Chapter Fifty-Three

Chewing on the end of her pencil, Stephanie read through the last paragraph one final time. Making some more notes on her tablet, she turned to her computer and opened her word processing program.  “One more report” she muttered to herself as she started typing. “One more report and then I can get the hell out of Dodge.”  Her fingers moved quickly across the keys, translating her bastardized version of shorthand to a formal, legible, coherent report for her boss.

Blowing her hair out of her face she squinted as she tried to read her own handwriting.  She shook her head.  The longer the day had gotten, the worse her handwriting had become. Her fingers left the keyboard and rubbed at her temples.  Damn she was tired.  She had been coming in early and leaving late nearly every day so she could leave for Las Vegas first thing in the morning instead of trying to come in to work first.   She just knew she would never get out of here at the time she wanted to.  There was always just one more thing that had to get done.

Like today.

Linda, her boss, had come in with a fresh batch of manuscripts that needed to be read through and reports written up by Monday.  She had heard through the grapevine that Linda’s assistant had quit that morning and hadn’t finished any of the projects Linda had given her.  That’s why at nearly nine o’clock she was still sitting here.

She took a sip of tea and grimaced.  It had long since grown cold.  Pushing back from the computer she stood and headed to the break room.  One more cup of tea and she would finish up that last report and head for home.  She yawned as the microwave beeped. Grabbing her cup, she turned and headed back to her office.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when a voice floated in from the doorway.

“What are you still doing here?”

Her boss was standing by the door looking slightly worse for wear.  Her normally tidy navy business suit showed the wear and wrinkles of a hard day.  Her jacket was unbuttoned, her blouse was coming out from the waist of her slacks and her chic auburn updo had started to droop.  “Jesus, Linda.  Call an ambulance.  I think you just gave me a freaking heart attack.”  She placed a hand over her racing heart and gulped in several deep breaths.

Linda sauntered in and sat down in the chair in front of Stephanie’s desk.  “Sorry.  I didn’t mean to scare you.  But what are you still doing here?”

Taking one last deep breath Stephanie looked across the desk at her boss.  “Trying to finish up these reports.  I’m going to be away this weekend and wanted to make sure they were done before I left.”

Linda nodded her head.  “You know Janine quit this morning, right?”

Stephanie nodded.  “Yeah.  I do.   Sorry to hear that.”

Linda waved her off.  “I’m not.  She was on her way to being fired anyway.  But that’s not why I’m here.”

“Oh?”  Stephanie interest was piqued.

Linda stood and paced.  “No.  I had hoped to find you earlier today but with so much going on I didn’t have a chance.  You’ve only been here a short time, but your work has been exemplary and you’ve shown great potential.  I’d like to offer you the job as my new assistant.”

Stephanie’s eyebrows rose to her forehead.  Linda wanted her to be Assistant-to-the-Editor? She opened her mouth and closed it again, not quite sure what to say.  Did she want to be Assistant-to-the-Editor?  She opened her mouth again, “I’m flattered Linda, but are you sure I’m the best person for the job?  You said yourself I’ve only been here a short time.”  She didn’t want to take a promotion away from someone more deserving of the position.

“I’m sure.”  Linda nodded firmly and sat back down to lay out the details of the job.  “Look, take the weekend to think about it and let me know your decision on Monday.”  She stood and headed to the door.  “Don’t stay too late, Stephanie.  And enjoy your weekend.”  She stepped out the door and then turned back, “where are you going anyway?”

Stephanie glanced at her computer, her screensaver had taken over and her pictures were floating across the screen.  She smiled at one of Richie.  “Las Vegas.”

Linda nodded.  “Have a good time.”

~

Slamming the trunk, Stephanie pulled open the driver’s side door and dumped her purse and laptop case on the passenger seat before sliding in and setting her travel mug in the cup holder. Shaking the last of the cobwebs from her brain she turned the key and the car growled to life. She glanced at the clock as she backed out of the driveway.  Three in the morning was not at all the hour she had planned on leaving.  But after talking to Richie, she knew where she needed to be.

