Daddy tries very hard not to tour with his band during the summer months so he can be home with us. Since we’re older and don’t rely on him as much as we used to, he agreed to do a few gigs this summer and has been on the road for the past two weeks touring. Dad sat us all down for a family meeting beforehand and we agreed that Hailey and I were old enough now so he didn’t have to worry about us as much, or about missing time with us because we were out with our friends most days during summer vacation anyway.
We also understand that money will get tight with the extra expenses of college coming up for me and Hailey, and Mom and Dad agreed that the extra money from his summer gigs would help with our family’s finances a lot.
“He’s heading back tomorrow and should arrive the day after. Their last show is in Austin.”
Mom and Hailey gather the things they need to take with them to the stores, and I decide to head to the music room before I clean up the kitchen and put away the dishes. There’s a piano piece I’ve been working on that I want to finish before Dad comes home and I feel inspired right now, my thoughts going to Jayson. I enter the room located in the back of the house on the first floor where Dad keeps all of his instruments and pull the piano bench to sit. I get comfortable, propping my feet up on the piano pedals. Dad bought me a laptop with music software already downloaded that I use to compose my pieces with. I place the laptop on top of the piano - an old upright that belonged to my grandmother that my dad refuses to get rid of - and open the file that contains my latest composition.
I don’t know how long I sit in front of the piano, composing, changing notes, playing, adding parts. I get to the end and decide that the piece is finished, so I play it from the beginning to hear it in its entirety. Flexing and wiggling my fingers over the keys, I begin. Instantly I’m lost to the melody, being pulled into the music I created which is filled with every emotion coursing through my veins. The pattern and flow of the notes, the way my hands float over the white keys, all combine together to create something magical.
As the song finishes and my fingers still, I shut my eyes to exist in the brief moment of silence that follows. I hear a noise behind me and am surprised when I turn around to see Jayson. He’s leaning against the frame of the door, shoulder propped, hands in his pockets, ankles crossed, looking as handsome as ever.
“That was beautiful, Liz.”
Jason’s wearing a Carolina University t-shirt over dark shorts, hair damp and swept back off his forehead. We have an open-door policy and the boys know they are welcome to come into our home anytime they want. Years ago, Mom gave Freda and Faith keys to our house and vice versa.
My heart soars as my eyes take Jayson in from top to bottom. That lean, muscled body was pressed up against mine last night, I tell myself, and a blush spreads across my chest and up my neck before uncertainty weighs me down.
Jayson must see my body language change and immediately walks over to kneel in front of me. He brings my fingers to his lips and begins kissing each and every one.This boy. Once he finishes, he drapes my arms around his neck.
“Hi,” he smiles.
Shyness overcomes me.
“Hi,” I say back.
With my arms still around his neck, he grabs my hips and pulls me down to straddle him on the floor where he’s kneeling. He moves his hands from my hips to my butt and tugs me forward so that I am pressed intimately against him.
“I thought last night was a dream,” I confess.
“No dream,” he places a kiss to my nose. “I talked to Julien last night.” He watches to see my reaction.
“Oh?”
“Yeah. We stayed up all night talking.”
“And?”
“He’s good with us. Everything’s ok just like I promised.”
“What about Ryder?”
Jayson doesn’t answer and decides to bring my lips to his instead. It’s a claiming. He’s making sure I know I am his and he is mine. The kiss starts simple, sweet, but turns into more as we lose ourselves in each other. I thought my first kiss with Jayson last night was the kiss to end all kisses. I was wrong.
Our mouths break apart, but Jayson pulls me in for a hug. I wrap my legs around him to get more comfortable and melt into his embrace. He doesn’t move or try to get up. He just holds me. His face tilts to press against my cheek as he softly nuzzles me. Minute prickles of warmth scatter along my cheek at the contact.
“That’s why I came over. I know you said he was dropping by at one to talk to you. I wanted to see you first.”
“Do you know what that’s all about? What he wants to talk to me about? Did he say anything to you guys last night when you were over there?”
Jayson takes my face and lifts it.
“Last night I promised you, Liz, I would make everything right. You will not lose any of us. I swear to you. I’m going to head over to his house right now and talk to him.”
Something is not right, something is off. I can feel it. I can sense Jayson's holding something back. He lifts me off of him and helps me up before entwining our fingers together. He looks down noticing the time on his watch and pulls me out of the room.
“It’s half past noon. I want to make sure I have a chance to talk to Ry before he comes over here.”
We walk to the front door, hand in hand, and down the steps to the front walkway.
