Chapter One
The sound of the cool blues notes seemed to float all over the
darkened, smoky bar as Brenda and Lois entered it. No one noticed them,
save for the few standing near the door, whose make out sessions were
interrupted as they made their way to a table in a crowded corner of the
room.
“What’ll ya have?” a tall woman asked, dressed in blue jeans and a halter
top, a small note pad in hand.
“I’ll just have a beer,” Brenda said, shrugging out of her coat and
looking around the room. She got a few low whistles as she shook her hair
out and leaned back in the chair, sighing. She smiled to herself and laughed at
Lois’ shocked look, not bothering to give any of the whistlers the satisfaction
of acknowledging them.
“I’ll have a glass of milk,” Lois said, digging through her purse. The
waitress paused, looking down at Lois. When she didn’t move, Lois looked
back up at her. “I’m pregnant, whatta ya want?” The waitress smirked and
sauntered off, not bothering to write down their orders.
Letting the sound of the music wash over her, Brenda closed her eyes
and swayed slowly to the music. Lois looked around, noticing the men who
were noticing Brenda. She nudged her underneath the table. “Hey, Brenda,
this was my idea to go out tonight, you wanted to stay home, remember?”
“Yeah, so?”
“So! Why are you the one that’s getting all the whistles and stares? I
should be having a good time, too!”
“Well, ordering a glass of milk and shouting that you were pregnant
didn’t earn you any points, Lo. If you wanna have a good time, go have a good
time. Dance.”
“Oh no, I don’t think so,” Lois said, patting her tummy.
“Please,” Brenda said, rolling her eyes, “you’re not even showing yet,
and don’t tell me that you don’t want to cut a rug, because I happen to know
that Mustang Sally is one of your favorite songs.”
“Yeah,” Lois said, grinning, “but it just doesn’t seem to have the same
meaning that it had when Ned danced to it with me, ya know?”
“Yeah,” Brenda said, getting a sad expression on her face. “I know.”
“Hey, why don’t you go dance?”
“Me? I might, it depends on whether or not I like what I see.” Brenda
and Lois both glanced around the small club. There were a few people sitting
at the tables, but most of them were either on the dance floor, or by the pool
tables, betting on sure things. As Brenda focused on her beer, Lois shoved
away her glass of milk and took in someone sitting at the bar. Brenda looked
in his direction and then back at Lois. “Got your eye on that particular piece
of eye candy, Lo?”
“I can look, long as I don’t touch,” Lois smirked. Then, she got that all
too familiar look on her face.
“Hey, we can go back home any time you want, you know that.”
“Yeah, but you wouldn’t stay, would you?”
“I can’t stay, Lois, and you know why. Look, I know you’re missing
Ned, but you guys ended things before you ever left town, so I don’t know
what you’re looking so sad for.”
“I just miss him, that’s all. I do happen to be carrying his child.”
“I came out tonight because of you. Look, you always get like this,”
Brenda said, putting her feet up in the unoccupied chair at their table. “Just
go on home if you want to.”
“Not without you,” Lois said, “and especially not until we get this job
done.”
“This one might take a while,” Brenda said, looking around the bar. “I
haven’t made him yet.”
“No one even said he’d be here, Brenda. I wanted to come here so that
we could relax while we’re in town.”
“And that’s what I was trying to do,” Brenda said, “until you just started
bringing me down, over there, with your glass of milk, and ‘I miss my Nedley’
routine.”
“Put a sock in it, Brenda. Eye candy’s comin’ over.”
“What?” Brenda asked, turning around to come face to face with the
most attractive man she had ever seen, and he was heading straight for her.
“He’s gonna ask you to dance,” Lois said, leaning down to whisper in
Brenda’s ear, grinning like a school girl. “Of course you won’t go,” Lois said.
Brenda turned back around to face her, smiling wickedly. Lois’ jaw dropped.
She couldn’t believe her eyes. I mean, yes, her friend certainly liked to flirt,
but her heart wasn’t open to any romances right now, Lois knew that for a
fact, and though Brenda talked the talk, she rarely walked the walk, especially
when it came to the kind of guys that hung out in bars like this one. Before
Lois could say another word to Brenda, eye candy made it to the table.
“Good evening, ladies,” he said, looking only at Brenda. “Would you
give me the honor?” Brenda just smiled up at him, not taking his hand. “Do I
have to get on my knees, Roxy?” he asked her, leaning down to whisper in his
ear. Brenda smiled to herself, and slid her hand into his, allowing him to pull
her onto the dance floor. She glanced back to see Lois’ shocked look, and she
only winked in return.

