Right In Front Of You

Chapter 23 - We're Cool!

Jeff's POV;

Barry and I had talked for a while, he had told me what had happened between Gilby and Suzie; they had shared a kiss but she had put a stop to it because she just wasn't ready for another man right in this moment. It was something that kind of hit a spot inside me. I didn't know many women who would have turned down a night with someone famous regardless of what they had going on in their lives and it was what made Suzie different to everyone I had ever met.

I had moved over to where Matt and Shannon were happily hanging out with H and Britt and Gilby. Talking to the man for a few moments it was clear to see that he wasn't the bad guy that I had envisioned him to be in my head. I figured that we had a lot in common because it was evident that he liked Suzie as much as I did. I just hoped that come the right time, she would see that it was me that she wanted.

There was no guarantee that we would work out but I had to believe that what I felt was too strong for it not to work out. My feelings had been simmering under the surface since I had met her; the fact that she had, had no idea who I was, the fact that she gave me shit and didn't fall over herself to get to me, was all attractive qualities to me and I knew that whatever I felt for her; was stronger than anything that I had ever felt.

The more I had talked to Gilby and my friends, the more I realized that I needed to talk to Suzie, I needed to sort whatever I had done by not calling her back earlier in the day. So I had excused myself from everyone and made my way down to the bottom floor and Scott who was on the floor walk around permitted me to come back to her office. The man that Barry had told me was an old friend of her Dad's moved past me and closed the door behind him.

"So...?" She asked getting up and moving to the stereo to turn down the promo CD's that she had received.

As a club manager she received promo CD's from record companies, mostly of already established bands like Nickelback, Slipknot, Korn etc, so that she could play them in the club for people to hear the new songs before they came out.

"I'm sorry," I said keeping my hands stuffed in my pockets as I watched her pouring two shots of JD.

"Sorry for what?" She asked turning and walking to me; handing me my drink and nodded her head to the sofa, where I followed her to sit down suddenly feeling a little unsteady on my feet.

"I kind of freaked this morning when I saw Gilby answering your door," I admitted honestly.

"Can I ask why?" She asked giving me her full attention like she always did when we talked. It was what made me like talking to her; no matter what we talked about she always gave me all of herself and it wasn't something that I was used to with the women I spent time with.

"I thought that I was interrupting something. I kind of jumped to conclusions I guess,"

"Would it have bothered you if I had gotten together with him?" She asked me, her voice so soft that it was barely a whisper.

"You're a free agent babe, you can do whatever you want..."

"This is true! I never thought that I would be in the position where I would get to...I turned down Gilby Clarke; Jesus I think that there might actually be something wrong with me!" She giggled nervously before downing her shot in one.

"There is nothing wrong with you baby; you just haven't had the easiest time lately! No one can blame you for wanting to just take time out and be yourself for a while," I offered reaching slowly for her hand, which she gave without hesitation.

"You know you are far too sensitive for your own good babe, I know that you said that you ain't always like that, but damn I have yet to see another side of you," She replied resting her head down on to my shoulder and sighing heavily.