I really wish I could take Andi away from here for a while. A year or two should do it. But I know there’s no way in hell she will walk away now. She never backs down from anything and I can’t expect her to start now.Especially not now that she’s shared her story and it’s gone viral on the national news. She single-handedly madeAndi MorganandLindsay Blairhousehold names within the span of a one-hour television show.
While watching the interview with Andi this morning, everything she’s been through kept running through my mind. But those thoughts were quickly replaced with what’s to come in the next few days. I know it’ll be bad – Rhoades will come after her in one way or another. I am waiting and watching for him. He’s already shown up at the club at least once and there’s no doubt he’s stupid enough to do it again.
Andi insists on still competing in the karaoke competition even if it’s only to sing a song that’ll piss Rhoades off. She said she has the song all planned out and she can’t wait to do it. She won’t tell me what the song is though. She must think I’ll try to talk her out of it and she’d be right. I don’t think this guy needsto be antagonized any more than the interview’s already done. But I’ll be beside her when he decides to make his move.
We’re walking down the hall after our long shower together where I thoroughly washed every inch of her body more than once. Just as we leave the last stair, someone starts beating on the front door and Andi jumps. In one fluid movement, I grab her and put her behind me, shielding her from whoever has the balls to pound on our door like that.
“Stay here,” I say as I walk to the door to look through the peep hole. There’s a man on the front porch and he looks angry.
Without opening the door, I add several octaves of bass to my normal speaking voice, “What the hell do you want?”
“I need to speak with Andi Morgan. Right now.” Who the hell does this guy think he is?
“Get off our property. Now. I won’t give you another warning,” I say through the door.
I watch for several seconds and the guy doesn’t budge. I jerk open the door and take two intimidating steps towards him with my fists balled up. I wasn’t a street fighter for nothing. He senses I meant what I said about no further warnings because he takes off running to a news van at the curb.
“Damn reporters,” I say as I close and lock the door back. “It’s going to be a long day, baby. They are lined up down the street and they all want to talk to you.”
“No more interviews! It was hard enough doing the one I did. We are banking a lot on at least some of his victims coming forward. I don’t want to scare them off by creating a three-ring media circus everywhere I go,” she takes a breath, narrows her eyes in thought and finishes with, “Except for tomorrow night when I’m singing.”
That gleam in her eyes makes me cringe.
She steps outside the front door and calls out to the waiting news crews, who had already started approaching when she stepped onto the porch.
“Everyone, please listen,” she yells over the questions being yelled at her, “I will not answer any questions today. Come to The Beta Room tomorrow night and I will answer all your questions.Except foranyone I see parked on my street or following me today – I will have you banned from the club. Now leave.”
Several walk briskly back to their van and leave while a few waited around inshock for a minute. She stops on the front porch and looks pointedly at the stragglers and they quickly leave. All I could do is smile at her – my girl has style.
“Very nice, my love,” I say as I pull herto me, wrapping my arms around her waist as hers go around my neck. I love the feel of her body molded to mine.
She smiles and kisses me, “Thank you.”
“Now that you got rid of them, what do you want to do today?”
“I need to go by the club later and practice my song onstage, but I’mall yoursuntil then.”
Nicetry, but I’m not falling for that trick. “You’re not going to the club alone, Andi,” I reply dryly, “but I’ll take you up on that offer to be all mine.”
She gives me her pouty look for a second but finally relents. She knows I’m not bending on this. Besides the fact that I’m not leaving her alone with all these damn nutcases everywhere, she doesn’t want me to know what song she’s singing or what’s in her show. That makes me want to go with her even more.
“While I have you……,” I start tentatively because I’m not sure how to finish this sentence.
“Yes?” She draws out as she answers, prompting me to continue.
“We should talk about our wedding date. Have you thought about what kind of wedding you want? And where? And when you’d want it?”
Don’t all girls plan this shit in their head from the time they’re little? Just tell me where to show up and what to wear, I’ll be there. Open bar? Even better.
“Oh. Ummm. I’m not sure, Luke,” the hesitancy in her voice is palpable. There’s a little bit of nervousness in it, too.
“Have you changed your mind, Andi?” I ask in all seriousness.
“No! No, of course not. I just…I thought we’d have a long engagement and figure that out over time. I’m just not prepared to answer all that right now.” She’s looking around the room, looking for something to put her focus into and buy herself some time.
“OK, baby. If that’s what you want, I will wait for you however long you need.” I mean it from the bottom of my heart. I lost her once and I’ll be damned if I’ll go through that shit again. Shenow looks visibly relieved and I can’t believe how much that bothers me. I’m legitimately concerned that she doesn’t really want to be my wife.
She wraps her arms around me to reassure me. “Stop thinking that, Luke.”
