The Mighty Storm (The Storm 1)

Looking at my watch, I see it’s 11:15. Digging my phone out of my bag, I decide to call Will at work and see if he’s free to have lunch with me so I can tell him about tonight.

“Will Chambers.”

Oh, I love his work voice. All deep and professional. So cute.

“Hey, it’s me.”

“Hey baby.” He sounds happy to hear from me. He won’t be happy when I tell him I’m cancelling tonight.

“I was calling to see if you fancied meeting me for lunch?”

“Sure. What time?”

“Whenever you’re free. I’m already out of the office; I just finished up on an interview.” With Jake Wethers whose album you were listening to the other day.

“How does half-an hour sound? I’ll meet you at Callo’s?”

“Brilliant. See you soon.”

I head straight to Callo’s, which is a little upmarket café. I take a window seat and order a latte.

Then I ring Vicky.

“Trudy, my superstar! How did it go with the gorgeous rocker?”

“Good. Great.” The memory of his lips on my cheek flashes through my mind and I feel myself heating up. “I got plenty for the article. I’ve just stopped off to have an early lunch with Will and then I’ll be heading back to write it up.”

“So he remembers you then?” There’s a teasing tone in her voice.

“Yes.” I can’t help the smile on my lips. “He … um … well he actually asked me out to dinner tonight to catch up on old times.”

She actually squeals down the phone. She doesn’t act like my boss at times, or owner of a magazine.

“You’re going aren’t you? Please tell me you said yes?”

“I said yes.”

Another squeal.

Jeez, has she been drinking or something?

I look up and see Will coming in through the door.

“Look I’ll have to go, Will just arrived.”

“My office when you get back, I want all the gory details.”

“There are no gory details,” I laugh but keep my voice quieter so Will doesn’t hear in his approach.

“Sure there isn’t. See you soon,” she sings.

I hang the call up and Will leans down and kisses me on the cheek. On the same spot as where Jake kissed me. I feel this odd territorial feeling and a flash of anger toward Will. Annoyed that he’s just erased Jakes kiss. Which is completely crazy, even by my standards.

Will sits down across from me and the waiter comes over. Will orders a white coffee, and me another latte.

“What would like to eat?” he asks me.

“I’ll have a ham and cheese Panini,” I say to the waiter.

“BLT on brown for me,” Will says handing him back the menu.

Will reaches over and takes hold of my hand. I notice how soft his hands are compared to Jake’s rough ones.

“I missed you last night,” he murmurs.

“I missed you too,” I smile.

“So how was it? You have fun with Simone?”

“I did. We got a quite drunk though.”

“Don’t you two always,” he smiles. “Great news about her promotion.”

“It is.” I fidget nervously with my free hand. Taking a deep breath, it’s now or never, I say, “So, I have some news.”

His eyes flicker to mine with interest.

I’m not actually sure where to start first. Maybe just at the beginning.

“Well, I never told you this, not because it’s a big deal or anything, just because it was never really relevant, and I don’t really tell anyone, but growing up, I lived next door to Jake Wethers.”

I see confusion which suddenly clicks into understanding in his eyes.

“Jake Wethers … as in … The Mighty Storm – Jake Wethers.”

“The one and only.” I give him a tight smile.

“Wow!” he says clearly impressed. “Wow. Okay. So did you know him in passing or quite well–”

“He was my best friend.”

“Oh.”

“We lost touch when his family moved to America when we were fourteen, and well we recently just got back in touch.”

His brow furrows. “When?”

“Well, today. This morning.”

“Oh,” he says again. His voice is tight now.

“That’s who I was just interviewing. Vicky managed to land an interview with him and she sent me knowing I knew him–”

“So Vicky knows you knew him?”

Crap.

Why is he so quick. He’s clearly hurt by it.

“Yes … I … um…” I tuck my hair behind my ear. “I told her when I was drunk last Christmas, purely accidental and not a big deal.”

The waiter appears with our drinks and food, forcing Will to let go of my hand, and giving me a momentary and welcomed reprieve.

“So you did the interview this morning – how was it seeing him after all this time?” he seems a little easier now.

Good.

“Um … it was little surreal, I guess,” I shrug. “I knew him when he was younger. He’s a lot different now.”

“He most certainly is.” Will’s tone is sharp. It surprises me.

How can he make that statement when he doesn’t even know Jake? I suddenly feel very protective over him.

“So, anyway,” I say, mildly, hiding my annoyance. “Because I was interviewing him we didn’t really get to chat much – you know, catch up on old times, and well, he asked me to join him for dinner tonight.”

