Chapter 6

The telephone’s incessant ringing woke Tana up around 10. “Yeah?” she mumbled, still half asleep.

“I take it you’re not a morning person,” Alex said, all too perky.

“No, I’m really not,” Tana replied, “But what can I do for you?”

“Jus’ wanted to know if you were interested in a quick brunch before we go back home.”

“Sure,” she answered, “Why not?” They agreed to meet in the hotel café in 30 minutes.

About 40 minutes later, Tana stepped off the elevator and into the café. She walked into a small room cut off from the rest of the restaurant and found Alex talking to Kevin, one of the other BSBs she had met that week. Not wanting to interrupt, Tana waited quietly nearby. And, though she knew she shouldn’t, she found herself listening to their conversation:

“You’re so happy with Kristin,” Alex was saying. “I miss that.”

“What about that girl you’ve got here, Tana?”

“I really like her, but she just went through a nasty break-up. Plus, she doesn’t think of me as anyone more than ‘Plain Old Alex’.”

“Bone, does she know how you feel?”

“No. I don’t wanna screw up what I’ve got.”

“Tell her that. You can’t expect her to read your mind.”

The men talked awhile longer, but Tana was shocked at what she had heard. What was it he had said? ”I really like her, but…” He likes me? It was beyond her grasp how someone as wonderful as Alex could like her. I’m just Tana, she thought. He’s too good for me. Besides, what if he ends up like Jake?”

Tana snapped out of her thoughts when she heard the guys ending their conversation. As Kevin left, Tana walked up as though just arriving.

“Hey, Sleeping Beauty,” Alex teased, “Finally coming to grace us with your presence?”

“Hey yourself,” she said.

They sat down, and Tana tried to forget what she had heard, but she couldn’t. Everything he said, everything he did, it reminded her of his words. ”I really like her…”

“Tana,” Alex said, waving his hand in front of her face, “Earth to Tana.”

“What?” she said, coming out of her thoughts. “Sorry. I guess I’m more tired than I thought.”

“I was just commenting on how great it is to have time off. I don’t have to do anything until New Year’s Eve.”

“That’s gotta be cool. How long has it been since your last break?”

“Um… almost a year. We put out an album last January, and then with promo and touring and rescuing fine young women…”

Tana felt herself blushing at Alex’s mention of their unfortunate meeting.

“Just kidding,” Alex said, giving her a little hug. “What are you doin the rest of the month?” he asked, changing the subject.

“I dunno,” she answered. “I was supposed to go to Vermont with Jake for two weeks around Christmas and New Year’s, so I have the last 2 weeks of December off from work. I’m not sure what I’m gonna do now.”

“I’ll keep you busy,” Alex said with a smile that made Tana wonder what he had up his sleeve.