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stardustshelb · 6 months

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"Orange Juice" Part Two (End)

TW: Language. Your name (female) + Danny. 2,813 words.

The song "Orange Juice" by Noah Kahan inspired me to write this story; each part of the story is inspired by a different part of the song. Also, I'm in my sad girl era so you all must suffer with me.

Part Two

“...My life has changed, that this town had changed, and you had not.

That the world has changed, don't you find it strange that you just went ahead and carried on?

…I'd say the last time I drank I was face down, passed out, there on your lawn.” - NK

“Hello?” you repeated in an angrier, more annoyed tone. I gripped my phone tighter. I couldn’t believe it was you. I finally was able to stammer out a word after the shock wore off.

“Y/n,” is all I could get out before hearing nothing. You hung up on me. You must have recognized my voice as well and made the choice to end the call. I hung my head and weighed my options. I know you wanted me to leave you alone but I felt like I wouldn’t be able to drop it. I needed to make things right and give you closure. It’s the least I could do. I opened the messaging app on my phone and composed a text to send to you.

Me: One conversation is all I want.

I watched the three dots appear on the screen but they disappeared quickly. I continued to stare at the screen hoping they would return. I wondered if you blocked my number.

Me: I will be leaving town in three days. Can we meet before then?

The text says delivered. You haven’t blocked me, yet. I breathe a sigh of relief. Before I could get a third message typed, Josie popped into my doorway.

“Hey, do you want to talk about today?” she asked as she lingered. Times like these are when I’m grateful to have a sibling.

“Yeah,” I sigh as I pat the spot next to me on the bed. She sat next to me and laid her head on my shoulder.

“Can I be honest with you?” Josie asked.

“Always,” I said.

“I think you need to leave her alone,” she said while still resting on my shoulder. I felt my body tense up at her words but she didn’t move. “I only say that because she’s the best she’s ever been. I don’t want you bringing up old feelings and painful memories. I want her to continue to be her best self.”

“And you don’t think I want that too?” I argued.

“Danny, I think you could make her relapse,” she said so quietly I barely heard her.

“I just wish I could talk to her,” I said, putting my face into my hands.

“If she wanted to talk to you,” Josie said as she put her hand in mine, “she would reach out.”

“I think I’m going to get some sleep,” I lied. I really just wanted to be alone. Josie may have been right and I should probably leave y/n alone. But something inside of me was not wanting to let this go. Josie patted my hand as if she knew I was lying and stood up. Before leaving my room, she turned to give me one last sympathetic look.

…

My eyelids were getting heavy after laying in bed for hours. My mind was racing too fast for me to find any rest. I turned to grab my phone to check the time. It was now after midnight which technically meant tomorrow was Christmas. As I went to put my phone back on the nightstand, a text from your number popped up on my screen.

You: What is there to talk about?

I stare at the screen in disbelief. Granted, the response wasn’t great but it was a response nonetheless. I sat up in bed and tried to think of how to word my reply. If this was my one and only shot at getting you to talk to me, I couldn’t waste it.

Me: Anything. Everything. Nothing.

I hit send. I wasn’t proud of it; however, I knew if I spent too much time overthinking it, I’d never know what to say.

You: Let’s go with nothing then.

Me: One conversation, please. Are you free?

You: I want to lie and say no.

Me: Where can we meet?

You: You can come by my place around noon. Do you remember where my sister lived?

Your sister. I stared at my screen as I remembered her. Her laugh. Her smile. Her touch. I hadn’t thought about her in years, and I felt guilty about allowing her memory to become so distant.

Me: Yes. See you soon.

…

I didn’t need a GPS to route me to your sister’s place. I made this drive more times than I could count back in the day. Though it no longer belonged to her… I wondered how it felt living in a space that used to be occupied by someone you loved. Did you think of her when sitting in the living room? What about when staring up at what was once her bedroom ceiling? Did you think of her making us breakfast when you stepped into the kitchen? I hadn’t even made it to her apartment and I already was overwhelmed with memories. I couldn’t imagine living there.

I pulled into the driveway and stared at the outside. I begged and pleaded for you to talk to me only to get scared of actually seeing you now that I had the opportunity. I took a deep breath and felt my lungs expand. I did this a few more times until all I could focus on was my breathing. I laid my forehead against the steering wheel and continued to breathe while simultaneously trying to work up the courage to knock on your door.

Bang! The sound of something hitting my driver’s side window made me jump. Startled from my thoughts, I saw you standing outside my door. You looked angry. I opened the door and you let out an annoyed sigh.

“Are you just going to sleep in the driveway all day?” you asked as you crossed your arms across your chest.

“I wasn’t asleep,” I said as I felt my heartbeat relax. “I was just trying to muster up some courage.” I couldn’t believe I admitted that aloud.

“Come inside, it’s freezing out here,” you said as you hurried back toward the front door. Michigan winters were nothing you wanted to stand around in. I exited my car and followed you inside. It was surreal being back in your sister’s apartment. It was somehow both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. I couldn’t explain it. The four walls that surrounded us were ones I knew well, but they didn’t look the same. Not that I would expect you to keep everything the same after all this time.

“Have a seat,” you said as you gestured to the recliner across from the couch you were sitting on. I would have preferred to sit next to you, but I wasn’t going to push my luck. I walked to the recliner and sat, yet I felt anything but relaxed.

“How long have you lived here?” I asked.

“About a year,” you said, smoothing your hands over your legs. “It came available and I jumped on the opportunity to get a lease.”

“That’s great, y/n. I’m happy for you,” I said.

“Are you?” you asked. I stiffened.

“Yes, of course,” I explained.

“I don’t know why I’m talking to you,” you said.

“I don’t either, but I’m glad you are,” I said.

“Do you even know what it’s been like for me since you left?” you asked.

“No, I–” I began.

“I am sure you’ve heard about my many stints in rehab,” you said with a forced laugh. Though, nothing you were talking about was funny.

“I don’t pay attention to what others say about you,” I said. “I never have.”

“I’m six months sober today. That’s the only reason I agreed to see you. It felt kind of… serendipitous,” you said.

“Why don’t you think I’m happy for you?” I asked.

“Because you moved away and never once looked back. I lost my sister and my best friend in the same year. It felt like you both died,” you yelled. I felt my eyes grow wide as you unleashed your built-up anger.

“Y/n, I never meant to make you feel that way,” I pleaded.

“You never called. You never visited. My world flipped upside down and you were out making your dreams come true while I stayed here trapped in a goddamn nightmare,” you said. I didn’t know what to say, so you took my silence as an invitation to continue. “And you know this town worships the ground you and the Kiszkas walk on. I am happy for your success, Daniel. You guys made something of yourselves and you’re beyond talented. It just hurts to know that you left me behind like I didn’t matter. Like she didn’t matter. She loved you. I loved you. And you–” you were screaming at this point. I’m not sure if you noticed.

“I loved you both too, y/n. You know that,” I interrupted.

“Six months ago your mom found me passed out in your front yard. Did she tell you that?” you asked, suddenly changing the subject.

“No,” I said quietly. Why hadn’t she? She normally jumped at the opportunity to tell me any juicy town gossip.

“That’s when I knew I was at my lowest. I haven’t touched anything since. I wished I were dead that night,” you admitted. My heart broke at the thought of losing you too.

“Please don’t say that,” I said as I swallowed the lump forming in my throat.

“Do you ever think about me? About her?” you asked.

“Y/n…” I said as I hung my head.

“I’m serious. You were my best friend. You were her everything. And then she died and it’s like you didn’t even give a shit!” you yelled.

“Of course I gave a shit!” I yelled back. I was shocked at my own voice. It was rare for me to raise my voice.

“I know it wasn’t your fault, but you were the last person to see her alive, and it’s like you disappeared right along with her,” you cried. I was crying too.

“I never meant to make you feel abandoned, y/n. It hurts to be back in this town. It hurts to be back in this apartment. It hurts to be reminded that I held her hand as her pulse stopped,” I choked. I had never said those words aloud. You stared at me for a moment before wiping your tears away. I got up from the recliner and joined you on the couch. Our knees were inches away from one another.

“I loved her. I always will. But being here reminds me of the worst night of my life, and I’m sorry that I chose to run away from that,” I said as I placed my hand on your leg. “I never want you to feel like you wish you were dead.”

“Being sober for this long helps drown out those thoughts and feelings, but seeing you happy and successful without her… without me… Well, it makes me want to drink, honestly,” you admitted. “And I’m sorry if that makes me sound like a selfish bitch, but it’s how I feel.”

“And your feelings are valid, y/n. I am here to support you now and from here on out. I can’t stay in Frankenmuth, but I won’t disappear on you. Not again,” I said, hoping you’d meet my eyes. You continued to stare at my hand on your lap. I wondered if you believed a word I said.

“It’s too late for us to be friends again, Daniel,” she said. “But it felt good to be able to share with you how I’ve felt for so long.”

“It’s not too late, y/n,” I said.

“No, it is. And that’s ok. Our lives are too different now. I’m in a good place. I need to stay that way,” you said, finally putting your hand on top of mine. “You’ve lived without me in your life for almost a decade. You don’t need me.”

“Will you at least come over for Christmas like you used to?” I asked. “It would mean a lot to my family.. To me.”

“I couldn’t face your mom again, Daniel. It’s too embarrassing,” you said.

“She would love to see you like this, y/n. Please. Even if it’s just for a moment,” I practically begged.

“Maybe,” you said. I held on to that word with every ounce of hope I had left.

…

“Honey, come over, the party's gone slower.

And no one will tempt you, we know you got sober.

There's orange juice in the kitchen, bought for the children.

It's yours if you want it, we're just glad you could visit.” - NK

I rolled the peas around on my dinner plate with my fork as thoughts of you wandered through my head. I knew it would be unlikely that you would show up to my family’s Christmas. I felt kind of stupid for inviting you in the first place. Not because I didn’t want you here, but because you hadn’t visited in years. Why would you start now? Back in high school, you and your sister would stop by every year if for anything a glass of eggnog. Sometimes I’d sneak a kiss or two from her under the mistletoe. My parents never cared that we were drinking underage because they were “holiday spirits” like Dad would say.

“Are you sure you can’t stay a few more nights?” Josie asked.

“I’ve had about all the holly jolly I can take,” I admitted. I hated that I was being such a downer but any chance I had at feeling joyful and triumphant was nonexistent. I stood up to take my plate to the kitchen before my mom could offer to. I didn’t want her to see that I hadn’t eaten much. She’d take it personally like her cooking was bad. Truth be told–I just couldn’t stomach much after our conversation. It’s all I’ve been able to think about and I hated it. I raked the uneaten food into the trashcan when I heard a soft knock on the door. No way.

“I got it!” I heard my dad yell from the table. I waited in silence as I stood over the trashcan. I felt like I stopped breathing as I listened for who would be knocking on our door this late on Christmas.

“Y/n!” my mom squealed. “Please, please come in!” There’s no way. I must be dreaming. I put my plate and fork in the sink and ran to the front door. There you were. At the risk of sound cliché, it was a Christmas miracle.

You were holding a poinsettia plant that you kindly handed to my mom as she kissed you on both sides of your face. The green sweater you were wearing complemented your eyes. It was refreshing to see you so happy. When my mom finally let you go, I walked up to give you a hug. I wrapped my arms around you and gently squeezed, savoring every second of lost time.

“I’m so happy you’re here,” I whispered so only you could hear me. You squeezed me a little tighter and I knew that was your way of telling me you were happy too. I let go and allowed the rest of my family to embrace you like they always did.

“Are you hungry?” My mom asked. “We just finished eating, but we have so much food left over. I’ll make you a plate!”

“No, no. I’m not hungry. I just came by to say hello,” you said.

“Well, you can’t leave without a glass of holiday spirits. We’ve got our famous eggnog!” Dad exclaimed. Mom and I looked at each other for only a second. I wonder if Dad realized what he had just offered. I tried to hide my embarrassment but you didn’t show any.

“No eggnog for me this year, but thank you,” you said with a smile.

“How about a glass of orange juice instead?” my dad asked.

“That would be great, thank you,” you said. My parents disappeared into the kitchen and we were alone.

“I really am glad you’re here,” I said.

“Me too,” you said.

“Two glasses of orange juice!” Dad announced before entering the room as if he were trying to avoid another awkward moment. I’m sure Mom filled him in on his blunder when they were in the kitchen. I watched you graciously accept the glass and then took the second glass.

“Cheers, y/n,” I said as I reached my glass out to you.

“Cheers, Danny,” you said. Clink!

And for the first time in a long time, I finally felt like I was home.

#greta van fic #greta van fleet #daniel wagner #danny wagner #noah kahan #orange juice #sad fanfiction #christmas fic

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stardustshelb · 7 months

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"Orange Juice" Part One

TW: Language. Your name (female) + Danny. 3,157 words.

The song "Orange Juice" by Noah Kahan inspired me to write this story; each part of the story is inspired by a different part of the song. Also, I'm in my sad girl era so you all must suffer with me.

“Feels like I've been ready for you to come home for so long.

That I didn't think to ask you where you'd gone.

Why'd you go?” - NK

I should have known when my dad texted me to check my email that there’d be something interesting waiting for me in my inbox. The organizers of my high school reunion had no idea how to get in touch with me, so they went through him. Part of me wished he would have just deleted the email and never said anything. How has it already been 10 years since I graduated? I swear it was only yesterday that Sam and I were daydreaming about record deals and tours while sitting in class. My parents were never too hard on me about school because I still made time for both my studies and my band. But I think they always knew that I was never going to need to know chemistry or calculus because I was going to have a career in music. Though, none of us would have ever dreamed I’d be where I am today.

Josh and Jake skipped out on their high school reunion a couple years ago, and Sam was planning to do the same for ours. It would probably cause more trouble than it’s worth if we showed up. Truth be told, I wasn’t dying to go but I was curious to know if you’d be there. We haven’t spoken since I left Frankenmuth. Hell, we stopped talking while I was still there. I’ve heard stories about you from my mom. “The girl who got away is in rehab again,” she’d say casually over the phone. Something about the way she’d say again angered me, but I knew she meant well.

Judging by the date on the invitation, I still had a few months to decide whether I was going to attend or not. Maybe I could find out if you were planning on going while I’m home later this week for Christmas. I wondered if you’d even be around town or if you’d even want to see me. Our friendship didn’t end on the best of terms and that still bothered me nearly a decade later. I wonder if you’ve ever forgiven me for that night. It took a while for me to forgive myself.

…

“Let me help,” Dad said as he grabbed my guitar case out of the back of the SUV I rented for the week. I tried to pack light for the quick trip but between my suitcase, guitar, and the presents I bought for my family, I ended up checking more luggage than I expected. I could smell Mom’s cooking from the driveway, and I had to swallow the lump of nostalgia that formed in my throat. I rolled my suitcases up the walkway and before Dad could even turn the knob, Josie ran through the front door and practically tackled me.

“Easy, easy,” I said as I tried to keep from falling backward on top of my luggage.

“I’m so happy you’re home!” she squealed as she let go of our hug. She grabbed the larger suitcase from my hand and followed our dad inside. Christmas music was lightly playing throughout the house which told me that Mom was in charge of the stereo. I was home for Christmas but I didn’t quite feel like I was home. I almost felt like a stranger walking through the house I was raised in. Maybe I was tired from traveling, maybe I just wasn’t in the Christmas spirit this year, or maybe thoughts of you crept in as soon as the plane’s wheels touched down in Michigan.

“Daniel, did you hear me?” my mom’s voice broke into my thoughts.

“I’m sorry, what?” I asked.

“Do you want to put your things away and then come to the kitchen to help me finish dinner?” she repeated.

“Sure, yes, be right there,” I said as I dragged my belongings to my childhood bedroom. When I walked through the door, I was glad to see nothing had been moved. Mom and Dad were always sentimental; therefore, I come by it naturally. I glanced around the room and tried to balance the surreal feeling of being back home. It was just as I left it the last time I visited. Unmade bed and all. “It’s not going to make itself,” I could hear my dad say like he did my entire life. I never understood the point in making a bed if I was just going to sleep in it every night anyways. I moved closer to the disheveled comforter and lifted the mattress. I pushed my hand between the mattress and the box springs searching for my secret stash of notes you had written me many lifetimes ago. Worn and faded folded notes brushed against my fingertips and I gently pulled them out.

“Daniel?” I heard my mom call from the kitchen. Suddenly, I opened the top drawer to my nightstand and threw the notes inside. I would have to read them at another time. I got up and made my way into the kitchen where Mom was mixing something on the stove.

“Hey, Mom,” I said as I leaned in to kiss her on the cheek.

“Hello, hun,” she said as she placed her hand against the side of my face. The unfamiliar feeling I had earlier was slowly going away. “I wanted to talk to you,” she said, turning away from me and back to her cooking.

“What about?” I said as I began slicing the carrots she laid out on the cutting board.

“I saw y/n the other day. And… we spoke,” she said, still keeping her back to me. I remained focused on my task of cutting the carrots.

“About?” I asked.

“You mostly,” she said. I winced.

“What about me?” I asked.

“She looks great,” my mom answered, obviously avoiding my question.

“What about me?” I repeated.

“Your music, your success, you coming home for Christmas,” she said as her tone changed.

“Did she seem interested in any of that information?” I asked.

“I think so, but then again, she could have been playing nice,” Mom said as she came over to take the knife that I was just holding. I realized I had stopped cutting the carrots since I was fixated on this conversation. You were back in town and you knew I was here too.

“I can do it,” I said as I held the knife firmly. Mom patted my shoulder and walked back to the stove.

“I think she’s staying sober this time,” my mom added.

“I hope so,” I said quietly.

…

“Not one nick on your finger, you just asked me to hold you.

But it made you a stranger and filled you with anger.” - NK

I’ve spent two days at home, yet I still feel like an outsider. I don’t think anyone has noticed because I am able to wear a figurative mask well. That ability comes in handy for shows and interviews when I’m feeling sick or tired. I offered to help my mom finish her grocery shopping for Christmas dinner, so I put on my baseball hat backwards and grabbed my keys. She texted me a list of things she still needed which I was grateful for. She even included pictures of the items as if I were an idiot, but in her defense, I haven’t shopped for my own groceries in years. Our staff knows what I like and it just appears in our green rooms. Maybe this trip home will humble me a bit.

I decided to drive a little further outside of Frankenmuth to go to a less crowded grocery store. I don’t normally draw much attention when I’m alone in public, but I didn’t want to take the risk. I wasn’t feeling like myself and I didn’t want to project negative feelings on my fans. I pulled into the parking spot furthest away from the entrance and reviewed the list on my phone as I walked through the automatic doors. I grabbed a basket and made my way toward the spices/seasonings aisle. I scanned the shelves looking for Mom’s specific brand of garlic powder. When I spotted it, I threw one container in my basket and turned to make my way down the rest of the aisle. As I began to walk, I noticed an employee abruptly turned the opposite direction and left. Strange. I continued my quest of finding my mom’s requirements with my basket getting heavier by the minute.

When I had finally acquired everything she needed, I made my way to the front of the store to check out. With it being only two days until Christmas, the store was crowded despite it being in such a small town. There looked to be only two cashiers working, so I stood in line behind what I thought would be the quickest one. Of course, I chose wrong. I tried to hide my impatience by scrolling on my phone when I heard your name.

“Y/n, come to register three, please. Y/n, come to register three,” was announced over the intercom.

Suddenly, the employee who eluded me earlier now made her appearance. It was you. Avoiding my gaze (and probably open mouth), you snuck behind an empty cash register. I hesitated on whether to go to your line or not. It was obvious you tried to avoid me at all costs, but I felt a pull to see you. Talk to you. Listen to your voice. Against my better judgment, I made my way to join your line. As I got closer to needing to check out, I could see your cheeks getting more red. I held my breath in anticipation until it was my turn.

“Did you find everything ok?” you asked without looking up from the groceries you were scanning out of my basket.

“I did, yes,” I muttered. You stopped scanning and stared down at the bag of brown sugar in your hands for a brief moment until you carried on with your task. I watched you continue to take my groceries and scan them without ever looking to meet my eyes. You were flustered; I could tell. I tried not to stare but I was almost in disbelief that you were right in front of me. Even though it has been a decade, you haven’t aged. Your face has changed but you still look like you always did to me.

“Your total is $98.44. Will you be using cash or credit today?” you asked again without looking at me. You were trying so hard to focus on the screen in front of you.

“Uh, cash,” I said as I reached for my wallet in my jean pocket. Suddenly, I couldn’t find it. I reached into the other pocket and still couldn’t find it. I began to panic. Did I lose my damn wallet in this store? Was it stolen? Then I realized, I never grabbed it off the nightstand when I grabbed my keys before I left.

“Shit,” I said as I hung my head. “I don’t have my wallet. Do you know if your system takes ApplePay? I have my card on my phone,” I explained.

“No, we don’t. Our technology isn’t updated, but don’t worry about it,” you said as you bent down to get into your purse beneath the register.

“No, I can’t have you pay for this. I’ll just come back with my wallet if you can set it to the side,” I pleaded.

I watched you grab the card reader and stick your own credit card in the chip reader. I was bewildered.

“Y/n,” I spoke so quietly I wasn’t sure if you heard me.

“Merry Christmas,” you said as you handed me the receipt. And for the first time, you met my eyes. They had a sadness to them that I couldn’t quite place. A sadness that matched mine.

“What time do you get off? I am going to come back to pay you back,” I said.

“Have a great day, sir,” you answered, avoiding my question. I watched you direct your attention to the customer behind me. “Ahem,” he said as a sign for me to move.

I grabbed my bags of groceries and made my way to the rental SUV. I needed to get home quickly to grab my wallet and make it back to pay you. But I knew I didn’t need to go over the speed limit since I was now illegally driving without my license. I fought the urge to speed but remained as level-headed as I could be.

…

After putting the refrigerated bags of groceries away, I quickly ran up stairs to grab my wallet. I checked to make sure I had enough cash to pay you back and then some. I shoved it in my back pocket and raced down the hallway.

“Whoa, where are you going in such a hurry?” Josie asked as I tried to avoid running into her.

“I have to go back to the store. I forgot something,” I said in practically one breath.

“Why do I feel like you’re lying to me?” she asked as her brows furrowed.

“I’m not. I just need to get back there,” I explained.

“I can come with you,” she offered.

“Sure, yeah, that’s fine,” I said. I didn’t really want company but maybe you’d be more apt to talk to me if my sister was there. You two always got along so well. Sometimes I wondered if you were more her best friend rather than mine.

“So what did you forget?” Josie asked as she climbed into the passenger seat.

“My wallet,” I said.

“So how did you make it home with all of the groceries?” she asked.

“The cashier paid for my stuff, so now I’m on my way to pay her back,” I said. I left out the detail that you were the cashier.

“Well that was awfully nice of her,” Josie said with a suspicious tone in her voice.

I pulled into the parking lot and nearly forgot to turn off the ignition before jumping out of the car. I ran through the automatic doors and made my way to your line. As if you could sense I was watching you, you kept your gaze locked on your task again.

“Thanks for waiting on me,” I heard Josie sarcastically say as she came up beside me.

“Sorry,” I said.

“Wait,” she said. I looked down to see her staring at you. “Oh, ok, now I get it.”

“I’m just paying her back,” I said.

“I’m going to go look at… that display over there,” Josie said as she turned on her heel.

“Josie…” I said.

“I won’t be far,” she said as she began to walk away. When it came my turn, you kept your eyes locked on the screen in front of you. I stood there waiting for you to acknowledge me for what felt like eternity.

“Aren’t you going to ask me if I found everything ok?” I asked.

“Don’t mock me,” you said with a sense of anger in your voice.

“I wasn’t!” I exclaimed. Suddenly I felt my cheeks getting warm. “I would never.” You continued not to look at me, but I could see what I thought may have been tears forming in your eyes. My heart swelled.

“I came to pay you back,” I said as I held out two $100 bills. You glanced at the money in my hand.

“That’s significantly more than what your total was,” you said.

“I know. Just consider the rest a thank-you gift,” I said.

“I’m not a damn charity case,” you said with a bite in your voice.

“Y/n, I don’t think that. I just wanted to–” I began.

You interrupted, “If I take the money, will you leave?”

“If that’s what you want, then yes. I will leave,” I said solemnly. Suddenly, you reached out and quickly grabbed the money from my hand. I felt my heart break as I noticed you were fighting back tears.

“Thank you,” you said quietly.

“I know I’m the last person you want to see, but–” I started.

“You are,” you interrupted.

“But if you could find the time, I’d really like the chance to visit with you,” I finished.

“You told me you would leave if I took the money,” you said looking past me and at the line forming behind me.

“Good bye, y/n,” I said sullenly before turning to walk away. And all of the guilt and pain that I thought I left behind when I abandoned this town suddenly came rushing back.

…

I sat on the edge of my childhood bed and stared at my feet on the floor for what felt like eternity. I had the urge to read our notes that I hid in my nightstand, but seeing you today might be all that I can take. You are still angry with me, and I figured you always will be. I don’t know why I expected that anger to go away after 10 years. Maybe it’s because it did for me. I felt the need to talk to you even more now than I did before. I opened the drawer to my nightstand and started to sift through our notes. There were dozens of faded, folded notes. I gently unwrapped the one where you drew a middle finger on the front of. I smiled as I read through the lines of teenage angst. Oh how our problems back then seemed to be so much more important. I remember you were mad at me because I let Sam ride shotgun in my car even though you claimed it before school that morning. I told you to take it up with Sam, but clearly you thought I should have been on your side. You didn’t talk to me until lunch that day when you handed me this note and told me you hoped I choked on my breadstick. Then you laughed hysterically when I immediately grabbed the breadstick off my plate and choked myself with it. Doing something stupid like that was all it took to make you smile and forgive me. I made sure Sam stayed in the backseat the rest of the school year.

I opened another note and scanned it until I found my holy grail: Your phone number. This was one of the first notes you ever wrote me. I wondered if you still had the same number all of these years later. I know mine has changed several times, but my circumstances were different. I decided to take a leap and dialed the ten digits written in a glittery blue gel pen. I held my breath as I heard it ring.

"Hello?" I heard your voice answer.

#greta van fic #greta van fleet #daniel wagner #danny wagner #noah kahan #orange juice #sad fanfiction

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stardustshelb · 8 months

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GVF Fic Masterlist

#greta van fic #greta van fleet #josh kiszka #joshua michael kiszka #josh kiskza fanfic #jake kiszka #jacob thomas kiszka #danny wagner #daniel wagner #greta van fleet smut #greta van smut

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stardustshelb · 8 months

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"If It Kills Me" - Jake One Shot

TW: Language. Your name (female) + Jake. 6,339 words.

The song "If It Kills Me" by Jason Mraz inspired me to write this story; each part of the story is inspired by a different part of the song.

Part One

"It would be such a beautiful moment to see the look on your face,

To know that I know that you know now.

And baby that's a case of my wishful thinking.

You know nothing." - JM

You’re sending me one-worded texts. You’re probably busy. At least that’s what I’m telling myself because why else would you be responding like you’re mad at me? I haven’t done anything to make you angry. If you knew I was spiraling and overthinking like this, you’d probably throw in an emoji, a gif, something to ease my mind. I decided to stop dwelling on the “ok” and “lol” replies and put my phone away. I’m clearly distracted and the last thing I need is Danny getting angry if I throw the tempo off again.

“Let’s run through that one more time,” Josh said into the microphone. I normally am the serious one who takes control of our practices, but I wasn’t feeling it today. We were going on four hours of rehearsal for our upcoming tour. I was exhausted because I stayed up too late, but that’s the sacrifice you make when the love of your life lives in a different time zone. I listened to Danny count us in, “One, two, three, four,” and began playing my guitar. I tried to focus on the music but thoughts of you kept creeping in.

When rehearsal finally ended, I checked my phone hoping to see your name on my screen. Nope. You left me on read. Thousands of notifications plague my screen but the one notification I was looking for was nonexistent. I started replaying the last parts of our conversation last night; if you were mad at me for something I said, I truly couldn’t remember. I put my phone in my back pocket and finished packing my stuff up for the day. We had to be back bright and early tomorrow, so thankfully I didn’t have to pack up all of my pedals and amps.

“What are you doing tonight?” Sam asked as he held out a ruby grapefruit White Claw to me.

“It’s barely 2:00 in the afternoon, man,” I said as I waved his offer away. “Uh, I’m probably going to take it easy tonight and stay in.”

“That’s what you did last night,” Sam said as he shifted his weight to his other foot. He was clearly bummed that I wasn’t up for hanging out.

“Yeah, well, I’m trying to savor my nights at home before I spend them all on the road,” I said with a shrug. I loved touring and playing music more than anything, but I also loved sleeping in my own bed. I just wished you were here to share it with me.

“If you change your mind, call me,” he said as he placed the unopened White Claw down near my boot. He walked away before I could respond. I stared at the can and then grabbed it before walking out to the parking lot.

When I got home, I took a quick shower and laid on the couch scrolling through the pictures in my camera roll. Our social media team has made several remarks lately that my Instagram was too “dry” and our fans were begging for more content from me. I never really pay much attention to the demands of keeping up an online presence on social media. I scrolled back to March of this year and smiled as I looked at the pictures from our quick trip to the beach. It was the last time we were able to spend time together as just the two of us. We spent four days secluded from the outside world in a condo in Santa Barbara. It was the highlight of my year. I found a picture you took of me when I was staring out into the sunset. My jeans were rolled up to my shins to keep from getting wet as the waves rolled in. I remember the water was so cold I thought my toes were going to turn black. You don’t smoke anymore, but you took a hit (or two) on the joint hanging out of my mouth. I didn’t know you took the picture of me at the time, but I’m thankful you did. If only you knew that at that moment I was cursing the sun for leaving and robbing us of another day together.

The night passed by quickly. I still hadn’t heard from you and I was trying not to worry. It wasn’t like we were always in constant contact with our busy work schedules, but you should have texted me by now. I was fighting my eyelids to stay awake. I knew you had been working night shifts at the hospital recently, but I knew you were off. Our three-hour time difference really made things difficult for my sleep schedule. While it was almost 2 a.m. for me, I knew you would be awake and scrolling through your plethora of social media apps before getting ready for bed.

I had an idea that normally worked when I needed a desperate way to grab your attention. I opened my Instagram app for the first time in weeks and hit the plus sign to make a post. I scrolled back to the picture you took of me on the beach and typed the caption, “The fleeting daylight gave me liberation though I longed for staying a captive on the sand.” I hit send and waited for the trap I set to work. I knew you had my Instagram notifications turned on.

I chuckled as I read the comments from fans who always posted the most unhinged shit. Even though my motive was to get a response from you, I still enjoyed reading the interesting comments. And as if I knew you better than you knew yourself, I suddenly was on the receiving end of your FaceTime call.

“Hey,” I said as I propped the phone up on the pillow next to me. I fought the urge to display a smug smile.

“You have a typo in your Instagram caption,” you said. You had a toothbrush hanging out the side of your mouth and your hair was wrapped up in a towel.

“Do I?” I asked, playing dumb. Any time I needed a response from you, posting a typo on social media worked 9 times out of 10. Josh just thinks I’m an idiot at this point.

“It doesn’t even make sense,” you said as you leaned down to spit off camera.

“Fine, I’ll fix it,” I said as I reopened the app to make an edit to the caption.

“You could have at least given me photographer credits,” you said. I fixed the typo and opened your FaceTime back so I could see your beautiful face full screen. You weren’t paying me any attention as you were doing your nighttime skincare routine. I didn’t care because I was still able to admire you.

“You and I both know the insanity that would ensue if I tagged you in anything,” I said with a sigh.

“That’s true,” you said.

“I miss the beach,” I said but fought to replace beach with the word you. Though, you would have seen it all over my face if you were looking at me.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t talk much today,” you said.

“I was beginning to think you were mad at me,” I admitted.

“Why would I be mad at you?” you asked as you suddenly stopped rubbing moisturizer into your skin. You stopped looking at yourself in the mirror and stared at your phone–stared at me. I tried to remember what I was saying.

“I–uh–well, you know, you didn’t respond for hours, and uh, when you did, it was um–” I knew I was tripping over my words. I felt my face getting warm because I was flustered.

“I’m not mad at you, Jake. At least not at the moment,” you said with a wink.

“You know I get into my head sometimes,” I said as I smoothed my hair back.

“Better than anyone. Ok, well, I wanted to pop on real quick to tell you good night,” you said. I could tell you were about to wrap up the call. I hated saying goodbye but I needed to sleep too.

“Good night, y/n” I said as I watched you finish drying your hair.

“Good night, Jake,” you said before hanging up.

“I love you,” remained silently on my lips.

Part Two

"Well you and I,

Why, we go carrying on for hours on end.

We get along much better,

Than you and your boyfriend." - JM

“You look like shit,” Josh said. Once again, another sleepless night robbed me of any rest and relaxation before another full morning of rehearsal. Thoughts of you mixed with anticipation for the new tour had my mind racing.

“Yeah, well, we’re twins,” I said as I stirred my coffee. “So, I guess you look like shit too.” I was fighting the urge to add a little whiskey to it if this was how practice was going to go.

“This is the last practice of the week, so let’s not fuck around and waste any time today,” he added.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I questioned. I didn’t like what he was implying.

“It means get your head out of your ass and finish your coffee so we can get started,” he said. I could sense Josh was angry about something, but there was no telling with him. The smallest inconvenience could set him off. I bit my tongue and let him have his moment of misdirected anger. I finished my cup of coffee and started to plug in my guitar.

“Yesterday we stopped after ‘Frozen Light’ so let’s move on through the rest of the set list,” I said.

“Well, then you’re plugging in the wrong guitar,” Josh said. Confused, I glanced at the taped setlist on my side of the stage and realized our B stage performance was next.

“Oh, yeah,” I said.

“You would know that if you paid any attention yesterday,” Josh said under his breath.

“What the fuck is your problem this morning?” I asked.

“Guys,” Sam said as he stepped in to diffuse the situation. That’s what the three of us did. Whoever was the one outside of the conflict always stepped in to help calm the other two down. But truth be told, it was normally Sam who worked as the middle man. “I’m not acting as the rope for your game of tug-of-war today.” My heart strings pulled a little for my younger brother as I threw my cup of coffee in the trash.

Rehearsal went by a lot quicker today than it did yesterday. I’m sure it was because anger fueled me not to waste a single moment of time so I didn’t have to be here any longer than I had to be. I was looking forward to a couple days off. I wondered if I could make a quick trip to California to see you this weekend.

“Hey,” I heard Josh’s voice from behind me. I continued to pack up my stuff instead of turning around to face him.

“I’m sorry, Jake,” he said. I stopped messing with my cords and sighed before turning around.

“It’s ok,” I said when I met his eyes.

“I’m stressed about the tour and I shouldn’t have taken it out on you,” he said. Any ounce of anger I had instantly evaporated. I could tell he needed a hug so I pulled him in. Normally he was the one to initiate physical contact, but I knew what he needed.

“Are you sticking around here for the weekend?” I asked as I let go of our embrace.

“I’m not sure. What about you?” Josh responded.

“I may explore the west coast for a couple days,” I said, rubbing my chin.

“Jake…” Josh’s voice sounded like a warning.

“What?” I asked. He sighed and shook his head, clearly not saying what he wanted to say.

“Tell y/n I said hi,” he said.

“I never said I was going to see her,” I said.

“You didn’t have to,” he added.

“It’s not a good weekend,” you said. Your words immediately broke my heart and I struggled to hold the phone in my hand. I called to see if I could come stay and visit because I hadn’t seen you in nearly three months.

“I thought you said you were off most of this week,” I said, trying to mask the sadness in my voice.

“I am,” you said.

“So why can’t I come? I miss the beach. I miss you,” the words escaped my mouth before I realized it.

“I have plans this weekend,” you said. I could tell you didn’t want to volunteer any more information and that I was going to have to ask to get any details.

“One day on the beach with me is all I ask,” I practically begged.

“Nathan and I are going out of town,” you said. There it was. The reason you were being so short and vague. You knew how I felt about him; I just wish you knew how I felt about you.

“He’s still around?” I asked.

“Jake, I’m not having this conversation again,” you said. I could hear the frustration in your voice.

