He thought he had dreamed about her being here. But she had come back, she was real, and laid out like a goddess beside him. "God she is perfect, what did I ever do to deserve her." He thought as he eased himself up off the bed trying not to wake her.
He hurried to the bathroom medicine cabinet in search of some relief for his throbbing head. He found some Tylenol and took a few of the pills. Then he looked around for something for his stomach. He saw some Pepto and swigged half the bottle. He opened some mouthwash on the counter and took a cap full in his mouth and swished it around to remove the nasty taste of the Pepto. Then he staggered to the kitchen where he smelled the aroma of fresh coffee brewing.
"Damn you're up!" Richie exclaimed when he saw John dragging his ass toward him.
"What are you doing up? It's not even daylight yet?" John asked looking like he had been through a rough night.
"I got up with Erica. She had to be at the diner early for work."
"Oh hell she stayed over with you. Are you getting back with her?"
"Yeah I think we are. I've missed her. And she missed me too. It's why she came by."
"You mean you missed rolling around in the sack with her." John laughed.
"Yeah that too." Richie chuckled.
"Damn I feel like I'm dying and I have to go over to Galaxy later to meet Harold to start painting."
"I wish you would ask Harold if I can help paint too. I need some money for Van Halen, next week."
"Just go down there with me, I'm sure he will let you."
"Is Ashley still sleeping?"
"Yeah I didn't want to wake her up."
"She took care of your sorry ass last night. She cleaned you up, changed your clothes, and had you laid out in the bathroom with a blanket and pillow. I walked in and she was rubbing your head with a wet rag and you were moaning."
John laughed. "Hell I thought I dreamed that."
"No it was real. She came in with Sebastian and said they ran out of gas. Dot was here and told her you were puking and to leave you alone and let you pass out in the bathroom and sleep it off. She said she wasn't about to leave you there."
"Yeah Dot's a bitch like that. You get sick or pass out, she doesn't give a damn! She ain't taking care of you! Did she say if Sebastian made a move on her?"
"She didn't say, but he told me going to get the gas, she pulled a damn can of mace on his ass! So I'm guessing he did."
John laughed. "Good she should have sprayed his dumbass with it. I'll find out from her later."
"So you and Dot were alone for a while. Anything worth telling happen?" He grinned.
"Hell no! She was talking about she missed me and hoped I'd be here, when she came by. I told her to go back to Bobby. She tried to kiss me and I remember biting the shit out of her lip."
Richie laughed. "Ouch man."
"She was just fucking around with me trying to mess with my head and fuck up, what I have going with Ashley. Let me get some of that coffee. I need to wake my ass up!"
John drank two cups. "I need to go get Ashley up. I've got to go home and get ready."
John drank his last sip of coffee and walked to the bedroom. He laid down on the bed.
"Ashley." He said softly rubbing her hair.
"Hey." She smiled opening her eyes. "Are you feeling better?"
"A little bit. We need to go. I have to go home and get ready to go over to Galaxy. I have to meet Harold there this morning to start painting."
"Okay."
"So what happened with you and Sebastian?"
"Nothing, what did you think happened?"
"It was driving me crazy, that you left with him. I just didn't understand why you took off!"
"I tried to tell you last night. But you were so drunk. Angie fell on your lap and you just sat there smiling at her while she told you that she had always had a crush on you! All right in front of me! You acted like I wasn't even there!"
"I'm sorry, but that was nothing, she was just drunk. But what I remember is Sebastian rubbing on your ass while showing you how to make a shot playing quarters."
"He didn't really do anything."
"He didn't make a move on you at all last night?"
"It was nothing John!"
"Well tell me then!"
"He stopped the car taking me home and asked me if I wanted to make you jealous and cheat on you, he would help me out."
"Fucking prick! I knew it, I knew he would make a fucking move on you! What did you say?"
"Well he put his hand on the top of my leg and I pulled some mace out of my purse and told him, I would shoot him in the damn face if he didn't take his hand off!"
"He fucking touched you!"
"John calm down! He was harmless!"
"I knew you shouldn't have gone with him! You can't trust these guys around here baby!"
"I'm sorry John, but please just let it go. He stopped when I told him to."
"But you are my fucking girl and that asshole knew that!"
"It was my fault, I never should have left with him."
"Well don't worry about it, but me and him will be having some words later! Are you ready to go?"
"Yeah, I am. She got up and they walked out into the living room where Richie was sitting on the couch.
"We are out of here man. If you want to meet me at Galaxy about 8:00, I'll be there."
"Yeah. I'll go get ready now. Good morning darlin." Richie looked over at Ashley. "Looks like you took good care of him." He smiled at her.
