A Past Refrain Read online

Today was her first official day. She had gotten the tour from HR yesterday and had seemed quite pleasant. He looked at her. She was fresh out of university and still had that eager-eyed spark about her that indicated that she was ready for anything.

  Rashida walked farther into his office. She looked sleek and sophisticated with her shoulder length, thick hair cupping her face lovingly and her finely-tailored pantsuit hinting at a sleek shape. She was gorgeous and she knew it.

  He felt himself tense up imperceptibly when she gazed at him a look of attraction blazing from her eyes. He had seen it yesterday and had studiously avoided it. He hoped she wasn't going to be a problem. He had been propositioned quite a few times by various women on the staff, even when he was fat and thought himself unattractive. He knew that there was a special allure about him simply because he was the owner's son.

  Rashida sat across from his desk and grinned. "Your chairs are super comfy."

  "Thanks," Jayce said. "How is it going?"

  "I just got in and decided to have a look around by myself. You guys have fifteen different tea flavors in the cafeteria kitchen," she gushed. "That's amazing. I didn't even know that people could drink orange peels. There's a tea bag marked orange peels."

  "You didn't know that?" Jayce said laughingly. "How come? The whole world knows. Orange peels have a host of nutrients in them. At least that's what my father used to tell me when he forced me to drink what I call his vile brews."

  Rashida laughed. "Your dad is awesome. I really like him."

  "You do?" Jayce raised his eyebrows.

  "I can't believe he is your father. He looks so young."

  Jayce was on the verge of snickering. He looked at Rashida as she bit her plump red lips. He hoped she wasn't angling to be his stepmother. It would be funny to see The General fight off Rashida's attention.

  "Is this the time you come in?" Rashida asked him, crossing her legs daintily. "I would think that as the boss' son you would have special privileges."

  Jayce laughed. "I do have special privileges, but I have to work twice as hard as a stranger because ultimately I want the business to succeed. That's all the special privilege I have."

  "What are you doing this weekend?" Rashida asked, changing the subject, "I have two tickets to the Natural Life Festival."

  She was asking him out? Her first day here and she was already making a play for him and wasn't even batting an eyelid about it.

  If only Abigail were like this: open, man hungry, and bold, he would welcome her warmly.

  "Sorry," Jayce said regretfully. "I am already going. My band is performing there."

  "Oh. Yes. You sing in the New Song band." Rashida mused, "I'll just have to find someone else to go with, then. It sounds like it is going to be great. I think more people, including myself, need to live healthier lives. I can't wait to see what they have on display there. I heard that they are also going to show off an eco friendly house."

  Jayce said half jokingly, "Why don't you ask my dad to go?"

  "You think he would go with me?" Rashida asked breathlessly.

  "Yes. Why not?" Jayce said. "He loves that kind of thing. Why do you think he looks so young? He is a vegan-loving, orange peel-drinking kind of guy. And he totally digs solar energy and what not."

  "Okay," Rashida inhaled. "I will ask him. Wish me luck."

  Jayce nodded, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "I say go with God and tread carefully, The General can be… er, abrasive."

  He watched as Rashida jumped up with a determined look in her eyes. He wondered when she was going to make a play for his father because he would not mind sticking around to see it.

  *****

  "Jayce," Abigail said tentatively. He looked up, trying to affect an air of disinterest. He heard when she got in at eight. Usually she would push her head around the door and greet him, but she hadn't done so this morning, so he knew she must have been psyching up herself to see him after their tremendously awkward time yesterday.

  "Yes." He looked up at her from the line of computer code he was typing; he was fine-tuning the prototype that Xavier had sent to him.

  "You have a whole slew of messages. I was wondering..."

  "Just handle the things that can be handled by you," he said tersely. "Leave the rest in my tray." He pointed to it.

  He had been practicing his tone all morning before she got in for work; he had dubbed it the efficient business approach. Of course, he had also seen that she was wearing green today, forest green.

  What irony. It was Haley's favorite color; he had called her Haley after that earth-shattering kiss last night. He also noticed that her eyelashes were thick and stubby; she had on mascara, which made them look even wider.

