"Can't complain,” was Tico's answer as he greeted his brother with a hug. “Good to see you, Kidd."
"Better than you it sounds." David replied.
“That.” Jon waved his phone in the air before slipping it into his back pocket and shaking David’s hand. “That was Cara. You remember her?”
“You mean A.M.’s friend?” A.M. was David’s special nickname for Ariana. In fact, he was the only one she allowed to call her that. Obviously the ‘’A’’ and “M’’ represented her initials, but David had some cockamamie story to go along with why he called her that, that Jon couldn’t remember.
“Yeah, Ari’s friend.” Tossing his jacket over the chair, he asked, “Where’s Sambora?”
“Upstairs. He mentioned something about getting ready for tonight,” answered Tico.
“So, what did she want?” Jon’s evasiveness piqued David’s curiosity.
“Who?” Jon knew he wouldn’t be able to avoid the topic for much longer.
“A.M.’s friend. How come she was calling you?” David asked.
Jon picked up the note Lidia had left telling him that everything was setup and that she would be back in the morning to clean everything up. Laying the piece of paper back down on the island, he went to join them.
“Yeah that. I guess now is as good time as any to tell both of you. It’s one of the reasons I asked Richie to call you.” Jon ran his hand over his stubbled chin. “Let’s see, where should I start?”
Tico sensed Jon was avoiding something earlier. Resting his heavy hand upon Jon’s shoulder, he said, “The beginning is always good.”
Twenty-five minutes later, they were all caught up with not only the recent on-goings in Jon’s life, but more importantly, his relationship with Ariana. Needless to say, both men were surprised to hear that Ari and Jon had been involved for that length of time. They knew that the pair had been close, but they just assumed it was more in a brotherly/sisterly way. They both offered to be there for him if and when he needed them.
"Okay pussies, you ready to get fucked? Richie guffawed as he walked into the kitchen. “Let’s go play some cards so I can take your money!”
“It’ll be the best pussy you’ve had in a long time, dickhead,” David shot back.
“What would you know? Lexi’s already got you whipped, and you're not even married yet.” Richie pushed open the door and shouted over his shoulder as he headed down the cemented path. “I’ll be down at the Inn whenever you assholes are ready.”
The Shoe Inn was the second-best thing Jon had built when he bought the land, with the recording studio being the first. It had been their home away from home many-a-time. It was a place for them to kick back and have a good time. They could escape the rest of the world and not have to worry about it ending up on page six of the Daily News.
They would try to get together once a month whenever they could, or if life permitted. It was no surprise to see the spread that Lidia had laid out for them. There was an array of food set up along the back wall just to the left of the bar. She made sure she had each one of their favorites as well as a few of her specialties. Frank Sinatra was already crooning on the jukebox.
Rubbing his hands together, Jon slid behind the bar. "Alrighty boys, the Bar is open! Let’s see if I can remember this.” Jon tossed a tumbler up in the air. Catching it, he slammed it onto the antique mahogany wood. “Scotch, neat, for the Cubano." He grabbed the bottle by its neck, tipping out first a short pour, then a long one. “For the resident Jew we have a brewski.” Jon tilted the mug under the spout and pulled the custom-made Harley handle. As the amber ale filled the glass he slowly raised the glass, giving it the perfect amount of foam. “Lema, think you can handle all that head?” Jon slid the glass down the bar. Turning to see where Richie was, he shouted across the room. “Hey Sambo, whatcha drinkin’?”
"I'll take a Red Bull, if you got 'em." Richie took his eyes off the buffet for a moment and looked towards the bar.
“Here, catch!” Jon tossed a can across the room.
Now that everyone had been served, Jon reached above his head for a wine glass. Out of the corner of his eye he caught a familiar bottle had that him smirking from ear to ear. Retrieving the bottle of Jack Daniels from the top shelf Jon poured himself a decent glass before topping it off with some Coke.
“Care to share what’s got you grinning like the Cheshire cat?” Richie asked as Jon approached the table.
“Nothing in particular.” Jon raised his glass and, before drinking he inhaled. It’s warm, peaty aroma caused another grin, only this one was a little more devilish.
“Bullshit,” Richie coughed. “I’m betting your little cock-tail has struck a memory, a very fun memory.”
“Shut-up and eat.”
