Twelve Miles (Serendipity series Book 1) Page 3

I developed a guarded lifestyle, and I was careful about who I interacted with. I was far too busy to take the time in getting to know someone and find out whether they were someone who just wanted their fifteen minutes of fame. Plus, I didn’t have the time to focus on anyone in particular, and it wouldn’t be fair to them. My current circle of friends knew where they stood in my life and understood that I wouldn’t always be around for special events in their life, as much as I wanted to.

  I would always try my best to be there for those in my life, but because I was always out of town 90% of the time, I didn’t want to get anyone’s hopes up. Thus, I found it better to just keep to myself.

  “Beep! Beep!” my phone rang through the speakers of my truck. I looked at the display on my dashboard, it was my admin, Tobias.

  “What’s up?” I said as I pressed the answer button.

  “Hey, Sam I just called to check in and make sure you remembered that you have a meeting at noon here at the office.”

  “Thanks, Tobias. I’m just going to drive home and freshen up. I just got out of my training session, but I should be there in time.”

  “Great. I’ll see you soon.”

  “Bye,” I said and hung up the call.

  I pulled out of the Animus Training Center parking lot and got onto the freeway to head back to my home on the north end of the bay in Sutton Hill. I hit ‘redial’ on the dashboard display, and Tobias picked up immediately.

  “John Ellis Foundation, this is Tobias, how can I help you?”

  “Tobias, this is Sam.”

  “Hey, Sam.”

  “Can you do me a favor? Can you go into my office and pull the NSK file. There should be a 2-page spreadsheet in it. Can you make about 5 copies of it and give those copies to Amy? She was looking for them. Have her call me if she needs anything.”

  “Sure.”

  “Okay, thanks.”

  “Bye,” Tobias had said before he hung up.

  We were in the middle of pursuing a distribution relationship with NSK and have our liquors division place on retail shelves. This was a new venture for our company, but my father was an aficionado, and this was one of the things he wanted to pursue, so we did this for him. I have no doubt he’d be proud of us if we landed a distributor.

  Due to traffic on the roads, it took longer than expected to get home. I needed a long shower, and I lived close enough to the office to where I could probably fit in a short nap. I had been up since dawn finalizing my speech for the Hall of Fame ceremony I was attending next week in Ohio. They were inducting my father in, and I was accepting the award on his behalf.

  Convinced I had a well-written sentiment honoring my father, I went to my training session with Felix which turned out more eventful than expected. I was always up for sparring with different people at the center because Felix was right about me plateauing. While I learned more advanced techniques in private sessions with him, I was hindering my progress by sparring with him solely. I learned what his typical strategies were and it wasn’t preventing my brain’s capacity to evolve and think at the moment.

  I was surprised when he asked me to practice with Jamie, I never grappled with a female before, at least not in that sense. After Felix had invited me to do so, I could see why he claimed Jamie was far more talented than anyone I’ve ever seen. Looking at her you wouldn’t think that she was aggressive as she was in Jiu-Jitsu by the way she spoke and carried herself but she was a feisty one and a little spitfire on the mat.

  When we first started grappling, I wanted to take it easy on her despite hearing about her talents because I didn’t want to cause her any physical harm or injuries but when she quickly got me into a hold despite me having the advantage the entire time, I knew I underestimated her. She could definitely hold her own and then some.

  Then before I realized what she was doing, she had me in a chokehold in a blink of an eye, and I had no choice but to tap out. She had me completely exhausted, but I thoroughly enjoyed the training session. I looked forward to getting the opportunity to train with her and Felix again but the way that my calendar looked, I don’t know when that would be.

  I turned the shower onto the warm setting and let the steam rise before stripping out of my gym clothes and letting them fall to the floor. Once the steam filled the room enough to fog up the glass, I stepped into the shower and let the rapid stream of water hit my chest and the rest of my body.

  The water felt good, washing away the salt from the dried sweat on my skin. I splashed the water on my face breathing in the steam to clear my sinuses and let the water land on my head, drenching my hair. I exhaled deeply before grabbing the shampoo and body wash and lathered it all over my hair and skin. Despite my exhaustion, I was still pumped with adrenaline enough to want to still jerk off.

  I grabbed the moisturizer from my medicine cabinet next to the shower and as quick as I could snap open the top, I poured some on my hand and wrapped my fingers around my cock and groaned in response. I tried to think about all of the usual things that would typically expedite what I was doing, but for some reason or another, it wasn’t helping.

  I searched my mind, trying to be creative and all I could do was think about how my day was going so far. While I stroked, my mind kept going back and forth between writing the speech, grappling, stuck in traffic, the meeting I had to go to and then it went back to the grappling. I didn’t want my thoughts to go into that direction, but I wanted to climax desperately.

  Unsure of what to do, in the end, my horniness won, and I gave in, “Oh, what the hell.”

  My mind started thinking about more tame things at first - the way she smiled and how she kept playing with her hair and then I started thinking about her tight pants that showed her curves underneath. The way her chest bounced when she breathed heavily.

  “Yep, that did it.” I groaned. I arched my back and started pumping eagerly, reveling in the thoughts of what it would feel like if I touched her. Better yet, if she touched me and where.

