Wicked White

  I stand, hearing enough, and stick out my hand. “Thank you for the advice. I appreciate it, but I’ll take that contract back now.”

  He hands it to me and Iris stands by my side. “Be careful and don’t do anything rash. If you need me again, you know where to find me.”

  I nod curtly before stepping out of his office and paying Melody for the consultation, blocking her incessant chatter out with the thoughts of me and Iris preparing to leave if need be.

  Both Iris and I are quiet on the ride back to Willow Acres. I appreciate the time to allow my mind to ponder the best next move.

  I have a million different reasons to hop on my bike and ride away into oblivion and only one reason to stay put. That one reason outranks everything else and is sitting right beside me, holding my hand as I drive her home. I can’t bear the thought of being without her. Thinking about it now makes my stomach turn, and I take a deep breath to calm my nerves.

  When I park the car outside of her trailer, she sighs longingly as she looks around.

  She’s not saying it, but I can sense the looming fear in her about the impending day when I’ll have to abruptly leave. I just pray she sticks with what she promised me and is ready to leave too when that time comes.

  I’m tempted to ask her right now if she’s having second thoughts but think better of it, because if she is, I don’t want to know. It will break my heart and I’m not ready to let her go just yet.

  She opens her door and pauses to look over at me. “You spending the night?”

  I nod. “If you want me to.”

  She peers up at me with her green eyes through thick lashes. “I’ll always want you.” She reaches over and squeezes my hand with her smaller one. “Always.”

  Later that night, after we’ve made love to the point that we’re both near exhaustion, I grab the book I brought back from my old bedroom and flip it open to my favorite play by Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet. I’ve been reading Iris to sleep nearly every night this week, and she seems to really enjoy it.

  I love the gentle little sighs she makes when I read her a particularly romantic line.

  I lick my lips and continue to read, “‘But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun! Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, who is already sick and pale with grief that thou her maid art far more fair than she.’”

  By act 4 Iris is sound asleep and I find myself absently stroking her soft hair as I continue to read on to Hamlet. About an hour into her sleep, she grows restless, tossing her head side to side and whimpering a bit.

  I’m tempted to wake her in order to save her from the nightmare she’s obviously having but freeze instantly when she whispers my name.

  “Don’t go, Ace. Don’t leave me . . . I love you.” Her words are just a little louder than a faint whisper, but they’re as clear as day.

  My heart swells at her unknowing admission to me, and more than anything I want to squeeze her against me and tell her just how much I love her in return, but I dare not wake my sleeping angel. Knowing that she loves me has given me the courage to finally tell her how deep my feelings run for her.

  Tomorrow will be the start of our forever.

  CELEBRITY POP BUZZ NIGHTLY

  The camera zooms in on Linda Bronson, standing outside of an old, white two-story house. “Good evening, I’m Linda Bronson, and I’m coming to you live from Columbus, Ohio, just outside of the foster home that the missing rock star Ace White grew up in. After the passing of his foster mother, Sarah Johnson, this house as well as all the contents inside have been left to Ace in her will. There has been no reported activity inside the home since Ms. Johnson passed nearly three months ago until recently. Neighbors reported seeing a man fitting the approximate age of Ace White exit the home and enter an older-model Chevy Cavalier that was parked outside.

  “The neighbors reported that the man they saw had short hair and no beard and was accompanied by a young woman with long, brown hair. While it’s not confirmed, it is possible that the man was Ace White, since there appears to be no forced entry into the home and nothing appears to be vandalized, according to police.

  “Once again, Ace White’s missing persons case is still open. His tour manager, Jane Ann Rogers, has raised the reward to fifty thousand dollars for information leading to the discovery of his whereabouts. For Celebrity Pop Buzz Nightly, I’m Linda Bronson.”

  IRIS

  Practicing in the shed with Ace is much easier this time than the last time we were out here. The last time there was so much sexual tension flowing between us that I could barely concentrate on actually singing. All I wanted to focus on was the fact that he was so close—touching me—where I could smell the spicy, delicious scent on his skin.

  Now that I get to have him any way I want him, being so close is much easier.

  “Look me in the eye and project,” Ace says as he stands in the far corner of the shed, watching me perform a number from Guys and Dolls. “If you want the audience to feel it, then you have to feel it and sing it loud enough for the people clear in the back to hear you. Give them no choice but to be wrapped up in your emotions with you.”

  I take a deep breath and count the beats and come into the song right on time, fixing my gaze on Ace. I belt the song out, believing each word that flows from my lips, hoping that it comes through as authentic.

  Ace gives me a dazzling smile. “Yes. Give me more.”

  I smile, loving his praise, and the cheer in my voice comes through perfectly into a happy portion of the song. This only seems to please him more, so I continue reaching down deep to drag the emotion out and allow confidence to ring through my voice until the very last verse of the song.

  When the final note plays, Ace claps his hands slowly. “Iris, that was amazing. When you go back to Broadway, they’ll have no choice but to pick you for a role.”

  “Really?” I practically squeal. “You really think that’ll happen?”