  He looked back down at his computer. He didn't want to catalogue her features; next he'd be noticing her lips and the way her eyebrows slanted at just the right angle or her pale pink nails and how they clutched the note pad.

  "Are you free this evening? A Mr. Junip would like a..."

  "Band practice is at five on Wednesdays," Jayce growled. "Never schedule anything or anyone for that time."

  He felt bad when she flinched at his tone but he was mad at himself and his reaction to her. What was it about her that he found so irresistible? She was just a woman. He had seen thousands of women in his lifetime but she had to be the one he found fascinating.

  "About last night..." Abby said reluctantly.

  "I thought we were never going to mention that again," Jayce said, looking at her coldly. "I am sorry I called you Haley. I am sorry I shared my feelings with you. I'll try not to let it happen again."

  "Are you mad at me for something?" Abby asked.

  "No," Jayce shook his head, "mad at myself."

  Abby sighed. "I can help you pick out furniture for your house if you like. I see you have it on your list of things to do." She pointed to a post-it note that he had on his desk.

  Jayce stiffened. "I don't think it's a good idea. I like you, Abby. If you pick out furniture and help me decorate my place, when you go out of my life I'll have the memories. I'll pick up a towel and remember that you chose it. I don't want to go through that again."

  "I don't have any plans to go anywhere," Abby said stubbornly.

  "Is that so?" Jayce said exasperatedly. "Well, you can't have it both ways. You can't keep me at arms' length and then kiss me passionately whenever the mood suits you."

  "You kissed me," Abby pointed out.

  "And you kissed me back, thoroughly," Jayce said, his eyes straying to her lips; memories of how they felt dangled across his mind.

  "And I reminded you of Haley," Abigail said accusingly.

  His phone rang and he breathed a sigh of relief. He had no idea how he was going to live down the absolute gaffe that he had made last night. It was Aaron on the line; he sounded excited.

  "Hi Uncle Jayce, your nephew is here."

  "He is!" Jayce laughed, "Congrats, man. I didn't know Alka was in the hospital."

  "I rushed her here in the wee hours of the morning," Aaron said, a sound of relief in his voice, "and the little fellow didn't take too long to get here, either. They are at the Lee Wing at the private hospital," he continued. "You know, I have you to thank for them being here with me now."

  Jayce groaned. "Aaron, come on. No thanks necessary."

  Aaron chuckled. "I am still thanking you. Come down here before band practice. Maybe by then the whole Lee clan will have left. Nonna arranged for everyone to be here with her meddling self.

  "By the way, Alka and I decided to call him Christian. It was Farrah's idea; she has appointed herself the official 'namer' of the New Song band babies."

  He hung up and Jayce put down his phone with a grin on his face. Abigail was staring at him, her eyebrows raised.

  "My friend Aaron is a dad,” Jayce explained. "Aaron sings with me in the New Song band."

  "And you guys are like brothers." Abigail nodded. "So you are an uncle now?"

  Jayce nodded. "Yes, once mo
re. He has a son."

  Abigail smiled, her eyes lighting up in genuine happiness. "I am happy for him and his wife, of course."

  Jayce pointed at her. "That was a warm smile for a guy you do not even know. Why can't you smile at me that way?"

  Abby schooled her face into seriousness lines and fidgeted with her note pad. "I like to hear when people are happy."

  "Really?" Jayce frowned. "Well then, if you go with me to the Natural Life Festival, I'll be over the moon happy. I'll be bristling with so much joy I don't know how I will be able to keep myself grounded to earth."

  Abby chuckled. "Okay, I'll go with you. I was planning to go anyway."

  "Grudgingly stated but I'll accept anyway," Jayce said. "I am going to knock off early this evening, okay?"

  Abigail nodded and then headed to her desk. She sat in her chair, a feeling of loneliness washing over her. She stared at her computer blankly. Aaron's happy news had a dual effect on her. She was genuinely happy for Aaron but at the same time she felt like a ghost, watching the lives of her past friends but not being able to participate.

