Melanie drew a deep breath and let out sigh; she opened her once closed eyes and looked over at him. He was concentrating on what was ahead of him with a tight grip of the steering wheel and the other hand draped along the back of the seat behind her. She pushed back her hair as the wind caused it to whip around her face. She leaned her arm on the open window, and rested her chin down on top of it as she admired the open view. The mountains were plush green by the trees with little trails of autumn leaves left behind.

The hills were beautiful, the long stretch of opened road was liberating very few cars far in between past them by. The open pastures with scattered livestock was something that only looked beautiful in the movies, but her she was in an old convertible with Justin Timberlake, headed to have lunch in Napa Valley. She didn’t know how she got here, and how they felt that this was okay, but here they were cruising listening to Bob Marley as he sung in the background.

She didn’t know whether it was the break taking view, the music, or the fact she could breathe in the open air. She was beginning to see the light out of her dark tunnel, the one she had been in for a whole year, but she didn’t imagine that she would be coming out one day out of a sudden.

Justin glanced over at her with a smile as she rested against the door of the car and stretched out her hand letting the wind pass through her fingers rapidly and let her hand ride the wave of the wind. The long black wavy mass of her hair, whipped wildly as the wind toss it around on her head. He wondered what it would be like to run his own fingers through it. He caught ends of it as his hand dangled beyond on the seat. It was like silk and the fragrance of her hair was like warm honey and chamomile.

She was absolutely breath taking to him. She had this eclectic feel about her, as if her soul was wild and free, well at one point it must of have been. He knew that she held back, she had her reasons to, but he was eager to see the real her. He knew she was a free spirit by the simple way she drunk in the sun with her eyes closed and the way she looked out into the open field as if she wished to take off running through it.

Maybe that was why he decided spur the moment, to take the six hour drive to Napa. Well frantically, he had no idea why he wanted to drive, but he knew that he wanted to get away and wanted to get away with her, more for her than for him. So, here they were about thirty minutes out of Napa. After Melanie had fallen asleep while he played a snippet of his song to her, he sat quietly and walked her sleep as he played the melody over and over again. He just couldn’t keep his eyes off of her.

She didn’t sleep long for about thirty minutes within those minutes Justin managed to doze off as well with his guitar still resting against his chest. She decided to head back and he offered to take her to lunch. She was hesitant for a moment that until her stomach began to growl at the thought of food and she agreed only if he allowed her to go back home and change. He complied and they went to their separate houses to change and Justin picked her up outside her door and then they were off. They talked. Mostly about music or Justin’s journey through his career and family, she kept her short pretty simple without diving too much into details, which he respected.

She sat her own boundaries on what she would share and wouldn’t. As much as he wanted to dig deeper, he knew the wounds in her life were still healing and didn’t want to throw salt on any of them. As they talk, he drove for an hour, than two and then three; it wasn’t until she broke conversation to answer a text from her cousin asking where she was. It was then Justin decided on Napa.

Justin drummed his thumb against the wheel; matching with the drums the vibrating of his phone in his pocket caught his attention. He lifts up a bit and drug down until he fished it out. He glanced down at it through his sunglasses and read the screen as Rachel popped up. He looked over at Melanie as she was still admiring the view. He hit the ignore button and slip it back down into his pocket.

“So, what do you have a taste for?” Justin called out switching his view from her to the radio.

Melanie sat up pushing her hair out of the way and shrugged,” I’m not picky, but oddly enough I have a taste for beef.”

Justin couldn’t help, but laugh,” The view of cows for the past three hours will do it for you.”

She giggled nodding,” I guess so.”

“Well I know a place that makes the best steaks. I would say we are about ten minutes away from Yountville.” Justin glanced down at his dashboard.

Melanie gave him a soft smile before turning back to the view.

It wasn’t long before they were pulling up in front of a restaurant and Justin was around the car helping her get out of her seat. She thanked him as she stepped onto the side walking brushing past him. He balled his hand into a fist by his side as the scent of her body sent a chill through his. He wanted his bury his nose into the side of her neck and breathe deep.

 He really needed to get a grip.

He drove six fucking hours to Napa on a pulse with a woman he only known for a month. He was completely out of his mind and out of character and he knew that. He didn’t care, he was just going with it and she must have been doing the same because she hadn’t refused him yet.

They walked into the restaurant side by side and were guided to a table in the corner by a bay window that overlooked the vineyards and the hills. It was beautiful view, the restaurant had people in varies place, but it wasn’t full. As Justin pulled out her seat, his phone began to vibrant in his pocket again. He knew it was Rachel. He slipped it out, hit ignore and dropped it back in before sitting down across from her.

Their waiter appeared at the table and Justin ordered them water and a bottle of white wine. Melanie sat looking over the menu, but couldn’t keep her eyes off the view and Justin couldn’t keep his eyes off her.