“Where are you guys going?” I asked. I really didn’t want to know any details because I didn’t want to think about Nathan any more than I had to. I was struggling to play nice.

“He’s taking me to his parents’ house in Malibu,” you said. I felt my chest tighten.

“You’re meeting his parents?” I asked.

“Yes, Jake. Is that ok with you?” you asked sarcastically.

“You know you don’t need my permission for anything. I can’t say the same for Nathan,” I added. I tasted the bitterness of my insult. You didn’t immediately respond so I knew my words made an impact. I then heard you speaking but I couldn’t tell what you were saying. The sound was muffled as if your hand was covering the phone.

“Hello?” I asked. I continued listening to the muffled conversation and realized he was currently there with you. I couldn’t make out what you two were saying but I was growing more and more frustrated by the second. “Y/n?” I asked again, hoping for a response, but I continued to sit on the metaphorical back burner.

“Sorry about that,” you said. “Hey, I’ve got to finish packing but I will call you tomorrow.”

“Sure, of course. I will talk to you tomorrow,” I said as you ended the call.

I made myself a drink and debated calling one of the guys to come over and hangout. It was only 8:00 p.m. but I felt the exhaustion from the last two days taking its toll on me. Well, the tequila in my drink probably didn’t help. I figured I should take advantage of some extra hours of sleep. I polished off my glass and slowly shuffled to my bedroom. I put my phone on the charger and collapsed into my bed. For once, I didn’t have to lie awake as I slowly sunk into the pillow.

Part Three

"How long, can I go on like this,

Wishing to kiss you

Before I rightly explode?

Well this double life I lead isn't healthy for me.

In fact, it makes me nervous.

If I get caught, I could be risking it all." - JM

I didn’t realize that I slept for over 14 hours when I rolled over to check the time on my phone. Both my body and my mind really needed to rest. I scrolled through the notifications on my screen with tired eyes until I spotted two missed calls from you. As if you were a shot of espresso, I was immediately awake. You didn’t leave me a voicemail but you had called me at what would be 1 a.m. your time. I sat up straight and nervously called you back.

“Hello?” you answered on the first ring. Your voice sounded strange.

“Hey, I’m sorry I missed your calls last night. What’s going on?” I asked.

“If you’re still wanting to come to California, I’m free,” you said.

“I’ll be on the next flight,” I said as I hurried to get out of bed.

“Thanks, Jake,” you said. I could tell you were on the verge of tears, so I decided not to press for any details yet. We could talk it out once I got there.

I landed in Santa Barbara just after 7 p.m. and headed through the small California airport. It was surprisingly easy finding a last-minute flight, but it wasn’t easy getting through the airport. Even today, I am still taken aback by the attention I receive from fans. I texted you to find out where to meet you and made my way down the escalator. I was only staying for two nights so I threw everything I needed into my backpack. I can travel light. I waited outside and kept my head down until I saw your car rolling up. To my surprise, Nathan was in the passenger seat. I felt sick. You immediately jumped out of the car and ran straight to me. I wanted to pick you up and spin you around, but I knew that would not make a great first impression with your boyfriend.

“I’m so happy to see you!” you squealed as I lingered in your welcoming embrace. Everything I had planned to say to you was no longer relevant now that he was here.

“I’m happy to be here,” I said as you finally let go. I could feel Nathan staring at us but I kept my eyes locked on your beautiful face. Your naturally long eyelashes fluttered and I swore I stopped breathing.

“Are you hungry?” you asked.

“Famished, actually,” I said, realizing all I’ve eaten today were the free snacks the airline gives you.

“Good because I made lasagna,” you said as you stood on your tiptoes.

“Did you follow your famous recipe?” I asked.

“From a box?” you asked with a laugh.

“Shh, we pretend, remember?” I asked. Before you could respond, we both jumped at the sound of your car horn. Nathan’s impatience seemed to get the best of him. I grinded my teeth before taking a deep breath. So much for first impressions.

“Come on,” you said as you rolled your eyes and laughed. I relaxed my fingers, which I didn’t realize were balled up into a fist, before following you to your car. I slid into the backseat and channeled my inner Josh so I could act like I was excited about meeting Nathan.

“Hey, man. I’m Jake,” I said, sticking my arm out to shake his hand. He turned around and looked at me like I was covered in dirt.

“Hello, Jake,” he said, finally grabbing my hand unenthusiastically. “I’m Dr. Turner.” Give me a break. You got into the car and smiled when you saw us shaking hands.

“Oh good, I didn’t have to do the introductions,” you said with a wink.

I learned your weekend trip to Malibu was canceled when Nathan–or Dr. Turner–found out he needed to be on call at the hospital last minute. I could tell you were disappointed, but I’m not sure if that was the reason you sounded like you were crying on the phone this morning. I made a mental note to ask you about it when we had some privacy. I knew Nathan was staying for dinner but I was praying to whatever God who was listening that he wouldn’t be staying the night as well. I needed alone time with you.

When we got back to your place, I made my way to your guest room to put my backpack up. I checked in with the guys to let them know I had made it safely to your place. I guess news of me being in California was all over Twitter and Instagram because our social media manager sent me screenshots of some pictures I took with fans in the airport. I knew we’d have to lay low now that I was here to keep your identity hidden. The last thing you or I needed were pictures of us circulating online with rumors. I started to make my way out of the bedroom when I stopped in the doorway. I could hear you and Nathan having what sounded like an argument, and I didn’t want to interrupt. I leaned in closer to the hallway to eavesdrop.

“He can’t get a hotel room?” Nathan asked.

“I’m not making my best friend stay in a hotel,” you said as you closed the oven door.

“He can afford it,” he said with a scoff.

“I don’t concern myself with other people’s finances, Nathan. You know that. People could say the same thing about me dating a doctor,” you said. I rolled my eyes.

“I just don’t like the idea of another guy staying the night with you,” he said.

“He’s not staying with me. He’s sleeping in another room. Plus I’ve known Jake almost my entire life. It wouldn’t be the first time we’ve slept under the same roof,” you said.

“I would feel more comfortable if I were here too,” he said. I felt my blood start to boil.

“Please trust me, Nathan. I’ve never given you a reason not to,” you said. I couldn’t handle listening any longer so I made my way out of the hallway and walked into the kitchen. When you saw me, you pulled away from Nathan. I’m not sure if you noticed–but both he and I did. I’m sure that unconscious movement only fueled his insecurities even more.

Dinner went better than one would expect. It appears everyone–including myself–is a great actor. One would have never guessed Nathan didn’t want me there with the way he was asking me questions about my life with the band. If I didn’t know half of what I already knew about him, I’d think he was a pretty good guy. You beamed watching the two of us converse. I gazed at your full lips across the table as they broke into a smile. I wanted nothing more than to kiss them.

“Nothing like a home-cooked meal,” you said with a laugh. I gave you a soft smile.

“Stouffer’s is a specialty with this one,” Nathan said, pulling you into a side hug. “I’m hoping she’ll learn her way around a kitchen eventually.”

“I will take anything that’s not fast food at this point,” I said. I stared at the glass mason jar of strawberry lemonade you so kindly made AKA mixed Crystal Light with water. I knew you had a busy schedule at the hospital and worked so hard as a nurse. And I knew you had to fend a lot for yourself growing up. I was just proud that you made a life for yourself and lived unapologetically. I didn’t care that you never took an interest in cooking. You never tried to be anyone but yourself and I loved that about you.

“Well, it would be nice to have something that wasn’t full of preservatives every once in a while,” Nathan said with a laugh. I looked up to meet his eyes and if looks could kill, he’d be a goner. You sensed my sudden change in mood and laughed at his joke–a laugh that you and I both knew was fake and forced.

“I’m a great cook, actually. What about you Nathan?” I said.

“A man’s place doesn’t belong in the kitchen. Plus, I’m too busy with surgeries and–” he was saying.

“The 1900s called. They want their sexist views back,” I joked. You let out a wild laugh, one that was so not fake. I watched Nathan squirm in his seat before forcing a smile. Before he could respond, the ringing of his work phone distracted us.

“Great,” he muttered before excusing himself from the table. When he was out of the room, you and I locked eyes and you started that wild laugh again.

“Jacob Thomas Kiszka, you are horrible,” you said. I loved when you used my full name.

“What kind of backwards ideology is that?” I asked. I wasn’t joking anymore.

“He was raised differently,” you said, smoothing the napkin in your lap.

“Does he call his mom Mother? Be honest,” I said, biting my lip to keep from laughing.

“Jake…” you said.

“Holy shit, he does!” I exclaimed. We both were laughing hysterically when Nathan came back into the room.

“What’s so funny?” he asked.

“Jake just told me a funny story,” you said nervously.

“I like to laugh,” Nathan said as he joined us at the table.

“Do you have to leave, darling?” you asked. I could taste the bile in my throat after hearing you call him that.

“Yeah, here in a second. I want to hear this hilarious story first,” he said as he met my stare.

“It’s really an inside joke. You wouldn’t–” you started.

“I’m waiting,” Nathan said, not breaking my eye contact. Just then, I fantasized about stabbing him in the neck with the fork in my hand.

“I was telling y/n the story about how Josh–that’s my brother–sometimes acts in his diva persona,” I was trying to come up with something on the fly. I’m sure anyone with a brain would know I was lying, but I kept going. “And when he’s this super bitch–his words–he makes life hell for us all.”

“And that’s…funny?” Nathan asked.

“If you knew him, yes,” I said.

“Right. Well, I’ve been called in for surgery. Another with cirrhosis of the liver. They’re a dime a dozen nowadays,” Nathan said. It was hard to believe he was talking about another human life. I wouldn’t want someone who didn’t see value in another person’s soul operating on me. He wouldn’t give a shit if I lived or died. I’d be just another body on the operating table to him. “That’s why I’ve encouraged y/n to stop drinking. Nasty stuff. Jake, you should consider it too.”

“Thanks for the medical advice, doc,” I said.

“I’m serious. Alcohol is poison. But then again, so are all of the preservatives we consume in our instant lemonades and frozen lasagnas, so what the hell do I know?” he laughed. Nobody laughed along with him this time.

“I’ll walk you out,” you said as you pushed yourself away from the table. I wasn’t sure if you were needing a break from yet another one of his passive aggressive insults, or if you were trying to get him away from me before I did something that would put me behind bars for the rest of my life.

Part Four

"If I should be so bold,

I'd ask you to hold my heart in your hand.

I'd tell you from the start how I longed to be your man.

But I never said a word,

I guess I'm gonna miss my chance again." - JM

We spent the rest of the evening sitting on your couch and catching up. We talked every day but having this time with you in person felt completely different. You wanted to know everything about our new tour and I could feel the excitement radiating off of you.

“Will you be there opening night?” I asked.

“You know I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” you said. “I have a confession.”

“Oh?” I asked as I moved closer to you.

“I have a bottle of tequila stashed in the cabinet above the refrigerator,” you whispered.

“You know how I feel about alcohol, and don’t even get me started on preservatives,” I said sarcastically. You threw a pillow at me before jumping up to grab it. I watched you climb on top of your kitchen counter to be able to reach your hidden contraband. You jumped down off the counter and ran back to join me on the couch with the forbidden bottle of tequila tucked under your arm.

“If you can guess my favorite song off the new album, I will take a shot. If you get it wrong, you have to take a shot,” you said, holding the bottle out to me.

“So I have a 90% chance of taking a shot,” I said, raising an eyebrow.

“The odds are definitely in my favor,” you said with a laugh. I studied your face for a moment. I wanted to tell you how you were the inspiration for my most favorite song that I’ve ever written. Josh heard it once and knew it belonged on the album. I wanted to explain how my time on the beach with you earlier this year inspired the story behind the song. Every word, every line to the song “Waited All Your Life” was written about you. You were the song. But how could I ever admit that?

“Runway Blues?” I guessed. I knew it wouldn’t be it. And for a moment, I swear a look of disappointment flashed across your face for a brief moment.

“Nope! Take a shot!” you said as you proudly held the bottle to me.

“What was the right answer?” I asked as I unscrewed the lid. I put the bottle to my lips and wondered when it touched yours last.

“‘Waited All Your Life’ is my favorite,” you said with a soft smile. I felt my chest tighten at your admission and took a shot of tequila straight from the bottle.

“Mine too,” I said so quietly I wondered if you even heard me. “Hey, can we go to the beach tomorrow? Just the two of us?”

“Yeah, that sounds perfect,” you said as you grabbed the bottle from me. You took a shot and I envied the bottle that got to kiss your lips.

After talking and laughing for several hours on the couch, you got a text from Nathan that the surgery went well and he was headed home for the night.

“Home as in…?” I asked.

“Home as in his own home. We don’t live together, Jake,” you said as you looked up at me under your lashes.

“I know, I know,” I said as I sighed with relief. You screwed the lid back on the bottle of tequila before climbing back up to stash it away for another time. When you came back into the living room, you stood at the end of the couch and yawned. Unfortunately, I knew what was coming.

“I think we should call it a night,” you said. I didn’t want this night to end. Carpe noctem.

“Yeah, I’m pretty tired,” I lied.

“Don’t set an alarm. Sleep in and we’ll go to the beach whenever we feel like it tomorrow,” you said. I didn’t want to sleep at all. I didn’t want to waste a single moment when I’m here with you.

“Ok, sounds like a plan,” I said as I stood up. I walked closer to you and I watched you suck in a breath.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” you said quietly.

“Me too,” I said as I wrapped my arms around you.

“Good night, Jake,” you said.

“Good night, y/n,” I whispered.

After my shower, I laid on the bed in the guest bedroom and stared at the ceiling fan for what felt like an eternity. Thoughts of you, thoughts of us, thoughts of Nathan, the beach, tequila, and your song clouded my mind. I wanted to get out of bed and knock on your bedroom door. I wanted to admit every thought and feeling I’ve hidden from you for years. I wanted to admit how I’ve kept this secret from you for so long and it kills me nearly every day. I wanted to cry and scream and then cry some more. I wanted to hold you. But I just laid there and stared at the ceiling fan as the blades moved in a perfect rotation. Maybe tomorrow I’d admit these things to you. Maybe when we’re on the beach I’d finally find courage amongst the waves. I closed my eyes and let the hope for tomorrow guide my dreams for tonight.

Part Five

"And all I really want to do is to feel you.

It's a feeling inside that keeps building.

I will find a way to you if it kills me.

If it kills me.

It might kill me." - JM

I helped unload your adirondack chairs from the back of your car when we found a spot on the beach that was secluded from both the locals and the tourists. There was a walk-up bar not too far from us, but still far enough away that we felt like we were the only two people on the beach. I kept my sunglasses on as I faced the ocean, admiring the sunlight reflecting off the water. I watched you apply your sunscreen and waited for you to ask me to help you apply it to your back and neck.

“Do you mind helping?” you asked, turning away from me and moving your hair to the side. I grabbed the bottle and started to rub the lotion on your back. I took my time because I wanted to feel every inch of your soft skin.

“Can I ask you a question?” I asked as I continued rubbing the sunscreen on your shoulders. I finally felt enough courage to ask about the phone call since I couldn’t see your eyes.

“Always,” you said.

“When I talked to you on the phone yesterday morning… You sounded like you were crying,” I quietly admitted. I waited for you to say something but the silence lingered in the air.

“I was,” you said.

“Why?” I asked.

“I don’t really want to talk about it, Jake,” you said as you dropped your head. I stared at the back of your neck waiting for the right words to come to me.

“You know you can talk to me about anything,” I said.

“I know,” you said. I put my hands on your shoulders and pulled for you to turn to face me. When you met my eyes, I could see they were hiding something.

“Y/n, what’s bothering you?” I asked. You sighed as you put your sunglasses on, attempting to camouflage your emotions.

“Nathan and I got into an argument that night and I called you in the heat of the moment. But we worked it out by the time you called me back the next morning. I was still upset and just needed to see my best friend,” you said as you reached out to squeeze my hand. “I miss you so much.”

“Loving a music man ain’t always what it’s supposed to be,” I sang a line from one of your favorite Journey songs as I let your hand stay in mine. I knew what I had to do to make you smile.

“Oh, girl, you stand by me,” you sang playfully. You loved when I sang, especially when it was a song off of your comfort playlist.

“I’m forever yours,” I sang back to you, meaning every word I said.

“Faithfully,” you sang as you let go of my hand. I wanted the lyrics to be true for you like they were for me. You laid your head back on your chair and basked in the sunlight.

“Y/n?” I asked.

“Mhm?” you replied, still sunbathing.

“I–” I began, but stopped speaking when your phone started ringing.

“Sorry, this is work,” you said as you fished your phone out of your tote bag. I watched your face turn to disappointment behind the sunglasses. “Hello?” you said as you answered. You got up and walked away to take the phone call. I turned my attention away from you and looked out toward the waves. I knew our time together was ending quicker than I wanted it to. I was supposed to fly back home first thing tomorrow morning, and we were supposed to spend the entire day together on the beach, but my gut told me those plans were about to change. Being a musician, I was no stranger to abrupt changes and I quickly learned how to adapt to the unexpected. Nothing in my life ever goes according to plan anymore. I glanced your direction and watched you pace back and forth, still talking to whoever it was on the phone. I turned back toward the water and savored what I knew would be my final moments here on the beach. Another chance I would never take washed away on the shore line. I wiped the tear that escaped my eye as you walked back toward your empty chair. You didn’t have to say it; I knew.

“I am so sorry, Jake,” you began.

“Do we need to go?” I asked.

“Yes,” you said with a sigh. Without another word, I stood up and helped grab the chairs to make our way back to your car.

“Please feel free to stay in my house until I get back. I only have to go in for a few hours to help locate and fix some medical charts that got mishandled. I don’t have to work a full shift tonight,” you said.

“Sure, of course,” I lied. I’d be searching for the next flight out of California the second you walked out the door. I knew you would be upset that I planned to leave without a proper goodbye, but I left what I needed to say out on the beach. The waves carried my broken heart back to the ocean. My unspoken words would forever remain buried in the sand.

Eventually, I would find my way back there when you were ready to hear them.

It wasn’t our time, yet. And it kills me that maybe it never will be.

The End

#greta van fic #greta van fleet #jake kiszka #jake gvf #sad thoughts #sad stories #if it kills me #jason mraz #jacob thomas kiszka

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stardustshelb · 9 months

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"Late Checkout" - Danny One Shot

18+. TW: Language & Sexual Content. Your name (female) + Danny. 9,544 words.

Part One

“Mr. Henry, I requested tomorrow off months ago,” you said as you shakily held this week’s work schedule in your hands. You had a good relationship with your boss since you’ve been one of the most reliable employees at the hotel for several years. You looked up to him as a father figure and old friend most days, but you suddenly wanted to strangle him after seeing he scheduled you to work on the one day you asked off.

“I’m sorry but I need you manning the front desk,” your boss said, not looking up from the computer screen.

“I have a concert tomorrow night. I can’t work,” you said, fighting the lump forming in your throat. You had been looking forward to this day for months and you were not about to let anything or anyone get in the way of that.

“That’s exactly why I need you. The hotel is completely sold out tomorrow because of the concert. It will be all hands on deck,” he said, still avoiding your eye contact.

“I can’t miss that concert,” you said in a stern tone.

“Fine. Let’s make a compromise. Can you stay until after the check-in rush? You could leave around 6:00 p.m.,” he added.

“That doesn’t give me enough time to get ready,” you plead.

“I’m trying to make this work for us both. I know you need the extra hours and I know you can handle the influx of guests we’re anticipating,” he said.

“That’s true, but–” you began.

“If I can get you out of here any sooner, I will,” he said, interrupting you. You start to go through the timeframe in your head. If you brought your concert outfit and cosmetics to the hotel, you could get ready in the breakroom. The distance between the hotel and the arena wouldn’t take more than 15 minutes depending on how fast you could get an Uber. The opener goes on at 7:30 p.m., but you didn’t care if you had to miss part of their set.

“As long as I am clocked out by 6:00 p.m., I can swing it,” you said with a sigh.

“I know I can always rely on you,” your boss said with a smile. “Who’s the band again?”

“Greta Van Fleet,” you said. Your boss’ puzzled expression made it clear he had no idea who they were.

“I don’t know what you kids today listen to,” he said as he waved his hand like he was shooing away a fly. “But since you’re helping me out by working tomorrow, I’ll fill you in on a secret.” He leaned in closely and lowered his voice. “Did you notice anything peculiar about the room reservations on the top floor?”

You hadn’t paid much attention to which rooms were occupied today since you clocked in; when you saw your name on the work schedule for tomorrow, that took precedence. You logged into your front desk computer and scanned the booking information for the 8th floor. You noticed every room was booked under the same reservation number. Yet, there were no guest names assigned to any of the rooms. As if your boss could sense your confusion, he leaned in closer.

“That band is staying here,” he whispered. You felt your eyes grow wide as if he just admitted his deepest, darkest secret. You turned to face him with a wild look in your eyes. You whispered, “Are you serious?”

“Their people called months ago and requested a private entrance, booked the entire floor; the whole thing was hush hush,” he said as he mimed an imaginary zipper sealing his lips.

You suddenly felt yourself begin to sweat in places you didn’t know could sweat. “When will they get here?” you asked.

“They are set to check in around noon today, and they will check out the day after tomorrow,” he said in a hushed voice. “I’ve got our best housekeeping staff assigned to their floor as well as our kitchen staff on standby in case they order room service. But only you and I know who our special guests really are,” he said with a wink. You hated your boss 10 minutes ago; now you wanted to kiss him. You glanced at the clock and noticed noon was less than an hour away.

“I am asking, begging, pleading–” you began with your hands clasped together. “Mr. Henry, please, please, please, let me be the one to deliver any extra towels, sheets, blankets, toiletries, whatever they need. Please,” you said.

“You aren’t even scheduled to work tonight,” he said with a laugh.

“I can. I can absolutely work tonight,” you said, continuing to beg.

“I’ll keep you as long as I need you, but no promises,” he said. Without much thought, you wrapped your arms around your boss in an embrace to thank him. He nervously laughed before patting you on top of the head. He was clearly uncomfortable by this sudden display of affection.

“Don’t make me regret this,” he said.

“I won’t!” you exclaimed as you released him from your grateful hug. The idea of potentially meeting the members of your favorite band made you feel lightheaded. You gripped the desk to make sure you weren’t going to pass out.

“I’ll need you to stay here at the front desk while I meet them around back to escort them to their rooms. They’ll be using the service elevator to enter and exit the building. They won’t mingle with the hotel guests at all,” he said. You couldn’t help but to feel bummed that you wouldn’t be part of the welcoming committee, but you decided not to push your luck. You knew you’d find a reason to go up to their floor one way or another.

You practically watched the clock as it took its time to get to 12:00 p.m. You had already taken a smoke break AKA a break to go freshen up your hair and makeup before the boys checked in. Mr. Henry knew you didn’t smoke, but he didn’t object when you asked for a smoke break. He knew exactly what you were up to.

Even though you weren’t going to be the one greeting them, you still didn’t want to risk not looking your absolute best. Well, as good as anyone could look in a work uniform. You glanced down at your khaki pants and your light blue polo neatly tucked in. This uniform certainly wasn’t doing your figure any favors. As you helped the line of guests checking out for the day, you saw Mr. Henry step away to take a private phone call. Was it them? Were they here? You struggled to pay attention to the guest in front of you because all you could think about was the idea of meeting the four men who changed your life. Breathe, you idiot.

“I’m going to assist our top floor guests. Call my phone if you have any issues. I’ll be back shortly,” Mr. Henry said to you in a hushed voice. You felt like all of the oxygen in the hotel lobby left with him as he went out the door.

“Ma’am?” the man in front of you with tired eyes said.

“Yes?” you asked, suddenly aware of where you were.

“Can I get another copy of my bill, please?” he said as if he had already asked you once. Maybe he did. Your mind was elsewhere.

“Yes, yes, of course,” you said as you moved the mouse to print the tired guest a copy of his bill. A short line formed behind him and you tried everything in your power to focus on your job and not the idea that Josh, Jake, Danny, and Sam would be sleeping in rooms that you have access to. Wait, that sounded creepy. You’re not creepy. You’re just freaking the fuck out. Chill.

When Mr. Henry made it back to the front desk, you practically jumped on him. “What were they like? What were they wearing? Were they nice? What rooms are they in? Do they need anything? Who did you talk to? Did they make any requests?” you asked in a rapid-fire fashion.

“Relax, relax,” he said with his hands up like he was bracing himself for impact.

“Tell me everything!” you exclaimed.

“The ones wearing sunglasses and hats are the ones in the actual band, I presume. They are in rooms 808, 809, 810, and 811. Their management people are occupying rooms on the other side of the hallway per the famous ones’ requests. The rooms in between are vacant, but booked to maintain privacy, of course,” he said. You burned the numbers 808, 809, 810, and 811 into your brain as you listened to Mr. Henry talk.

“I gave them my cell phone number in case they need anything, so don’t hold your breath that they’ll be calling the front desk,” he said.

“Mr. Henry,” you whined.

“They seem to want total privacy, young lady,” he said pointing his finger at you. You sighed and rolled your eyes at his response.

“That being said…” he began. “I will let you know if they need anything,” he added with a wink.

Part Two

“You know your shift ended 34 minutes ago,” Mr. Henry said as he walked up to you at the front desk.

“Oh, did it?” you asked nonchalantly. Normally you’d be clocking out the second your scheduled time ended, but now you had a reason to stay. The guys checked in four hours ago but no sign of them… yet.

“I can keep you on into the next hour, but then I’ll need you to clock out. You can linger here if you want, but I can’t pay you for it,” he said.

“Yes sir,” you said. Just then you saw the front desk phone light up with a room number that made your heart stop. You stared at the phone, stunned as if it suddenly grew legs.

“Answer it!” Mr. Henry commanded to break you from your trance.

“Hello?” You said in a panic, totally forgetting the customary front-desk-speech you’re supposed to recite each time you answer the phone.

The familiar voice belonging to the man in room 809 said, “Hello. Um, I know this is a strange request, but I was wondering if you could recommend the best local florist to me?” Oh great, he’s sending flowers to his girlfriend.

“Yes, yes, I can compose a list of our best local florists and deliver it to your room, Mr.—?” you ask.

“Wagner,” the voice answered. It was Danny, but you already knew that. You recognized his sweet, sultry voice immediately.

“Yes, Mr. Wagner,” you said, trying to keep the squeal out of your voice. “I’ll personally deliver this list to your room shortly.”

“Thanks, you’re an angel,” he said before hanging up. You hung up the front desk phone and took a deep breath. Did that really just happen?

“I’ll personally deliver this to your room shortly,” Mr. Henry mocked you in a high pitched voice.

“I’m just honoring our guest’s request,” you said while sticking your tongue out. You turned your attention to your computer and opened a new tab to start researching the local florists. Surely Danny knew how to use Google… Why in the world would he need to call the front desk of a hotel for something like this? Oh well. You weren’t going to question it because now you had a reason for making your way up to their floor.

You finished compiling a list of local florists, sorting them from highly rated to lowest, and hit print. You grabbed a mint from the bowl on the counter–that of course was intended for guests only–and reapplied your lip gloss before grabbing the list off the printer.

“Mr. Henry, I’m delivering this to our guest in room 809,” you said with a smirk. You made your way to the elevator and reminded yourself to take steady breaths as you hit the number 8 button. As the elevator moved up, you felt your stomach grow heavier. Relax. As if you had to command your legs to move, you forced yourself to walk through the open elevator doors. The short distance to room 809 now seemed to be a million miles away. Hoping your sweaty palms didn’t dampen the list of florists, you approached Mr. Wagner’s room and mustered up the courage to knock. As if your knuckles were made of glass, you lightly knocked on his door and waited for him to answer. Alas, the door opened and there in front of you stood a Greek God who came to Earth. You couldn’t believe he was actually there standing in front of you.

“Mr. Wagner, here is your requested list of the best local florists,” you stammered, wondering if you stumbled over any of your words in the process. You had no idea if the words that came out of your mouth were English. Hell, maybe you didn’t even speak at all.

“There’s my angel,” he said with a smile as he reached for the list in your hands. His fingers lightly grazed yours unintentionally, or was it? You watched his eyes move across your chest, surely just eyeing your nametag. “My sister’s birthday is tomorrow, so I’m needing a bouquet of daisies delivered to the venue,” he added as if to answer your unspoken question of why he would need a florist.

“Daisies?” you asked.

“Her favorite flower,” he said with a soft smile.

“She has great taste. That’s very kind of you,” you said while biting your lip to hide a relieved smile. “Is there anything else I can assist you with today, Mr. Wagner?”

“Please call me Danny,” he said with a nervous laugh.

“Mr. Wagner, I–” you began.

“Danny,” he interrupted. You stood there tight-lipped. You knew it was part of your job to always address guests formally, but you also knew that Danny would correct you every single time.

“Mr. Danny Wagner,” you said, finding a loophole, “is there anything else I can assist you with this afternoon?”

“Yes, actually,” he said. “Since I have you here, could you recommend what I should order for dinner?”

“Yes, of course. We have two wonderful restaurants on property that provide in-room service. Menus for both should be located on your dresser. Personally, I recommend the steak frites or the ahi tuna nachos,” you said.

“And would you be the one to make those deliveries?” he asked.

“No, sir. I will not be working this evening,” you said.

“So that means you are free to join me for dinner tonight?” he asked. Suddenly, you felt your body temperature rise. Your cheeks began to warm, showing a deep shade of red that no blush could ever create.

“Mr. Wagner, I–” you said.

“Danny,” he interrupted again.

“Mr. Danny Wagner, I don’t think–” you said.

“It’s just dinner. I’m going to put in two orders of steak frites and two orders of ahi tuna nachos to be delivered to my room by 7:00 p.m. I hope you will be back here to join me before then,” he said.

Without thinking, you immediately nodded. “Yes, I’ll be back,” you said. Suddenly, the most beautiful smile you’ve ever seen lit up his already glowing face. You swear his eyes even sparkled.

You went home to change out of your unflattering uniform and put on something that was both comfortable and cute. You freshened up your makeup, brushed your hair, and sprayed the expensive perfume that you always saved for special occasions on your neck. You stared at your Greta Van Fleet records and wondered if you should bring them for Danny to sign. Nobody was going to believe that you two were hanging out in his hotel room, and you sure as hell weren’t going to take a picture to prove it. But you wanted to remember what was probably just a fever dream forever, so you grabbed the records and put them in your tote bag. You gave yourself one final look in the mirror before walking out the door.

On the way back to the hotel, you started to feel nervous. Was this just going to be a one-night-stand? How often does he do this? What if he tries to take it too far? You contemplated turning the car around but something in your head told you to keep driving. No matter how attractive you found him or how much you loved his band, you would not be pressured to do anything you didn’t want to do. You pulled into the employee parking lot–even though you weren’t there as an employee–and took a deep breath before exiting your car. Carrying your tote bag with your Greta Van Fleet vinyls in it, you walked through the automatic glass doors and into the hotel lobby.

“What are you doing back so soon?” Mr. Henry called from behind the desk.

“I was invited to have dinner with a friend,” you said smugly.

“A friend, eh?” he said, narrowing his eyes.

“Yes, a friend who is staying on the top floor,” you said, meeting his gaze.

“Please do not harass our guests. I told you about their stay in confidence,” he whispered.

“Mr. Henry, a friend who happens to be staying here invited me to dinner so that’s where I am headed,” you said as you made your way to the elevator. “I’ll call the front desk if I need you,” you added before leaving the lobby.

As you hit the number 8 button inside the elevator, you nervously bit your lip as the doors closed. You gripped the strap of your tote bag tighter as you tried to remind yourself to stay cool. When the doors opened, you made your way to room 809 where you stood outside his door wondering if you made the whole thing up in your head earlier. There was no way this was real. If he answered the door and had no idea who you were because you made the whole thing up in your head, you would just make a run for it. You knew where all of the emergency exits were. Good plan. You lightly knocked on his door and awaited your fate. Suddenly, the familiar Greek God from earlier appeared in the doorway and was welcoming you inside his room. So it was real. Danny greeted you by name–good to know he wasn’t just staring at your boobs earlier–and you made your way into the hotel room that you knew like the back of your hand.

“The food should be here in about 15 minutes,” Danny said as he grabbed the remote to turn off the television. You made a mental note that he was watching golf on ESPN.

“I can’t wait,” you said as you took a seat on the small couch in the room. Sitting on his bed would just be rude.

“What’s in the tote bag?” Danny asked as he took a seat next to you. You could feel your cheeks start to blush as you pulled the vinyls out.

“I was hoping you’d sign these for me,” you said sheepishly.

“Oh hell yeah, of course,” Danny said excitedly as he grabbed the stack from you. “Uh, let me call and see if someone has a Sharpie.”

“It doesn’t have to be right now,” you added quickly.

“Well, I won’t forget. I promise,” he held up his pinky. You wrapped your pinky around his which made your heart beat faster. His big hands made yours look and feel tiny in comparison.

“I’m so excited for the show tomorrow,” you said.

“What song do you want to hear most?” he asked with a smirk.

“I already know the setlist,” you said, matching his smirk.

“Well, setlists aren’t set in stone, ya know? Seriously, what song would you want to hear tomorrow?” he asked again.

“Well… One song I noticed that wasn’t on the list that I would kill to hear live would probably be ‘Talk On The Street’ if you want total honesty,” you added. Suddenly, Danny jumped up and made his way into the closet.

“Uh, what are you doing?” you asked, feeling a little nervous. He grabbed a pair of drumsticks and made his way back over to join you on the couch. He turned his body to face you as he began tapping the drums on the sofa cushions. You recognized the beat instantly. He was playing “Talk On The Street'' flawlessly as if the cushions were his drum set. You watched his face as he concentrated on hitting the cushions; you couldn’t help but smile. Before he could finish his performance, a loud knock on the door startled you both.

“Here,” he said, handing you his drumsticks as he jumped up to answer the door. Your hands shook as you held his drumsticks in your hands. Signs of wear and tear were noticeable but they still held up well. You looked up to see Mr. Henry had pushed the room service cart into the room. Four covered dishes were neatly arranged on top of the white tablecloth, along with a bottle of wine and two long-stemmed wine glasses. You quickly met his gaze to give him a reassuring look that you were “ok” before he finished uncovering the dishes and arranging the polished silverware.

“Would you like me to open the bottle of wine, sir?” Mr. Henry asked Danny as he presented the bottle like it was a newborn baby.

“Yes, thank you,” Danny said as he shot you a wink. You felt your body melt into the sofa cushions and prayed you’d be able to climb back out. As Mr. Henry finished pouring the second glass of wine, he turned to you one last time to make sure you felt safe. Then he turned his attention to Danny and asked, “Is there anything else I can do for you this evening, sir?”

“No, I think we are all set,” Danny said as he held what looked to be a 100 dollar bill out toward Mr. Henry.

“I cannot accept tips, sir,” Mr. Henry said as he put his hands behind his back.

“I insist,” Danny said, holding the bill out even further.

“As the manager, I am legally unable to accept tips. I do appreciate the gesture,” Mr. Henry said as he bowed to Danny. He grabbed the silver covers to the dishes and made his way to exit the room. You watched him leave and realized you were squeezing the drumsticks so tight that you were probably going to get a splinter.

“I just realized you probably eat food from here all of the time. I should have ordered us something else,” Danny said as he nervously rubbed the back of his neck.

“No, I actually don’t. This is wonderful, thank you,” you said as you jumped up to join him near the front of the room. You held the drumsticks out to him but he held up his hand in protest.

“Keep them,” Danny said.

“I couldn’t–” you said.

“You can pretend you caught them at the concert,” he said playfully. You held the drum sticks close to your heart as a way of showing how meaningful this gesture was. You put your newest prized-possession inside your tote bag when Danny brought you over a glass of wine.

“Cheers to new beginnings,” he said as he lifted his glass for a toast.

“To new beginnings,” you repeated as you touched his glass to yours. You took a sip of the wine and watched his eyes linger on your face a little too long. He realized that he may have been staring and immediately cleared his throat before bringing the glass to his lips.

