Chapter 22
Having tried every area code she could find without any luck in locating the elusive Jon Bon Jovi in a desperate effort to redeem herself in her friend’s eyes, Cassidy went back to answering the phones and greeting the clients with little enthusiasm. Amber flat out refused to do the camp out for tickets to the Philly show, the MSG shows or any Bon Jovi show at all, stating that she didn’t want to torture herself by seeing the man again. As big a fan as she’d always been Cassidy was kicking herself hard that she’d forgotten about the phone number in her purse more than the fact the phone number was either a fake or nobody would admit that it was Jon’s when she tried calling it for Amber. Glancing up to see how close it was to closing time she found herself looking into amazing brown eyes, long silky hair and a Stetson hat shielding his identity from anyone that wasn’t expecting him. Suddenly her mouth went dry while her heart did a double time tattoo.
“Hi, I’m...”
“Richie Sambora!” as much as she wanted to sound normal the name came out more as a squeak than actual words.
Laughing lightly, he tipped his hat slightly. “I was looking for Amber Sullivan.”
Scrambling to regain her composure and hopefully salvage her friendship with Amber, Cassidy stumbled forward “she doesn’t work here any more, but I am or was her best friend until I forgot to give her Jon’s phone number when he had the messenger deliver it to me, even though it didn’t have an area code and I’ve tried them all and nobody will admit it’s his number anyway, so I don’t think she would have gotten a hold of him anyway and I’m really in the doghouse with her because of it and...”
“Whoa, slow down sweetheart. You’re the one Jon sent the number to?” Thanking his lucky stars, Richie was grateful she was feeling the same pressure he was to get the two of them back together again.
Nodding enthusiastically, Cassidy started to launch into another diatribe but was cut off.
“Isn’t it about quitting time?” He needed her calm and alone, so he could lay out his plan to get Amber and Jon in the same room at least, from there they’d have to take it on their own.
Dialing a number, she gave a lame excuse why she was leaving 45 minutes early, grabbed her purse and headed for the elevator, fighting hard to conceal her shaking when the ever so hunky Richie Sambora not only stepped into it with her, but stood relatively close to her.
The smokiness of his voice broke the silence as they dropped the five floors to the lobby “would you like to join me for dinner?”
Her eyes glazed over at the sound of his voice, the invitation to dinner sent shivers down her spine and a decided wetness much lower. “Um, yeah. I need to call someone first though.”
“Amber?”
“Uh uh, my, um, gutter dwelling girlfriends.” She couldn’t think of any other way to describe them. “We meet for drinks after work on Fridays.”
Gallantly he held the elevator door as she stepped out and then followed behind her towards the parking lot “you don’t want to share me with them?” Laughing lightly as her eyes lit up in shock.
“No! God no! We need to talk and they’ll head straight for the gutter. No, it’s bad enough that Amber’s unhappy with me, but if she found out I was with you, she’d kill me.” Listening as the phone continued to ring, she stopped walking when she heard her friend pick up “Stas? Hey, it’s me Cassidy. I’m not going to make it tonight. I suddenly have a dinner date. Yeah, you heard me a date. No, it’s not my father. Yes, he’s single. Yep, details later, bye.” Rolling her eyes then, she smiled tentatively at the man standing so casually beside her as if it was the most natural thing in the world. “She’s not going to believe this.”
“You called her Stas?”
“Short for Anastasia. There’s a whole group of us and ...” she stopped herself before revealing too much while still in her place of employment’s building “I’ll tell you about them later, you’ll get a kick out of it.” Heading out towards her car she stopped suddenly again, Richie running solidly into her when she did and grabbing her to keep her from falling. “Thanks. Um, do you have a car?”
Shaking his head she noticed for the first time he was wearing one of his hair trinkets and wasn’t even on stage, then again with his shirt front open his hair wasn’t where her eyes were focused. “I took a cab here, didn’t know where it was exactly and if I didn’t find either of you, I would have asked Evan for info.”
Her lips formed a perfect “Oh”.
“So which of these is yours?” His long arms spread wide.
Stammering yet again, Cassidy’s mind was deeply embedded in the gutter as she considered the possibilities of having him in her vehicle. “The Malibu over there, practical, economical and paid for.” Leading the way to her Sandrift Metallic Chevy that she was especially proud of up until about five seconds ago when she didn’t have something flashier to drive Richie around in.
