Chapter 37

Jon and Richie grinned at each other, then said at the same time, “Free coffee!”

Sara smiled at them, loving the affinity between them, and hoping she could catch it in the photos. She stood up and walked to the worktable, picking up a camera and checking it was fully charged.

Dropping to sit on the floor, almost in a lotus position, Sara aimed the camera at Richie, who grinned goofily at her, then she took a photo of Jon, who crossed his eyes.

“Great.” She said, shaking her head at them. “Are you two still drunk?”

“Nope.” Richie said. “Not drunk, just crazy.”

“Perfect - you’ll fit right in here, then.” Sara said, standing up. “Come on over here, guys.”

Taking them to the main area with the bright lights and backdrops, Sara worked them through a variety of shots, mainly of them both, but also some of just Richie, since she already had quite a few of Jon! All three of them were relaxed, and Sara was sure it was going to come through in the photos, as both Jon and Richie clowned for the camera, but were just as ready to give off the mean, moody rockstar image when she asked for it.

Thankfully, she didn’t feel the attraction toward Richie that she’d felt for Jon since they met, but she liked Richie instantly. He was more photogenic than she’d expected, too, with those glittering eyes that had certainly mesmerised Kay for a long time. As that thought struck her, Sara laughed, making the two guys look at her questioningly.

“Sorry. I was just thinking about Kay.”

Now Jon laughed, too, leaving Richie in the dark.

“Who’s Kay?” He asked.

“My friend. She came around here the other day, when Jon was here, and she……well, let’s just say she didn’t have a very high opinion of him. She’s been a huge fan for years, but she prefers you to Jon. Especially after the last week.”

“Hell,” Richie said with a grin, “I can understand your friend preferring me to Captain Kidd here, but what did he do to make her mad?”

Sara smiled apologetically at Jon.

“She thought he was being mean to me, that he was acting like a………well, acting like a rockstar.”

“You’re too polite, babe. She said I was a prick, which was kinda funny since she was the one being cruel to you.”

Now Richie was very confused.

“But, if she’s your friend, why was she being mean?”

“She wasn’t - not really - she was just being honest I guess.” Sara tried to defend Kay. Anyway, from what she’d heard recently, like Paul saying how he’d been scared of her, and Ryan’s comments to Jon, Sara thought Kay had probably had a valid point.

“Yeah, right. Honest.” Jon said with great feeling. “Telling you that you’re cold and heartless. Sure sounded friendly to me.”

“Cold and heartless.” Richie repeated. “Believe me, I’ve got some experience of cold and heartless, and you ain’t it honey. How long have you known this Kay?”

“Oh, God, I’ve known Kay forever. You have to take it in context though. She was saying it because I don’t…..I haven’t…….well, I hadn’t…….actually, why are we even talking about this?” Sara had turned bright red, and Richie looked curiously at Jon, who gave a tiny shake of his head, silently mouthing ‘later, bro’.

Richie still didn’t get it, but he let it slide for now, although he didn’t entirely change the subject.

“I’ve got a great idea.” He announced, and Jon looked wary.

“What?”

“Well, no offence, Jon, but you were pretty boring company last night.” He laughed when Jon flipped him off with a grin. “I think tonight, you, me, Sara and this Kay should go out. I’d like to see what kind of person thinks you’re cold, girl.”

“But Kay doesn’t know about……….well, about Jon.” Sara said, and that just made Richie grin more, Jon starting to grin too as the idea blossomed.

“Jesus! Even better.” Richie laughed, and it was such a natural, spontaneous laugh that Sara automatically snapped a photo of him. “Give her a call, and arrange to meet her for dinner. Just don’t mention it’s actually a table for four!”

Sara glanced from Richie to Jon and back again. The two of them looked like a couple of kids plotting a practical joke, and the mischief on Jon’s face was infectious. Maybe it would be pretty funny to see Kay’s face when she showed up to find Sara with Jon and Richie.

“Oh, okay then!” She agreed. “Where’ll I tell her to meet me? Bearing in mind, of course, I don’t go out much, so she’ll smell a rat if I suddenly have an urge to head off into the city for dinner.”

The guys exchanged a look, then Jon suggested a small Italian restaurant quite near to Sara’s home.

“I love that place.” Sara exclaimed. “But how do you know it? Not exactly on your doorstep, is it?”

“I know the family that owns it.” Jon explained, then grinned. “Where did you think I got the pizza last week? You call Kay, I’ll call and book us a table. What time?”

“Seven?” Sara suggested.

“Kinda early, isn’t it?” Richie said.

“I normally eat even earlier - I get real grouchy when I’m hungry!” Sara said. “Well, I also tend to pass out if I don’t eat enough, too.”