You both ate and drank while enjoying the simple company of one another. Danny controlled most of the conversation but not in an arrogant sort of way. You almost felt like it was a Q&A because he was asking you so many questions about your life. You could tell he was genuinely curious about who you were, your hobbies, your family, and more. You barely had an opportunity to ask him any similar questions because he was always ready with the next question for you. However, you were curious what the other guys were up to. Were they staying in the hotel or did they go out? Were they hanging out together in another room? You didn’t want to pry but curiosity got the best of you.

“So do you guys normally spend evenings alone when on tour?” you asked as you swirled your second glass of wine around. You were thankful to have had a moment to put him in the hot seat where he had to do the answering.

“Honestly it depends on the city and how long of a break we have,” Danny said as he smoothed his palms over the top of his pants. “I think everyone just wanted some alone time tonight.”

“I get that,” you said. While others needed to be in constant contact with friends or family, you found yourself often wanting to be isolated. It probably stemmed from having a job where you were always having to interact with the public. You didn’t mind spending evenings alone, but it was nice to be in his company. Oddly enough, you were also fighting the urge not to clean the dirty dishes from the room. You had to remind yourself that you were currently there as a guest and not an employee.

“We’ll probably party tomorrow night after the show,” he said. You consciously took your time forming a response as you finished your glass of wine. On the one hand, you considered this as an invitation to spend more time with him. On the other hand, you weren’t sure if you wanted to cringe at the idea of having to clean up their mess after they left.

“Don’t tell me you guys trash hotel rooms,” you said, covering your face.

“No, no, it’s not like that,” Danny said, grabbing your hands away from your face. You noticed he didn’t let go once he held them. You could feel the rough parts of his palms and fingertips–calluses from playing instruments. Your hands looked so small in his but you didn’t pull away.

“I meant it when I said you’re an angel,” he said quietly.

“I got you a list of florists. That’s hardly angelic,” you said, staring at your hands in his.

“I could simply tell from your voice. I didn’t even know what you looked like. But then when you came to my door, I knew I was right,” he said as he lightly ran his thumbs over the top of your hands.

“Do you normally call the front desk for things you could Google on your own in hopes of finding angels?” you asked playfully.

“I may have been influenced to call,” he said with a grin. Your bewildered expression caused him to laugh. “Your manager may have hinted that the girl working the front desk was a huge fan when he was escorting us to our rooms…”

“Oh my God,” you said as you tried to pull your hands away to cover your face in embarrassment, but his hold on your hands became firm. You felt your body heat up and you weren’t sure if it was because you were embarrassed or because you felt a connection while he held your hands tighter.

“It really is my sister’s birthday tomorrow. I really did need a florist,” he said laughing. “I just wanted to meet this huge fan for myself.”

“I’m so embarrassed,” you said, closing your eyes. If he was going to keep you from covering your face, you figured you’d do your best to hide by not looking at him.

“Don’t be,” he said as you felt him let go of your hands. Before you could open your eyes, you felt his fingers gingerly push a strand of hair away from your face. His touch sent waves of electricity through your body. You wanted him to put his hands all over you if that simple touch could cause such a reaction inside. You fought the temptation and used your better judgment, even though the combination of the wine and your attraction to him made it difficult to think clearly.

“It’s getting late and I have to be up early for work tomorrow,” you said as you watched the light in his eyes dim.

“Are you working tomorrow night?” he asked as if he were worried about something.

“No, no, I will be at the concert come hell or high water,” you said. “I’m bringing my outfit to work so I can change when I get off.”

“Where is your seat?” Danny asked.

“Oh, it’s not great but I’ll just be happy to be there,” you said.

“Can I get you a pit ticket?” he asked, grinning. You bit your lip to keep from smiling but the corners of your mouth gave you away. “I’ll pull a string or two to make sure I can see you from the stage.”

“That’s really not necessary, I–” you started.

“Please,” he said softly. You met his eyes and then realized he was being totally serious about wanting to watch you while he played.

“Yes, of course,” you said, not looking away from his stare as you studied his deep brown eyes. He jumped up again and went over to the dresser. You watched with curiosity as he returned back to you with a room key in his hand.

“I know you already have access to my room–wow, that sounds weird saying it aloud–but here,” he said, handing you the second key. “You can use my room to get ready in when you get off work. I have to be at the venue pretty early, so you’ll have the whole place to yourself. I’ll get a pit wristband somehow and leave it in here for you too.” The idea of not having to use the tiny breakroom to get ready for the concert was nice, but something about having one of his room keys made you feel a little nervous. “You can use it to come back to party with us after the show too,” he added. So it was an invitation earlier.

“Are you sure? I’d feel weird being in your room when you’re not here,” you said.

“Just don’t go through my underwear. Or do, I won’t know,” he said, grinning.

Part Three

Now that you knew you were going to be up front at the concert, you started to wonder if the outfit you had planned was good enough. That being said, you had literally no other options and made the best of it. Mr. Henry was able to let you off work before 6:00 p.m., so you didn’t feel super stressed for time. You carried your outfit on its hanger and had your cosmetic bag in tow as you made your way to the elevator to get ready in Danny’s room. You still couldn’t believe he offered his personal space to you, but you were going to take advantage of the opportunity. You had an hour and a half before you had to call an Uber, so you made mental notes on where to start when you got to room 809. You scanned the key card and entered the room. Housekeeping had definitely been here because it was spotless; that is, unless Danny naturally kept his room that way. It could be a toss-up. As promised, an envelope with your name on it was sitting on top of the dresser. You put your stuff down on the couch and made your way over to open the envelope. You opened it to find not only a wristband but also a handwritten note that said:

Angel,

I can’t wait to see you tonight.

-Danny

When you finally got to the venue, you could hear the opening act loudly from the lobby. You asked an employee where to go to get on the floor, and she directed you to the general admission entrance. You entered the pit and stood behind rows of hundreds of fans; yet, you noticed your wristband was a completely different color from theirs. Not like anyone but you would even notice. You found a clear area in the back of the pit and hung out on the side barricade, enjoying what was left of the opening act. You weren’t sure when Greta Van Fleet would go on, but you were glad that you made it with plenty of time. The openers played their last song so you knew you had a brief intermission before Danny took the stage. The simple thought of seeing him again made you feel like you were floating.

“Excuse me,” you heard a deep voice say. You turned to see a large man, who was clearly working for security, standing near you. “You can follow me,” he motioned with his hand.

“Me?” You asked.

“Yes, I’ve been looking for a bright yellow wristband all night,” he said as if he were annoyed with you. Confused, you made your way out of the back entrance and followed him along the right side of the pit. You could feel people staring at you but you tried to focus on following the large man. Even though he was three times your size, the man moved quickly. He stopped near the front section of the pit and let you in at the side, the furthest right on the barricade. You felt bad moving up to a space that was so clearly coveted by the surrounding fans. You gave the girls next to you a soft smile to which they just turned their backs to you. Lovely.

The music started to play from behind the curtains and you felt every ounce of energy in the venue radiate. After what felt like an eternity, the curtain fell and even though there were four men on stage, you were immediately drawn to Danny. You loved seeing both versions of him: The soft, kind man who had his hair pulled back in a clip yesterday and the rockstar version with rhinestones, eyeliner, and full luscious curls. You screamed as the four of them took their positions on stage to play “The Falling Sky” but your eyes were still fixed on him. As if he could sense you, he met your gaze and playfully stuck his tongue out. You felt your knees get weak and you fought to stay standing. You grabbed your phone to record bits and pieces of the concert. Every time you moved your camera on Danny, he’d go especially crazy, no doubt showing out for you. You didn’t realize it, but you were biting your bottom lip so hard that you started to feel pain.

Once the guys started to head back toward the front from B stage, you realized why the security guard positioned you to this exact spot in the pit. You watched as Jake passed by you and felt your lungs almost give out when Danny personally handed you a white rose. Screams of fans enveloped all around you and you noticed many phones pointed at you too.

“Holy shit, did you just get a rose from Danny?” the girl who ignored you earlier asked.

“Yes,” you said breathlessly as reality was still setting in. You continued to watch in awe of the band as they performed the last half of their setlist. Part of you wondered if they’d stick to what you knew was coming after Danny made the comment last night about them not being set in stone, but you had about all you could take. If they were to play anything else, you wouldn’t make it out of the arena alive. As long as you were buried with this white rose, maybe it’d be worth it.

While you were watching the final song, you felt a tap on your right shoulder. You looked to see that it was the large security guard from earlier. Without a word, he motioned for you to exit and follow him. What the hell? The concert wasn’t even over yet. Not wanting to get on this man’s nerves any more than you inadvertently did, you slipped out the side of the barricade and followed him backstage. Even if he were to say something to you, the noise from the stage overpowered your senses. You couldn’t hear anything but the music. You weren’t sure where he was taking you, but you kept your rose and clear purse firmly clutched against your body. He finally stopped when he reached a small door in a dim hallway. The place kind of gave you the creeps.

“Danny asked me to get you out of there before it got too crazy,” the man finally spoke as he unlocked the door. Before you could say a word, he turned around and left you standing in the barren hallway. You entered the room and noticed a huge bouquet of daisies on the table in the middle of the room. No card, no note. His sister must have already taken it out before the concert. The local florist he chose did a beautiful job. You admired the soft petals before making your way to his vanity. You took a seat in the chair and stared at your reflection in the mirror. Your subtle rhinestones in the corners of your eyes had held up surprisingly well. You took the lipgloss out of your clear purse and reapplied it when you heard the doorknob start to turn. You spun around to see Danny entering the room. His tall stature took up the entire space of the doorway. Clad in only a pair of shiny white pants, you gulped when he locked the door behind him. You admired his back muscles before he quickly turned back to face you.

“That was incredible!” you squealed as he made his way over to you.

“Yeah?” he asked like he didn’t already know. He took the rose out of your hand and stuck it in the bouquet of daisies. It looked incongruous sticking over the top of the daisies that you had to giggle.

“As long as your sister doesn’t take my rose,” you said.

“Oh, those are yours,” Danny said, moving closer to you.

“What?” you asked.

“I may or may not have ordered two bouquets. That one is yours,” he said as he was now close enough to touch you. “You said she had good taste. I assumed they’d be your favorite flower, too,” he said sheepishly.

“Yes, they absolutely are, but–” you started to say.

“I wanted to give you a daisy tonight instead of a rose, but Josh told me no. Between you and me, I think he was just mad I was copying him to begin with,” he said with a shrug.

“Everything about tonight was absolutely perfect. I can’t thank you enough,” you said.

“The second I saw you, I immediately got nervous,” Danny said.

“Shut up,” you said while rolling your eyes.

“No, seriously. I never get nervous before a show, but seeing you made me feel like I was under pressure,” he admitted.

“You wouldn’t have felt like that if you had let me keep my seat in the nosebleeds,” you said sticking your tongue out.

“I still would have found you out of the thousands of people. You naturally glow, angel,” Danny said as he softly touched your arm. You moved your hand over the top of his and admired his rare beauty. You felt your heart race as he moved his body closer to you. Even though he already towered over you when standing next to him, now that you were sitting down, he looked even more intimidating in the best way possible. You held your breath as he seemingly removed any open space between you two.

“Can I kiss you?” he asked in the most faint of voice you almost wanted him to ask you again. As if every word you’ve ever learned escaped your brain, you nodded. He leaned down and put his soft lips against yours. You felt your body relax as his hands moved across your back, pulling you closer into an embrace. His lips pushed yours open and his musician’s fingers glided up your back until they reached your neck. You moaned as if you had never tasted anyone so sweet, so good in all your life. The noise that escaped you only seemed to ignite the fire that was already lit inside him. This kiss was becoming dangerous, and now you had a new reason why you weren’t going to make it out of the arena alive. As if he sensed the same need for caution, Danny slowly pulled away and left you wanting more.

“Now that was incredible,” he said in a voice so low you barely heard him because there was a loud, obnoxious knock at the door. You watched as he nervously situated himself to answer the door. You obviously weren’t the only one who got excitedly lost in the kiss. You watched as he took a deep breath and shook his head before opening the door. Without warning, Sammy entered the room carrying a bottle of tequila.

“Are we partying here or taking it back to the hotel?” he loudly announced as he made his way into the room. He stopped moving when he noticed you sitting in the chair.

“Oh shit, was I interrupting something?” he asked with a nervous grin.

“No, no,” you said as you jumped down from the chair. “I was just leaving,” you said as you grabbed the vase of daisies with the tall rose sticking out the top.

“You still have the room key?” Danny leaned in and asked you quietly.

“Yes,” you said.

“Will I see you soon then?” he asked as if he were holding on to your every word.

“Yes,” you repeated. He relaxed into a smile and rubbed your arm.

Part Four

You called an Uber to take you home so you could put your new vase of flowers away before you Ubered back to the hotel where your car was. Before leaving the house, you stuck an extra change of clothes, your toothbrush, and a phone charger in a purse just in case you weren’t coming back home for the evening. You did have a key to a hotel room, after all. When you got to the hotel, you recognized concert-goers in the lobby based on the outfits. You blended right in with your rhinestones, glitter, and pearls. You wondered what these people would do if you revealed the band was secretly occupying the same space as them. Keeping that secret made you feel even more confident as you made your way up to room 809.

You could hear music blaring from their end of the hallway as soon as you stepped out of the elevator. The security guard from earlier was positioned right outside the elevator doors. Like an old friend, you gave him a wave to which he ignored. He didn’t say a word to you as you walked around him. “Great talking to you again,” you said as you made your way to find where the music was coming from. Doors were propped open and you tried to ignore the safety hazards that were everywhere. You walked past rooms crowded with faces you didn’t know, scanning for the one that made your heart beat faster. Unlike the others, room 809’s door was closed. You scanned the key card and let yourself in. There you found Danny, Sammy, and another girl pouring shots. Danny called out your name as you nervously shut the door behind you. Danny introduced you to his friends when Sammy said, “We’ve already met, remember?”

“Hi, I’m Josie,” the girl said, holding out her hand.

“This is my sister,” Danny said as he pulled Josie into a side hug.

“Oh! Happy birthday!” you exclaimed when shaking her hand.

“Thank you!” she said as she handed you a shot glass.

“To another trip around the sun,” Sammy said as he held up his shot glass to make a toast. You touched your shot glass to theirs and threw back the liquid that burned all the way down. Trying to mask your disgust, you cleared your throat.

“Here,” Danny said, holding a can of White Claw out to you. “This will help cut the burn. Sorry, Josie insisted on us taking tequila shots for her birthday.” You took the can and was grateful for the chaser.

You panicked a little when you scanned the hotel room and noticed your stuff from earlier was nowhere to be found. Your cosmetic bag, work uniform, and shoes weren’t in the spot where you left them earlier. As if he could sense your uneasiness, Danny whispered in your ear, “Your things are in the closet.” You gave him a soft smile to show that he had read your mind perfectly.

You continued the evening party hopping from one room to the next with Danny on your arm. Every room had a different sound, vibe, and smell to it. You did your best to ignore the state laws being broken right in front of you when the boys blew smoke out into the hallway. You were a guest, remember? Not an employee. You silently prayed they wouldn’t trigger the smoke detectors, but you had a feeling they were experts at avoiding that by now. It was a surreal moment getting to hangout with your favorite band. Getting to see them on stage was one thing but getting to see them act natural in a relaxed environment was a whole different experience.

As if the work day and concert was starting to catch up to you, you stifled a yawn that you tried to keep hidden. It was a little past 2 a.m. and the party showed no signs of stopping. Danny noticed your attempt at hiding your yawn and squeezed your shoulder before announcing to everyone in the room that he was calling it a night.

“What?” Josh yelled. “You can sleep on the bus all day tomorrow.”

“Not with your snoring,” Danny responded back. You made a mental note that Josh snores loudly. Then again, who would you have to tell that would believe you?

“It was so nice to meet all of you,” you said as you waved both hands to the dozens of people occupying the small space. Josie jumped up to give you a hug goodbye and you noticed a look you couldn’t quite pinpoint that she exchanged with her brother. You followed Danny out of the room where he took your hand and led you back to his room.

“You really didn’t have to cut the party short on my behalf,” you said as you followed him inside.

“I can party with them every night. I want to spend more time with you,” he said.

“Well,” you said looking at the time, “you have a little under 8 hours until check out.”

“What if I request a late checkout? Do you know anyone who could pull some strings for me?” he said, pulling you into a bear hug.

“I would let you stay as long as you want, but I don’t think my say matters,” you said into his chest.

“You’d let me stay forever?” he said as his chin rested on top of your head.

“That’s certainly the latest checkout time I’ve ever heard, but I’d make it work for you,” you said. You felt him let go and you looked up to see him looking down into your eyes. He still had his concert makeup on, but then again, so did you. He quietly said your name and you felt your bones turn to jello.

“Yes?” you responded.

“Would you like to stay the night with me?” he asked.

“What if I told you I had my toothbrush and a change of clothes already in my purse?” you answered his question with a question. His face lit up with that contagious smile. Suddenly, he picked you up and carried you to the bed. You squealed with laughter as he dropped you gently on top of the comforter.

“Mr. Wagner, are we going to leave a trail of rhinestones in this bed?” you asked playfully as you propped yourself up on your elbows.

“I won’t mess up your makeup, angel,” he said as he stood over you.

“What if I wanted you to?” you asked with a smirk.

“I’ll give you anything you want,” he said as he began to remove his clothes. You had already seen him shirtless earlier, but seeing his muscles again made you short of breath. You followed his lead and began to remove your top. He then started to take off his shoes where he held on to your legs for balance. Without removing his hands from your body, he moved his way up your thighs and lingered near the waistband of your shorts.

“May I?” he asked.

“You may,” you said, matching his tone, “such a gentleman.” He slowly pulled your shorts down while you laid back on the bed. Danny smiled as he gazed over your matching bra and panty set–something you were mindful of when deciding what to wear tonight.

“My, my, my,” he said as he admired your body.

“I believe you’d be more comfortable out of those pants,” you said when you noticed the large bulge behind his zipper. He immediately began to unbutton his own pants and pulled them down. He now stood in front of you wearing nothing but a thin pair of boxer briefs that left nothing to the imagination. You pulled your body up and moved your fingers over his chest that started to heave in anticipation. He moved closer to you and you felt his hands slowly move down your back until they met your bra. As if undoing a bra clasp was his area of expertise–and maybe it was but you didn’t want to think about that–you felt the straps fall in one swift motion. Your breasts were bare and when you met Danny’s eyes, you could see a shudder run through him. He gently pushed you back on the bed and traced his mouth over your right nipple before taking it into his mouth. You rubbed your fingers through his thick ringlets and couldn’t believe how soft they felt.

His mouth moved from your chest as it kissed every inch of your stomach until he reached your panties. As if waiting for your permission, Danny lingered until you gave him another sign of approval by inching yourself up so he could remove your panties easier. His calloused fingertips traced your hips when he pulled your panties down, exposing the sacred part of you. “Fuck” he gritted out. You let out a giggle and wrapped your legs around his waist, moving him toward you. It looked like he stopped breathing when you pulled the waistband of his boxer briefs down and saw his large erection up close and personal. Wow. “You’re the sexiest man on the fucking planet,” you said as you gazed up at him. That was all he could handle. He climbed on top of you and you felt his hard erection rub against the top of your center where it rested on your stomach. He took you in mouthfuls at a time. His tongue parted your lips and you breathed him in. You moved your fingers back to his curls where you pulled fistfuls gently as you drew him closer. You heard him say your name as his lips moved to kiss your neck, nipping you lightly with his teeth. You arched your back and pushed your hips into him, signaling you were ready for him. Suddenly you screamed when you felt two fingers, that had once been so gentle against your skin, now sliding inside of you. “I want you so bad,” you moaned as he moved his fingers in and out of you in a rough, repeated motion. You could hear the sound of your own wetness and could only imagine what his dick would feel like inside of you. “Please,” you moaned. You weren’t one to beg, but the effect he had over you was hypnotic. You felt him slowly remove his fingers and when you looked at him, he put them inside of his mouth–not breaking eye contact. He reached inside the nightstand where he pulled out a shiny gold wrapper. You waited in anticipation as he slid the condom over himself. He returned back to your wanting body and grabbed fistfuls of your ass to pull you to the edge of the bed. You parted your thighs as an invitation for him to enter, and he slowly pushed his way inside of you. “Oh, Danny,” you moaned as you threw your head back on the bed. You felt him enter deeper, still taking his time to make sure you were ok. Your white knuckles clenched the comforter beneath you as the intense pleasure took over you completely. Now that he had made himself known, he went at you harder. You whimpered as he continued to deliver deep, hard thrusts that you hoped would never end. You couldn’t help but to scream as his primal instincts made you start to writhe beneath him.

“I’m going to cum,” you yelled as you felt your body tighten beneath him.

“Cum for me, angel,” he moaned. And as if you’d follow his every command, an orgasm shuddered through you. Your hands found his strong arms where you gripped his biceps, digging your nails into his flesh. He continued to hit deeper and you thought you were going to black out. “Oh my god,” you yelled out as you felt his hands tighten against your legs. He was at his breaking point–you felt him collapse on top of you breathing out a “holy shit” in the process. The once perfect curls that framed his face now stuck to his sweaty skin. He rolled over to lay beside you as you both struggled to catch your breath.

“Holy shit,” he repeated. You turned to face him, admiring the features of his beautiful face. You always had a soft spot for him, but the last two days have made you absolutely crazy for him. You knew this was only going to be a hookup; as much as you would love to lay next to–and especially under–this man every day for the rest of eternity, it would be impossible. You chose not to dwell on the fact that he could never be just yours, so instead you chose to enjoy the fact that you didn’t want to be anywhere else in the world at this moment.

“What are you thinking?” he asked as he studied your face. Your eyes must have given away your busy mind. You met his eyes that were once soft, then animalistic, and now concerned.

“I’m thinking about how I wish I could be in every hotel you stay at,” you admitted.

“You know, the tour is currently on its last leg of dates,” he said as he pushed your hair back from your face. “I’ll be free in a little over a month.”

“You wouldn’t want to come back here during your time off,” you said, shaking your head. You knew he was only telling you things that you wanted to hear. You knew the closest you’d ever get to him again was going to be watching concert videos from tonight on your phone.

“I would absolutely come back here. Those steak frites were incredible,” he teased. “Oh, I would come back for you too, of course.” You rolled your eyes and tried to turn away but he pulled you closer to him. He nuzzled his face into the nape of your neck. “Why do you smell like strawberries?” he said.

“My conditioner,” you laughed.

“I love it,” he inhaled. “Use it again on November 20 when I check back into this hotel.”

“Shut up,” you said as you playfully hit his arm.

“Will you leave me rose petals on the bed?” he asked. “Is that something I can call and request before I arrive?”

“I’m sorry. That’s not a request we can accommodate, Mr. Wagner,” you said in your customer-service-voice.

“I’m sure the angel working the front desk will pull some strings for me,” he said as he squeezed you tighter.

“I’ll see what I can do,” you said as you enjoyed the moment in his embrace. He began kissing your neck and you felt goosebumps erupt all over your body. His kisses became more frequent and passionate, and you sensed he was ready to go again when you felt his dick harden against your thigh.

“Again?” you said as both a question and an invitation.

“Good thing I have a late checkout,” he said with a smile as he pulled you on top of him.

The End

#greta van fic #greta van fleet #greta van smut #greta van fleet smut #danny wagner #daniel wagner

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stardustshelb · 10 months

Text

"Strawberry" Part Six - The End

TW: Language and sexual content

Word count: 7,939

Chapter Sixteen

The worst part about the bachelorette trip, other than my inevitable goodbye to Josh, was the bachelorette trip in itself. And as horrible as that sounds coming from the maid of honor, it was the truth. This trip has been full of drama and part of me wondered if Riley regretted ever planning it. If it weren’t for meeting Josh, I’m sure I would have been miserable the entire time. Then again, none of the drama would have existed had I not met Josh in the first place. Maybe I was the problem all along. I couldn’t shake the thought of being the reason why this trip had been such a bummer. I rolled over to check the time on my phone. I could tell it was morning from the daylight entering through the sheer curtains, but I didn’t expect it to be already past 10:00 a.m. I couldn’t believe I slept in so late; I couldn’t believe nobody woke me up. At the same time, I had no idea what was even on the itinerary for today. Maybe I really was the root problem of this trip. I turned off DND to find zero missed notifications. Ouch.

I rolled out of bed and felt a slight headache forming. I wasn’t sure if it was due to the three glasses of wine or bawling my eyes out before bed. I glanced at myself in the full-length mirror beside the bed and noticed how swollen my eyes were. Yep, definitely from crying. I needed to get some cold water on my face ASAP. I made my way out of my room and across the hall to the bathroom.

When I walked out into the hallway, I noticed the house was eerily quiet. It almost felt like I was home alone. I walked into the living room hoping to find a warm body, but it was empty. I checked the dining room and the kitchen—both were a ghost town. I glanced out the window and felt my stomach drop. The rental car was gone. Was everyone hanging out without me?

“Hello?” I called out but didn’t get a response. In a panic, I made my way to Riley’s room and didn’t even knock before entering. I found her sitting on her bed with her headphones in her ears and she was staring down at her phone. She jumped when she realized I was standing in front of her.

“Shit!” She yelled as she took her airpods out.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” I said as I took a seat next to her on her bed.

“I’ve been on Twitter all morning,” Riley said.

“And?” I asked.

“I don’t think anyone knows who we are, but there is a lot of speculation about you specifically,” Riley said.

“Why’s that?” I asked.

“Well, did you realize that yours and Josh’s hands were touching?” Riley asked me while she held her phone out for me to see. As if I were seeing Abby’s TikTok for the first time, I was shocked that I had missed that detail. Our pinky fingers were touching as we sat on the living room floor. I don’t even remember our hands doing that. It must have been a subconscious need to want to feel connected to him.

“Shit,” I said.

“Have you heard from Josh this morning?” Riley asked.

“Not a word,” I said with a sigh.

“Well, I don’t care if I sound immature, but you can’t be the first one to text him,” Riley said.

“I won’t,” I said. “Hey, where the fuck is the rental car?” I asked when I realized why I came to her room in the first place.

“Abby got so upset that she booked a hotel for herself last night. I told her she was being ridiculous, but… Well… That’s Abby,” Riley said while shrugging her shoulders.

“I know I have been a shitty friend to you this weekend, but–” I started.

“Nope,” Riley said as she held her hand up to silence me. “I refuse to let Abby speak poorly of you, so I will hold you to the same rule. You’re both important to me and I refuse to listen when you guys try to talk shit about one other.”

“Ok fine,” I said, rolling my eyes.

“She will be back this afternoon. I tried to talk her out of leaving, but when I realized she had already made up her mind, I told her she could take the car,” Riley said.

“What about Maddie and Brooke?” I asked.

“As far as I know, they’re in the dark about what happened last night. I just told them that Abby needed to get away for a bit because there was a blow up, and they didn’t ask questions,” Riley said.

“Wow, really? They weren’t even the least bit curious?” I asked confusingly.

“Actually, Brooke said she was waiting for there to be a fist fight between you and Abby all weekend, so they weren’t surprised honestly,” Riley said with a laugh.

“I wanted to beat her ass so bad last night,” I said, forming a fist.

“You’ve literally never punched anyone,” Riley said, rolling her eyes.

“I’d gladly let her be the first,” I said while punching the palm of my hand.

“It’s the last day of our trip. Can we avoid conflict today? Pretty please?” Riley asked as she put her hands together like she was begging.

“I will be on my absolute best behavior,” I said as I took her hands in mine.

“Bestie, why are your eyes so swollen?” She asked as she rubbed her thumb below my eye.

“I cried myself to sleep because Josh left after the TikTok fiasco,” I said as my voice cracked.

“Why didn’t you come get me? I would have cuddled with you,” Riley said.

“I didn’t want to bother you. It sounds like you were busy coddling Abby anyways,” I said with a smirk.

“You should have. I didn’t get any sleep last night anyways. I definitely will be going to bed early tonight,” Riley said as she let out a yawn. “We have to be at the airport by 6:00 a.m. tomorrow.”

“Don’t remind me,” I said, throwing my body on the bed like I was a child throwing a tantrum.

“Yes, ma’am, so you better not stay up all night with you-know-who,” Riley said as she playfully poked my side.

“Well, I can always sleep on the plane,” I said as I stuck my tongue out at her.

We decided to spend the morning packing our suitcases and getting everything ready for a quick exit tomorrow morning when we’d have to walk out the door by 4:30 a.m. Abby made it back from her dramatic hotel getaway, but I had yet to see her come out of her room. I wouldn’t have cared if she spent the whole day isolated, but I knew we owed Riley a great last day of her bachelorette trip. I would play nice because I knew that after tomorrow, I wouldn’t have to see her again until Riley’s wedding at the end of next month. And then after that… never again. Despite moving away, Riley was still having her wedding in Oklahoma because all of her family still lived there. I was already looking forward to the days she’d be back home while we prepped and planned for her big day. School would be out by then and I could devote all of my time and energy to being her maid of honor. The one she deserved from the start.

“Are you ready?” I heard Riley ask when she popped into my room.

“Yep,” I said as I grabbed my phone off of the charger and my purse off of the bed. We planned to grab lunch together and then spend the day sightseeing. Riley said she wanted to ditch the itinerary and just be spontaneous. It was nice seeing her loosen up a bit. I checked my phone in the backseat of the car and frowned when I still had yet to receive a message from Josh.

Lunch, sightseeing, and straying from the beaten path was actually a nice change. Everyone, including Abby, was civil and seemed to have a nice time just going with the flow. I was glad we could give Riley a positive ending to what was a less than perfect weekend. Unfortunately, I was secretly spiraling on the inside. It was now almost 7:00 p.m. and I still hadn’t heard from Josh. While the day with the girls was fun and much-needed after our falling out, I spent more time trying not to think about him than I spent thinking about anything else. Against my better judgment, I opened my phone and composed a message: “Did you already decide to cut ties with me?” I stared at the text, hesitating if I should send it or not. I didn’t want to text him first, but I was driving myself insane wondering why he hadn’t reached out to me all day. Fuck him for making me feel this way. I started to feel anger towards him which was something I never would have expected. I cleared the message and decided it was best not to text him. If he wanted to, he would. I put my phone away and continued to watch the chick flick that Riley picked out for us to watch together. I listened for the girls’ laughter as a cue for me to laugh as well. I couldn’t focus on the movie because my mind was completely elsewhere.

Suddenly, I saw my phone light up out of the corner of my eye. I quickly grabbed it to see the name I had been waiting for all day.

Plagiarism: “I have been working and am finally free. I’d like to see you tonight.” I stared at his text wondering how to respond. I couldn’t help but to feel annoyed by the fact that he unexpectedly left me last night and then didn’t reach out all day. He knew how upset I was last night when he left. Then again, he didn’t owe me anything. I had a choice to make: Should I give in and let him come over even though I knew it was going to make it harder to say goodbye? Or should I sever ties early to protect myself? Truthfully, there was no right answer. I would be grieving him either way.

Me: “I’ll let you know when to head here.”

Plagiarism: “Counting down the seconds…”And just like that, every ounce of anger I had toward him vanished. I turned my attention back to the movie and silently prayed for the credits to start rolling.

For the last time, I waited patiently by the front door to sneak Josh in now that the girls had gone to bed. As I waited for him, I reminisced about our time together the last few days. I’m not sure I ever believed in fate but I was glad for whatever force of the universe brought us together on that plane. I was thankful for the limited time we had together and would cherish these memories forever. I had finally accepted (or at least I was pretending to accept) that our connection was just temporary. I heard him make his way up the steps and I opened the door to let him in. My heart practically jumped out of my chest now that he was next to me again. Without saying a word, I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him into a hug. I inhaled his cologne and felt my lungs expand as I breathed him in. His arms rested around my lower back as we held each other in an embrace. It was as if we were starting our silent goodbye at that moment even though he had just arrived. I didn’t want to let go, nor did he.

“Let’s go to your room,” he whispered in my ear. I felt goosebumps all over my skin as I finally let go to follow him down the hallway. We entered my bedroom and before I could even lock it, Josh had me pinned against the back of the door. I gasped as his mouth met mine. It was as if he had some sort of animalistic hunger take over him. I moved my hand to lock the door before his mouth started to travel down my neck and to my chest. I felt his hands grip my ass as he pulled me closer to him. I pulled my shirt off and felt one of his hands move up my back to undo my bra. His mouth remained on my chest as he kissed and nipped my breasts. I ran my hands through his hair as he effortlessly pulled my pajama shorts down to where I was standing in front of him completely naked. He buried his face between my thighs and his tongue worked its magic. I felt his firm grip on the back of my thighs as his tongue swirled around my clit. I grabbed handfuls of his hair as my head slammed back against the bedroom door. I moaned his name as my body shuddered in his strong grasp. I felt my body tighten as I fought the urge to scream. I moaned even louder and I swear I felt his mouth switch to a smile while his face stayed between my thighs. My eyes rolled back and my entire body writhed until every cell in my body spasmed because of his tongue. He didn’t stop and I physically felt like I was no longer standing but that he was anchoring me down with his tight grip. I pulled his hair back to try to get him to free me from this intense pleasure, but he continued to suck my clit until I felt another release. “Joshua Michael,” I moaned with what I swore would be my final breath.

“My forbidden fruit,” I heard him say as he kissed the top of my entrance before standing up. I stayed there in a post-multi-orgasm haze, silently thanking the door for supporting me as I tried not to collapse. Before I knew what was happening, I felt his strong arms lifting my body up and my legs wrapped around his waist. I let out a gasp at the shock of his sudden movement. I looked down to see his large biceps holding me up. Josh carried me to the bed where he gently tossed me on top of the mattress. Biting my lip, I watched him start to undress. He kept his eyes trained on me as he slid the condom over himself. I waited in anticipation for him to make his way to the bed.

“Come here,” I whispered as I scooted closer to the edge of the bed. He grabbed both of my legs in his arms and pulled me to him in one swift movement. I gasped as he entered me all at once. He was anything but gentle as he allowed that same hunger from earlier to take over as he took me. He pounded me so hard I thought he was going to shatter my pelvis. I wanted to watch his biceps pulse as they held my legs up but I couldn’t keep my eyes from rolling back into my head.

“I’m going to miss this,” he said as he continued to thrust. I grabbed fistfulls of the sheets and pulled them over my face to hide my blushed cheeks.

“I want to see your face. I like to watch you as I fuck you,” he said. I removed the sheets and looked at him as I wrapped my legs around his body and pulled him closer into me which I didn’t think was possible. I arched my back and grinded on him as he rapidly entered in and out of me. I moved my hands up and gripped his biceps as I watched him throw his head back. I moaned his name and I felt him release as he came. Both of us gasped for air like we had been drowning when he collapsed on top of me. The smell of sex, his cologne, and sweat was in the air.

“Let’s get cleaned up,” he said as I felt him kiss the side of my head. I never wanted to leave this bed. But against my will, I got up to collect my clothes and made my way to the bathroom to wash him off of me.

“I can’t believe I have to set an alarm for 2 a.m.,” Josh said as he held his phone with the clock app open. I snuggled closer next to him and wished time would just stop.

“Are you up for pulling an all-nighter?” I asked as I kissed his arm.

“Of course,” he said as he put his phone on the nightstand. We laid there basking in the golden glow from the lamp. I looked up at him and his dark brown eyes were smiling at me, and for a moment, I thought I would get lost in them.

“What did you do today?” I asked.

“We are starting our tour soon, so today was just full of meetings. We had to create a rough draft of a set list and even filmed some promos. It was kind of exhausting and overwhelming honestly,” he said with a soft laugh.

“How long will you be touring?” I questioned.

“We’ll be on the road for six months,” he said.

“Holy shit,” I said. “Are you guys coming to Oklahoma on your tour?”

“Uhhh,” he said nervously. “We’ll only be in Oklahoma for the bourbon meeting next month.”

“Damn, I was hoping I’d be able to score front row tickets,” I said jokingly.

“You can have a front row spot at any or all the shows. You tell me which ones you want to go to and I’ll make it happen,” he said. I couldn’t tell if he was full of shit or not.

“I’ll be out of school for summer soon, so maybe I’ll take you up on that,” I said. My heart fluttered at the idea of not only seeing him again but also being able to watch him perform.

“Oh, you’re old news, now,” he said with a smirk.