  He steps up to me and wraps me in his strong, comforting embrace. “I do, because if you sing for them the way you do for me, they’ll be blinded by the light coming from you. It will have them stepping all over themselves to have you in one of their productions.”

  I sigh. “That would be a dream come true.”

  “Just promise that when you become a big Broadway star someday you won’t forget who you are and will stay true to the girl who’s singing her heart out in this shed, who has a true passion for the music itself.”

  I reach up to his nape and curl a lock of his hair around my finger. “I promise.”

  Ace stares down at me for a long moment, unmoving and not saying a word, just remains there, taking me in. There’s an odd expression in his eyes, and it has me curious as to what’s going on inside that beautiful mind of his.

  “What is it?” I ask.

  He smiles shyly. “You said something last night that’s gotten me thinking.”

  I tilt my head. “Oh?”

  “You said . . .” He pauses for a beat. “You said that you loved me while you were asleep. At first I thought you were having a nightmare because you were so restless, but then you said my name, followed by saying that you love me.”

  Heat floods my cheeks. While I don’t deny that’s how I feel about him, because I very much do, it’s hard to hear that I’ve admitted my innermost feelings to him while I was in a state of unconsciousness.

  He slides his index finger under my jaw and then pinches my chin gently between his thumb and forefinger, forcing me to stare into his russet eyes. “Don’t be embarrassed. I’m glad you said it. You can’t control what truths your brain releases when you’re asleep, so I know you meant it. And you have no idea how happy that makes me, because I’ve been thinking it for so long now, but I was afraid to say it, unsure if it was too soon to feel so deeply for you. I worried I might scare you away.”

  My heart flutters. Knowing he feels the same way makes me so giddy that I could do a backflip. He loves me,
and I love him—this is exactly what I’ve been hoping for.

  He swallows deeply. “I love you, Iris—with every inch of my soul, with every inch of my entire being. You . . .” He brings both hands up and pulls my face so close to his that I can feel the heat of his breath on my lips. “You are my Juliet.”

  I melt into his hands. “I love you too, Ace, so very much.”

  Ace leans forward and presses his lips to mine. “‘My bounty is as boundless as the sea. My love as deep. The more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite.’”

  I grin. “We’re meant to be just like all the star-crossed lovers you read about.”

  His thumbs rub the skin on my flushed cheeks. “I couldn’t agree more. Only we won’t end tragically, because we’ll find a way to make this work.”

  Lying there, wrapped in Ace’s arms, I sigh contentedly. My mind drifts to all the lyrics to love songs where people sing about chucking it all just to be with the person they love, and I find myself agreeing with them. I never imagined loving someone could feel like this—that it could make me feel so complete. I can’t think of anything that I’ve ever wanted more than this.

  In this moment, our love feels never ending.

  Ace strokes the hair on my head, and it’s so relaxing I close my eyes and simply enjoy his touch.

  “Iris?” Ace’s voice breaks through the silence that fills the room.

  “Hmm.” I turn and place my hand on his bare chest and then rest my chin on top of it so I can look him in the eye.

  “I think, after hearing what Mr. Stern said, I should go face the record label.”

  My eyes widen, and the sleepiness I felt moments ago goes away as this sudden change of heart from him shocks me. After seeing his reaction to what the lawyer said, I thought going back was the last thing Ace would ever do. “Why? I mean what’s changed?”

  His chest rises as he takes in a deep breath and then pushes it out through his nose. “You. You’ve changed everything for me.”

  “Me?” I ask, completely confused. “What does being with me have to do with your music career?”

  “Nothing and yet everything.” He traces absentminded circles on my shoulder. “I want to be with you. I don’t want to have to hide. I want our life together to be easy and uncomplicated. If I continue to run, it’ll put stress on our relationship at some point. I don’t want you to resent me for taking you away from everything. So, I think once I talk to Mr. Stern again to find out just how deep in shit I am, I’m going to make plans to go back to California for a while to get everything sorted out. Once the spotlight dies down and I get shit settled, I’ll come back for you.”

  I shake my head. “I don’t like that plan. It involves us being apart. I want to come with you.”

  “I know, baby, but you’ve got a life here, taking care of all the people here. Let’s not forget you’ve got Broadway waiting on you. I don’t want you being with me to affect you in any way, including your possible career. Once you go back and try to make it in show business, some directors will cast you simply because of your relationship with me, while others will shun you for the exact same reason.”

  I grimace. “Do you really believe that’s what would happen?”

  He nods. “The entertainment industry is a fickle business. Everyone involved in it is out to make a buck, and if they believe they can make cash off of controversy surrounding you, they’ll cast you simply for that. No one is really your friend. No matter how much they lie to you and tell you that they are. If you weren’t so damn talented and if it wasn’t your dream, I would discourage you wholeheartedly from even entertaining the idea of going into show business. But I won’t, because I know how much this means to you, and I’d be a dick not to cheer you on and give you the best possible shot at realizing your dream. So, trust me when I say keeping it secret that we’re together is best for now.”

