Hand In Glove

Chapter 22

The next couple of days were relatively uneventful. It became the normal routine for Chloe to sit with Ashton after dinner for a while. He in his chair, Chloe on the couch. She had her sketchbook out one night, drawing from a photo.

"May I see?"

She shrugged and flipped it over for him.

He reached and took the book for a closer look. "Interesting, it's a beach. Is it somewhere you've been?" he asked, glancing from the photo to the drawing.

"No, unfortunately, I have never been there. My brother sent me some pictures of his vacation. He rented a beach house somewhere in the Carolinas. It looks like an awesome place. I just like drawing pictures of places I'd like to go someday," Chloe explained. "I haven't really been anywhere. How about yourself? Have you traveled much?"

Ashton smiled to himself. "Well, yeah, but just in and around the States and Canada. Mostly with the band. I can't say I've done much sightseeing," he said reflectively. "It would be nice to take a vacation, just to get away from this place for a while." He sat thinking quietly. He did that a lot.

"So, Chloe, tell me something... you like to draw. You're obviously talented. Why haven't you gotten some stuff together and approached some art galleries?" He waited, casually flipping through the sketchbook.

"I don't know why. I just haven't I guess. I wouldn't know where to start. Anyway, I mostly do it for myself because I enjoy it. I'd hate to have it out there just to have some art critic's opinion of it."

"That I do understand. Every time I finish writing a new song I feel that way. It's like sending one of your kids out into the world on their own. You want them to do well but you have no control over how they'll be received," he said, staring into the fireplace. "But you have to take chances, Chloe. Because deep down you know you're good. It's the only way you'll ever make things happen." He handed back the sketchbook. "And these are very good."

"You're right. I'm glad I took a chance with you. Just look at how well things are working out," she said with a smile. He couldn't help but crack up as he rested his head back against his chair. Chloe continued working on her drawing, dreaming of a day when she might be standing on a beach like the one in the photo. It was hard to imagine being anywhere else right now.

"Hey, so..." Ashton said with a suddenly serious expression on his face. "I've been meaning to tell you a couple of things. The guys and I will be going out of town this upcoming weekend. We have a couple of gigs lined up. We'll be taking off Friday afternoon. We'll probably be back Sunday. So, if you'd like to visit your mother, it would be a good time. Or you can stay and have the house to yourself."

Friday? It was Tuesday already. That didn't give Chloe a lot of time to make plans but a visit home would be a good idea. It really had been a long time.

"Also, there's this thing, Thursday night," he said hesitantly.

"A thing?" Chloe repeated. "What kind of thing?"

Ashton exhaled deeply. "It's kind of an industry party. You know, with some big wigs from record labels, rock stars, pop stars, models, photographers and all that jazz," he said, waving his hand.

"Cool, that sounds interesting," she said, not knowing exactly where he was going with this. "Are you going with the guys?"

"Well, I'd rather not but it's good for the band and of course, the guys are all about it. Free food, booze not to mention lots of women," he said, glancing warily at her.

"So, what's the problem?" She laughed.

"The problem is just that. All that excess. The phoniness, the schmoozing, the flirting. It's a necessary evil, I guess," he said, resigned. "I try and avoid it when I can but this one is just too important."