  If life had not taken the turn it had for her, she would most likely be a part of the happy news now. She would probably have bought Aaron's child a gift long before now. She would have visited the hospital with Jayce and cooed over the baby.

  She would visit the band practice with him or maybe hang out with Alice if she was around. Alice was not overly friendly when they were in high school but they had gotten along even then.

  She didn't know Ian's wife, Ruby, or Xavier's wife, Farrah, but she was sure that they would be nice friends to have and obviously Logan's wife, Melody, who was the band manager, would be her friend because she cared for Jayce.

  Melody called her to check up on Jayce, confessing to Abigail that she was not sure that he was taking care of himself as he should. Jayce's near-death experience seemed to have genuinely affected Melody, much more than he knew or could appreciate. She had a feeling all his friends were affected, but Jayce didn't quite realize just how shaken up they had been.

  She gave a heartfelt, tremulous sigh and went back to her work, feeling as if she were a nobody. No family, no friends—she just existed behind a strange face.

  Chapter Nine

  The Natural Life Festival was in full swing when Jayce arrived that Sunday evening. The band was going to play in a concert but he had thought it would be nice to experience a little of what the festival was all about before he joined his friends near the stage area.

  Abigail stood beside him. He had picked her up from her home, and they had a pleasant ride over to the park, which was transformed into a veritable organic festival. There was a sea of stalls in the large park, each of them dedicated to some aspect of eating organically or living in an eco-friendly manner.

  "I always check out the food first," Abigail said, looking around.

  Jayce grinned. "Me too. I may be slimmer but I am a foodie at heart. I want to check out the tech area as well. I hear they are doing some amazing things with solar technology these days."

  "There's your dad with Rashida from the office." Abigail pointed in the direction of a gaily-decorated stall with pumpkins.

  "I can't believe it." Jayce shook his head. "He actually came with her."

  "Let's go check out the pumpkins…" Abigail grinned.

  "The General doesn't look happy," Jayce said, chuckling. "Maybe Rashida is too chatty for him."

  "Or too young for him?" Abigail said, frowning.

  "Hey," Jayce looked at her and raised his eyebrows. "You don't like my dad too? Is that why you don't want to date me?"

  Abigail giggled and then she found that when she started she couldn't stop. She had not laughed so hard and with such genuine, unfettered mirth in years—more years than she could remember.

  "Jayce," she choked, "you are hilarious. The General is not my type."

  Jayce grinned at her. He loved to see her this happy. The thought that her laughter reminded him of Haley was firmly pushed to the back of his mind. He had to let Haley rest some time. This couldn't go on. He could jeopardize everything with Abigail because of his Haley remembrances.

  As soon as The General spotted them, he walked over, giving them a hasty greeting. Rashida walked with him, a grin on her face.

  The General pulled Jayce to the side and fiercely whispered, "She asked me if I wanted a ticket to the festival. I said yes. I had no idea she would come with me. Take her off my hands, Jayce, or I am firing her tomorrow. Don't think I don't know that you put her up to this. She told me that you said I like orange peel tea."

  Jayce saw the fierce determination in his father's eyes and chuckled. "Relax. Enjoy yourself. Loosen up a little."

  The General growled and then turned around to the ladies with a polite smile on his face. "Okay, I am going to the tech area."

  He swung around and glowered at Jayce, and they both watched as he strode away quickly, with Rashida half-running to catch up with him.

  Abigail started laughing again and Jayce watched her with a smile on his face.

  "Before we go to get something to eat, come meet my friends," Jayce said impulsively. "You already met Xavier. I want you to meet the rest of them."

  Abigail sobered up quickly. "I'll see them play later. Aren't you guys playing?"

  "Yes," Jayce said, a note of exasperation creeping into his voice. "I meant meet them personally."

  Abigail shook her head. "Nope, this is like meeting the family. It's like a test. Everyone will check me out and then you will all discuss my merits as soon as I turn my back. Carson will say, 'She looks nice. Is she a Christian?' Ian will say, 'I don't care how she looks. Is she an honest person?'