“Huh?” I asked as my eyebrows furrowed.

“Nobody is talking about Sam and Danny’s TikTok performance anymore according to our social media team. They posted some cryptic promos online to get the platforms talking about our upcoming tour instead,” he said with a wink.

“Ah, man. I was hoping you’d be my claim to fame,” I said with a sigh.

“Sorry, your 15 seconds are over,” he said, shrugging his shoulders.

“Will you let me know when you’re in Oklahoma next month?” I asked. I watched his eyes scan the room as if they were searching for an answer that seemed to elude him.

“Strawberry, I already told you that I don’t want to intrude on your personal life,” he said as if he were annoyed that I brought up the burning question again.

“You wouldn’t be,” I said. “You say I could have front row tickets to all of your shows but you don’t want to see me when you’re in my home state? It’s confusing.”

“It’s just—” he began.

“I’m leaving him when I get home,” I admitted for the first time. I was even surprised that I said my thoughts aloud.

“Strawberry…” he said with a sigh.

“No, it’s not because of you. Well, that’s not totally true. It is because of you. You have inspired me to stop living my life in a dormant state. I finally feel like I have something worth living for. I have a pulse, I have a mind, I have a heart, and I am free to use them however I see fit. It’s like you’ve awakened me in some way, Josh. And I know I sound crazy, but it’s true,” I said. I felt like I had just screamed the words off the pages of my figurative diary. I suddenly felt embarrassed by my bold confessions. Without saying a word, Josh tilted my chin up with his hand and I stared into his eyes.

“It’s important that you live your life the way you want without fear. I’m just happy to have been a small part of your new beginning,” he said as he gently kissed me. For the rest of the night and into the early morning of the new day, we held each other for hours, had deep conversations, and enjoyed the time left before his alarm went off. For the rest of my life, I would curse the sound of that alarm. I felt my soul split into two as I kissed him goodbye one last time.

Chapter Seventeen

I had only been gone for four nights, but I felt like I was stepping into unfamiliar territory when I got home. I had a little under six hours before Kenneth would be home from work which I was grateful for because I was trying to decide how and when to call off our engagement. I walked through my front door and was nearly tackled by Sassy. I missed my girl so much I wanted to cry as I got down on the floor to cuddle with her. I buried my face into her fur and wrapped my arms around her. I stayed with her on the floor until her zoomies wore off. I got up to drag my luggage to the bedroom where I could start to unpack. I unzipped the suitcase and started to throw my dirty clothes into the laundry basket. I didn’t get far into the task when my phone started to ring. I glanced at the screen and noticed Kenneth’s name.

“Hey,” I said as I balanced the phone between my ear and shoulder.

“Hey, are you home?” He asked.

“Yes, I just walked in,” I said.

“Did you have a good time?” He asked.

“Yeah for the most part,” I said as I continued to sort my laundry.

“Did you make any new friends?” He asked.

“Um, Maddie and Brooke seemed cool but that was about it,” I said.

“You didn’t hang out with anyone else?” He asked. Ok, he was definitely fishing for something.

“Uh, we met some people when we were out one night and they came over to play drinking games,” I said nonchalantly.

“People as in…?” He asked.

“Is there something you want to ask me, Kenneth?” I asked.

“We can talk about it when I get home. I’m going to leave the office early, so I’ll be home in a couple hours,” he said. I could sense he was angry. Maybe the tough conversation was going to come earlier than I planned for it to. Maybe I shouldn’t start unpacking in case I need to leave again.

“Ok, well, I’ll be here,” I said trying to sound calm as we hung up the phone. I could feel my anxiety start to get out of hand so I took a seat on the bed to focus on my breathing. Sassy nudged her face against my legs, and I was grateful to have my loyal companion back. I reached down to pet her as I continued to take calculated breaths. I knew that no matter what happened after Kenneth got home, I would always have Sassy by my side.

I was folding my now clean clothes from the dryer when I heard Kenneth’s truck pull up in our driveway. I took a deep breath and prepared myself for the impending interrogation. I was guilty. I knew that. But I had already served a sentence being trapped in this relationship and I was ready for liberation, no matter how painful it would be. I continued to fold my laundry when I saw him standing in the doorway to the laundry room.

“Hi,” I said in a quick breath.

“Hey,” he said. “Are you happy to be home?”

“Uh, kind of, yeah,” I said, continuing to fold my clothes.

He crossed his arms and said, “Yeah, I guess partying with rock stars isn’t as fun as life back in Oklahoma, huh?”

“Rock stars?” I asked.

“Cut the shit,” he said. “Our PR team recognized you immediately. I had that TikTok emailed to me four times in one day.”

“We met the band in Nashville and invited them over to hangout. It wasn’t a big deal,” I said.

“Oh, well, you and Josh looked pretty cozy,” Kenneth said. My heart strings pulled at the mere mention of his name.

“How come you didn’t tell me y’all were in business with Greta Van Fleet?” I asked not only trying to change the subject but also because I was genuinely curious.

“I’ve never concerned you with details about work. I wouldn’t have thought you knew who they were anyways. I guess I was wrong about that,” he said as he began to take off his dress shoes. He carried them off into the bedroom and I smoothed over the piles of folded clothes when I heard him charging back down the hallway.

“What the fuck is this?” Kenneth yelled as I looked at the small, white rectangle in his hands. And as if all of the oxygen in the room suddenly disappeared, I felt like I stopped breathing. I stared at the card from Josh from the bouquet of white roses he had sent to me the day after we met. The card I tucked away into my suitcase to keep Riley from knowing the delivered flowers weren’t for her. It must have fallen out when I was unpacking.

Kenneth read the card aloud as if I didn’t know what it already said, “Thinking of you, -J. Are you fucking kidding me? That’s it. We’re not partnering with them anymore. I’m pulling the plug on that deal tomorrow morning,” Kenneth said with a scoff.

“Why would you do that? They love your bourbon!” I exclaimed.

“I’m not going to be made into a damn fool,” he said as he stormed off to our bedroom. I stayed put in the laundry room trying to collect my thoughts. I wanted to call Josh but I knew now would be the literal worst time to do that. I followed him into the bedroom as I felt myself preparing for battle.

“Don’t ruin this business opportunity because of me, please,” I said.

“Thinking of you… Of YOU?” He stressed. “Why would a celebrity give a fuck about you?” He asked with a mocking laugh. I bit my tongue because I knew he was just trying to hurt my feelings. My silence angered him even more. “This explains why you fell off the face of the earth during your trip. You didn’t give a shit about me. You were too busy fucking a guy who wears rhinestones and glitter!” He yelled. I watched his eyes fall to my left hand. “Where’s your engagement ring?” I looked down at my hand and realized I never put it on today. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I did wear it or where I even put it.

“I’m not wearing any jewelry,” I said as I attempted to cover my tracks. “But we do need to talk.”

I spent the following weeks simply going through the motions. I returned back to work but lived my life in a complete daze. I was in autopilot mode and moved like a machine, constant and without breaks. I convinced Kenneth to keep the partnership with the band. It wasn’t easy to do but I was happy he finally agreed not to cancel. He says it was because he wouldn’t want to pay them since he’d be breaking the contract, but no matter the reason, I was grateful. If anything, it kept the small dream of Josh coming back to Oklahoma alive.

As far as our engagement went, those ties were severed. And honestly, it was the first step I needed to take toward my new life. I was a few weeks away from summer vacation, so I had been slowly packing up my things. Kenneth so kindly allowed me the grace of getting to stay in his home until I had time to look for someplace new. As if everything were back to normal, Kenneth and I continued to coexist except for the fact that Sassy and I now slept in the guest bedroom. We continued to live our lives as roommates but this time, we didn’t communicate at all. Unfortunately, the same went for Josh and I… I hadn’t heard from him since we said our heartbreaking goodbye in Nashville. No phone call. No text. Nothing. I knew it would be like this but I just didn’t think it would still hurt weeks later. I was back to my lonely life with only Riley’s FaceTime dates to keep me sane until summer. I didn’t really have a plan but I figured I would take everything day by day. I had enough in my savings account that I would be able to support myself on my own. And as much as I didn’t want to ask, I knew my parents would be willing to help if I needed anything. Riley said the same thing which floored me; she shouldn’t be worried about taking care of her grown ass best friend while she was busy planning a wedding in a different state. That was one thing I was grateful for: Riley had me stay busy with wedding planning since she was living 738 miles away from the venue. I finally felt as if I were being the maid of honor I should have been all along, but I was grateful for any task she gave me that kept me from thinking about him.

Chapter Eighteen

One month later

“We ain’t angry at you, love. You’re the greatest thing we’ve lost,” I sang along to my music as I packed a tote bag with my personal items. I had to be at the venue in 30 minutes for my hair and makeup appointment, but that was no big deal since my new apartment was less than 15 minutes away. Today was Riley’s big day and I was so excited to see everything we’ve been planning come to life. Kenneth agreed to watch Sassy at his house for the night since I wouldn’t be home from the wedding until after midnight. Although our relationship had been over for quite some time, we still remained civil which was best case scenario given the circumstances. Even if we didn’t originally end on the best terms once I told him the truth about Nashville, we had spent over a decade being a part of each other’s lives. We weren’t friends nor did we talk, but it was comforting to know that we weren’t enemies. Truth be told, Kenneth admitted he was unhappy in our relationship too. This separation was what we both needed.

I didn’t mind attending the wedding without a date; I knew I would be too busy making sure everything was perfect to entertain anyone all night anyways. I grabbed my maid of honor dress, a navy backless maxi dress with a plunging bodice, and hung it up in my backseat. I was so thankful Riley chose a dress that was not only stylish and sexy, but also one that I could wear again after today. I went back inside to grab my phone, wallet, keys, and tote bag. I got in my car and continued the song that had been on loop for the past month for my quick drive. “And we’ll all be here forever,” I sang loudly to an audience of none as I turned into the venue parking lot. The wedding was set to start in a couple hours. I was the last of the bridesmaids to get her hair and makeup done since Maddie, Brooke, and Abby actually had to travel to be here. I collected my things from my car and took a deep breath before I made my way to the bridal suite.

Standing next to Riley as she said her vows, I tried everything in my power to hold back tears. I felt so genuinely happy for her at this moment that I was overcome with emotions. She pledged her love and commitment to Mike who stared back at her with such adoration. I don’t think anyone in this room had a dry eye. I was honored to both witness and be a part of the most important person in my life’s happiest day. After their kiss, I handed her bridal bouquet back to her and cheered loudly as they made their way down the aisle. I looped arms with the best man and followed Riley and Mike down the aisle to head to the reception hall. As we passed by the hundreds of smiling guests clapping in their seats, I locked eyes with a face that caused me to stumble. Quickly, the best man grabbed my arm and caught me before I fell flat on my face. No way. There is absolutely no way. I felt my cheeks blush from the embarrassment as I regained my footing.

“Thank you,” I said to the best man who still kept a hold on me in case I took another spill. I looked back toward the guest who caused me to trip, but I didn’t see him. It was all in my head. I shook the nerves off and entered the reception area to mingle with the guests while Riley and Mike took photos. But first, I made my way to the bar. If I was going to get on the dancefloor later like Riley had commanded, I needed some liquid courage.

“One glass of chardonnay, please,” I said to the bartender. I figured I’d be the first guest to take advantage of the open bar. I watched the bartender grab a corkscrew to open the bottle of white wine when I smelled a familiar scent of cologne.

“Make that two glasses, please,” I heard his voice say.

“Yes, sir,” the bartender nodded to the person standing beside me. I felt like I was frozen and couldn’t move.

“I don’t think you’ve ever looked more stunning than you do right now,” I heard him whisper into my ear. I turned to see if my imagination was playing a trick on me; alas, there stood Josh in a perfectly tailored suit. I was speechless, afraid that I had fallen asleep in the makeup chair and would soon wake up from this dream.

“Thank you,” Josh said to the bartender as he grabbed both glasses of wine. He reached out for me to take the second glass but I still stood there as if I were paralyzed.

“What are you doing here?” I asked once I finally found my voice.

“Riley invited me, so I wanted to surprise you,” he said, flashing that heart-stopping smile of his.

“What? How did Riley even know how to get a hold of you?” I asked.

“She said she kept my number from when you sent it to her before I came over for the first time. Remember when she had to run my background check?” He said with a laugh.

“I can’t believe this,” I said, shaking my head. There was no way that this was really happening.

“Come on,” Josh said as he stuck out his arm for me to grab since both of his hands carried our glasses of wine. I looped my arm through his and allowed him to escort me to a table. He pulled my chair out for me and I sat as the millions of questions flooded my brain. He took the seat next to mine and grabbed his glass of wine.

“To Riley and…” He began but clearly forgot the groom’s name.

“Mike,” I said with a laugh as I touched his glass to mine.

“Yes, Mike, I knew that,” he said as he took a sip. Liar.

“How long have you been planning this?” I asked.

“Riley reached out to me two weeks ago, and since our bourbon meeting is on Monday, I decided to stay in Oklahoma for the weekend. I flew in this morning,” he said with a wink. “And you can’t get mad at me for not telling you that I was in town because Riley wanted it to be a surprise.”

“Well, this is going to be awkward when my date gets here,” I said. Josh stared at me with a look in his eyes like he had just seen a ghost. He cleared his throat and shifted in his seat.

“I’m kidding!” I finally said after watching him sweat a little.

“That wasn’t funny,” he said as he finished his glass of wine.

“How have you been?” I asked.

“I’ve been good, I’ve been good. We’ve just been preparing for the launch of our new partnership and also the tour. I’m actually excited to have this weekend off,” he said.

“Where are you staying while you’re here?” I asked.

“Wherever you are,” he said with a wink. I felt my skin getting warm.

“Bold of you to assume I’d let you stay with me,” I said while taking a sip of my wine.

“I’ll beg if I have to,” Josh said as he stood up. He grabbed his empty wine glass and leaned down to whisper in my ear before heading back to the bar. “You know you’ve had me on my knees before.” My jaw was practically on the floor.

When Riley and Mike made their grand entrance into the reception hall, she gave me a wink when she saw Josh and I sitting together. I subtly flipped her off which made her laugh before Mike pulled her into a kiss. I was sipping on my second glass of wine, so I knew I needed to take it easy since my maid of honor speech was coming up. After the stunt she pulled, I really wanted to add that Riley was a sneaky bitch into the speech I had prepared, but I decided against it.

“I love weddings,” Josh said with a sigh as he glanced around the room.

“Aren’t you against the idea of marriage?” I asked, raising my eyebrow.

“That’s a harsh way of putting it, but essentially, yes. That doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy weddings,” he said with a soft smile. “Weddings are a celebration of love and happiness. For some, it’s the best day of their lives. And to be a witness to that, it’s moving.”

“I know what you mean. Did you see me crying during Riley’s vows?” I asked, biting my lip.

“Strawberry, I watched you the entire time,” he said. I rolled my eyes and laughed at his ridiculous statement. “You don’t believe me?” He added.

“Why would you stare at a bridesmaid the whole time during a wedding ceremony?” I asked.

“Have you seen you in that dress?” Josh asked, giving me a wink and nudging my knee with his. He began to laugh and said, “I also saw you almost fall down the aisle once you realized I was there.”

“Yeah, thanks for that,” I said playfully, hitting his arm. He grabbed my hand before I pulled away and held it.

“It’s really good to see you again,” he said. “You look happier than ever.”

“Thank you, I am,” I said, giving him a genuine smile. I stared into his brown eyes that I swore held me captive.

After Riley and Mike’s exit, I headed back inside to grab my belongings from the bridal suite. It was the most magical evening full of laughter, love, and light. My maid of honor speech was a hit and I even got out on the dance floor more than once. Truth be told, I didn’t need the wine after all. I was running off the fumes of simply being around Riley and Josh, the two people who bring out the best in me.

“So…” Josh said, shuffling his feet. “Would you like to come back with me to my hotel?” I hesitated because I knew the pain and longing I felt after our last goodbye. I wasn’t sure I wanted to go through that again. Even now, the grief I felt because of our fleeting time together still hit me in waves. I honestly can’t even listen to Greta Van Fleet’s music because it was too painful hearing his voice.

“I would love to spend more time with you, but I don’t want to be hurt again,” I admitted.

“Conversation only, I promise,” Josh said, holding up his right hand as if he were taking an oath in court.

“Yeah, yeah, we all know how that goes,” I said, shifting my weight to my other foot. My heels were killing my feet and I wanted nothing more than to take them off.

“I will not put you in an uncomfortable situation. I’ll stay five feet apart from you in the room at all times. Six feet even. Hell, I’ll book the room across from mine and we can talk on the hotel phone if you don’t want to be around me,” he said.

“Oh, so you remember how to use a phone?” I asked as I felt my cheeks get hot with my bold comment. He sighed and looked down at the tile floor.

Without making eye contact, he said softly, “I’ve been hurting too, ya know?” I moved closer to him so that he would look into my eyes.

“Let me run back to my apartment to grab some things I need and to change out of these fucking shoes. Text me your hotel information, and I’ll be there,” I said looking into his eyes.

“Can you at least stay in that dress?” He asked while biting his lip.

Looking and feeling like an idiot wearing a formal gown with Chaco sandals, I entered the elevator in Josh’s hotel lobby. I had my overnight bag slung over my shoulder with comfortable pajamas stashed inside, but I decided to stay in my dress a little longer per his request. I hit the button and felt the butterflies in my stomach move as I made my way up to the highest floor. I found his room and knocked lightly on the door. He opened the door and I immediately crossed my arms when I saw that he had changed out of his suit.

“Ok, not fair that I was asked to stay in my formal attire, but you get to wear comfortable clothes,” I said, narrowing my eyes.

“You never asked me to stay in my suit,” he said. He looked down at my feet. “Your feet seem to be more comfortable, though.” I rolled my eyes and made my way into his hotel room. I placed my bag on the desk near the door and noticed a tray of chocolate covered strawberries and a bottle of wine on the table.

“Cute,” I said as I pointed to the tray.

“I was feeling nostalgic,” he said grinning.

I finally convinced Josh that he had seen me in my dress long enough, so I made my way into the bathroom to change into my pajamas. It wasn’t like he hadn’t seen me completely naked on more than one occasion, but I still wanted to keep my guard up. I exited the bathroom and grabbed the tray of strawberries before climbing into his bed. He opened the bottle of wine and poured two glasses. He made his way over to join me.

“So will you fly back to Nashville after your meeting on Monday?” I asked as I accepted the glass he poured for me.

“Yes, that evening we will head back,” he said as he began to remove the plastic wrap off of the tray of strawberries.

“We?” I asked.

“Well, the guys are flying in Monday morning for a quick trip. I obviously got here early,” he said, biting into a chocolate covered strawberry.

“So, I actually have a funny story about the bourbon company,” I said as I took a sip of my wine.

“Oh, that you are engaged to the head of the company?” He asked as he raised his eyebrow.

“First, were. Past tense. Second, you knew?” I asked with my mouth agape.

“Yeah, that was a fun conversation between our PR teams. Another reason I never reached out to you, by the way,” he said as he finished his strawberry.

“Kenneth almost pulled the whole deal, but I convinced him to keep it,” I said nervously.

“It all made sense after you and Riley reacted so strangely when I pulled out the bottle,” he said laughing. “I guess we both had secrets.”

“Well, I don’t have any more secrets up my sleeve. And I don’t need to know about any of yours that have happened after me,” I said as I began searching the tray for the perfect strawberry. He grabbed my hand before I could pick the one that caught my eye.

“There hasn’t been anyone after you,” he said quietly as he held my hand. I looked up to meet his gaze as it burned through me. I looked down at our hands as they rested on top of the tray of strawberries. You can’t. You can’t do this again.

“I promise that I was going to call you when I came back to Oklahoma for the meeting. I had every intention to reach out to you before Riley invited me to her wedding,” he said softly. I still stared at our hands because I was afraid to look into his eyes again. He removed the glass of wine from my hand and placed it on the bedside table. He took both of my hands into his and moved his head to where he was in my line of vision.

“Our tour starts at the end of next month, and I have little to no free time between now and then, but I want to make you another promise,” he said. I closed my eyes as I braced myself for what he was about to say next. “Every moment that I have even half of a day to spare, I will be coming to you or flying you to me,” he said. “I haven’t stopped thinking about you since the first moment I saw you in the airport.” I laughed as I felt the tears forming behind my eyelids.

“And I know what hurt you’re talking about because I have felt it too. Every Goddamn day since I left your Airbnb,” he said with a crack in his voice. I opened my teary eyes to see that his eyes matched mine. “So, if you are up for some traveling this summer, I would love for you–” but before he could finish his sentence, I shut him up with a kiss. Our first kiss since we said goodbye in Nashville. He pushed the tray of strawberries to the floor and pulled me closer to him on the bed. His hands held my face as my tongue parted his lips and we breathed each other in. The electricity I felt the moment we touched for the first time on the plane was still between us. It never left, and it never would.

The End

#greta van fic #josh kiszka #josh kiskza fanfic #greta van fleet #joshua michael kiszka #greta van fleet smut #greta van smut #gvf series

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stardustshelb · 10 months

Text

"Strawberry" Part Five

TW: Language

Word count: 7,999

Chapter Thirteen

I finished applying my lipstick in the bathroom mirror when I heard my phone vibrate on the counter. My heart fluttered when I thought it’d be Josh telling me they were on their way, but instead it was Kenneth’s name on the screen. My heart sank.

Kenneth: “Are you alive? I haven’t heard from you in a while.”

Me: “All good here! How is everything with you?”

Kenneth: “Good. I’m ready for you to come home.” I hesitated on what to reply back to his message. I was so not ready to come home, but I knew my return was inevitable.

Me: “Only two more days.” I replied with a sad face emoji. Of course, I was sad because I only had two days left of freedom, fun, and Joshua. I wasn’t ready to return back to the same loneliness I feel in Oklahoma. Just then, I got a notification of a text from Plagiarism.

Plagiarism: “We are heading your way now.” I smiled and held the message down to “love” it before taking one final look in the mirror. I was so nervous to meet his friends, well–brothers–but I was even more nervous about how the girls were going to behave tonight. I turned the bathroom light off, stuck my phone in my jean backpocket, and made my way into the living room where the girls were all hanging out. Despite the fact that we were literally staying home for the evening, that didn’t stop Abby from wearing a multi-color sequin mini dress that was so tight I wondered how she was able to sit down, let alone breathe. I opted for a more comfortable approach in my ripped jeans and cropped t-shirt. Brooke was in a casual maxi dress; Maddie was in jean shorts and a Nashville t-shirt that she must have picked up on this trip. Riley was back in her “BRIDE” white velour tracksuit from her travel day. When she put it on, she exclaimed, “Even though we’re staying in, it’s still my bachelorette party. I have to dress the part!” We definitely didn’t look like we were all dressed for the same occasion.

“What time will the pizzas be here?” Madie asked.

“In about an hour,” Abby replied. Of course she volunteered to buy all of the pizzas and refused to accept Venmo from us. She had an unlimited budget and I wasn’t going to argue because it kept me from spending the last of my money. I guess she wanted to be Saint Domino’s for the night.

I did one last walk through the Airbnb to make sure everything was perfect for the boys’ arrival. There wasn’t going to be enough room at the dining room table for all of us, so we took the pillows and blankets from our bedrooms to make the living room floor more comfortable as a hangout spot. The deck of cards for our drinking games and coasters for our glasses were neatly displayed on top of the living room table. I still couldn’t fight the anxious feeling building inside of me. My mind was racing with hypothetical, worst case scenarios. I definitely was going to need to take a shot or something as soon as the boys got here with the booze. I just needed to relax.

“Welcome, come in!” I said nervously as I opened the door for our secretly famous guests. Once I saw Josh’s smile, a calmness washed over me. The effect he has on me can only be credited to magic. He walked past me and gently rubbed his hand on my shoulder as a subtle greeting. Even with just his light touch, electricity surged through my veins. I got a whiff of his cologne and almost floated through the air like you see in the cartoons. In his arms were brown paper sacks no doubt full of bottles of the poison he picked for tonight. Behind him followed the three best looking guys I have ever seen. Seriously, why was every member in this band so damn good looking? Were they even real? I tried not to appear star-struck as Jake, Danny, and Sam entered the Airbnb–each of them also held brown paper sacks. It looked like there was enough alcohol between them to host a big frat party.

Josh pulled my arm close to him and said, “Guys, this is Strawberry.” I immediately felt my face get hot. It just hit me that we’d been playing the no-name-game and now I was going to have to continue it with an audience of people who weren’t in on the joke.

“Who the hell is Strawberry?” I heard Abby’s voice ask. Shit.

“It’s a nickname,” I said, trying to think of what to say.

“Well, obviously because your name is—” Abby was saying.

“I call her Strawberry,” Josh interrupted.

“Nice to meet you, Strawberry. I’m Sam,” he said as he pulled me into a hug. I wrapped my arms around him and felt him squeeze me tight. I liked him.

“I’m Danny,” he said, giving a nervous wave to the group accompanied by a soft smile.

“Jake,” he said with no smile. I remembered his serious disposition when he was the assistant on the plane. I got the vibe that he didn’t want to be here, but maybe he was just hard to read.

I took a turn introducing all of the girls one-by-one to the guys. Oddly enough, even when I said each of their names, Josh never looked at anyone but me. I tried to act like I didn’t notice his stare, but I could feel my knees getting weaker by the second.

“I want to take a shot with the bride!” Sammy yelled as he made his way to the kitchen with his arms full of bags. I grabbed Riley’s hand and pulled her along behind him. The guys followed suit and started unpacking their purchases. Bottles of beer, wine, and liquor started to plague the countertop space.

“We brought a little of everything because we weren’t sure what you guys would like,” Danny said with an adorable smile.

“I like it all,” Abby said as she scooted closer to him. I watched Danny’s nervous eyes flash to the counter as he slowly shifted his body away from hers. Yep, I liked him too.

“And for a little taste of home,” Josh said as he started to pull out a bottle with a label that I knew all too well. My eyes got wide as I recognized the bottle of bourbon in his hands. Riley immediately turned her neck to look at me; her shocked expression matched mine.

“Uh, not big bourbon fans?” Josh asked nervously when he noticed our reactions.

“How did you find Oklahoma bourbon in Tennessee?” I asked.

“This is the reason why we were in Oklahoma,” Josh said, tilting the bottle in the air.

“I’m not following,” I said.

“The business meeting in OKC was with this brand. We are partnering with them,” Jake interrupted.

“What do you guys do?” Maddie asked. I couldn’t focus on the elaborate lies that the boys were now feeding the girls about their made-up professions because I could only focus on the bottle of bourbon in Josh’s hands. The same brand of bourbon that sits on my shelves back home. The same brand of bourbon that Kenneth drinks. The same brand of bourbon that pays my bills. The same brand of bourbon that shares what is supposed to be my future last name. The same brand of bourbon that Kenneth’s family business makes. What the actual fuck was going on?

“Can I see you for a minute?” I heard as I felt Riley squeeze on my arm which pulled me from my thoughts. I followed her out of the kitchen and into the empty dining room.

“Does he know that’s Kenneth’s bourbon?” Riley asked in a whisper.

“Of course not!” I said in almost a yell. I couldn’t whisper even if I had wanted to. I couldn’t believe what was happening.

“How? Why? What?” Riley asked, throwing her hands up frantically.

“I can’t tell him he’s about to do business with my–!” I hissed.

“Is everything ok?” I heard Josh’s voice suddenly ring through my ears.

“Yes,” I heard Riley say as she turned me around to face him. “We just weren’t sure how our local brand of bourbon would make its way to you,” she added.

“We wanted to partner with a US-based distillery and this is our favorite brand of bourbon. We tried it once on tour and it changed our lives. We are in the works of collaborating with the company to become ambassadors for their brand,” he said.

“So this means you’ll be in Oklahoma again?” I asked.

“Yes, it means we’ll make a couple more trips,” he said with a smirk. I felt Riley squeeze my arm again.

“Well, I don’t know about Strawberry here, but I am not a bourbon fan. I’m going to find Sam who owes me that shot,” Riley said as she made her way out of the room to leave us alone. She turned around to look at me over Josh’s shoulder to mouth “Oh my God” before exiting the room.

“When will you be back in Oklahoma?” I asked. Josh pulled out his phone to check his calendar. I studied his face as his eyes moved through the many dates on his app. No doubt that he was always busy.

“We are set to come back at the end of next month,” he said, double-checking his dates.

“Were you going to tell me?” I said.

“I wasn’t sure,” Josh admitted. My heart sank.

“You were going to fly back to Oklahoma City, be less than two hours from me, and keep that a secret?” I asked, trying to mask the hurt in my voice.

“I don’t want to mess up anything in your personal life. It’s different being here,” he said.

“So you planned to cut ties with me the second I flew home,” I said.

“That’s not fair,” Josh said. Before I could respond, I jumped at the sound of glass shattering from the kitchen.

“Shit, I’m so sorry!” Maddie yelled. I pushed my way past Josh and headed into the kitchen to find a busted bottle of what smelled like tequila all over the kitchen floor. Pieces of glass and liquid were everywhere.

“Nobody move!” I commanded as I made my way to the storage closet in the hallway to grab towels and a broom. The last thing I wanted was to make an ER trip because someone had cut their foot open. When I returned back to the scene of the accident, Josh was kneeling on the ground and had already started picking up the large pieces of glass.

“Good thing we brought another bottle of tequila,” Sam said, lightening the mood.

“I’m so sorry,” Maddie said again.

“It’s really ok,” Sam said as he stuck a lime wedge in his mouth to give her a fruit-filled smile. I liked how he was able to dust things off as no big deal. I wished I could be more like that.

“Fuck,” I heard Josh say. I looked down to see he had accidentally cut the palm of his hand while collecting the glass.

“Let me clean this up,” Riley said as she grabbed the towels and broom from me. “There’s a first aid kit under the sink in the guest bathroom. Go make sure Josh is ok,” she said.

“I’m a nurse!” Brooke chimed in. “I can doctor him up,” she said.

“Just rub some tequila on it. You’ll be fine,” Jake said with a laugh. It was the first time I had seen him smile. Like his brother, he had a radiant smile.

“I’m fine,” Josh added as he stood up and made his way to the sink. I watched him wash the blood from his palm and it made me feel nauseated. Even though I was a teacher who had witnessed many nosebleeds in my classroom, dealing with blood was not in my wheelhouse. I left the room to grab the first aid kit for Brooke to mend Josh’s hand. Or, maybe I left the room to get away from the sight of blood. Both were true in this case.

“Party foul!” Abby yelled from the living room. I rolled my eyes as I walked past her and made my way into the bathroom. I got on my knees and opened the cabinet under the sink to look for the kit that Riley claimed was there. I saw fresh linen towels, bathroom cleaning supplies, but no first aid kit. I kept looking when I jumped at the sound of his voice.

“I really am fine,” he said. I stopped my search and looked up to see him standing in the doorway. He had a wad of paper towels clenched in a tight fist.

“Riley said it was in here,” I said, turning my attention back to the cabinet. Josh stepped more into the bathroom and shut the door, closing the two of us inside. I tried to ignore his presence and focus on the task of finding the kit. Alas, I spotted a small white container with a red cross on the lid.

“Voila!” I said holding it up. I opened the plastic box to sift through gauze, bandages, and medical tape. “Let me get Brooke,” I said as I started to stand up.

“I don’t need a nurse to put on a bandaid,” he said laughing.

“Well, I don’t do blood, so she’s your only hope,” I said, shoving the box to him.

“I feel like you’re lying just because you don’t want to talk to me,” he said, blocking the doorway.

“Well, I don’t particularly feel like talking to you at the moment, but no, I will truly get sick if I see your blood,” I said. He kept the paper towel clenched in his fist and put his wounded hand behind his back away from my line of vision.

“I don’t understand why you’re mad at me,” he said. I honestly didn’t understand either but I couldn’t let him know that. He had made it clear to me already that this was nothing serious. I was the one floundering about in a dream world that was only going to end in heartbreak for me. I understood that; I just didn’t want to accept it.

“I’m not mad. I guess I was just hurt that you didn’t want to see me again,” I said, shifting my feet.

“Oh, believe me. I do want to see you, but I don’t want to cause a disturbance in your personal life. You have a fiancé, a job, a family, really just a whole other life in Oklahoma. I don’t fit in that puzzle,” he said. I wished he wanted to. I’d create a whole new puzzle to make his piece fit with mine.

“You’re right,” I said with a sigh.

“Let’s just enjoy the time we have left, ok?” He said as he closed the space between us. I couldn’t bring myself to look him in the eyes because I didn’t want my sadness to show.

“I better get back out there,” I said.

“What’s the rush?” He asked, moving closer to me so that our bodies were mere centimeters apart. His enticing scent consumed me.

“I’m not hooking up with you in the bathroom while your hand is bleeding,” I said with a laugh.

“Can you at least kiss me in the bathroom while my hand is bleeding?” He asked. I finally met his eyes. He was smiling and I wanted nothing more than to kiss him. But I wasn’t sure what I wanted from him now. I felt the need to protect my feelings.

“We’ll see,” I said as I moved around him, ignoring his advances. I put my hand on the doorknob when I felt his arm wrap around my waist.

“Come here,” he said, pulling me to him. I tried to stand firm but my subconscious craved his touch. As if I had no control over my body, I allowed him to hold me close. I took a deep breath and felt myself melt into him. This intimacy, this closeness, this connection… How could he not feel it too?

“I have to pee!” Abby’s voice rang from the other side of the bathroom door. I let go of Josh and looked up into his eyes. They appeared darker than normal. Like he felt conflicted by something but wouldn’t dare to admit.

“Coming!” I said, pulling myself away from his hold. At that moment, it was as if I pulled a part of him away with me. I watched his adam's apple move as he swallowed his unspoken sadness.

Chapter Fourteen

“Never have I ever been arrested,” Danny said with a smirk. We all looked around the circle to see Sam was the only one to put a finger down.

“Oh shit!” Riley yelled out. “Take a drink!” Sam flipped Danny off as he took a sip from his bottle of tequila. I was enjoying my second glass of wine while sitting between my best friend and my lover. We had polished off the pizza that Abby ordered and now we were playing our first round of drinking games. Life was good on the living room floor.

“Never have I ever had a sibling,” Riley voiced when it was her turn.

“Nice,” I said as we touched our glasses like we were making a toast. Being only children was something we had in common and was one of the reasons we got along so well. We were each other’s chosen sisters. Everyone else in the room put a finger down. I had the most fingers still up which was only an embarrassing indicator that everyone else had lived more fulfilling lives than me. It was now my turn and I was trying to think of something that would wipe people out.

“Never have I ever been pulled over,” I said. Fingers went down across the room except for Danny and Maddie. “Drink up!” I said as I raised my glass to everyone else.

“Never have I ever gone to college,” Josh said with a shrug. Every girl in the room put a finger down and the guys cheered as we all had to take a drink.

“Never have I ever been engaged,” Abby said with a tone that I could have slapped her for. It was obviously directed at Riley and me as everyone else in the room was obviously unmarried. Did she pick up on the vibes between Josh and me? What was she trying to prove? Riley and I both put a finger down and in that moment, I realized I wasn’t even wearing my ring.

“Ok, that was targeted,” Riley said. “Helloooo? It’s my fucking bachelorette weekend!” Everyone laughed but I noticed a rigid shift in Jake’s body language when I put my finger down. He was staring at Josh with a look I couldn’t quite place, but he looked pissed. Sam had one finger left and the look on Jake’s face showed he was done playing the game.

“Never have I ever eaten tofu,” Jake said with a raise of his glass in Sam’s direction.

“Ah, man, come on!” Sam said as he put his last finger down.

“Loserrrrrrr!” Abby drunkenly yelled out. “Chug! Chug! Chug!” She began to chant. While everyone in the room watched Sam take a shot straight from the bottle, I saw Jake get up from the circle and make his way into the kitchen. Josh gave me a wink before he jumped up to follow his brother. I wondered what discussion was about to take place; what I would have given to be a fly on the wall to have heard it.

When they made their way back into the room to join the party, I could sense something was off with Josh. They hadn’t been gone very long, and I’m sure nobody even noticed their absence because Sam was now shuffling the cards for a new game. Josh noticed my empty wine glass and grabbed it without saying a word. He returned back to the kitchen and I hesitated on whether I should have followed him or not. But the stern look on Jake’s face was almost like a warning to stay away from Josh, so I stayed put.

