Free His to Claim #4: Wild Ones by Opal Carew Page A
Authors: Opal Carew
back, and if she and Storm were meant to be together, then he needed to give her room to grow.
Diego reached under his denim vest and pulled something from an interior pocket. “I almost forgot. I have something for you.”
He handed her a small package wrapped neatly in a red bandana, with a twisted blue bandana tied around it in a bow, like a ribbon. She pulled open the bow and unfurled the fabric to reveal a stack of small, white sheets of paper, a little larger than business cards, tied with a thin red ribbon. The paper was a good-quality, heavyweight artist paper with a vellum finish.
“Those are called ATCs—artist trading cards. You know about those?” Diego asked.
“I know the idea is that artists create original art on these cards and trade them with other artists, but I’ve never done it.”
“I understand that the point of them is for artists to meet and exchange not only cards, but personal experiences. I think with you being on this journey of self-discovery, it would be good for you to meet with other artists. Find out what they’ve done, how they pursue their art. Maybe get ideas to help you develop as an artist.”
She smiled at him and had to blink back a tear. He was so sweet trying to help her find her way.
“With us going through so many cities, I’m sure you’ll get the opportunity to trade many cards and connect with a lot of fellow artists. I know that on the day we’re in Savannah, that there is a trading session.”
She smiled tremulously. “You checked that out for me?”
He shrugged. “You’re a beautiful woman who is an artist. How could I not?”
He flashed her that stupendous smile again and her heart melted. Damn, she really was becoming a true addict when it came to these musicians. She never realized how soulful and intense they could be.
“Hey, Diego. We’re going to do some jamming. You in?” Jimmy said.
Diego brushed his lips against her hand again. “As much as I would love to sit with you all afternoon,
belleza,
duty calls.” Then he winked. “And I think this is a good opportunity for you to start creating some cards.”
He stood up and walked toward the back of the bus. Melanie grabbed her bag from under the seat and pulled out her small sketch pad and pencil, then pulled one of the blank cards from the stack and set it atop the pad so she had a hard surface to work on. With pencil in hand, she stared at the blank card.
And stared.
But all she could think of was Storm.
***
When the bus arrived in Washington, Melanie grabbed her backpack and followed the others to check-in, then they headed to the the Fillmore Silver Spring, where the band would be playing tonight, and she helped set up the equipment. As the band practiced, she set up a table with merchandise to sell during the show. She donned one of the band T-shirts, then with S AVAGE K ISS emblazoned across her chest in frenetic red and gold letters, she sat at the table ready for the crowd about to flood in.
It was exciting being part of the show, even if it was sitting on the sidelines selling T-shirts. Afterward, the band joined her at the table to autograph CDs. When they finally closed up shop, it was pretty late, but they were all hungry so they headed to a restaurant for some food.
“So how’d you like your first night with the band?” Diego asked.
“It was exciting. You guys were great tonight.”
Travis grinned. “So were you. We’ve never sold so many T-shirts. I don’t know why we never thought of having a pretty woman sell our stuff before.”
“Yeah, except most of the people buying were women,” she said.
“Well, that’s because they saw how beautiful you looked in the T-shirt.”
Melanie laughed. “With your silver tongue, I would say if you were at the table instead of on the stage, we wouldn’t have enough T-shirts to keep up.”
The waiter brought their check and Travis laid down his credit card.
Melanie opened her pack and fished for her wallet. “How much
Diego reached under his denim vest and pulled something from an interior pocket. “I almost forgot. I have something for you.”
He handed her a small package wrapped neatly in a red bandana, with a twisted blue bandana tied around it in a bow, like a ribbon. She pulled open the bow and unfurled the fabric to reveal a stack of small, white sheets of paper, a little larger than business cards, tied with a thin red ribbon. The paper was a good-quality, heavyweight artist paper with a vellum finish.
“Those are called ATCs—artist trading cards. You know about those?” Diego asked.
“I know the idea is that artists create original art on these cards and trade them with other artists, but I’ve never done it.”
“I understand that the point of them is for artists to meet and exchange not only cards, but personal experiences. I think with you being on this journey of self-discovery, it would be good for you to meet with other artists. Find out what they’ve done, how they pursue their art. Maybe get ideas to help you develop as an artist.”
She smiled at him and had to blink back a tear. He was so sweet trying to help her find her way.
“With us going through so many cities, I’m sure you’ll get the opportunity to trade many cards and connect with a lot of fellow artists. I know that on the day we’re in Savannah, that there is a trading session.”
She smiled tremulously. “You checked that out for me?”
He shrugged. “You’re a beautiful woman who is an artist. How could I not?”
He flashed her that stupendous smile again and her heart melted. Damn, she really was becoming a true addict when it came to these musicians. She never realized how soulful and intense they could be.
“Hey, Diego. We’re going to do some jamming. You in?” Jimmy said.
Diego brushed his lips against her hand again. “As much as I would love to sit with you all afternoon,
belleza,
duty calls.” Then he winked. “And I think this is a good opportunity for you to start creating some cards.”
He stood up and walked toward the back of the bus. Melanie grabbed her bag from under the seat and pulled out her small sketch pad and pencil, then pulled one of the blank cards from the stack and set it atop the pad so she had a hard surface to work on. With pencil in hand, she stared at the blank card.
And stared.
But all she could think of was Storm.
***
When the bus arrived in Washington, Melanie grabbed her backpack and followed the others to check-in, then they headed to the the Fillmore Silver Spring, where the band would be playing tonight, and she helped set up the equipment. As the band practiced, she set up a table with merchandise to sell during the show. She donned one of the band T-shirts, then with S AVAGE K ISS emblazoned across her chest in frenetic red and gold letters, she sat at the table ready for the crowd about to flood in.
It was exciting being part of the show, even if it was sitting on the sidelines selling T-shirts. Afterward, the band joined her at the table to autograph CDs. When they finally closed up shop, it was pretty late, but they were all hungry so they headed to a restaurant for some food.
“So how’d you like your first night with the band?” Diego asked.
“It was exciting. You guys were great tonight.”
Travis grinned. “So were you. We’ve never sold so many T-shirts. I don’t know why we never thought of having a pretty woman sell our stuff before.”
“Yeah, except most of the people buying were women,” she said.
“Well, that’s because they saw how beautiful you looked in the T-shirt.”
Melanie laughed. “With your silver tongue, I would say if you were at the table instead of on the stage, we wouldn’t have enough T-shirts to keep up.”
The waiter brought their check and Travis laid down his credit card.
Melanie opened her pack and fished for her wallet. “How much