That Forbidden Love

His loss had released her heart from the bondage of past hurt and she’d found healing by clinging tightly and desperately to Lauren, berating herself for holding back on the love they’d both selflessly and generously offered her without asking for anything in return.

Her adoptive mother had taught her to lower her guard and embrace life with smiles and open-mindedness. She’d taught her to be the strong, fierce woman who tirelessly chased her dreams which she did now.

Jazmyn missed her deeply and was glad for the two years they’d gotten to genuinely spend together as mother and daughter before the car crash that had taken her away. Because of Lauren, she’d pursued and persevered in her dream of becoming a musician.

She’d taken the college money that had been saved up in her name and bagged a music major, right before beginning the band experimentation with the guys. Five years later she was still doing the one thing that made her soul happy and exceling at it, all thanks to the only real mother she’d ever known.

Two more shots of Bourbon and Jazmyn’s emotions had settled down to a considerable calm.

Rather than drive through the city and check out the new Metropolitan Bar in the Warehouse District as she’d earlier intended, she longed to return home, soak up in a long bath and listen to some favorite childhood country tunes while cuddling with Bishop.

She’d barely spent much time with her dog this week and missed his warmth and softness.

“You better find yourself a man and stop overcompensating with that sweet canine. He prefers your landlord anyway…” Brianna’s voice stole into her head right then, prompting a smile.

Jazmyn wasn’t going to think about any man at that moment or the fact that her dog might like her landlord better. She was going home to rescue him from Mr. Bennett’s clutches and set his priorities straight as well.

As she adjusted the leather guitar strap to withdraw money from her brown fringed cross body bag to settle the bills, Luis whistled from the other end of the bar.

“It’s on the house, Miss and you know it.”

“Right. I forgot that one, thank you always, Luis,” Jazmyn blew him a kiss and slid off the barstool as two guys nearby turned to give her long, appreciative glances. She gave them a slow, sultry smile and winked, before making her way backstage to join Isaac and Jean-Pierre.

They were both sharing a pack of beer as she crossed the entryway of the pre- storeroom, post- dressing room and appeared to be engrossed in a deep conversation but ended abruptly as she approached.

“What were you guys talking about just now, huh?” She asked, feeling strong jabs of suspicion as she looked from one to the other before finally settling on Isaac’s grinning face. He couldn’t lie to save his life and almost always blurted out the truth in rapid seconds.

“Don’t, Isaac. You know the outcome,” Jean-Pierre warned and shook his head admonishingly. Jazmyn turned to him and felt the beginning of a smile.

Apart from the fact that he was older than both her and Isaac, he’d always been the most mature and sensible one among the three of them. He was stoic, reasonable and took his role as their guardian quite seriously but all that didn’t matter to her right then.

Her insatiable curiosity had been whetted and there was no going back.

“Don’t listen to PeePaw over there,” she faced Isaac squarely with arms akimbo, blocking Jean-Pierre’s view, “tell me. You know I’d only keep asking and asking. Do you really want to spend the rest of the night listening to my whiny, annoying voice? Is that a fate you want to condemn yourself to?”

“Okay, okay,” Isaac raised his hands and took several steps back as she advanced closer. Darting a rueful glance at Jean-Pierre, he shrugged. “I’m sorry, man. She is a hell of a persuasive.”

“Tell me, already, the suspense is eating me up inside,” Jazmyn complained in a whiny tone and removed her fedora hat to straighten her red twists. “Let me warn you, this had better be good or you’re paying for my flight tickets to Zurich once it’s skating season.”

“Well, it isn’t really that much of a big deal. I have a bungee jumping party in Kentucky tomorrow and my date chickened out at the last minute. I was just asking Jean-Pierre if he’d be interested before you walked in,” Isaac finished in a lackluster tone. “You see, no big deal.”

It dawned on Jazmyn as soon as he finished speaking just why they’d hesitated in sharing that piece of information, and though she was close to exploding in laughter, the entire point of the secrecy made her slightly mischievous and fussy.

“So, you guys were hiding this because you think I’d be remotely interested in something as ridiculous as bungee jumping?”

“You aren’t?” Jean-Pierre looked surprised and suspicious at the same time as he exchanged glances with Isaac.

“But, of course, I am, durhh!” Jazmyn gave him an incredulous look before succumbing to the laughter that had since been bubbling in her throat. It wasn’t big news that she had always been an adrenaline junkie and loved to live dangerously at the edge.

As a child jostling through the foster system, it had been almost easy to give in to the feeling of abandonment and unhappiness that crept over her almost all the time due to her situation.

It was almost a stroke of luck that she’d learnt early enough how all of those emotions left one vulnerable and easy picking for bullies and manipulative people and she’d needed something to replace them, albeit temporarily.

Hanging out and roughhousing with boys throughout middle school had made her discover just how much any masculine and high-risk situation appealed and made her feel very much alive. She loved things a little faster, higher paced, wild and a little close to panic-inducing.

It was almost climatic when her blood thrummed in the thick of something slightly dangerous and she’d long accepted that it was quite a strange, uncommon response and she was an adrenaline junkie. Bungee jumping was right up her alley and one of the activities she was yet to try on her bucket list.

There was no way she’d allow the guys to convince her otherwise.

“Jazmyn… Why can’t you be interested in something a little less dangerous?” Jean-Pierre implored and took her hands in his. “There isn’t any surety about the safety of these things and you can’t be too careful.”

“I know you’ve always told me that, but what is life when you have to live it being too careful?” She asked, and watched his brows furrow disapprovingly. He possessed a pissed off Santa Claus demeanor that was always hilarious whenever it appeared.

“Well, she has a point there,” Isaac commented right then and gave her a side wink.

“There is no safety to anything about living. Heck, you can get knocked down by a drunk driver on your way out now, forgive me for being so specific but it is the truth.”

“But she went skydiving last month, and God knows what else she has planned for next month and I think you might be a bad influence as well, Isaac,” Jean-Pierre added accusingly, snatching a beer from the pack and popping it open to take a long drink.