Page 180 - Reason To Sing by Kelita Haverland

Reason To Sing

with his six-string than socialize with strangers at a gig. Not
like me. I love meeting new people.
Introverted Jake has a dry sense of humour which I find
oddly alluring. It can come out of nowhere. And when it does,
he is most engaging. There’s a unique language musicians speak
and all the ones I know love to have a good laugh.
Jake isn’t really what I’d call my type (my mind shouldn’t
even go there, right?). He’s older, bearded, wears glasses, battles
his weight and wears polyester ‘slacks.’ Not one ounce of cool.
No physical attraction there at all. At least I don’t think so.
However, tonight he has left a note under my hotel room
door. Let me know when you get back.
That’s it. What could it mean?
Truth is I’m beginning to feel a little bit different about
this quiet, laid-back guy. There’s a sweetness, a caring and a
softness.
Jake enjoys both booze and pot (as does the entire band,
both off stage and on!). At the end of the night, we often
continue drinking and smoking. Then the munchies kick in
and we need to order pizza or find a late-night gas station to
satisfy our cravings. Jake and I also love to play backgammon,
so we often stay cozy indoors on frigid winter days, enjoying
our favourite game.
Tonight, I rap on his door as requested, and we settle
into a lovely game, augmented by a warm buzz from Grand
Marnier. That seemingly innocent glow leads to a simple kiss.
This is neither planned nor is it something I have dreamed. In
spite of my surprise, I am caught completely off-guard by the
tenderness in his touch. It warms a place in me that has grown
bitterly cold. There is a deep longing in me, for this sweet and
gentle kind of affection.
But Jake’s kiss is more than just gentle. It arouses me. Every

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