"Good morning and I tried." She smiled back.
They walked out and got on the motorcycle and headed home. John pulled up at Ashley's. She got off and she hugged him.
"I love you baby."
"I love you too. Have a good day at work."
He kissed her a small kiss on her lips and she went inside. He drove over to his driveway and went in to take a shower.
A little while later he pulled out in the 280 headed to the Galaxy Club.
As he pulled up he saw Harold's Cadillac in the parking lot. He had a couple of duffle bags on his back walking up to tbe door.
"Hello Johnny. You are here early."
"I wanted to get an early start. Do you think Richie could help me paint? He needs the money?"
"Sure, I don't mind helping him out."
Richie's Camaro pulled up. And he got out.
"Can you two get the rest of these bags it's everything you'll need to paint." Harold asked.
"Yeah, let me get my radio out of my car." John replied, walking over to his car.
Richie and John carried in the bags and got ready to paint.
"I want you to do the two back offices today. Just make sure you do a good job. Don't forget Patty is meeting you up here at 4:00."
"Yeah I remember." John replied.
Harold walked off to his office.
"So you've got to spend time with Patty. That should be fun for you." Richie snickered.
"I tried to get out of it, but Harold has done so damn much for me! I couldn't say no! As bad as I wanted to."
"Is Ash okay with it?"
"I explained it to her. She knows I don't want to be anywhere near her. But she's working with Bret starting Monday, and I don't like that shit either."
"I bet you don't. The Fast Lane has all those back offices to get all cozy in. And that back dressing room with the big couch. What did Lemma call it?"
"The den of sin?" John replied.
"Yeah that was it, I've gotten lucky back there a few times."
"I have too, but this is Ash we're talking about. She didn't turn Bret down all those times to just jump his bones now."
"But it's different now, it's not her first time anymore. You remember how easy it was to do it after you got your first time out of the way." Richie replied.
"Damn I know what you're saying. But I am a guy. Once I saw how easy it was. I tried to screw any girl that would let me." John chuckled.
"Yeah me too, but I don't think Ashley is a nympho or anything like that."
"No I mean she definitely likes it, but she's not attacking me to do it with her." John grinned.
"I don't think you have anything to worry about. I saw how she took care of you last night. She could have just left you there like Dot said. But she didn't. I think she really cares about you."
"I know she does and I trust her. But Bret Michaels, hell no! I'll never trust that dude!"
"I don't blame you. I wouldn't want Erica working with any of her exes. But she has a touch of a nympho in her though." He laughed.
"Oh damn!" John laughed with him.
They got all the furniture moved and put plastic down and taped it up and started painting.
They both looked up when a pretty blonde entered the room.
"Hi which one of you is Johnny?"
"I am." John stopped painting and turned around.
"Hi I am Kristin. She started to smile at John. "Oh my, you are gorgeous! Remind me to thank Harold for hiring some eye candy around this place. She giggled. "It's nice to meet you."
"Thanks but I've got a hangover from hell, and I feel like straight up shit today." He grinned. "Oh and nice to meet you too. This is Richie."
"Hi Richie."
"Hi darlin. Are you here to help us paint? Because if you are, you are going to distract the hell out of me." Richie grinned checking her out.
She smiled and couldn't quit looking at John. "I'm actually a bartender here, but I'm helping Harold out until he gets everything under control. He promised me it's just temporary though and he's going to hire somebody to help him. Do you guys need anything?"
"No, but thanks we are good." John turned and started painting again."
Richie watched her stand there checking out John's ass, with a smirk on her face.
"Damn Johnny! You really have a nice ass!" She giggled."
John just smiled and shook his head and kept painting.
Richie looked at her. "I guess I will have to come up here more if you will be serving me my drinks." He smiled.
"Yeah, I'm up here every night but Monday. Johnny you should come see me one night. We could go somewhere when I get off."
"I'll probably be too busy working."
"Well it sounds good to me. Can I get your number and maybe I can call you sometime?" Richie smiled hoping she would say yes.
"Yeah sure." She grabbed a pad and pen off of the table and wrote her name and number on it. "Here you go. Johnny do you want my number too? In case you have any questions or need help with something here at the club or just want to talk." She smiled noticing what a pretty shade of blue his eyes were, when he turned around.
"No I'm good. I'll just call Harold if I need anything, but thanks."
"Okay, let me know if you change your mind. Well I'll let you guys get back to it then."
Richie watched her walk out and hit John on his shoulder. "Damn who are you? That girl was flirting all over this damn room with you and you ignored the shit out of her? What gives Johnny?"
