Roughly throwing clothing into his bag, Jon tried to shake off the anger he felt. His relationship with his mother had been steadily growing more and more strained ever since he had told her about the pending divorce. Since that time she had seemed to feel she needed to take over as the woman in his life and often gave her opinions as to how he should run his life as if he needed to do exactly what she said. Christ! I’m almost 47 years old! I don’t need my mother running my life.
Amanda remained quiet as Jon stomped around the room, furiously packing, alternating those motions with stops and starts as he was obviously thinking. She brought out his toiletries to him and put them by the bag he was gathering. His attention turned to her then and he gave her a tired smile.
“I know you heard my end of that. There’s no problem with Dot, it’s my mother. There was a photo of you and Richie sitting together after the concert and the damn press tried to make it seem as if you were playing us both.”
She was surprised, but not shocked as both men had fully warned her about how things were taken out of context by the media.
“I’m not going to stop being friends with Richie. You know that, right?” She cocked her head at him, asking her question.
“Shit! Of course not! I’m just pissed that mother is still trying to run my life at my age!” He fumed, getting to the point of his anger.
“She loves you, Jon, it…” but he interrupted her, strongly shaking his head.
“It’s not just that, Manda, she wants to tell me what to do and it’s been getting worse since the divorce was final.”
He took both her hands in his and looked closely at her. “I will handle this, okay?”
With wide eyes, she asked him, “Did I say anything? You think I fell off the truck yesterday?”
He laughed then and pulled her into his arms. “No, you didn’t fall off yesterday. Sorry, I know what you are trying to say and to do, but you have to trust me that I’m the one to take care of this with her. That’s all I meant.”
She nodded at him, but wondered if he thought for even one second that she would get into the middle of this. I have never been THAT stupid! She hoped to limit her contact with his mother until this was resolved and if it was not resolved…well, that would be addressed another day.
~~~
By 3:00 that afternoon it seemed that everything was packed and Jon called down to have the baggage taken downstairs. He had spoken with the other men who all indicated they would be ready in about fifteen minutes. Both were feeling better after their exertions of the night before, but agreed that perhaps a little time off might not be a bad idea. They met in the lobby as Obie was over-seeing the loading of the personal luggage. The roadies had sent on the band equipment to the next venue after the London concert.
After their check out from the hotel, Jon called one of the pilots and relayed that they should be on time for their flight. They made their way through the gauntlet of the London fans for the last time. The guys were friendly and smiled, but moved quickly to the limo as they needed to get to the airport. Amanda slumped into one of the seats, Jon and Richie on either side of her. She curled her legs underneath her, glad she had looked at the weather that morning as it was the coldest day there yet.
They took off at 5:15 that evening and Amanda seemed to fall asleep within three minutes of the plane being airborne. She had turned sideways in her chair and wrapped a blanket around herself as she was still cold. Jon spent most of the flight on the phone, checking on arrangements, working with his assistant, and getting updates on his various projects. He woke her as they were preparing to land.
“Baby, we’re almost there. Time to wake up.” His voice was soft as he shook her shoulder.
She turned to him, a sleepy smile on her face. “Did you get some sleep, honey?”
“Nah, I’ll make it an early night and try to catch up. Dinner then bed sound good?” His smile and eyes were tired. She cupped his face, her eyes warm.
“Sorry you didn’t get much sleep last night.”
His grin was sly. “I’m not.”
~~~
Touching down at Dublin International Airport, the group made their way through the usual entry process and to the waiting limos. The drivers had been instructed to take them to the Merrion Hotel, a very upscale hotel that provided an atmosphere of what you would expect Ireland to have, including dark woods and lit fires. Upon checking in, Amanda and Jon were shown to a beautiful room, a one bedroom Garden Wing suite that had a living room attached. It was an amazing set up, with a touch of old world mixed with sophisticated elegance. Amanda was already charmed by the accents of the people she had heard just entering the hotel and going to their room.
“Will I have some time to look around while we’re here?” She asked Jon as they were putting a few things away in the room, unpacking some basic necessities.
“Sure. I love this place…” he cocked his head at her, “…you don’t mind if I tag along, do you?” His grin was warm and teasing.
“I don’t know, have to think about that one. Irish men everywhere with those accents…hmmm.” She burst into laughter at the wide eyes and open-mouthed stare he turned to her.
“Actually, the deciding factor is this…you thinking about waxing that furry chest of yours any time soon?” Her tone was firm as she asked this.
“Nah, don’t think so…why?” He raised an eyebrow in question.
“Simple – accent or no - leave the fur, keep the girl…got any problems with that?” She grinned wickedly at him and again burst into laughter at the surprise on his face.
“Sorry, sweetie, I like my men to LOOK like men. Never have fallen for ‘boys’…so that hairy chest, rough hands, oooh yeah…!”
Jon felt a bit of tightening in his jeans at her husky, drawled out descriptions of what she liked and turning to her with a bit of devilment in his eyes, he nodded.
“Well, this MAN may just have to show you a little later that you made the right choice.”
He started to chase her playfully around through the rooms and ended up backing her into a wall where he kissed her thoroughly until he felt her start trembling.
Amanda remained quiet as Jon stomped around the room, furiously packing, alternating those motions with stops and starts as he was obviously thinking. She brought out his toiletries to him and put them by the bag he was gathering. His attention turned to her then and he gave her a tired smile.