“Everyone needs six cards,” Sam stated as he started to deal out the deck of cards. Josh returned with a now full glass of wine for me and I accepted it. I tried to read his face but it was impossible. He took his seat next to me and I reached out to touch his hand, but he pulled it away before I had the opportunity. He reached out for his cards from Sam and then I did the same.

I couldn’t focus on the rules of the game that Sam was half-ass explaining. I was too fixated on the sudden change in Josh’s mood after his talk with Jake. Something was clearly off about him and I wanted to know what was going on.

“Did you get that?” Riley leaned over and asked me.

“Huh?” I said.

“Were you listening to the rules?” She asked.

“Oh, yeah,” I said. That wasn’t even close to being true. I had no idea what game we were playing because I wasn’t paying any attention.

“Ok… Then why are you still holding all six of your cards?” Riley asked with a puzzled expression. I looked around to see everyone had laid one of their cards face down in front of them. I had no idea what the point of the game was, so I just pulled one from my pile and placed it in front of me.

“Ok, one… two… flip!” Sam yelled. All at once, everyone turned their chosen card over. I followed suit even though I didn’t have a clue as to what game we were playing.

“Strawberry, why the hell did you play two of hearts?” Danny asked while laughing.

“I–I don’t know,” I said, visibly confused

“Ok, you obviously lost. Drink!” Abby yelled. I still had no idea what the fuck I was supposed to be doing, so I just drank my wine.

Josh leaned over to whisper in my ear, “You were supposed to play your highest card that round.” Wonderful. I probably looked dumb as hell.

All of a sudden, Sam jumped up and started singing, “Two of hearts, two hearts that beat as one. Two of hearts…” into his bottle of tequila now disguised as a makeshift microphone. And like two peas in a pod, Danny jumped up to dance with him singing background vocals: “I need you, I need you.” The two of them definitely stole everyone’s attention as they performed the 80’s hit in the living room. It was nice to see both Josh and Jake smiling again. I wished Danny and Sam knew how grateful I was for them at this moment. They brought a kind of energy that I wished I could bottle up and harvest as my own.

The boys’ performance distracted everyone from the card game that I never actually learned the rules to, so I could tell the night was winding down. I was actually feeling a little tired and I just wanted to be alone with Josh. I could tell he was still a little off compared to his normal self, but I decided to wait until we were alone to talk to him about it.

I finished my glass of wine and then started cleaning up the Airbnb while everyone was hanging out in the living room. Everybody seemed to have a good buzz; I was thankful nobody got absolutely shitfaced. Nothing ruins a party quicker than someone who needs a babysitter, bodyguard, or both. I made my way into the kitchen to start throwing away empty pizza boxes and putting dirty dishes in the dishwasher. We didn’t even touch half of the alcohol that the boys brought. The bottle of the Oklahoma bourbon sat half empty on the counter. I stared at it wondering if or how I could tell Josh that they were about to do business with my fiancé, or maybe soon-to-be ex-fiancé. I knew my third glass of wine had me feeling bold when the possibility of me leaving Kenneth crossed my mind.

“Need a hand?” I heard a somewhat unfamiliar voice ask. I turned to see Jake standing in the entryway of the kitchen.

“Sure, thank you,” I said, trying not to look too surprised to see him. I continued to load the dishwasher with dirty plates and glasses. He walked into the kitchen and stood next to me.

“Here,” he said as he handed me his empty glass. I recognized the smell of the bourbon immediately.

“Thanks,” I said as I grabbed it. I could tell he was wanting to talk to me because he wasn’t actually doing any cleaning. I held my breath until he finally had the courage to speak.

“I know you don’t know me, but I know my brother. He’s the most important person in my life. So what I’m about to say to you, I ask that you keep that in mind,” he started. I continued holding my breath because I didn’t like the sound of where this was going. “I think you two don’t need to spend the night together.”

I didn’t have any more dirty dishes left in the sink to place in the dishwasher, but I felt like I needed something to occupy myself while I tried to process Jake’s words. I started twisting all of the caps on the bottles of liquor and placing them back in the brown paper bags. He continued to speak, “It’s not a good idea for either of you, especially given your situation. I know Josh’s views on marriage, and while I don’t share those same views, I think he should respect other people’s commitments.”

“I’m not married,” I finally spoke.

“No, but you are engaged to be,” he added. “And I am not judging you at all. I don’t know you or your situation, but I do know my brother. I’m just afraid he’s going to get hurt.” I was shocked at this admission. Jake thought Josh was the one going to be hurt? He had no clue. Josh was the one keeping his guard up and setting clear boundaries with me. It was me who was practically sick over the idea of never seeing him again in a mere couple of days.

“I really appreciate you talking to me about this. I can see how much you care about him,” I began. “Your brother has taught me more about myself in these past few days than I would have ever learned on my own. And while I dread going back home and saying goodbye to him, I am thankful for the time that we have had together. I value your opinion, but I’m not ready to cut that time short.”

“And you don’t have to,” Josh’s voice interrupted. I quickly turned around to find that he had been eavesdropping on my conversation with Jake. I wondered how much he had heard.

“I was just relaying to Strawberry what I had already talked with you about,” Jake said while holding his arms up like he had been caught doing something illegal.

“We are both consenting adults capable of making our own decisions,” Josh said.

“I understand that. I just wanted you both to hear where I’m coming from,” Jake added. He started collecting the unopened beer bottles from the fridge and placing them back in the empty cardboard drink carriers. I dried my hands and left the two of them alone to finish their conversation, even though it seemed like Josh didn’t want to be there. I walked back into the living room to find Abby on her phone, Maddie and Danny were deep into a conversation about music, Riley was braiding Brooke’s hair, and Sam was picking up the playing cards off the floor.

“I think Jake packed up all of the booze, so I guess the party's over,” I said with a nervous laugh.

“Are y’all good to drive?” Riley asked.

“Y’all,” Sam imitated her southern accent with a laugh. “Sorry,” he shyly added when he realized what he had just done.

“Yes, I am good to drive,” Danny added, giving a somewhat stern look to Sam.

“Josh is staying here, right?” Sam asked.

“Why would Josh stay here?” Abby asked. I immediately looked at Sam to communicate that he had just fucked up.

“I joke, I joke,” Sam added with a wild laugh. I glanced at Riley who shot me a confused look. I could tell she was trying to think of a way to cover for Sam’s blunder but was drawing a blank.

“Do you need us to take the trash out?” Danny asked while standing up.

“No, I think we’re good. We appreciate it though,” Maddie said. I could see she was blushing. It was easy to see why. Danny was one of the most handsome men I had ever laid eyes on. He could have been a Greek God in a past life. I felt my phone vibrate in my back pocket. I grabbed it to read a text from Plagiarism: “I’m going to help load the car up and I’ll come back inside when everyone is gone.”

“You guys ready?” Jake said as he entered the living room. Josh was standing behind him carrying two sacks of alcohol. I subtly waved my phone at him to indicate that I had seen his text. Now we just had to play the waiting game until the girls went to bed which hopefully would be soon. I was sick of playing games–figuratively and literally.

Chapter Fifteen

After what felt like waiting for an eternity but was probably closer to 30 minutes, I texted Josh to let him know it was time for him to come back. I sent “The coast is clear” as I waited for him by the front door. I had to chuckle thinking of his “we are two consenting adults” comment from earlier because we’ve been acting like two teeangers sneaking around every night. It was fun and thrilling in the most ridiculous way possible. Even though we had spent all evening in each other’s presence, I didn’t feel like we had any alone time. I was looking forward to spending the night together with nobody around to interfere. I locked the front door and I reached for his hand.

“This one is wounded, remember?” Josh said while switching hands so I was now holding the unbandaged one. “I could have bled to death and you wouldn’t have lifted a finger,” he said dramatically as he held up his free hand.

“You literally refused help from a medical professional, so your blood is on your hands…Literally,” I said with a laugh. We quietly walked down the hallway until we got to my bedroom. I made sure to be the one to shut the door and lock it so we wouldn’t have any surprise guests again in the morning.

“Are you and Jake good?” I asked as we sat on the edge of my bed.

“Yes, of course,” he said as he turned his body to face mine.

“I can tell you mean a lot to him. I couldn’t imagine having a twin. Hell, I don’t even know what it’s like to have a sibling!” I said with a shrug. Growing up as an only child wasn’t the worst thing to happen to me, but not having a sibling definitely contributed to the loneliness in which I feel now.

“Jake knows me better than anyone, so I will always listen to his guidance. But I also needed him to realize that I am free to make my own choices,” he said as the corners of his mouth turned to smile. I got a flashback to my conversation with Riley from earlier today when we made up. I knew exactly what he meant.

“Did you guys have a good time tonight? It went better than I expected, honestly,” I said.

“Oh yeah, I think so. I mean, I was secretly wishing we would have called it a night hours ago,” he said with a smirk. “I would have rather been with you right here the whole night.” I bit my lip trying to hide my smile. I wanted nothing more than to kiss him, but our conversation from earlier still lingered in the back of my mind.

“So,” I paused. “This bourbon partnership…”

“Yes?” Josh asked, waiting for me to continue. I wanted to be honest with him but I also didn’t want to interfere with his life more than I already had. He planned never to see me again after I left, so would it even matter to him?

“I’m very familiar with that brand,” I said while nervously smoothing my hands across the bed.

“Oh? I thought you weren’t much of a bourbon fan?” He said laughing. “You really should give it a try. It’s the best, smoothest one I’ve ever had. It’s why we’re so passionate about collaborating with them.”

“Yeah, I actually–” I began when Josh’s phone started to ring.

“Who the hell is calling me at one a.m.?” He asked as he reached over to grab his phone off the nightstand. He checked the screen and then whispered, “Sorry, I need to take this.” He jumped up off the bed and made his way to the corner of the room. He was still in earshot, but I didn’t see who had called him.

“What are you talking about?” Josh asked the mystery caller. I panicked watching him pace back and forth across the front of the room. I could sense something was wrong.

“What TikTok?” He questioned. TikTok? I continued to watch him pace until he stopped and rubbed his hand over his face.

“I mean, we partied with some friends tonight but nobody did anything worth getting upset over,” he said into the phone. I wished I knew what was going on. I was trying to put pieces together but it was difficult with only hearing one part of the conversation. I had the idea to do some investigating myself. I grabbed my phone off the nightstand and I opened TikTok. I searched for Greta Van Fleet and scrolled until I could find anything remotely getting upset about at one in the morning.

“It’s not a big deal,” Josh said with a sigh. “Maybe we can have her take it down.” I watched him as he rubbed the back of his neck. My heart started to race. What was he talking about? Who was he talking about?

“Yeah, it’s always all over Twitter,” Josh said with another deep sigh. I immediately closed out of my TikTok app and opened Twitter to see if I could find what he was talking about. I searched for Greta Van Fleet and my eyes couldn’t believe what they were seeing. There was a video of Sam and Danny singing “Two of Hearts” clearly taken in our Airbnb living room from earlier. To make matters worse, you could see me sitting between Riley and Josh in the background for a brief moment. Bewildered, I read several hundred tweets that posted the video or screenshots from it. No, no, no, no, this cannot be happening. I skimmed through tweets as I felt my blood getting cold. People had screenshotted the glimpse of Riley and me from the video and posted our picture with comments such as, “Who are these bitches?!” and “Anyone know who these girls are?” I started to feel ill as I realized my face was circulating around different forms of social media.

I racked my brain trying to figure out who posted it because I couldn’t remember anyone being on their phone. I studied the angle and background of the video until it hit me: Abby must have recorded this and posted it. I noticed a TikTok username in the video, so I went back to my TikTok app to search for her account directly. Once I found her profile, I could see this latest video had over 10,000 views yet it hadn’t even been up for two hours. The caption read “Wild night in Nashville with Danny and Sam” and the comments were full of Greta Van Fleet fans clearly losing their shit. There was no way Abby knew who they were, right?

I wanted to bust up into Abby’s room to kill her, but I figured that would just make things worse being charged with murder and all. I was going to demand that she delete the video, but I knew I would need Riley’s assistance because I doubted Abby would do anything I asked. I jumped up from the bed to go wake Riley up. When I started to make my way out of the room, Josh reached out and grabbed my arm.

“Hey, I gotta go,” he said into the phone. “Yeah, yeah, it will be alright,” he said again before hanging up. I stayed there in his grasp but as soon as he put his phone in his pocket, I started to move again.

“Slow down, where are you going?” Josh asked.

“I’m going to get Riley so she can kick Abby’s ass!” I practically yelled.

“Nobody needs their ass kicked,” Josh said, pulling me close to him.

“Actually, Abby could use a good one,” I said while my face was buried into his chest. “We literally talked about how nobody needed to post on social media before you guys got here.”

“Our management team is mad, but nobody in the band is. Not even Jake, surprisingly,” Josh said with a light laugh. I pulled away from him so I could study his face.

“What does your team say?” I asked.

“Well, besides the fact that we were clearly hanging out in a living room with random girls, they are most concerned about the bottle of tequila in Sam’s hand,” he said with a shrug.

“What? You guys aren’t allowed to drink on camera or something?” I asked as my eyebrows furrowed.

“No, I believe that ship has sailed,” he said with a laugh. “It’s just we are in the works to launch that bourbon collaboration so now my team is worried about Sam holding a bottle of another brand of alcohol. I think they’re reading too much into it,” Josh said as he rubbed my forearms. Shit, I didn’t even think about that. I wasn’t sure how much detective work their fans would do analyzing the video, but I’m sure the fiancée of the bourbon company’s owner being in the video would be the icing on the cake. If the company even sees the video, I just hope it doesn’t make its way up the chain of command because Kenneth will recognize Riley and me instantly.

“I need to go talk to Riley,” I said as I started to pull away.

“Wait,” Josh said, not letting me go.

“Josh, Riley and I are in the background of the video. We need it to be taken down before someone identifies us,” I said.

“I hate to tell you this, Strawberry, but I’m sure some of our fans already found out your family tree, place of employment, and blood type,” he said with a laugh. “Even if Abby deletes it, the video is online forever.” I wasn’t laughing. Instead, I felt like I was going to puke. With all of my might, I pulled away from Josh’s embrace and marched out the bedroom door to find Riley’s room.

“I’m gonna kill Abby!” I yelled as I entered her bedroom and turned on the lights.

“What the fuck?” Riley yelled as she pulled the covers over her eyes.

“Get the bail money ready because I’m going to jail tonight for kicking Abby’s ass!” I said as I made my way over to her bed with my phone in my hand. I pulled Riley’s covers off of her and shoved my phone in her face.

“Look at this shit!” I yelled again. I watched Riley’s expression go from confused to enraged as she watched the “Two of Hearts” performance on TikTok.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Abby said through gritted teeth.

“Josh’s management team called him about it. It’s all over TikTok, Twitter, probably more. I’ve already seen several tweets with screenshots of our faces wanting to know who these bitches are!” I exclaimed.

“Who are these bitches calling a bitch?” Riley asked as she started to get out of bed. I bit my tongue because I was too mad to laugh at her right now.

“I need you to take care of this with Abby because I will kill her,” I said.

“I can’t believe she would do this,” Riley said, making her way to leave the room.

“I can,” I said under my breath. I left Riley’s bedroom to return back to Josh who was waiting in mine. I left the bedroom door open so we could hopefully hear Riley confront Abby.

“I promise it’s not a big deal,” Josh said while sitting on the bed.

“It is to me,” I said as I got closer to the doorway to try to hear their conversation better. I was a little annoyed that Josh wasn’t as concerned about the video like I was, but I guess he’s used to his every move being watched and scrutinized by strangers. Surely he remembered what it was like before he was famous. Then again, from the limited research I did on the band, it seemed like this is the life he’s had ever since he was a teenager. I continued to eavesdrop even though it was hard to make out what the girls were saying. Suddenly, I heard the voices getting louder and before I knew it, Abby and Riley were in my doorway.

“What the hell is he still doing here?” Abby asked when she noticed Josh.

“Let’s start with why you posted that TikTok after we talked about not posting on social media tonight,” I responded. I would be damned if I became the one on trial.

“I didn’t think it would turn into what it did. Why didn’t anyone say these guys were–oh, I don’t know–famous?” Abby asked with a mocking tone.

“There are people online trying to figure out Riley’s and my identity right now because of this, Abby!” I exclaimed.

“I didn’t think it would get more than my usual 100 views. I didn’t know they were famous! How is that my fault?” Abby asked, still refusing to take a sliver of responsibility. I imagined myself punching her in the face. I could feel my nails digging into my palms, so I knew I needed to relax before I did something I would regret.

“It’s your fault because you posted after we asked you not to,” Riley interjected.

“Or is this really because you don’t want people to know about what’s going on here between you two?” Abby asked while waving her finger at Josh and me.

“Can I speak?” Josh voiced from behind me. I had almost forgotten he was there because I was consumed with my thoughts of strangling Abby.

“Of course,” Riley said.

“I think everyone needs to take a breath for a moment. Abby, I’m sorry we kept our band a secret. We just wanted to hangout and feel like normal people tonight. It’s not your fault that your video somehow was discovered by our fans and got shared all over the internet. Riley and Strawberry, I’m sorry your picture is now on public display. Our band will post something outrageous tomorrow and it will all be forgotten within 48 hours. You should see some of the shit Sam has saved in the drafts. I promise it will blow over in a day or two,” he said so quietly I could barely hear him. I wanted to kiss him right then and there.

“I did delete the video from TikTok,” Abby said.

“Thank you,” Josh said with a sigh of relief.

“So you’re not sorry for—” I began to say.

“Let’s all just go to bed and worry about this tomorrow,” Riley said.

“Yeah, I better get going,” Josh said as he stood up. I instantly felt my heart shatter into a million pieces.

“Are you good to walk him out and lock the front door?” Riley asked me. I was trying everything in my power not to burst into tears.

“Yes,” I said while swallowing the lump in my throat. I watched Abby and Riley leave my bedroom. I stayed turned around with my back to Josh because I didn’t want him to see me cry. Suddenly, I felt his arms wrap around my waist and his chest was against my back. He buried his face into my neck and I lost the battle of holding back my tears. I felt the warm drops of liquid make their way down my cheeks.

“Why are you leaving?” I asked while my bottom lip quivered. I still had my back to him but I knew that he knew I was crying.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to stay the night now. Tensions are high. We don’t need Abby getting the wrong idea, and–”

“Fuck Abby!” I said as I released a sob.Yep, he definitely knew I was crying now.

“I also need to make a couple phone calls to make sure this will all be smoothed over tomorrow–well, today, technically–it’s already after two,” Josh said while his forehead rested on my shoulder. I couldn’t believe our second to last night together was now ruined. I continued to cry as he held me. I felt his lips kiss my neck as he made his way up to my ear.

“Tomorrow night, I am all yours. I promise,” he said in a whisper. I lifted my hands to my face to wipe the tears away. I moved his arms from my waist and headed toward the exit of the bedroom.

“Come on, I’ll walk you out,” I said, never turning around to see his face.

I laid in bed scrolling through Twitter reading the hundreds of tweets talking about Abby’s video. Even though I felt immense amounts of sadness while I laid in bed alone, I did have to admit that some tweets made me smile. The ones about Sam and Danny especially made me laugh. Some of their fans have quite a sense of humor while some sounded like they needed to talk to a mental health professional. I kept scrolling hoping that my eyelids would get heavy and I could sleep, but I was too stressed out. I got up to get into my medicine bag to take some melatonin. It was nearly three in the morning and I wanted nothing more than to sleep this entire day off. From fighting with Riley, to fighting with Abby, and now Josh changing his mind about staying over, I was so mentally drained. I closed out all of the apps on my phone, put it on DND mode, and flipped it face down on the nightstand.

I held my pillow tight wishing it were Josh that I was holding right now. I was so tired of crying, but I felt the pillow getting soaked with my tears. I inhaled deep breaths trying to think of anything other than the fact that I would soon be losing him for good. I reminded myself that we still had one more night together, so I tried to cling to that glimmer of hope as I allowed myself to rest.

#josh kiszka #joshua michael kiszka #josh kiskza fanfic #greta van fic #greta van fleet

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stardustshelb · 10 months

Text

"Strawberry" Part Four

TW: Language and sexual content

Word count: 6,545

Chapter Ten

“You didn’t lock the door!” I cried out as I covered my face with my hands. Josh was now fully awake after hearing the sound of Riley’s shrieking. She didn’t say a word after her discovery of the condom wrapper. She just stared at me with a look that one could describe as a cross between disappointment and surprise.

“Shit,” he said as he jumped up to close the door and lock it.

“A little late for that,” I said, still covering my face. I felt the bed move which indicated Josh was climbing back to join me.

“Hey,” he said while moving my hands away from my face. “It will be ok,” he said, trying to comfort me.

“I guess you could have just parked in the driveway after all,” I said with a laugh. When he noticed I wasn’t upset, he smiled. I just stared and admired his features. I studied his brown eyes, full lips, and remembered the intimacy we shared last night. I felt my heart beat faster as if it were trying to communicate to him in Morse code.

“What is on the agenda for today?” He asked. “And do you think I can still come over tonight?”

“I know we have brunch plans this morning. I’ll have to check the itinerary to see what else she has planned,” I said.

“I should probably get going so you can get ready. I really am sorry that I didn’t lock the door,” he said as he started to roll out of bed.

“Wait,” I said, reaching out for his arm. I gently pulled on it to make him come back to bed. The electrical charge I felt when I touched his skin was unlike anything I’ve felt for anyone before. I knew I was digging myself a deeper hole. Josh had already made it clear that he was just enjoying his temporary time with me while I was in Nashville. He obviously had no intentions of staying in touch with me once I left. It hurt to realize that this magnetic attraction that I felt when I was with him was only one-sided. I knew deep down that I should just cut ties and never see him again, but like a glutton for punishment, I pulled him back to the bed and into a kiss. Suddenly, our kisses became more passionate. I felt him getting hard as he moved his hand to the back of my head to pull me closer to him. I reached down and grabbed his erection that was trapped in his sweatpants while I kissed his neck.

“Let’s wait until tonight,” he said in a whisper.

“Are you sure? You feel like you’re ready right now,” I said, biting my lip as I slipped my hand inside the waistband of his pants to feel all of him. His impatience got the best of him and he started to remove his pants and underwear entirely. His huge dick was now fully present. I moved my body further down the bed to take it into my mouth.

“Oh, fuck,” he groaned as I opened my mouth and started to take him in as far as I could. I closed my mouth around the base and swirled my tongue up the side of his dick until I reached the tip. I repeated the motion of taking all of him in my mouth as I sucked. I looked up at him to see that he was watching me. I took my right hand and started pulling on his dick from the base as I kept him in my mouth. I repeated the motion until he broke eye contact and threw his head back. I could see he was breathing heavier now. My movements got sloppier and faster because I could tell he was on the verge of an orgasm. I watched his hands grip the satin sheets in pure pleasure.

“Fuck,” he said again as I felt him release into my mouth. I continued to suck as he unclenched the sheets and moved his hands into my hair. I swallowed his cum and slowly moved my mouth upward until I reached the tip of his dick. With him still in my mouth, I swirled my tongue around it and watched his body twitch. He still had his head thrown back and his eyes shut, but his mouth was open gasping for air. I wiped my mouth and kissed my way back up his body until I was lying next to him again.

“Ok, now you can go,” I said playfully, giving him a shove.

“Oh, you’re going to pay for that tonight,” he said, still trying to steady his breathing. I couldn’t help but imagine what he had in mind, but I felt my center getting wet with excitement. He let out one big sigh and finally opened his eyes to look at me. I couldn’t hide the grin plastered on my face. It felt good to return the generous favor that he had been performing for me. I kissed him on the cheek and savored the moment for as long as I could. What I wished could last forever was abruptly over as he got up to put his clothes back on. I knew I was in too deep with this man, but I was going to take advantage of every moment with him since I knew our time was fleeting.

“Text me when I can come back over tonight,” he said while putting his shoes on. I felt a pain in my chest as I watched him collect his phone, wallet, and keys.

“Let me walk you out,” I said as I got out of bed. I unlocked my bedroom door and slowly opened it to check to see if the coast was clear.

“You know I’ve already been spotted, right?” Josh asked when he saw me looking both ways down the hall.

“Only Riley saw you. I don’t want the others to see you,” I said as I quietly left the room. To my surprise, the Airbnb was silent. I assumed everyone was getting a late start after our wild time last night. I escorted Josh to the living room and unlocked the front door for him.

“See you tonight,” he said as he bent down to kiss me on the cheek. He made his way out the door and I watched him leave yet again. I hated saying goodbye to him, especially when our permanent goodbye was only getting closer. I quietly shut the door and locked it before leaning my back against the door. I sighed as I rested against it in pure bliss.

“We need to talk,” Riley said, startling me from my daze. I opened my eyes to see her standing in the unlit living room with her arms crossed like an angry parent.

“Can we go somewhere more private to have this conversation?” I asked.

“Yeah, let’s go to my room. My sheets are much cleaner,” she said as she turned on one foot. I could sense she was pissed. Like a lamb to its slaughter, I followed behind her until we made it to her bedroom. Continuing with her angry parent shtick, she stood in the doorway and pointed into her room. Without saying a word, I shuffled past her and made my way to sit on her bed. She shut the door behind us and just stood at the front of the room staring at me.

“I don’t even know where to begin,” she said. Well, I definitely wasn’t going to start the conversation because I honestly didn’t know what to say either. “You are my best friend. I love you. I would do anything for you. I would die for you if I had to. But if there is one thing that I have always valued about our friendship, it’s that I can be real and honest with you at all times. So when I say that I cannot support you cheating, I mean it,” she said. I couldn’t look her in the eye. I just stared down at her feet as if I were a dog being scolded for chewing up a new pair of shoes.

“If you’re not happy with Kenneth, just leave him,” she said.

“It’s easier said than done,” I finally managed to speak.

“Cheating on him doesn’t make it any better. You need to leave him if you aren’t happy,” she said.

“Easy for you to say,” I said.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” She asked.

“You left. You left our town, you left your family, and you left me. It’s not so easy for me to pack up and start living my life somewhere new,” I said angrily. I knew I struck a nerve by the look in her eye.

Riley yelled, “You are not the victim here! You are throwing everything away for some random guy’s dick!”

I yelled back, “Throwing what away exactly? A loveless relationship? An extended engagement with no end in sight?” I felt hot tears running down my cheeks. I hated to yell at Riley, especially during her bachelorette weekend. But the anger spewed out of me like lava.

“I think you need to take a step back and look at the decisions you’re making,” she said.

“And I think you need to mind your own business. I’m a grown woman,” I said with so much hatred in my voice that even I was startled.

“Maybe you should just stay behind today,” Riley said. I could see she was now crying too. Fuck. I really was ruining everything.

“No, I’m your maid of honor. I’m not going to sit at the Airbnb while you go out with everyone else,” I said as I crossed my arms.

“Then start acting like you’re my maid of honor and stop acting like you’re not hurting everyone around you,” she said, wiping the tears away.

“What time do I need to be ready to leave?” I said as I stood up. We clearly hadn’t resolved our conflict but I was so emotionally drained that I was just ready to leave the room.

“We’re leaving in two hours in case you need to squeeze in another hook-up before then,” Riley said. I decided to ignore her comment. She didn’t budge when I walked right past her and out of her room. I made my way down the hallway until I got back to my bedroom. I slammed the door behind me and threw myself on the bed. I replayed the painful conversations I had from both last night and this morning. Everything felt like it was weighing on me. My world was caving in and all I could do was suffocate. I suddenly couldn’t breathe. I sat up on the edge of the bed and put my head between my knees to steady my breathing. I focused on the feeling of my lungs expanding with every breath and kept my eyes shut. When I felt like I could finally handle my emotions, I sat straight up. Riley thought I couldn’t have my cake and eat it too, but she was wrong.

Chapter Eleven

“Blueberry pancakes, please,” I ordered and shut my menu. We found a quaint little bistro with a great outdoor seating area for brunch. A cool morning in late April helped make for the perfect weather. The server took our menus as Maddie raised her glass of mimosa.

“To Riley,” she said.

“To Riley,” I added quietly as I raised my glass to toast with the group. You could cut the tension between us with a knife, but I was still going to play the part.

Suddenly, Abby turned to me and asked, “Were you watching porn last night? What the fuck were those noises coming from your room?”

“Yeah, I thought I heard something like that too,” Riley said, leaning forward in her chair with a smug look on her face.

“Riley, you couldn’t hear anything because you were passed out,” I said, swirling the liquid in my glass. “And I was just watching TikTok. I don’t know what you thought you heard,” I said, trying to sound like I was telling the truth.

“Damn, let me check out your for-you-page sometime,” Brooke said laughing. I locked eyes with Riley and she quickly looked away, but not before I caught her rolling her eyes.

I ate my food in silence as I allowed the others to control the conversation. I wanted to be anywhere else but here, but I’d be damned if I gave Abby the satisfaction of me failing as the maid of honor.

“I saw there was nothing planned on the itinerary for tonight,” Brooke started. I hadn’t noticed. “Should we go to a comedy club?” She suggested.

“Oh, we could go do an escape room!” Maddie exclaimed.

“Or we could check out the Country Music Hall of Fame,” Abby proposed.

“Pass,” I said aloud. It was the first time I had spoken in probably 30 minutes.

“Actually, I would love to check out the hall of fame,” Riley said in support of Abby’s idea. Give me a break.

“You don’t even listen to country music,” I argued.

“But it’s one of the most important Nashville attractions,” Riley responded. I knew she was just trying to get back at me. I knew her ass had no desire to go there.

“Riley is the bride,” Abby chimed in as if I wanted to hear her two cents.

“And whatever the bride wants, the bride gets,” I said, shoving a bite of pancake in my mouth.

“Well how nice of you to realize that finally,” Abby added.

“Excuse me?” I asked while putting my fork down. The tension that was between Riley and me had now expanded across the whole table. I felt my blood starting to boil.

“You were nonexistent in the group chat leading up to this weekend, and—” Abby was saying.

“Oh, did I miss something important in the 500 notifications I got every day?” I asked sarcastically, cutting her off.

“Maybe if you acted like you even wanted to be here,” Abby said under her breath. I looked at Riley for support but she just stared down at her plate. Unbelievable.

“You know what? You ladies enjoy the rest of your day. Frankly, I don’t need this shit,” I said, standing up. I opened my purse and threw some cash on the table before walking away. Dealing with Riley’s attitude was one thing but having them team up against me was another. I left the restaurant patio and started walking down the street. I had no idea where I was going, but I was determined to get out of there. I grabbed my phone out of my purse. I selected Plagiarism’s name from my contact list and held my breath as I hit the call button.

He answered, “Hello?” I hesitated. What the fuck was I doing?

“Are you busy?” Stupid question. He’s famous, you moron. Of course he’s busy.

“What’s going on?” He answered my question with a question.

“I’m currently walking down…” I paused to find the nearest street sign. “Charlotte Avenue… I have no car. I have no idea where I’m going. I–”

“Stay there and stay on the phone with me,” Josh commanded.

“I shouldn’t have called you. You're super busy and I–” I said.

“Stay there, I’m getting in my car right now. I can be there in less than 15 minutes,” he interrupted. My stomach was doing cartwheels at the idea of seeing him again so soon.

“No, it’s fine. I can get an Uber,” I began to plead.

“What happened?” Josh asked.

“I just had to get away,” I said, avoiding telling Josh what happened at brunch for fear of sounding like I was involved in high school drama. “Are you sure you’re not busy?” I asked.

“I can make time for you,” he said. I felt my cheeks get warm. “Where are you?”

“I’m standing outside of CVS,” I said. I glanced at my reflection in the store’s window. “I’m going to go inside and walk around until you get here,” I said.

“I want you to stay on the phone with me,” he said.

“It’s broad daylight, Josh. I’m a grown woman and I–” I was saying.

“Stop being so damn stubborn and just stay on the phone with me, please,” he interrupted.

“Ok,” I said with a sigh. I kind of liked him telling me what to do. I decided to buy a package of mints from CVS before he got there… just in case.

When I saw his Jeep pull up in front of the store, I finally hung up the phone. I walked outside to open his passenger door to get in. I recognized the inside of his car from the first—and only—selfie he sent me before he came over to the Airbnb for the first time. His car was pristine like he had just had it detailed. While I was not a slob, you could definitely find empty bottles of water on my floorboard, straw wrappers in my door compartments, and even a thin layer of dust on my dashboard. Not to mention Sassy’s hair on my seats because she loves car rides. But Josh’s car looked like he just drove it off the lot. I buckled my seatbelt and admired how clean he kept his Jeep.

“Is someone a bit of a neat freak?” I asked with a smirk.

“Don’t even start,” he said, pulling his car back onto the road.

“Is your house as clean as your car?” I asked.

“Let’s go find out,” he said, giving me a wink. I expected him to take me back to the Airbnb; I never expected him to want to take me to his home. I started to feel nervous.

“You’re taking me back to your place?” I asked. I started to feel even more anxious that I had asked him yet another question.

“If that’s ok with you,” he said looking over at me.

“I just didn’t think you’d want to show me where you lived. The conversation we had last night led me to believe this was just another fling for you,” I said, feeling bold.

“A fling?” He asked.

“Hook up, whatever,” I said looking out the window. My anxiety was through the roof.

“I don’t just see you as that,” he reminded me.

“Yes, so you’ve said,” I said, still avoiding eye contact.

“Do you want to talk about what happened with your friends?” Josh asked. I could tell he was attempting to change the subject, but I didn’t necessarily want to talk about them either.

“Friend. Singular. Just one. And even now I’m not so sure what our relationship is like,” I said, feeling the tears forming in my eyes.

“I’m sure you two will work it out soon. Let me know if you want to talk about it,” Josh said as he pulled up to a private gate. I didn’t look to see what code he put in to make the gate open. I don’t know why I didn’t expect him to live in a gated community. It’s almost as if I kept forgetting that he was literally a celebrity. Other than his eccentric style, he had the most laid back and caring disposition. And while I would never call him ordinary, it was easy to forget that he wasn’t just some regular guy.

Just as I suspected, his home was as spotless as his car. It almost felt like it was an open house staged for a showing. I took my shoes off at the door and admired his living room. It was so uniquely him. The decor, the feeling, the layout–everything was so him.

“Are you thirsty?” He asked as he made his way into the kitchen. “No, I’m fine,” I called out to him as I stared at the painting above the fireplace. So many gold tones swept in light brush strokes. It was abstract and unlike anything I’d ever find in a store.

“I painted that,” he said, joining me. He had a glass of wine in his hand.

“You lie,” I said.

“Look,” he said, pointing to the artist's signature in the bottom right corner of the canvas. I read the initials JMK that were carefully scripted in gold like camouflage amongst the brush strokes.

“What can’t you do?” I asked as I was once again stunned by his many talents. He smiled at my compliment. And even though I had seen it a million times in the short span of our time together, his smile still managed to take my breath away.

“Do you spend a lot of time here? This place doesn’t even look lived in,” I said.

“Not as much time as I would like to, no,” he said as he sipped his wine. “Between writing and recording music, touring, business meetings, press, and spending time in strangers’ Airbnbs, I’m rarely home,” he said with a wink. I playfully hit his arm. I didn’t necessarily want to think about his past lovers. I couldn’t help but to feel jealous as stupid as that made me.

“Come on, let me show you my favorite part of the house,” he said, grabbing my hand. I allowed him to lead me out of the room; I’d follow him anywhere as long as I got to hold his hand. I tried not to think about how this would be one of the last times I’d get to spend time with him. He led me to a staircase and I followed him down the steps. He flipped a switch and illuminated what I assumed was once a basement. Now it looked like a personal recording studio. There were records hung in glass cases across every wall. There was a piano in one corner and a drumset in the other. There were at least five guitars displayed on a hanging rack. In frames were old black and white photographs of famous artists, landmarks, and cities mixed in to fill the gaps between records. It was amazing, truly. I could spend hours in this makeshift gallery admiring the pieces that made Josh happy. I stopped when I saw a framed poster advertising a free concert for Greta Van Fleet.

