Weekend In New England

By:  Lara

 

Last night I waved goodbye, now it seems years…I’m back in the city, where nothing is clear…but thoughts of me holding you bringing us near…

 

Stacey stared at her coffee, watching the cream swirl as she stirred it.  It was nine am Monday morning.  “Hey.”  Lara leaned in the doorway.  “Good weekend?”

“Yeah,” Stacey said with a sigh.

“We met the deadline early…I would have approved you to take today off.”

“I know…thanks…but he had to go back anyway.  He could barely get away for this.”  Stacey looked up sadly.

“Stace, you told me he asked you to move down there.  Why should he fly all the way up here to Boston, or you go all the way to Florida?”

“It’s not that serious,” Stacey said, but she couldn’t meet Lara’s gaze.

“Bullshit.  Stacey, every Friday that you’re going to see him, you’re jumping to get out of here…then by Monday morning you’re depressed as hell. This is more than just sex and you know it!”

“Don’t you have something else to do besides antagonize me?” Stacey almost snapped at her supervisor and friend. Lara sighed.

“I’m just worried about you, Stace.”  She turned and left the office, closing the door behind her.

Stacey buried her face in her arms and tried not to cry.  She missed Lance so much.  She couldn’t concentrate on anything. She could see his pretty eyes, hear his deep voice whispering his name, feel his hands on her body.  This was what happened after every trip to the bed and breakfast on the coast.

 

And tell me…when will our eyes meet?  When can I touch you?  When will this strong yearning end?  And when will I hold you again?

 

“Lance, you look like shit,” Justin said affectionately as he entered Johnny Wright’s office.  JC, Joey and Chris were already there. 

“Thanks, Justin.”  Lance pulled one of Justin’s curls on the way to the coffeepot.

“Weekend in New England again?”  Chris asked.

“Yeah,” Lance said, unable to hide his grin.

“Why don’t you just MOVE up there?”  Joey asked.  “You obviously like this girl a lot.”

“That’s not gonna work,” Lance pointed out.  “The group is centered HERE.  My management company is HERE. I’ve asked her to move down here…but she hasn’t given me an answer.  Lance ran a hand through his hair and sat down as Johnny entered the office.

Lance zoned out during the meeting, which was very unlike him.  He always missed Stacey after their all-too-infrequent weekends together, but this time was different.  He knew he’d be busy rehearsing for the tour, and he wouldn’t be able to see Stacey until the tour made its way up to Massachusetts or somewhere nearby.

He hated this. He loved his work, but he knew he was falling in love with Stacey.  She was strong, intelligent, beautiful, and just thinking about her body next to his made him hard as a rock. It just wasn’t fair.

The meeting adjourned and he snapped to attention, standing when everyone else did.  JC held him back.  “Wanna get some lunch?”

“Sure,” Lance replied, surprised. They walked a few blocks to a tiny deli.

“Lance, how do you feel about her?”  JC had met Stacey a few times and liked her.

“Well, I really like her, Jayce…actually…I think I love her.”

“Does she know this?”

“Well…” Lance opened his mouth and closed it again.  JC leaned across the table and stole one of his chips. 

“Lance…she’s great and all but she can’t read your mind.  Why should she think about moving down here if she thinks you want is sex and a weekend companion?”

“But it’s NOT all I want!”  Lance exclaimed.  JC raised an eyebrow and waited. “Oh…hell…” Lance muttered, knowing the fault was entirely his own.

 

Time in New England took me away…to long rocky beaches and you by the bay…we started a story whose end must now wait…

 

By Wednesday, Stacey was able to complete a day without thinking of Lance every waking minute…that is…until he called that evening.  He said he missed her, and that his life was going to get crazy soon, with all the rehearsals and press appearances.   Stacey was once more depressed as she hung up the phone. Lance had sounded distant, as if he had something he was afraid to say to her.  She had been seeing Lance for almost a year, and each stolen weekend was like paradise.  They would make love all night Friday, sleep late on Saturday, then spend the day walking the beach, talking and laughing together. Saturday night was once again for making love, and by Sunday they were connected as if they were one person.  She thought he felt as strongly as she did, but obviously she was wrong.

 

And tell me…when will our eyes meet?  When can I touch you? When will this strong yearning end?  And when will I hold you again?

 

“I can’t stand this anymore,” Stacey told Lara two weeks later.  “I know he’s busy, but he hasn’t called ONCE.”

“Stace…”

“No.  I’m going to the coast this weekend to say goodbye to it all…then I’m gonna call and end it.” Stacey’s eyes fill with tears. “I just wish I didn’t love him so much.”

 

I feel the change coming…I feel the wind blow…I feel brave and daring…I feel my blood flow…with you I could bring out all the love that I have…with you there’s a heaven, so Earth ain’t so bad…

 

Stacey dropped her bags in her room, changed clothes, and walked out to the beach.  The wind whipped through her hair and she shivered. She missed Lance’s arms around her. She climbed up on some rocks and stared out at the water.  She started to rehearse her goodbye to Lance.

 

Lance prayed as he drove from the airport.  He had called and called, but Stacey wasn’t at work and she wasn’t at home.  He could only assume she had gone to their special place, so he had hauled ass up to Massachusetts.

The owner of the bed and breakfast confirmed his suspicions.  Yes, Stacey was staying there, and did Mr. Bass want his bags taken up to her room?  Yes, he thought, Mr. Bass definitely did.

 

“And so, Lance, I just don’t think we should hang onto this thing any longer,” Stacey finished, sighing.  It sounded good…if she could just get the nerve to do it.

“You don’t?”  A familiar deep voice said behind her. She screamed and almost fell off her rock.

“Lance?”  Stacey jumped to her feet.  “What are you doing here?  I thought you had all kinds of meetings and rehearsals!”

“I bailed,” Lance said simply, and Stacey’s mouth fell open.  “They can manage without me for a few days.”  He put his arms around her.  “Before you give your speech, can I give mine?”

“Sure,” Stacey murmured, still shocked.

“Stacey, I love you.  I am IN love with you. I’ve come to realize that you are what gets me through it all. I LIVE for these weekends.  I need a change though…I want you in Florida…I want you near me.”

“But…”

Lance placed his fingers over Stacey’s lips. “Let me finish.  I know I’ll be gone a lot, but, God, Stacey…knowing you were home waiting for me…it would make the living hell I call my life a lot more bearable.  I know it’s a big step, asking you to just up and leave everything you have here…but I don’t want to lose you.”

“Can I talk now?”  Stacey’s voice trembled.

“Um, yeah…” Lance said anxiously.

“Oh…Lance…” Stacey burst into tears.  “I thought…I thought you didn’t even care…”

“Stacey…” Lance cupped her face in his hand. “I’m so sorry. I was stupid.  I just assumed you would know.”

“I love you, Lance.”  Stacey threw herself in his arms. 

“Will you move in with me in Florida?”

“Yes,” she said, giggling as he kissed her.

 

And tell me…when will our eyes meet?  When can I touch you?  When will this strong yearning end…and when will I hold you…again?  Again…

 

The End

 

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