“Okay, seven o’clock then.” Richie acquiesced with a smile, and Jon dialled the restaurant on his cellphone as Sara went to the worktable to call Kay.

For a change, Sara actually got through to Kay first try, with Kay interrogating her about the wedding, and who’d been there, and if anything outrageous had happened. It was a good ten minutes before Sara could interrupt her questions to ask Kay to come out for dinner. It took another couple of minutes to get her to agree, with Sara hinting she had some juicy gossip she’d only divulge face to face. Once, she looked over to where Jon and Richie sat waiting, seeing them deep in conversation and oblivious to her attention.

It was a good thing she couldn’t hear them, since Richie had - in his usual blunt manner - asked Jon to explain Sara’s earlier embarrassment. Jon tried to sidestep the question, but all he managed to do was make Richie more insistent. Finally, Richie said fine, he’d just ask Sara, and Jon shot him a poisonous look.

“No, you fuckin’ won’t!” He snarled, his angry reaction surprising Richie, then he sighed. “You really wanna know?”

Jon knew Richie wouldn’t hesitate to ask Sara, now that his curiosity was aroused, and he really didn’t think she’d want that. He knew Richie well enough - he should after all these years - to know that he wouldn’t drop it now, but he also knew that, once he knew the whole story, Richie wouldn’t repeat it.

“Yeah, I wanna know. It’s killing me - especially now you’re being so mysterious about it.”

“Fine.” Jon lowered his voice, glancing over and seeing Sara was still trapped on the phone with Kay.

“But Richie, I swear, if you ever mention this to Sara, I’ll kill you. I mean that. I will kill you. You cannot tell her you know. She’d never trust me again.”

“Jesus, Jonny - it can’t be that bad!”

“Oh, it’s not bad, but she wouldn’t want everybody to know.”

“I’m not everybody.” Richie said quietly, and Jon nodded, checking again that Sara was still busy.

“Shit. Can’t believe I’m telling you this. Okay. The first time Sara and I………well, you know,” Jon hesitated, and Richie nodded encouragement. “The first time, well it was the first time. For her.”

Now Richie glanced over at Sara for a long moment. “No way. She couldn’t be.”

“Oh, she was.” Jon said softly. “That’s why I don’t want to rush her.”

“Well, fuck!” Richie said, astonished by the revelation, but before he could say anything else, Sara came over and Jon gave him a cautioning glare.

“Okay, Kay’s going to meet me - or, rather, us - at the restaurant just before seven. Wait - what name did you book the table under?”

“Way ahead of you, honey. I told them it was a surprise for someone and booked in your name.” Jon told her, and Sara looked relieved.

“Well,” she looked at her watch, “It’s nearly four pm, and I guess the photos are done. Good thing, since I now need to go home and try to get beautiful to go for dinner.”

“Yeah - ‘cause that’ll take all of thirty seconds.” Richie said with a smile, and Sara gave him a disbelieving look.

“Did you two go to the same charm school?” She asked, and Jon laughed.

“We just tell it as we see it, babe. Sara’s got a real ego problem.” He said to Richie. “She doesn’t have one.”

“Put it this way.” Richie looked at Sara with those hypnotically glinting eyes. “It’s a good thing Jonny boy told me you two were together, or I’d have been making a play for you myself. However,” he hoisted himself to his feet, “while it won’t take you five minutes, it’ll take us a bit of time to make ourselves presentable for dinner. I’ll call a cab to take us back to the hotel.”

Jon stood too, taking hold of Sara’s hands, his eyes flicking to Richie who immediately caught the silent message.

“I’ll wait for you outside.” Richie said, heading for the door with his cellphone in hand. “Sara - great to meet you, and I’ll see you later.”

“Bye, Richie.”

As Richie closed the door, Jon pulled Sara into his arms, her hands naturally wrapping around his back, resting just above his butt.

“I like Richie.” Sara said with a smile, then spoke softer. “But I still prefer you.”

“Glad to hear it!” Jon answered, squeezing her tightly, and Sara’s hands pressed gently into the muscles of his lower back.

Tilting her face upward, Sara softly kissed Jon’s lips, her mouth chastely closed until his tongue reached out to part her lips, then she returned the kiss with equal passion. It was a brief but torrid kiss, a promise of things to come later, then they pulled apart.

“Richie’s waiting.” Sara took her hands off Jon’s back, and he released her.

“Yeah, I know. We’ll get to the restaurant just after seven - make sure Kay has her back to the door.”

“Okay. Crap - now I need to find something to wear. Who knows,” Sara joked, “I may even get carried away and put on some makeup!”

As he walked away, to a safe distance where she couldn’t slap him, Jon laughed.

“And here I thought you were gonna get carried away and say ‘fuck’ again!”

Sara just giggled at that, and Jon left the studio with a wave and a smile.