THE BAD BOY OF MANHATTAN
Chapter 21. The Handsome Baptist Father Who Womanizer.

HUDSON'S YARDS, MANHATTAN.

James shifted slowly the plain body of a woman who that morning still held her tightly. He got out of his bed and stepped into his spacious and luxurious bathroom. Some time he cleaned his body with warm water that poured from his shower. When he finished, he took a clean and fragrant white towel from the towel storage rack and dried the sturdy body, then wrapped the towel around his waist covering his private area.

He stepped out of the bathroom and found the beautiful woman lying on her bed awake. "Morning, Hannah" she said to the woman she called Hannah. This woman who has been close to him for the past year, even without any commitment. James is not a playboy who likes to change women. If he is serious about a woman, then he will be in a relationship with that woman. But he failed a few times. Whenever he tried to build a serious relationship, it always ended in separation. Yep. Among Nathan and William, guitarist and drummer Hellbound, only he was unmarried, at the age of close to forty. That is why, from the beginning he was close to Hannah, he had explained to the beautiful woman that he did not want to commit anything. Hannah doesn't mind. Being able to get close to James and enjoy the luxurious facilities that the man provided was a matter of pride for him. Who would not want to be close to the retainer of America's top metal stoner band, even the world?

"Why wake up so early? It's been showering and tidy. Where are you going?" ask Hannah who is still reluctant to get out of bed.

"As usual ... Hellbound needs me" James replied, combing his long dark hair as it was still wet.

"Do I have to wait here for you?" Hannah flicked her blanket until her beautiful body was exposed in James's eyes.

James looked at it. He knew Hannah was teasing him. The woman definitely intended to delay her departure to the Hellbound studio on Stanton Street. "It's up to you, Hannah .. if you don't mind waiting for me for long" she said.

Hannah's face pouted. Disappointment is clearly there. He wanted to spend more time with James. But the man was always busy. Nor can he demand anything. They are not lovers.

"See you, Hannah" said James. He only waved at the woman as he opened the door of his room and stepped out. There was no kiss on the lips for the woman before she left. James did not want to. It's been a few weeks that she's not too excited to spend time with Hannah. Other than due to Hellbound's hectic schedule, there was a girl who had caught his attention.

Emma Lopez's.

The girl caught James' attention the first time he saw her in Greenwich. Simple, sweet, and as Elric said, Emma's dress style is indeed ancient, but it does not reduce her beauty at all. That is precisely what makes it different from the glamorous Manhattan girls. Emma has a strong character, although Elric calls her fierce and crazy.

While driving his car through the streets of Manhattan, James smiled to himself imagining Emma's timid and nervous funny expression when she was near him. Very different from his attitude towards the hard and resolute Elric.

It's been a few weeks since Emma stopped teaching Elric, James hasn't seen the girl again. It flashed through his mind as it flashed across East Harlem, to meet the girl. And James actually realized the idea of the sponge by pulling his car in front of Emma's apartment building.

James tied up his long hair and put on his sunglasses first before squandering out of his car. He glanced at the clock on his wrist. There's still an hour before Rehearsal.

He stood at the door of the lobby and stopped two women dressed in sexy clothes who had just walked out from behind an automatic glass door. The two women watched James' face for a moment. Once aware of who the man who had stopped their steps was, the two women covered their mouths with their palms in shock.

"What on earth is James Howards doing here (what is James Howards doing here)?"

"O my God, I can't believe it (my God, I can't believe this)!"

Excitement cries rolled from their mouths. If James had not stopped him, the two women would have continued to express their happiness in meeting him.

"I'm looking for Emma Lopez. He lives in this building, but I don't know what floor and number. Do you know him?" ask James.

"Owh, Emma. Emma Lopez's. He moved a few blocks from here."

"Moved?"

"yeah. You have business with Emma or ...."

"Yes .. I have business with Emma. Job problems." James answered the origin.

The faces of the two women instantly turned sad. They throw one another a look. "His mother died a week ago. Suicide."

The two women nodded. "There's so much pity. Emma's parents divorced. It seems, his mother is stressed and depressed."

"Wow." James stroked his head slowly. He was shocked to hear the horrible news. It's how hard Emma is to deal with all that. "Do you know exactly where she lives (do you know the exact address)?"

"No. But you can try to find Emma at a Mexican restaurant near here. Just a five-meter straight from here, turn left, advance a little, and the restaurant's on the left of the road."

"Thank you so much, see you, Ladies" James said as he walked away from the two women, after asking to take a picture together.

James drove his car slowly to the Mexican restaurant shown by the two women. Arriving in front of a restaurant with a sign reading Viva Verde, James stepped in. He took a seat in the corner of the room so as not to attract the attention of people, while his eyes searched for the figure of Emma among the servants who were busy serving restaurant visitors.

From behind his sunglasses, James could see some of the maidservants who were already aware of his presence, smiling and whispering to each other. Their faces looked shocked mixed with delight. They seem to be fighting each other to serve him.

Finally, a girl approached him timidly. Handed James the menu book while smiling.

"You taking a picture?" bargain James for pleasantries.

"Oh my God .. You don't mind?" The girl jumped up happily. He did not waste the opportunity to take a photo with James.

"Is there a girl named Emma Lopez working here?" ask James.

"Emma? Yeah ... but he hasn't come yet. Ah .. That's it!" the girl shouted while pointing towards the door. "Emma! Comehere!" call him.

Emma who had just come was surprised to see James sitting in the corner of the room while throwing a smile at him. At first he hesitated to approach the Hellbound bassist, but his co-worker, Alice, kept calling him to come closer.

"Die, Mr. Howards .. emm ... James," said Emma nervously. Alice, meanwhile, leaves her duties to Emma to serve James' orders.

"How are you, Emma?" James looked pityfully at the gloomy looking Emma. He could see the sadness that was still clearly visible on the girl's pretty face.

"Good," Emma replied as she forced her smile. "You want to order something?"

"yeah. Please choose the best breakfast menu. Anything is up to you. For seven," James said.

"Okay." Emma nodded and picked up the menu book lying on the table. "Wait a minute" he said as he passed in front of James.

Twenty minutes later, Emma appears with a box of seven packs of Quesadillas Fritas in her arms. "I hope you'll like it" Emma said.

James smiled. "Can I have your phone number?" her tanyanya made Emma gasp. "If you don't mind." He put his phone to Emma.

"Emm .. o-kay." Emma wrote down her number on James's phone screen, then handed it back to the man.

"Thanks, Emma. I'll call you later in the afternoon" James said as he stepped up from his seat and grabbed the box Emma had brought and stepped up to the cashier's desk to complete the payment.

Emma smiled curtly looking at James' back for a moment. Not wanting to linger fixated on James' presence, he hurriedly continued his work of serving the restaurant guests who began to arrive.

***