She could feel him watching her; she looked over slowly and locked eyes with him. It lingered for a moment until Melanie broke it off as the waiter with their bottle of wine and a cheese plate. They poured the wine into their glasses and sat it back down in the bucket of ice that had its own stand beside the table.

“So is this a usual spot for you?” Melanie asked as she reached for her glass and taking a sip at first then a couple of more as it was pleasing to her taste buds.

Justin glanced over at the view before responding,” I usually come here during the summer if I’m home, or if one of my friends is up here vacationing. So, I would say maybe once or twice a year.”

She nodded taking another sip, letting the alcohol within the wine begin to warm her skin slightly. She forgot she was drinking on an empty stomach.

“It must be nice to be able to just come out to places like these and relax. I must say I envy this type of lifestyle. You get breath taking views.”

Justin shrugged his shoulders as he folded his arms on the edge of the table,” It’s definitely a bonus, but some of us don’t get a lot of moments like these because we are too busy working hard. We are often working harder than we play.”

“It usually likes that for the whole spectrum.”

“I agree. So, if you pick anywhere in the world to go where would you?” Justin asked taking a sip out of his own glass as he leaned back in his chair.

“Uhm, I would have to say wherever there are warm sandy beaches and crystal blue waters. I didn’t get much of that living in New York, but whenever my parents could find the travel we were down south and I was neck deep in the ocean. I love the water.”

“Why is that?”

Melanie grabbed a grape from off the cheese plate and began to pick at it with her fingers,” I don’t know it just when you are under the water; it drowns out the outside world. You can get lost in it. it’s so silent that it even traps your own sounds. It’s a place where you can go and scream to the top of your lungs and no one can hear you. It’s a feeling I can’t quite describe.”

He nodded making a mental note to himself as he noticed the calm her eyes gave,” I think I get it though.”

They gazed at each other for a moment. Melanie felt something ran through her as he set his eyes upon. A warm sensation that traveled down to the tips of her toes and back up to swirl around in her stomach. It was a familiar feeling… one she had before.

She blinked hard breaking the intense gaze and grabbed her glass of wine taking a few gulps. As she feel the heat surging through her body slowly from the sudden intake of alcohol. The moment of quiet was quickly interrupted by the waitress coming and Justin’s phone vibrating on the table.

He looked down at it as Melanie spoke with the waitress,” I’m going to take this phone call.”

She nodded with a smile.

Justin pushed back and stood up from the table, walking a few feet away before answering the phone,” Hello?”

He made his way outside and unto the side of the building out of view a bit.

“Well it’s about time you answer the phone. I’ve been calling you all morning. Where are you?” Rachel sounded over the phone with slight irritation in her voice.

“I’ve been busy all morning and I’m kind of busyright now.”

“I thought you had studio time booked all day today.” Rachel questioned. It was highly unusual for someone to cancel studio time when you had to pay for the studio usage, unless something has happened out of your control usually emergency necessary.

“I do, I’ll be coming in later tonight. I spent most of the night in there, so I’m out having lunch right now.”

“Did you let Melanie know that you cancelled it, she is due in the next thirty minutes?”

Justin paused for a moment naturally,” Yes, she knows.”

The line went quiet for a moment before a deep sigh escaped Rachel’s lips,” Justin, where are you?”

“Why?”

“Justin as your still acting assistant it is my job to know the where a bouts of my employer. But right now I am asking as a concerned cousin, whom you hardly hid anything from. Where are you?”

It was Justin’s turn to sigh,” In Napa.”

“Oh God, Justin come on!” Rachel exaggerated.

“What?!”

“Napa valley for Lunch Justin, I mean really and I don’t even have to assume with whom because the fact she supposedly knew by the cancelling of hours of studio time before I did only leaves me to believe you are in Napa with Melanie.”

“Yes so what.”

Rachel groaned loudly before taking a deep breath,” Justin, listen to me because what I am about to say is the caring cousin in me and I don’t want you to take this out of context, but have you lost your fucking mind?”

“Rachel, you are really making a big deal out of nothing.”

“Please, tell me why?”

“It’s just a simple lunch Rachel, damn; I have to get to know the woman who is going to be following me instead of you. She needs to get to know me as her boss. There is only so much information you can give her Rachel, she needs to get to know me personally. So, why not go out to lunch, what’s the big fucking deal?”

She snorted with chuckle,” You don’t go 6 hours away to have lunch Justin. She has plenty of time to get to know you Justin, she going to be working with you day in and day out.”

“You know what Rachel; I don’t even know why I am having this conversation with you. It’s just lunch.”

