Madison peered out between the curtains feeling her stomach at the back of her throat. Club George was packed to the hilt. She about jumped out of her skin when someone tapped her on the shoulder. "What?" She whirled around.
"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." Samantha, the talent coordinator for the club, smiled.
"No, I'm sorry." Madison sighed. "I'm a little nervous."
"You're going to do just fine. I just wanted to tell you that you're on in five minutes." Samantha looked around. "Where's Mike and the rest of the band, of course."
"I think they're in the dressing room." Madison stifled a giggle. She had noticed the way Samantha was watching Mike earlier that afternoon at the sound check. Of course, Mike hadn't noticed, he was always way to consumed in the music to notice much of anything. Madison would just have to play matchmaker. "Hey, we're having a little get together after the gig tonight, why don't you stop by?"
"Oh, I don't know." Samantha stammered shyly.
"Come on, its just going to be me and the guys and probably Davy's current girl, whoever that may be." Madison laughed. "It will be fun."
"Well, okay, I guess so." Samantha smiled.
"Groovy!" She took a deep breath. "I better go find the guys."
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Madison found the guys in the dressing room. "We're on soon." She said nervously. "Oh, by the way, we're having a party at the pad afterwards."
"A party?" Mike questioned.
"Yeah, I invited Samantha." Madison smiled. "I thought it would be fun to celebrate." She lied.
"That's a great idea Maddie." Peter exclaimed.
"Can we get through this first before you go celebrate?" Mike looked at Madison and shook his head, then grabbed his guitar. "You're starting to act more like Micky everyday."
"Hey!" Micky butted in. "I resemble that remark."
Mike, Peter and Davy walked out of the dressing room leaving Micky and Madison behind. "So, what are you up to?" Micky raised an eyebrow at her.
"Who? Me?" Madison giggled. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Yeah, right." He laughed closing his arms around her. "You still nervous?"
"I passed nervous an hour ago, now I'm terrified." She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest.
Micky lifted her chin. "You have nothing to worry about, doll. You know these songs stone cold and you look like a knockout." He bent down and gave her a soft lingering kiss.
"Thanks Mick, I needed that." She smiled up at him.
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By the second song, Madison was relaxed and having a great time. She never realized what a high it would be to stand up there on stage in front of a real audience and be a part of something as great as this band. After the last song, they walked off stage and into an immediate group hug.
When the club started to empty they went back on stage to pack up the instruments. "Well, I was certainly doing my job when I hired you." Samantha walked on stage. "You were great."
"Thanks!" They all replied in unison.
Madison handed Samantha a piece of paper. "Here's the address. Come on over when you finish up here."
"Thanks, Maddie, I shouldn't be too long." Samantha smiled taking the paper.
"You are definitely up to something." Micky commented.
"I'll never tell." Madison giggled.
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A small get together turned into a little more than that. Davy invited a group of people, mostly girls, from the club. Madison and Peter put out some refreshments and Micky took charge of the jukebox. Pretty soon the party was in full swing. Samantha came over after closing up the club.
Madison met her at the door. "So much for a small get together." She laughed.
"No, this is groovy." Samantha looked around. "Since I started working at the club I haven't had much time for a social life."
"I'm sure the guys want to say hi." Madison grabbed Samantha's hand and led her across the crowded room. "Look who's here." She called to Micky, Peter and Mike who were standing next to the bandstand. Davy was off dancing with yet another new face.
"Hi Sam." Micky waved.
"Hi." Samantha said shyly not even looking at him. She was too engrossed in looking at Mike. "Hello Mike."
Mike looked up and smiled. "Hi Samantha."
"Hey, Peter, why don't you run next door and get some more chips?" Madison suggested pushing his shoulder.
"Sure, Maddie." Peter gave her a strange look but headed towards the back door.
"So, are you going to ask me to dance or not?" Madison looked at Micky with eyebrows raised elbowing him in the ribs.
"Ow!" He rubbed his side. "Umm, sure, doll. Wanna dance?"
"I thought you'd never ask." She looked back at Mike and Samantha. "Mike, can you entertain Samantha for a few?"
"Sure thing." Mike answered.
Madison pulled Micky onto the dance floor. "Okay, now I know you're up to something." Micky grabbed her around the waist. "Why do I get the feeling you're trying to set Mike up?"
"Would I do that?" Madison put her hands on his shoulders swaying to the music.
"Yes, you would." Micky laughed.
"Well, it seems to be working." She pointed.
Micky turned to see Samantha and Mike engrossed in conversation.
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"Come on, wake up." Madison gently shook Micky's shoulder.
"Go away." He groaned from under the pillow.
"Don't you want to know what happened last night?" Madison bounced on her knees. "Peter said Mike walked her home. She only lives a couple of blocks from here."
Micky turned over squinting his eyes from the light coming through Madison's bedroom window. "Even if something did happen, you'll never get it out of him."
"Ah, we have ways of making him talk." Madison did her best Russian interrogator impression.
"You're hopeless." He laughed grabbing her around the waist and pulling her down next to him. "One of the many reasons I'm crazy about ya." He flipped her over on her back and gave her a deep kiss. "Do you still want to get up?'
"Well, on second thought…"
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Micky and Madison finally strolled into the pad hand-in-hand around noon. Peter and Mike were collecting the garbage from the party the night before and Davy was in the kitchen washing dishes. "Nice of you guys to show up." Mike snorted.
"Umm…sorry." Micky hung his head then looked over at Madison and winked. "We slept through the alarm clock."
"Yeah, sure." Mike chuckled.
"So, Mike, what happened last night with Samantha?" Madison grinned at him.
"I walked her home." Mike looked away attempting to busy himself with closing a garbage bag. "It was late and I didn't think it would be safe for her to walk home alone."
"No, of course not." Davy giggled walking out of the kitchen drying his hands on a dishtowel.
"Come on Mike, give us all the groovy details." Micky pushed.
"I'm leaving." He tossed the garbage aside and walked out the back door and onto the beach.
"Was it something we said?" Micky questioned.
"Mike is a very private person." Peter replied. "You should have known better than to harass him like that."
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Mike walked the beach with his hands jammed in his pockets. He wanted to tell his friends the truth but his pride just wouldn't let him. The truth was there were no groovy details. He had walked Samantha home and that was it. He wanted to kiss her so bad and then he chickened out. The fact was he was nervous around girls and Samantha was definitely one of the best looking girls he had ever laid eyes on. He couldn't be suave like Davy or goofy like Micky and he definitely didn't have Peter's innocence.
He ached to run his fingers through her long chestnut hair and to kiss her sweet lips. And when she had looked up at him and thanked him for walking her home with those deep brown eyes he thought his heart would melt. Then he just walked away like a scared little boy.
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Continue to Part 3
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