Chapter 78

Billie looked at her phone again, the gesture pointless as the screen was dark, then she chuckled as she looked up into Richie’s dark eyes.

“That was Jay.”

“Uh, yeah, I got that part.” He grinned, motioning with his hands, silently demanding more information.

“Well, he……he proposed to Desi.”

“He what?!” Richie wasn’t sure why he was surprised - the boy had clearly inherited his father’s impulsive, decisive nature. Or maybe it was his mother’s. Or more likely both - a double dose of stubborn he thought suddenly.

“He proposed.” Billie grinned. “They’re getting married.”

“So she said yes, I take it?”

“Hey, who wouldn’t?”

The buzz of the oven timer caught her attention, and Billie headed for the kitchen before she cremated another batch of cookies. Richie followed more slowly, still trying to wrap his mind around the idea of Jay getting married. Actually, it was less the idea of Jay getting married than the idea of Jon’s son getting married. Talk about a sudden realisation of your age. He grinned silently. At this rate, Jon would be a grandfather before any of them.

“Does Jon know?” The question directed to Billie’s back as she lifted a tray from the oven.

“Not yet, no. Jay said I could tell you, and that he was going to call Jon after they’ve told Desi’s parents.” She turned to look at Richie. “So please don’t mention it?”

“Sure. No problem.” Richie snagged a hot cookie from the tray, cursing softly as it burned his fingers.

“Jesus, you’re worse than a kid!” Billie laughed as he shifted the cookie from hand to hand, trying to cool it enough to eat.

“Hey, I have to make sure I get some of these - once we get to the studio I won’t be able to get past Teek and Davey.” He suddenly remembered his conversation with Jon. “Listen, Jon wants to make this an all-night session…….I think he’s trying to recapture his youth.”

“Well, you can take the cookies with you.”

“Nope. I’m not leavin’ you alone here tonight.” Richie raised his voice a fraction, overriding her objection the second she opened her mouth. “Not up for discussion, darlin’. I already told Jon you’d had a…wobble…so we’re both goin’ down to spend the night at the house.”

“Kinda bossy there, arenchya?” Billie really couldn’t find it in her to object, though. She didn’t want to be alone.

“Alllways!” He decided to press his luck just a little further. “And while we’re on the subject of me being bossy, it’s also not optional that you celebrate your birthday this year. I’m taking you out to dinner on Friday night, so if you don’t have anything to wear, I suggest you go shopping before then!”

Billie raised her eyebrows as she looked at him, seeing only a calm patience in his tanned face, knowing that he meant every word, and also knowing that he expected nothing in return. Even someone with her broad streak of independence sometimes liked to be told what to do - so long as it was someone she liked who was doing the telling. But she wasn’t going to make it that easy on him.

Richie watched as Billie stalked silently toward him, suddenly wondering if he’d said the wrong thing, if his intention to joke had reminded her of Nick, and he’d just opened his mouth to try to soften his words when she stopped in front of him, laying her palm flat on his chest as she looked at him. Her eyes, dark and serious, bored into his own, and Richie swallowed hard. Had he just ruined any chance of their being more than friends? Scratch that. Had he just wrecked her trust in him? He knew he was about to find out as Billie rose up onto her toes, bringing her lips closer to his ear.

“Okie dokie.” She whispered, the laughter barely under the surface of her voice.

“Oh, you……” Richie laughed with her as she grinned at him.

“Gotcha!” Billie giggled. “I guess I better throw a few things in a bag for tonight then.”

And as she moved away from him she added insult to injury, snatching the now warm cookie from his fingers and taking a bite as he yelped in pathetic protest.


It was now almost eight at night, and the band had stopped to gorge themselves on one of Belle's delicious meals. Nothing fancy or complicated - just good old down-home cooking. They were sitting at the heavy wooden table just off the kitchen, digging into heaping plates of pasta when Jon’s cell buzzed softly. He gave an exasperated groan as he pulled it from his pocket, intending to send the caller straight to voicemail, but when he looked at the display he raised his brows, accepting the call.

“Hey. What’s up?” He greeted Jay.

“Hi bo……..Jon.” Damn, I still can’t get used to calling him by name, thought Jay. “Have you got a minute?”

“Sure. We’re just taking a dinner break.”

“Oh. Well, I won’t keep you too long.” Jay looked down at Desi, snuggled against his shoulder on the couch. This was the last person they really needed to tell. His mom knew, and Desi’s parents, while stunned, had been supportive and accepting. In a way, telling Jon was purely a courtesy, so he wouldn’t find out from the media, because Jay knew well enough that as soon as he was seen out ring shopping with his girlfriend……. “I just wanted to let you know….I mean I asked mom not to tell you……..”

“Yeah?” Jon frowned in confusion. “Is something wrong?”

“Sorry. No.” Dammit, Kelsall, focus! “I wanted to let you know that I, uh, I proposed to Desi. We’re getting married.”

“You’re what?” Jon’s shocked expression told Billie - and Richie - what Jay had just said. They weren’t, however, entirely prepared for Jon’s reaction. “That’s crazy! You barely know her! I mean you…….ow!”

The ‘ow’ was courtesy of Billie. While Richie had reacted to Jon’s outburst with a mutter of ‘aw fuck’ as he dropped his forehead onto his palm, Billie was more proactive, reaching across to smack Jon across the back of the head. Hard. Jon looked at her angrily, then accurately read her expression and groaned softly, getting up from the table and walking away to continue the conversation.

“Shit. I’m sorry, Jay.” He tried to repair the damage, mildly surprised when Jay actually waited and listened. “You surpri…..actually, you shocked the fuck out of me, kid. Wasn’t expecting that.”

“Obviously.” Jay’s tone was cool, and Jon tried again.

“I was surprised, okay? But you’ve obviously made up your mind, so congratulations.” He leaned his forehead on the cool glass of the french doors. “I mean it. I’m happy that you’ve found someone you want to spend your life with.” A soft chuckle. “I was younger than you when I met Dorothea, so I do get it.”

Jay bit back any comment about how Jon had cheated on his darling wife even as she cheated on him, sighing softly as he felt Desi snuggle closer, her hand sliding between his thighs even though she was asleep.

“Well, thanks. I think mom told Richie already.”

“Yeah?” Jon looked over, seeing Billie and Richie both watching him, Richie’s expression confirming that he knew. “Mind if I tell the rest of the guys?”

“Sure. I guess I’ll see you next week? Mom’s birthday?”

“Definitely.”

“Okay, I’ll let you get back to dinner.”

“Bye.”

Jon walked back over to the table, thanking Billie softly as he sat. Thanking her for smacking him upside the head, which was weird in itself. As he picked up his fork, he realised that the other three - Tico, David and Hugh - were all looking at him expectantly, and he grinned wryly.

“That was Jay. He’s getting married.”

Richie’s voice rose over the chorus of surprise and congratulations, a sharp barb of humor aimed straight at his best friend.

“Yeah, at this rate Jonny’s gonna be a grandfather before any of us!”

Amid the laughter, Jon didn’t even make a response. Well, other than to raise a middle finger at his right hand man as he grinned.