Too Far From Texas | Chapter Six
STORY PAGE
Word Count: 5716
Since I didn’t have to be back home until 2:30 when Jasmine got home from school, Lorelei and I slept in and ordered room service for breakfast before heading out on the road. We’d received a group text from our agent Kris, informing us that we’d nearly doubled the sales from the Houston book signing, and she was eager to book us for a longer tour, possibly starting with Dallas, but she’d let us know the details before the end of the day on Friday. I reminded her that if at all possible, I’d rather not start until Wednesday since Tuesday was Halloween and I wanted to be with my kids. She said she understood and would do all she could.
When I arrived home, I quickly unpacked and dropped a load of laundry in the washer to get it out of the way. Then I made a cup of coffee and sat on the sofa with my phone. I hadn’t talked to Harry since the texts the night before, and I was anticipating at least one new one or perhaps a voicemail, but I was a little disappointed when I found nothing.
Deciding it was still early, I sent him a short message saying I hoped he was having a good day. Then I texted Tod to ask how Jasmine’s doctor’s appointment had gone. I was relieved when he said it went fine, just an increase in pill dosage, and that she’d been smiling that morning when she left on the school bus.
The girls were both happy to see me when they got home that afternoon, and we all sat in front of the TV and ate ice cream and watched SpongeBob before they both retreated to their rooms while I prepared dinner.
I wasn’t sure why, but I found myself checking my phone every ten minutes, hoping to see Harry’s name pop up. I laughed at myself and shook my head. I was being ridiculous. It hadn’t even been twenty-four hours and already I was expecting some sort of reassurance. So, I’d had the nightmare, big deal. He didn’t know anything about it for one thing, and he definitely didn’t know how it had thrown me for a loop. Plus, he was busy. In fact, I didn’t even know exactly where he was - if he was still in Chicago or had left already for another city.
After dinner I was trying to distract myself by watching a sitcom when I heard my phone ping on the table. Lorelei.
Hey look at your boy.
Underneath was a link to an online article titled Boy Band Star Goes Solo. I rolled my eyes at the term but tapped on the link anyway, muting the TV and sitting back to read it. The subtitle was more encouraging: Former One Direction Singer Harry Styles Creates the Album the World Has All Been Waiting For.
Duh! Of course! The album was coming out the next day. I was an idiot; I’d completely forgotten about the release date. I’d already spent nearly two weeks enjoying the album in private. Now the rest of the word was going to hear it.
That was why I hadn’t heard from him. Of course he would have been busy all day.
Rolling my eyes once again, but this time at myself for being such a dimwit, I read the positive article. By the end, my cheeks hurt from smiling so much. It was a rave review. I was so incredibly proud.
I was about to reply to Lorelei when I noticed at the bottom of the page was a link to something else about Harry. Clicking on it, I saw a collage of photos, all from various stages of his career. The young photos made me giggle, the more recent ones made me swoon. Goodness, he was a looker.
The bottom of that page, however, took me to something I immediately wished I hadn’t seen.
Harry Styles in Chicago with New Girlfriend? read the caption. Girlfriend?
I inspected the handful of photos. To anyone it would look as though he was out shopping. He was standing by a counter, he was outside on the sidewalk, he was laughing. Nothing out of the ordinary. But it was the final word that made my stomach flip. In all of the photos, he was standing next to a female. I couldn’t see much more than her profile, but she was definitely pretty. And in the final photo, they were embracing.
I wanted to throw up. Not just because I was jealous, but because I felt like I was far too old to be. Jealousy was for young, insecure girls, not grown women.
Deciding I’d seen enough, I tossed my phone on the sofa and walked down the hall to get the girls ready for bed. Emery automatically pressed play on the CD player, Harry’s voice booming through the speakers. My jaw set, I walked over to it and pressed stop.
“Mommy!” whined Emery.
“No music tonight, Em,” I shook my head. “I don’t feel that great. Just go get your shower, okay?”
“Okay,” she frowned, heading for the bathroom.
