I Saw Ari Kissing Santa Claus

In anticipation of Santa’s arrival, Ariana and Jon wanted to share their first Christmas memory with all of you.

Merry Christmas

Jon & Ari

December 22, 1985 ~ Albuquerque, New Mexico

Show number one-hundred and eight was in the books, and it left more than an overnight bus ride of free time in the schedule.  The bands decided to take advantage of the much-needed break to hit the nearby bar for a little unwinding.  It wasn’t only good for the band but for the crew, too.  They got not only extra time to tear down the equipment, but they also weren’t rushed or distracted by the usual backstage shenanigans.   

Everything would be loaded before the drunken lot returned to board the convoy of buses headed to their next destination for a show on the twenty-seventh.  If they left on time, they would roll into San Bernardino by sundown tomorrow.  That gave them a full three days off, and for Ariana and Sal, it meant some time at home in Half Moon Bay.  The flights were already booked for three glorious nights of Ari sleeping in her own bed instead of a rickety bunk on a smelly bus.  Just the thought of fresh linens and the candied apple soap she loved so much had her moving faster.

The downside to being the only chick in the crew, she’d learned quickly that using anything but the generic hotel soap would elicit lots of unnecessary commentary from the peanut gallery.  Not that it bothered her.  She couldn’t give a rat’s ass what the other guys thought or said, but her father and Jonny were a whole different story. 

Over the last year and a half that she’d been on the road with Bon Jovi, she and Jon had become inseparable and built quite the friendship.  So good in fact, that this go-around he’d declared himself her protector of some sort.  Everywhere that she went, he was close behind.

She didn’t mind.  As the only girl on the tour, life on the road tended to get lonely at times.  With no female companions, it was nice having someone to talk to other than her dad.  What nineteen-year-old almost-woman wanted to hang out with her dad all the time?  

So, nine out of ten times, Jon found an excuse to ride the crew bus instead of the band’s.  They spent the long hours between one city and the next in her bunk with a six pack of beer and a handful of junk food from craft services, talking the miles away.  For the most part, she just listened to him ramble and felt bad for him.   

As the band’s exposure grew and they became more popular, Doc found more things for Jon to do.  Being the front man, he was pulled every which way and by every Tom, Dick and Harry.  She did not envy him.  When he wasn’t on stage performing, he was doing interview after interview.  Throw in the occasional photo shoot here and there, and the voice strengthening lessons he was taking for his ever-straining voice… It was a wonder he was even standing at this point. 

And that was only the business aspect of his life. 

His personal life was a different ballgame. When the band returned from Japan earlier this year, he and Dorothea had broken up. He hooked up with actress Diane Lane for a short time, and when that ended, his partying increased. Night after night, girl after girl, things got crazy.  

Backstage life consisted of things she tried to put out of her mind.  A revolving door of pussy; just take a number and wait your turn.  When one band member was finished, the girls proceeded to the next.   

At least they weren’t here tonight.  

Rolling the last of her equipment down the darkened corridor of the Tingley Stadium, Ari pushed through the stage door into the parking lot. 

“Typical,” she mumbled, lifting the closed storage hatch of the parked bus.  

Normally she’d look forward to a night like this one, the last show heading into a few days off.  The trouble was, the rest of the crew looked forward to it, too.  They got lazy and did a half-assed job so they could go party with the band.  

Cursing, she pushed and pulled, rearranging every case that was already loaded in order to make room for what she needed to put in there. 

“Mmm… mmm… mmm…. Looking good, Crash.”  

The raspy post-show voice made it easy to tell who was standing behind her.  Jon.  “Jerk.”

"Whatcha doin’ out here all by your lonesome?  It isn’t safe.  Someone could sneak up on you and do this.”  He moved in behind her, pressing his lower body against her ass.

“Knock it off.”  Bumping him off her, she stood and slammed the hatch down. “I’m working, and you’re drunk.”

“Not yet, but workin’ on it.” Taking a long slug from his bottle, he drained half before stopping.  Swiping his thumb over the drops left on his lips, he extended the bottle to her. “Want some?” 

“No, thanks.  I don’t know where those lips have been tonight.”

“Not where I want ‘em to be.”  Wagging his brow, he took two steps forward, backing her against the bus.  When he tried to move in a little closer, she flattened her hands against his bare chest.

