Material Girl // Madonna

An hour later I'm still in Brianna's home gym with Zack. Yeah, yeah, he calls it his home gym because Brianna rarely uses it, but like I've told him a million times, I will never think of this place as his. He tells me to screw off every time I say it, but the truth is he's a kept man. He runs a Dojo. He's not a multimillionaire producer or some Hollywood elite power couple with her. He's a failed model with a blackbelt.

Bah.

Even I can't stand my shitty attitude. Instead of ripping Zack apart in my mind, I do fifteen more crunches as punishment for my bad mood. I could blame it on the failed audition, but I'd rather blame Char.

Blaming her actually fuels me with enough fire to finish the workout Zack had me doing, my second of the day already. He better not even attempt to force me to do my third, let alone fourth, like he's done for the last two months. I may be shredded but I need a day to wallow. Bad news mixed with bad banter makes me sad. Not that I'd admit it to anyone.

Finished with the workout, sweat dripping everywhere, I guzzle a bottle of fancy, popstar water.

"What's in this?" I say out loud, not really asking, but Zack answers me anyway.

"Water." He's using kettle bells to build his biceps.

Showoff.

"Yeah, course. But why does it taste better than regular water?"

"It is regular water."

"No, it's bottled water."

"Still just water."

"No, it's better than just water. I hate just water. This water, I can drink."

"I feel like we've had this conversation before. Didn't you used to harass me about my protein shakes when we were roommates?"

"You mean your milkshakes?" I keep a straight face knowing I just tossed a grenade at Zack. He's oddly protective about his protein shakes.

"Yup. That's the one. Keep telling yourself that protein shakes are the same as milkshakes and bottled water is more watery than just water, whatever." Zack puts the kettle bell back on the rack and wipes his forehead with a towel.

But now I'm sipping the water wishing it was a milkshake. Or something stronger after the day I just had. I never did get that vodka I demanded Zack bring me. He made me workout instead of letting me get hammered. What a friend.

Am I an alcoholic? Two beats, maybe three go by before I dismiss the idea. Nah, I drink milkshakes more often than alcohol. In fact, I'd rather have a big chocolate shake than a glass of vodka if I'm being honest with myself. Sugar comma for the win. I am pissed off, however. Remembering the exchange with Char has me more upset than the audition.

Why is she so hot?

Why do I love the fire in her eyes, the heat? I want that heat directed at me. I love the burn. Crave it. It's the biggest fucking turn on, and I can't get enough. Just thinking about it right now has me semi-hard. The looks she gave me.

"What do you have going on this week?" Zack asks, knocking me out of my fantasy.

I adjust my shorts and myself as discreetly as possible. "Nothing now that I got the ax for that movie. You?"

"Packing, getting the schedule cleared at the Dojo to be gone on this tour after the Salt Creek show this weekend." Zack stops and looks at me, his eyes narrowed and somehow boring into the side of my head.

"What?"

"Come on tour with us," he says unceremoniously. "We need roadies. You have no job, no role, nothing holding you here."

"Hit a guy when he's down..." Zack knows I lost my job as a busboy at the hottest sushi place in L.A. The owner's nephew needed a job after he got out of jail. Last one hired, first one fired. That was me. That's another reason I put all of my time into prepping for this role. I had the time to spare.

"Come on man, that's not how I mean this." Zack drops his sweat rag and sits on the bench next to me, punching me in the shoulder lightly. "Make some money. Get out of town for a while. New perspective."

Char mentioned being on the tour, too. She would be around. Maybe I could get her help. Her advice. A tongue lashing. As pissed off as I am, as she made me, I still crave fighting with her. It's sick. Twisted. But what else do I have going on. The job market sucks.

A job on the road with Zack would be cool. A paycheck. Time away from this town. I think about time with Char, more than a single afternoon of nice guy bootcamp, but an entire tour. Maybe this is a chance to get on her good side.

"Why not."

Zack claps my shoulder a couple of times before jumping off the bench. "I'll go tell Clinton to start your security clearance documents."

A sick feeling that I've bitten off more than I can chew hits me as he leaves the gym to head upstairs. I wonder if Char's still here. I wonder if Zack will tell her I'm joining them.

I wonder how many weeks it will take before she snaps my head completely off.

***

"You made it," Char says, checking her Apple watch. "And right on time. Not a bad start."

I shrug. I was anxious so of course I'm on time. The second I got out of bed this morning I was wired for this very moment. I even looked up all the routes from my place to this coffee shop, making sure I had alternate routes in case of traffic. Midday, midweek traffic can be a bitch in L.A. When I could care less about where I'm supposed to be, I end up getting there late. Or when I've got something major going on before hand, like the audition yesterday, I might be late. Or it could be due to my failure to focus. That one's hard to swallow. I do get distracted by shiny objects more often than I'm comfortable admitting.

But not today.

Today my focus is sharp. I have one objective. Impress Char.

I smile right at her bright face. Looks like achievement unlocked for me.

"Hmmm." Her mouth twists to the side. The light, easy smile disappears. "I sense an ego starting to emerge. Squash that. Immediately."

Her gaze is so pointed my balls shrivel a little.

"Got it." No joke. Whatever ego I was feeling vanished. Gone. I can't win with this girl and normally I love it. Not so much today.

"Alright. Let's get started." She turns and walks to the counter, getting in line behind three other people. "I'll have an oat milk latte."

"Cool. But normally you wait your turn to order, darling." I smile at my use of an old-fashioned endearment. Charming if I do say so myself. I turn my head to smile at her but find her glaring back.

