today.”
She trudged around the front end of the car and disappeared inside. The engine roared to life. A few measures of rock music blared from the stereo before she cut the volume. She hopped back out and began clearing off the snow. It was a gorgeous red Mustang. Great for summer cruising. The worst thing to be driving in this weather.
“Will you be able to get home okay?”
“I grew up in Massachusetts. I know how to drive in the snow.”
“Yeah but…are you saying you grew up in New England, and you don’t know any better than to drive a sports car in the winter?”
Nikki stopped brushing and glared at her. “For your information, wise guy, I bought a Jeep Wrangler yesterday.”
Drew choked down a laugh. “So, where is it?”
“They didn’t have the model I wanted in stock. It’s being delivered from another dealer on Monday.”
“Maybe you should have waited to go guitar shopping after you picked it up.”
Nikki leaned toward her. “I couldn’t wait. We have a show tomorrow night. Besides, I wouldn’t have had such an enjoyable afternoon today.”
Drew felt her face grow hot. Nikki was flirting again. If it was anybody else, she might’ve been flattered.
“Glad we could help.”
“I better get going before the roads get any worse.”
“Be careful.”
“I will.” Nikki climbed in and lowered the window. “I’ll be back again. I may need to pick up something else.” She winked and pulled away.
Drew knew exactly what Nikki wanted to pick up, and it wasn’t something she could buy.
Chapter Six
Nikki fishtailed when she pulled out of DJ’s parking lot. The slippery roads weren’t her only worry. She could barely see. The wind was pushing her car around at will, and the snow flying sideways limited visibility. A large truck blinded her momentarily with its headlights, and she felt the back end swerve again. She lifted her foot off the gas and let the car coast to a slower speed. She was crawling, but even at this speed, she was nervous. She hadn’t wanted to let Drew see it, though.
That’s what she got for not checking the forecast. She should have gone guitar shopping earlier in the week with everyone else, but she couldn’t bear to spend another day with Jaymi and Shawn together.
She thought about Drew. When she’d first seen that her hair color was similar to Jaymi’s, she’d expected the same shade of blue eyes that crushed her every time. Instead, Drew’s eyes were brown. Not an ordinary brown. They were something in between caramel and milk chocolate. Maybe a speckling of both. Anyway, all she knew was that they were the most beautiful eyes she’d ever seen. She wasn’t feeding Drew a line. It was the truth.
Except for the players that came after her looking for sex, most women got nervous and tongue-tied around her. Nikki tried her best to put them at ease, but sometimes, it made the situation more awkward. Why couldn’t people just treat her like a person?
That’s exactly how Drew had treated her, even though she sensed that Drew wasn’t 100 percent comfortable around her. In fact, there were moments when she thought Drew didn’t like her at all and that she was just showing her the same courtesy and manners she would any customer. It was a novel experience, and instead of putting her off, she found it intriguing.
She wondered how Drew had been around the rest of the band. She’d have to ask. Then again, it didn’t matter. Nikki had more to buy. She had what she needed for this weekend’s show, but she hadn’t replaced everything. Her heart did a little happy dance. I hope Drew’s working again when I go back next week.
The Mustang’s nose suddenly slid toward the center line. “Shit!”
There was an oncoming vehicle. She yanked the wheel and got back in her own lane just in time, but the overcompensation caused the tail end to skid. She cursed again and cranked the wheel again in the opposite direction, but it wouldn’t turn. She hit the brake—a little harder than she intended to—and it started to spin. The combination of the darkness and whiteout conditions made it impossible to see where the lane was. The car veered off the road and jerked to a stop.
She slammed her palms on the wheel and cursed some more. She felt like a fool. She’d never had a problem driving in the snow before. If she hadn’t been distracted by a beautiful woman…
She took a deep breath and shifted into reverse. She carefully pressed on the gas and slightly let up the clutch. The rear tires made a whirring noise as they spun. The car moved about an inch. She shoved it into first and tried the same thing going forward. Nothing. She didn’t have enough room to rock it and gain traction.
“Fuckin’ A!” She got out and assessed the situation. She shivered and swore again at her lack of sense to wear a winter coat. Why did she always have to be more concerned with appearance than comfort?
All four wheels were buried in the snowbank along the side of the road. Fortunately, she hadn’t hit a tree or utility pole. She popped her trunk. She had a small emergency shovel and a pair of shitty old gloves. They’d have to do.
She extended the telescopic handle and started scooping snow out from around the tires. The entire right side of the car was buried above the wheel wells. She’d have to squeeze herself in to clear it out. As she moved around to the front end, she saw approaching headlights. The vehicle slowed and pulled up behind her car. She could either be relieved or afraid of being in danger. You never know these days.
A figure dropped out of the SUV and took a step toward her. The size suggested a woman. Good. She was in a parka and stocking cap with a big pom-pom. As she came closer, Nikki couldn’t believe her luck.
“Hey, are you okay?” Drew called out.
“Yeah. But if you give me any shit about driving my Mustang in the snow again, I’m never buying another guitar from you.”