As Emery showered, I helped Jasmine change into her pajamas, gave her a drink of water with her medicine, and tucked her into bed. When I turned out the light, Emery had returned to her room, her hair still wet as she danced naked to no music. She giggled when she saw me, quickly pulling her pajamas from her drawer. I towel dried her hair the best I could before she brushed it and climbed into her bed.
“Tomorrow’s Friday,” she sang as she held her arms out for me to hug her.
“I know,” I kissed her.
“Are we going to look for a costume again?”
“Yes,” I nodded.
Emery cheered, pumping her fists.
“Did you see Harry?” she asked.
I looked at her, confused. “When?”
“When you were away.”
“No, baby,” I replied. “I was in San Antonio. Harry’s in...Chicago. Or he was.”
“Oh.”
I smiled as I recalled. “I did talk to him on FaceTime though.”
“You did? I wanna FaceTime him! Can I?”
I chuckled. “We’ll see. Get to sleep, monkey.”
Giving her another kiss, I turned out the light and shut the door, returning to the living room. With slight hesitation, I picked up my phone again. Lorelei had sent another text.
Did you read it?
I hastily texted her back.
Yes. It was great.
I thought so too. I feel proud of him, even though I don’t really know him.
I sent her a simple smiling emoji.
Tell him congratulations from me.
Ok.
You ok?
Lorelei knew me too well. She knew that my short replies could only mean I was not in the best of moods.
Yeah, just tired. I think I’m turning in early.
Ok. See you in the morning.
With a sigh, I switched off the TV that was now showing an old episode of Everybody Loves Raymond and turned out the lights as I headed toward my bedroom. I changed into my night clothes, washed my face and brushed my teeth vigilantly before pulling back the comforter.
When I climbed into bed, the cool of the sheets hitting my toes, I breathed in and out slowly. My stomach was in knots. And the thing about it was, I was more upset with myself than anything. I knew better than to think the worst of Harry, but even so, we had yet to put a label on our relationship.
I laughed at myself again. Relationship. Harry and I flirted on the phone. That was it.
Still, curiosity getting the better of me, I reached for my phone and brought up the page again with the photos. He was most definitely in Chicago in them. In fact, he was at Macy’s at the FAO Schwarz toy store. That seemed like an odd place for him to be.
I took a closer look at each photo, as though looking harder would make me feel any less anxious. He seemed as though he was having a good time. But other than the final photo where he and the girl were hugging, they didn’t make any physical contact at all.
I huffed, turning the ringer off and dropping the phone back on the night stand. It could have been anyone. A friend. They could have even just run into each other while he was out and about. It didn’t mean anything.
Rolling over onto my side, I switched off the lamp and buried my hands underneath my pillow. I made myself promise not to jump to conclusions, that I needed to give him the benefit of the doubt. There was no reason to assume anything until I could hear him out.
I just wished he’d call.
The next morning, I made my coffee before I got Jasmine up for school. My fingers itched to reach for my phone, but I made myself wait until later. After Jaz left, I took a shower and woke Emery. As I was getting dressed, I finally decided to check for any messages. My stomach flipped again when I saw I had a voicemail from Harry.
“Hi baby. Sorry I didn’t get a chance to call you before now. I’m in LA. It’s 10PM here, which makes it midnight where you are. I reckoned you’d be asleep, but I just wanted to leave you a message. You should be receiving a box from the post sometime tomorrow...or today I should say. It’s for Emery, but it’s a surprise so don’t tell her it’s from me until she opens it, okay? I um...I miss you...and um…”
I heard a slight pause then as he sounded like he was trying to gather his thoughts.
“I...I’ll try to text you or something tomorrow, but it’s gonna be a fucking...wicked busy day…” he chuckled. “So if I don’t, please know I’m still thinking about you. Always. Goodnight, love.”
I was a moron. Here I was worried that he had some other girlfriend while he was getting ready for the biggest day of his career. And to top it off, he was sending my daughter a package. Yeah, somebody shoot me and put me out of my misery because first class moron right here.