“Stop.  You’re sweaty, and you smell.”

“Come shower with me and I’ll let you wash my-”

“Jon.”  

Sal’s deep baritone voice startled Jon so badly that he nearly dropped his drink. “Yes, Sir?”

“Did you need something?”

“Umm… No Sir.  I was just seeing if Ariana needed any help.”

“Is that so?”

“Knock it off, Sal,” Ariana huffed, stomping back inside and leaving the two men to rehash her father’s views.  

She’d heard the warnings about the two of them getting close one too many times.  “A little too close” he would tell her, to which she would answer the exact same way.  There was nothing going on between her and Jonny.  

Not that he didn’t try.  He did, and often, but she had eyes.  So, even if she did have feelings for him, there was no way she would act on them after seeing what went on with the groupies.

It was twenty-five minutes later when Jon found her sitting just where he knew she would be – cross-legged on the floor with her back against one of the speakers.  With a bottle of Bud nestled between her legs, she was blowing smoke rings in the air.

“Can I sit?”  

“It’s a free country.” 

She handed him the pack of Marlboro Lights and, as he sat down next to her, he tapped the box on the palm of his hand. Drawing one out with his lips, he reached for the red Bic lighter in front of her.  It took two flicks before it ignited, and he puffed on the stick to light it. 

“Sal went to round up the gang.  We should be leaving soon.”

“Whoop-dee-fucking-doo.”  Ariana twirled her index finger in the air.

“I didn’t mean to get you in trouble back there.”

“You didn’t.  Did he read you the riot act, again?”

“Nah, not too bad.”

“Damn him.”  She shot up, cigarette hanging between her lips, beer in one hand as the other flailed around like a possessed Italian as she paced.  “I’m a grown woman.  Why doesn’t he see that?  In one breath he’s telling me I’m smarter than any man on the crew, and in the next, I’m not smart enough to make my own decisions.”

“He’s just watching out for his baby girl.”

“So, you’re on his side now.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Arrggg.  Men!”

For the second time tonight, she stalked away from him.  This time, though, he followed and caught her just before she opened the door. 

“Wait a second,” he requested, reaching out to touch her shoulder.  When she turned and faced him, her green eyes were like daggers, but he didn’t shy away.  He was nothing but calm when suggesting,  “Listen, why don’t you ride on my bus tonight?  Take a break away from Daddy.”

“I’m not riding on that venereal disease infested hotel on wheels.”

“I promise…” He crossed his heart with his crooked little pinky and held it out to her. “…even pinky swear, it’s clean.  I’ll even tell the guys no girls.”

“Really? You’d do that for me?”

“Crash, there’s nuttin’ I wouldn’t do for you. But you have to promise me one thing.”  

“What?”

“When we get to San Bernardino, we run away for a few days.  No work, no Doc, no Daddy.  Just you and me.”

“Have you been smokin’ tonight?  I can’t do that.”

“Why not?”

“Because Sal got the plane tickets.  He’d kil...”

“Kill you?” He cut her off.  “You just said you’re a grown woman capable of making her own decisions.  Prove it.  Run away with me.  No strings.”

Ariana thought about it for a few minutes. Seventy-two hours away from all of this, and no one telling her what to do sounded great.  “How, pray tell, do we do this?”

“Leave that up to me. So, you game?”

When he smiled that smile – not the rock star one, but the one he reserved for his close friends and family – she had a hard time telling him no.  She shook her head and sighed, hoping she was making the right choice. 

“Sure. Why not?”

Jon motioned at her with his still-waiting pinky, and once their two fingers linked, he flashed her those baby blues.  “It’s a date.” 

As promised, the bus was groupie-free and quiet, except for the impromptu jam session that she woke to just before pulling into San Bernardino.  She couldn’t believe she slept the whole way, though if you asked Jon, he would say she was always sleeping.  That’s why he called her Crash, after all – because he believed she could sleep everywhere and anywhere.

She had decided to put off telling Sal she wouldn’t be going with him until after they arrived and got the crew and equipment settled. To say he wasn’t the least bit happy was an understatement, but she stood her ground, kissed him goodbye and climbed on the back of the Harley that was waiting for them.  