“At last.
My love has come along.
My lonely days are over,
And life is like a song, ooh, yeah.”

Eye candy pulled Brenda onto the dance floor, and into his arms. He
held her flush against him, her thin tank top and his black T-shirt the only
thing separating them. His hands slid to the small of her back, and her arms
moved up his shoulders to settle around the back of his neck. She leaned
back slightly so she could look into his eyes as they swayed gently on the
dance floor.

“At last.
Oh, the skies above are blue.
My heart was wrapped up in clovers, oh,
The night I looked at you, oh, ooh yeah.”

“Where have you been all my life, baby?” he asked, holding her closer, if
that was possible. She leaned into his embrace willingly relishing the feel of
his hands on her body.
“I’ve been right here, waitin’ sugar.” With that, he chuckled, a deep
masculine laugh that sent shivers down her spine. He twirled her around for
a few bars of the song, before pulling her back into his embrace, locking her
own arms behind her back and leaning against her, he kissed her.

“I found a dream, that I could speak to.
A dream that I can call my own.
I found a thrill, ooh, to press my cheek to, oh.
A thrill that I have never known, oh.”

Lois’ jaw dropped once again as she witnessed the lip lock in the
middle of the dance floor. She waited for Brenda to drop kick this guy and
put him in his place for being so forward, but as the seconds passed, and the
kiss only deepened, increasing with passion, Lois just shrugged and gulped
down her milk. She had wanted Brenda to cut loose with her tonight, but she
had never imagined Brenda would take her so seriously. She was glad she
was having a good time, though. Kisses never hurt anyone, did they?
Brenda pulled back slightly and looked into his eyes.
“It’s been too long, you know?” he asked, running his hand through her
hair, and down the side of her face. She leaned into his touch and sighed.
“I do know,” she said. “I’m sorry about before.”

You smiled.
You smiled, oh and then the spell was cast.
And here we are, in Heaven.
For, you are mine, oh yeah yeah.
At last.
At last.”

“Water under the bridge,” he said, waving a hand in the air. “Are you,
uh, here with someone?” Brenda snickered at his comment and kissed the
palm of his hand as it left her face.

Lois could not believe her eyes. She knew Brenda had a hard time
holding her liquor, but for goodness sake, she only had one beer. What on
earth was making her act so strangely?