“It has to be a friend of his,” Lorelei insisted as she scrolled through the photos of Harry that I’d told her about. “Or maybe someone in the industry. His manager or producer or something.”
“I would think if it was someone like that, the press would have known her name,” I remarked. “But you’re right. It’s probably a friend. Maybe someone he happened to run into while he was in Chicago.”
“Exactly, hon,” Lorelei nodded, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “And by what you told me he said in his voicemail, I don’t think you have a thing to worry about.”
“You’re right, you’re right,” I threw my hands up and sunk into my chair. “I knew that, I guess I just needed to hear it from someone else.”
Lorelei smiled as she perched on my desk like usual. “So have you read any more reviews?”
“I haven’t had a chance yet,” I replied, “but I noticed he’s already number one on iTunes and he’s trending on Twitter.”
“Of course he is. I think he has the record for the most followers or likes or something.”
I quirked a brow. “How do you know that?”
Lorelei rose from my desk, a smug look on her face. “I know things.”
I laughed as she strode out of my office, flipping her blonde locks.
I took the opportunity then to download the album from iTunes. Although I’d already been listening to the CD in my car, I felt like contributing and showing my support was the least I could do. As Harry’s voice sang through my computer speakers, I began pulling up any review or mention of him I could find, reading all of it. Every single article gave him praise.
“Don’t be expecting the sugary bubblegum pop of 'What Makes You Beautiful'. The One Direction singer has grown up, maturing into a solid musician in his own right.”
“If any pop singer was thought to do well this year, it was Harry Styles. And he’s proven it with his solo album. Giving nods to some of his musical influences, it’s a taste of the old and current, dipped in something completely new and his own.”
“The world didn’t know what hit it when Harry Styles graced the silver screen in his first major motion picture. Now he’s done it again with his first solo album, proving that this is his world and the rest of us are just living in it.”
By the time the last track started, I was giddy. I was in heaven, my eyes glistening with tears. I was so happy that everyone was enjoying the album as much as I was. I was so incredibly proud. I wanted to hug him.
After Lorelei and I returned from lunch, we were on a conference call with Kris, setting up our plans for what she referred to as the official book tour for The Loving Kind.
“So here’s the idea,” stated Kris. “I know I said we’d probably do Dallas, and we will. But I’ve rearranged some things that I think would suit better. Instead of starting with Dallas, we’re actually gonna do it last.”
“Last?” I inquired. I loved how Kris always talked about Lorelei and me in terms of “we”. As though she’d be going too.
“Yes. We’re gonna start in New York.”
“Yay!” cheered Lorelei as my jaw dropped. I hadn’t realized we’d be venturing out that far.
“Why New York?”
“Because it’s The place to launch a bestseller. And besides, your story’s set there. I’ve already booked you for the Barnes and Noble at Union Square for the third, and…”
“The third?” I sounded. “That’s next Friday.”
“Yes ma’am,” said Kris. “You’ll be flying out on Wednesday afternoon. You arrive in New York at 10:55PM.”
I looked at Lorelei and we both shrugged. Alright then.
Kris continued to give us our travel plans, the itinerary and hotel reservations. Then she went on to tell us the list of cities we’d be visiting after New York: Chicago, Nashville and Dallas. When we hung up the call, my head was spinning. This was really happening. Lorelei and I were actually going on a book tour.
“Look!” exclaimed Lorelei a couple hours later as I made my way to my desk after a bathroom break. She was holding up her phone, but I couldn’t quite make what she was showing me until I got closer. It was a tweet from The Late Late Show with James Corden.
“Tonight: @Harry_Styles and @kevinhart4real.” Underneath was a selfie of the two of them with James.
“Oh my God!” I shrieked, a little too loudly.
Lorelei giggled as she danced beside me. “Your boyfriend’s gonna be on the Late Late Show.”
“Stop it,” I chuckled, lightly slapping her arm.
“Look at him, he looks so cute!” she said, holding up her phone again.
I took a closer look at the picture, but mostly taken back by how green his eyes looked. I must have been staring for a few seconds when I heard Lor whisper.