"I just ain't interested."
"Since when? You know I've been there right with you. I know how you flirt and get phone numbers, whether you have a girlfriend or not! Hell Johnny I know for a fact you got laid in the back of the Fast Lane when you were with Dot and you knew she was in the damn building!"
"That was the old me, before I slept with Ashley. Being with her has changed me. I think I really love her. And yeah Kristin is cute, but is she worth losing the best girlfriend I've ever had? Hell no! Now let's get back to painting. And I thought you were getting back with Erica?"
"I am but I don't see Erica anywhere around here." He chuckled.
"Okay but leave me out of your schemes, because I really am trying to be faithful to Ashley. Even if it kills me!"
"And it just might!" Richie laughed stiring the paint.
They worked in the room for a while and after a couple of hours. It was finished. They looked around and were surprised themselves at how well it turned out. They took a break and decided to go get something to eat at a little restaurant next door.
They stopped at the bar. "Kristin, we are finished with the first room and we're going next door to get something to eat." John started to walk away.
"Wait, I'll go with you guys. I was just going to go over there myself."
"Okay I guess." John replied.
She ran over and grabbed John's arm and walked beside him all the way to the restaurant as Richie grinned walking behind them watching this chick, practically throwing herself at John.
They walked in and looked around. There was only a couple of people in the whole place
"One more office to go. I think the first one turned out really good." John smiled at Richie and then started looking over his menu.
"Yeah we could start our own painting company. Richie and Johnny's professional painting services." Richie chuckled looking his menu over.
"Maybe but I like Johnny and Richie's professional painting services better." John replied.
"You know I could use some help painting in my bedroom Johnny. If you're interested?I work late so it might mean you staying late at my place." Kristin smiled across from John, staring at him.
"Nah this is just something I'm doing for Harold. But Richie does that sort of thing all the time, and he would love to do some work in your bedroom." John looked at her with a little smirk.
"Yeah, I can do any work in there you need done darlin." Richie looked over at her and smiled.
"Yeah maybe I'll get back to you on it Richie." Kristin replied with a frustrated look on her face.
She couldn't believe John wasn't catching on.
"Van Halen's in town next week. I'd love to go with you. But watch out! I'm a total lush, when I've had a few to drink. I probably won't be able to keep my hands off of you! I think you are so hot Johnny!"
"Sorry, I'm already going with somebody else."
They ordered their food and it arrived pretty quick. They were halfway finished eating, when Kristin went to the bathroom.
"Damn it son! You are going to have to give her what she wants man, she's practically begging for it!" Richie laughed.
"I ain't giving her shit! I've tried to let her down easy but this shit ain't working. She tried to rub my fucking leg under the damn table."
"Damn, she's hot for you man. I would have already jumped all over that!"
"Well go ahead so she will leave me the hell alone. There's a payphone. I'm going to call Ashley."
John went over and started dialing.
"Hello."
"Hey baby. Have you been missing your boyfriend? Because he sure is missing you."
"Aww you're so sweet. I sure have. How is the painting going?"
"Good, we have finished one office and we are about to start on another one. I'd love to see you. Are you doing anything?"
"Not really, just some laundry."
"How about you come see me later?"
"Okay, let me finish this up and I'll come by there for a little bit."
"Okay good. Do you know where it is?"
"Is it the one by the post office?"
"Yeah, that's it. I love you Ashley."
"I love you too John."
"I need to go get back to painting."
"Okay bye."
"Bye babe."
He walked back to the table smiling.
"What are you so damn happy about?" Richie asked looking at him.
"Ash is going to come see me later."
"Okay well here comes little miss determined to get in your pants."
"Aww hell." John chuckled and finished up his burger.
While they were walking back to the club, Kristin ran her hands through John's hair.
"God I really love your hair Johnny. I just love long curly hair it really turns me on!"
John rolled his eyes at Richie. He had already had enough of this shit. "Yeah my girlfriend loves it too. Listen Kristen, I'm sorry but I'm just not interested. My girlfriend Ashley is super hot and she totally has my heart. I think you're cute and all but I am taken and you really need to stop."
"Are you sure? I mean she's not even here."
"Yeah I'm sure." He walked off from her. Shaking his head.
"Hey I'm available." Richie chuckled looking at her and the mad expression on her face.
"I've got to get back to work!" She stormed off to the bar.
Richie walked into the office they were going to paint and John was putting down the plastic.
"Well she's pissed." He laughed.
"Oh well she wouldn't leave me alone. I got tired of her not taking a damn hint!"
"You know if you were single you'd be all over her."