Drew came up next to her and shrugged. “I’ll just have to sell you something else. Can I interest you in a keyboard? A saxophone? New harmonica set?”
“Wow. You know every instrument I play. And here I thought you weren’t a fan.”
“It’s my business to know my customers. That includes being familiar with all kinds of music, whether I’m a fan or not. If someone’s shopping for an instrument and they like Passion Play’s sound, I know what to show them. And you’re making assumptions again.”
Nikki grinned. “Shame on me. Well then, did you stop to chat or are you here to rescue me? I have to ask. I don’t want to assume one way or the other.”
“Go get in my truck and get warm. I’ll call for a tow. There’s no way you’re digging that out.”
“All righty then. Rescue it is.” She was freezing her ass off.
They climbed into Drew’s truck. Nikki rubbed her hands together and then held them in front of the heat vents. It was an old truck but clean. Drew called AAA and gave them her membership number and location. She looked adorable in her smoky-blue coat. She removed her cap, and strands of her static-infused hair reached toward the roof.
“They said it could be at least forty-five minutes,” Drew said when she disconnected. She glanced at the dash. “I don’t have much gas, so I don’t think I can keep the engine running the whole time.”
“That’s okay. I can think of a few ways we can keep warm.” Nikki smiled at her and loved the blush that spread across Drew’s cheeks, but the frown suggested she was pissed, not flattered.
“You must be frozen in that jacket. Hold on a sec.”
Drew got out and opened the rear gate. A gust of wind blasted through the interior, and tiny wet flakes stung the back of Nikki’s neck. Drew slammed it shut and returned with two blankets. “Here. This’ll help.”
She reached over and placed the blanket over her, bringing their faces close together. Nikki felt as if she was being tucked into bed. It would’ve been so easy to kiss her right then. Drew kept her gaze down as if refusing to look her in the eye.
“You do know I’ll have to do something to thank you for all this,” Nikki said as Drew retreated to her own seat, wrapping herself within the other blanket.
Drew shook her head. “No thanks necessary. What was I supposed to do? Drive by and leave you stranded?”
“I have a cell phone. I could’ve called for help.”
“Still, I wouldn’t have felt right just going by. Really, it’s no trouble. I would’ve done the same for anybody.”
Nikki grinned at her again. “Anybody? So you’re saying I’m not special?” Nikki took Drew’s standoffishness as a challenge and just had to push.
“I, uh, no that’s not what I’m saying at all. I mean—”
“Relax. I’m just messing with you.”
Drew’s eyebrows furrowed. She shifted away and leaned back against the door. “I don’t appreciate being toyed with.”
Nikki couldn’t help but laugh. Drew seemed to be trying awfully hard to not like her. Nikki would have to work a bit harder to win her over, then. Not something she was used to doing, but no sweat. She was up for it.
“Sorry. I’m just an idiot who doesn’t have the sense to check the forecast in November before I venture out in anything other than a four-by-four. You had the decency to help me out. The truth is, you’re the one who’s special here, not me.”
Drew’s soft brown eyes grew darker. “You never stop, do you?”
“What do you mean?”
“Every other sentence out of your mouth is some kind of flirtatious comment. Is that all you care about, getting women into bed? Because I, for one, will not be one of them.”
Nikki almost cowered under Drew’s glare. It probably didn’t show on her face, but inside, she felt an inch tall. She’d done it again. She’d failed to rein in her habitual ways and respect a woman’s boundaries. For the first time she could remember, instead of giving a woman what she wanted, she’d offended her.
She slinked down in her seat and pulled the blanket up to her chin. She couldn’t even look her in the eye now. “I’m sorry. I find it hard to hold back compliments when it comes to beautiful women. If you find that offensive, then I apologize.”
“Oh, for God’s sake. You just did it again.” Drew’s tone wasn’t angry this time. She sounded amused.
“Told ya.”
Drew shook her head and looked out her window. Nikki swore she was fighting a smile. She thought the long wait would end up feeling awkward, but when she got Drew talking about guitars, the tension all but disappeared. When the tow truck arrived, she thanked Drew again and watched the SUV take off as she climbed back into her car. There was no doubt in her mind that Drew would occupy her thoughts tonight. She wondered what she was going to do about it.
***
Drew finished taking care of the cats and opened the fridge. She wasn’t hungry, though she should be. It was after ten o’clock, and she hadn’t eaten since her late afternoon lunch. Normally, she would have grabbed a snack during her evening break, but she’d been so caught up in taking care of Nikki, she’d forgotten all about it. She emptied a can of vegetable soup into a bowl and threw it in the microwave.
She perused a month-old Musician magazine as she ate—an unsold return the vendor had written off and let her keep—and then picked up her phone to check the weather and her bank account.
Perhaps if she’d listened to her friends at Berklee, she would have become a filthy rich recording artist, too. Then she could throw down hundred-dollar bills for instruments without thinking twice, as Nikki Razer had today.
It always felt as if everyone else’s dreams were grander than hers. Her college friends thought she was wasting her talent on teaching. They’d say things like, Let’s form a band. We’ll be the next big thing.
