Part 10
California
Near Laguna Beach
Ashley stumbled out of bed just before 4:00 AM and took her shower. She barely got dressed when she made her way downstairs to the lobby to meet Doc. He had a large cup of coffee waiting on her. She mumbled hello as she took the cup from his hands. Her hair was still damp from the hot shower she took just minutes before.
When they arrived at the beach thirty minutes later, they were met by the set coordinator, who ushered Ashley inside a trailer for her hair and make up. Doc sat watching, mostly bored but he kept her company. After she was done, she tried on different bathing suits, and dresses. They had assigned her an assistant, Tara, who by order of Sante told her to start out with the purple dress.
Sante took numerous shots of her in various poses until he was satisfied and had gotten what he wanted then she was told to go change into the black bikini that was waiting inside the trailer for her.
Although the men on the shoot were all professionals heads turned when she stepped out of the trailer. Sante stood there watching her walk over, his hands folded across his chest. He nodded, approving of what he saw coming towards him. Once again, Ashley was put through the paces posing in so many different ways she was beginning to feel like a doll that young girls could bend and pose anyway they wanted. She blushed slightly when Sante suggested a rather risqué shot with her top removed but swallowed and allowed him to set up the type photo he had in mind.
Doc turned away, it just didn’t seem right to be watching his daughter pose for these people like this. He decided it would never do for him to be her manager if this was what she wanted out of life. He’d never be able to handle it.
Her body was misted with water; her bronzed skin glistened in the sun as she stood with her back to the camera. Sante told her to look over her shoulder at him. Her long hair was damp from the surf she was kicking around in. Her right arm covered her breasts but the pose was made erotic by the hint of breast that was left exposed when she turned. Although it was only the side, it was enough to make any man want her to turn around and face the camera full on. Shots were taken with her smiling, her brown eyes shining in the sun and then Sante directed her to give him a pout with her lips slightly parted.
"Perfect!" He exclaimed. "Okay Ashley, get dressed; that wraps it up here."
Tara helped her with her top and then she went inside the trailer to get dressed. Doc took her to lunch before they drove back to LA to do more photos in the studio.
"I saw you with Jason the other day are you two seeing each other?" Doc asked her while they waited for their lunch to arrive.
Ashley was taking a drink of water. She sat down the glass and smiled. “No,” She said shaking her head.
"Ashley, you wouldn’t think of ever dating one of the boys would you? I mean they are nice guys and all but well, they are rock stars." Doc didn’t finish assuming she would understand.
She raised her eyebrow at him. “Why are you asking me this?” She was worried that he had heard about her having a crush on Richie from Jason’s view point.
"Those pictures you took today," he paused. "Some men, well if they saw those types of pictures they’d get the wrong ideas. The boys, well, I don’t know how to say this but they…they have ideas about women and you’re not that type.”
Ashley laughed, “They aren’t going to say or do any more then what they already have. Jon and Richie are two of my closest friends.”
"How close?" Doc asked.
Again she laughed, “What do you mean how close? Richie and I are closer then Jon and I. Does it matter?”
Doc scratched his chin. "Odd," he said, "the way you and Jon joke around I’d have thought it was the other way around. Are you telling me there is something more than friendship between you and Richie?"
“Jon and I are able to joke around. That’s what we do. Richie and I are closer because we talk. I can talk to him about anything and he will listen and give me his honest opinion.”
"Make sure it stays friends. I’d hate to have to hurt one of them if they ever laid a hand on you," Doc said it jokingly but the look on his face belied his words.
She laughed nervously and shook her head, “You would really be that mad if I hooked up with one of them?”
"I wouldn’t be mad at you but I would be furious with whoever it was. I know what they’re really like when it comes to women. There’s a reason the saying sex, drugs and rock and roll came about." Doc picked up his knife and cut through his steak with an unguarded viciousness.
"Are you telling me you wouldn't trust them? I thought you said they were nice guys."
"You don’t understand. Compared to other groups these boys are nice but the fact remains that even though I use the term boys they are men and men with certain advantages will take all they can get. I don’t want to see you get used like that." He gave her a slight smile.
Ashley’s mind turned to Richie. She then wondered if he was using her. But he told her that he loved her. “Doc, don’t you think they are capable of being in love, seriously?”
He chewed up a mouthful of his steak while he thought of the best way to answer her. "Truthfully? Not right now. You know Jonny’s got a girl in Jersey right? Look what he does, would you call that love?"
