Chapter 4

Jon took Reese’s hand as they walked back to her apartment. As they got inside Reese went to get them a drink and she told Jon to turn the stereo on. As he did, his own voice came blaring out at him. Reese ran back into the room in time to see Jon wince and shut the music off. “Sorry about that. I had it on while I was cleaning earlier. I suppose I also should have told you I have been a fan since, well, let’s just say I can’t remember not being a fan.” She went over and selected something a little more appropriate. “Better?” she asked as she turned to go back to the kitchen. “Much” he told her. She came back with two glasses of wine and handed one to Jon as she sat down. “Where do we go from here” she asked him. “I guess we just take it slow. You have your job, I have the new album, promotion, tour, etc. coming up. We will just have to see what happens I guess.” Jon was being as honest as he could. He didn’t want to mess this up. He liked this woman and wanted things to work. Reese slid closer to him on the couch. She looked up at him, green eyes meeting blue, “how slow?” Jon closed the distance between them and kissed her softly. “Not too slow” he told her as he pulled back.

In the weeks leading up to the craziness that would be the release and tour for the new album Reese and Jon didn’t see each other but maybe a handful of times and it was mostly at Reese’s apartment, but it was the quality of the time they spent together that mattered most to them, not the quantity. They spent a lot of time talking and getting to know each other, stealing kisses here and there, but never letting it go any further, neither wanted to push the other too far to fast it seemed. Jon, not one to have too many friends found that Reese had quickly become the one person he wanted to share everything with, the one he wanted to tell things to first. She was different from a lot of the women had had dated since Dorothea. She was open and honest with him, and he with her. It was a refreshing change.

Jon invited Reese to his house in Jersey for a party a couple weeks before the tour was to start. She didn’t have a car so she was taking the train from Grand Central Station to Woodbridge and Jon was sending a car to meet her so she didn’t have to worry about a cab. When Reese got out of the car the house took her breath away. Jon’s estate sprawled over 16 acres and was more than a little overwhelming for Reese, considering she lived in a rather small two-bedroom apartment in the City. She walked up the steps to the door, took a deep breath and rang the bell. As she waited she was trying to imagine what it might look like on the inside. Jon opened the door to find her standing there with her eyes closed and a small smile on her face. “Reese, are you okay?”

Reese’s eyes flew open and her cheeks reddened as she realized she had been caught daydreaming. “I’m fine” she told him as he ushered her in. She stood there in the foyer just looking around, trying to take everything in. Jon closed the door, turned back to her and extended his hand, “everyone is back this way” he told her as she placed his hand in his. He led her through the house and to the living area. She was impressed.

They had a wonderful time that night. Reese had met Richie on a couple of occasions and he was the first to greet her when Jon led her into the room. David and his wife April were there, as were Tico and Alec. Jon’s family was there as well. They ate, drank, talked, laughed and listened to the new album. The guys all tried to make the girls choose their favorite song, but that was near to impossible. How could she choose a favorite among such songs as “Keep the Faith,” “In These Arms,” “Bed of Roses,” “Dry County?” They were all just too good to choose only one.

After everyone left Jon gave Reese the grand tour. When they made it back to the living room she only had one question for him. “Why so big?” Jon thought for a moment, “I like my space, but I also hope to marry and have a family one day, so I wanted a place big enough for that and for the entertaining that I do. I needed the space.” Reese nodded her head in understanding. “Well, it’s lovely. I am glad you were leading the way though, I probably would have gotten lost somewhere back around the kitchen.” They both laughed. Jon led her to the couch and refilled their wine glasses before he sat down.

“I had a nice time tonight. Your family is wonderful.” Reese sipped her wine and smiled. “Yeah, I like ‘em… most of the time.” They laughed together. It felt so right she thought, being with him like this. They chatted a while longer and Jon turned to Reese, stroked her cheek with his fingers, “I am glad you were here tonight.” His gaze was so intent on her that she had trouble putting together a coherent thought. “I’m glad you invited me” she managed to say. His touch did things to her that she couldn’t explain. He sent her pulse racing and made her heart feel all sideways and thumpy. Jon slid his hand around to cup the back of her head, urging her closer to him and he leaned in and kissed her. When he pulled away his gaze found and held hers. “Are you going to make me take you home tonight?” Reese opened her mouth to answer him but nothing came out. She shook her head.