She wasn’t sure how Jon pulled that one off, but she was glad that he did.  There was nothing quite as freeing as driving down a darkened highway with the late December air blowing against your skin.  

When she asked where they were headed, he wouldn’t tell her.  He only gave her instructions to strap on and enjoy the ride.  

Being a Californian, the ride along Interstate 10 from San Bernardino to Santa Monica was nothing to write home about.  Most of it was inland, but once they hit the Pacific Coast Highway, that’s where the beauty was.  

Even as a kid, she always loved the water.  Working and being on the road all the time had made her forget just how much she still did.  She soaked it all in until they reached the pier in Santa Monica, where they stopped for a moonlight stroll along the beach – which was another thing she loved about California.

Jon told her it reminded him of New Jersey boardwalks, and gave him a sense of being home.  It was just another thing they had in common, and he promised to take her to his New Jersey one day.  She didn’t hold much hope, but it was a nice thought on a night like this.  

From there they stopped at an all-night diner for shakes and burgers before heading to their final destination – Malibu and a little shack on the beach.

“So, whaddya think?”  He came up behind her as she stood on the deck looking out into the ocean.

“It’s perfect.  How did you find it?”

“I called in a few favors.  It’s ours as long as we want it.”

“Three days of nothing but sleep and the sound of the ocean. This is just what I needed.  Thank you.”  She turned and hugged him.

“You are not sleeping for three days.  We have things to do.”

“Like what?”

“It’s Christmas.  We need a tree and decorations. Oh, and food.”

“You’re crazy, do you know that?”

“Yup.”

“Well, right now all I want is a blanket and that lounge chair right there.”

Jon looked back over his shoulder at the two loungers with cushions that had seen better days.  “You’re gonna sleep out here?”

“That’s right.  You are more than welcome to join me.”  Turning on the heel of her foot, Ariana disappeared into the house and returned with the bedspread and two pillows.  “Well rock star?  You  gonna stand there all night or what?”

Jon didn’t need to be asked twice.  Hopping on the chair she stood next to, he pulled one of the pillows from her, then patted the cushion for her to join him.  

“Nice try.”  She laughed, using her knee to push the other lounger closer to his.  

“Aww, c’mon Crash.  I promise I won’t bite.”

Throwing the spread in the air, she waited till it had fallen over the two chairs, and then fluffed her pillow to go across the top.  Next, she kicked off the ever-present Chucks and pulled the tie from her hair.  Shaking her chocolate ringlets free, she climbed under the covers and curled towards him, propping her elbow on the chair’s armrest.  

“Thank you for this.  I really needed it.”

“You’re welcome.”  He leaned forward and kissed the tip of her nose.  “Now say goodnight, Gracie.”

“Goodnight, Gracie.”  She tugged the pillow under her head.

The sunrise was their alarm clock the next morning, and after a long walk along the beach, they headed out for the day’s adventure. 

The first stop was food.  A girl needed her grease if she wanted to keep up with the Energizer bunny, and the boy was obsessed with making sure they had a Christmas tree.  She tried explaining to him they would be gone in a few days’ time, but he couldn’t be persuaded to care.  It was Christmas and they needed a tree, he argued and left her no choice but to go along for the ride.  

When they finally found one that they both could agree on, it took some convincing on his part to have them actually deliver it.  When the lot attendant came over to offer his congratulations, she could only imagine what kind of story had been told.  

“Where to now?”  Jon asked helping her on to the bike.

“Nowhere until you tell me what you told him.”  Ariana nodded to the still smiling man.

Grinning, Jon leaned close to her ear. “I told him I was going to propose to you, and that is why I desperately needed to have the tree delivered.”

“Jonny!”

“Don’t worry, I don’t think he recognized me.”  Jon swung his leg over the seat of the bike, kick starting it in the process.  Looking back at her with a smirk, he invited, “Your chariot awaits.”  

“Just drive.”  She playfully slapped at his frosted locks.

When they arrived home later that evening, the tree was waiting at the door along with a bottle of champagne and a little note.  It wished them a world of happiness in their new life together.  Ariana couldn’t believe this craziness.  

She also couldn’t believe that, in all their running around, they forgot to buy decorations.  So, she dug around the borrowed house for things they could use while Jon tried setting the tree in the stand. 