  “Yeah, that’s it…” I muttered to myself and stroked faster knowing my climax was very close to coming.

  “Fuck!” I grunted as my thighs clenched, body tensed and then I shuddered in release. “Ugh…God.”

  In the moments that followed, everything was silent. I was completely aware again that I was by myself in my bathroom. I couldn’t help but think that for the first time in a long time that this would have been better with someone in here with me. I didn’t mean to use Jamie as bait for my thoughts, but I couldn’t help it. I would have rather used others in my life at the moment but my mind went in that direction on its own, and it worked. Can’t blame me for that.

  I had to promise myself that I wouldn’t go in that direction with her again. Once I did, it was hard to see them any other way after that. I finished washing up and shut off the shower. I was hesitant to get out, but I knew the longer I stayed in there, the shorter nap I would be able to take, and my body definitely needed the rest. I definitely needed to be well rested and on my game at the meeting with the distributors today. We needed the win.

  Chapter Three

  JAMIE

  “JAMIE? HELLO, JAMIE? CAN YOU HEAR ME? WAKE UP!” John said as he snapped his fingers in front of my eyes.

  “God, what?” I shouted, clutching my chest in annoyance. “You scared the shit out of me!”

  “Sorry, I was trying to get your attention. You kind of tuned out there for a sec. I was just getting to the good part of my date last night.” John grinned.

  John and I were members along with three others in his band called Plus One. We had arrived at the studio his father owned where we practiced and recorded all of our demos and EPs. John’s father worked in the music industry as an audio engineer and producer for the past twenty years and believed that we were talented enough to make it but was disappointed to know that it wasn’t what we wanted out of life.

  He still tried to convince us now and then, always saying it was never too l
ate. It technically was, however. The other members of the band had been playing together for a very long time, and I just joined a couple of years ago. I was twenty-eight years old, and I felt that I was no longer at the age where I thought dreams were still possible. It was a cynical way of looking at life, but it was how I felt lately.

  “Sorry, John. I was thinking about things.” I sighed.

  “What about?” John asked curiously. Besides Lily, our keyboard player, and backup vocals, John was the only other person that I had known for years, and he was the glue that kept the band together.

  He told jokes often and made everyone laugh, often regaling the crowd with stories of the dates he went on. Often being perfect for the premise of a network television pilot. Situations you did not think would ever happen, always happened to John. If he ever decided to drop his pickiness when it came to women, he would be Mr. Right for someone.

  Every three-day weekend, Plus One practiced for any upcoming shows that we had, at John’s father’s studio and the following week we had a performance at the Sutton Hill Country Club again. This time it was for one of their biggest events of the year, their Fourth of July Gala.

  We couldn’t practice as often as we wanted due to our careers and some also had families to spend time with. Besides John, I was the only other band member without a significant other or child to raise. I wasn’t sure how long the others would continue being interested in having the band, and as much as I loved performing, it seemed like everyone’s priorities were starting to slowly change.

  “Oh, about the upcoming Gala. I must admit, I’m kind of nervous, but I’ll be alright, I always am.” I sighed as I strummed the strings of my black Ibanez acoustic guitar. I was proud of my guitar, Ricky, and I went to the extreme in how I took care of it. I never allowed anyone to play it but I lied to John, I had been thinking about Sam.

  Normally I would not be so hung up on a guy that I had just met, but he intrigued me like no one ever had. I wasn’t sure if it was also because of his calm and easy going personality or his raw masculinity that clinched it, but he was drop-dead gorgeous. At first, my lust for him was purely physical, but after getting to know him a little, he was becoming more appealing than ever.

  Not only was I finally glad that I met someone in the dojo that was at least around my maturity level but someone that did not seem like he had only one thing on his mind. I was a hypocrite. However, that was all I thought about at our practice session two weeks ago. The difference between the men that picked up women in bars and me was that I was looking for something other than a one night stand. Although, Sam would not be a bad person to have a one-night stand with; I wanted more than that.

  “There’s nothing to worry about, it’s just like any other gig we have had,” John chuckled. “But then again, it is one of the town’s biggest events of the year, and we can’t let them down. Otherwise, they may rethink us playing at their future events.”

  “Thank you for the vote of confidence,” I said sarcastically.

  “Sorry, but it’s true.” John shrugged.

  “We are reliable, and the committee has had nothing but a great experience with us. I don’t think failing one gig will harm us, not that we would. You worry too much, John.” I said.

  “We haven’t played the Gala before, besides worrying is what I do best.” John laughed.

  As John proceeded to continue his extraordinary story about his most recent date, the rest of Plus One arrived, and we practiced well into the evening and came back the rest of the weekend and several weeknights in a row. The Fourth of July Gala seemed to be approaching faster than we expected and we had to be ready.

  The Fourth of July Gala was Sutton Hill’s annual Independence Day celebration, and it was attended by all of the active members of the country club, the town’s elite and their families. Anyone who mattered went to the gala – politicians, local celebrities, wealthy retirees and any residents that came from old money. Anybody who was anybody lived in Sutton Hill, and you just didn’t become a part of their society, you were either born or married into it.

