Sheet Music - A Rock 'n' Roll Love Story

He pushed back the window curtain completely and silently stared across the city.  Several minutes passed while he contemplated a possible solution.

“Then, I’ll move to the Vineyard and live with you,” he said pensively.  “We can live in my beach house.”

Annie smiled.  Her face filled with a sudden rush of excitement.  Then quickly the smile faded.  “What about your band?”

“We’re off until Fall.  Then Brian and I are supposed to get together and finish up some new material before we hit the studio and record the tracks.  I can commute back and forth for that.”

She remained silent, suddenly remembering her Fall commitment to Lace.  They would want to see her in New York for rehearsal sessions soon.  “What would happen then?” she thought, studying a jogger pass below on the street.

“Michael, there’s something I forgot to tell you last night,” she sighed.

“Oh shit.  Here it comes,” he replied, stepping back to sit on the edge of the bed.  “That’s a statement no man likes to hear.”

“I signed contracts a couple of months ago to join the band, Lace.  Have you ever heard of them?”

“Lace? You joined Lace?” he asked with relief.  “That’s fantastic!  We used Lace as an opening act for one of our tours several years ago.”

“Then you must know Taylor and Lacey.”

Taylor and Lacey Sheridan.  At first, Michael had forgotten the connection, until he heard the names spoken aloud.  Then his memory became clear.  Taylor and Lacey were first cousins, played and sung better than most bands he knew, and both were gorgeous in different ways.  Taylor was an exotic beauty with deep dark features and the skin the color of cinnamon.  Toe to toe, she stood a good two inches taller than Michael.  Lacey was the epitome of a California beach babe with long, honey blond hair, piercing blue eyes, and a pair of sun-kissed legs that could make grown men weep.

Michael remembered the first night they met.  Brian stumbled into Michael’s hotel suite, with Lacey on one arm, and Taylor hanging off the other.  He also remembered the sex that soon followed.  Brian ended up with Taylor while he was with Lacey.  For Brian, it was another one night stand.  But, Michael and Lacey continued to see each other for most of the following year.  Nothing serious, just two road-lonely people needing to be with someone when it was convenient.  Soon enough, their touring bands took them in different directions and their relationship ended.  No broken hearts and no regrets.

“Michael, did you hear me?” Annie asked, trying to get his attention.

Nervously, he glanced up at her, wondering if he should mention his affair with Lacey.  “I’m sorry.  What was your question?”

“I asked if you knew Taylor and Lacey?”

“Yeah, you could say that.”

“Did you like them?  Were they easy to get along with?” she asked, sitting on the bed beside him.  “I’m a little nervous about working with them, since they have so much road experience.  While I, on the other hand, have none.”

Easy to get along with, he pondered.  Man, if she only knew.  Part of him wanted to explain their connection.  A bigger piece thought differently.  What had it been, five, six years since he had last seen Lacey?  Maybe she wouldn’t remember their affair and Annie would never have to know.  Then again, if he could remember, Lacey certainly could too.

“Did you mention to them that you knew me?” he asked, cautiously.

“Hell no!  I wanted to get the job on my own merits, without dropping any names, especially your name!”

“You say that like my name is a curse.”

Annie laughed and quickly pushed him onto his back, his arms pinned above his head, and straddled his hips.  “Not a curse, Michael.  But your name is just too big in this business.”  She wriggled into position again.  “And, that’s not the only part of you that is big.”

He closed his eyes and moaned.  Perhaps another time would be better to tell Annie about Lacey.  Maybe tomorrow.

It was almost eleven in the morning when they finally woke from another sex-induced slumber.  Michael’s eyes glanced at the clock on the bedside table and squinted to bring the blurry numbers into focus.  It was getting late and he couldn’t remember what time Brian said they needed to be back at the FleetCenter for their meeting with the press.

“Do you already have plans for tonight?” he asked pensively, rolling over behind her in bed.

“No, just heading back to the Vineyard.  Why?”

“Would you consider going to the press party with me tonight?”

“I guess I could.  But I’d have to call my girlfriend first.”

“I don’t suppose you packed a semi-formal dress in the backpack you brought with you?”

“No, why?  Is this a formal event?”

“Afraid so.  Thankfully, we don’t have too many of them, but this one is.  That’s okay.  It will give me an excuse to take you shopping this afternoon.”

“You don’t have to buy me a dress.”

“Do you want to go with me tonight?”