“I know you heard my end of that. There’s no problem with Dot, it’s my mother. There was a photo of you and Richie sitting together after the concert and the damn press tried to make it seem as if you were playing us both.”
She was surprised, but not shocked as both men had fully warned her about how things were taken out of context by the media.
“I’m not going to stop being friends with Richie. You know that, right?” She cocked her head at him, asking her question.
“Shit! Of course not! I’m just pissed that mother is still trying to run my life at my age!” He fumed, getting to the point of his anger.
“She loves you, Jon, it…” but he interrupted her, strongly shaking his head.
“It’s not just that, Manda, she wants to tell me what to do and it’s been getting worse since the divorce was final.”
He took both her hands in his and looked closely at her. “I will handle this, okay?”
With wide eyes, she asked him, “Did I say anything? You think I fell off the truck yesterday?”
He laughed then and pulled her into his arms. “No, you didn’t fall off yesterday. Sorry, I know what you are trying to say and to do, but you have to trust me that I’m the one to take care of this with her. That’s all I meant.”
She nodded at him, but wondered if he thought for even one second that she would get into the middle of this. I have never been THAT stupid! She hoped to limit her contact with his mother until this was resolved and if it was not resolved…well, that would be addressed another day.
~~~
By 3:00 that afternoon it seemed that everything was packed and Jon called down to have the baggage taken downstairs. He had spoken with the other men who all indicated they would be ready in about fifteen minutes. Both were feeling better after their exertions of the night before, but agreed that perhaps a little time off might not be a bad idea. They met in the lobby as Obie was over-seeing the loading of the personal luggage. The roadies had sent on the band equipment to the next venue after the London concert.
After their check out from the hotel, Jon called one of the pilots and relayed that they should be on time for their flight. They made their way through the gauntlet of the London fans for the last time. The guys were friendly and smiled, but moved quickly to the limo as they needed to get to the airport. Amanda slumped into one of the seats, Jon and Richie on either side of her. She curled her legs underneath her, glad she had looked at the weather that morning as it was the coldest day there yet.
They took off at 5:15 that evening and Amanda seemed to fall asleep within three minutes of the plane being airborne. She had turned sideways in her chair and wrapped a blanket around herself as she was still cold. Jon spent most of the flight on the phone, checking on arrangements, working with his assistant, and getting updates on his various projects. He woke her as they were preparing to land.
“Baby, we’re almost there. Time to wake up.” His voice was soft as he shook her shoulder.
She turned to him, a sleepy smile on her face. “Did you get some sleep, honey?”
“Nah, I’ll make it an early night and try to catch up. Dinner then bed sound good?” His smile and eyes were tired. She cupped his face, her eyes warm.
“Sorry you didn’t get much sleep last night.”
His grin was sly. “I’m not.”
~~~
Touching down at Dublin International Airport, the group made their way through the usual entry process and to the waiting limos. The drivers had been instructed to take them to the Merrion Hotel, a very upscale hotel that provided an atmosphere of what you would expect Ireland to have, including dark woods and lit fires. Upon checking in, Amanda and Jon were shown to a beautiful room, a one bedroom Garden Wing suite that had a living room attached. It was an amazing set up, with a touch of old world mixed with sophisticated elegance. Amanda was already charmed by the accents of the people she had heard just entering the hotel and going to their room.
“Will I have some time to look around while we’re here?” She asked Jon as they were putting a few things away in the room, unpacking some basic necessities.
“Sure. I love this place…” he cocked his head at her, “…you don’t mind if I tag along, do you?” His grin was warm and teasing.
“I don’t know, have to think about that one. Irish men everywhere with those accents…hmmm.” She burst into laughter at the wide eyes and open-mouthed stare he turned to her.
“Actually, the deciding factor is this…you thinking about waxing that furry chest of yours any time soon?” Her tone was firm as she asked this.
“Nah, don’t think so…why?” He raised an eyebrow in question.
“Simple – accent or no - leave the fur, keep the girl…got any problems with that?” She grinned wickedly at him and again burst into laughter at the surprise on his face.
“Sorry, sweetie, I like my men to LOOK like men. Never have fallen for ‘boys’…so that hairy chest, rough hands, oooh yeah…!”
Jon felt a bit of tightening in his jeans at her husky, drawled out descriptions of what she liked and turning to her with a bit of devilment in his eyes, he nodded.
“Well, this MAN may just have to show you a little later that you made the right choice.”
He started to chase her playfully around through the rooms and ended up backing her into a wall where he kissed her thoroughly until he felt her start trembling.
“Accents, my ass…” he muttered as he walked off to throw the rest of his stuff in the bathroom.
OOh! I liked their playful interaction in the Dubin hotel! That was sweet (though personally, I don't agree with Amanda on the chest thing :) )
Thanks for the chapter!!
Linda
I can't wait to see what happens between Jon and Mrs. B! Wonder if she is really like that?
I had a feeling that Jon's Mom wasn't going to go away quietly. Can't wait for the next chapter. Thanks!
Another great chapter! Do you realize I look for updates to John Francis before I check my e-mail?
Loved the banter and I think you captured Jon's mood perfectly after hearing about his Mother's latest shenanigans. I can so see him taking his frustrations out on inanimate objects.
I just love reading this! It is my secret guilty pleasure. Thanks for the new chapter, I can't wait for the proposal...
I am dying to know what's going to happen between Jon and Mrs. B...
Going to get ugly!!!
Love to see the playful side to these two.