Drew didn’t want to be the next big thing. She wanted to teach. She’d always wanted to teach. That’s where her true passion was, and no one could convince her otherwise.
She put on Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 on vinyl and skipped to the second movement. She slumped into her recliner, closing her eyes and focusing on the beautiful yet simple melody that gradually grew stronger. She loved this piece. Fret curled up on her lap. Andres rubbed his body across her leg as he passed by, and Vinnie pounced onto the back of the chair behind her and draped a paw on her shoulder.
The music was soothing, but it didn’t stop her mind from playing back her day with Nikki. One minute she was sweet and naturally charming, the next an infuriating, flirtatious egomaniac. Nikki reminded her too much of her mother.
The more successful her mother became, the more she expected people to cater to her every whim. Drew hated the way men tried to get her mother’s attention just because she was beautiful and famous. She didn’t hesitate to stroke their precious male egos either, leading them on, knowing she had her pick of whom she brought home to bed. After Dad left, there were plenty of them. Nikki Razer seemed just like her.
The lively sounds of the third movement began, and it almost made her jump. Fret protested when she got up and pulled Vinnie into her arms. She extended his front leg with his paw in her hand as if they were waltzing, and she danced around the living room with him. Fret meowed and pranced around her feet as Andres looked on from his bed with a bored expression on his face. A minute or so later, she put Vinnie down. She engaged the two younger kitties in a game of chase with a long, felt ribbon at the end of a plastic wand. Andres snatched at it when it came close to him, but he didn’t bother getting up.
She went to bed after they all ran out of energy. Nikki consumed her thoughts again as she tried in vain to sleep. The more she tried to get Nikki out of her head, the harder it was to fall asleep. What was it about her that got under her skin?
Chapter Seven
Nikki strolled into DJ’s Saturday morning soon after they opened. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. The jazzy, warm tones of a semi-solid Gibson swarmed around her. If B.B. King hadn’t passed away, she’d swear it was him playing. There was no one at the front counter, so she followed the sounds around the corner into the electric guitar part of the shop. It was Jerry. His eyes were closed, and his face contorted with emotion as he plucked out blues riffs as if they were an extension of his soul. Mesmerized, she didn’t notice Drew walk up next to her.
“He’s incredible!” Nikki whispered.
Drew’s face lit up. “He is.”
“Where can I see him perform?”
“You just did.”
They quietly walked out of the area, neither wanting to disturb him.
“Are you serious? He doesn’t perform professionally anywhere?” Nikki shook her head in disbelief.
“Not anymore. He used to play in a band when I was a kid. He did a few jobs as a studio musician, too.”
“I can’t believe it. You could charge admission right here. Seriously. You’d make a killing.”
“He loves to play, but he hates being the center of attention. Besides, he wouldn’t want the commitment and all the pressure that goes along with a gig schedule.”
“Wow. What about just recording it? Hell, I’d pay for that CD a thousand times over. We have our own rehearsal studio with recording equipment. He could—”
“Nikki, stop. He’s happy. Leave him alone.”
“But—”
“But nothing. Not everyone wants fame and fortune. Why can’t people accept that?”
Nikki got the impression Drew had made this argument before. She wasn’t even sure if Drew was speaking to her or was thinking of someone else. Once again, she’d unintentionally hit a nerve.
The music stopped for a minute. A different guitar took its place. He quickly tuned it, then started playing with the unmistakable tone of a Fender Stratocaster. Now it sounded as if Stevie Ray Vaughan was there. What a waste. The world was missing out on all this talent.
“What about you?” Nikki asked. Maybe she could make things right.
“What about me?”
Another guitar took the Strat’s place. Nikki figured out what he was doing. He was taking down each instrument and tuning them all.
“Do you play?”
“I teach.”
“So, you play.”
“Yes. I play.”
“Which instruments?”
Drew shrugged modestly. “Just about all of them. I studied a little of everything in college. I have a degree in music education.”
“I’m impressed. Again.”
“Thanks.”
“So, is there someplace I can see you perform?” Nikki smiled at her, hoping Drew didn’t interpret her question as a double entendre. Though it was tempting to add or do I need to take lessons from you, knowing it would probably get her kicked out of the store for good. Drew was so fucking cute, and so unavailable, it was making her head spin.
“Not everyone has to be a performer to enjoy making music. I’m happy with what I do here. It’s very fulfilling.”
Madness. Complete and utter madness. She couldn’t grasp how someone could have all that music inside them and not feel the need to perform it. She couldn’t do it. Not in a zillion years. Jaymi would probably be content teaching, but she loved writing songs and playing so much, Nikki doubted she’d feel complete if she didn’t share it even on a small scale. And Shawn, forget it. She’d rather kill herself than give it up.
“So, what can I help you with? Did you forget something yesterday?”
Drew’s questions lured her out of her musings. “No, I’m good for now.” She reached into her back pocket and withdrew an envelope. “I brought you a little thank-you gift for rescuing me and my car last night. My ’stang appreciated it. And, well, also for your help in the store yesterday. Thanks to you, the show will go on tonight without me having to borrow guitars from my mates.”