The mood was light and the conversation was mainly business over dinner. They talked about playing the parking lot of the new stadium for Thursday's show. It was a secret show where tickets were given away by WPLJ and backstage, so it would be a small crowd. They were going to announce the opening of the stadium in May for three nights. David talked about his upcoming opening night of Memphis on Broadway. Their schedules were packed over the next few weeks before they broke for the holidays.
Pushing his chair back David stood and took his empty dish and placed it on the bar. "You old men ready for the next round?"
"Watch who you're calling old," Tico answered as he joined him, with Richie and Jon following suit. Jon stepped behind the bar to make everyone a fresh drink, and as he refilled his glass Richie reached over the bar for an empty glass and placed it next to his. "You plan on sharing tonight or do we need to put a nipple on that bottle for you?”
"Fuck you, asswipe." Jon spat as he poured some Jack for him.
"Okay children, quit your bickering and let’s start this fucking game. I have an early call tomorrow. By the way, any of you pansy asses plan on coming or what?” David asked as he shuffled the cards.
"Count me in." Richie took a seat before pulling out a few hundreds from his wallet. Tico agreed, sitting alongside him with his own wad of cash.
"I'm gonna need a rain check." Jon answered as he approached the table and placed the bottle of Jack on the floor next to his chair.
"No problem. Just let me know when.” David reached across the table to collect the monies. “Five card stud, good with everyone?”
There was a unanimous, “Yeah.”
The hours passed as fast as the liquor. Crude jokes and stories from the past had them laughing so much they abandoned playing cards and moved the party to the bar. It was just what Jon needed. He had long passed adding Coke to his drink and was halfway through the bottle of Jack when both David and Tico announced their cars were here.
Tico patted Jon on the back. “Well compadres, it’s been real nice. We should do this more often.”
“Who you kidding? In a few months we’ll be sick of each other’s fugly mugs. Especially Lema’s.” Richie offered a round of high-fives. “Later boys. See you tomorrow.”
“What the fuck? You jackasses turn into a pumpkin if you're not home by midnight?” Jon’s words were slightly slurred.
“We all can’t be rockstars and sleep past noon,” David teased as he put on his coat.
Jon stumbled back inside after seeing them out and headed straight for the bar, his glass was empty and he needed a refill.
“Hey man, you sure you wanna do that?” Richie asked as his picked up a piece of pasta with his fingers and tossed it in his mouth. He had stopped drinking a while ago, but Jon kept going. He was going to have some hangover tomorrow.
“I’m fine man.” Jon cracked the seal of a new bottle.
“I’m just saying. It might be going down smooth now but it will bite you in the ass tomorrow.”
Jon ignored him and poured. “Listen man, I know this is supposed to be a fun night, but I’ve been working on something I want you to hear.”
Jon walked to the far corner of the room to where his guitar sat. He didn’t bother with the strap, and slid half a cheek on the corner of the pool table. Strumming a few chords, a smile curled from one corner of his mouth to the other.
“You’re doing that weird grin again.” Richie twisted the cap off the water bottle
“Shut the fuck up. Do you want to hear this or not?” Jon cleared his throat.
“Alright. This first and then you’re going to tell me.”
Without speaking any words, Jon gently strummed the strings of the guitar as Richie listened, liking what he was hearing so far. Jon began to sing parts of the chorus and verses before he stopped. “Whaddya think?”
“I like. A lot. I take it’s Ariana inspired?” Richie took the guitar from his friend and started playing what he could remember and adding his own twist to it.
“Yeah. I‘d been toying with the melody a bit before I went to Canada. Then, ya know.”
“Yeah I do. We will work on it tomorrow. Now, Lucy, you have some ‘splainin to do. Spill it.” Richie laid the guitar atop the felt, causing a hearty laugh out of Jon.
Jon tossed back his drink and slammed his glass down. “S’alright..”
Jon started telling him about his week spent with Ariana. He skipped the part of how he found her and started with the first night they had gone to Petite Soho, to their trip to La Pinsonniere and so on. The more Jon drank the more details he revealed. Not only did Richie learn that his friend still knew how to have a good ole time, he learned just how much Jon deeply loved her. It was well after three when Richie carried him up the stairs, gave him a couple of Advil and a few bottles of water, and deposited him on the bed.
Leaving him rambling on about calling Ari, he advised his friend it wasn’t such a good idea as he pulled the door shut behind him and sought out his usual guest room for some much-needed sleep.
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