Chapter 151

She opened the door to the master bedroom and grinned. "And this is.. oh just guess.." Elena snorted as Kate's eyes widened at the sight of the bed. "Humongous ain’t it?"

"Jesus, Sweets. You could sleep a family of five on that bad-boy." Kate peeked inside, carefully moving closer to the bed. "I mean seriously. Who needs all that? He's all over you anyway."

She laughed and nodded, "Tell me about it. We’re either right in the middle or he's crowded into my back on my side. He says he needs the space to chase me around." She moved over and opened the drapes slowly. "But this makes it worth everything. Look at that view Katydid. Every morning and evening the sun hits the water, god you gotta see that."

"Water living would work for me, that's for sure." Kate was drawn to the huge wall of windows. "That is totally amazing." She looked out on the water. "The ocean's definitely one thing Richie and I will always agree with."

Elena smiled as she turned, "Well that’s the whole house, well except for the little room Richie's already laid claim too, and the tennis court and pool. Wanna see that? We need to figure out where the guys got off too anyhows."

Kate sat down on the bed. "Take a load off sister, you're on speed here. Is this what you've been doing on your vacation?"

Elena flopped back onto the bed and giggled. "To His Highness's ever lasting sorrow. I had to get it ready for the party you know? God Kate I keep falling asleep on the man!"

Kate's eyebrow rose. "How much do you keep falling asleep?"

She blushed scarlet. She'd been so busy getting things ready she'd not really done much but prepare and sleep. "Ummm, well last four or five days I sorta nodded off as soon as I sat still. He'd get frisky or go get me something and next thing I remember I'm waking up the next morning. He's been so sweet about it, but I think he’s getting a lil bit frustrated."

"Four or five days? Sweets, his dick is going to fall off or petrify. Newlyweds don't last that long." She laughed. "It's just from work though, right? You wouldn't be..."

Elena's brow arched as she turned a puzzled look on her friend. "Wouldn't be what Katy?"

"Well, I'm not sure how you guys are about protection. Whether you were doing the birth control thing or if it happens it happens type deal."

She rolled over and nudged Kate, her laughter bubbling up. "Oh hell I'm on the pill girlfriend. I want him to myself for a few years at least. Maybe when his career is a bit settled? Hell it never will be, but when its not as crazy maybe then."

Relieved, she rolled onto her side. "Well that's good. I'm not ready to be Aunt Kate yet." She sprawled out on the duvet, the sumptuous bed enveloping her. "You didn't do it on top of the comforter yet, did you?"

Elena shook her head, "No, Not yet." She started to laugh at Kate's relieved look. Not that he wouldn’t have if he could have."

She rolled onto her stomach, propped her head up on her hands. "Figures." She laughed. "So where do I get to sleep? Or is it a find a corner and sleep it off kind of party?"

Elena snorted slightly. "I showed you the guest room girl. You and Jon are in there. It’s at the end of hall two rooms away from this room. I so don’t wanna hear you two tonight so I put you kinda far away."

"Well, depends on the alcohol intake tonight. I've deprived him for days. The boy may be too sloshed to be of any use to me tonight."

"Somehow I doubt that Kate. I've seen him drunk to hell and back and STILL heard you through the freaking walls." She glanced at her watch and groaned. "Shit its getting late. We better find the guys."

"When's the festivities supposed to start anyway?" Kate said a quick goodbye to the good bed and stood up. "And who's coming anyway? Just the guys and the sig-ohs?"

Elena stood and nodded. "and assorted bug people." She motioned to the door and lead the way to the hall off the side of the house. "I doubt he ever has a significant anything. The gang should be arriving any time come to think of it."

"Well then we should definitely find--" she looked down over the open house. "Did Richie bring any guitars into the house yet? Or are they still on tour?"

Elena's eyes went wide as her voice went deep to mimic Richie. "What a house with no guitars? You blaspheme woman! I shall put them in my little corner of the world." She waggled her brows, "because my wife won’t have them scattered all over the house and they need protecting." She laughed and looped an arm through Kate's her voice going back to normal. "They're in that little room mostly, other than one or two in the living room or in the bedroom closet so he can serenade me of course."

