Sixty-Three

Allegra was in front of the mirror fastening the cross around her neck, when Richie slipped up behind her.  The messy knot she’d pulled her hair into left her nape bare, and he took advantage by placing a soft kiss there.

“The cross looks beautiful on you.”  

“It’s a beautiful piece of jewelry.  Thank you again.”  It dangled just below the hollow of her throat, and the open, square neckline of her top showcased it perfectly.   Tugging the stretchy burgundy fabric down over her denim-clad hips,  she gave herself a final once-over before turning and lifting her face for a real kiss.

Richie immediately accepted her invitation and drew softly on her mouth as his hands roamed her backside.

“Do we have to go?”

They were scheduled to go out with the band.  First dinner at a small, local restaurant and then drinks in the hotel bar.  She adored spending time with the guys, but silently echoed Richie’s sentiment.  She really wanted time with HER guy.

The pounding on the door eliminated the need for an answer. 

“Dammit, Sambora!  I know you have her locked up in there, because I’m the one who got her in!”  David’s muffled voice carried plainly through the door.

Swinging it open wide, Richie greeted him with a smug grin.  “Nicest damn thing you’ve ever done for me, Lemma!  Are you feverish?” 

David slapped Richie’s hand away when it reached for his forehead.  “No, I’m not feverish, and I didn’t do it for YOU, ya big dumb Polack.  I did it for those of us who’ve been putting up with your grumpy ass!  Notice how you’re in a much better mood now?”

He breezed past Richie the moment his eyes lit on Allegra.  Wrapping her in a big bear hug, he greeted her with, “If it ain’t the sexiest Legs I ever did see!  How’s the biggest mistake of my life doing?”

She returned the hug, but replied with a confused, “Mistake?  Why am I a mistake?”

“Because I let him get his hooks in you instead of me!”

Allegra just shook her head, as Richie put a possessive arm around her waist.  “I thought we were meeting you guys in the lobby?”

Plopping himself carelessly on the sofa, David confirmed, “You are.  I just couldn’t wait to any longer to see you.  So here I am.”  He offered them his cheesiest grin.

“Dude, you and I are gonna have a man-to-man talk,”  Richie declared.  “Stop the fuckin’ poachin’ or I’m callin’ Lexi on your ass.”

Serious eyes were obvious behind the cheesy grin once Allegra took the time to look.  She smiled and nodded subtly, hoping he’d understand everything was alright.

“So why are we standing around here?  Let’s get this show on the road.”  Allegra didn’t need anything besides her phone, and she pushed it into her back pocket.  “I’m ready to party like a rock star,” she told the men with a twinkle in her eye.

Accepting David’s offered arm over Richie’s grumbles of protest, they went in search of their dinner companions.

♪♥♪♥♪

“So how are you doing?”  Jon quietly asked her from across the small table in the bar.  

They’d all enjoyed a lively dinner at a local steakhouse with good food and great company.  David had saved her the trouble by explaining her presence in Detroit – which pissed Richie off, since he hadn’t gotten around to asking about it yet.  Allegra pacified him with assurances that they’d had much more important things to discuss.

Now they were ready for the second round of drinks, which Richie and Hugh had gone to fetch.  Tico and Dave were evidently missing their women, as they were engrossed in conversation about the ‘good old days’ and the merits of blondes versus brunettes.  She wasn’t sure who was winning.

“I’m okay, why?”

“Gee, I don’t know.  I understand Sambora hasn’t exactly been Prince Charming, and Dot said you’ve been into it with your parents again.  Silly me.  Thought you might be a little stressed.”

She smirked.  “He sure made me feel like Cinderella today.”

“Enough.”  Jon held his hands up to ward off anything else she might divulge.  “That’s all I need to know about THAT.”  He wrapped his fingers around the highball glass in front of him, rattling the ice that was left in it.  “What about your folks?”

Gulping the last bit of her wine, she placed the stemware down carefully without meeting his eyes.  “Has Mama called you?”                                   

“No.  Is there a reason she would?”

Allegra glanced over her shoulder to pinpoint Richie’s location.  He was leaning against the bar with a carefree smile, laughing at something Hugh said.

Turning to meet the mirror image of her own blue eyes, she said, “I told them I was seeing Richie, having no idea she’d recognize his name.  Apparently, she’s been reading People Magazine and isn’t impressed with his life since he almost ‘ruined’ your band.”  She snorted softly.  “Actually forbade me to see him.  So I yelled a little, threatened a little, and mentioned that you’d be a bit more knowledgeable on the subject than People Magazine.  I wasn’t sure if she’d call or not.”

