The tour

Chapter 8

Luck was finally with her, when she entered the apartment. Her roommates weren't home. Thank God. Kristina really did not want to have to tell them about her meeting. Michael had almost gotten under her shield, and that had scared her. They way she reacted to the touch of his, his smile and the way he looked at her did too. She couldn't have that. And it was not normal for her to open up to someone new so easily. She had enjoyed looking into his eyes, and feel his muscular chest in her arms on the bike. What was with her?

She leaned against the door, slid down to the floor and took a few deep breaths, trying to get her breathing under control. What was this man doing to her?

Meanwhile Michael was heading back to the bike, as his bodyguard Bill approached him. Even though he rode the bike alone and could go to a secluded park with a beautiful girl like Kristina, they were always there in the background, unnoticed, watching and making sure he wasn't in danger. One of the many downsides of fame: No real privacy.

'Everything okay, Mr. Jackson?'

'Bill, I've told you to call me Michael.'

'Sorry, Michael. Was that Ms. Jensen?'

'Yeah,' he sighed, looking up at her windows, the curtains were pulled.

'I'm guessing the date didn't go so well...?'

'It wasn't a date. It was a business meeting.'

Bill chuckled.

'Whatever you say, sir.'

'What makes you say that?'

'I'm sorry sir, it's just that you love that park, and I have worked for you for over ten years, and never in my time on this team have you ever brought a girl to that park. That's like a special place to you.'

'Well, she is special,' Michael said, smiling.

--

A couple of days later in the late afternoon Kristina was back at the beach. It wasn't a beach day in any sense, the wind was blowing, it was drizzling and the air was cold. She was standing under a little roof, but the rain was coming in sideways, and she was a little nervous about it hurting Francine. Not a lot of people were walking past her either, but she had to stand there, hoping to get just a little bit of money in the bucket.

She was in the middle of 'Believe' by The Bravery, when she noticed a familiar old man walking past her very slowly. Immediately her heart skipped a beat, and she almost missed a chord. For days she had been looking at the card Michael gave her at her apartment, right before they had that intense hug. She had wanted desperately to call him, but her sense had demanded her not to. There was no point to it, she told herself. He wants nothing more than a guitarist, and I'm not good enough. Everyone knows that, even his manager Frank, who was usually just giving in to anything Michael wanted.

So what was he doing here? He kept walking past her, seeking her eyes, and Kristina kept looking the other way. She was afraid she would not be able to concentrate if she met his glare. A couple of minutes later she looked up and couldn't see him anywhere. Kristina couldn't help feeling disappointed, and after playing the last tune of 'Everlong' by The Foo Fighters she decided to pack up. After putting Francine in her casket she looked in the bucket. 35 dollars. Oh well, it was okay for only an hour, she thought.

She grabbed her things and walked along the sidewalk of the beach, when she noticed the old man again, sitting in the sand, looking out at the ocean.

'You could have left a dollar, you know,' Kristina said when she reached him. He looked at her and smiled. He could never disguise those eyes.

'After walking past you for the third time I figured it would come off as creepy. Would you care to sit?' he asked, gesturing the sand beside him. Kristina thought for a minute.