  "Aaron is so grateful and thankful for his new wife and new baby that he will say that once you are happy he is happy as well. Logan will give me the silent, probing stare and then ask if I read. Xavier won't be at the stage area. He is too into technology not to be at that booth; besides, he met me at the restaurant."

  She realized her mistake as soon as she was finished doing a summary of the band members' various character traits. Jayce was looking at her with his mouth slightly opened and such a puzzled look on his face that Abigail almost called herself an idiot out loud. She had spoken as someone who knew the guys intimately. She could see the frown line between Jayce's eyes and he stood back from her as if he had seen a ghost.

  What seemed like minutes ticked by. Jayce pushed his hands into his pockets and looked down at the ground and then looked across at her. "Have we met before?"

  "What?" Abigail asked, her heart skipping a couple of beats; she mimicked his pose and pushed her hands in her jeans. "Why do you ask that?"

  "Did me meet before I met you at the restaurant?" Jayce asked slowly. "Do you know my friends?"

  Abigail swallowed. "Why would you say that?" she asked with an uncomfortable laugh. "Was I that accurate with what I just said?"

  "Too accurate," Jayce said. "You know, the first time he saw you Xavier said you looked familiar to him."

  "He did?" Abigail asked incredulously. "Where would he have seen me before?"

  "I don't know." Jayce shrugged. "How did you know that Logan has a probing stare?"

  "That came off pretty clear from the picture on your wall in your kitchen," Abby shrugged. "Remember…when you guys were younger?"

  "It did?" Jayce stepped closer to her. "How do you know that Ian has a fixation with loyalty and honesty?"

  "I guessed?" Abigail said slowly. "It's not a big deal, Jayce. I just summed up your friends based on my imagination. Now you are giving me the third degree."

  Jayce shook his head. "No, you are not getting away with that defense on this one. You are definitely going to meet them. And I am asking each of them if they have met you before."

  "You can't make me," Abigail pouted.

  "I can lift you up and carry you over my shoulders," Jayce said, shrugging. "You are what, a hundred and twenty-five pounds? My father has me dead-lifting more
than that at the gym. I can mange you."

  Abigail rolled her eyes. "Whatever, man. Lead the way to your friends."

  When Jayce entered the backstage area all his friends were there except Xavier. He glanced at Abigail.

  Was she a witch? How could she so fluently and efficiently name his friends and their various personalities, almost as if she was familiar with them? It bothered him but that didn't prevent him from holding her hand as they trekked all the way to the stage. He hadn't quite trusted that she wouldn't have run off in the crowd, and besides he liked having her hand in his.

  It felt right, perfect somehow, like they had held hands this way before and walked together. He shook his fanciful feelings aside and wondered once more if she was a witch, a fortuneteller, or something.

  "Hey Jayce." Ian waved to him. He had his feet propped up on a chair, and he was sipping a drink.

  Other artists and bands were milling around and he waved to some of the people that he knew before he made it to the corner that his band had claimed as theirs.

  He looked at Abigail suspiciously. "How did you know the names of my friends?"

  "That's common knowledge, Jayce. You guys are pretty popular, you know." Abigail widened her eyes at him. "You are really acting strange about my little speech earlier."

  "So who is he?" Jayce asked, nodding to Ian.

  Ian looked between the two of them, a look of query on his face.

  "Ian Scott," Abigail said, smiling and holding out her hand to Ian. "How are you? I am Abigail Petri."

  Ian shook her hand and grinned. "Abigail? Now where have I heard that name before?"

  "Do you know her from anywhere?" Jayce asked suspiciously.

  "No." Ian got up. "Nice to meet you, Abigail."

  Carson and Aaron both shook her hand as gleefully as Ian had, and Jayce resisted asking them if they knew her. Obviously, they didn't; they didn't act like it. There was no recognition on any of their faces.

  Logan came in shortly after they were in the middle of introductions and shook Abigail's hand briefly and then stared at her assessingly, as she had predicted that he would, but not with any kind of recognition. The whole thing felt weird to Jayce. How had she so fluently summed up their personalities without a blink?