They met back at the bottle of champagne and, with the cork popped, sat cross-legged on the floor to make decorations out of the paper and cha-kies she scrounged up.  The more they drank, the sillier they got.  The whole thing was silly, anyway.  Just the two of them with their makeshift version of a Charlie Brown tree singing Christmas songs.  

He even somehow managed to steal a few kisses.

Every now and then she would go outside to look for something she could use to put on the tree.  After one such trip, she knew it was time for bed.  With music still playing, Jon was leaning back on his elbows, legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles.  The Santa hat she had picked up at the tree store was sitting lopsided on his head.

“What are you doing?”  She asked, tripping over the track of the sliding doors.

“Singing.”

“I can hear that.  But those aren’t the words.”

“Sure, they are.”  He hopped to his feet, whisking her in his arms and whirling them both around.  When the song’s chorus hit, he whispered huskily in her ear.

“I saw Ari kissing Santa Claus last night

Underneath his beard so scrr-uufff-eeee

Oh, what a laugh it would have been

If Sal had only seen

Ari kissing Santa Claus last night”

Maybe it was the champagne.  Or maybe she just didn’t care anymore.  Whatever it was, it felt good to let him steal a few more.   

25 - The Way You Look Tonight

Ariana bent her head and whipped back her hair before checking herself out in the mirror one last time. She truly loved this dress, more so now than at the shop.  Its ivory color, long sleeves, and cleavage-covering front were demure.  And while the gold beading lent it a little glitz, it wasn’t enough to earn the title of “slinky and sexy”. 

The neckline that dipped down to the small of her back and hemline that barely covered her derriere, though?  Those did the trick, and whatever they left lacking would be taken care of by her favorite pair of Michael Kors shoes.

The Bordeaux booties with four-inch heels gave the dress that little extra pop.  What she didn’t know about fancy clothes, she made up for with shoes.

What girl doesn't love shoes?

With a final grin at her reflection, she hurried out the door for her date.

A short time later, she paused in the doorway of the bar, having spotted Jon.  He was checking his watch, probably thinking that she should be arriving at any minute.  They had enough history for him to know that she was never late… ever. 

With five minutes left to spare before the designated hour of six o’clock, she snuck quietly up behind him to hear the bartender ask, “Can I get you something to drink, Sir?”

Jon’s glanced briefly at the cocktail napkin that was set before him before ordering, “Yes, I’ll have a Jack and Coke and- ”

Her hand on his shoulder had him pausing mid-sentence, so she stepped up beside him to supply, “I’ll have the same, please and thank you.”

Jon turned in his seat, and the smile in his eyes was obvious, even before they slid down her body.  By the time they came back up to meet hers, they’d were still smiling but had darkened several shades.  He definitely liked the dress. 

“Well, hello there, beautiful,” he drawled around the cocky smirk that she didn’t hesitate to return.  A girl couldn’t feel pretty without being a little cocky.

“Hello yourself.”

He leaned in to place a friendly kiss on her cheek, whispering, “You look stunning.” 

She climbed onto the stool he pulled out for her.  “Thanks. You look pretty amazing too. Have you been waiting long?”

"About five minutes."

The bartender returned with their drinks and asked, “Will you be joining us for dinner tonight?”

“No. Not this evening," Jon replied.

“Okay. Let me know if I can get you anything else.” He tapped his hand on the ledge of the bar before walking away.

“So, if we are not eating here, where are we eating?” she asked before taking a sip of her drink.

“You’ll see.”.

She ran her tongue along her upper lip, briefly savoring the sweet, oaky taste of the Jack Daniels whiskey.  There were other things on her mind besides cocktails, and she walked lazy fingers up the inside of his muscular thigh, stopping midway. 

"Not even a little hint?"

“You get zilch.”

“Fine. I can wait,” she dismissed breezily and withdrew her hand.

There was more than one way to skin a cat.

Ari crossed one leg over the other in a calculated move that shifted the dress higher up her tanned legs.  It was already a short dress, and with it now bordering on indecency, Jon drained his glass and threw a couple of twenties on the bar. 

“Ready?”

“Yes,” she returned with a sweet smile and put her hem back where it belonged.  “Lead the way.” 

Jon’s hand found the small of her back as he navigated them through the bar and lobby, and the tip of his thumb brushed bare skin where her dress dipped.  His touch created more of a shiver than the evening air when they stepped out of the hotel. 