Kate rolled her eyes. "Yeah, they're in the room. Jon's been going on and on about this song. I told him not to ruin the party. I swear to God, I'm gonna kick his ass."

She walked along the hallway, the evident strains of music echoing towards them. "Kate, I swear, you can't leave those two alone!"

Kate slowed as the guitars trickled into the air. The melody was similar to what Jon had been fiddling with, but Richie had evened it out...the melody was stronger. But the whispery tone to his voice grabbed her.

I tried to make you happy

lord knows I tried so hard to be

what you hoped that I would be

I gave you what you wanted

god couldn't give you what you need...

Kate's hand stilled on the door knob.

She watched Kate go still, then stopped herself to listen. Shit if Kate's pulse wasn't zinging outta control. She leaned against the wall and grinned. Let Jonny get her, not often she saw Kate go to full stop. The boy's sneaking off to play was worth the sight she was getting.

Kate could feel the unfinished nature of the song as they murmured and then a bridge came through and his voice got rougher. The tone of it, the raspiness from the healing had her stomach bottoming out.

You need someone to hold you

somebody to be there night and day

Someone to kiss your fears away....

The pain there was jarring. Was that really all inside of him? Was he acting? Did he know that she was feeling some of that loss because he was leaving?

Elena's arm snaked out as her hand went around the knob. Hearing it through the door was ok, but the full effect of them in writing mode was deadly. She turned the knob and let the door swing open silently then leaned back, leaving the full view to her astonished and toasted friend.

Jon was curled over a battered acoustic, his eyes closed. Richie had a faraway look on his face, his eyes half closed and neck on display. But it was Jon she couldn't take her eyes off of. The angles of his cheekbones, shadowed deeper by the windblown hair in his eyes. She felt like she was intruding, like she should shut the door. He was in a moment in time that she shouldn't be a part of, but couldn't seem to break away from.

Dark brown eyes shifted from watching Kate to watching Richie in his element and felt her own tummy bottom out. She’d been a little preoccupied of late and had ignored him and that was shining through this tender song. She smiled as she thought of what she’d put on earlier and how happy that very thing would make him later. Turning her gaze back to Kate she nearly laughed at the lax look of her face. Shit yeah Kate had it bad.

His eyes opened and lifted as a smile crept onto his lips. She was there at the door, and the look on her face told him one thing. She got what he was singing about. His fingers slowed then stopped, one eyebrow lifting. "Hello there gorgeous."

She cleared her throat. Jesus, he shouldn't be able to do that to her, not then...not after a full 12 days with him. She should be used to it. "Did I..." Dammit...her voice was rough as his sounded. "We talked about you whisking Richie off with the party prep going on, Sugar. Don't make me have to kill you."

He leaned over and settled the guitar into its stand. "He started it."

Richie dropped his arm over the neck of the guitar. "I swear we were just working for a minute."

Kate folded her arms and leaned on the door. "You guys don't know the meaning of the word minute."

Elena slipped up to stand beside Kate, her head shaking. "Minute is sixty seconds love. Not two hours."

Richie sat up straight. "It has not been..." Well fuck if it wasn't almost party time. He stood up. "Uh, when's the food supposed to be coming?"

"Any time now babe. It’s time to play host." She walked over to him and leaned in to kiss his chin. "I know you'd love to hide here, but really I don’t wanna beat off jackals without ya."

He curled his arm around her shoulder, keeping her in close. "Sorry girls, we were a little lost in the song."

Kate sighed, "as long as you got it mostly out of your system now and not in the middle of the party."

Jon stood up and pulled Kate into a tight hug. "Yeah I think we're good babe. Thanks for not de-nutting me though. Sorta might need those later."

Kate socked him in the belly. "Dream on, Sugar."

Richie winced. "Aww man, that rots."

Jon's gaze flickered to Richie. "And you would know man."