There was going to be a lot of coffee stops on this trip.

At least the traffic was light at this time of night.  Morning.  Whatever the hell you wanted to call it.  Tuning her Sirius radio to HairNation she let her favorite eighties songs keep her company as she drove down the nearly deserted highway.

She had taken solo road trips before, driving to Joviswillow’s place in New Jersey more than once. She didn’t mind it.  She didn’t usually start out at o’dark early, but that didn’t really matter. A few stops to stretch and for coffee and she’d be fine.  She’d take a nap once she got to Richie and could see for herself that he was really all right.  He had been sounding so down when they talked lately.  And for every time he just showed up out of the blue when she needed someone, it was the least she could do for him.

She tapped her fingers on the steering wheel in time to the classic Loverboy tune.  The eighties had had the best music.

Everybody's working for the weekend
Everybody wants a little romance
Everybody's goin' off the deep end
Everybody needs a second chance, oh
You want a piece of my heart
You better start from start
You wanna be in the show
Come on baby lets go...

She stopped for coffee and the bathroom around five.  By seven she was pulling up in front of the hotel.  The valet hurried out to meet her and helped her get her bag from the trunk.  “Your keys, ma’am?”  He held out his hand.

Stephanie dug her keys out of her pocket and dangled them over his palm.  It was always so hard to let the car out of her sight.  “You’ll be careful” she glanced at his name tag, “Laurence?”

He nodded solemnly.  “Yes ma’am.”

Taking a breath she dropped the keys to his palm and watched as he got in and slowly drove away.  “You’d better be” she muttered as she turned and headed for the door.

Stepping into the opulent hotel she was greeted by a way-too-perky-for-this-time-of-day blonde concierge.  “Welcome to the MGM Grand ma’am.  How can I help you this fine morning?”

Setting her laptop case on top of her suitcase she rolled both toward the chirpy blonde.  “Do you take care of the hotel VIPs,” she glanced down at the woman’s name tag and tried not to cringe.  She had fully expected to find a heart over both of the “I’s” in her name. “Cindi?” She needed to be able to get into Richie’s room without waking him and hopefully this wanna-be cheerleader would be able to help her.

Her smile widened and her ponytail bobbed as she nodded her head.  “I can certainly help you with that.  Which of our VIPs are you looking for?”

She rubbed her eyes and set her purse on the desk.  The sleepless night was catching up with her.  Glancing around to make sure no one was within hearing distance she leaned across the reception desk.  “Richard” she paused and dug a slip of paper from her purse. She had written down the name he had told her he was using this tour just in case of a situation like this. Looking at the paper she shook her head and laughed quietly.  Really, Rich?  “Richard Dean Martin.”

Cindi bit back a smile and pressed a few keys on her keyboard.  “And are you on his guest list, Ms…?”  She waited for Stephanie to tell her her name.

“Stinson. Stephanie Stinson.”

Cindi scanned the screen, nodding as she went.  “Do you have some identification, please?”

Stephanie produced her driver’s license.

Cindi glanced at it briefly and scanned the screen once more.  “ah, here you are.  Mr. Martin is in room 2511.”  She handed Stephanie back her license and a key card.  “The elevators are right over there.”  She pointed across the lobby.  “Enjoy your stay.”

“Thank you” Stephanie replied as she took her things and crossed to the elevator.

She leaned against the side of the posh car as it headed up, up, up.  She rubbed her eyes, afraid to close them.  She didn’t want to fall asleep standing here.  She counted the bells as each floor went by.  When the elevator finally stopped and the doors opened, she pulled her suitcase behind her and slowly made her way down the lush, carpeted hall.  She looked down at the key and back up to the doors, looking for the right room.  She found it at the end of the hall.

