Crazy For You by Sandra Edwards

you
want?”
    She nodded. “Would you really move in here with
me?”
    “Are you kidding?” he asked, laughing at the
absurdity of her question.
    Moving in with Roxanne was exactly what Frank
wanted. For as much as he loved her, he also wanted to be in
control of their love affair. The only way he could see how to do
that was to live under the same roof with her.
    Frank moved his things in that day.
    But Frank also shared an apartment with Rich, which
meant they shared the rent. He didn’t want to leave his friend in a
bind, but how long could he contribute to two households? Frank had
enough trouble taking care of himself, much less anyone else.
    ***

Chapter 6
    D uring the next few months
the band’s gigs remained in the general vicinity of the Tampa Bay
area. On the nights Garrett-Hollander played, if Roxanne didn’t go
with Frank, he always came straight home right after the last
set.
    Their budding relationship grew into a strong bond
almost immediately. The couple shared a happiness that neither of
them had ever thought possible. Those around them got caught up in
the exhilaration, too, quickly identifying Frank and Roxanne as the
perfect example of happily-ever-after .
    But slowly Roxanne’s mood began to change. Intuition
filled her head with notions of Garrett-Hollander going out on the
road. That brought about the primary reason she felt so
disheartened—she feared being left behind by Frank.
    Instead of confronting her fears she chose to lock
them deep inside herself, all the while trying to pretend
indifference to the whole situation. She didn’t want to deal with
the reality that he would possibly leave her behind. She figured
that once Frank hit the road, without her, he might decide she
wasn’t as important to him as he’d originally thought. And, rather
than facing her fears, it seemed easier to convince herself that he
would never do that.
    He would not leave her alone like Chuck had done.
This time it was going to be different. This time it had to be,
because this time she couldn’t afford to lose.
    Early in their relationship, Frank had taken Roxanne
to watch the sun set at a place out on the bay called Sunset Beach.
It became one of her favorite spots and she and Candy spent many a
day there, soaking up the sun.
    On one of those occasions, after consistently
witnessing Roxanne’s increasing melancholy, Candy decided to voice
her concerns. “Rocky,” she said. “Is something wrong?”
    “He’ll be leaving soon,” she said from out of
nowhere.
    “What makes you say that?” Candy asked. “Has
something happened that you haven’t told me about?”
    “No,” Roxanne said. “But he’s going out on the road
soon.”
    “What?” Candy blurted out. “When are they going? And
for how long?” she threw questions out at Roxanne at the speed of
light, resenting Rich for not telling her.
    “I don’t know,” Roxanne said, vague.
    Candy hesitated for a second and realized their
conversation wasn’t making sense. “How can you not know when he’s
leaving?” She sat up. “Or how long he’ll be gone?”
    “I’m not sure he knows he’s leaving.”
    “Well...” Candy dropped back onto her beach towel.
“Why are you worrying over something that might not even be
happening?”
    “Oh, it’s going to happen all right,” Roxanne said
calmly, yet matter-of-factly.
    Frank and Roxanne sat quietly, side-by-side, as the
sun crept behind the horizon at Sunset Beach. Colorful streaks of
pinks and purples filled the evening sky, and the scent of salt
lingered on the gentle breeze of the sea air. Roxanne was staring
at the ocean while Frank sifted sand through his fingers.
    The time had come for the band to go back out on the
road and Frank wanted her to go with him, but he wasn’t sure if
she’d be willing to go without Candy. And, he didn’t see Candy
agreeing to go anyplace.
    Finally, he convinced himself to say something. “The
band has to go back out on the road.”
    “I know,” she