That Forbidden Love

The door to the main hall opened just as Madeline finished speaking. An elegantly dressed lady emerged, followed closely behind by Zack’s brother, Justin who looked dashingly handsome in a light blue shirt tucked into dark blue jeans.

“Jazmyn!” He came forward grinning devilishly, to envelope her in a warm hug. “I really couldn’t believe you were the music band, let alone the one we hired for Zack’s surprise party.”

“Well, surprise!” She opened her hands upward as they both dissolved into laughter. Having already met Isaac, she introduced him to Jean-Pierre and Madeline, not missing the look that transpired between him and her agent.

“I really can’t wait to see you guys perform,” he told her with a warm smile. “Zack will be so surprised.”

And he was. Just as they were introduced and came on stage through the backdoor flap. Jazmyn sought and found him seated at a table in front, right next to an older beautiful woman.

She didn’t miss a slightly raised brow as their eyes connected and her heart began to race as if trying to outrun time. He looked so handsome, so perfect like Prince Charming. Jazmyn couldn’t fight the attack of nerves that came on right that moment.

It was normal to feel nervous before a performance, but she’d mastered the act of tuning everyone out to get herself to the epicenter she wanted. This time around she knew it was different. She knew it had everything to do with the man sitting just a short distance away.

It took several seconds before her thoughts slowed to a minimum and she could hear the cue given to her by Isaac on the electric guitar. Clearing her throat, she took the mic with slightly shaky hands. Get yourself together, Jaz. Get a grip, dammit.

“Hi, everyone!”

Was that her voice sounding strangely high-pitched or was she holding the microphone too close?

Jazmyn adjusted the mic but not before catching a side-eye from Isaac. She smiled into the audience but avoided glancing at Zack. “This particular song is called ‘Soar Higher’, and it’s specially dedicated to the man of the hour, Enjoy!”

At the first guitar twang, she began, starting warm and low. Letting the favorite tune and lyrics come to her, Jazmyn felt the nerves disappear as she slowly ascended to a familiar place. The drumming picked up pace steadily and the guitar stream carried her through the song she’d sang many times before, but never like this.

Never this intimate and personal. Her eyes found him in the audience. And she focused on only him, no longer afraid or worried. Their connection deepened as the music progressed. And Jazmyn found her strength.

As the last beat petered out and the applause came. She stood there, frozen.

Their eyes, still connected even as he smiled and brought his hands together to applaud. Jazmyn let loose a satisfied sigh, feeling a great sense of fulfillment assail her. It was strangely akin to the way she’d felt the very first day she’d stood on stage to perform.

*****

Zack

“Are you listening, son? You need to come home more often. I understand how busy you are but you need to make time for your family as well.”

Zack listened patiently as his mother went on about his lack of commitment but his attention was fixated elsewhere.

Jazmyn.

His eyes followed her across the room like a watchdog, trailing every step she took. Every little, insignificant movement she made. She was like an enchantress, pulling him deeper into her spell with every cute laugh and Zack still couldn’t believe she was there.

Still wrapped up in a state of amazement and disbelief at the events of the past hour. He had been wrapping up a meeting at the office when his mother’s call had come through late in the afternoon.

There hadn’t been any excuse to postpone the conversation this time around because it was his birthday. For hours his cellphone had been turned off due to a series of back-to-back meetings. He knew she must have called a dozen times and had instantly begun with an apology.

Surprisingly, she had sounded happy and excited rather than annoyed, proceeding to wish him a happy birthday. He hadn’t cared either way and answered perfunctorily to her wishes.

Birthdays were only a day in the calendar as far as he was concerned. He had never gotten the point about the fuss with them and had only grown disinterested as the years went by.

An hour after seven, Justin had shown up at the office. He hadn’t seen his brother since he’d left the bungee jumping party days ago.

“I’d like to take you out for a birthday drink and you can’t refuse. Trust me, this has no relation to last week’s trip and you can’t refuse,” Justin had stated almost immediately.

It had been on the tip of Zack’s tongue to protest but he was very tired from all the meetings. Justin would only continue to pester him and it was better to just give in and get it over with.

Minutes later, they were walking into City Memorial Hall. And just before he could state his confusion at their destination, the door was thrown open and he was greeted with a chorus of ‘Surprise!’

Everyone was there. His mother and her friends. Members of the board and business acquaintances, as well as a sprinkle of old and new friends. Even the mayor of the city had come forward to wish him a happy birthday.

Despite how he felt about birthdays, Zack couldn’t deny the pleasantness of the surprise. He knew they probably had million other plans, as well as other places to be. Yet they’d come together to celebrate him.

It was one of the kindest gestures he’d ever experienced, and as much as he wanted to strangle Justin, he felt honored and grateful.

But it all hadn’t ended there. When the additional surprise had been announced less than an hour later by his assistant, Zack hadn’t expected in his wildest imaginations to look up and see Jazmyn come on stage with her music band, Pulse.

The feeling had equaled being blindsided. Exactly the same way he’d felt the first time he’d set eyes on her at the bungee jumping party. She had looked so beautiful on stage in a tight black dress that clung to her like a second skin and stopped mid-thigh.

High enough to tantalize and play with his mind. Zack hadn’t thought their path would ever cross again. After leaving the park that day, he’d tried hard to erase her from his mind but it had been a difficult feat to achieve.

Throwing himself into work hadn’t worked either. Every little second, he was idle, thoughts of those beautiful hazel eyes had slipped into his head and taunted him. It was all so weird because she wasn’t and couldn’t be his type.

She was too chaotic and unstable, yet he couldn’t bring himself to stop thinking about her laughter, smiles or the warm fire he’d glimpsed in those bewitching eyes.