“No! It’s not just lunch with her. It just lunch with me, it’s just lunch with Trace, or Jace or Chris, but not her. You don’t do things like this for just lunch! You don’t go away with your assistant for just lunch. I am concerned about what’s going on in your head regards to Melan-----.”

Justin remained silent, which only confirmed Rachel’s already bubbling fears. She knew that her cousin was getting his feelings involved with Melanie. She saw it before, it wasn’t often that Justin got smitten by a woman because he didn’t date much he spent most of this life in serious relationships. Each one of them, he had known for a while, but this was different she didn’t know why because it wasn’t usual for Justin to warm so quickly up to a woman. He may seem like a womanizer, he was very guarded with his heart, his emotions, but this was completely different. It was like what took years with Britney, Cameron and Jessica, was taking mere days with Melanie whether Melanie realized it

 Justin cut her off quickly, “---Nothing Rachel, this is strictly business, if anything comes out of this Rachel it will be friendship. I think I am grown enough to handle my personal affairs, I think I pay you for my business affair. Do I not?”

“Uhm yeah Justin but---“

“Then that’s what I need you to worry about. I’ve got to go. I will see you when I get back. Love you.” Justin didn’t give her a second to reaction before hanging up the phone and turning it off.

He slid it into his pocket before taking a few deep breaths before walking back inside and back to the table. Before his body came into view, he slowed down as he watched Melanie at the table. She was pouring more wine back into Justin’s glass and some into hers.

He smiled as he admired her from afar as she ran her fingers through hair as she look at herself through the reflection of the glass overlooking the valley. Once satisfied, she sat back in her chair sipping out of her wine glass.

Justin sped up his walk and made his way back to the table, meeting eyes with her,” Sorry about that. Where were we?”

Meanwhile…

Rachel blinked her eyes a few times as she stared at her phone as CALL ENDED flashed on her screen before the phone went black.

“I can’t believe he just hung up on me.”

“Well, you are kind of deserved it.” Trace noted aloud as he pushed up from the bed, standing onto his feet as he snatched his boxers from off the floor and sliding them up over his exposed hips and making his way to the adjacent bathroom.

Rachel sat up as she pulled the comforter against her bare chest as she listen to the water in the sink run,” But I mean doesn’t this seem bizarre?”

“I mean she is hot.”

“Yes, I’m not saying she isn’t. She gorgeous to me, but we don’t know anything about her besides she from New York, and a cousin of Sanaa’s, which adds another level in this.”

Trace popped his head out as he ran this tooth brush through his mouth only nodding in response. She ran her fingers through her hair in frustration,” I mean do you think because things didn’t work out with Sanaa and him that getting next to her is by going through her cousin.”

Trace spat into the sink and rinsed his mouth,” Rachel come on, I don’t think this has anything to do with Sanaa. Yeah granted this does look a little weird. Melanie just happens to be her cousin, that’s it. Plus Sanaa is about to get married.”

“Okay let’s say that, but what about Jessica.”

Trace shut off the bathroom light and walked back into the room as he wandered into Rachel’s walk in closet,” Well, from what he has told me, they are just trying to figure out things. They are just taking it day by day they haven’t committed to anything, nothing is set in stone.”

“Jessica is great for him, she is exactly what he needs.”

“Who’s to say that Melanie isn’t?” Trace counteracted.

“He doesn’t know her, he knows Jessica.”

“It’s that why he is in Napa to get to know her.” He pointed out again, which was making Rachel blood boil.

“Ugh, Trace this is ridiculous. You don’t take a complete stranger to fucking Napa Valley to get to know them; you take them to lunch, go hang out at the park not a random six hour drive to Napa Valley.”

She could hear him chuckle softly before reappearing with a fresh pair of jeans and a t-shirt. He walked over to her side of the bed and sat down beside her pulling her close to him, patting her leg lightly and grabbing her hands into his.

” If that’s what he wants to do then so be it. Justin has always done his own thing. Once he has made up his mind about something there is no stopping him.’’

She looked at him with distress in her eyes as she let out a sigh,’ And that is what I am afraid.”

‘There is way of looking out for Justin without interfering, why don’t you take the time to know her yourself, but you will see what he sees in her. We can’t judge a book by its cover, we have to open it.” Trace advised and leaning over to kiss her forehead.

Rachel just smiled at the gentleness of his lips against her skin. He was right if she was to always judge a book by its cover than Trace wouldn’t be right there with her. Unknown to Justin, her and Trace one day last year during one of Justin’s house parties their once not so funny bantering turned into a night of passionate sex thanks to a couple of heavy drinks. They been hooked to each other since during the months Rachel began to see a side of Trace she never knew she had him.

“Besides, what would Justin have to say about you and I if he knew?” Trace added.

--

“Hey babe.”

Where are you?{sent]

“Yeah?”

“Did you ever put Justin down on the guest list?”