“So, are you going to answer my question, Roxy?” he asked, his
Australian accent coming through.
“I am here with someone,” she said, smiling. He couldn’t for the life of
him understand why she had just let him kiss her like that if her date was in
the bar. He looked around anxiously, but didn’t see anyone even looking in
their direction, including the dark haired woman sitting at her table with her.
“Don’t get that look,” she said, kissing him on the cheek, very near his mouth.
“I’m not here with any guy, I’m just here with my friend. She wanted to come
out tonight and have some fun, so that’s why we’re here.” A look of relief
came over his face and he kissed her again before she could say anything else.
His tongue plunged into the hot depths of her mouth, making her moan with
pleasure and take his head in her hands, angling her mouth to give him better
access. When they got a few whistles and applause from the other dancers,
they reluctantly pulled apart and smiled. Brenda’s face got a little hot as she
moved into his arms again.
“Listen, I realize this may be a little forward, I mean, I know it’s been a
long time, but would it be assuming too much if I asked you to get out of here
with me?”
“What’d you have in mind, baby?” she asked. Her body was still pressed
against his though, and she knew exactly what he had in mind. A sexy smile
was all she got in verbal response, however. “All right,” she said, smiling. “I’m
up for it if you are.”
“Oh, I definitely am,” Jax grinned. “Listen, I’ve got just one quick
phone call to make, but I’m going to make it outside, it’s a bit noisy in here.”
“Okay, I’ll meet you out front in five minutes.”
“Sure, love.” He kissed her once more, before disappearing into the
crowd. Brenda scurried back to her table with Lois, sitting down calmly, and
then letting loose with a shrill scream and doing a little happy dance in her
chair. Lois looked at her in pure shock.
“What are you DOING?! I cannot believe you!”
“I know, he’s incredible, isn’t he?”
“He’s a dream, but that doesn’t mean you go playing tonsil hockey with
the man.”
“I just couldn’t help myself, Lo.”
“All right,” Lois said, sitting back in her seat. “Well, kisses never hurt
anything. So spill, is he a good kisser?”
“Oh,” Brenda said, “you have no idea. He’s good at a lot of things.”
“Was it my imagination,” Lois said, “or did he call you Roxy when he
came over here?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Brenda said, hoping the heat
she felt rising wasn’t showing on her face. “Listen,” she went on, “are you
going to be okay by yourself?”
“Why? Where are you going?” Brenda didn’t answer her as she dug
through her purse and pulled out the car keys.
“Here,” Brenda said. “You remembered where we parked, right? Get
the doorman to walk you to your car if you stay late, okay?”
“I know what to do, and you know I’m prepared to take care of myself.
But why should I have to? Brenda, you’re not going off with that guy, are
you? You just met him!”
“Lois, I really don’t feel like a lecture right now, okay? I know what I’m
doing.”
“And that’s supposed to reassure me? I do not want to find your body
on the side of a highway somewhere.” Brenda rolled her eyes.
“That is not going to happen. Would you just trust me?”
“I’m not letting you walk out of here with that guy until I get his tag
number. What’s he driving, do you know?”
“No, I don’t know, and I don’t care, because I could care less about his
car.”
“Why are you doing this, Brenda? You’re being so stubborn. Not every
pretty boy is a good lay, you know.”
“Yeah, well, this one is,” Brenda said, letting a major clue slip. Lois’
blue eyes got as big as saucers.
“NO WAY!!! That’s HIM?! That’s Mr. Right, the one that got away?!”
“College was a long time ago, Lois.”
“Yeah, but I’ve never known you to be as passionate about anyone as
you were about this guy, especially since you only spent one night together
all those years ago.”
“A day and a half, and it was the most incredible 36 hours of my life,
Lois. You understand, don’t you?”
“Of course I understand, honey, go, have a good time, have the time of
your life. You’re not thinking of getting serious though, are you?” Brenda
didn’t answer, she just got up. Lois grabbed her arm. “Brenda, you know
there’s no time for that right now, don’t you? I mean, it’s so NOT on our
agenda this particular trip.”
“Like I said,” Brenda replied, gently pulling her arm from Lois’ grasp. I
know what I’m doing.”
“Listen, I know I don’t have to go over this with you, but don’t turn off
your cell phone, I may need you, and don’t let him answer it, whatever you
do.”
“I know what to do, thanks mom. Listen, I told him five minutes, will
you let go?”
“Okay, okay, just one more thing. You’re, you know, prepared, aren’t
you?”
“Prepared?” Brenda asked. When Lois raised her eyebrows, Brenda
waved a hand. “Oh come on, Lo!”
“What?” she asked. “You can’t always depend on the guys, you know?”
Brenda just smiled and waved, grabbing her purse and jacket and tossing a
ten dollar bill on the table as she left. “Have a good time, girlfriend,” Lois said,
leaning back to finish her milk.

Song Credit: “At Last” by Etta James