“Yeah, that’s from when we were in high school,” he said when he noticed it had my attention.

“What’s it like getting to live your dream?” I asked, still staring at the poster.

“I take it day by day. Most days it doesn’t even feel real, honestly.” He pointed at the poster. “Then I see this and I’m reminded how quickly my fate can change,” he said.

“Are you happy?” I asked, looking at his face.

“Of course,” he said.

“You deserve everything good that has happened to you. Your music, your talent–it’s a gift,” I said. “And I’m only just now discovering your band. I’m like a two-day-old listener”, I said, laughing.

“Thank you,” he said, grabbing my hand again. “What makes you happy?” He asked as I felt his gaze on my face.

“I’m not sure anymore,” I said. “My answer now is vastly different from the answer I would have given you two days ago,” I said.

“There’s nothing wrong with changing. Life is all about growth and rediscovery,” he said as I felt his thumb gently slide across the top of my hand, an intimate gesture that sent chills up my spine.

“I’m hoping I can find the courage to change,” I said quietly.

“Live unapologetically and it will happen when you don’t even realize it. Life is too short for bullshit. You’re special. I hope you know that,” he said, pulling me closer to him. I lingered in his embrace taking the moment in. I wanted to relive this for the rest of my life.

“Will you sing for me?” I asked.

“Any requests?” He asked as he started to make his way to the piano in the corner.

“You’re the one full of surprises, remember?” I said following him. I sat next to him on the padded piano bench. He sat for a moment and I could see he was contemplating on what to perform. He put his hands on the keys and began playing. I instantly knew the song as he played each note. I closed my eyes and listened as he began to sing the lyrics: “Let me take you down ‘cause I’m going to strawberry fields. Nothing is real… And nothing to get hung about. Strawberry fields forever… Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see. It’s getting hard to be someone but it all works out. It doesn’t matter much to me… Let me take you down ‘cause I’m going to strawberry fields… Nothing is real… And nothing to get hung about. Strawberry fields forever… Strawberry fields forever…” He stopped playing. I didn’t realize it, but I was crying. I wasn’t sure if I was overcome by hearing him sing or the choice of song, but I couldn’t help it. Or the fact that I haven’t felt this happy in so long. I wiped my eyes and laughed nervously. “That was beautiful,” I said.

“Beauty inspired art,” he said, wiping a tear from my eye. I sat on the bench and stared into his deep brown eyes. I wanted nothing more than to spend eternity on this bench next to him. I silently pleaded for time to stand still. All of the drama, bullshit, and unhappiness in my life didn’t exist in this basement. These four walls blocked out the outside world and only Josh and his art existed.

“Can I be honest with you?” I asked not breaking eye contact.

“Honesty is all I ever want,” he said.

“Do you have any feelings at all for me?” I asked. Before he could answer the question I wasn’t sure I even wanted an answer to, my phone started ringing. I opened my wristlet and saw Riley’s name and picture on my screen.

“I need to take this,” I said with a sigh.

Chapter Twelve

I got up from the piano bench and went upstairs to talk to Riley. It had been almost two hours since I abruptly left brunch. While my feelings were still hurt, I didn’t want to go any longer without trying to resolve what was broken but I also didn’t want to be a punching bag.

“Where are you?” Riley asked as soon as I answered the phone.

“I’m at Josh’s house,” I said, waiting for her to react.

“Can you come back to the Airbnb so we can talk?” She asked.

“I’m not sure what’s left to talk about, Riley,” I said.

“Listen, Abby, Maddie, and Brooke are heading out to do some shopping. I asked for them to give us some privacy,” she said. I did like the sound of having one-on-one time with Riley. I felt like I hadn’t had any alone time with her in ages.

“Ok, I’ll have Josh bring me back. I’ll see you soon,” I said.

I made my way back down the steps to find Josh playing the piano again. I stood along the wall and just listened as he played what sounded like an original song. His body moved in time with the sound of each note. It was as if he was in his own world and I was just a bystander. As if he could sense my presence, he turned to me and motioned me over with a slight turn of his neck. I joined him back on the bench and rested my head on his shoulder as he continued to play. When he finished his performance, he bent down and kissed me on top of the head. I wanted to stay here, on this bench, next to him listening to him play. But, I knew Riley needed me home.

“Is it time for you to go?” Josh asked, somehow sensing the dread that I felt.

“Unfortunately,” I said with a sigh.

“Remember… Live unapologetically,” he whispered into my ear. I smiled through the pain that I felt now having to part ways again.

“I’d still like to see you tonight,” I said.

“I’d like that too,” he said, kissing me once more on top of my head.

When Josh pulled up to my Airbnb, I noticed the rental car was not in the driveway. Relief washed over me like a wave knowing the rest of the girls were out of the house. I knew Riley and I had to hash out this built up tension and I sure as hell didn’t want an audience for it.

“I’ll text you when I’m free,” I said, opening the passenger door.

“I’ll be waiting,” he said, squeezing my left hand. I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek as I made my way out of his Jeep. I walked up to the porch steps and entered in the passcode on the doorknob to get inside. Once I made it in, I watched Josh pull away and I couldn’t help but feel like he drove off with a piece of my heart too. I shut the door behind me and found Riley sitting on the living room couch.

“Hey,” I said quietly as I made my way over to sit by her.

“Hey,” she responded as she flashed a soft smile. I took the seat next to her but still felt oceans away. I dropped my head into my hands and sighed.

“I’m sorry I’ve been a piece of shit friend and an even bigger piece of shit maid of honor,” I said looking at the floor.

“You’re not a piece of shit,” Riley said.

“No, I am,” I said looking up at her. “I hate to admit it, but I am,” I said.

“My best friend is not a piece of shit… But my best friend has been shitty,” she said laughing.

“I’m still your best friend?” I said sticking my bottom lip out in a pout.

“Forever and always, bitch,” Riley said, scooting next to me. The metaphorical ocean that once separated us had dried and I found my landmark. I grabbed Riley’s hand and squeezed it.

“Tell me what’s going on,” she said.

“I don’t want to talk about me. This weekend is about you, remember?” I said.

“I’m not the one who is hurting. I can sense you are. Tell me what’s going on in your brain,” Riley said as she snuggled closer to me.

“For the first time in years, I feel like I have been allowed to be myself. I know you think I’m making mistakes, and maybe I am, but mistakes give me a chance to learn and grow. I have been living my life stuck in some routine day in and day out. I have been unhappy for so long, Riley. And I thought I would be stuck in this mold of a life forever until I met Josh. And now I realize that I don’t have to be who everyone else wants me to be. I don’t have to spend another moment of my life bending over backwards to make others more comfortable,” I said, trying to swallow the lump in my throat.

“Are you in love with him?” She asked.

“I can’t be because there are a lot of reasons why we couldn’t be together,” I said.

“Because of Kenneth?” Riley asked. Fuck. That was the first time I had thought about him all day.

“Not necessarily…” I said.

“Because of the long distance?” Riley then asked.

“No, but that definitely doesn’t help,” I said.

“What else could be holding you back?” She asked.

“He doesn’t want anything serious,” I said.

“Please tell me you’re not letting this guy fuck you after he’s said this,” Riley said angrily.

“I know… But I feel such a connection with him, Riley. And believe me, the sex is fantastic. Incredible. Life-changing. Eye-opening–”

“Leg opening,” Riley interrupted. We threw our heads back in laughter.

“There’s something else that’s pretty important that I need to tell you,” I said.

“If you tell me that this guy is married, so help me God I will–” she began.

“No, he’s actually against the idea of marriage, but that’s not important,” I said, cutting her off.

“This guy sounds like a real douche,” Riley said.

“I swear he’s the most incredible guy I’ve ever met,” I said, squeezing her hand.

“What’s so special about him?” Riley asked. I decided to show her Josh’s true identity the same way I found out. I grabbed the TV remote and opened the YouTube app.

“...What is happening?” Riley asked.

“Just wait,” I said as I went to the search history. Before I could click on a music video, I heard Riley gasp.

“Is that him?” She yelled.

“Yes!” I squealed as I selected the “Meeting The Master” music video to play.

“What the fuck?” She yelled.

“I know!” I yelled back.

“WHAT THE FUCK?” Riley yelled even louder as we watched Josh on the screen.

“I KNOW!” I yelled louder. I’m sure the neighbors could hear us. We watched the rest of the music video in silence as I waited in anticipation for a response of some sort from Riley.

“He’s talented as hell but weird as fuck,” Riley finally said.

“Seriously, that’s what you got from this?” I asked, laughing.

“So you’re telling me that not only have you been hanging out with a celebrity but you’ve been fucking him too? I did not have that on my Nash Bash bingo card,” Riley said while shaking her head.

“I have feelings for him, Riley. Leaving is going to hurt so bad,” I said with a whine.

“Babe, I’m happy that he has given you a new perspective on life and you’ve rediscovered yourself, but I just think you’re setting yourself up for heartbreak. And what the fuck are you going to do about Kenneth?” Riley asked as she took my face in her hands.

“I’ll cross the Kenneth bridge when I get home. I honestly haven’t talked to him since yesterday,” I said while she still held my face. “I promise to be more present and give you my full attention. I will be a better friend. But will you look the other way when Josh comes over at night?”

“I just don’t understand why you’re still longing for him and allowing him to come over after he has told you he doesn’t want a future with you,” Riley said while finally letting go of my face. I knew she was right. I knew this wasn’t going to be good for me. Hell, it already hurt to say goodbye to him today when I still get to see him. I dreaded the idea of going back to Oklahoma.

“I know,” I said. “But hey, I’m all yours for the rest of the day and tonight. We have two nights left in Nashville. Let’s make the most of it,” I said, grabbing her hands.

“Why don’t you ask Josh if he and his band want to party with us tonight?” Riley asked, lifting an eyebrow. “How badass would it be to say we drank with rock stars? Think of the stories we could tell.”

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea…” I said.

“Can you at least ask?” Riley pleaded. I didn’t want to share my time with Josh with anyone else, nor did I want to bring him around the girls. We’ve kept it lowkey this whole time and I think Josh appreciates that about me. I don’t know if the girls would respect the guys’ privacy enough. But I knew I owed Riley a fun night after ruining her brunch. Against my better judgment, I pulled out my phone to text Plagiarism:

Me: “So I told Riley about GVF… She wants to know if y’all want to party with us tonight…”

Plagiarism: “Where at?”

Me: “Either we can throw something here or we can go out. Whatever you’re feeling.”

Plagiarism: “Let me see what they want to do and I’ll get back to you.”

I honestly didn’t want Josh to feel like I was putting him in a weird position by asking for all of us to hangout. I had an idea to make the night go more smoothly. While I waited for Josh’s response, I turned to face Riley on the couch. “Ok, we can’t tell the girls that the boys are in a band. No pictures or videos need to be taken. They’re just regular guys,” I said.

“You’re telling me that I’m going to get to party with rock stars and I don’t even get to document it?” Riley asked.

“Nope. Josh and I have kept things low key. He doesn’t even know my name,” I said, covering my face. If she didn’t judge me before, she definitely was going to now.

“Shut the fuck up,” Riley said while giving me the look.

“I’m serious,” I said, still shielding myself from her reaction.

“Y’all are batshit crazy, you know that?” She asked. Before I could answer Riley, my phone vibrated in my lap.

Plagiarism: “The guys said we can party at your place tonight. We’ll bring the booze.”

Me: “We’ll order pizzas. Does 7 sound good?”

Plagiarism: “7 works. By the way, I’m driving separately so I can stay the night.” I smiled and held the message down to “love” it.

Me: “We aren’t telling the other girls about GVF so come ready to lie about what y’all do for work.”

Plagiarism: “Oh this will be fun.”

I turned to Riley and said, “Ok, we have three and a half hours to get ready, order pizzas, and prep the girls.”

“I’ll call them and tell them to pick up a deck of cards for some drinking games,” Riley said. “I’m so excited! Are you sure I can’t take just one picture?”

“I’m sure,” I scolded. I jumped up from the couch to start getting ready. I wasn’t nervous to hangout with Josh. In fact, I always felt so comfortable around him. It was the mixing of company that made me anxious. I didn’t know anything about his bandmates and I sure as hell didn’t know what to expect with Abby. I hoped I wouldn’t regret agreeing to have a party here, but I just wanted to make up for the shit I caused during Riley’s weekend.

We prepped the girls with information about how I met Josh on the plane and how Riley wanted to have a house party rather than going out. Maddie was game for free booze, Brooke was game for meeting new guys, but Abby was hesitant about the no phones thing.

“We just don’t want Mike and Kenneth to get jealous or worried about us hanging out with other men,” Riley said. It was a pretty convincing lie. I don’t know how jealous Mike, Riley’s fiancé, would get, but I know Kenneth would freak out. No pictures on social media would be best for everyone involved. Surely everyone could follow that rule to keep all hell from breaking loose. I was wrong.

#greta van fic #greta van fleet #josh kiszka #joshua michael kiszka #josh kiskza fanfic #greta van smut #greta van fleet smut

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stardustshelb · 10 months

Text

"Strawberry" Part Three

TW: Language and sexual content

Word count: 7,470

Chapter Seven

I flipped over my pillow to let the cool side rest against my face. How could I possibly sleep now that I know who Josh really is? I had spent the last two hours spiraling out of control looking up every possible piece of information about him and the band. The weird moments I witnessed from earlier all made sense: The wearing of the sunglasses inside, the Google Voice phone number, the change in his mannerisms when I mentioned a tour. Oh, and I recognized his “assistant” alright. No, instead he’s the lead guitarist and Josh’s twin brother in the band. I didn’t know how I didn’t see it before. And I didn’t know if I was more angry or shocked. I couldn’t totally blame him for not telling me the truth. Then again, why was I so willing to accept that this connection we have is based on lies? I grabbed my phone off of the nightstand to check the time. 1:19 shined directly into my eyes. Riley and the girls will be landing in Nashville in a little over 12 hours. I really needed to get some sleep. I was physically and mentally exhausted, but my thoughts kept circling back to Josh. Do I tell him that I know? Do I pretend that I don't? Do I even contact him at all?

I got up and found my medicine bag on the bathroom counter. I grabbed my bottle of melatonin and took two pills. I was going to need an extra dose to sleep this madness off. I stared at myself in the mirror wondering how I even got into this situation in the first place. I walked back to my bed to see my phone lit up on the nightstand. I stared at the screen to see Plagiarism’s name across it.

Plagiarism: “Let me know if you can slip away this weekend. I’d love to see…and taste you again.”

I immediately flipped my phone face down and pulled the covers over my head. Can one overdose on melatonin? I’m going to need something stronger to get any real sleep. I closed my eyes and started a forced breathing routine, one of my anxiety coping skills, to get my heart rate to lessen. I unclenched my jaw and focused on my breathing to get some much-needed rest. Maybe this will have all been a dream and I will forget it by morning.

I woke up to the sound of my alarm blaring; I rolled over and grabbed my phone to silence its ringing. I still felt exhausted despite getting my usual six hours of sleep. I felt like I was coming out of a coma because I started to question what was even reality. There’s no way last night was real. As soon as I shut off the alarm, I could see Plagiarism’s text was still on my phone. Ok, so last night really happened.

I decided to leave his text unanswered until I knew what the hell I was going to do. I desperately wanted Riley’s advice but the last thing I wanted to do was drag my drama into her bachelorette weekend. As her maid of honor, my focus needed to be solely on her. I got up and headed into the kitchen to start myself a cup of coffee before getting in the shower. I searched the cabinets for a mug and picked out a K-Cup from the carousel of coffees provided by the Airbnb host. I opted for a dark roast because I needed all of the caffeine I could get. I set up the Keurig and then went to the bathroom to get ready for the day.

I stepped into the warm water coming from the shower head and washed last night’s memories off of me. Stop thinking about him. I wish he were in this shower with me. Stop it. I wish I could return the favor and make him feel as amazing as he made me feel. Stop. I wasn’t sure if the steam rising in the air was from the water or from my thoughts of him.

I heard my phone ringing and practically screamed as I was shaken from my thoughts. I wrapped a towel around my body and sprinted across the hallway to grab my phone. “Please don’t be him,” I said aloud as I checked the screen. “Well, shit, not him either,” I said in a sarcastic tone before answering the call.

“Hey,” I said, trying not to sound disappointed.

“Hey,” Kenneth said. I stared at my feet wondering what to say to him. We normally live separate lives back home. With his business being in the city, I’m typically washing my plate in the sink when he comes home for dinner. Our conversations lasted only a few words at a time. On the weekends, we lived our lives separately despite being in the same space. I find errands to run in town and he finds hobbies to complete at home; we simply coexist. It’s our normalcy.

“So, what are y’all doing tonight?” Kenneth asked, breaking the silence.

“I need to look at the itinerary Riley made to be sure, but I think we have reservations for dinner and then we will head to Broadway since it’s a Saturday night,” I said.

“Be careful,” Kenneth said. Where did this sentiment come from? Was he actually missing me?

“Thanks, we will be,” I said.

“The bed sure was lonely without you last night. Sassy didn’t even jump into bed,” he said.

“Tell her I’ll be home in a few days,” I said, disregarding his initial comment. Even when our bodies were mere inches from one another, I always felt lonely in that bed.

“Again with the damn dog,” he said in an angry tone. He still hadn’t sent me a picture of her like I had asked, but I didn’t feel like arguing with him.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “You know I miss you too,” I lied.

Riley and her friends would be at the Airbnb any moment. I still hadn’t texted Josh back because I wasn’t sure what I would even say to him. Reality hadn’t yet set in that a literal rock star was in between my legs last night. I did one last walk through the Airbnb to make sure everything was tidy and perfect when I heard a knock at the door. Why would the girls knock?

I opened the front door to find a young man holding a large bouquet of a dozen white roses and a box.

“Yes?” I asked the boy in uniform.

“I have a delivery for…Strawberry,” he said with a nervous pause. My jaw practically dropped to the ground. Before I could process what was happening, the boy was handing me the floral arrangement and white box. I accepted the surprise gifts and walked back inside to put them on the dining room table. I opened the mysterious box to find a dozen chocolate covered strawberries. I love an innuendo. I removed the card from the bouquet; I couldn’t let Riley see that the flowers weren’t for her. I planned to pretend that I ordered all of this for her when she got here. I opened the envelope and read the message on the card: “Thinking of you… -J” Good God. I held the card to my chest as I leaned in to smell the flowers. They were gorgeous and fully bloomed. I couldn’t remember the last time anyone sent me flowers. I heard the sound of car doors shutting and peaked out the window. Riley and her friends made it and were unloading their luggage from the rental car. I quickly ran to the room that I claimed and tucked the card from Josh in my suitcase. I grabbed my phone off the charger and noticed I had a text from Plagiarism.

Plagiarism: “Are you ok?”

Me: “Yes?”

Plagiarism: “Ok, just checking because I hadn’t heard from you.”

Me: “Thank you for my surprises.”

Plagiarism: “I’m full of them.”

Before I could respond, I heard Riley clear her throat while standing in my doorway. I was so involved in his texts that I didn’t even hear the girls come in. I tossed my phone on the bed and ran to give her the biggest hug. I wanted to cry because I was so happy to see her. It had been nearly six months since we had seen each other. You know that one person in your life who is your constant form of love and support? That’s my Riley. I squeezed her until she started to protest. “Ok, ok, let me go,” she said laughing. I finally set her free from the confines of my hug.

“You look so beautiful!” I exclaimed as I admired her white velour tracksuit. No doubt it was brand new just for the trip.

“Check out the back,” she said with a grin as she turned around. Her long blonde hair was tied up in a hot pink ribbon so it was easy to read the word ‘BRIDE’ embroidered across her back.

“I love it!” I said.

“We have lots to discuss, ma’am,” she said as she narrowed her eyes at me. “But we can do that later. Come on, I want you to meet some of my friends,” she said as she pulled me into the living room. I followed behind her until the distant chatter and laughter was getting louder. On the couch sat three girls whom I immediately recognized from Riley’s Instagram posts. The “Nashville Babes” were finally together under the same roof. I tried to fight the urge of feeling socially awkward because I felt like I was the odd-man-out. While two of them traveled from different places, it was obvious that they all shared a close friendship. Maybe if I had been more involved in the group text, I wouldn’t feel like I was such an outsider.

I smiled as Riley made my introduction to the group but I couldn’t help the weird vibe I received from Abby, Riley’s newest friend and colleague. I didn’t like the expression on her face as she stared at me. I know it’s probably my anxiety making me overthink things, but I definitely didn’t feel like she was a fan of me. But then again, why should she be?

Chapter Eight

I tried to shake the uneasy feeling off as we all got dressed and ready for our first night out. I examined the girls in their short skirts as a sea of hot pink glitter and sequins paraded through the living room. I looked down at my hot pink jumpsuit that I found on Amazon. I was so excited that I put it on as soon as it was delivered. I even held a fashion show for Riley on FaceTime. I once felt so hot in this outfit, but now I felt indifferent when I realized that I was once again the only one in the group who didn’t fit in. Riley wore a short, tight white dress with silver sequined booties. Her blonde hair cascaded into curls down her back. She looked like a total knockout.

“Oh, I almost forgot!” Abby exclaimed as she started to rummage through her suitcase. She pulled out a rectangular box and handed it to Riley. Riley opened it and pulled out a hot pink sash that read “Bride to Be” across it in white glitter.

“Oh my gosh! How cute!” Riley squealed as she took it out of the box. Abby jumped up with safety pins in her hand to help Riley put it on. I couldn’t help but to feel a pang of jealousy. I should have thought about that. Way to go, maid of dishonor.

“Let’s get some group pictures before we leave,” Riley’s friend Brooke said.

“I brought my tripod!” Abby exclaimed happily. Ok, what doesn’t this girl think of?

“You’re always so prepared,” Riley said, kissing Abby on the side of her head.

We took what felt like 500 pictures before we were finally ready to leave for our dinner reservation. I grabbed my phone, lipstick and wallet and stuffed them inside the wristlet purse I bought for the weekend. We packed into the rental car, and I was glad Abby was in the driver’s seat. It wasn’t so bad sitting in the backseat with Riley’s friends Brooke and Maddie. They were nice; Maddie even volunteered to sit in the middle.

“Who wants to connect their phone to the car to play some music?” Brooke asked.

“I recently discovered a band I think you might like, Riley,” I said aloud.

“I actually made a Nash Bash playlist on Spotify for the weekend,” Abby said before Riley could respond. Of course she did.

“Hell yeah!” Maddie exclaimed as she reached for Abby’s phone. Maddie scrolled until she found the playlist and we listened to a plethora of pop music. I looked out the window and tried to remind myself that this was what a bachelorette weekend was all about. I concentrated on my breathing as the girls in the car yelled the lyrics to “WAP” at the top of their lungs. I felt my phone vibrate in my purse, and to my surprise, the name Plagiarism was on my screen with the message: “I’m free tonight.” I felt my face start to blush as I recalled what happened between us just last night. Dreaming of his touch, I desperately wished that I was free tonight too. I held the message down to “love” it before putting my phone back in my purse.

“Ooooh, is your husband sexting you?” I heard Abby ask. I looked up and saw that she was staring at me in the rearview mirror.

“I’m not married,” I said in a matter-of-fact tone.

“Oh, Riley said you were still with your high school sweetheart. I just assumed you’d be married,” she said. I studied her face in the mirror. I couldn’t quite place the look, but I didn’t like it. Or maybe I just didn’t like her.

“Not married yet,” Riley answered as she reached her arm back from the passenger seat to put her hand on my knee. I knew it was her way of comforting me.

We pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant that Riley apparently had to reserve six months in advance. It was one of the top rated spots in Nashville according to her. I wanted to cry when I looked up the menu online and saw the most affordable entree was $39 and that was for a damn salad. We walked inside and Abby led the way to the host stand to check us in. I glanced around this “must-do” restaurant and saw white linens draped across every tabletop. A fireplace roared in the middle of the lobby. I heard classical music performed live by a pianist in the corner of the lobby. I bet I was the only woman in the whole place not in a dress. I looked down at my jumpsuit and tried to remember the sheer happiness I felt when I tried it on for the first time. As if she could sense my uneasiness, Riley grabbed my hand and squeezed it tight.

“This way, please,” the man from the host stand said as he waved for us to follow him. We made our way through the restaurant and walked past tables of designer clothes, watches, perfumes, and bags. Before we made it to our table, I heard a wild laugh that stopped me in my tracks. I knew that laugh. I stopped following the girls and turned to find where the laugh was coming from. Immediately, I locked eyes with a familiar face. The assistant from the plane–no, he’s not an assistant. Jake. I could tell that he was studying me as well trying to recall where he knew me from. It was then that I realized Josh was sitting across from him with his back to me. I could recognize his hair anywhere. Holy shit. I realized that I had been standing and staring at their table like a lunatic, so I tried to find where my table was. While I glanced across the room looking for hot pink sequins to catch my eye, I looked back at his table to find Josh was now turned around. When I made eye contact with him, he flashed that beautiful smile of his. I returned a smile to him when I saw Riley waving at me from the corner of my eye. I made my way to our table and tried to act as normal as possible.

“That’s him, isn’t it?” Riley whispered into my ear.

“Yes,” I said quietly, folding the white napkin across my lap.

“Did you tell him we would be here?” she asked. I looked up at her face with a shocked expression in my eyes.

“Of course not!” I whispered back.

“Secrets don’t make friends,” Abby said from across the table with a smug look on her face. Good thing I’m not your friend.

“What are we drinking?” Riley interjected with her impeccable timing.

“How about we order a bottle of wine for the table?” Abby asked. I didn’t even want to know how much that would cost, but I was along for the ride to give Riley the best weekend she deserved. I would worry about my credit card bill next month.

Our server approached the table holding a bottle of champagne in his arm like he was presenting us with a gift. “A bottle of champagne for the celebration,” he held out to us. Behind him, another server began placing champagne flutes in front of all of us while the man with the bottle prepared to pour.

“Oh, we didn’t order anything–” Brooke began.

“This was sent over as a gift,” the server responded as he finished pouring her glass. I turned around to see Josh raising his glass to me. That sneaky son of a bitch. I turned back around to see Riley narrowed her eyes at me as if she could read my mind.

“To Riley,” I said as I held up my glass of champagne.

“To Riley,” the girls repeated as we raised our glasses together. Before I took a sip, I turned back to Josh and raised my glass to him. He gave me a wink and I wanted to melt to the floor. I sipped on the glass of champagne and allowed myself to let loose a little tonight. Fuck Kenneth, Abby, the outrageous prices of this restaurant—I was bound and determined to have a great night.

We ordered our entrees and were making small talk about Riley’s wedding plans when I felt my phone buzz in my wristlet. I checked the screen to see his name. Plagiarism: “Meet me near the bathrooms.” I slid my phone back in my purse and took another sip of the champagne.

“Excuse me, ladies. I’m going to run to the restroom real quick,” I said as I began to stand up.

“I can go with you,” Riley began to offer.

“No, it’s ok. Trust me,” I said. I pushed in my chair and made my way to the hallway where the bathrooms were. When I rounded the corner, I found Josh standing there waiting on me.

“We can’t keep meeting like this,” he said laughing.

“I’m beginning to think you’re stalking me,” I said as I bit my lip.

“You look magnificent,” he said as I watched his eyes trail up my body. He moved closer to me, closing the space between us. I could feel my chest tighten as I struggled to breathe. I took a deep breath and inhaled his cologne. “I love a good jumpsuit.”

“Thank you. And thank you for everything today. The flowers, strawberries, champagne… You’ve really done too much,” I said. As soon as I finished speaking, he leaned in and kissed me. I met his kiss by pulling his bottom lip into my mouth and gave it a gentle bite. I felt his tongue swirl against mine. His hands moved across my back and up into my hair. He pushed me against the wall and moved his mouth to start kissing my neck.

“I want to taste you right now,” he whispered as he continued to kiss my neck.

“Ahem,” we heard a man clearing his throat as he moved past us to walk into the restroom. We both pulled away and stared at each other before laughing.

“Let’s continue this later,” Josh whispered into my ear.

“I can’t. We’re going out tonight,” I said.

“I’ll come by when you get home and sneak in when the girls go to bed. The ol’ high school crush climbing through the window bull shit,” he said with a laugh. I answered his offer with a kiss. Thinking about what he did to me with his tongue last night made me want to pass out right there in the hallway.

“I’ll text you when we’re headed back to the Airbnb,” I said trying to hide my smile.

“I’ll wait up,” he said as he kissed me on the cheek. He left the hallway and walked back into the restaurant. Before going back to our table, I decided I should probably take a glimpse at myself in the mirror to make sure I didn’t look like I had just made out with someone. I walked into the women’s bathroom and fixed my hair. I pulled out my lipstick from my purse to reapply when the door opened behind me.

“Are you shitting me?” Riley asked as she walked toward me at the sink. I bent down to make sure nobody was in the stalls who could hear us.

“I just saw him leave the bathroom hallway,” Riley said.

“Yes, we had a conversation,” I said, applying my lipstick.

“Oh, I’m sure there was a whole lot of talking going on,” Riley said as she put her hands on her hips. I looked up to see her giving me the look in the mirror. I put the cap back on my lipstick and turned to face her.

“Riley, I love you. I’m here for you. This is your weekend. Now let’s go eat,” I said, pulling on her arm.

“I just feel like there is so much you’re not telling me,” she said without budging.

“I promise I will fill you in later,” I said, taking her hands in mine. “Now come on before they think I’m shitting my brains out in here,” I said laughing.

“No, literally that’s why I told them I had to come check on you,” Riley said following me out of the bathroom.

After we finished dinner, we climbed into the car and headed toward the bar scene on Broadway. Abby so kindly volunteered to be the DD for tonight, and although I wasn’t planning on getting drunk, I still let her. Besides, I wanted to stick to my mantra from earlier about letting loose and making the most out of this weekend. The first bar we went to was blaring the most God awful country music, but it was packed. Before going in, I slid my engagement ring off and put it in my purse. If I wanted free drinks, I had to look the part. The bouncer let us in without having to pay the cover when he spotted Riley’s bachelorette sash. I’m sure the kiss she blew him helped influence his ever so generous decision.

We made our way through the crowd of 20-somethings and headed straight towards the bar. We spotted another group of girls who were dressed up in bachelorette garb. I know Nashville is a go-to destination for these types of celebrations. Riley squealed and hugged the other bride-to-be.

The girls in the other group started chanting, “Shots! Shots! Shots!” I could feel my throat starting to close with the idea of even taking one. I didn’t think we’d start the night off going this hard, but when in Rome, or I guess Nashville. The bartender laid out a line of nine shot glasses with sugar rims and poured some yellow liquid into all of them.

“What even is that?” I yelled to Riley over the sound of the raucous music and crowd.

“Lemon drops!” The bartender answered for her. Riley started grabbing the glasses and handing them out to everyone in both bridal groups. Abby grabbed one and I looked at her confusingly. I guess one shot wouldn’t hurt.

The other bride raised her shot glass to Riley and yelled, “To sucking the same dick forever!” I nearly choked before the glass even touched my lips. That’s one way to look at marriage. I winced as I threw back the shot preparing for the burn, but I was pleasantly surprised. It was smooth, delicious, and just tasted like lemonade. I could drink these all night.

“Another!” Abby yelled. The bartender saluted her and took our glasses back to prepare for another round.

“Just be ok to drive later, ok?” I leaned in to tell Abby.

“I’ll be fine,” she said with an annoyed tone.

When the bartender pushed another line of shots to us, we each grabbed one. I could see Riley was trying to think of something witty to say for our second round.

She cleared her throat. “To love, leather, and lace… And sitting on someone’s face!” she yelled aloud. Now that I could make a toast to because I remembered Josh’s talented tongue as I downed the shot.

After shooting my fourth lemon drop, I definitely started to feel the effects of the liquor. We made our way to the dancefloor and I felt myself loosening up. I didn’t know the song that was playing but I danced as if I choreographed the damn thing. I’m sure I looked like an idiot, but I was drunk, dancing with my best friend, and having a great time.

Chapter Nine

After we hopped from bar to bar, the girls were getting a little tired and feeling a lotta drunk. I knew I was under the influence, but I was still aware of what was going on. I couldn’t say the same for Riley; she was struggling to stay upright. That’s when we knew it was time to go. Thankfully, Abby stayed true to her word and was sober to drive us back. I climbed into the backseat and pulled out my phone. It took my eyes several seconds to adjust to what I was seeing and even then I couldn’t comprehend what I was reading. Shit, I’m more drunk than I thought.

“Play some damn music or I’m gonna puke!” Riley demanded in a drunken yell. Abby pulled up her playlist from earlier and selected yet another pop song that made all of the girls shriek.

“Oh shit, are you actually dancing back there?” I heard Abby say. And before I realized it, she was talking about me. I was swaying to the music while still trying to read the messages on my phone. Yep, drunk.

I started to compose my text message to Plagiarism: “I am drunkkkkkk and I want you so bad.”

“Are you on your way back?”

“Yes come over”

“You ok?”

“I want you so badddddddd”

“I can be there in 10 hours but you’d be asleep by then”

“WTF”

“????”

It was then that I realized I wasn’t texting Josh. I was texting Kenneth! Fuck fuck fuck fuck. I quickly swiped to delete our conversation so I wouldn’t make another texting mistake. I started to sweat from the nerves. I rolled down my window to get some fresh air. I was no longer swaying to the music and I felt myself sobering up quickly. I noticed Riley was passed out in the passenger seat while Maddie and Brooke were taking drunk selfies next to me. Don’t freak out… I could play it off tomorrow as being drunk. Surely it wasn’t obvious that I wasn’t meaning to text him.

When we got back to the Airbnb, we all played a role in making sure our bride-to-be made it safely to her bed. We took turns getting her ready: Maddie removed her heels and sash, Abby removed her fake lashes and put her hair up, Brooke put her phone on the charger, and I set out a small trash can next to the bed and placed a bottle of water on her nightstand.

I said good night to the girls and went to my room to text Josh. I still didn’t know how I wanted to approach confronting him with the information that I discovered, but I figured I would just cross that bridge when he got here. I pulled out my phone and verified that I selected the name Plagiarism from my messages.

Me: “Do you still want to come over?”

Plagiarism: “Of course I do.”

Me: “The girls are in bed. Text me when you’re in the driveway and I’ll meet you at the door.”

Plagiarism: “See you, soon”

Part of me wanted to stay in my hot pink jumpsuit, especially since Josh had such a reaction to it, but I didn’t want to lay in bed with it on after a night out. I changed into some comfortable pajamas and made my way to the kitchen to eat a chocolate covered strawberry from his delivery this morning. I admired the roses on the table, the ones Riley thanked me for, as I savored the sweet treat. Afterwards, I walked to the bathroom to brush my teeth and freshen up everywhere else. By now my drunkenness had definitely worn off and I could thank my texting mishap from earlier for that. I still didn’t know how I was going to play that off when Kenneth called me tomorrow, but I had other things right now to worry about. I heard my phone vibrate and looked down to see a text from Plagiarism: “So should I ring the doorbell 50 times or just beat on the door until you open it?” I rolled my eyes at his joke as I made my way to the living room to let him in. I may be a grown woman, but I felt like I was sneaking my boyfriend in while my parents were asleep. It was kind of exhilarating. I peaked out the window but didn’t see his Jeep in the driveway. Confused, I texted him back.

Me: “Are you sure you went to the right house?”

Plagiarism: “Yes, I am literally standing on the front porch right now.”

I slowly turned the lock on the door to peek outside. Just like he said, there stood Josh. I put my finger over my lips to indicate for him to be silent. I opened the door wider for him to walk in, and when he moved past me, the smell of his cologne consumed me. I’m going to have to find out what that scent is. As I shut the door behind him, I locked it and then he grabbed my hand and led me to my bedroom. I felt every nerve ending in my body get warm. We made our way down the hallway and once we got to my door, he motioned for me to walk in first. I made my way into the room and placed my phone on the nightstand as he shut the bedroom door and locked it. I sat on the bed trying to keep my cool but I felt like I was going to combust at any moment. He made his way over to the bed and sat next to me. He lifted his hand to brush my hair behind my ear and I swear I was about to start floating.

