Read Online Trouble in the Making by Lissa Matthews - Free Book Online Page B

or see his phone light up that he had a call. It was only when the hotel room door opened and he saw a guy holding a couple of brown paper sacks that he set his work down and rushed forward out of the chair.
    He took the largest bag first, then the smaller one. “Sorry, man,” he whispered, not wanting to wake Liz just yet. “How much do I owe you?”
    “T-thirty.”
    Johnny nodded and set the bags down on the dresser and retrieved his wallet. He glanced at Liz, thankful she was still covered. He didn’t know if the other man had seen her or not, but Johnny didn’t want to take any chances that parts of her were visible that shouldn’t be to anyone but him. He knew many of his ilk who shared their women among friends and strangers. He wasn’t one of them. It was one of the reasons he and his ex couldn’t make things work. She wanted to bed-hop among his friends and bandmates and he wanted her only for himself.
    He took the thirty, plus a twenty, out of his wallet and handed it over. “Here you go, man. Thanks.”
    “No problem,” he said, surprised at the money. He looked up. “Hey, you’re Johnny Trouble.”
    Johnny nodded and ushered himself and the man out the door. “Yeah.”
    “Oh man, I listened to you all the time in high school. I was sorry to hear the band was breaking up and wouldn’t be recording. You could smoke a six-string like nobody’s business, man.”
    Johnny felt the heat of a blush flood his cheeks at the compliment. He’d heard it hundreds of times over the years, but it never failed to humble him. He’d had a long and very successful career in an industry that was changing daily, if not hourly. Vinyl had gone away, so had cassettes. Compact discs he was all right with and he had smiled a little when vinyl had started to come back with a lot of other retro things, but digital music…? He just didn’t know. He was old school. Liked the paper and pencil in his hands, liked the piano and the guitar to make a melody on. He liked the physical feel of a recording. He liked the album covers and the sleeves with lyrics and artwork. A bit of something got lost in the digital age and he missed it.
    He wasn’t washed up yet, but he was headed down the path of has-been. He was okay with that. He would change where he had to and he had enough money saved up and invested that he could live well above comfort for the rest of his life.
    “I appreciate it.”
    “Hey, uh, think I could get an autograph? You can sign this twenty you just gave me. I won’t ever be spending it.”
    Johnny laughed and took the pen the man handed him. He signed his name with a flourish and added the date. The guy was still going on about it as he walked down the hall.
    The aroma of pancakes hit Johnny as he walked back into the room. Blackberries. Bacon. Maple. Liz had never been able to resist anything with blackberries and this would certainly wake her up. As seniors in high school, several members of their class would meet up for breakfast at a little bistro, and the times that Liz would go, she’d order the exact thing Johnny had waiting for her now. He couldn’t wait to see the smile on her face when she realized what her hunger would be sated with.
    He resumed his seat, but not before he picked up his sheets of music and his pencil again. Words and chords filled a page and a half. He wanted to get the rest of what was in his head down on paper before Liz woke up.
    Another half page was done when stirring on the bed caught his attention. He lifted his gaze to find Liz just coming around. He smiled. A few more quick notes and he was able to put the sheets down. What was left to write could wait until he was on the plane again. Liz would get his full attention now that she was awake.
    He watched from his corner position as she shifted under the duvet, then stretched out her legs. Her toes peeked from beneath the covering before being drawn back in. Liz lifted her head and looked around, finally connecting with him.