“Yeah, of course.”

Leaving Napa Valley J

“What about Trace and his cousin’s what’s her name?”

Wow. Where you guys there for a business meeting?

Josh emerged from the bathroom adjusting the drawstring of his flannel pants with a towel draped around his neck catching the water from his wet hair. He looked over at his wife as she laid propped up against the head board already dressed for bed in one of his white t-shirts staring intensely at her phone nestled in her hand.

“Babe.”

She muttered an ‘hm’ reading the context of a message that binged on the device.  He shook his head as he ran the towel over his head and plopped down beside her on his side of the bed. He watched her petite thumbs glide quickly against the screen.

No, just hanging out.

Josh politely reached over and grabbed her phone,”Sanaa.”

She jumped looking at him,” Huh?”

“I’m sure she is fine.”

Sanaa gave him a sheepish smile while relaxing herself against her pillow,” I know, I know. I just worry.”

Josh smiled leaning over and placing a kiss right at her temple,” I know you do, but she just at the studio still right?”

Josh released her hands and tossed his towel in the chair by his side of the bed before sinking down into bed beside her and grabbing the remote that sat in between them to flick on the TV.

Sanaa finished her text before responding,” Actually no, they are in Napa Valley.”

Josh took a mental note at the sarcastic undertone in her voice, but dismissed for the moment as his eyes rested on an old Mel Gibson movie,”Oh well, she is with Justin still?”

“Mhm.” Sanaa twisted her mouth while placing her phone on the end table and began to adjust her pillows before slipping underneath the plush covers.

Josh adjusts his body and settled in beside her, while resting his arm across her lap squeezing her thigh through the covers not for a moment taking his eyes off the TV, “Then she is in good hands. Justin’s a great guy plus she out of the house enjoying herself I hope. This is good for her.”

Sanaa glanced over at him with a small smile and ran her hand through the top of his hand and nodded,” Yeah you’re right..”

“Plus you never know, they could hit it off.” He added nestling his head underneath her arm as she draped her hand over the top of his hand.

Sanaa didn’t respond taking in what just fell from her fiancés lips for a moment. She glanced at her phone, drawing her bottom lip between her teeth nervously then shook her head…

Justin slowly turned the car across the corner and slowly accelerated up the hill with a pair of iron gates closing behind him. He steered the car into park position and quickly killed the engine. He stepped up at the dimly light house before looking over at her as she ran her hands over her tired face and met his tired blues.

“Thank you for the wonderful day. It was much needed, you have no idea.” Melanie smiled tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.

“I’m glad. I definitely needed a refresher to get back into the studio tonight.”

She crinkled her nose looking at the time on the dashboard, it reading a little past midnight, ”You really going to go in?”

Justin chuckled,” I have a studio in my house that’s what I meant. I am feeling reenergized and I have something’s in my head that I need to get down before I call it a night. I don’t want to lose it.”

Melanie nodded quickly,”Oh okay well that’s better. I know I’m exhausted.”

She pressed the release button of her seat belt and pulled it away from her body. Justin did the same and opened up his door quickly to make it around to help her out. He held the door open as she grabbed her bag from the car floor and stepped out.

As she stepped to the side, he closed the door and walked along side her to the front of the car and allowing her to walk ahead to the front door as he waited behind. She made her way to the first couple of steps before turning around,” Thanks again for the wonderful day. See you tomorrow?”

Justin nodded,” Yeah definitely come in about noon. I may sleep in myself.”

She flashed him a bright smile and a small wave then turned on her heels and jogged up the last few steps.

She quickly turns back around, “Let me know when you made it home safe okay?”

He smiled, “Of course.”

She spin loosely around towards the door.  Justin watched and waited until she disappeared inside before hopping back into the car and letting out of breath he didn’t know he was holding.

He stared up at the house for a moment until he saw light flick on and soon shut off and he sighed,” What am I doing?” He whispered quietly to himself. He shook his head and started back up the engine and threw the car into reverse and pulled out the driveway slowly.

Melanie watched through the slightly parted curtains as the car disappeared down the driveway and out into the street. She grins to herself and turns to head to the bathroom to take a quick shower before climbing into bed.

As soon as she finishes, she flicks off the bathroom light and makes her way carefully through the darken room and pulls back the covers once reaching the bed, climbing inside and sinks completely into her confinements. She fluffs her pillow and lays her head down while reaching for her phone on the nightstand.

As she tucks it underneath pillow, the bed vibrates. She pulls it back out and squints her eyes to read the message on her screen…

J.Timb: Home safe. Had a great time. Thanks for journeying with me. I’m beat canceling tomorrow. Enjoy your day off. Sleep well.

She snickered to herself.

Melanie: Ok, I will. Goodnight sleep tight