“Where is your Jeep?” I asked him.

“I parked it on the side street so none of your friends would see it in the driveway if they got up early,” he said. I felt my stomach do a cartwheel. So he was planning on staying the night. I was going to suggest that wasn’t a good idea, but then, I wanted to savor the limited time I had left with him. “I’ll just slip out in the morning when you’re all getting ready. How was your first night out in Nashville?” he asked in the most sincere voice.

“It was a blast. Riley partied a little too hard, so she’s currently passed out. I even got a little carried away too,” I said, biting my lip.

He turned his body more to face me like I had all of his attention. “Oh?” He asked.

“Yes, but I’ve sobered up, so all is good,” I said with a laugh. The only intoxication I felt anymore was from being this close to his body.

“When I saw you in the restaurant earlier, I wanted to ditch my friends and take you away immediately,” he said.

“I mean, you got a little taste in the hallway of the restrooms. A really romantic location, I might add,” I said sarcastically. He leaned in close to whisper in my ear, “Oh, I have been thinking about your taste all day.” I immediately sucked in a breath of air with his foreward remark. He pulled away from me to look into my eyes. I studied his brown eyes and almost forgot all of the lies he had told me up until this point. I watched his gaze move from my eyes down to my lips.

“How about we finish what we started earlier?” he asked in such a seductive tone that I felt my cheeks flush. I nodded and he immediately pulled me into a kiss. I felt his tongue part my lips and he kissed me with such passion that I forgot we were trying to be quiet. I moaned into his mouth which seemed to encourage him. He immediately pulled my shirt off over my head and I felt his hands travel frantically up my body. He gripped the sides of my waist and pulled me on top of him. I straddled him as he undid the clasp of my bra behind my back while he continued to kiss me. With my breasts now exposed, he moved his mouth to kiss my chest. I felt him get hard underneath me, and my center was warm and wet. I needed him in a way that I had never needed anything before.

He lifted me up and turned his body to lay me down on the bed. He moved himself to the floor like he did last night. I knew what was about to happen and I could almost die from anticipation. I felt his hands slowly trail down the sides of my waist as he began to pull my pajama shorts off.

He asked, “No underwear?”

“I figured I’d save you a step,” I said with a grin. He returned the smile and maintained eye contact as I watched his face get closer to my entrance. As soon as I felt his mouth, I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer. I threw my head back on the satin sheets. Just like before, he performed a magic ritual with his tongue. I felt every twist and turn of his tongue on my clit as he made my back arch. His strong arms gripped my thighs and I inhaled deeply. I grabbed a pillow to put over my face to help stifle the noise as I moaned. I was so close to the feeling of ecstasy; I knew I was seconds away from cuming. I pulled the pillow tighter to my face as if I were trying to smother myself. I screamed with pleasure and Josh’s grip got tighter around my legs. My back arched again and I pushed my body up to where I was practically riding his face; he continued to lick me until I writhed beneath him. I let out another muffled scream into the pillow and felt Josh pull away. He removed the pillow and hovered over me with the most animalistic look in his eyes.

“Joshua Michael, you have ruined me,” I said with a deep sigh.

“Oh, Strawberry, this is just the beginning… Can I fuck you?” He asked. I answered his question by leaning up to start removing his pants. He put his hands on mine as if he were trying to stop me. “I need to hear you say yes before we–,” he began.

“Fuck yes,” I interrupted as I continued to remove his pants. He was bulging from his underwear and I wanted nothing more than to take him inside of me. He pulled a condom out of his wallet and I watched as he slipped it over his huge dick. He threw the wrapper on the floor and walked over to me on the bed. I stared up at him and waited in anticipation. He slowly climbed on top of me but hesitated before lowering himself. I glanced down to watch him position himself and I gasped when he entered me. Every good feeling I have ever felt up until this very moment would pale into comparison. He started to thrust slowly and I felt every cell in my body burst. I lightly dragged my nails across his back as he kissed my neck. His thrusts became harder and I felt him go deeper inside of me. I felt like my entire body was on fire. I moaned his name into his ear and listened to the sound of our bodies colliding. His teeth sank into my skin and every thrust was more addictive than the last. My orgasm came out of nowhere and I gripped his shoulders so tight that my fingerprints would leave him bruised. As if my release gave him permission, his movements got faster when his lips met mine. I felt his body tense. I moaned his name one last time before feeling him tremble as he came. His forehead fell gently to mine and our sweat mixed together. Both of us struggled to catch our breath as he slipped out of me. I still had yet to open my eyes because I felt as if I were no longer in my physical body.

After we had taken turns cleaning up in the bathroom across the hall, I anxiously waited for him under the comforter of my bed. I didn’t plan on him staying the night, but now I was looking forward to it. I just wanted to be near him. He came back into the room and shut the door quietly behind him. The only light remaining was the dim glow of the lamp on the nightstand. But the glow from his beautiful smile was all that was needed to illuminate the room. I slid over to make space for him to join me in bed. He was still wearing his sweatpants but kept his shirt off. I cuddled up against his chest and inhaled his enticing aroma. I laid my cheek against his pec and twirled my fingers across his stomach.

“I’m not ready to leave Nashville,” I said quietly.

“I’m never going to be able to eat strawberries again,” he said as he kissed the top of my head. “Nothing will taste as good as you.”

“Will you come back the next two nights?” I asked, looking him in the eyes.

“I think I can arrange that,” he said with that gapped grin. I snuggled to him tighter.

“Josh?” I asked, looking down at his waist.

“Yes?” He responded.

“I need to be honest with you, and I’d like for you to be honest with me,” I said with a lump in my throat. I was nervous about confronting him with the truth, but I couldn’t ignore it any longer. He didn’t answer me and instead I felt his body tense as he straightened up next to me.

“I know you aren’t a concert photographer…” I began. I still couldn’t look at him. I wondered what expression he had on his face, but I couldn’t bring myself to look. “I know you’re the lead singer in Greta Van Fleet,” I said with finality.

“I knew I fucked up by putting our playlist on your phone,” he said with a laugh. “When did you figure it out?”

“Last night after you left…” I admitted.

“And you’re just now telling me?” He asked in a surprised tone.

“I don’t think I’m the one in the wrong here,” I said, getting defensive.

“No, no, it’s not that. I just can’t believe you didn’t say something as soon as you found out,” he said, dragging his fingers over the hand I still had on his stomach.

“I didn’t know how to bring it up,” I said, finally looking at him.

“When you didn’t recognize me on the plane, I got excited. We have a rule in the band: We don’t fuck fans, so I–” he was saying.

“Wait. Was I just some sort of a conquest to you?” I asked, completely pulling away from his body.

“What?” He asked with a shocked expression on his face. I studied him for a second.

“You said you don’t fuck fans. Was that your only intention all along?” I asked, fighting the tears that I knew were forming in my eyes.

“Not at all, but listen, I don’t even know your name. You’re only here for a weekend. Jesus, you’re engaged to be married. I just didn’t see this as being anything serious,” he admitted. I was so angry but I was still channeling all of my energy trying not to cry. And the worst part? He was 100% right. Was I living in some fool’s dream world that this weekend was going to last forever? That he was going to fall in love with me and I’d follow him all over the world? I was just another one of his many hook-ups. Riley was right. I reached over and turned off the lamp so I could cry without him noticing.

“Talk to me. What’s upsetting you?” He asked.

“I guess I thought we had more of a connection, but I guess I was just an easy fuck,” I said allowing the tears to fall now that I was safe in the darkness. What was the most thrilling night of my life, with the best sex I’ve ever had, now turned into an embarrassing nightmare.

“My intentions were never to hurt you. I thought you and I were on the same page about what we wanted out of this weekend. This wasn’t going to be permanent… How could it be?” He asked in a way that I wasn’t sure was rhetorical or not.

“No, no, you’re right,” I said as I wiped my face hoping he wouldn’t notice.

“You’re not an easy fuck. Please don’t think that’s what this was. That’s not what interested me at all with you. I truly enjoyed getting to know you on the plane and I wanted to spend more time with you last night because I could tell your soul needed company,” he said as he wiped a tear from my cheek. Great, he could tell I was crying. “The sex was just an added bonus, but if you want me to leave, I will,” he said quietly.

“No, you can stay,” I said, burying my wet face into his chest.

He whispered quietly, “I would like to keep seeing you while you’re here, but if you don’t want that, I understand.” I snuggled closer to him and felt him pull me into a tighter hug. He was right. There was no way this was going to be permanent. Soon I’d be back to my simple life in my small town in Oklahoma. I’d be back to my lonely life with small town Kenneth. I’d be back to my life with no dreams of anything that would ever allow me to escape like I had this weekend.

“Good night, Josh,” I said with an ache in my voice and an even bigger ache in my chest.

“Good night, Strawberry,” he said with a tone that sounded oddly like mine. Before we drifted off to sleep in one another’s arms, I silently prayed that morning wouldn’t come so I could spend more time here in this moment.

“OH MY GOD!” Riley yelled as she stood in the doorway to my bedroom. I jolted up from my sleep to find Riley staring at Josh and me in my bed. Her eyes quickly moved to something on the floor and she yelled, “OH MY FUCKING GOD!” In a moment of panic, I looked to see what she was staring at… The condom wrapper on the floor.

#josh kiszka #joshua michael kiszka #greta van fic #greta van fleet #greta van fleet smut #josh kiskza fanfic

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stardustshelb · 11 months

Text

"Strawberry" Part Two

TW: Language and sexual content

Word count: 7,468

Chapter Four

“No! No, absolutely not,” Riley said with a concerned look on her face. I FaceTimed her as soon as I got settled in the Airbnb. Since I was the first one to arrive, I felt as though I should get first pick out of the four-bedroom house. This place was twice the size and so much nicer than my own home; no wonder the bill for the weekend was twice my monthly mortgage payment. I saved the master bedroom for Riley, but I decided to claim the room across the hall from the guest bathroom. While it wasn’t the biggest room in the house, it was definitely the most beautiful, in my opinion. I sat on the bed rubbing my hands across the satin sheets as I stared at my best friend’s worried face.

I pleaded, “Why not?”

She exclaimed, “Because he’s a stranger! Because you’re engaged! Because you’re alone! Need I say more?”

“He’s just coming over to cook for me. Nothing more… I haven’t even texted him yet,” I said.

“Look, you know Kenneth is literally my least favorite person on the planet, but you have to be smart about this. You’re normally so level-headed,” she said with a sigh.

“I wish I could explain the way Josh makes me feel. He made me feel better about myself in the hour and a half I sat next to him than anyone has in the past five years,” I said with a lump in my throat. It was true and I realized now more than ever why staying in his company was vital. I needed to be reminded of who I was, who I am, and who I want to be. Josh somehow had the ability to elicit that feeling with his endearing words and beautiful smile.

“Ouch,” Riley said with a disappointed look on her face.

“Riley, you know that wasn’t directed at you,” I said, realizing I should have chosen my words better.

“Listen. I love you. I am not letting your lapse in judgment impact this weekend. Please don’t text him. You have never had to endure the dating world because you’ve been with the same guy your whole life. Men will say anything you want to hear just to get inside you,” she said.

I knew she was probably right. I had zero experience dating anyone because Kenneth and I have been together since we were kids. I always thought marrying my high school sweetheart was bragworthy, but I feel the opposite now. I have had a secret longing inside me for so long, but change is scary.

“And what if I do text him? Will you still love me?” I asked honestly.

“Of course, but I can’t say I would support your decision. What’s his last name? Does he live in Nashville? What’s this guy’s deal? What power does he have over you?” she asked like she was interrogating me for a crime I had not yet committed.

“Ok, so I can’t answer the last name part but–” I began.

“Are you serious? You don’t even know his last name?” she interrupted.

“He said he would send me all of his personal information once I texted him. And I will send everything to you. I won’t give him the Airbnb address without receiving what I asked for first,” I explained.

“Text him right now while you’re on FaceTime with me,” she demanded.

“Riley, it’s only been one hour since I left the airport. I don’t want to look desperate,” I replied. I stared at her face while I could see she was thinking of what to say next. Was I really making a mistake by wanting to hangout with him some more?

“Ok, fine.But I want his full name, phone number, picture, social security number, a copy of his birth certificate, and a vehicle description within the next two hours, or I will catch the next flight to Nashville and come kick your ass,” she said with a scowl on her face.

“Within the next two hours…Yes ma’am,” I said with a salute. I ended the FaceTime so I could start to unpack my suitcase. I brought outfits for all of the activities on Riley’s weekend itinerary, something I had no say in creating, but I’ve always been willing to go with the flow. I didn’t bring any extra cute outfits because I expected to stay in tonight. And while that’s still the case, I especially didn’t expect to have company. Would Josh change his clothes before coming? Would it be weird if I didn’t? Why did I care so much?

My phone started to ring which brought me back to planet earth. Kenneth’s name was on my phone screen. He was the last person I wanted to talk to, but I figured if I didn’t answer his call, he would only continue to call me.

“Hey,” I said once I picked up my phone.

“Are you at the Airbnb, yet?” he asked.

“Yes, I’ve been here for an hour talking to Riley on FaceTime,” I said.

“Why didn’t you let me know you made it?” he questioned me.

“I honestly had so much on my mind that I intended to, but–” I started.

“Glad to know I’m not on your mind,” he said in an accusatory tone.

“Kenneth, I don’t want to argue right now. I’m at the Airbnb. I’m unpacking. I need to start decorating the house here soon before everyone gets here tomorrow,” I sighed into the phone.

“What are you doing about dinner?” he asked. Shit.

“I’ll probably DoorDash something local. I’m staying in, you know that,” I reminded him. “Can you send me a picture of Sassy?” I asked, trying to change the subject.

“Yeah, I will here in a bit,” he responded. “I think the guys and I are gonna go grab a beer after we get off work tonight,” he said.

“Didn’t you guys just go out last night?” I asked.

“Yeah, we’re still celebrating our big win for the company. Are you seriously questioning me when you’re the one in Nashville on my dime?” he asked.

“Just be safe. Don’t forget to send me a picture of Sassy, please,” I said in an attempt to end the phone call.

“Yeah, I will. Have a good night, I guess,” he said with the least amount of enthusiasm a human could have.

“Thanks, you too,” I said, returning the disinterested tone. I hung up the phone and stared at myself in the reflection of the full-length mirror near the side of the bed. How can someone who says he loves me make me feel so bad about myself? How can someone who I once loved more than anyone in the world make me feel like I am the unworthiest person on earth?

This feeling of despair solidified my decision. I opened my contacts app and scrolled until I found the name Plagiarism; as soon as I saw it, I let out a laugh. It felt good to laugh again..

Me: “Hey, it’s the girl who has no name.” I hit send without overthinking the text. What if he’s never watched Game of Thrones? What if he doesn’t get it? What if I look like a total idiot?

Plagiarism: “The smart, beautiful, arrogant one?”

Me: “I’ve heard that a couple times today.”

Plagiarism: “I was wondering if you were actually going to text me. I’m glad you did. What would you like me to cook tonight?”

Me: “Chef’s choice. Surprise me.”

Plagiarism: “Any food allergies? Likes? Dislikes?”

Me: “I’m easy to please.”

Plagiarism: “Noted. I’m going to run to the store because I’m low on groceries. I haven’t been home in a while. I’ll text you when I’m about to check out so you can send me your address.”

Me: “Remember I’m not sending you my address until you send me the safety precautions first.”

Plagiarism: “Right. As you wish…”

I stared at my phone screen waiting for the text bubble to pop up to show he’s sending me the information I’ve asked for. As I wish? What the hell does that even mean? I couldn’t stand waiting on his response a second longer, so I left my phone on the nightstand and began hanging up my clothes for the weekend. I opted to change into the comfy clothes that I brought to lounge in tonight after all. I inspected my hair and makeup in the mirror; I could definitely use a refresh. I carried my toiletries bag to the bathroom and began freshening up. Should I wear perfume? I wasn’t wearing any today on the plane. Would he think I was weird for wearing perfume in pajamas? God I hope he’s wearing that cologne again. Suddenly I heard my phone buzz. I ran to check the screen when I saw it was a text from Riley.

Riley: “Did you text him?”

Me: “Maybe…”

Riley: “Send me his number.”

I knew Riley wouldn’t try to contact him. She just wanted to have his information on hand in case anything were to happen to me. I copied the number I had saved for Plagiarism and forwarded it to her. I put my phone back down on the nightstand to continue freshening up in the bathroom when I heard my phone ringing. Who the hell is calling me?

“Yes?” I asked questionably.

“That’s not even his real phone number!” Riley exclaimed.

“What do you mean it’s not real? I have already texted him… Of course it’s real,” I explained.

“No, I just Googled that number and it’s a Google Voice number. That means he gave you a fake number connected to an app. I don’t like this one bit,” she said.

“Riley, you’re overthinking this–” I tried to respond.

“You’re not thinking at all!” she yelled. I sat in silence as I realized she may be right. All I knew about this stranger was that his name is Josh, he’s a concert photographer, he lives in Nashville, and he listens to a band named Greta Van Fleet. Oh, and he loves his mom. That’s it.

“Please be smart about this,” Riley pleaded, breaking the awkward silence.

“He just responded!” I yelled into the phone while I put her on speaker. I opened his message to find a selfie that I swear was taken by an angel. I stared at his photo for so long I wanted it burned into my memory. I could tell that he changed clothes too. Those sunglasses from earlier now hung around his sweatshirt collar. I zoomed into the background trying to find details but all I could see was that he was in the driver’s seat of a nice vehicle. His hat from earlier was gone unleashing curls styled into… Is that a mullet?

“Well what does it say?” Riley yelled to knock me out of my trance.

I read aloud his text to Riley, “My name is Joshua Michael. You already have my phone number. Here is a picture of what I currently look like. I just pulled into Whole Foods, so I’m heading inside to pick up some groceries for dinner.”

“He has two first names?” Riley questioned.

“You would focus on that,” I said with a laugh. I was too busy staring at the selfie he sent me. His soft smile hid the perfect teeth behind his full lips. His eyes were soft and inviting. I wonder if those are natural curls.

“What did you say he did for a living?” Riley asked.

“He’s a concert photographer,” I replied.

“Well, there’s a country music artist named Joshua Michael. He’s old. Let me search for his photography business–” Riley said.

“I don’t know if he has his own business. He could work for a company,” I said with an annoyed tone that she was still in her investigative mood.

“True. Send me his picture,” Riley commanded. I went back to my messages and saved the selfie he sent me. I texted it to Riley and waited for her commentary.

“Ohhhh, ok Joshua,” she said in a high-pitch tone. She got it.

“I’m telling you, his conversation alone is more enticing than his looks,” I said.

“I understand why you are willing to risk your life for a stranger now,” Riley said.

“He texted me again!” I yelped not acknowledging her dig.

“Read it to me!” Riley exclaimed.

“Ok, I am grabbing two bottles of wine. One red, one white. Unless you think I should get something else?” I read aloud.

“You don’t even drink,” Riley said.

“I drink!” I defended myself.

“Oh yeah, once in a blue moon doesn’t mean you drink. You better limit yourself to one glass. You know you’re kind of a lightweight,” Riley said.

“Oh, so now you’re ok with him coming over?” I said with a matter-of-fact tone. Riley had been so against the idea of Josh coming over for dinner until this moment. It’s the first time she sounded like she was in on the idea, so I knew I had to take advantage of it.

“He’s coming over regardless of what I say, so I might as well embrace it. Send me a picture of his vehicle when he pulls into the Airbnb,” she commanded.

“Yes, ma’am. Anything else?” I asked sarcastically.

“I want you to text me periodically through the night to check in, ok?” she instructed.

“Yes, ma’am,” I responded.

“Alright, well have fun. Be safe. I love you more than anything. Use your head. Drink no more than one glass of wine. Text me often and–” she tried to say.

“Ok, ok. I got it. I need to get off the phone to freshen up my makeup,” I interrupted. I said goodbye to Riley and hung up the phone. I went back to my text messages to reply to Josh; I wondered if he was annoyed that I hadn’t responded yet.

Me: “One bottle of white wine would be fine.”

Plagiarism: “I’m buying two just in case.”

Me: “It won’t be necessary.”

Plagiarism: “Then I’ll leave the unopened bottle there for you and your friends to drink later this weekend.”

Me: “How thoughtful.”

Plagiarism: “Always. I’m almost finished here. Can I have your address now or is my background check still processing?” I let out a laugh. Against my own better judgment, I sent him the address to the Airbnb. I couldn’t believe I was about to spend the evening with one of the most interesting, attractive men I have ever met. They don’t have guys like him in my small Oklahoma town.

Plagiarism: “My GPS says I’ll be there in 20 minutes.”

Chapter Five

With 20 minutes to spare, I took what my mother always called a “whore’s bath” in the bathtub. I continued to inspect my hair and makeup in the mirror. Why did I care so much about what I looked like? I brushed my teeth and reapplied my lipstick. I decided on a soft shade of pink to give my lips some color but not too much color. I stood back and examined my lounge set: I got this matching cropped short sleeve sweatshirt and pants on sale at Walmart, and this guy shops at Whole Foods. And he flies in Group A. And he has an assistant. I am so not his type. He is going to be bored of me within the first 10 minutes.

I put on another layer of deodorant because my nerves were starting to make me sweat. What am I doing? This was a bad idea. This was a stupid idea. I needed to text him right now and tell him I changed my mind. My anxiety was starting to get the best of me, so I started to remember my coping skills. I left the bathroom and sat on the couch in the spacious living room. Breathe. I opened my Spotify app and rather than listening to a familiar song to help calm my nerves, I hit a random song on the Greta Van Fleet playlist that Josh had downloaded to my phone. I closed my eyes and listened to music as I concentrated on my breathing.

“A beauty lives in every soul. The more you love, the more you know. They pass the torch, and it still burns. Once children then, it’s now our turn.”

This song was just what I needed to hear. Did Josh introduce me to my new favorite band? I continued to breathe and take in the beautiful lyrics when I heard a door shut. My eyes shot open and I jumped up from the couch. I glanced over the living room once more to make sure everything looked perfect. I peaked out the window to see him getting the bags of groceries out of the back of his Jeep. I quickly snapped a picture to text to Riley before he saw me. I continued to watch him from the window as he grabbed his final bag. Did he buy the whole damn store? I moved away from the window and waited by the door to let him in. I felt like I was going to pass out.

“Come on in,” I said as I opened the door. Somehow he looked even better than he did earlier. I glanced at his matching tan sweatsuit that complemented mine. His sweatshirt had a tiny triangular symbol with rhinestones, a symbol I did not recognize, sewn into it. He definitely did not get that from Walmart. I closed the door behind him as he carried what looked like seven bags of groceries to the kitchen. I followed him trying to appear calm, cool, and collected. I sat at one of the barstools behind the counter to watch him as he unpacked his purchases.

“Mrs–” he began.

“Miss,” I corrected him. He looked confused as he glanced at my engagement ring still on my hand. Why didn’t I take this off?

“Miss, I hope you like Polish food,” he said as he pulled out the two bottles of wine.

“I’m not sure I’ve ever had Polish food,” I said in a curious tone.

“I’m about to rock your world,” he said with a smile that displayed the gap that I will dream about tonight. I examined his hairstyle while he unpacked bell peppers, onions, carrots, mushrooms, various spices, and a package of beef. His hair was definitely styled in a way that Kenneth would die before wearing. It was a mullet alright, but not like any mullet you would see in Oklahoma.

“This is my grandmother’s recipe. Normally it simmers on the stove for several hours, but we don’t have that luxury. It will still be good. It’s my favorite comfort soup. It’s called gulasz,” he explained.

“Like goulash?” I asked.

“Similar, but this is the Polish version. Where are the knives?” he asked as he started to wash the vegetables.

“This is my first time using the kitchen too, so your guess is as good as mine,” I said with a nervous laugh. I got up from the barstool to start opening the plethora of drawers until I found the utensils he would need.

“So you’re Polish?” I asked as I handed him a cutting board.

“Yes,” he said with a sense of pride.

“Have you ever been to Poland?” I asked as I searched for two wine glasses in the cabinets. “One drink” I practically heard Riley’s voice in my ears.

“No, not yet. It’s definitely on my travel list when I go to Europe later this year,” he said as he stirred the beef inside the pot he found.

“I’ve never been outside of the United States. Hell, I’ve barely been outside of Oklahoma. By the way, why were you and your assistant in Oklahoma City anyways?” I asked.

“My who–Oh, yeah, he and I had a business meeting yesterday afternoon, so we flew back this morning. Our flight last night was canceled. We showed up to the airport this morning and asked for the earliest flight to Nashville, so we were limited to Southwest. But hey, no complaints now,” he said. Although his back was to me, I could hear the smile in his voice.

“A business meeting for your photography?” I asked as I watched him sprinkle paprika into the pot.

“Yes, something like that,” he said with a smirk as he glanced over his shoulder. “Do you live in Oklahoma City?” he asked.

“Oh, God no. I had to drive an hour and a half to get to the airport. My hometown is tiny. We don’t even have a stoplight,” I said.

“You still live in your hometown?” he asked. I watched him chop the vegetables with great focus. His knife work demonstrated that he was skilled. I gazed at the veins in his hands protruding with every motion. He dumped the sliced vegetables into the pot and covered it with a lid. I realized I had been watching him for too long and almost forgot what he had asked me.

“Yes, everyone left except me,” I said with a laugh to hide the pain in my voice.

Josh immediately stopped what he was doing and turned to face me. I could feel him studying my face as if he were trying to read me like a novel. He slowly walked over to me. I felt my cheeks get warm as he stood so close I could smell his cologne over the aromatic dinner on the stove.

“Are you lonely?” he asked with a look in his eyes I couldn’t quite place. Pity?

“Most of the time, yes. But it’s a feeling I’ve grown accustomed to,” I said with a shrug.

“I could sense that about you. It’s one of the reasons I didn’t want you to spend your first evening in Nashville alone,” he said looking at my mouth. Did I have lipstick on my teeth?

“Yes, I definitely appreciate the company. How long until the–what was it called again?” I asked.

“Repeat after me…” he said slowly. “Gulasz.” I watched his mouth closely as his tongue flicked between the syllables.

“Gulasz…” I repeated back to him.

“Good girl,” he said with a wink. I felt myself forming into a puddle on the floor. “It should be finished in about an hour and a half.”

I needed to distract myself from him. I moved around him to walk toward the counter where I had left the two empty wine glasses. “Sure, alcohol will help” I could hear Riley again. I realized the wine he had bought needed a corkscrew. The only wine I have ever had only had a twist top.

“This is one of my favorites despite it coming from a grocery store. If I had more time to prepare, I would have brought some bottles from my favorite winery,” he said as he began searching the kitchen drawers for a corkscrew.

“I’m honestly not a wine connoisseur. I rarely drink,” I said timidly.

“We don’t have to open a bottle if you don’t want to. I’m perfectly fine drinking water,” he said, putting the newly found corkscrew back in the drawer.

“No, no, I would like a glass,” I said with a smile.

“Are you sure? I would never ask you to do anything you didn’t feel comfortable doing,” he said. His face looked so genuine that I wanted to take a picture to remember it.

“I’m sure,” I said, holding the glasses out to him. He took them from my hands but never broke eye contact. I couldn’t stand the tension any longer, so I walked into the living room and waited for him to bring us the glasses of wine. I glanced at my phone to see two notifications from Riley and 49 from Nashville Babes. I cleared the group text notification and opened Riley’s messages.

Riley: “Ok, so he drives a nice ass Jeep. Slay.”

Riley: “I need a check-in soon or I’m booking a flight.”

Me: “All is good. Dinner is cooking. I haven’t even had a sip of wine yet.”

I put my phone away as Josh sauntered into the room carrying two glasses of white wine. I placed two coasters on the living room table for him. He took a seat on the couch next to me while handing me my glass.

“Cheers, darling,” he said, holding his glass out.

“Cheers,” I said with a nervous laugh. We clinked glasses and took a sip of the wine. I could feel Josh’s eyes on me but I refused to look at him. I scanned the room looking for something to initiate a conversation.

“Have you always lived in Nashville?” I asked him.

“No, I’m actually from Michigan. I moved here about five-ish years ago,” he said, not breaking his gaze off of me.

“I’ve never been to Michigan either. I’m sure that doesn’t surprise you,” I said timidly.

“I bet there is a lot about you that would surprise me,” he said with a wink. I took another drink of my wine to hide my smile.

“Tell me about that ring on your finger,” he said candidly. Ah, the elephant in the room.

“This is my engagement ring,” I said looking down at my hand. I used to love this ring. I hate that I don’t anymore.

“When is the big day?” he asked.

“There isn’t one,” I said. “Not yet.”

“Marriage isn’t for me,” he said with a sigh.

“Why not?” I asked.

“I just don’t see the purpose. I can love someone, or multiple people in my lifetime, and I don’t need a piece of paper from the government to signify that love. I think society has a twisted expectation with matrimony. If I find someone with whom I want to share a connection with, I will focus my time and energy on that person for as long as I can,” he said finishing his wine. He placed his empty glass on the table next to mine that was still nearly full.

“To each his own,” I said, eyeing our wine glasses.

“I don’t mean to offend you,” he said.

“You didn’t. I think you have some interesting ways of looking at the world. I’m sure that comes with traveling so much with touring,” I said. Josh looked at me like I had just said the raunchiest curse word he could think of. His shocked expression quickly faded.

“Yes, photography. Touring. Right,” he said as he stood up and made his way into the kitchen. That was weird.

I watched him check the gulasz on the stove before grabbing the opened wine bottle and bringing it back into the living room. “You need to catch up. I’m starting to look like a lush,” he said while pouring himself a second glass.

“I told you I’m not much of a drinker,” I said, grabbing my glass from his peer pressure. I took another drink as he sat back down on the couch.

“One more glass and I’ll show you that exotic dance routine,” he said, wiggling his hips. I busted out laughing.

“Hold on, I’ll need to go get some dollar bills out of my purse!” I said jumping up. Going along with the joke, I polished off my wine and placed the now empty glass back on the table. I scurried into the bedroom in which I claimed earlier to find my purse. I was looking through my wallet when I heard Josh enter the room.

“So this is your bedroom for the weekend?” he asked, looking around. He walked over to the nightstand and placed two full glasses of wine on it.

“I’m not drinking another glass of wine,” I said.

“That’s fine. I’ll drink both,” he said with a smile.

“Joshua Michael, you are a lush,” I said with a giggle. He walked over to where I was standing with the dollar bills in my hand.

“Are you going to tell me your name?” he asked.

“Do you normally go over to strange women’s houses when you don’t even know their name?” I asked.

“I don’t kiss and tell,” he said with a wink. He moved closer to me. My breathing became short and I found it hard to stay standing. “Honestly, it’s probably best if I don't know your name.”

“Really?” I asked.

“This right here,” he said, reaching out for my hand and toying with my ring. “This right here tells me I don’t need to know your name,” he said. “You will only be here for the weekend and I’m just here for the moment,” he said, still holding my hand in his. “No name… No strings attached,” he said before letting go of my hand. I watched him walk over to the night stand and grab his glass of wine. He was no longer looking at me but I couldn’t stop looking at him. He was waiting for me to make the next move.

Chapter Six

I walked back into the living room, leaving Josh and the wine glasses alone in my bedroom. I could feel the effect of the wine starting to take its toll on me. My lips were tingling with a numbness that was always the first sign of feeling buzzed. I grabbed my phone and texted Riley:

Me: “I’m still good.”

Riley: “What was for dinner?”

“You know you don’t have to go to another room to text him,” Josh said as he walked into the living room with his now empty glass in his hand.

“I’m actually texting Riley to assure her that I am still alive, thank you very much,” I said with a hint of annoyance.

“Tell her I’ll put the leftovers in the fridge for her tomorrow,” he called out as he walked into the kitchen. I looked up from my phone to watch him stirring the contents inside the pot.

“It smells amazing,” I said.

“It will taste even better. It probably needs another 45 minutes. Can you wait that long?” he asked.

“Yes, of course,” I lied. I hadn’t eaten since I left the house this morning. The aroma was making my stomach growl in anticipation. I walked back into my bedroom to grab the new glass of wine that Josh had poured me. I took a few sips to try to trick my brain into thinking I was eating something. Alcohol on an empty stomach. That’s a good idea.

“I thought you weren’t drinking anymore?” Josh asked from the doorway.

“I changed my mind,” I said, taking another sip.

“The bottle is almost empty,” he said with a laugh.

“Well, that’s not because of me,” I said, sticking my tongue out.

“It’s rude to stick your tongue out at people,” he said walking into the room. I tried to think of something witty to say back. The alcohol was definitely in my system now. I wasn’t drunk but the buzz was nice.

“I’m not sure how much longer I can wait before dinner,” I said honestly.

“How about I take your mind off of dinner for a bit?” he said, closing the space between us. I gasped when he stood so close to me I could smell the wine on his breath. He took the wine glass out of my hand and placed it on the nightstand.

“Can I kiss you?” he asked me while staring deep into my eyes like he could glimpse into my soul.

“I–I don’t know,” I said nervously.

“I’ll wait until you say yes,” he said, giving me a light kiss on the cheek. At that moment, I felt every nerve in my body combust. I was no longer solid matter; I was a liquid. Without hesitation, I grabbed Josh by the waist and pulled him into a kiss. His full lips kissed mine back and I felt his tongue make its way into my mouth. I pulled him tighter and felt his hands move up my back and into my hair. Every part of me was in this kiss. I lightly bit his bottom lip with my teeth and heard him let out a slight moan. I felt his hand grab the back of my head as he gently guided my body to the bed.

I began kissing his neck, the same neck I had admired so much on the plane. I tasted his scent and licked the mixture of cologne and sweat off of his neck. He began to remove his sweatshirt and pulled it over his head. I inhaled suddenly when I saw his perfect chest. I moved my lips down from his neck and began kissing his pecs. I continued to make my way down to his stomach until the peach fuzz below his belly button tickled my chin. I looked up at Josh and saw him smiling as he watched me work my way back up to his lips. He pulled me in for another kiss and I whimpered as he moved his hands all over my body.

“Can I kiss you all over?” he asked me as I tried to hide my grin.

“Where did you have in mind?” I asked playfully. He moved his fingers across my collarbone.

“Here,” he said. Then he moved his fingers lower to my breasts. “Here,” he said again. His fingers began to move slowly downward until they stopped between my legs. “And here,” he said with finality. I removed my sweatshirt over my head and threw it to the floor. I began to unbutton my jeans when Josh’s hands stopped me.

“Let me,” he said in a seductive whisper. I moved my hands to allow him to remove them for me. He pulled my jeans down so slowly I thought I was going to melt into the bed. I could feel my panties sticking to me. He worked his way back up to my upper body and toyed with the clasp of my bra. With only one hand, he swiftly undid it and exposed my bare breasts. He’s definitely a pro at this.

“Wow,” he said while admiring my body. I moved my hands over my face to hide my embarrassment.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” I said, still covering my face.

“Move your hands. I want to see you smile when I kiss you…all over,” he said gently. He moved his face back to my neck and I could feel his tongue swirl against my skin. His facial hair tickled my neck as his mouth moved to kiss my collarbone. Per his request, I moved my hands away from my face and placed them in his hair. I twirled my fingers through his curls as he brought his lips to my breasts. He took my nipple into his mouth and I let out a moan against my will. This noise that escaped me made him even more eager as he sucked and swirled his tongue against me. His free hand grasped my other breast and he moved his mouth to show it the same attention. I looked down to see him to find him staring at me as he moved his mouth even lower down my stomach.

“Can I remove your panties?” he asked.

“Yes,” I sighed. Just then, I felt his hands gently pull the sides of my lace underwear down my legs. He moved his body to the floor and pulled me to the edge of the bed. He went to place his mouth against my entrance when I squeezed my legs together and pushed him back with my hands.

“Do you want me to stop?” he asked.

“It’s just… I don’t…” I said embarrassed.

“You don’t want me to go down on you?” he asked.

“I…I’ve never had anyone do that to me before,” I admitted.

“I want to show you what you’re missing,” he said, teasing my thighs with his hands.

It’s not that Kenneth and I aren’t sexually active. Well, scratch that. I wouldn’t say we’re even active anymore, but we’ve had sex. We’ve had the same sex since we were teenagers. In the ten years we’ve been together, he has never gone down on me; I guess I’m too embarrassed to ask him.