He cursed under his breath.  “Sounds like maybe I should give HER a call.”

“That’s up to you, but keep it to yourself, okay?  Richie doesn’t need to know she’s being… difficult.”

“You’re not going to tell him what he’s getting into?”  He was giving her that condemning ‘big brother’ look.

“No.  He knows they want to meet him, and once they do, I’m positive they’ll love him.  There’s no point in making him feel like crap in the meantime.”

He held her eyes for a long time, she to seek out some deeper meaning to what she was saying.  Instead of a probing question, he surprised her with an apology.

“I’m sorry.  Again.  Your family has been nothing but one big pain in the ass lately, with me leading the way.”  He gestured toward Richie.  “He looks ten times better than when we got off the plane.  That’s all you.  And I’m not talking about sex.  He’s… centered again.  Eh, fuck.  I dunno about all that psychobabble bullshit.  The bottom line is, I know I was wrong, and Aunt Therese will too.  Just give her some time to get used to the new you.”

“Dot  said the same – “

A loud vibration interrupted them, and caused her to jump in her seat.  Richie’s phone was all lit up and skittering across the table.  ‘Ava’ was displayed across the screen.   

“Should I?” she asked Jon.  On the off chance something was wrong, Allegra was hesitant to let it go unanswered. 

“He won’t be pissed, if that’s what you’re asking.”

With a nod, she slid her finger across the screen to connect the call. 

“Hi Ava, it’s Allegra.”

There was a brief silence before a decidedly adult voice informed her, “This is Ava’s MOTHER.  Where is Richie?”

Her spine stiffened.  It had never crossed her mind that anyone but Ava may be on the other end.  “Hello Heather.”  In her peripheral vision, she saw Jon rolling his eyes.  “He’s not available at the moment.”

“Well, he needs to be available.  Tell him it’s me.”

Recalling David’s recount of the woman pulling on Richie’s frayed nerves the last couple of days, Allegra decided that tonight was his to relax and enjoy.  This probably had something to do with tomorrow’s WTB premiere, and the morning would be soon enough to deal with those petty details. 

She’d better make sure, though.  “Is this about Ava?  Is something wrong with her?”

“No.”  Heather wasn’t giving up anything, but, then again, neither was Allegra.

“Then it can wait.  He deserves a night off.”

“You can get him off later.  AFTER I talk to him.”

Allegra’s eyes narrowed at the venom in Heather’s voice, and ice cold fury ran through her.  She didn’t give a flying fig how famous, or beautiful, or important this woman thought she was.  No one was going to talk to her that way.  

♪♥♪♥♪

Richie gradually worked his way back to the table.  The damn bartender had been chatty, which he normally didn’t mind.  But tonight he wanted to spend time with his friends and his woman – not another fledgling guitarist.

He was within three strides of rejoining them, Hugh close behind, when Jon put his finger to his lips, indicating for them to keep quiet.  His frontman nodded subtly toward Allegra, whom Richie could see was on the phone.  Silently positioning himself behind her chair, he listened.  Hugh followed suit, standing wordlessly next to him.

“Heather, this can be as pleasant or as ugly as you want it to be.  We didn’t seem to have any trouble when I called about sending Ava to Hawaii.  I hoped that could continue, for her sake.”

Just fuckin’ great.  I really do NOT want to fight with Heather.  It’s been too nice of an evening – one without moody models, hypersensitive fashion designers and demanding ex-wives.  Can’t I just hide from them all a little while longer?

“I’m STILL Jon’s cousin.”

He wondered what had prompted that statement.  Better yet, he wondered how the two of them had connected – on what appeared to be HIS phone.  It didn’t sound like Allegra had made a social call, for sure.

“You’re right.  I may be a temporary diversion.  He could dump my pathetic, naïve ass tomorrow, as you so eloquently put it.  OR I could dump his.  Either way, it’s none of your concern.  The only thing you need to know is that I won’t be talked down to like some groupie whore.”

She flipped her hair back in a gesture he recognized well.  If he hadn’t already guessed from her end of the conversation, that movement confirmed that his Sunshine was pissed.  He was getting that way himself.

