Chapter 21: My Girl

John pulled up at the Fast Lane and parked next to Richie's car. They got out and went inside. The charger had followed them and went and parked around back.

John and Ashley entered the building together.

Richie walked over to them.  "Well it's about time, you two showed up. Jack's fuming over there. He said you were probably still at home trying to get your hair just right." Richie laughed.

"Yeah I was waiting on somebody to get ready." He pointed at Ashley.

"I was ready and somebody." She stopped and looked at Richie and  blushed a little. "Nevermind." She grinned and looked away. "I'm going to use my red card." She headed to the bar.

"What was that all about?" Richie grinned.

"Nothing she's just shy." He laughed.

"So you have you found that birthmark yet?"

"Nope and I thoroughly inspected her top half. It must be a bit lower. " John grinned.

"Well at least you're making progress." Richie laughed.

"Let me go see Jack and get this over with."

As he walked to the stage Jack was busy trying out a new guitar.

"There you are! I was beginning to wonder if you were going to show up at all!"

"I'm sorry I haven't been giving the band first priority, but that changes today."

"Are you sure?" Jack looked over at Ashley  standing at the bar. "I hear you got something else taking all your attention."

"Yeah we're together now and she supports me being in the band one hundred percent. She's not like Dot, man!"

"Good to hear. Come on let's finish setting up." 

Ashley handed her card to the bartender. The new guy, James with the big tattoo on his arm. And started to order her champagne.

"We are supposed to confiscate these."

"Not mine Bret just gave it to me!" She argued.

"Well you are pretty hot so if you want to work something out I could be persuaded to let you keep it." He grinned.

She laughed. "Sugar you must be delirious."

"I've seen you in here before. You can't seem to make your mind up between those two guitar players. You know I'm in a band and I even play a little guitar."

"Your Mama must be so proud." She said sarcastically  and looked away, rather bored with the conversation.

James walked over to Bret at the other end of the bar.

"Didn't you tell me to take back these red cards?"

"Not the ones with my signature. Only the ones Harold signed."

Ashley walked up.

"Don't except anything from this girl. She's banned from the club." Bret grinned.

"Stop playing, he already tried to steal my damn card. Now he'll try to throw me out!"

"I'd never let that happen. Have a good night." He turned to walk away.

"Wait!"

"What is it Ash?"

"I don't want it to be awkward between us."

"Are you kidding me? You came in here all dolled up on Bongiovi's arm and you don't want it to be awkward for me? I know you are with him and you want me to be fine with it, but I just can't Ash!"

John was watching them at the bar and Richie noticed what he was looking at.

"She just can't seem to stay away from that dude huh?" Richie asked.

"I don't want to start nothing with her because she's had a bad day. But yeah, I noticed."

"I'm sorry Bret. What do you want me to say?"

"Nothing let's not get into that. Have you thought about the job I offered you?"

"Yes and it sounds good but I haven't mentioned it to John yet."

"Well he's not going to want you working here with me, that's for sure!"

"Maybe not, but I am a grown woman. I can do what I want to."

"Sorry, I've got to go make a call." Bret walked away leaving her standing there.

She went back to the bar and used her card and ordered champagne from James.

He sat the glass down.

"You sure are a beautiful girl. You should give up on those two. And get yourself a real man like me."

"I'm not looking for any men! John is my boyfriend! Bret is just a friend!"

"I bet Bret's seen you naked and there's no way to just be friends after that. It just doesn't work that way."

"That's none of your business. Don't worry about who's seen me naked!" She snapped.

"Well I sure would love to be on that list." He licked his lips. " I hear you don't have a lot of experience, It's obvious those two can't give you what you really need. I could teach you a thing or two to impress all your boyfriends." He grinned.

She cut her eyes at him. "I wouldn't be interested in you or anything you could teach me, even on your best day!"

He laughed. "Oh but I bet you're interested in sneaking behind Bongiovi's back with Bret!" He snapped and John was walking up to the bar and heard it."

"What the hell did you just say to her?" John yelled standing behind Ashley.

"Nothing man, sorry." He stepped away from them.

"Hey stop it! I can handle myself John!"

"Well that asshole shouldn't talk to you like that!"

"That wasn't even the worst thing he said to me!"

"What else?"

"He told me he was a real man and offered to teach me a thing or two to impress all my boyfriends!"

John took off.

"John don't!" Ashley yelled.

"Hey tattoo! You know she's mine right?"

The bartender turned to him and John jumped over the bar. Bret was walking up front and heard the commotion and hurried over. 

One of the bigger bartenders grabbed John from behind.

"What the fuck man let me go!"

John looked at James. "Don't be coming on to my girl man! I'll kick your fucking ass!"

Bret walked up. "What's going on here?"

"This punk just jumped across the bar and tried to attack me, because his girl was flirting with me!" James shouted.

"That's bullshit man!" John yelled.

"I wasn't flirting with you. You came on to me!" Ashley yelled.

"Look I'm not putting up with this shit!" Bret hollered above all the noise.

"James go to the back and cool off!"

"Reggie let him go."

"He told her he was a real man, and he could teach her some shit in bed to impress all her boyfriends with!" John yelled, as Reggie let him go.

"I'll handle it!" Bret walked to the back.

Ashley walked behind the bar and held out her hand. "Come on John."

She smiled. "God John you cleared that bar in nothing flat."

John was still pissed and had his chest puffed out. "If someone messes with you, I just lose it."

Bret found James in the storage room.

"What the fuck did you say to Ashley?"

"Just that I've seen her bouncing back and forth between you and Bongiovi!"

"No the part where you could teach her a few tricks for her boyfriends."

"Well I hear she's a virgin, so I told her I could help her out with a couple things to impress men in bed. She's hot man and she was flirting with me!"

"Bullshit! Listen to me! Don't ever fucking talk to her like that or Bongiovi will be the least of your worries! I'll kick your fucking ass myself! Now get out of here! You're fired!"

"Fuck this!" James wadded his apron up and threw it on the floor as he hurried out of the room. Bret went back out to the front.

In the back corner of the bar nobody really noticed the owner of the black charger siting at a table ordering Jack and cokes with his hat pulled down low on his head watching Ashley with John.

The Rest took the stage and John played so well trying to impress Ashley. She stood up front and danced and sang some of the catchy parts to the songs. 

About half way through. John grabbed the microphone. He walked to the back of the stage and picked up a rose he had left on a guitar case.

There's a girl here tonight that's very special to me. I started writing this song, the day I met her. I've never played it for her before."

He walked down front and leaned down and gave her the rose. His hand touched hers and she smiled.

He stood up and walked back over to the mic. I love you Ashley. This song's just for you baby."

They played a slow love song and John sang about how much she meant to him. How he had never felt this way before. And that she would always be his girl.

John finished the song and announced they would be taking a short break. He jumped off the stage and went over to Ashley.

"Oh John that's the most beautiful song I have ever heard."

"The first day I met you I went home and wrote a couple lines of it. I thought you were beautiful and I wished you were my girl."

"I love it." She hugged him and gave him a kiss that lit his insides on fire.

The guy in the back was watching and gripped his empty glass so hard that it shattered in his hand.

 He grabbed up his napkin and held it, to stop his cut finger from bleeding and walked out the door and drove off.