Chapter 42
Sitting in the bar at a table at the back, Amber was amazed that they weren’t getting approached or for that matter that they weren’t even sequestered off in some private area where they were away from the general public. As she gazed around at the people there, one thing struck her, not one of them was the least interested in the two rock stars and their dates. To a person they had eyes only for the little stage where the small, frail looking, elderly man and his band were playing with passion, delight and some very off-color banter.
When they’d entered, he nodded to the men with Linda and her, not singling them out or bringing attention to them, just letting them know he’d seen them and if they wanted to join him on stage, they knew they were welcome there. She was fully aware that Linda and Richie were both enthralled with the music on that little stage, even Jon was listening intently. It seemed she was the only one that wasn’t impressed, actually, she thought, that wasn’t the truth, it just wasn’t her kind of music; she’d never been much of a fan of jazz even if it was Les Paul playing it.
Settling back against her chair she let her eyes wander around the club. The first thing she noticed was it wasn’t very big, she mentally counted the people sitting listening and got to about a hundred and twenty before she lost count, figuring there weren’t many more than that, she’d later find out it held 160. The tabletops were all highly polished wood, the walls painted a rich shade of red that was some kind of cross between firebrick and rust. Everything about the place exuded warmth and a coziness that she hadn’t expected when they walked down the stairs to enter the place.
Stifling a yawn that she knew wouldn’t be appreciated by her companion; she did her best to appear as if she was enjoying the show that could hold her attention for no more than about two minutes at a stretch. Smiling then to herself when a plate of fruit and cheese appeared along with a second round of drinks, although Jon already finished his second glass of wine and there was a third delivered on the tray. She was sipping on a seven and seven, while Linda and Richie were both enjoying Gray Goose and cranberry juice. Not that either of them were doing much damage to their drinks since both were absorbed by the music. Picking at the grapes, she let her mind wander to later and the thought of feeding grapes to Jon, Roman style.
Entertaining herself with her musings, she missed it when Richie stood and left the table, finding his way to the stage to join Les. It was Linda’s hand pressing down on her knee excitedly that brought her back.
Whispering to Amber “Fuck me, if this is a dream, don’t wake me up. I don’t want to ever wake from it.” The grin on her face lighting up her whole face. It really was a dream, she’d not only met Richie, she’d been in his bed and was on a date with him. The best part was that tomorrow when she flew home, it’d be on the Jovi jet with just Jon and Richie. [i]The Jovi jet!!![/i] That Linda was excited about that was an understatement and she hadn’t even called her best friend yet to tell her the news. This whole experience was surreal and there were times she was certain she was going to throw up just from the nerves of being in this situation.
Seeing Richie on stage, now that could keep Amber’s attention, or at least she thought it could. Looking over at Jon whose quizzical expression just made her laugh. “She’s dreamed of seeing Richie on stage here for a long time. Hell, she missed his solo tour because her kids were too young for her to leave alone, so this is heaven for her.” Watching him nod, she went back to picking at the grapes and cheese plate, wanting something sweeter since they hadn’t had dessert at the sushi place. Finding a little menu with dessert listed she called the waiter over and ordered the key lime pie, which was a favorite of hers.
Looking up when she recognized one of Richie’s solo songs, she found herself watching Richie and Les interact on the stage and before she knew it, the show was over as was her pie although, if asked, she wouldn’t be able to tell anyone if it was any good. Standing along with the rest of the club, she joined in giving them an ovation they richly deserved. Grinning to herself that at least this time Linda didn’t shout out ‘fuck me, Richie Sambora’, which she’d been doing for the last couple of days anyway. “That was really good.”
Jon just gave her one of his soft, smirky smiles, he’d seen how thoroughly bored she was with the show until Richie took the stage and from nearly that point she was as interested as Linda. He still wasn’t thrilled that Amber’s friend was going to fly to Pittsburgh with them, but he couldn’t argue against both Amber and Richie; one thing he learned early on was to choose his battles and this one was a no-win situation. “If you want to come back and hear Les play any Monday night, I can arrange it for you.”