"Not cool?" I'm confused.

"No. Not cool. I was giving you my order. So you could order for us. Like a gentleman."

"Oh. But what about feminism?"

"What about it?"

"Well, you know. Woman don't need a man doing shit for them. They have equal rights and all that."

Char narrows her eyes. Not a good sign. I think I'm failing epically.

"Do I seem like the kind of woman who doesn't want support?"

My jaw drops. This feels like another trap, exactly like the multiple finishers conversation.

"I, uh...um..." I scratch the back of my head. I'm kind of afraid to answer her.

"Knowing your company is vital, Jake."

I grit my teeth at the nickname she knows I hate. I think she uses it to poke me without actually poking me.

"If you're with a girl who wants doors opened for her, open them. If you're with a girl who wants to split everything 50/50, split it. Know who you're with."

"That's the point of hanging out, though. To get to know you. I don't know those things about you. If I were to guess, I'd think you're the 50/50 type, but you're pissed at me like the door opening type. There's a reason I don't play guessing games. I'm shit at guessing."

Her arms crossed, Char taps two fingers against her forearm. I hear the Jeopardy theme song in my head as I wait for her to give me a tongue lashing.

"Good point."

Record scratch.

"Come again?"

Char smirks. "I haven't come the first time."

"Damnnnnnn," I lean back. "Okay, queen. Go off." I touch my finger to her shoulder, making a sizzling sound.

Char almost laughs but schools the smile and glances around us. "Dial it down."

Hmmm, okay. She's easily embarrassed. Mentally noted.

"Seriously, though." I start again. "I made a good point?"

She nods. "You did. You don't know what type of woman I am. But the hint was when I gave you my order, orally."

Orally? Fuck, she can't say things like that if she doesn't want me to embarrass her in public. I clear my throat and swallow the comeback I almost delivered. Orally.

Fuck.

"Yeah, I should have picked up on that." I'm sweating, holding the words back that are swimming in my brain.

"Are you okay?" She's leaning in, examining my face.

But then I catch it. The gleam in her eye.

"You," I say quietly. "Holy fuck, you know exactly what you said, don't you?" I narrow my eyes, inspecting her reaction to me not saying what we clearly both know I wanted to say. "Was that another test?" Her eyes sparkle. I grab her shoulders.

"Did I pass?"

"Shhh, not so loud," she says looking around. "But yes, you passed."

"Fuck, yeah!" I punch the air. By this time, we're up to the counter to order. "I'll have a sweet tea. And this gorgeous lady will have a latte." Yeah, I fucking ordered for Char. Just like she wanted me to.

"Oat milk latte." She adds.

"Dang." I forgot that part. "At least I remembered the latte part."

"Baby steps," she says, patting my back like I'm a little kid. "You have a long way to go, Jake."

And we're back to Jake.

Fuck.

We sit down to wait for our drinks. I'm quiet, so is she. She checks her watch. Looks around the café. Stares at me. Coughs a couple of times. Looks back at the counter, then out the window.

"Jake, you have to talk to me."

"But you weren't talking to me."

Char's jaw drops then clamps shut. She purses her lips and tilts her head.

"Good point. However, now I'm telling you I'm open to talking. What would you talk about with a date?"

"Honestly?" I rub my jaw. "The last date I went on was in high school and we were at Micky Dee's. We talked about the football game I'd played the day before and how her cheerleader skirt showed off her ass to the players when she cheered. I snuck a peek as often as possible. She giggled and then I took her to the lookout place so we could get busy in the back seat."

"Oh my gawd." Char shakes her head.

"You asked."

"I did. I regret that decision." She shakes her head and closes her eyes. Our order is called, and the woman jumps out of her seat.

"I'll get them," she says as she rushes to the counter.

When she sets the drinks on the table and sits down, I make a decision. I'm going on tour. I had planned to try things out with the Salt Creek show in a few days before deciding on the entire thing. But Char's right. I don't really know who she is other than the woman I love to jaw with more than anything else. Being on tour with her, close quarters, traveling for months, will give me ample opportunity to find out all about her.

But I'm not telling her. She's not going to be excited about it and that will feel really shitty. I'd rather go stealth and surprise her when there's nothing she can do to stop me beforehand.

"Well, thanks for trying," I say after sipping. "I guess I'm a bigger project than you expected." I smile. I chuckle. I'm the picture of ease because I know there's more on the horizon.

She smiles at me, too. "Oh I knew you'd be a long term renovation. I can't be the project manager, though." Char sips her coffee with eyes on me. Something about looking over her cup at me heats my skin.

"I'd love it if you managed my project." I waggle my brows, so the double meaning is clear.

Her eyes close. She shakes her head. Oh, it's clear.

"Bye, Jake. I gotta go." She grabs her to-go cup and waves her goodbyes.

I watch her leave. Specifically, I watch her ass. I can't wait to see the expression on her face when I tell her I'm about to spend the next couple of months on a bus traveling the country with her.

That should be fun.

Ok let me tell you how excited I am for what's coming next. I've done something entirely unusual for me: plotted out the whole thing! I needed to know what Char and Jacob's "moment" would be and what led up to it. I had an inspiration for a scene which led to the next one and so on. Before I knew it, I was making notes for chapter 30! Hopefully this will keep me going but you know these characters of mine tend to take over...

Material Girl was the first Madonna song I was allowed to listen to as a sixth grader. Like A Virgin was much too scandalous for me! So again, this is Char through Jacob's eyes, and the bravado she projects. It may or may not be accurate 😂

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

Have a great weekend! One more week for me and then SPRING BREAK!