Chapter Four

Jesse smiled at Jon not really sure what to do next, she didn’t feel as uncomfortable as she probably should with a strange man in her house.
She picked up her mug and took a sip again.

“Jon Bon Jovi?” she asked raising an eyebrow, she knew now who he was. She didn’t move in the music circles all that often with her job but she knew of the band and who they were.

“Yeah, now you know” he chuckled; he was pleased she seemed eerily calm, he occasionally enjoyed woman freaking out over him but today he was glad she hadn’t.

“So Rockstar by day, knight in shining armour by night?” she quipped giving him a cheeky smile. Her brown eyes had come to life. Jon’s breath caught in his throat. She was beautiful, even in her night after glory, she was beautiful.

“I concede. But seriously about the internet, if you are looking for a date, I know some guys” he chuckled. Anyone of the band that was single would have asked her out.

“I appreciate the thought Jon, it was just a dumb idea, it was the first time I did it, and it will probably be the last judging on last night’s experience, but I am fine, really” she said staring off into space.

Jon’s attention was on her bookshelf that was lined with various books and ornaments, and then a photo of a man, who wouldn’t be anymore than thirty five in a military suit was framed in a silver frame proudly in the centre of it all. Jon looked back at Jesse and she’d caught him looking at the frame.

“It’s my husband” she answered his question before he even had asked. The sadness in her eyes told him immediately they were no longer together, and then he saw it; on the top of the bookshelf neatly folded into a small square was an American Flag.

“Oh Jesse, I am so sorry” he said sympathetically. Jon could tell the hurt was still very fresh in her heart.

“Its ok” she said smiling a small smile to try and hide the obvious tears welling up in her eyes, she stood up quickly almost to change the subject, and Jon sensed she didn’t want to talk about it anymore so he didn’t press her. His cell phone buzzed again in his pocket, he checked it seeing it was a reminder he had a meeting with the guys around the recording arrangements in an hour.

“I should call a cab” he said standing up placing the mug back down on the table.

“I can drop you wherever I can go. It’s the least I can do Jon, for what you did for me last night” she said

“I don’t want to put you out” he quickly said, but also secretly pleased he may have a few more moments with her.

“Please... I will just get changed, I will be five minutes, plus I need to pick something up in town anyway, and now is a good time as any” she said and she darted up the stairs to where he assumed the bedroom was. He again looked around the walls at the clothing that was in the pictures.

Jesse flew up the stairs and quickly discarded her dress and threw on some jeans and a baby black v neck tee and grabbed her red jacket, pulling her hair into a ponytail and taking one look at her face she just about died. She scooted into the bathroom and quickly washed her face and moisturized, before kicking on some sandals and jogging down the stairs again not before without a squirt of perfume.
Jon smiled at her as she breezed back into the living area.

“You have quite a talent Ms Adams” he said holding up one of the embroided man’s shirt that was on the table.

“This is awesome” he said studied the intricate stitching on the black fabric.

“Thanks Jon” she said as she picked up her keys. “Ready?” she asked. Jon nodded and watched her lead the way out of the apartment, noticing her red leather jacket which had an embedded black set of angels wings sewn on the back.

“Love the jacket, I take it its one of yours?” he asked as they walked outside the apartment. She laughed.

“No, I don’t tend to wear my own clothes” she said a she led the way to the underground parking facility in the complex.

“Really?” he asked surprised as she led the way across the concrete to the black hatch that was parked in the corner.

“Don’t sound so surprised, put it this way do you listen to your own music in your spare time?” she asked as she unlocked the passenger seat for him to jump in. Jon laughed.

“Well when you put it that way, I guess it’s the same, and no, I don’t listen to my own music, as much as the guys tease me that I do, I don’t” he said as he climbed in and fastened the seat belt.
Jesse laughed as she climbed in her side and did the same.

“So where to?” she asked starting the ignition.

“Are you hungry? I know I could really get some breakfast before my meetings today”
he said hoping he wasn’t overstepping the mark.
She met his eyes.

“I’d like that, on one condition” she said as she reversed out of the parking spot and looked back again at him.

“I pay, to say thanks for saving me last night” she said
Jon nodded grinning.

“You’re on, there is a nice diner just near where I live, and then I can walk to my place from there” he said as he gave her the street address of where the diner was. Making small talk about the way the city looked in the fall they arrived at the diner, it was thankfully quiet so they went to a booth in the corner, Jesse didn’t even give two thoughts to who she was here with so it took her a moment to wonder why people were staring at them. Jon flashed a warm smile to the onlookers as they sat down.

“You know they are just staring at the beautiful woman I am with” he said as a matter of fact picking up the menu. Jesse’s cheeks flushed a little pink.

“You’re sweet, its ok though, does it bother you?” she asked
Jon flipped the menu pages.


“Nah, I am kinda used to it all by now, I just worry sometimes it effects the people I am with more” he sincerely said.
Jesse studied the man closely, no wedding ring. She wondered what his story was, apart from the fact he was the lead singer of a reasonably famous rock band. The waitress soon knocked her out of her thought.

“What would you like?” she asked Jesse.

“Uh, just the pancakes thanks, and a latte thanks” she said handing the menu back.

“And you” she said without a blink of an eye.

“Uh, I will just have the French toast and bacon, oh and a long black” he said. She took the menus and walked away without another word.

“Well A+ for politeness” Jon sarcastically whispered. Jesse giggled and Jon matched it. She couldn’t help how cute he was, the laugh lines at the corner of his mouth and eyes showing as they scrunched up.
As breakfast came they both dug in, Jesse not realizing how hungry she was.

“So, are you touring at the moment?” she asked him biting her pancakes and chewing
thoughtfully.

“No, we just have decided to go back into the studio, we’ve been on a little break for awhile now” he said

“That’s great, are you looking forward to it?” she asked sensing he was.

“Absolutely, it’s been too long, and plus after all that’s happened we’re more than
ready” he said sipping his coffee. Jesse didn’t probe but she sensed he was referring to himself in that comment. Jon took a breath not knowing if he wanted to do this but he thought if he had any chance of seeing her again, he had to let her know.

“I have just come out of a marriage split, seventeen years, and four children later” he grimaced.

“Oh Jon, I am sorry. What happened?” she asked sensing he wanted to tell her more.

“Things just got screwed up, she’s a great lady, hell I still love her I guess, but the amount of time I neglected the marriage, well we both did, it became more of a convenience for the kids than anything, and it was just time to admit that to ourselves” he continued.

“That must have been hard for everyone, how did the kids take it?” she asked him. Her voice laced with genuine concern.

“They have been great, well the oldest ones have been, the youngest ones don’t fully understand but I still see them as much as possible. My oldest son’s name is your namesake” he grinned.

“Really? Well, he has a great name” she beamed as she finished the first pancake.
Jon looked at her, pausing whether he should bring this up again or not.

“Jesse, what happened to, him?” he asked. She looked at the plate for a long moment and took a deep breath.