“Ah, no thanks, I’d rather enjoy it with you.”
“Truth is, you’d rather hear him when Sambora’s on stage?”
Blushing, Amber reluctantly admitted the truth, “I’d rather hear you or Richie any day, anywhere. Jazz,” deep sigh, “doesn’t do anything for me.” A playful grin hit her lips making her eyes sparkle as she moved to whisper in his ear, “but you naked on top of me does.”
Laughing heartily, Jon gave her a peck on the cheek, “later, darlin’.”
“Promises, promises.” Now that they were walking out of the little club for the ride back to the heliport and then the chopper ride to the hotel. Stopping, her brows furrowed together, “Jon? Don’t you have an apartment in the City? Couldn’t we just as easily stay there tonight and the three of you fly out of a New York airport as you can from Philly?”
Blinking before he replied, “yeah, we could, but our stuff is in Philly and so is yours.” Then looking to Richie, he grinned. “I suppose we can afford to get someone to pick it all up and put it on the plane. You’d have to ride with us to the airport though to get yours.”
“Ah, Jon? I have to work tomorrow. Unlike the three of you, I have to be up and at work by 8:30. None of you will even be up by then.” it was irritating the hell out of her that he was being so nonchalant about it, “and I work in the City, so staying here would make it easier for me to get to work on time.”
Nodding, he flipped open his phone and spoke quickly and quietly to someone on the other end as they waited for their limo to arrive. If staying at his apartment in the city would make her happy, then that’s what they’d do. Not that there was any food there, but at least there was a bed and he had plenty of clothes stashed there for those rare times he did stop in. “Rich, you don’t mind do you? It is late and Amber needs to be at work early.” Not that he needed to explain, since Richie and Linda were standing right there while they were discussing it.
“Naw, bro, we’re good. Right, darlin’?” He didn’t need to be in any particular hotel or room, he would have a good time with his sweet date wherever they were.
When they’d entered, he nodded to the men with Linda and her, not singling them out or bringing attention to them, just letting them know he’d seen them and if they wanted to join him on stage, they knew they were welcome there. She was fully aware that Linda and Richie were both enthralled with the music on that little stage, even Jon was listening intently. It seemed she was the only one that wasn’t impressed, actually, she thought, that wasn’t the truth, it just wasn’t her kind of music; she’d never been much of a fan of jazz even if it was Les Paul playing it.
Settling back against her chair she let her eyes wander around the club. The first thing she noticed was it wasn’t very big, she mentally counted the people sitting listening and got to about a hundred and twenty before she lost count, figuring there weren’t many more than that, she’d later find out it held 160. The tabletops were all highly polished wood, the walls painted a rich shade of red that was some kind of cross between firebrick and rust. Everything about the place exuded warmth and a coziness that she hadn’t expected when they walked down the stairs to enter the place.
Stifling a yawn that she knew wouldn’t be appreciated by her companion; she did her best to appear as if she was enjoying the show that could hold her attention for no more than about two minutes at a stretch. Smiling then to herself when a plate of fruit and cheese appeared along with a second round of drinks, although Jon already finished his second glass of wine and there was a third delivered on the tray. She was sipping on a seven and seven, while Linda and Richie were both enjoying Gray Goose and cranberry juice. Not that either of them were doing much damage to their drinks since both were absorbed by the music. Picking at the grapes, she let her mind wander to later and the thought of feeding grapes to Jon, Roman style.
Entertaining herself with her musings, she missed it when Richie stood and left the table, finding his way to the stage to join Les. It was Linda’s hand pressing down on her knee excitedly that brought her back.
Whispering to Amber “Fuck me, if this is a dream, don’t wake me up. I don’t want to ever wake from it.” The grin on her face lighting up her whole face. It really was a dream, she’d not only met Richie, she’d been in his bed and was on a date with him. The best part was that tomorrow when she flew home, it’d be on the Jovi jet with just Jon and Richie. [i]The Jovi jet!!![/i] That Linda was excited about that was an understatement and she hadn’t even called her best friend yet to tell her the news. This whole experience was surreal and there were times she was certain she was going to throw up just from the nerves of being in this situation.