The shiver was multiplied by the sleek, silver Bentley whose driver waited by the curb.  If she’d had any doubts as to who the distinguished man was waiting for, they were erased when his snowy head bobbed in acknowledgement.  That didn’t stop her from glancing over at Jon, who gave her a faint smile as the Bentley’s rear door was swept open to welcome them. 

“Where to this evening, Sir?”

“Please call me Jon, and The Old Port,” he replied while shielding Ariana, who entered the car bottom first.  After swinging her legs in, she scooted across the seat and tugged the hem of her dress down into the neighborhood of proper.

“Very well.”

The door closed, and in the seconds of solitude before their driver slid behind the wheel, she glanced at him.  “All this for the Port?  What are you up to?”

He covered her hand with his, interlocking their fingers, and she was convinced his smug purr was smoother than the Bentley’s engine as it pulled into traffic.  "You shall see.”

They were in the car a mere five minutes, heading south on Rue Saint-Jacques toward Rue Dollard.  A left onto McGill, followed by another left and a right brought them to their destination.  Ariana waited for the driver to open Jon’s door before making his way to her side to help her out of the car. 

“Thank you, Sir.”

“Silvestro,” he corrected kindly. 

“Thank you, Silvestro,” she obliged with a smile.

Lightly touching her elbow, Jon requested, “Gimme a sec, Ari?”

Ariana nodded without hesitation, watching with casual interest as he walked Silvestro to the front of the vehicle.  She couldn’t make out the quiet exchange of words, but clearly saw the envelope Jon passed over before they shook hands.  The envelope disappeared into Silvestro’s pocket as he bid them a good evening.   

“I thought we’d take a stroll along the river before we head to dinner. You think you're up to that with those shoes?”

Ariana lifted her foot slightly off the ground. "These old things? I can walk miles in these babies.”

She hooked her arm into his, and they joined the mixture of tourists and locals on the sidewalks.  It seemed like everyone was in a leisurely hurry, as they all were on wheels.  While strolling the promenade, they saw tourists learning to use a Segway, a group of people rollerblading, and even a family riding a quadricycle.

“How was your day with Cara?  Did you have fun?”

“Oh my gosh, Jon.  It was absolutely the best!  I can’t thank you enough for arranging it.  Not just the spa, but the dresses as well.  You are…  Well, just thank you.”

He shrugged off her praise with a simple, “You deserved it.”

“You deserved a day off, too, but I bet you didn’t take one.  What did you do today?”

“Nothing much.  Worked on some stuff for the tour.  Talked to the kids for a while.”

“You had all day.  Surely you did more than that.”

His mouth twitched at the corners, but he wouldn’t tell Ari anything more, no matter how much she prodded. 

With the sun beginning to set and the Clock Tower off in the distance, Ariana finally gave up. 

Instead of badgering him about his day, she told him how the city wanted to put an urban beach adjacent to the tower.  It would feature sand, chairs, a boardwalk and bar.  No swimming would be allowed in the river due to unsafe water, but it would have a misting station.   Plans were still in the discussion phase, but she thought it would be a great idea.

As they got closer to the tower, Ari noticed there were gates blocking off a portion of the promenade.  It was enough to deter mere mortals – she, in fact was about to turn back – but it didn’t faze Jon.  Her date merely nodded at the security guard and kept walking.

Ari’s feet moved to keep up with him but she held her breath, fully expecting the guard to deny their entry.  “Jon,” she beckoned in a low voice, tugging at his arm.  “I don’t think we should be here.”

“Yes, we should.”

Full of confidence, he didn’t break stride.  He also didn’t offer an explanation.

“Really?  Because there’s no one here except us.” 

Now he stopped.

When she didn’t, he guided Ari in front of him, sliding up behind her.  Two heavy arms wound around her waist and the weight of his chin came to rest on her shoulder. 

“Just watch.” 

“What am I…” Ariana didn’t know what she was watching for, and had been about to ask, when a helicopter came into sight.  The distinctive whoosh of its blades had been in the distance, she realized.  A whooshing that grew louder as the ‘copter landed on the opposite side of the tower. 

“What did you do?” she demanded.

“We’re going La Pinsonniere.  This is the fastest way to get there.”

