Chapter Seven -- Say I'm Sorry
*Shannon*
I didn’t even know what had happened. One moment he was teasing and smiling, the next his expression changed, and before it could register his hand made contact with the side of my face. I stumbled back with the force of it, too startled to fight back.
Nick yanked me back, his hand gripping my wrist so hard that my hand went numb. “Nick,” I gasped, putting my free hand on his chest.
He stared down at me, and this was not the Nick I was falling in love with. The man before me was a stranger. What had I done? Reaching up, I touched his cheek carefully. “Nick,” I whispered.
He blinked, then his face crumpled into repentance. “Baby,” he whispered. “Oh, Shan, I’m so sorry.”
He released me and I stepped back, tentatively touching where he’d hit me. “Why, Nick?” I whispered, willing the tears not to come. But they had already started.
When he reached for me I stepped away, and his hand fell to his side. “Oh, baby. I don’t know, I just--I just lost it.” His eyes were pleading, searching mine. “Please, honey, just let me kiss it better.”
Trembling with fear, I stepped closer to him. His hands were gentle on my waist, and I felt his lips brush my cheek. Then he was lifting me, and the next thing I knew he was carefully lying me on the bed.
“I’m so sorry, honey,” he murmured, and I was surprised to see that he, too, was crying. “I’ll never do that again,” he promised, caressing me through the t-shirt of his I’d slipped on.
My cheek still stung where he’d hit me, and when I lifted my hand to touch his face my wrist throbbed. “It’s okay,” I murmured, heart beating wildly as he shrugged out of his tuxedo jacket. “Nick, I love you.”
He looked down at me with a smile. “Say it again,” he whispered. Lowering his head, he gently brushed his lips over my neck.
So quickly, my fear had turned into desire, and I found myself fumbling with the buttons of his shirt. “I love you, Nick.”
--
The next morning when I woke up, Nick wasn’t in bed with me. Rolling over, I pulled his pillow into my arms, inhaling his scent. I could hear the shower running in the bathroom. A glance at the clock told me it was still early, and I snuggled under the blanket, prepared for a little more sleep.
Smiling as I hugged the pillow, I remembered how gentle Nick had been. As though he savored me. He kept telling me over and over how sorry he was, how it would never happen again.
The phone rang, jarring me from my half-slumber. Groaning, I reached for it.
*AJ*
“H’lo.”Goddamn. To be able to wake up and hear that voice in my ear every morning would be heaven. I knew instantly it was Shannon. She had the huskiest, sexiest morning voice I’d ever heard before. Smiling to myself, I cleared my throat. “Hey, Shannon. It’s AJ.”
“AJ, hi!”
Did I detect a hint of enthusiasm? “How’s it going?” I asked.
“Okay, I guess.”
“I didn’t wake you up, did I? Cuz if I did--“
“No, it’s okay. I can’t think of a better way to wake up,” she teased.
“I can think of a few,” I muttered. Oh fuck. Why was I flirting with her?
“You’re bad,” she murmured, and I heard the rustle of a sheet. “Did you need to talk to Nick? He’s in the shower.”
“I can wait.”
She chuckled. “So, did you enjoy the show? I’m sorry I didn’t get to ask you last night. Nick and I left the party a little early.”
I’d noticed. One minute they’d been standing there, and when I turned around they were gone. “It was great. Do you have another show today?”
“Yeah. I have to be at the theater at three for rehearsal.”
I heard her soft yawn, and, closing my eyes, could imagine her stretching. “So what’s the deal? Do you just do the weekend performances or what?”
“Whenever they need me, basically. Donald, the other pianist, is out for surgery right now. They’ve hired a temp for the matinees, and I’m doing the nights. The down side is I go in at three and leave after one. The up side is I only work two days a week.”
“Hey, that’s a pretty good deal.”
She laughed. “Well, maybe not as good as touring the world. Nick says y’all are leaving soon.”
“About a month. D and Brian are going on a promo tour next week.”
”Oh.” Suddenly she sounded very far away.
“Hey, it’s not like Nick’ll be gone forever.” Oh, to be so lucky...
“I know. Can I ask you something?” she murmured.
“Anything.”
“What’s up with Brian? He mentioned his wife, but when I asked Nick he said he didn’t want to get into it.”
I sighed. The last thing I wanted to talk about was Brian’s marital problems. “You’ll meet her soon. I’m sure you can form your own opinion,” I said as the dogs started scratching at the back door. Getting up, I headed to the kitchen.
“Ooohhh. I see. Hold on, I think he’s out now.”
Her voice was muffled as she called Nick’s name, and I wondered if she’d pressed the phone against--
“Here he is. Take care,” she said.
“Yeah.” When Nick got on the line, I opened the back door and watched my babies race out onto the deck. “How’s it going, man?”
“Alright, I guess. Just got out the shower. What’s up?”
“Mom wants to know if you and Shannon wanna come to her house for dinner. She wants to meet her.”
Nick chuckled. “She does, huh? I was wondering when she’d be ready to give her the third degree.”
Yeah. Mom viewed Nick--and the others--as her adopted songs. She still mothered him to death. “Yeah, man. She wants to know what a good day for Shannon would be.”
“Baby, you want to go to AJ’s mom’s for dinner one day this week?” he asked.
Hearing him call her baby was like a knife through my heart, and it was yet another reminder that she’d never be mine. I heard her murmur, and wondered if they were lying in bed together. Shaking my head, I lit a cigarette.
“Tuesday?” Nick offered, and I could hear Shannon say something.
“Should be alright. I’ll give her a call and let you know later.”
“Sure. Hey, Shannon says to tell you ask what she’s fixing, and we can bring some wine.”
We. Damn. “No problem.” Sighing, I leaned against the deck rail. “I’ll call you later, man.”
“Yeah. I’m going to the theater with Shan while she rehearses. Call my cell.”
“Sure. Later, man.” Hanging up quickly, I tossed the phone onto the table and rubbed my chin. Things were getting more serious than I thought.
Tell me why
Ain't nothin' but a heartache
Tell me why
Ain't nothin' but a mistake