“You miss him, don’t you?”
I glared at her. “I…”
I stood there with my mouth open, but no words came out. Lorelei blinked slowly as she nodded. Then she turned around to head back to her office.
“I...I just talked to him the other day!” I finally called out.
“Uh huh.”
“He just texted me last night!” I argued, catching up with her.
“I know,” Lorelei nodded again, gathering a few papers from her desk.
“How can I miss him already?”
“It’s okay, Stace, you’re allowed to miss him.”
“Lor!”
She turned to look at me, her right eyebrow raised.
“Are you gonna shut the door, or are you just gonna stand there yelling at me?”
Finally realizing I was standing inside her office, I turned around and closed the door behind me. I heard Lorelei chuckle low as her heels clicked across the hard floor. I twirled around swiftly, my hands on my hips.
“What are you laughing at?” I scoffed, the writer in me knowing better than to end a sentence with a preposition.
“You,” she replied. “No, I’m not laughing at you. I just think it’s adorable.”
“It’s not adorable,” I narrowed my eyes. “None of this is adorable.”
“Then what is it?” she asked, stopping at the end of her desk to drop a couple papers in the shredder.
“It’s…” I paused, trying to find the best term. “Unfortunate.”
“How so?” Lor sat in her chair, crossing her arms.
“Because...he’s in LA...and I’m here. And he’s super busy and super famous and...and I don’t know if I’m ever going to see him again. Oh God!” I groaned as I leaned against the door.
“Stace,” said Lorelei softly, “It’s okay to miss him. I told you, I don’t think it’s silly. He likes you, I know he does. He wouldn’t be texting you and FaceTiming you and sending you flowers and buying you coffee if he didn’t. If I’m being honest, I think he’s as smitten as you are, maybe even more.”
I ran a hand through my hair and stood up straight. “Yeah?”
“Mmm hmm,” she nodded. “And if it’s in the cards, when the time is right, you’ll see each other again.”
I smiled, releasing a huge breath. “Thanks, Lor.”
“Anytime,” she beamed. “Now let me finish this before the hour’s up.”
I retreated back to my own office then, starting Harry’s album over again, admittedly missing him like crazy.
“Can I open it now?” Emery asked, bouncing in her chair.
“Yes,” I rolled my eyes with a smirk.
The package had arrived while we were eating dinner, but I’d told Emery to wait until we were finished, and afterwards we would go shopping for her Halloween costume. She giggled with glee as she grabbed the box and tried to rip it open.
“Hang on, Em,” I instructed, walking over to her with the scissors. I slit open the tape, allowing her to open the box the rest of the way.
“Oh! My! God!” she screamed when she saw what was inside. “I don’t believe it! It’s a Lapis Lazuli costume!”
My eyes about popped out of their sockets. “Are you kidding me?”
“Look!” Emery exclaimed, pulling a blue dress from the box and holding it up. “Oh my gosh, there’s wings!”
Dropping the dress, she reached in again and held out a set of clear wings that to me almost looked like dripping water. I’d never seen anything like it.
“Wow!” I breathed, picking the dress off the floor and examining it. “I can’t believe he did this.”
“And a wig!” screeched Emery. I chuckled when she pulled out a bright blue wig from the box. “Can I try it on, Mommy?”
“Of course,” I nodded.
In two seconds, Emery had her clothes off, ready to try on the dress. I helped her with the zipper in the back and attached her wings. I smiled as she twirled around. It fit perfectly. Then I went to the bathroom, returning with a hair tie and pins so I could pin her hair back for the wig. The blue hair made her eyes pop.
“You make a beautiful blue crayon,” I teased.
“It’s Lapis Lazuli!” she enunciated every syllable.
“Oh, okay then,” I smirked. “You look fantastic. Do you like it?”
“Yes!” she bounced on her toes.
“We need to thank Harry.”
“Yeah! Let’s FaceTime him!”
I laughed and shook my head. “He’s very busy today, monkey. He probably can’t talk right now. But how about we make a video and send it to him?”