Ashley shrugged her shoulders, “I don’t judge what they do. I like them the way they are. Of course, I had to get used to them.” She laughed. “However maybe they just haven’t found the right girl, you know. Maybe that’s what they need.”
She looked down at her salad and decided she needed to start eating.
"Maybe you're right," Doc said, "but I don't want you to be one of their experiments okay?" He reached over and patted the back of her hand.
She bit her lip. Opening her mouth she stopped herself from saying anything else. She knew she couldn’t. They ate in silence for a few minutes and then she looked back up at him.
“Has Richie ever had a serious girlfriend?”
"Richie?" Doc snorted. “Why in the world do you think Jon calls him King of Swing?" He burst out laughing.
“His music?” She asked innocently.
"No sweetie, it has nothing to do with his music, nothing at all." Doc said lowering his voice hoping she'd understand without him having to explain.
She frowned, still not understanding what he was talking about. “What does it have to do with then?”
Doc rolled his eyes. Could she really be that naïve? He thought after hanging out with the boys she’d have picked up more than that. "It has to do with Richie’s insatiable appetite for various women. Why are you so interested in Richie‘s love life?" He asked suspiciously.
“I’m not,” She said coolly. “It’s just he hasn’t ever mentioned any girlfriends to me. I was curious that’s all. He’s such a nice guy.”
"He's nice but I can assure you after those concerts when he goes upstairs he's in bed with some female and Richie has a way of attracting a bunch of them."
Ashley blushed knowing that she was the one he was in bed with.
"Besides, I don't think any of the boys would be dumb enough to try anything with you. They know how I'd feel" Doc went back to eating. He considered the subject closed.
_______________________________
6/29/87
Oregon
When Doc and Ashley arrived in from Los Angles, Ashley took a shower then laid down for a while. She was still tired from the busy day she had before. She didn’t see Richie until dinner along with everyone else.
He seemed surprised, but somewhat happy to see her when she sat down at the table in front of him. Dave was talking about the weather and Richie snuck her a wink when no was paying any attention.
“How’s it goin Ash?” Dave said.
Ashley smiled a wide smile, “Just fine. Did you guys miss me?”
“Of course we did. I’m jealous that you got to play on the beach while the five of us worked our asses off,” Jon laughed.
She smiled, “and just what time did you get up yesterday? Ten AM? ”
Jon’s grin widened. “Something like that.”
She laughed as she took a drink from her water. She knew he’d say that, so typical. “So how was last night’s show?”
“What about ‘How did your first day as a model go?’ Richie said from across the table.
Ashley glanced up at him, as the others agreed in unison.
“Well she wasn’t camera shy, that’s for sure,” Doc said.
Ashley giggled. “I had a lot of fun.”
“And you guys knew her when,” Doc said with a proud smile.
“Band, models. What’s next Doc?” Jon asked over the rim of his coffee cup.
“I don’t know.” He said pondering Jon’s question. “But right now I have my hands full.”
After the laughter settled Doc changed the subject. “So what did you boys do last night?”
“Okay, now I want to find out if the stripper Richie had last night had real tits,” Alec said at the end of the table.
Tico took a draw off of his cigar and grinned, “Yeah, did her friend join you?”
Ashley glanced up at Richie, shocked at what Alec said. He looked away from her trying to figure out how to handle himself.
“Why not ask Jon. He was with the friend,” he said trying to get the attention off of him.
Ashley took a drink of her water and could hardly keep her hand from shaking. She sat the glass down as the table filled with laughter. Even though they were all talking, she didn’t hear them. The only thing she could think of was that Richie had used her in the worst way. Her ears rang and her chest was stinging.
She stood up and Doc looked up at her so she said, “I’ll be right back.”
She left the table in such a daze she didn’t really know where she was going. She felt sick at her stomach so she went into the bathroom. After getting sick, she splashed water on her face and her mouth then leaned against the wallpapered wall. She felt like she wasn’t even real. There was no way she was going to make the show, she couldn’t stand to look at Richie right now. She had to excuse herself entirely.
She took a deep breath as she looked one last time in the mirror and then turned and walked out of the bathroom. Just outside in the hallway Richie was approaching her. She looked the other way as they passed and Richie grabbed her arm making her stop.
“I need to talk to you,” he said softly.
With tears filling her eyes she looked past him and said though gritted teeth, “I have nothing to say to you.”
She jerked her arm away from him and then looked up at him briefly. Her eyes were filled with an anger that he had never seen in her before.
“Furthermore, I don’t want to see you again.” She then stormed away, leaving him alone in the hall.
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