“Nice, I like Chevys, hell I just like cars.” Slipping in the passenger seat after opening the driver’s door for Cassidy and enjoying the view as she bent forward to put the keys in the ignition, her cleavage exposed as she did. “So where to for dinner?”
“I figured you might know somewhere.” Starting the car, she waited for his response.
“Know a good pizza joint?” A sparkling smile reached his eyes when she nodded and started towards her favorite, still in shock he wanted to have dinner with her even if it was to discuss Jon and Amber.
“Hi, I’m...”
“Richie Sambora!” as much as she wanted to sound normal the name came out more as a squeak than actual words.
Laughing lightly, he tipped his hat slightly. “I was looking for Amber Sullivan.”
Scrambling to regain her composure and hopefully salvage her friendship with Amber, Cassidy stumbled forward “she doesn’t work here any more, but I am or was her best friend until I forgot to give her Jon’s phone number when he had the messenger deliver it to me, even though it didn’t have an area code and I’ve tried them all and nobody will admit it’s his number anyway, so I don’t think she would have gotten a hold of him anyway and I’m really in the doghouse with her because of it and...”
“Whoa, slow down sweetheart. You’re the one Jon sent the number to?” Thanking his lucky stars, Richie was grateful she was feeling the same pressure he was to get the two of them back together again.
Nodding enthusiastically, Cassidy started to launch into another diatribe but was cut off.
“Isn’t it about quitting time?” He needed her calm and alone, so he could lay out his plan to get Amber and Jon in the same room at least, from there they’d have to take it on their own.
Dialing a number, she gave a lame excuse why she was leaving 45 minutes early, grabbed her purse and headed for the elevator, fighting hard to conceal her shaking when the ever so hunky Richie Sambora not only stepped into it with her, but stood relatively close to her.
The smokiness of his voice broke the silence as they dropped the five floors to the lobby “would you like to join me for dinner?”
Her eyes glazed over at the sound of his voice, the invitation to dinner sent shivers down her spine and a decided wetness much lower. “Um, yeah. I need to call someone first though.”
“Amber?”
“Uh uh, my, um, gutter dwelling girlfriends.” She couldn’t think of any other way to describe them. “We meet for drinks after work on Fridays.”
Gallantly he held the elevator door as she stepped out and then followed behind her towards the parking lot “you don’t want to share me with them?” Laughing lightly as her eyes lit up in shock.
“No! God no! We need to talk and they’ll head straight for the gutter. No, it’s bad enough that Amber’s unhappy with me, but if she found out I was with you, she’d kill me.” Listening as the phone continued to ring, she stopped walking when she heard her friend pick up “Stas? Hey, it’s me Cassidy. I’m not going to make it tonight. I suddenly have a dinner date. Yeah, you heard me a date. No, it’s not my father. Yes, he’s single. Yep, details later, bye.” Rolling her eyes then, she smiled tentatively at the man standing so casually beside her as if it was the most natural thing in the world. “She’s not going to believe this.”
“You called her Stas?”
“Short for Anastasia. There’s a whole group of us and ...” she stopped herself before revealing too much while still in her place of employment’s building “I’ll tell you about them later, you’ll get a kick out of it.” Heading out towards her car she stopped suddenly again, Richie running solidly into her when she did and grabbing her to keep her from falling. “Thanks. Um, do you have a car?”
Shaking his head she noticed for the first time he was wearing one of his hair trinkets and wasn’t even on stage, then again with his shirt front open his hair wasn’t where her eyes were focused. “I took a cab here, didn’t know where it was exactly and if I didn’t find either of you, I would have asked Evan for info.”
Her lips formed a perfect “Oh”.
“So which of these is yours?” His long arms spread wide.
Stammering yet again, Cassidy’s mind was deeply embedded in the gutter as she considered the possibilities of having him in her vehicle. “The Malibu over there, practical, economical and paid for.” Leading the way to her Sandrift Metallic Chevy that she was especially proud of up until about five seconds ago when she didn’t have something flashier to drive Richie around in.
“Nice, I like Chevys, hell I just like cars.” Slipping in the passenger seat after opening the driver’s door for Cassidy and enjoying the view as she bent forward to put the keys in the ignition, her cleavage exposed as she did. “So where to for dinner?”
“I figured you might know somewhere.” Starting the car, she waited for his response.
“Know a good pizza joint?” A sparkling smile reached his eyes when she nodded and started towards her favorite, still in shock he wanted to have dinner with her even if it was to discuss Jon and Amber.
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