“I already told you, he’s going to relax tonight.  WTB and anything else besides his daughter’s well-being can wait.  I’ll tell him you called, and I’m sure he’ll get back to you first thing tomorrow.  Good night, Heather.”

He couldn’t stop the overwhelming feeling of relief.  He – they – could live in idyllic bliss for a bit more.   Allegra had just swooped in like an avenging angel and saved him – again.  That made twice today.   She deserved something special in return.

Allegra plopped the phone face-down on the table and growled.

“Deep breath,” Jon told her, petting her hand that still rested atop Richie’s phone.  “Calm down.”

She snatched her hand away with a strangled noise of frustration. 

“Calm down?!  You didn’t hear what she said to me!”  She elaborated in a prissy, falsetto voice,” My bed is just a warm place to land.  It’s only temporary.  He will dump my naïve ass tomorrow, just like everyone else since she divorced him.  He’s still in love with her.”

Allegra was getting herself too wound up, and it wasn’t worth the effort.  He’d have to explain Heather’s version of reality to her.  Probably should’ve done it already, but he didn’t realize they’d be connecting this soon.  

Seeing that she’d drawn everyone else’s attention, he silently swore.  Now they would start the Heather bashing.  Hell, he knew she was as far from perfect, but that was NOT how he wanted to spend his night. 

Richie stepped up beside Allegra, making his presence known by placing their drinks on the table.  Her startled eyes flew up, searching for a clue as to how much he’d heard.  He ignored her unspoken question. 

Wiping the moisture from the glasses on his pant legs, he held out his hand to her.  Otis Redding was crooning over the sound system.  It was the perfect excuse to get away from the guys, and have her close at the same time.    

“Come dance with me.”

“Uh-uh.  No way, man,” Jon protested, pointing his finger at Richie with a glare.  “I want to hear you tell her Heather’s wrong.”

“Stay out of – “ Allegra started to order her cousin, but Richie interrupted.

“Heather’s wrong.  Now come dance with me.”

She placed her hand in his, rising to follow him through the maze of tables that led to the bar’s small dance floor.  There was only one other couple there, so engrossed in one another that they didn’t notice the extra company.

Richie pulled her close and wrapped one arm around her waist, burying his fingers in the back pocket of her jeans.  His other hand urged her head to rest against his shoulder, then stroked along her spine as they swayed to the soulful music.

I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay
Watching the tide roll away
Ooo, I'm just sittin' on the dock of the bay
Wastin' time

“How’d you end up talking to Heather?”  He asked conversationally, after she’d finally melted into his embrace.

She stiffened the tiniest bit, as though preparing to defend herself.  “Relax,” he murmured, slipping his hand under the fabric at the small of her back.  His thumb drew lazy circles there, letting her know there was nothing to be uptight about.  

With a gratified sigh, she replied in the same conversational tone.  “She called from Ava’s phone.  I knew you wouldn’t want to miss Ava’s call.”

Richie half-listened, appreciating the way Allegra felt against him.  So soft on the outside, but so strong on the inside. 

“She deleted my number awhile back.  I don’t know, I guess it makes her feel better to say she doesn’t have it in her phone.  She uses Ava’s when she wants to talk to me.”

I left my home in Georgia
Headed for the 'Frisco bay

'Cause I've had nothing to live for

And look like nothin's gonna come my way

He put his lips by her ear to whisper, “Thank you.”

Allegra lifted her head, looking confused. 

“For taking care of me.  For keeping the stress at bay for a little while.”

Returning her head to its resting place, she said, “It’s just a few hours.  You deserve that once in a while.”

I can't do what ten people tell me to do

So I guess I'll remain the same, yes

“It’s more than a woman has cared to do in a very, very long time.”

“You have lousy taste in women then.” 

He couldn’t see her face, but could feel the smile against his chest as they slowly twirled in time to the music.  His hands had both discovered the silky expanse of skin at her waist, and he caressed it affectionately.

“I used to,” he murmured.

Now, I'm just gonna sit at the dock of the bay

Watching the tide roll away

Oooo-wee, sittin' on the dock of the bay

Wastin' time

“We’re going to have to come to an understanding about her.”

His lips sought out the delicate curve of her shoulder, sprinkling it with soft, lavish kisses.

“Not tonight.  Tonight I’m gonna dance with my girl until Otis whistles his last note.  Then…  I'm gonna take her upstairs and make sweet, sweet love.”