“Okay!”
I grabbed my phone, preparing it for the video. I instructed Emery where to stand and to be sure to tell him thank you.
“Hi, Harry!” she beamed, shifting her body from side to side. “Thank you for the Lapis Lazuli costume you sent me! I love it sooooo much. And I love you!”
As she said her final words, she jumped up and down, then ran closer to the phone to pucker her lips and blow Harry a kiss. I tried my best not to giggle until I stopped the video. Setting up a text for Harry, I typed a quick message saying that it was from Emery, then added the video and sent it. Then I gently helped her take the costume off and put it back in the box where it would wait until Halloween.
I stayed up to watch The Late Late Show. I was exhausted, and I knew I very easily could have set the DVR, but I wanted to watch it when it aired.
My heart fluttered in my chest when James announced Harry’s name, and the door to “the blue room” opened. He looked amazing. I could barely take in what he was saying to James as the audience cheered. Or maybe it was the cheering coming from my own head. Either way, I was ecstatic to see him, and so was everyone else.
The interview was both comical and insightful. James, having known Harry for quite some time, was very candid with him, but also knew what questions to ask about his album and solo career. It was apparent that he was just as proud of him as I was. Kevin Hart, who sat next to Harry, made me laugh so hard I was crying. Overall, it was a fantastic show.
Then came the performance. Although I knew there wasn’t another musical guest, and James had made it a point to mention that Harry would be performing his new single for the first time on television, in my mind I suppose I was still trying to grasp the reality of it. It wasn’t until they came back from commercial break and James introduced him once again, that I finally knew it was happening for real.
I was on the edge of my seat, my hands rubbing their sweat off on the knees of my pajama pants. I sucked in my lips as he began to sing, my own nerves for him taking over. But he didn’t seem nervous in the least. In fact, by the time the chorus kicked in, I knew he was in his element, and he actually made me feel at ease. Soon I was singing along with him, a huge grin on my face as I bounced gently on the couch.
When the song was over, James returned, giving Harry a hug and a goodbye to his studio and television audiences. As the credits rolled, I watched the people cheer and clap as Reggie and his band played the outro. But the best part of all was the charismatic smile on Harry’s face as he conversed with James. He exuded pure joy and pride. And I felt myself slipping further into whatever it was I had already started to feel for him.
I couldn’t sleep. Although I’d been tired before the show, my brain was buzzing afterwards. I laid in the darkness until I decided the point was moot and I turned on my phone. I scrolled through a few more articles about Harry, including one about that night’s performance, again all positive. The world adored Harry.
I wondered what he was doing. My fingers itched to text him, but I knew it would just go unnoticed, at least for now. As I read one more short snippet, my phone pinged and my face lit up. Harry.
Tell Emery she is very welcome. And she makes a beautiful Lapis Lazuli.
Thanks :) Will do.
Two seconds after I sent my reply, my phone rang and my heart beat out of my chest.
“Hi!” I answered.
“You’re awake,” he said. I could hear noises in the background.
“Couldn’t sleep,” I replied. “Exciting day.”
“Oh yeah? What happened? I mean besides the costume of course.”
I laughed. “You, silly.”
“Me?”
“I’m so proud of you.”
Harry made that little contented sound he’d made during our first major phone conversation. “Thank you, baby.”
“So how does the world’s biggest star end his biggest day?” I asked him.
“I um...I’m at a party. A small party. At Jeff’s.
“Oh.” I knew who Jeff was only by reading. He was Harry’s manager as well as a close friend. “That sounds fun.”
“Yeah. I walked outside to watch Emery’s video. I’m glad she likes it.”
“She’s ecstatic. I can’t thank you enough, Harry. You didn’t have to do that.”
“It’s no problem, love. I was happy to do it. Although I have to thank my friend Jen for helping me.”
“Jen?”
“She’s Cindy’s cousin. Cindy Crawford?”
I stuttered, trying to get my words out. Who? What?