Sliding the card through the lock the light flicked to green and she pushed it open quietly. The curtains in the living area were open, letting in the first fingers of daylight.  Looking around she could see the remnants of a lonely man’s night in.  A near empty bottle of Stoli’s sat open on the end table, the crystal tumbler next to it leaving a wet ring on the wood.  A plate that held a burger with a couple bites taken out of it was on the coffee table, along with a few leftover french fries and a blob of ketchup.  A wadded up napkin lay forgotten on the floor.

And his guitar.  His Martin.  Her favorite of all the ones she had seen him play was laying dejectedly half in and half out of the open case by the sofa.   His notebook was open on the floor, a pencil shoved into the spiral binding.  She could barely make out the faint writing on the page.

I got your picture on my phone
Your voice in my head
And I’m lying here alone
Restless in some faraway bed…

She shook her head, sad for the man who was clearly still struggling with the demons that had taken hold with an iron fist and didn’t want to let go.

Moving further into the room she peeked around the corner into the bedroom.  Richie was buried under the blankets.  All she could see was his dark hair on the snowy white pillow. Parking her things out of the way in the living area she dug into the front pocket of her suitcase, pulling out her toothbrush and toothpaste.  Closing herself in the bathroom she emptied her bladder of the coffee and water she had drank while on the road and brushed her teeth.

Slipping off her shoes, she peeled off her jeans, folded them and left them on the counter. Then, in a move that only a woman can manage, she reached behind her, unhooked her bra and slid it off and out through the sleeve of her t-shirt.  Pushing her fingers through her hair she shut off the light and quietly opened the door.

Crossing into the bedroom, she rounded the bed and crawled in next to Richie.  She pressed her lips to his cheek.  “I’m here, darlin’.”

~

The scent of orchids invaded his dreams.  Moving closer, he burrowed his nose in the dark mass that carried the familiar scent.  This was the best dream he’d had all week.  Reaching out to wrap his arms around her, he startled himself awake when he felt a real body next to him.  

“What the hell?!”

He groaned and rubbed a hand across his face before opening his eyes.  He had gone to bed alone.  He was sure of it.  He hadn’t drank so much that he could forget being with someone. So, who the hell was in his bed?  And how the fuck had she gotten in his room?

Cautiously, he turned his head toward the other body, almost afraid to see who was there. There was a mass of dark hair spread across the other pillow and a slim shoulder peeked above the duvet.  His fear turned to relief when he realized it was Stephanie in the bed next to him.  Relief edged toward concern when he glanced at the clock.  What was she doing here already?  She wasn’t supposed to have been here until lunchtime.

Easing closer, he once again wrapped himself around her, his fingers finding their way under the hem of her t-shirt, feathering lightly across her the smooth skin of her belly, his lips caressing the line of her neck and up to her ear.  “Mornin’ Sweetheart.”

“Mmmmm” she mostly grunted.  “Still sleeping.”  It couldn’t be time to wake up yet.  She had just closed her eyes.  Hadn’t she?”

“What are you doing here” he whispered as he nipped lightly at her lobe.  “You’re not supposed to be here yet.”  His hand crept up the flat of her stomach, his fingers caressing the under-curve of her breast.  “When did you get here?”

A quiet moan escaped her lips and she rolled to her back, sleep was obviously going to have to wait.  “Got here about seven.”  She opened her still tired eyes.  “Wanted to see you.”

Concern swirled in her pretty, witchy eyes.  He couldn’t deny that he was glad to have her here with him, even if she had been pretty reckless at driving all that way in the middle of the night on little or no sleep.   Staring down at her he recalled their conversation from last night, from the last few weeks.  She had come for him.  Not because he had asked her too, but somehow she had known what he needed.  Her.  He had been spiraling lately and somehow she had known that he was in a bad way.  And she had come to him, putting herself at risk for him.  The definition of selfless could be her.

Leaning down he pressed his lip to her forehead, her cheeks, her lips.  “Thank you” he whispered and gathered her close, resting her head on his chest.  “Sleep now sweetheart.”  His fingers moved in a soothing rhythm up and down her back as she settled more heavily against him.  “I love you” he whispered as he pressed his lips to the top of her head and held her while she slept.