She twisted in his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck. “That is pretty far just for dinner, don’t you think?”

“We’re spending the night. I’ll have you back in time for the show tomorrow night.” His eyes rolled as he said that, knowing how excited she was about it. “So whaddya say?  You ready?”

“Heck yeah. Let’s go!” She relaxed her arm, grabbed his hand, and headed in the direction of their ride.

Jon couldn’t hide his devilish smile as he watched her try to figure out how she was going to get in with that dress of hers.

“Are you going just sit there and laugh, or do you plan on helping?”

He was laughing while he did it, but Jon extended a hand to help her up.  Once again, he positioned himself so that her short dress didn’t flash anyone that shouldn’t be flashed and waited for her to take the seat on the opposite side so he could follow.  

The pilot introduced himself as Simon after they were buckled up and wearing headsets.  He explained that it was a clear night to fly and their flight time would be just under ninety minutes.

They followed the Saint Lawrence River, flying over the Bonsecours Market and McGill University.  When they reached Quebec City, Ariana could see Le Chateau Frontenac as well as Old Port Quebec.  Soon the city lights seemed to fade as the orange hued sky took over. 

“Jonny, is that it?” Ariana squealed as it came into view.

“Yes.”

Set on a bluff perched high above the St. Lawrence River, La Pinsonniere was truly a spectacular little getaway.  Or so Ariana heard.  She’d never been there personally. 

In accordance with its size, it had all the amenities of a major hotel.  What made it different – according to the travel magazines and sites – was that La Pinsonniere also offered the more personalized services of an intimate bed and breakfast.  It was exactly the kind of place where the rich and famous would vacation, hence the reason she’d never visited.   

Ari was among the working class who’d always wanted to see it, though.  It was the perfect ending to the perfect day, courtesy of Jon.  He’d gone above and beyond to make today different than all the days before.  It was all she could do not to thank him yet again, but before she could, they were being greeted by a man in a chef’s coat.

Welcoming them warmly and chattering a mile a minute about the hotel, the chef ushered them through a luxurious back corridor.  That one led to another, which led to a steep set of stairs that turned into another. 

The steps seemed endless enough for Ari to joke under her breath, “I’m not going to Hell am I?”

“If you stick with me you are,” he murmured with a laugh.  “But not tonight.” 

“And here we are,” their guide offered chipperly, stepping aside and offering a sweeping hand.  “The wine cellar.”

It wasn’t like any wine cellar Ari had ever seen.  Imagined, either, since she didn’t exactly frequent wine cellars. 

There was no dust, cobwebs or musty smell.  Far from it, in fact.  There was only a single table snugged in between pristine wine racks. 

A single candlelit table, romantically set for two with flowers, crystal and fine china.

He had given her a lot of things through the years.  Himself, mostly.  There was intimacy, a close bond, a relationship that went beyond titles.   There had even been gestures, but none so grand as this…  Cinderella day. 

He’d professed that things were going to be different, and Jon was going out of his way to prove it.  They weren’t sequestered in a hotel room eating room service in their jeans.  He’d arranged the most public and organized “date” they’d ever had.

With candles whose flames reflected a thousand times more brightly through the burn of tears.    

Something uncorked within her, and the dam broke.

Jesus, how many tears can one person have?

“Ari... What’s wrong, baby? You don’t like it?”  

Ariana looked up at him with wide eyes.  She attempted to speak.  Honestly, she did, but her throat just wouldn’t let the words pass. 

All she could do was shake her head.   

24 - Something Beautiful

Jon woke feeling refreshed and full of energy. The only thing missing was Ariana.

His hand touched her side of the bed to find it cool, which meant she had been up for a while.  Surprising since they’d talked long into the night and made love one more time before falling asleep again.

Tossing the covers aside, he used both thumb and forefinger to rub imaginary sand from his eyes before padding across plush carpet to grab sweats from the closet.  Once he was semi-dressed and had taken care of morning business, he set out to find Ariana.

He followed the sound of her voice as she sang along to one of Quebec's own about ‘making her come alive’, ultimately finding her perched on a stool in the breakfast nook.  One leg was curled under her while the other was bent with the heel resting on a wooden rung.  Her hair was wild, like always after a night of sex, and she was wearing his shirt from yesterday as her body swayed to the sultry beat.