  Born into Sutton Hill life was as rare as winning the lottery but even worse odds was falling in love with Sutton Hill elite and being lucky enough to live happily ever after with one of them. Sutton Hill residents stuck together, and that included who they socialized with. If you didn’t live there, they usually did not give you the time of day no matter how attractive you were. It was almost as if they were trying to keep their bloodlines controlled, as if they were royalty, except they weren’t.

  The night of the celebration, we loaded up our van with guitars, mic sets, amplifiers, drum kit and the rest of the equipment. Before we took off for the half hour drive to the country club’s banquet hall, we made sure our outfits coordinated in the same colors of crème and tan.

  When we arrived at the club’s parking lot, it took us a few moments to do some final readiness checks before we went inside to set up. By the time we arrived, the Gala had already begun. Most of the affluent residents were already there, and the wealthiest and most endowed the city had to offer were also some of the richest in the country. Sutton Hill was labeled as one of America’s most expensive cities to live in. They had a lot of influence, so it was imperative that we impress the crowd. It could mean so much more opportunities for use in the future.

  The celebration was in full swing, and the lively ecosystem was a sight to be remembered. Waiters and waitresses floating around carrying trays of hors-d'oeuvres that couldn’t be pronounced, bottles of champagne and wine and background music with an upbeat tempo echoed throughout the building. The event was followed by the town’s annual fireworks display when the sun had set, and the stars came out.

  If the rumors were true, the country club spent more than one hundred grand on this event alone. Anyone who had attended the event in the past would have not been surprised at the venue looking beautiful and mesmerizing for its events.

  The attendees were mainly networking and chatting away with each other about their investment portfolios, a number of their charitable contributions and their golf handicap numbers. Sometimes they even mentioned where their vacation homes were and what they did in the Hamptons or Martha’s Vineyard. They occasionally listened to the music playing and would dance under the dim lights. Plus One’s only job was to provide the musical entertainment whether or not the attendees heard.

  As the afternoon into early evening wore on, the Gala was active, and our band rocked. Lead vocals were the perfect role for me, and although I did not grow up with a natural vocal ability, with years of hard work and practice, I was able to improve and identify the type of music that enhanced the quality of my voice. It also helped my confidence in getting accustomed to being the center of attention and in the limelight.

  During my first show with the band, I had a panic attack, and Lily had to be the lead singer that night instead of on keyboard and backup vocals. As time went on, it got easier for me, and I started to have fun doing it. It became therapy for me, and I eventually developed an excitement in performing, and I couldn’t stop thinking about upcoming gigs. The adrenaline I felt while we performed was an addiction that I constantly craved. It was such a rush when I finally realized that I could be great and known for many things.

  ‘Parents with children,

  Husbands with wives.

  People who dream,

  For the rest of their lives…’

  Paradise Lost was a song I personally wrote, and I was glad that the rest of the band was able to identify with the lyrics and incorporated it with our usual set list. I wrote the lyrics during one of the darker moments in my life, and the song had a special meaning to me more than anything else we performed. It reminded me of Sutton Hill, it was a place where I could be free if only I belonged.

  After I had hit the last high note of Paradise Lost, I strummed the final chord on my acoustic guitar. We heard faint clapping throughout the venue that was quickly overtaken
by conversations that must have been far more attractive. We decided to take the opportunity to call for a 2nd intermission and announced to the audience, the ones that actually paid attention that we would return after a fifteen-minute break.

  I made a beeline for the refreshment table to quench my thirst and alleviate my mild dehydration. I needed to cool down, I was drenched with sweat. I grabbed a bottle of water and chugged it down quickly. After feeling refreshed, I took the opportunity to look at the banquet hall, and background music played while conversation and laughter could be heard throughout the room.

  Words like a bear market, portfolio, and hedge fund were constantly echoing and these were terms that I had no familiarity with. A lot of vibrant activity continued to give life to the event, and I relished in the thought about how I loved being a part of something with purpose instead of my usual humdrum life even if it meant I had to watch it from the sidelines. I wished I had a way to be a part of the conversations and excitement but I couldn’t. I didn’t know anything about what they talked about. I wouldn’t fit in their conversations.

  It didn’t matter that I worked in business consulting, working with non-profits was an entirely different animal. Besides, I was just one of the administrative support staff, I wasn’t the one consulting companies.

  Groups of people were animated in their behavior, and I wondered what else they discussed. Was it about some big merger? I doubted I even knew what a merger was, it was some word that I heard somewhere. I did not know what it was, but I was fascinated by it and wanted to find out. I loved being surrounded by the hustle and bustle of conversation, debates, music and the dancing. I loved it all.

  “Tough crowd.” a familiar voice said from behind.

  Surprised, I turned around quickly to see the man I recognized all too well standing there with a slight smile. His eyes were the same mesmerizing color of blue I last remembered it to be.

  “I, uh yeah. Hi, Sam.” I said. My confidence was instantly replaced with the all too familiar mix of stuttering and flustered behavior. I pushed the runaway strands of hair away from my face. Fixing my hair was an uncontrollable habit I had developed whenever I was uncomfortable or nervous.