Harry chuckled. “Cindy’s a good friend of mine. Her cousin Jen was in Chicago while I was there. I ran into her at the toy store when I was hoping maybe I could find the costume.”
“Oh,” I sounded, the pieces connecting in my mind. “Jen.”
“She was there with her little girl,” Harry continued. “I couldn’t find the costume and she suggested I contact a specialty store that she’d bought from before. They didn’t have any in stock, so I had to have it ordered and sent to you.”
I sighed a shaky breath. Once again, first class moron.
“Harry,” I managed to say.
“Yes, love?”
“You’re something special.”
“Hmm. So are you.”
I swallowed hard. There was so much more I wanted to say. Like how he deserved everything that came to him, and then some. Sure, he was talented and worked hard. But he was also a kind soul. Someone who was willing to go out of his way for someone he cared about, or even someone he hardly knew. I’d never met anyone like him in my life. And if I thought about it too much, it might’ve overwhelmed me. Instead, I cleared my throat.
“I’ll let you get back to your party.”
“Okay, baby,” he said softly. “Sleep well.”
I hung up, laying my phone on the night stand. I curled up on my side with a contented smile on my face. I hadn’t told Harry about New York and the book tour. Today wasn’t about that, or me at all. It was his day. And all was right with the world.
The next two days flew by. I did my grocery shopping on Saturday with the girls, although I didn’t buy that much since I would be leaving in a few days. I was still on a high from the previous day, and the fact that I didn’t hear from Harry at all didn’t even bother me. It just meant he was busy, as he should be, and it made my heart swell.
My mother came over for Sunday dinner, a tradition we’d begun after the divorce for the weekends in which I had the kids. I made a roast with potatoes and carrots, she provided a squash casserole and a pecan pie.
As we ate, she made her usual discussion about her until it shifted to me. I informed her that I would be heading to New York in a couple of days for the book signing and that Jasmine and Emery would be staying with Tod. Although she didn’t care for that, she knew it was for the best.
“You know you can work it out with him if you wanna take them for the weekend or something,” I said.
She made a face. “We’ll see.”
We then got on the subject of Halloween, and I cringed when Emery jumped up and told my mom she wanted to show her her costume. As she ran to her room, my mother looked at me.
“So, you found something?”
“Kind of…” I started, interrupted by Emery’s return.
“Look!” she exclaimed, dropping the box next to my mother’s feet. She pulled out the dress and wings. “I’m gonna be Lapis Lazuli!”
“Do huh?” my mom asked, making Emery giggle.
“It’s a character from Steven Universe!”
“That’s pretty,” my mother smiled. “I bet that looks great on you.”
I held in my breath as Emery, bless her heart, nodded and dropped the costume back in the box and ran back to her bedroom with it.
“What time’s your flight Wednesday?” my mom inquired, changing the subject.
Any other time, that would have drove me up the wall. But this time I was grateful. If Emery had spilled the beans about Harry, we would have gone into a round of twenty questions. I just wasn’t ready to divulge any information on Harry Styles, how I knew him, and why he had sent my nine-year-old a Halloween costume.
Later that evening, however, while the two of us were playing cards at my kitchen table, Harry texted me.
Just wanted to say I miss you x
I miss you too, I texted him back with a grin.
What are you doing?
Playing gin rummy with my mother
Oh, hi mum!
I giggled, resting my chin in my hand as I tried to concentrate on my cards in the other.
“Stacey,” my mom scoffed, “that’s rude.”
“What?” I furrowed my brows.
“Texting someone while I’m here.”
I rolled my eyes. Whatever.
Are you winning?
Yes
Good. Can I call you tonight?
You can call me anytime, Harry.
Even with your mum there?
She’s leaving soon. Probably about an hour.
“Stacey, do you want that card?”
“No,” I shook my head and drew a new card from the pile.
She’d love me anyway.
I laughed again.
I have no doubt. Even though she’s giving me the evil eye right now.
Oops. Off to my last interview of the day. Call you later.
Can’t wait.