While he was still kneeling on the floor, I looked into Josh’s eyes as his head was positioned between my thighs. I gave him a nod and laid my head back to stare at the ceiling. Before I knew it, his tongue began licking my entrance. Oh my God. I felt his tongue work its way up to my clit where he took his time. With each movement of his tongue, I felt my legs twitch out of my control. He continued to grasp my legs with his hands as my body writhed on the mattress. “Oh my God,” I moaned aloud. My thoughts were escaping me as I felt like I had lost total control of my mind, body, and soul. It felt like he was consuming me with every stroke of his tongue.

“Oh my God,” I practically screamed as I felt myself cum. I tried to squeeze my thighs together but he held them firm with his hands and continued to lick my clit. This feeling was nearly leaving me no longer conscious. “Fuck. Josh,” I moaned as I pulled his hair into my clenched fists. He continued to lick me until I could no longer stand it. I let out another scream and squeezed my thighs together so hard I thought I may kill him. He slowly pulled back and I could see his facial hair was dripping wet. Was that from me?

He kissed the top of my entrance one last time before sitting back on his hands and feet. I laid still on top of the bed, nearly unable to move as I tried to process what just happened.

“I’m going to clean up in the bathroom,” he said, waiting for me to respond before jumping up. I still couldn’t formulate a single word so I laid there waiting for my senses to come back to me. I heard him laugh as he left the room. I scrambled to find my bra and panties while he was gone. I can’t believe that just happened. I can’t believe what I’ve been missing.

I went to find my phone on the nightstand to see Riley had sent me a series of texts. I skimmed through them and tried to hide my laughter as I sent another check-in text:

Me: So. Much. To. Tell. You. Still alive and very well.

I hit send and put my phone back as Josh entered the bedroom. He found his sweatshirt and began to pull it over his head. He climbed into bed to lay next to me.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked softly as I could feel his gaze on me.

“What are you thinking about?” I returned his question with a question.

“I’m wondering how someone could be engaged to be married, yet they’ve never experienced one of God’s greatest creations,” Josh said with a laugh.

“Ken–He just never has,” I said as I stared into his eyes.

“He’s a moron. You deserve to feel that every day. I love providing that service,” he said with a smirk.

“I can tell you know what you’re doing, but I don’t want to know about your history,” I said, biting my lip.

“Your taste in particular…” he began to say.

“My taste?” I asked as my cheeks began to redden.

“You taste bitter and sweet… like a strawberry,” he said. “It’s incredible.”

“A strawberry?” I nearly squeaked.

“It’s now my favorite fruit,” he said as he kissed my forehead. He got up from the bed and handed me my clothes from the floor. “Dinner should be ready now,” he said with a laugh.

After freshening up in the bathroom, I made my way into the dining room to find Josh had already made us plates. The room smelled amazing. He opened the second bottle of wine and was pouring us new glasses when I took my seat at the table.

“This looks incredible, thank you,” I said as I waited for him to join me.

“It’s been simmering for a while,” he said with a wink as he placed my wine glass in front of me. He took the seat next to mine and handed me a spoon. I took a bite of the gulasz and fought the urge to moan again this evening.

“Oh my God,” I said.

“I’ve heard that before,” he said with a smirk. I reached out and pinched him on the arm as he playfully pulled away.

“This may be one of the best things I’ve ever tasted,” I said as I went for a second bite.

“I used to think that too before, well,” he said, raising his eyebrow at me.

“Shut the hell up,” I said laughing.

“So I saved your number in my phone as Strawberry,” he said with a wink. Should I ask him about the Google Voice thing? No, I don’t want to look crazy.

“You think you’ll need my number after tonight?” I said a little too bluntly.

“You’re still here for a few nights. Maybe we can do this again,” he said with a wink.

“I’m going to be too busy with bars, karaoke, dancing, and strippers,” I said with a smug look on my face. “I won’t be thinking about you.” He can tell I’m lying.

“Thank you again for dinner and for keeping me company,” I said as I collected our dishes to take them to the sink. Josh was searching the cabinets for plastic containers to package the leftover gulasz in.

“It was an honor,” he said with that brilliant smile of his. It was getting late and I had yet to decorate the Airbnb before the girls’ arrival tomorrow. I was in so much bliss that I had forgotten why I was in Nashville in the first place. I needed to clear his lips, eyes, smile, voice–everything about him from my mind. This was supposed to be Riley’s weekend but thoughts of his tongue consumed me. I walked Josh to the door as he moved in to kiss me goodbye.

“If I texted you, would you respond?” he asked with one foot literally out the door.

“I might,” I said as I bit my lip.

“I’ll take my chances,” he said as he walked out into the dark driveway. I watched him from the porch as he jumped into his Jeep to leave. I heard my phone ringing from the bedroom. I closed and locked the front door and then took off in a sprint hoping to see the name Plagiarism across my phone screen. Nope.

“Hey,” I said as I answered the phone with a heavy sigh.

“Why do you sound like you are out of breath?” Kenneth asked.

“I just had to run to the bedroom to catch my phone,” I said. “Why are you still up?”

“What did you have for dinner?” he asked instead of answering my question.

“I DoorDashed some pasta from a local Italian place nearby,” I lied into the phone.

“Really?” he asked.

“Mhm,” I said wondering why I felt like I was being interrogated.

“Then why is there no history of any orders from tonight on our DoorDash account?” he asked. Shit.

“I mean I called the restaurant and ordered over the phone. They delivered it,” I quickly added.

“Oh, and thanks for not leaving me anything to eat in the house,” he said.

“I went grocery shopping before I left. There are plenty of things in the fridge–” I began.

“Yeah, it would have been nice to have some leftovers, but instead I have to cook for myself,” he interrupted. He sounded drunk.

“Look, it’s late. I’m heading to bed. I’m tired from traveling and decorating the house, so if there’s nothing else you have to say to me,” I stated. Kenneth immediately hung up; my brief moment of boldness must have pissed him off even more. I shot Riley a quick text to let her know that I was alone, alive, and going to bed so she wouldn’t be worried before I left my phone on the charger.

I was desperately tired but I needed to decorate the Airbnb for Riley’s bachelorette weekend. I carried the packages of penis and hot pink cowgirl-themed decorations to the living room to begin. To stay awake, I turned on the TV to pull up YouTube to play some background music while I got busy. With the remote, I searched for my possible new favorite band, Greta Van Fleet. I scrolled through the first couple videos until I recognized the face on the thumbnails.

“What the fuck?” I yelled.

#josh kiskza fanfic #josh kiszka #joshua michael kiszka #greta van fic #greta van smut #greta van fleet

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stardustshelb · 11 months

Text

"Strawberry" Part One

Word count: 6,749

Chapter One

“Are you sure you can’t drive me to the airport in the morning?” I asked Kenneth wearily. I knew he was reluctant to allow me to go to Nashville for Riley’s bachelorette weekend. He says he’s worried about my safety, but I know the truth is that he doesn’t want me to go out without him, especially with a group of girls.

He groaned, “I have to be at work by 8 a.m. and your flight leaves at noon. I’m not sure if you know how time works but–”

“My plane leaves at 2 p.m. I have to be there by noon,” I interjected before he finished his insult.

“Whatever. Either way, I can’t swing it. Just drive yourself or get one of your friends to give you a ride,” he said as he shut the bathroom door in my face.

He knows good and well that Riley and our other friends live hours away in other states. Everyone got out of this town the second we graduated college. Well, everyone except me. Kenneth took over his father’s business so I stayed behind too. I don’t resent him for it; I love my small town. I love that my family is no more than 15 minutes away in every direction. I love my job and my students. I love my simple two-bedroom home where I spend most of my evenings alone with Sassy, my border collie. I love my comfortable life. But I hate that my best friend since middle school took a marketing job that required her to move 738 miles away from me.

Life sometimes gets lonely when your closest friends are your coworkers who are old enough to be your parents. Finding a teaching job in this small town was easy because I went to school here. My classroom is the same classroom I once sat in to learn 9th grade English; now I am on the other side of the desk.

When Riley asked me to be her maid of honor, I cried tears of joy… and jealousy. Kenneth and I have been together since we were 16 years old. Although we celebrated our 10-year-anniversary in August, we were quickly approaching the two-year-anniversary of our engagement. Riley met her fiancé less than a year ago; yet, I am the one putting on a bridesmaid dress before a wedding dress.

“Can you turn off the light?” Kenneth’s question snapped me back to reality. I looked at the piles of folded laundry on my side of the bed with my barren suitcase next to them.

“I’m still packing,” I said.

“Well, some of us don’t get to go to Nashville. Some of us have to go to work to help fund a trip we don’t even get to go on,” he responded.

Ouch. Yes, it’s true Kenneth is the breadwinner. His father’s business is lucrative and Kenneth does well for us. He has asked me to quit my job time and time again since he can support us financially. Everyone knows a teacher’s salary isn’t much to brag about, but I still feel pride in bringing home a paycheck every month. I love my job too much to quit. It’s already lonely in the evenings; I can’t imagine staying home all day by myself too.

“You know I booked the cheapest flights I could find. Everyone else is flying in together and I am arriving a day early because tomorrow’s flights were more expensive than–”

“Turn off the light!” Kenneth snapped.

I collected my laundry piles and tossed them into my suitcase before shoving it to the floor. I guess I will have to finish packing in the morning after he leaves for work. I put my phone on the charger, turned off the light, and climbed into bed. Sassy jumped into bed to sleep by my feet, our nightly routine. She has always been my protector. I am going to miss her so much while I am gone, but I am looking forward to this miniature vacation. I haven’t had a trip to look forward to since my senior year of college. Kenneth is always too busy with work for us to have a vacation together. He doesn’t like to fly but he also gets car sick. If anywhere I wanted to go required more than two hours on the road, count him out. Plus it will be nice to see Riley again. I shut my eyes and tried my best to fall asleep. I am used to going to bed angry. Anger is like melatonin to me at this point. But the excitement and longing kept me awake. I pulled my headphones out of my nightstand and connected them to my phone. I scrolled through my Spotify playlists until I found one to soothe me to sleep. I selected “Boyfriends” by Harry Styles and the irony wasn’t lost on me as I drifted off…

Chapter Two

I collected the parking ticket from the machine as I drove into the airport’s economy lot. I found a spot closest to the entrance, but I knew I was still going to have to walk a billion miles. The economy lot is furthest from the airport but it’s the most affordable option. I wanted to save every dollar I had for this trip, so I figured it was a small sacrifice. I parked and started to collect my things from the trunk of my car. I grabbed my carryon suitcase and hung my purse on its handle before I started my trek to the airport. Anxiously double-checking every item on my pack-list in my head, I walked through the double doors of the airport. I made my way up to security and got in line behind what seemed to look like the entire population of my town. Luckily, the line moved fairly quickly as I approached the TSA agent’s desk. I placed my luggage on the conveyor belt, removed my sandals, and emptied my pockets.

The large woman in the TSA uniform waved me through the body scanner. “Come on through, sweetie.”

I stood on the yellow marker and held my hands above my head. I knew I had nothing on me that would set off any alarm, but this moment always made me hold my breath.

“You’re good, sweetie. Have a good day,” she smiled as I breathed a sigh of relief. I collected my things and scurried off to the side to put my shoes back on. When I grabbed my phone from the security tub, I noticed that I had two missed calls from Kenneth.

I called him back as I tried to make my way through the crowd, pulling my luggage behind me. He answered on the first ring.

“Why didn’t you answer my calls?” he asked with a bit of anger in his tone.

“I was going through security. I couldn’t be on my phone,” I explained.

“Well, I only have so long of a lunch break and I wanted to check in before you got on your flight. What time are you set to land again?” he asked.

“3:30 p.m. for the hundredth time,” I sighed.

“Ok, you need to text me as soon as you land,” he commanded.

“Sure thing,” I replied.

“Alright, well I’m gonna get back to work,” Kenneth said.

“Hey, don’t forget to give Sassy a treat after she goes outside because that’s what she’s used to. Oh, and don’t forget that she likes to have dinner at–”

“I’ve owned the damn dog just as long as you have. You don’t have to give me instructions,” Kenneth cut me off.

“Can you send me pictures of her throughout the day? I’m really going to miss her,” I pleaded.

“You’re going to miss the dog more than me,” Kenneth scoffed.

I thought about that comment for a moment as I approached my gate. I glanced over the TV screen to verify my boarding time.

“Wow, you don’t even deny it,” Kenneth said.

“I’m sorry. I got distracted by my gate. It’s really busy here. I will text you when I land. Please send me pictures of Sassy. I will keep you posted. I love you,” I nearly lied into the phone.

“Love you too,” he said halfheartedly before ending the call.

While pulling my belongings behind me, I found a spot to sit down in the waiting area of my gate. The airport seemed to be a madhouse, but it looked like my flight wouldn’t be so crowded after all. There were more empty seats than I expected. I checked the “Nashville Babes” group text on my phone. I’ve had the notifications silenced for weeks because I can’t stand getting notified every 10 minutes. I asked Riley to text me separately if there was anything I really needed to know. I hate that I appear to be an unsupportive maid of honor, but seeing my phone light up constantly throughout the day–and night–has been a nightmare for my anxiety. Riley knows and understands that I get overwhelmed easily. She took charge of planning her own bachelorette weekend because she knew I would get stressed out. I still feel guilty about it, but she assured me that she truly wanted to plan it. I wasn’t going to argue. She’s always been the most supportive and constant person in my life. I hate that I am secretly jealous of her when I should be reciprocating the support.

“Now boarding Group A!” the airline attendant announced over the gate’s speaker. I checked my boarding pass: Group C. Once again, I took the most affordable option on the cheapest flight I could find. Being last to board on Southwest meant that I am doomed to a middle seat between two strangers. I just hope that whomever I get stuck between put on deodorant today. When I say I’m looking forward to a vacation, I mean I am looking forward to a break from 15-year-olds’ body odor. One of the many drawbacks of being a teacher.

“Excuse me,” a man in a white sweater and khaki pants said as he tried to shuffle by me. I thought he looked funny wearing both a baseball hat and sunglasses indoors. That doesn’t look suspicious in an airport. I moved my things from his path and he headed to board the plane. So he’s in Group A… This guy has money. Well, maybe not. He is flying Southwest after all. I’m sure I could have booked Group A tickets, but I didn’t want to ask Kenneth for any more money than I already needed. This trip was fully funded by me and I was proud of that. Well, until Riley picked the most expensive Airbnb in Nashville. I almost fainted when I received her Venmo request. I was grateful she didn’t charge me extra for staying one night by myself since I had an earlier flight. I swallowed my pride and asked Kenneth if I could have an extra $400 to add to my savings to help with my portion of the bill. He gave me the money with no issues, but he has enjoyed holding it above my head every chance he’s had.

Once I heard the announcement for Group C, I grabbed my things and headed to stand in line to board. I glanced at the Nashville Babes group text: 80 missed notifications. I cleared it from my phone as I opened the Southwest app to show my boarding pass. Once I was scanned in, I headed through the hallway to board the plane. I stepped on the aircraft and gazed over the heads of strangers who were all avoiding eye contact. I knew they were all pleading to themselves that I wouldn’t take their middle seat. The flight wasn’t too packed, but there were no empty window or aisle seats left. Wonderful. I scanned the rows once more looking for any open overhead space when I noticed someone’s eyes locked on me. Eyes that I hadn’t seen before; yet, a face that looked all too familiar. The Group A stranger had removed his sunglasses and was staring at me. I started to move down the aisle when he whispered to the guy in the row with him. Whoever he was, he looked angry receiving whatever news he just got. No chance I want to sit between a bickering couple. I located a row nearby filled with two women who looked rather normal. I went to lift my luggage to put in the overhead space when the Group A stranger grabbed my suitcase.

“Allow me,” he said with a smile that displayed the tiniest of gaps between his unusually white teeth. But rather than placing the suitcase in the compartment I had decided on, he placed it in the compartment above his row.

“Would you prefer the window seat or the aisle seat?” he asked.

“What happened to the man who was sitting with you?” I answered his question with a question.

“I asked him to sit elsewhere. I figured you’d prefer a better spot,” he smiled that smile again.

Bewildered, I responded: “I’ll take the aisle.” No way would I be confined to the window seat with this strange man trapping me in. I needed an escape route in case he was a pervert or something.

“Perfect. I love to watch the clouds anyways,” he said as he shuffled into the row. I followed suit but sat to keep an empty seat between us.

“Why didn’t your friend just sit in the middle if you wanted to give me a good seat?” I asked confusingly.

“That’s my–um–assistant. He can stand to sit elsewhere for the short flight since I see him all of the time. I’d prefer to sit next to someone more pleasant anyways,” he joked.

God he’s adorable. A little too forward but adorable nonetheless.

“Well, I appreciate you doing that for me. I figured I was going to have to sit between two strangers, but an aisle seat is definitely a welcomed surprise,” I said.

I opened my phone to inform the Nashville Babes that I had boarded and would be landing in roughly an hour and a half. I completely ignored the hundreds of messages that came before mine. I was about to put my phone on airplane mode when I received a private text from Riley.

Riley: “You ok?”

Me: “Yes, of course. I’m so excited to see you! Get ready to lose oxygen from my hug when I see you tomorrow.”

Riley: “Just checking. Haven’t heard from you in a couple days. Let me know when you land and when you make it to the Airbnb. Safe travels, love.”

I sighed as I read her message over and over. I smiled and held the message down to “love” it before searching through my purse to retrieve my headphones.

“Already getting the music out and we haven’t even heard the safety instructions yet. I think you need to pay attention,” I heard the adorable stranger say.

“There isn’t much I can do if there were an emergency. Knowing that I need to breathe oxygen through a mask that will drop in front of my face is all I need to know,” I said with a laugh.

“Just make sure to put your own mask on before you help me with mine,” he said.

“Who says I would help you?” I turned to him and asked.

“I helped you with your luggage. I helped you get an aisle seat. The least you can do is help me breathe,” he said with a smile that displayed his perfect teeth again.

I laughed and replied, “Ok, well I am not banking on there being an emergency, so no need to worry.”

“Does anyone ever bank on an emergency?” he asked. Smart ass.

I rolled my eyes and placed my headphones in my ears. I opened my Spotify app to find the playlist I downloaded to prepare for the flight.

“Who are you listening to?” the stranger asked. I am beginning to wish I had sat between the two women after all. Not having to play 20 questions with this guy would have been worth sacrificing the extra space I had in this aisle seat.

“Nobody yet as I literally just opened the app,” I responded.

“Can I give you a song suggestion?” he asked.

“Um… I guess?” I replied questioningly.

“May I?” he asked as he reached for my phone.

“I’m not giving a stranger my phone,” I said with a shocked expression to my tone. The nerve of this guy.

“What am I going to do? Run off with it? You’ve got me trapped in,” he smiled showing that cute, tiny gap again.

“No thanks,” I said as I went to start my music.

Suddenly, he unbuckled his seat belt and stood up from his seat. I stared at him wide-eyed as a flight attendant stopped by our row to say, “Sir, please stay seated and buckle your seat belt.”

He waved to the irritated attendant and displayed a soft smile as he sat in the middle seat beside me. Immediately I was hit with his fresh cologne scent that made me crave more as he started to buckle the seat belt. You have got to be kidding me.

“What are you doing?” I somehow yelled and whispered simultaneously.

“Please let me pick a song for you to listen to. Then I will leave you alone. I promise,” he said with a slight pout to his lips. God, his lips. How did I not notice those yet?

“Give me your phone in exchange,” I said with an air of confidence in my voice.

“Ah, so she’s smart and she’s beautiful,” he said as he reached into the pocket of his khaki pants. I tried to hide the blush that I could feel warming my cheeks. I couldn’t remember the last time I received a compliment.

“I’m not unlocking it, but I will let you hold it for ransom,” he said as he held his phone out to me. I took it from his hands as his fingers brushed against mine. I felt an immediate rush of energy run through me as our hands briefly touched. What was that? I handed him my phone and watched as he typed the words “Greta Van Fleet” into the search bar in my Spotify app. He made a face that almost seemed disappointed, and then clicked to download the band’s complete playlist. He attempted to hand my phone back to me, and I stared at him confusingly as I reached for it. I was too busy watching him with my phone; I never even glanced at his lockscreen. Before I gave him back his phone, I tapped the screen to see what his background was. On display was a photo of a crowd of lights, but the photographer must have been standing on the stage when they took it. There had to be thousands of phone flashlights in this one photo. It reminded me of tiny stars in the midnight sky.

“I took that picture, ya know?” he said with a proud smile.

“Are you a concert photographer?” I asked.

He let out a wild laugh and then glanced down at my phone’s screen, “It’s almost finished downloading.”

“I thought you said a song suggestion. A. One. Singular. Not a whole playlist,” I said.

“I mean… I wanted to give you options,” he said.

Waving his phone to him I asked, “So, is this crowd picture from this band’s concert?”

“Yes,” he said, like there was more he was wanting me to ask. I decided to have the upperhand and gave him his phone back without asking another question. I watched my screen as the playlist was nearly completely downloaded.

“I’m Josh,” he said like he was annoyed that I hadn’t asked for his name yet.

“Hi, Josh,” I replied disinterestedly.

“And you are…?” he asked.

“I’m about to listen to this playlist,” I said with a matter-of-fact tone.

“Smart, beautiful, arrogant…” he muttered under his breath.

“I’m going to pretend that I didn’t hear that,” I said as I put my headphones in. “You can move back to the window now.”

“We are about to take off. If I stand up, I’ll cause a scene and then we’ll be delayed. Then I’ll probably become a flight risk and be forcibly removed off of the plane. Everyone would be recording the fiasco and posting it online. Let’s just avoid all of that and I’ll stay seated here,” he said with a smirk.

“You have quite the imagination…” I said hiding my smile.

“I’m sacrificing a coveted window seat for you. I hope you know that,” he replied.

“I never asked you to change seats,” I said.

“No, but you didn’t object either,” he responded with a smug expression on his face.

Once the playlist completed its download, I switched my phone to airplane mode. I sighed in frustration and scrolled through the playlist to view the songs. Whoever this band is, they have quite a discography. I wanted to ask him which song I should start with but I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction. I scrolled until the title “Trip the Light Fantastic” caught my eye. Intrigued, I selected the song and tilted my head back to listen to it. Before I shut my eyes, I noticed Josh was staring at my phone to see which song I chose first. I closed my eyes and relaxed as the lyrics danced through my ears. I have never heard anything like this before. I was so entranced in the music that I didn't even realize we were now speeding down the runway about to take off. The music, plus the feeling of lifting off the ground, was nearly overwhelming in the best way possible. I felt like I had stepped into the song itself. When the song ended, I didn’t want to open my eyes. I wanted to stay in this moment for as long as possible.

“What did you think?” I heard Josh ask as I removed my headphones.

“Wow,” is all I could formulate. My thoughts ran wild and I wanted to describe the feeling I just had, but I couldn’t put it into words.

“What did you think about the guy’s voice?” he asked.

“The dude is talented as hell. I just wish I could understand everything he sang,” I said.

There was that wild laugh of his again. “Yeah, I think the band receives that criticism a lot,” he said with a shrug. I truly wanted to listen to another song, but I didn’t want him to know I was so interested in this band. I guess one could call me stubborn.

“While I love to share music with new people, I’d love to talk some more if that’s alright with you,” he said sheepishly.

“I feel like you would talk to me even if it weren’t alright with me,” I said sarcastically.

“Smart, beautiful, arrogant,” he repeated. I playfully pinched his arm.

“Hey!” he exclaimed as he rubbed his arm.

“I let it slide the first time. I wasn’t going to let you get away with it again,” I said.

“Now that I’ve been physically assaulted… Are you going to Nashville for business or pleasure?” he asked.

“I’m attending a bachelorette party,” I said.

“For you or someone else?” he asked, looking down at the dainty ring on my finger. The same ring that has been without a wedding band companion for nearly two years. The same ring I wanted to leave inside the jewelry box before I left my house this morning.

“It’s for my best friend Riley,” I said with a sadness that I couldn’t hide like I normally do.

As if Josh sensed the change in my mood, he completely turned his body to face mine. I could tell that he positioned his head to get me to look at him. I locked eyes with him and it was like I could actually see the wheels in his head turning.

“How long will you be in Nashville?” he asked.

“For four nights. I had to take two days off from work, but I’m looking forward to it,” I said with a forced smile.

“You don’t sound like someone who is excited to attend a bachelorette party,” he said.

“It’s just a lot, but I am excited for Riley,” I said trying to convince the both of us that I really was excited.

“What do you do for work?” he asked while continuing to hold eye contact. As I stared into his dark brown eyes, I studied the long lashes that I would kill to have.

“I teach 9th grade English,” I responded.

“Smart, beautiful, arrogant, and a world changer. A difference maker. One who shapes the minds of our youth. You’re a hero to our doomed society,” he said. I felt my cheeks redden as I processed the way he just described my job. I don’t normally feel appreciated at work, not even at home. It felt good to have someone remind me of my purpose.

“Sometimes I feel like I’m just a glorified babysitter,” I said with a nervous laugh.

“You should never feel that way. I think you have one of the most important jobs in the world. I’m just a concert photographer,” he said with a tone that I couldn’t quite place.

“Thank you. I appreciate it,” I said, finally giving into a real smile. I watched his eyes fall to my mouth and I could feel a million butterflies in my stomach. Why does he have such an effect on me? I shook the thoughts from my head as I opened the Southwest app to see how much longer our flight had. A little over one hour to go with a stranger who makes me feel better about myself than anyone has in years. Maybe I should take a nap.

“What’s on the agenda for your bachelorette weekend? Bars and strippers?” he asked with a smile.

“Definitely the strippers. That’s a necessity,” I responded with a smirk.

“Well, when I’m not taking pictures at concerts, I happen to moonlight as an exotic dancer,” he said returning the smirk I gave.

“I’m sure you make more money taking pictures,” I said biting my lip.

“First you physically assaulted me and now you’ve verbally assaulted me,” he said.

“I’m sorry,” I said, covering my face from the embarrassment of inadvertently insulting him.

“No, you’re right. The crowd usually pays me to keep my clothes on,” he said tilting his head down in shame. Unlikely.

“What’s your stripper name?” I asked. Before he could answer, the plane suddenly dropped in altitude. I heard screams from the rows behind us. I gasped and grabbed his hand before shutting my eyes. The turbulence was over quickly as everyone seemed to breathe a sigh of relief at the same time. I slowly opened my eyes to realize everything was ok. I didn’t realize I was still holding Josh’s hand until he asked, “Are you ok?”

“Yes, sorry about that,” I said as I quickly jerked my hand back to my lap.

“No need to apologize for the hand-holding. It was nice while it lasted,” he said with a wink.

“Who was the first person to cross your mind when you felt the plane drop?” I asked him in a serious tone.

Without hesitation, he responded, “My mom.”

“Tell me about her,” I said.

“She’s the most important person on the planet,” he said looking at his hands. “She has given up so much for me and I hope I make her proud.”

“I’m sure you do,” I said while trying to swallow the lump in my throat. I’m not sure if my nerves were shot from the temporary panic or if his sentiment was getting to me.

“Who did you think of?” he asked.

“Honestly… I thought of myself,” I admitted with shame.

“Really? Elaborate on that,” he said as I could tell he was giving me his full attention.

“I’m sure I sound narcissistic, but I thought I was about to die without having lived, and then I’d leave a legacy of nothing behind,” I said with a sigh.

“I know I don’t know you. Shit, I don’t even know your name. But, I can tell that your death would most definitely leave an impact on people,” he said.

“Nothing like discussing death with a total stranger,” I said with a light laugh.

“Death doesn’t scare me. I know it’s not the end. I just enjoy my life and the love I can give to the world while I’m here in my physical form. The love I provide won’t leave when I fade away,” he said. I stared at him like I just heard one of the most philosophical phrases come from another person’s mouth in years. He’s insightful and adorable.

“I got that from a song, by the way. It’s on the playlist I downloaded to your phone. Don’t be too impressed,” he said with a laugh.

“Ah, plagiarism,” I said.

“That’s actually my stripper name,” he said with a smirk.

“Now I definitely know you aren’t making any money,” I said, trying not to laugh.

“How about I give you a glimpse of my routine and you tell me what I can do to improve my shtick to make more money?” he asked.

Stunned by his foreward remark, I immediately felt guilt running through my veins. This is the most flirting I’ve had since high school. I’m not used to this sort of attention. I looked down at my hands in my lap.

“I’m sorry if that was too much. I–” Josh began to say.

“No, no it’s ok. I was just worried I wouldn’t have enough money in my purse to get you to keep your clothes on once you started,” I said stifling a giggle.

“Alright just kick a man while he’s down,” he said as he clutched his hands over his heart. He threw his head back acting like he was wounded and I eyed his neck. His adam’s apple protruded, making me feel weak.

“I wonder if there is a doctor on board to help you,” I said sarcastically looking around the plane.

Suddenly he rose out of his seat and shouted, “Is there a doctor in the house?”

Completely stunned, I stared at him with wide eyes. I cannot believe he just did that. I watched a flight attendant quickly make his way over to our row. Oh my God.

“Sir, are you having a medical emergency?” the flight attendant asked him. Next to the attendant stood Josh’s assistant, the angry man who changed his seat earlier.

“No, no, I am ok now. Sorry for the alarm,” he said, trying not to laugh. His assistant rolled his eyes and quickly returned back to his middle seat. I’m sure he is used to Josh’s antics by now. The flight attendant gave a displeased look to both of us before walking away. I felt like I had just received punishment for a crime I didn’t do. Guilty by association.

“That was so not funny!” I exclaimed with a sigh.

“I can’t help myself sometimes,” he said with a smile. This dude is nuts.

“You’re a lunatic,” I said, getting my headphones back out.

“No, wait. I am sorry,” he said. “I’ll move back over to the window seat and leave you alone,” he said with a sense of shame in his voice. I put my headphones in as I watched him change seats then position his body to where he was looking out the window. I was no longer in his line of vision. I opened my Spotify app and his Greta Van Fleet playlist was there. I hesitated. I wanted to listen to another song but I also wanted to block this guy from my mind and listen to my own music. Against my better judgment, I selected “Light My Love” from the playlist. I closed my eyes and listened to one of the most beautiful songs I had ever heard.

Chapter Three

I was six songs deep into this playlist when I felt someone tap on my arm. I reluctantly opened my eyes for I was enjoying being in a complete and utter trance of this band. Josh looked sheepish as I removed my headphones.

“Do you care to let me out to use the bathroom? I really need to stretch my legs,” he said. Without responding, I shifted my body and moved my legs into the aisle to give him a clear walkway. He shuffled past me and I got a whiff of his cologne again. He smells so damn good. Maybe I’m being irrational for giving him the silent treatment. I’m 26-years-old but I’m acting like I’m 12. I decided to act more civil once he returned to our row. I don’t want to look too anxious, but I couldn’t help but watch the bathroom door awaiting his return. After what felt like an eternity, I decided to do something irrational. I can be crazy too. I took my headphones off and left them in the seat as I shoved my phone in my jeans pocket. I stood up and started to make my way to the bathroom to check on him. As I got closer to the door, it opened and he exited. I wanted to retreat back to my seat from pure embarrassment, but there was nowhere to turn. He looked up at me and scrunched his eyebrows together like he was confused. As he should be. I decided to try to play it off that I needed to use the restroom rather than run back to my seat like I desperately wanted to. As he moved past me, his body brushed against mine and I felt every nerve from my toes to my scalp tingle. I felt like I could no longer breathe. I made my way into the tiny bathroom and stared at myself in the mirror. “Get it together,” I said aloud to my reflection. I took a few deep breaths and made my way back to my seat. I made the mistake of looking at him because his deep brown eyes were once again locked on mine. A shiver immediately ran through me. I sat back down in my aisle seat and tried to think of something to ease the awkward tension.

“What has been your favorite song off the playlist?” he asked, breaking the silence.

“That’s difficult to say. I have genuinely loved all of the ones I’ve listened to so far,” I said with a smile. His cheeks almost looked like they were a new shade of pink. Was he blushing? I quickly added, “Thank you for sharing this band with me.”

“Thank you for listening,” he said back with a smile. I bit my lip as I felt like the awkward tension was over. However, a new tension was forming.

I checked the Southwest app and realized we were set to land very soon. I put my headphones back in my purse as a sign that I was ready to talk to him. He picked up on my cue because he quickly switched seats again. His cologne hit me and if I hadn’t been sitting, I may have collapsed. He buckled his seat belt just before the overhead light signaled us to do so.

“What’s the first thing you and your friends are doing tonight?” he asked.

“Actually, I am flying in a day earlier than everyone, so I have the Airbnb alone until everyone flies in tomorrow,” I said. I suddenly realized that I shouldn’t have told a stranger that I was going to be staying alone in an unfamiliar city, but the words had already left my lips. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

“Really?” he said as he sat up straight in his seat. I nodded but then looked away. I can’t believe I just overshared this information with him.

“If you’d like some company…” he said quietly. I quickly turned my head back to him. I was dreading another night by myself, especially without Sassy. Riley said I could FaceTime her tonight, but I didn’t want to bother her while she finished packing and getting her stuff together. I was going to use the time to decorate the place before her arrival anyways.

I stammered, “Josh, I–”

“How about dinner? I can take you to some of my favorite places in town. What do you like to eat?” he asked with a big smile. The idea of not being alone was tempting and as frustrating as he had been at times, I really did enjoy his company.

Before I could give him an answer, I felt our plane touch the ground as we braced for a complete stop. This was always my least favorite part about flying.

“I really need to decorate the Airbnb and unpack. I’d like to get settled in rather than go out. Plus, I don’t have a vehicle,” I finally responded as the sounds of seat belts unbuckled around us.

“If it’s not too forward, I could always come over and cook for you. I can bring some groceries and wine, or whatever else you’d like to drink. I can even help you decorate. You can’t spend your first night in Nashville alone,” he said.

I mulled over his offer as people around us began to stand up and form a line in the center aisle as they collected their luggage from the overhead compartments. Josh appeared not to be in any hurry to leave, nor was I.

“Fine. But I want to text your full name, picture, vehicle description, and phone number to Riley in case I go missing,” I said with a matter-of-fact tone.

He laughed nervously and then said, “Give me your phone.” I put in my passcode and handed it to him. He stared at my background, a picture of Sassy and me, before opening the contacts app. “I’m giving you my number so you can text me your address when you’re ready for me to come over to cook you dinner,” he said as he was typing. I watched the plane empty row by row until it felt like we were the last two remaining on board. I noticed his assistant standing in the aisle waiting on Josh. “I think you’re going to get an earful when you get off the plane,” I said, eyeing the angry-looking man.

“I usually do,” he said with a smile as he passed my phone back to me. I glanced down at the contact name that read Plagiarism with the winky face emoji. I covered my mouth as I laughed loudly.

“Ahem,” we both heard his assistant clear his throat as he began tapping his foot impatiently.

“Ok, I think it’s time to go,” I said as I grabbed my purse and stepped into the aisle to let him out. While Josh exited his seat, he stood so close that I could smell his delicious scent again. I watched him open the compartment and get our luggage out. He lifted the handle of my suitcase and handed it to me. I smiled at his kindness, avoiding eye contact, because I had about all that I could stand.

We made our way down the center aisle following his assistant off of the plane. Before he stepped inside the airport, I watched as he put his sunglasses back on. Weird.

“I’ll be anxiously waiting for your text,” he said to me as he pulled his hat down a little further over his face. Before he walked away, he said, “I’ll send you all of the info you need for Riley when I hear from you,” with a wink.

I made my way down to ground transportation and requested an Uber to take me to the Airbnb. I sent Kenneth a text to let him know that I had landed, but I texted Riley that I was going to call her ASAP. I needed her advice now more than ever. I knew I was treading in dangerous waters by allowing that adorable, frustrating, sexy, funny, crazy stranger to come over, but something made me want to be around him. I may be in too deep, but I’ve always been a strong swimmer.

#josh kiszka #joshua michael kiszka #greta van fleet #greta van fic #gvf #josh gvf #fanfic #lovestories

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