Taking Stage 3: A Night With the Rock Star by Emma Rose Page B

into the brilliant sunshine of the Wednesday morning. Traffic was light in the square, with only a few cars passing by on the narrow street on their way someplace else. A smattering of pedestrians wandered the sidewalks, most of them aimlessly moving from store to store. Therese took a deep breath, turned to Max.
    “I can’t believe you’re here,” she said. “I never thought I’d see you again.”
    “Did you want to see me again?”
    She thought the answer was fairly obvious. But instead of giving him that answer, she bit her lip, turned and walked away from him. Therese felt his eyes on her ass, on her hair swept up high on her head in a curly bun. Then he was walking at her side.
    “I parked over there.” He pointed to a blue two-door Toyota at a nearby parking meter.
    They walked together toward the car with Max fishing the keys from his pocket. Therese couldn’t help but notice again how tired he looked. Then she remembered that he probably hadn’t slept very much since his tour started. From Atlanta straight through to the California shows with no days of rest in between. According to the website, today was his first day off in a long while. And instead of resting, he’d jumped on a plane to see her. Flattering but foolish.
    “Give me the keys,” she said.
    After giving her a brief and questioning look, Max handed the keys over and got in on the passenger’s side. Therese slid behind the wheel, adjusted the steering column, mirrors, and seats to suit her body and pulled out of the parking spot. She slipped smoothly into traffic.
    “Did you have any idea what you were doing when you got on that plane from California?” she asked.
    “None.” Max leaned back against the seat, his hair loose around his face and shoulders. “All I kept thinking was that I wanted to go for a drive with you.  Just spend some time, you know?”
    She was surprised. Surprised and flattered that he’d even thought of her beyond the day he dropped off that package of music to her in the mail. It was good to know that she wasn’t the only one unable to forget the time they had shared together.
    “A drive, huh?”
    “Yes. A drive.” He smiled at her, his teeth bright against his dark skin.
    “I know just the place.”
    She took him south, leaving Decatur to head down 85 South toward Calloway Gardens. It was a long enough drive. Two hours. And once they got there, it was a peaceful place where he could rest if that was really what he wanted. Calloway was a favorite of hers. She’d often take herself down there for a weekend stay at the hotel, wander the gardens at her leisure, swim in the pool, and take in a movie nearby. Her oasis when things got to be too much in the city.
    As she drove, Max rested his had back and talked softly about the tour, telling her how the cities were, the hotels the band stayed in, what he liked about each place. His words were a deep and meandering rumble. Like he just wanted to talk to her, or at least have her listen to him while his mind checked out.
    “I feel safe with you,” he said. His eyes slitted toward her. “Isn’t that strange?”
    It was strange and it was beautiful. She had no idea what he saw in her, what quirks of his personality led him to gravitate so cleanly toward her, but she was glad for it. Having gone through one way fascinations before, she knew they were no fun. This was much better.
    Before they got off the highway for Calloway Gardens, Therese stopped at a Walmart and grabbed food and picnic supplies. Max tried to give her money but she shoved the hundred dollar bill back in his hand and told him to relax.
    “You came all this way to see me,” she said, barely believing it as she said the words. “This is my treat.”
    At Calloway, she parked the car and led him away from the crowds heading inside to tour the buildings. Instead, she took him out into the wild, into the woods with the tangle of vines, varieties of ferns, and a thousand and one kinds of azaleas.