My mom ended up staying until it was time to put the girls to bed, but fortunately Harry didn’t call before then. She requested that I call her when I arrived in New York, but I reminded her that my flight got in late, an hour later than Texas, and she would be asleep. She settled on my agreeing to text her when I landed, and she would call me the next morning.
I’d already changed into my pajamas, brushed my teeth, and was rummaging through my closet when my ringtone sounded.
“Hey you,” I said, quickly putting him on speaker so I could have my hands free.
“God, it’s good to hear your voice,” he groaned.
I smiled. “You just heard it two days ago.”
“Are you in bed?” he asked, sidestepping my remark, but also adding to the fire.
“No,” I chuckled. “I’m going through my closet, trying to decide what to pack.”
“Pack for what?”
“Well, Mr. Styles, on Wednesday yours truly and her best friend will be embarking on an adventure. We’re officially doing this book tour thing.”
“Ah, baby, I’m so happy for you. Where are you going?” he inquired.
“We’re starting off in New York City. Then we’re doing Chicago, Nashville and Dallas.”
“Stacey…”
“I’m so nervous and excited at the same time,” I expressed.
“You’ll be in New York on Wednesday?” Harry asked.
“Yeah. Well, late that night. Is New York cold the first of November? It probably is, huh? I should pack a coat.”
“Stacey. Baby…”
“Yes?”
“I’ll be in New York this week,” he announced.
My throat suddenly felt dry and the blood rushed to my head. “What?”
“Yeah,” Harry chuckled. “I’m recording Ellen’s show in the morning. It’s gonna be airing on Tuesday, but by then I’ll be in New York. I’ll be there until Saturday.”
“Harry!” I exclaimed.
“It’s fate, baby,” he said.
“Oh my God,” I clutched a fist to my chest.
“I mean...I’m assuming you wanna see me,” he teased.
“Are you kidding?” I squealed, making Harry laugh.
“What time’s your flight?” he asked.
“Late,” I replied. “It doesn’t get in til almost eleven.”
“Oh. Well, we’ll work it out. No worries. I’m not about to miss seeing you.”
“I can’t believe this,” I sighed, dropping my shoes on the closet floor and crawling onto the bed. The packing was suddenly unimportant.
“It’s meant to be, Stacey,” said Harry, his voice low.
“Yeah.”
Lying down on the pillow, I listened to Harry tell me some of his schedule for the week. It was all so thrilling, and I continued to be full of pride for him, though I couldn’t help but wonder how I could fit into all of it. But he reassured me by expressing his excitement of seeing me again, as though I was top priority.
We talked into the night until he finally insisted I get some sleep. My thoughts were too much of a whirlwind to fall asleep though. I was going to see Harry again. In person. In the flesh! Holy shit, was I nervous. I was more nervous than I was that night he came to my apartment. I was more nervous than I was before either of my previous book signings. I tossed and turned for over an hour until I finally got up to make some decaf herbal tea.
As I sat at my kitchen table, my head rested in my hands, it finally occurred to me why I was so nervous. It was because of something Harry had said on the phone.
“I plan on seeing you again,” he’d said. “And I plan on taking you out. And I’m gonna kiss you again.”
My body shook as I let out a breath. He’d also made a comment about his hotel bed being lonely, and he’d wished he was holding me. I knew what that implied. I wasn’t naive. But I suppose at the time I hadn’t expected to see him again, not really. Sure, I’d hoped, but I guess I just didn’t think it was actually going to happen. Now it was going to. I was going to be with him and…
Yeah. I was nervous as hell.
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Texas’ Hemp Fight Is High Stakes
We can’t legalize marijuana by proxy, so have that legislative debate
Like a lot of states, Texas is on a, let’s call it a journey, with marijuana and its legal status.
There are fewer prosecutions for the drug.
There are limited legal medical uses.
But no, recreational marijuana isn’t legal, and carrying around the drug can still get a person arrested.
But there is a workaround because what is legal here is the cannabis plant hemp, ostensibly because it has a lower concentration of the psychoactive compound delta-9 THC.