"Probably but I'm not, so I just want to get this room painted. I have the other pain in the ass showing up here at 4:00."
"Oh yeah Patty. How are you going to juggle all these damn women?" Richie grinned.
"I ain't juggling shit. There is not a damn thing going on with me and Patty!"
"Is that what you're telling yourself? It's not hard to see you still have feelings for her."
"No I don't! She cheated on me! We broke up! I moved on! End of story!" He emphasized.
"Okay I believe you. But Patty won't if you look at her like you did at the Fast Lane yesterday!"
"Look I don't want to talk about her! I'm happy Ashley's coming to see me, and right now we have painting to do!"
"Okay boss, let's get started." Richie laughed.
About and hour later. Ashley pulled up at the Galaxy. She got out and went inside. Kristin saw her walk in. "Hi can I help you?" She smiled at her from behind the bar.
"I'm looking for John Bongiovi."
Kristin's smile mysteriously left her face. "Well he is busy right now working. Are you Johnny's girlfriend?"
A smile took over Ashley's face at the mention of John's name. "Yeah I am."
"Oh, Harold doesn't like girlfriends or boyfriends hanging around the club. It's to distracting while we are trying to work. Johnny mentioned you when he took me out to lunch today. We had a great time." She grinned from ear to ear.
Ashley looked concerned. "Really he took you out for lunch?"
John rounded the corner to put some water in his cup.
"Yeah he took me out to lunch. We had a great time. He's a great guy and so freaking handsome. But how do you ever put up with girls flirting with him. It would drive me insane!"
"Ashley I've been waiting for you. Come here!" John smiled really big. He wasn't sure what was going on with her and Kristin but he knew how to handle it.
He grabbed Ashley and began to kiss her. He gently moved his tongue in her mouth and kissed her so deeply and so passionately her knees buckled. Then he pulled back slowly to witness the fact that Kristin's jaw had indeed dropped to the floor.
"Kristin this is Ashley. The love of my life." He smiled at Ashley. And she smiled back at him.
"Well Harold won't like your girlfriend hanging around." Kristin snapped with a pissed off look on her face.
"Well you let me worry about that!" John put his arm around Ashley and walked her to the back."
As they entered the office. "Who is she John? She said you took her out to lunch? That you had a great time with her."
"I just met her Ash and she started freakishly flirting with me. She followed us to the restaurant, I didn't ask her to go. Richie tell her!"
"It's true darlin. She zeroed in on him the moment she met him."
"Well I don't like it John."
"I told her I had a super hot girlfriend. That I was very happy with. Don't I get any points for that?" He grinned.
"Don't smile at me like that! I can't be mad at you for being so damn cute if you are going to smile at me like that."
"Good give me a kiss."
She kissed him as Richie went back to painting.
"So how does the office look?"
"It looks really good." She said looking around.
"Yeah he already had offers to paint other stuff." Richie chuckled.
She looked at John. "Like what?" She raised her brow."
John looked at Richie like he could kill him.
"Kristin's bedroom, but I ain't doing it!"
Ashley was mad but trying to let it go.
"I know that look. Are you pissed at me? Come on Ash don't be jealous. I can't help it she came on to me. I swear I didn't lead her on at all! She just wouldn't take a hint!"
"Okay. I believe you. Just please do me a favor and stay away from her!"
"Already done. Now kiss me again." He grabbed her and pulled her into his arms and held her tight while they kissed and lit the room on fire. Richie glanced over and felt like he was a third wheel and in the way.
"Thanks for coming by. I missed you baby." He smiled looking into her eyes.
"Okay well I better be going so you can get back to work."
"I'll see you tonight."
"Yeah, just call me."
They were looking at each other. "Bye John."
"Bye baby."
Ashley walked out of the room and through the bar. She looked over at Kristin as she exited the club.
"Richie and John finished up the room and cleaned up the what they could.
"Damn it's almost 3:30." John announced dreading another run in with Patty. "Are you leaving or staying?"
"I guess I could buy a beer and hang around for a little bit."
"Good I just don't know what kind of shit Patty might try to pull. Let me change my clothes and I'll meet you at the bar."
"Okay."
John changed clothes and walked out and Richie was waiting outside the door.
They walked over to the bar. "Can we get two beers Kristin?"
"Yeah is Bud okay?"
"It's fine."
He laid down his money and grabbed his beer and Richie paid for his and picked it up. When he turned around there was Patty knealing on the stage by her stuff. Giving him that look that always melted him like butter.
"Damn it." He thought to himself. "My Past is back to haunt me. This is going to be harder than I thought." He heard in his head as he approached the stage staring her down.
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