Okay, so...today's song is the José Feliciano version of The Mamas and The Papas' '60s classic, California Dreamin'.
I decided to post this song today because in the mug shot post I just published over on my Oberon blog I referenced the song and if I gotta deal with a persistent ear-worm now, so does everyone else. You're welcome.
I originally went looking for a different version of the song, but then I came across this video for the movie Once Upon a Time in Hollywood--which I haven't seen and don't really have much interest in.
It's like the movie Titanic (which I also haven't seen). You have a real life tragedy and real people died, so why would you want to make a movie about it and invent fictional people who can also die? Why add to the actual tragedy? Or take away from it, for that matter?
But I digress.
This video is giving me serious Nick and Scout-as-a-teenager vibes, which is why I'm posting this excerpt:
Looking back, Nick could see that he had been a damned idiot not to guess the truth that very first night. He had been completely taken in by the ridiculous stories she told him. The nameless friends and relations who just happened to have mentioned his cousins to her. The vague plans for the future. The pathologically over-protective parents who wouldn’t let her date, or even receive phone calls. The theft of her car, which had necessitated her hitching a ride home.
On some level, he knew he simply hadn’t wanted to see the truth. His instincts must have been screaming warnings, but he’d suppressed every one.
He was so busy thanking his lucky stars he’d found her, he didn’t even spare a thought to wonder why, when he’d never seen her before, he was suddenly running into her everywhere he went. After the third time in one week that he’d run across her hitching a ride somewhere, he’d stopped to lecture her about the dangers. He was in his squad car the time. His partner, Dave, listened to the exchange in disbelief.
“Do you have any idea how much trouble you could get yourself into doing this?” Nick asked, as she smiled at him from the curb, totally unrepentant, her arms crossed casually just below her breasts. He tried not to pay too much attention to the subtle sway of her hips as she rocked slowly from foot to foot.
“Yeah. But, uh, you know, how else am I supposed to meet guys?” Her eyes, half hidden beneath long lashes, gleamed wickedly.
Cute look. But he was being serious. And he didn’t much like the idea of her trying to meet guys, anyway. He frowned. “That’s exactly what I’m talking about, Jen. And, trust me. The kind of guy you’re likely to run into that way could be very bad news.”
“I guess you’re right.” She bit her lip, looking suddenly troubled. “I met you that way, didn’t I?”
“Well, but,” he broke off, somewhat startled, himself. “That was different. You just got lucky.”
“Hmm.” The corner of her mouth kicked up. She narrowed her eyes. “You know, Nick, I’m pretty sure that’s supposed to be my line.”
“Is it?”
“Could be,” she answered softly, as her smile grew slowly wider. Her voice sent warm tremors running all through him. “Are you feeling lucky, Nick?”
“Oh, yeah. I’m feeling very lucky. C’mon, hop in. I’ll give you a ride.”
“Uhh . . . I don’t know if that’s such a good idea today.” She glanced again at Dave, and frowned.
“Jesus. Man, are you out of your fuckin’ mind?” Dave hissed. “Look at her, Nick. The girl is jailbait.”
“The hell I am.” Her head reared back and she planted her fists on her hips, and all Nick could think about for a few moments was the way her crop top hugged her midriff as she stood on the sidewalk, taking deep, angry breaths.
“Oh yeah?” Dave leaned across him to challenge her. “So, tell me kid, just how old-”
“Okay! Enough,” Nick interrupted, feeling suddenly irritated. Feeling suddenly, a whole lot less lucky, as well. “C’mon, Jen, get in the car. Where were you going, anyway?”
She hesitated for almost a minute, and then she smiled again, slow and sensuous, looking deep into his eyes, as if they were the only two people in the whole world. “I wasn’t actually going anywhere,” she answered, cocking her head to one side. “I was just kind of, you know, hoping I’d run into you again.”
He returned the smile. “Well, we could actually arrange to meet each other somewhere, you know. I’m thinking it might a whole lot be safer for you.” What he was really thinking was that it might be a whole lot more private, as well.
She lifted one shoulder in a small shrug. “’kay.”
“So. What are you doing tonight?”
“Nothing I can’t get out of,” she said with a smile.
“How’s the bowling alley sound? About seven, seven thirty?”
“You want to go bowling?” she asked, sounding about equal parts surprised and doubtful.
“No.” It was his turn to smile, and then smile wider, as he watched awareness flood her face with color.
“Oh. Okay, uh, sure.”
“Good. I’ll see you then. Sure you don’t want a ride now?”
She sneaked another look at Dave and rolled her eyes. “Oh, yeah, I’m sure. I’ll see you later, Nick.”
Scent of the Roses
Oberon Book 1.0
https://books2read.com/ScentRoses
For years, Scout Patterson has tried to run from the mistakes in her past. Now, she's coming home—to face the ghosts she's never laid to rest, and the love she thought she'd lost forever. Reawakening that love would be a dream come true. Unfortunately, love is not the only emotion that can last forever.
Memories and dreams are the only things that have gotten Nick Greco through the past twenty years. Memories of the girl he loved and lost, and dreams of what his life would be like, if he could only find her again. And if he can bring himself to believe that anything she tells him is true.
Can the star-crossed lovers put aside the hurt and distrust they still harbor toward each other? Or will the evil which already nearly destroyed them once, triumph yet again?
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