Plants with less than 0.3% delta-9 THC are hemp.
If the concentration is higher, that’s marijuana.
Both plants are of the cannabis family.
So hemp is legal because it can’t get you high, right?
If that was the idea, it isn’t passing the smoke test.
Texas Monthly senior editor Russell Gold published an investigation earlier this month titled “Texas Has Basically Legalized Marijuana. We Have the Proof.”
What Gold proves is something that many recreational drug users already know.
You can get very high from visiting a hemp shop in Texas.
Gold purchased products from eight hemp dispensaries around the state, including Dallas, Austin, Houston and San Antonio.
Of eight samples, each “came back with delta-9 THC levels in excess of legal limits. Every one was marijuana.”
This all comes as the state of Texas is in a fight with the growing hemp industry over the Texas Department of Health Services’ attempt to classify a hemp-derived psychoactive substance known as delta-8 THC as a Schedule I controlled substance.
The state filed a petition with the Texas Supreme Court last week as part of an appeal to assert its longstanding authority to name THC products as Schedule I substances, that is drugs with no applicable medical use and high likelihood of abuse.
It is incredibly important for the state Supreme Court to sort this case out, and we hope that the outcome favors the state’s position that the health commissioner has the authority to name hemp-derived THC products as Schedule I drugs.
The fact that hemp is now legal under federal and state law has created a confusing regulatory frame because hemp derivatives can be just as potent as marijuana and they are on sale in a strip mall near you.
As the state notes in its petition, “synthetically derived delta-8 present in hemp” could “create a highly psychoactive substance.”
And we know, based on Gold’s reporting, that hemp-derived delta-9 products are already, legally speaking, marijuana.
Texas needs to have a debate over legal weed.
It’s one that deserves a very serious and careful consideration based on the growing body of evidence about the negative effects of potent marijuana strains now on the market in many states.
This also must be balanced against the long problematic use of marijuana laws to send poor and minority citizens to prison for prolonged terms.
What we can’t have is a product that acts as an end-around to that debate.
Hemp, for all intents and purposes, is pot.
And the state ought to be able to say so.
Attorney of hemp shops targeted in Allen police raids speaks out
Allen police on Tuesday carried out multiple search and seizure warrants on legal hemp shops in the area.
San Marcos-based attorney David Sergi, who represents at least eight of the shops targeted by police, said his clients have been accused of manufacturing and distributing illegal tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, products.
Allen police confirmed the department, with the support of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Collin County Sheriff’s Office, executed search and seizure warrants at nine businesses in the city.
“The warrants were obtained and executed following an in-depth investigation into alleged illegal activities involving the sale of products containing greater than 0.3% THC, the psychoactive component of cannabis.
Products previously sold at these nine locations have tested from 7% to 78% THC,” police said in a written statement.
Authorities said they arrested five people and “confiscated products.”
Sergi said his clients were operating legally.
He said authorities destroyed products and took point-of-sale systems and records as well as some personal computers belonging to employees of some of his clients.
Allen police’s actions were an “escalation” of the tactics he has seen used in other parts of the state to intimidate businesses selling legal hemp-based products, Sergi said.
“There is a right way and a wrong way under Texas law to deal with products that may be out of compliance, and they have gone down the complete wrong path, and they will be held to account,” Sergi said.
In May, multiple businesses that sell cannabinoid products legally in the city received a letter signed by Allen Police Chief Steve Dye warning them that the department had identified CBD and vape shops selling “illegal THC products.”
The letter advised businesses to ensure that they are not selling products that have illegal levels of THC.
“You are at risk of having your certificate of occupancy revoked by the City,” the letter stated.
“Additionally, since such products are classified as a penalty group 2 substance due to the THC content levels, you and your staff could face possible criminal penalties for the manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance.”
In July, the DEA subpoenaed many of the businesses selling legal hemp-based products to turn over records, Sergi said.
Shortly afterward, some shops created the Allen Hemp Coalition and hired Sergi to represent them.
A federal judge stopped the DEA’s subpoena later that month, he said.
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