He puts the sandwich down that he’d just picked up.

“Jake Wethers has asked my girlfriend out for dinner.” He suddenly sounds all territorial. Not like Will at all.

“It’s not a date, silly. It’s just two old friends catching up.”

“Yes, and one half of those old friends happens to be my very beautiful girlfriend, and the other, the man-whore of the rock world.”

“Will!” I exclaim, shocked. “That’s a little unfair. You don’t even know him.”

“Clearly you do.”

Hang on. When did this turn into an argument?

It must be the expression on my face that prompts him to say, “Look, I’m sorry. I’ve just had a crap morning at work, and I was looking forward to seeing you and I guess my green-eyed monster is raising his head a little. You can’t blame me for that – I mean look at you.” He reaches his hand over, cupping my cheek, sinking his fingers into my hair.

“You have nothing to be jealous of.”

“He’s a rich good-looking rock star. I’d have to be a little stupid not to be jealous.”

“That he may be.” I take hold of his hand and kiss his palm. “But he’s not you. And I love you.”

That seems to appease him as his face relaxes a little.

I release his hand, allowing him to pick up his sandwich.

“How long is he in town for?”

“A few days.”

That seems to please him further.

“I guess it will be nice for you to catch up seeing as though you were childhood friends.”

And I loved him.

Covering my thoughts with a smile, I omit that thought and say, “So, as I’ve let you down two nights in a row for my friends now, I’m going to do something special tomorrow night to make it up to you.”

His brows rise. “I’m intrigued. Go on.”

“I’ll leave it to your imagination, and then tomorrow night you can tell me if I fulfilled it.” I grin at him.

“You never fail to make me happy, Trudy, and I can’t see that changing anytime soon, so I’m sure whatever you have planned will live up to my already high standard of you.”

That is so sweet. And now I feel kind of crap for having no clue what I’m going to do to make it up to him tomorrow night. I’m going to have to come up with something awesome.

I pick my panini up and take a bite.

Will walks me back to my office building, giving me a long lingering kiss before leaving me.

I head through the lobby and take the stairs up. Our office is only on the second floor and the exercise is good for me.

Going bright red at the whistles from my colleagues, I’m guessing Vicky’s already told them about my interview with Jake. I quickly drop my bag at my desk and head straight to her office.

She’s deep in concentration reading something on her computer screen when I knock on her open door.

Her eyes brighten when she sees me and she smiles. “Sit down and tell me all about the dirty boy of rock.”

I frown at her. I know Jakes got a reputation but I don’t like her calling him that.

“He’s not so much a boy, Vicky.”

She raises her perfectly plucked eyebrow. “And what does that mean - pray tell?”

I feel like I’m about to have a chat with one of my girlfriends over cocktails about a guy I just went on a date with. Not about an interview I just did with a celebrity.

I love that I have this kind of relationship with Vicky.

I drop myself into her chair across from her desk. “It means that people seriously underestimate him, Vicky. Yes, he’s singer in a band and he sleeps with lots of women–”

“Did he say that?” She looks at me hopefully. Another exclusive in mind.

“No,” I laugh. “That’s just it – he’s very careful, consummate about what he does say. He seems to ask questions, more than answer them – don’t worry I got plenty off him –” I add at her worried expression. “It’s just …” I pause searching for the right words. The ones that have been evading me ever since I was with him. “I guess he just … might act the dirty rock boy, out there.” I gesture. “But I feel that behind the scenes he’s very much the man – the one who is very much in charge of what happens – as it’s been said before by the few people who have interviewed him.”

“So you think the women, the partying, it’s all an act?”

I shake my head. “No. I just think there are two-sides to Jake. The young guy who is very much living the lifestyle he is privilege too, but then there’s the business Jake, the one who runs his label and his band exactly the way he wants to and is very good at it.”

“So the incident in Japan…”

“Expected I’d say. His best friend and business partner had just died. Add that on top of the quick rise to fame he had, the money he has – my guess is it just all got a little too much, and unfortunately his fall was in front of thousands of people.”

Wow, I’m actually sounding smart here. A first for me.

“Hmm.” Vicky leans back in her chair. “So is he as hot as hell in the flesh as he looks on the TV?” She grins and I know the serious, journalistic aspect of our conversation is gone for now.

“He’s … a little good-looking, sure.” I downplay.

“A little good-looking,” she scoffs. “Yeah I’m sure that’s all he is.” She purses her lips, like something has just occurred to her. “And he’s asked you out for dinner tonight?”