Chapter 34 Starving man
We approach the car and I pop the boot. My dad lifts the suitcase into it. My dad goes for the backseat door, but I say, “Sit up front. I’ll sit in the back with mama.”
Giving me a funny look, he opens the door and climbs in, and I get in the backseat with my mum.
“Hey, Vance,” Natte says to him.
“Natte, my boy!” my dad exclaims and pulls Natte in a manly hug. Natte looks a little taken aback, but really he shouldn’t be surprised, my dad has always been a huggy kind of guy.
Natte looks back at us. “Hi, Tere,” he says to my mum. He sounds nervous.
“Hi, Natte,” she nods, smiling lightly.
I can tell he’s wary with my mum. She’s a no-nonsense kind of person, says it how she sees it, and I know he’s worried what she will think of his antics over the years. Funny, he’s this rich, famous man, but my mum can make him feel like a misbehaving teenager again.
As we travel back, my dad talks away in the front with Natte, of course about the show tonight, and I talk with my mum about what I’ve been doing since I came to the city. When we get back to the hotel, Natte has to go, as he needs to head over to the stadium to prepare for tonight’s show. So I get my mum and dad settled in their suite.
They’re staying in my suite. The hotel didn’t have any other available suites, and Natte wouldn’t have my mum and dad staying in my old flat, which was sweet. I offered to give mine up for them, but he wouldn’t have that either, until I reminded him my suite was two bedrooms and I could just go to my flat since we're already back in Texas.
Once they’re all settled, we head down to have dinner together in the hotel. While we’re eating Natte calls me on my phone and asks if my dad would like to go down to the stadium to watch rehearsals. My dad’s face nearly splits in two when I relay it to him. One glance at my mum and she nods her assent, so my dad heartily agrees. He will be in his absolute element there with the guys.
Kissing both me and mum, dad heads off to the stadium.
“So what do you want to do today, mama? Go to the beach or shopping?”
“Shopping,” she grins.
We get our bags from our suites, then head out. I love shopping with my mum. She has a really eclectic taste in clothes, that’s where I get my fashion sense from. We stumble across this little boutique that sells the most amazing clothes and shoes. And I instantly zone in on these black color-block high-heeled, strappy sandals, with white and orange bars going across the toe area. Alongside them, I find a sheer, emerald green lace bodysuit with a plunging neckline and delicate scalloped edges that look both elegant and daring.
I decide not to wear them tonight as it’s really hot in Texas today, and it will be even hotter at the stadium tonight so I buy a cute little strappy, black and white feather print playsuit. It has this gorgeous pink fabric belt, which will go perfectly with my pink kitten heels I have back at the hotel.
My mum buys quite a few items as well, and insists on paying for my things too. I protest, but not for too long, as I am always squeezing on her card anyway. We are out most of the day shopping, and arrive back loaded with bags. I leave my mum at her suite and head to mine to call Will, as I haven’t spoken to him all day. I hear guitar strings in his background during the call but don't give much thought since he might be watching or listening to some rock music.
That's another thing about my mystery man I know nothing about, I don't know his likes and dislikes. I’m just finishing up on the phone with him, when there’s a knock at my door.
I answer it to a happy looking Natte.
“Hey, beautiful,” he says kissing my cheek, he walks into my room.
“Hey, yourself,” I say closing the door, still coming down from his kiss. “You had a good evening?”
He nods, smiling, sitting on the arm of the sofa. “Yep, your dad came up with these ideas for tonight’s show, some riffs… ah they work perfect, Shia. I forgot how fuckin’ awesome that man is with a guitar in his hands.”
“He’s kind of awesome all the time,” I say smiling at his enthusiasm, sitting on the seat opposite him, I tuck my legs under my bum.
“You had a good time?” He indicates to my pile of shopping bags.
“Yep, mama took me shopping,” I grin.
“Any sexy underwear in there?” He lifts his chin in the direction of my bags.
I shake my head, rolling my eyes at him. “Big brother one minute, perv the next,” I chuckle. "You're such a wicked person Natte."
He laughs, getting to his feet. “Okay, well I just came to tell you we’re going out for an early dinner tonight with your parents, so you’ve got half an hour to get ready.”
“We are?” I say getting to my feet following him to the door. “And who’s idea was that?”
“Mine of course,” he smiles, then giving me another swift kiss on the cheek, he’s gone—leaving me wondering why he’s suddenly so eager to play the part of the perfect family man.
I get a quick shower, not washing my hair, I decide to tie it up off my neck because of the heat, so I put it up into a loose bun, leaving some loose strands around my face. I put my new playsuit on with my little heels, a spritz of Chanel and I’m out the door.
Natte’s already there when I arrive, so we all head out to dinner, with Dave driving us. Natte’s reserved a table at Alpine Ranch again but this time at the restaurant side inside the ranch. The waiter shows us to a table out on the terrace. The restaurant is beautiful, very modern and very expensive looking. It has these billowing sail-like shades, fitted out above each table, to curtain the moon view into something splendid.
Dinner is awesome, my dad is in top form, talking away about the rehearsals today, and how awesome a musician Natte is. Natte is naturally embarrassed and waves his compliments off. But my dad is having none of it. He is totally in his element talking music. I love seeing my dad like this.
After dinner is done, and Natte and my dad argue about who will pay the bill; Natte wins of course on the press that they are there as his guests, Dave drives us straight to the stadium for the show. Leaving Natte backstage, we head out to our seats up front.
The show is, as expected, amazing, and I have the best time here with my mum and dad. It’s so great being here with them, watching Natte. It makes me feel a little nostalgic. Terry didn't make it since Will got sick and she had to be there for him.
After the show is done, we three head backstage to meet back up with Natte. There’s no big after-show party tonight since everyone is emotional considering Natte is leaving the music industry, the guys have just hired out the VIP most exclusive club, at Alpine Resort. There is just the band, some of Natte's staff, and me and my mum and dad here. Steve hasn’t come tonight, he said he had some work to tend to after the show so he headed straight back to the hotel. I'm sure it's about Natte's Rossy Forever businesses.
Natte’s hardly left my side since we arrived. And I know it’s a weird thing to say, but it almost feels like we’re a couple tonight, the way he’s being so attentive to me, even though we are clearly not and never will be. I know Natte doesn’t see me that way, his reaction to me touching his face, amongst other things proved that to me. And of course I’m with my Sweet Pine. Thinking about the dirty talk we had last night has me tightening my thighs together.
Natte leaves our table to go to the bathroom, leaving me and mum alone. My dad is over at the bar talking to Sam and Dennis.
“That boy has got feelings for you,” my mum says nodding in the direction of Natte's retreating back.
“No, él no tiene. No seas tonta, mama,” I say speaking in Spanish to her.
I said, ‘No, he hasn't. Don't be silly, mama.’
I’m talking in Spanish to her as I don’t want this conversation to be aired in English. Speaking back in Spanish, she says, “He has. I’ve been watching him, watching you all night. Natte has barely taken his eyes off you. He clearly has feelings for you, but then he did when he was younger.”
“No, he didn’t,” I brush her off. “And he hasn’t now.”
“Shia, look at him,” she whispers as he starts walking back toward us. “A man doesn’t look at a ‘little sister’ like he’s starving and she’s the only feast in the world.”