Chapter 10

Ged had a number of emails from friends of his that Cassie did not know, telling him about the wedding and commiserating with him over his loss of the girl he loved. Had loved, he thought. A number of them asked when the tour would end and how soon he would return. It gave him an idea.

He contacted Catherine Styles In 'Frisco and asked her if she fancied going over some songs and perhaps making an album of his songs which she would sing. She invited him to come stay with her in San Francisco, and he gratefully accepted.

Ged then emailed Leo. He outlined what he had found out about Amos and Zak, and what they had done to him, and said that as a result he could no longer work with the band. Leo emailed for permission to phone him and once connected, begged him to reconsider, but Ged asked if someone lied to split Leo up from his wife, would he want to work with that person? Leo saw the point and reluctantly agreed. He also agreed to say nothing to Amos about the matter.

After that call, Ged left his phone switched on, a symbol of a new start.

Annette's contract ran out as soon as they touched down in Manchester, and she would not be renewing. She was still livid about what they had done to Ged and did not want to be anywhere near them ever again.

So after the last gig, Ged booked a flight from Los Angeles to San Francisco, while the others left on the flight back home. He felt no urgency about returning to Britain. Annette promised to take care of his equipment until he should return.

He now had all the money he could possibly want, and the stream of royalties kept flowing, but he had lost the only woman he had ever truly loved, and everything seemed unimportant beside that fact. He knew he had to move on, but the tie to Cassie was strong and he knew it would take time before he was truly free of her.

He took a taxi from the airport and arrived at the huge mansion in which Catherine dwelt, mid afternoon. As he drew up at the front door it opened and she emerged.

Now Ged had often emailed Catherine, and they had spoken on the phone. He had seen photos of her in concert, but nothing prepared him for the dark haired beauty standing on the steps awaiting him.

She was slim with fairly small breasts the outline of her nipples standing clear through the plain tee shirt. Her short skirt revealed calves and thighs in perfect proportion. Her face was pretty and everything about it was in ideal proportion.

Like any male, he was immediately attracted to her, and she smiled broadly at him as he climbed out of the cab and paid the driver. It flashed through his mind that Cassie was much more his type, but the thought was quickly lost.

"My, oh my!" she laughed. "Aren't you the handsome one! Hi, Ged. Welcome!"

Leaving his baggage in a pile where he had unloaded it, he ran up the steps and she opened her arms for a hug. Her body felt slight and feather-light in his arms, she was very slim indeed.

"Thank you, Catherine," he said into her hair. She was not as tall as he had thought either. "I'm so happy to see you at last."

Between them they picked up his baggage, and she ushered him into the palatial building, cool in the afternoon heat, led him to the kitchen and offered him tea.

"I know you Brits love tea," she said as she boiled a kettle. "So I bought some stuff called 'Yorkshire Tea' – is that ok?"

"Oh yes!" he replied with a smile, "very ok! I've not had a decent cup of tea for nearly a year."

"You take cream and sugar?"

"Do you have such a commodity as skimmed or low fat milk?"

"Why yes!" she replied. "We call it skim milk, or there is 2% milk; it has 2% cream. Are you a health freak?"

"Not particularly," he said, " but I like the taste of tea better without too much cream in the milk. Skim milk will be ideal."

They hit it off perfectly. He asked her why she lived alone in such a large house, and she looked surprised. "You haven't seen some of the other homes round here!" she said. "This is relatively small, but it has to be big enough to hold parties – essential to my work."

They went out to dinner, Catherine driving. Over dinner she broached the subject of her latest hit song, which he had called Cassie. He told her the whole story.

"You going to get her back?"

"Revenge?" he answered, misunderstanding her. "I don't think so."

"No!" she laughed long. "I mean win her back from the slimeball who's taken her from you?"

"She's made her choice," said Ged. "I have to start afresh."

She let the matter drop. When they got back to the house, she led him to his bedroom, and sat on the bed while he unpacked.

"When did you last get laid?" she asked out of the blue.

"Over a year ago." he answered, surprised at her directness.

"And she's married now?"

"Yep!"

"Time you got a little R & R," she said. "Fancy a fuck?"

Ged stopped in mid fold of a pullover. He turned, his mouth open.

"Pardon?" he said, astounded. She giggled.

"You heard," she snapped cheerfully, "You've not been laid for a year. Me? About six months and that wasn't earth-moving. I like you, and you like me. I'm pretty good looking and you're something to see. Why not?"

He looked at this beautiful woman, and realised that yes, he was free. He did not have to be faithful any more.

"I'd love to make love with you." he said.

"Well, that's putting it a mite strongly," she said, "but we can certainly fuck each other's brains out."

"Tell you what," said Ged, smiling now. "You fuck me, and I'll make love to you. See how you like it?"

She smiled and her face lit up.

"Deal!" she said. "You're clean and I've got certificates to prove I'm clean. I'm safe so we can do it bareback."

"That's how I like it!" laughed Ged.

"Leave the packing and get naked!" she ordered.