She looked too cute to disturb, so he watched without speaking until the song ended. 

“Ahem.”

Her head snapped around at the sound of his voice and pressed Pause on the remote control. “How long have you been standing there?”

“Long enough to know that ‘I make you come alive’. Well, I assume it's me you’re talking about. Good morning, gorgeous.” He placed a small kiss on her lips and peered over her shoulder at her plate. “Hmm, salad for breakfast. It is still breakfast time, isn’t it?”

He reached in the bowl and pulled out a piece of chicken.

“Technically, it is. I figured since we didn’t eat last night why not eat it now? Want some?” she asked, pinching his ass as she hopped off the stool to go get him a dish. “Coffee?”

“Ye...” Noticing that the sway of her hips made his shirt rise and fall in a most intriguing way, he let curiosity win out over caffeine. “Nah, I’ll take a bottle of water. They’re on the bottom shelf.” 

“One bottle of water coming up.” As she bent to grab his beverage, the shirt’s hem inched up to expose… lace-trimmed boy shorts. His groan of disappointment made Ari smile.  When she returned with his plate and water, she brushed up behind him, reaching around to put them on the table and whispering in his ear,  “Not what you were hoping for, eh?”

“You don’t see me complaining?” he replied with a smile. “Now eat up. Cara should be here in an hour.”

“Why?”

“The two of you have a spa day. I called her last night, and she thought it was an excellent idea.”

“Thank-you Jon.” She rested her hand over his. “Girls’ day at the spa. This is going to be fun.”

“You’re welcome. Just promise me no drunk texting. Afterwards, I’m taking you out for a night on the town.”

“Cross my heart, no drunk texting. Where exactly are we going?”

“It’s a surprise. Just be ready by six.”

“Can I at least have a little hint, so I know how to dress? All I have with me is my touring clothes.”

“As long as its slinky and sexy as hell you’ll be fine.”

She rolled her eyes at him and muttered, “Guess I’m going shopping. What are you going to do while I’m out having fun?”

“Nice try.” He piled their dishes and placed them in the sink. “Don’t you worry that pretty head of yours. I have plenty to keep me busy. Like I said, be ready to go at six.” 

She gave him her best pouty lips and reached for the remote. The sultry sound filled the room again. “Fine! I’m going to get ready.” 

♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱

When Ariana left, Jon was sitting at the computer. He claimed to be working and answering emails, but she could tell he was up to something.  The man thought he had a poker face but was a lousy liar.  Or maybe she’d just known him too long.  She was laughing to herself about it as she walked into LeSpa.

It was one of the most beautiful spas she’d visited, nestled in vault of the former Merchants’ Bank, which dated back to 1870.  The stone walls were part of the fortification of the City of Montréal and later preserved, giving it unique surroundings and historic architectural elements. 

“What’s got you smiling?” Cara asked, embracing Ari and kissing both her cheeks.

“Oh, Jon’s up to something. I just left him hovering over his computer claiming to be working, but I don’t buy it. Hey, wait a sec.  What do you know about tonight?”

“Not a thing. He just told me to meet you here. Et voilá, I’m here.”

“Pinky swears.” She held out a bent finger.

“Pinky swears.” The locked their fingers together reminiscent of all the years they had been friends. They were interrupted by the attendant who had just walked into the room.

“Bonjour. Can I have your names so I can mark you in?” she asked as her fingers tapped the keyboard.

“Moretti. Ariana Moretti.”

“Ah, yes. Ms. Moretti and Ms. Francis. I see we have you scheduled for our Prestige package.” She handed each of them a tri-fold portfolio explaining what the package entailed. “If you would please follow me, I will show you where to change so we can get started.”

The next four hours were filled with more pampering and relaxation than Ariana had enjoyed in… God knew when.  There was waxing, scrubbing, wrapping, hot stones, massage and whole lot of girl talk. 

Cara approved of Lili’s final resting spot under the tree, saying she would love it there.

Ariana told her about breaking down and how Jon took care of her. She explained how it was then she concluded that she loved him more than words could say and wanted to be with him for the rest of her life.  Cara was very happy for her friend and wished her all the happiness in the world. 

The rest of the time they talked about this coming Thursday. It was a big night at Petit Soho. Jonas had agreed to come and play a few sets for them.  Not that this was unusual. He’d jammed there before he made it big.