  I sigh, hating the idea of not being with him, but his reasoning makes sense. I would hate to cause problems for my career before it even starts. As much as I would love to argue and come up with a snappy comeback proving his theory wrong, I know tabloid gossip and the Internet can wreak all kinds of havoc on a person’s life. It wouldn’t be farfetched to entertain the idea that it would do the same to someone like me.

  “How long do you think it will take for you to take care of everything?”

  He shrugs. “I’m not sure.”

  I frown, not liking that he can’t give me some idea about a timeline. “What am I supposed to do without you while you’re out in California getting things straightened out?”

  “What were your plans before you met me?” Ace asks.

  I furrow my brow. “Before you, I had plans to wrap things with Gran’s estate, leave Adele in charge, and get back to New York as quick as possible. Broadway is my dream, and I still want that . . .” I hesitate. “But I want you more.”

  He gives me a sad smile. “You shouldn’t stop going after your dream because I’m in the picture. I don’t ever want to hold you back, and we’ll be back together before you know it.”

  I shake my head. “I don’t like this. I don’t like us being apart.”

  Ace sighs. “I won’t make any rash decisions. I’ll stay here with you until we get the tax situation fixed, and then when you go back to New York, I’ll go back to California. After I get everything worked out, I’ll come to you. We’ll live together in New York.”

  I smile, liking that idea much more. “That’s a plan I think I can live with, as long as you promise to hurry back to me as soon as you can.”

  He kisses the top of my head. “I don’t think I could stay away from you any longer than I ever had to.”

  Satisfied with his answer, knowing that he’s not going anywhere until we’re both ready, I snuggle back into him and allow myself to drift off to sleep.

  My shift at Angel’s today has been relatively dead. Most of the people who come in here during the day are on their lunch break so they can catch up on the sports and news that Angel always keeps running in here.

  Melody, Mr. Stern’s secretary, is here today. Thankfully she’s not in my section. She’s so nosey, and I don’t need her knowing any more of my business than she already does.

  As I’m cleaning a table, my attention is instantly jerked to one of the televisions at the mention of Ace’s name.

  A tall, blond news reporter pulls the microphone close to her lips and rattles off breaking news about the missing rock star. “Earlier this week an anonymous tip was e-mailed to Jane Ann Rogers’s address, listed on the reward website, that Ace White is indeed alive and well. The e-mail also went on to say, and I quote, that Mr. White left over creative control differences with his band and has sought out legal counsel to advise him on the best way return to his career without facing lawsuits.

  “Police are still unsure of the validity of this tip because the reward for information leading to Mr. White is now up to fifty thousand dollars. Law enforcement officials are busy sorting through over twenty-five hundred possible leads they’ve received since the reward value was increased. They are hoping to narrow down any legitimate leads that may come from them.

  “That’s all the information we have at this point. If investigators are able to narrow down who sent the tip from the IP address, they may have some helpful information on the case. If anything changes, I will be the first to report it. This is Linda Bronson for Celebrity Pop Buzz Nightly’s daily update.”

  My jaw hangs open as I stare at the commercial on the screen.

  Shit. Does that mean they are close to finding Ace? I need to tell him about this. He probably has no idea since we don’t get cable or Internet in Willow Acres.

  I dig my phone out of my back pocket but can’t make myself dial the number. If I tell him this and they aren’t anywhere close to finding him, I will have sent Ace running for no reason.

  The only thing is, the e-mail was pretty spot-on, and very few people know that information. One of them is sitting in thi
s bar at this very moment.

  I turn my gaze on Melody, who instantly spots me marching in her direction and all the color drains out of her face.

  “Did you have anything to do with this?” I glare at her, waiting for an answer.

  She vigorously shakes her head, laying money down for her bill, trying to get out of here as quickly as possible.

  When Melody stands up, I grab her wrist, forcing her to look me in the eye. “He trusted you. Is money really worth hurting someone who came to you for help? He just wants a normal life. Don’t you understand that? He’s trying to grieve and get his shit together and you just screwed him.”

  Melody’s mouth drops open, but she doesn’t say a word to defend her actions, which only infuriates me more. Anger pulses through my veins and I dig my fingers into her skin, causing her to grimace.

  “Ouch, Iris. Let go. You’re hurting me.” There’s a whimper in her voice, and it’s wrong of me to put my hands on her like this, but I can’t help myself. She can’t just screw with Ace’s life like this and get away scot-free.

  She’s a coward—one that would do anything for money, apparently—and that pisses me off.

  I squeeze harder. “Good. You’re lucky I’ve got enough willpower to keep from punching you in the face.”

  “Let’s be rational here,” Melody pleads. “You hit me and I’ll press charges.”

  “That might just be worth it,” I growl.

  “Will it be worth it to bring the cops around you and Ace? Think about it, Iris. You’re a smart girl. Take your hands off me before you do something foolish.”

  Damn it. I hate that she’s right. I glance around, and every eye in the bar watches us intently. I’ll be damned if I’m the one who blows Ace’s cover by being forced to explain what our little altercation is about.

  I turn my gaze back to Melody. “If you mention one more thing about Ace, we will have a problem, and no threats of setting the police after me will stop me. Are we clear?”

  She nods stiffly and then works herself free from my grip before she flees from the bar without saying another word to me.