Seeing Richie on stage, now that could keep Amber’s attention, or at least she thought it could. Looking over at Jon whose quizzical expression just made her laugh. “She’s dreamed of seeing Richie on stage here for a long time. Hell, she missed his solo tour because her kids were too young for her to leave alone, so this is heaven for her.” Watching him nod, she went back to picking at the grapes and cheese plate, wanting something sweeter since they hadn’t had dessert at the sushi place. Finding a little menu with dessert listed she called the waiter over and ordered the key lime pie, which was a favorite of hers.
Looking up when she recognized one of Richie’s solo songs, she found herself watching Richie and Les interact on the stage and before she knew it, the show was over as was her pie although, if asked, she wouldn’t be able to tell anyone if it was any good. Standing along with the rest of the club, she joined in giving them an ovation they richly deserved. Grinning to herself that at least this time Linda didn’t shout out ‘fuck me, Richie Sambora’, which she’d been doing for the last couple of days anyway. “That was really good.”
Jon just gave her one of his soft, smirky smiles, he’d seen how thoroughly bored she was with the show until Richie took the stage and from nearly that point she was as interested as Linda. He still wasn’t thrilled that Amber’s friend was going to fly to Pittsburgh with them, but he couldn’t argue against both Amber and Richie; one thing he learned early on was to choose his battles and this one was a no-win situation. “If you want to come back and hear Les play any Monday night, I can arrange it for you.”
“Ah, no thanks, I’d rather enjoy it with you.”
“Truth is, you’d rather hear him when Sambora’s on stage?”
Blushing, Amber reluctantly admitted the truth, “I’d rather hear you or Richie any day, anywhere. Jazz,” deep sigh, “doesn’t do anything for me.” A playful grin hit her lips making her eyes sparkle as she moved to whisper in his ear, “but you naked on top of me does.”
Laughing heartily, Jon gave her a peck on the cheek, “later, darlin’.”
“Promises, promises.” Now that they were walking out of the little club for the ride back to the heliport and then the chopper ride to the hotel. Stopping, her brows furrowed together, “Jon? Don’t you have an apartment in the City? Couldn’t we just as easily stay there tonight and the three of you fly out of a New York airport as you can from Philly?”
Blinking before he replied, “yeah, we could, but our stuff is in Philly and so is yours.” Then looking to Richie, he grinned. “I suppose we can afford to get someone to pick it all up and put it on the plane. You’d have to ride with us to the airport though to get yours.”
“Ah, Jon? I have to work tomorrow. Unlike the three of you, I have to be up and at work by 8:30. None of you will even be up by then.” it was irritating the hell out of her that he was being so nonchalant about it, “and I work in the City, so staying here would make it easier for me to get to work on time.”
Nodding, he flipped open his phone and spoke quickly and quietly to someone on the other end as they waited for their limo to arrive. If staying at his apartment in the city would make her happy, then that’s what they’d do. Not that there was any food there, but at least there was a bed and he had plenty of clothes stashed there for those rare times he did stop in. “Rich, you don’t mind do you? It is late and Amber needs to be at work early.” Not that he needed to explain, since Richie and Linda were standing right there while they were discussing it.
“Naw, bro, we’re good. Right, darlin’?” He didn’t need to be in any particular hotel or room, he would have a good time with his sweet date wherever they were.
Climbing into the limo, Amber yawned, it had been a long day and it was going to be an early morning. Seeing it, Jon had a feeling that their last night together for a while was going to be spent actually sleeping. Wrapping an arm around her shoulders when they settled into the limo, Amber snuggled against the warmth of his chest, inhaling the scent that turned her on usually, but at the moment it was making her feel comforted and cared for. Her eyes closed on their own before they were half-way to the apartment with Jon, Richie and Linda’s voices swirling around her and following her into sleep.
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