Ariana got a kick at how excited her friend was. Giddy like a schoolgirl with a crush. It was sure to be a night to remember.

They stopped to grab a cup of coffee before heading to the hotel’s boutique. Ari needed all the help she could get. She loved clothes, but when it came to the fancy schmancy kind, she had no clue. Hanging around a bunch of brutes her whole life might have had something to do with it.

As they entered the store they were greeted by a very tall, very attractive woman. “Good afternoon. How can I help you today?”

“Yes. I’m looking for...” Ariana looked at Cara.

“She has a hot date tonight and needs something sexy, very sexy,” Cara replied.

“I see. May I ask, what’s the occasion? Would you be needing an evening gown or something chic?”

“Honestly, I don’t know much about the details, just that it is a dinner date.” Ariana looked at her friend with an inquisitive eye.

“Well then, chic and sexy it is.” She left them and went about the store picking up a few items.  When she returned, she must have had about five or six outfits for Ariana to try. “Why don’t you start with these?” She showed her to the dressing room.

“Well this should be fun,” Ari said to Cara once they were alone.

“Oh, shut up and get in there.” She pushed her friend into the empty room.” I don’t know why you are making such a big thing out of this. You love to shop.”

“Yeah, for jeans and t-shirts, not this.” Sliding the hangers on a hook, she shed current jeans and t-shirt for a charcoal A-line dress.  She shimmied into it and opened the fitting room door, cocking her head to ask, “How’s this?”

“Nice, but not sexy enough. Next,” Cara dismissed and shooed her back inside.

“Ugh. See, I told you.” The door slammed behind her, barely masking her huff of frustration as she sorted through the next few.  Most were dismissed without even trying them on, but then she came to a silky little green dress.   “Oooh!” 

“Ah ha! Sounds like you found one you like. Hurry, let me see.”

“Give me a second, will you?” Ariana replied, still trying to get into the dress.  When it was situated, she opened the door and stepped out, twirling around on her tippy toes in front of the mirror.  “I like this one. What do you think?”

“Very sexy. I love the way the back crisscrosses like that. You wouldn’t need a bra with it.” Cara gave her friend a wink.

Ariana shook her head. “Whatever. I have one more to try on, but I think I’ll take this one.” 

She retreated to her room one last time, where she slithered from the green silk into the remaining dress.  The detailed beading and low scooped back were what caught her eye, and the dress’s nylon lining glided over her body, caressing the bare skin. 

When the hem came as far as it would, she wiggled her shoulders and studied herself in the mirror.  It was a stunning little number, with little being the key word.

“Well are you going to show me or not?”

Little or not, she liked it, and by the look on Cara’s face, she liked it too. 

“Oh my God. It’s gorgeous! That’s it. That’s the one.”.

“It is beautiful, isn’t it?” She ran her hands down her sides, twisting and turning in front of the trio of mirrors Cara pushed her toward.  Very nice, indeed.  “I think we are done.”

With a satisfied smile, and wearing her jeans again, Ariana took the two pretty frocks to the register.  This shopping thing wasn’t so bad, once in a while. 

“I see you found something you liked,” the salesclerk observed.

“Yes, I have. Thank you.” She handed passed over the dresses, followed by her credit card.  Rather, she tried to follow with her credit card.  The woman refused it with a demure smile. 

“That won’t be necessary, Ms. Moretti. It’s already been taken care of.”

“What do you mean?”

“This was left for you.” The woman passed Ariana an envelope and proceeded to sheath the dresses in plastic.  “I hope that you enjoy your date.”

“Thank you. I wi...” Ariana’s voice trailed off as she read the card.

Ari,

I can’t wait to see which one you chose. I had to run out, meet me in the bar at six.

Love,

J

She folded the card in her hand, accepting the dress bag without a word and nearly knocking Cara down when turning around.  She’d forgotten that her friend was still standing there. 

“Oh, I’m sorry. I had a great time today, but I need to get going.” Holding the dresses to one side, she used the other arm to pull her friend into a tight hug.  “Thank you.”

“There’s no need to thank me,” Cara assured with a wicked grin.  “But if you must, do it by making loverboy’s jaw hit the ground when he sees you in those. Have fun tonight.”