by Liwen Y. Ho
Izzy stopped eating and set down her fork. “How old do you think I am, Chase?”
“I, uh, I have no idea,” he stammered, before taking a drink to wash down a bite of bacon. “I mean, definitely not more than thirty.”
“I’m thirty-six.”
His jaw dropped. Eleven years was a bit of a stretch. “Oh, wow. I had no idea.”
“I know you didn’t. But now you understand why I feel so old next to you. And why you shouldn’t be talking about having romantic dinners with me,” she added with a wry smile. “A few more years and I’d be old enough to be your mother.”
Now it was his turn to laugh. “You are nowhere close to that. My mom’s fifty-two. The only thing you have in common with her is your strength”—he smirked—“not to mention, your stubbornness. Oh, and the fact that you’re both left-handed. The two of you would get along well. She’d love to hear about this place and how you got it up and running on your own. She had to do a lot of things by herself after my dad left, so she’d respect that about you. I'm sure she’d cook for you, too.”
“Cook for me? You can stop your crazy talk, young man. I am not ready to meet your mother.” She raised both hands and shook her head. “Why did I even say that? Now I’m talking crazy. This is what being near you does to me.”
He’d never been so happy to take the blame for something—again. There was no denying he’d left an impression on her. “So, you do like me.”
“What?”
“You feel something for me. Admit it.”
“No,” Izzy refuted, her tone unconvincing. “Fine, maybe a little. But it doesn’t matter. You’re leaving tomorrow. Your life is in California; mine’s here in Romance—”
“Exactly,” he cut in. “We’re in Romance of all places. There’s no better place for two people to find each other than here.” Chase reached across the table for her hands. “California’s only a plane ride away. We can make it work.”
Izzy pulled away, her callused fingertips grazing a path across his palm. “I appreciate the sentiment, Chase, but we can be friends, nothing more.”
“But don’t you feel our connection? You have to admit there’s something there.”
“We’re two people who happen to enjoy the same music,” she shrugged. “But we’re two very different people. It’s not just the age; it’s everything else. You’re a pop star, for crying out loud. You could have any woman you want.”
Before he could reply, a cell phone rang. Izzy fished it out of her pants pocket and answered, “Hi baby—” She held up the black screen and frowned. “Darn. My phone’s out of battery.”
“Didn’t you say there’s no boyfriend in the picture?”
“There isn’t. That was my daughter. I need to call her back or she’ll worry.”
“Your who? You never mentioned you had kids.”
“Just one. She’s away at college. I wasn’t hiding that fact; it just never came up,” she remarked casually, using the same line he’d used earlier about his celebrity status. “Can I use your phone?”
“College? How is that possible?”
“Oh, it’s possible, all right. Ask anyone in this town and they’ll tell you all about how I turned wild after my daddy died and got pregnant before graduation.”
So that’s what she had meant about trying to escape her past. Still shocked, Chase drew his phone out of his pocket and handed it to her. “The screen’s a little cracked, but it still works.”
“Thanks.”
Once she finished leaving a voicemail, he continued with his questions. “And the father? Where is he?”
“He cheated on me, so I broke things off. He left Romance before she was born.”
He nodded, letting all this new information sink in. Izzy was stronger than he realized. “You really do have a lot in common with my mom. How do you manage it all? It must be such a load on your shoulders to have to do everything by yourself.”
“I had my mom’s help early on. I worked odd jobs and saved up money over the years. We got by.”
“And now you have to pay for tuition. I know what that’s like. I’m helping to support my brother through school.”
“I’m happy to pay for it. I never got the chance to go, so I’m glad my daughter gets to have the experience. I have some money coming in from a, um, freelance gig that helps cover some of the expenses.”
“You’re amazing, Izzy.” He shook his head in appreciation. A single mom, an entrepreneur, and a woman who seemed unfazed by his celebrity status—what a rare find. “I like you even more now after knowing all this about you.”
She scoffed. “You don’t give up, do you?”
In the next second, the entire room lit up and the sound of music flowed from the adjacent room. Chase blinked quickly as his eyes adjusted to the light. Seeing Izzy’s grin lifted the corners of his mouth into one of his own. “To answer your question, no, I don’t give up. Not on something I believe in.”
The smile disappeared. “Your food’s getting cold. Do you still want the bacon? It doesn’t look too appetizing.”
He glanced down at his plate where the bacon grease had solidified into white chunks. “I’ll heat it up now that the microwave’s working.”
“Let me.” She took his plate. “You’re my guest.”
Before he could protest, Izzy walked off to the kitchen with Thor following close behind. He picked up his phone to check the time just as the screen lit up with an incoming call. “Hello?”
A young woman answered. “Hi, this is Gracie Sutton. I got a call from my mom at this number. Her name’s Izzy—Isabella Sutton. May I speak to her, please?”
Gracie? Isabella? Who was this? “Are you Grace Bella?”
“No, I’m Grace. My mama’s Isabella.” The voice paused before asking, “Who is this?”
“I’m Chase Lockhart.”
“Chase Lockhart as in the Chase Lockhart? No way! Your song was just on the radio—I mean, my mom’s song, well, more like you singing her song. Wait—what are you doing with my mama? How did you find her?”
Apparently, he’d found the woman he was looking for in Romance. But why had she been keeping her identity a secret from him?
7
Izzy
“Your daughter Grace called.”
Izzy closed the microwave door and turned around. “Oh? Is she still on the line?”
“I told her you’d call back later. After we have a chance to talk.”
The emphasis Chase placed on the word talk made her nervous. What did Gracie say to him? She handed him his plate of food with a small smile. “Here you go. You should eat it while it’s hot.”
He set the plate aside and faced her with his arms crossed. “The bacon can wait. My questions can’t.”
“Questions?” Suspecting she was about to be interrogated, Izzy took some steps back until she bumped into the counter. She crossed her arms as well. “What about?”
“I should've caught on earlier,” he mused, shaking his head. “Your love for music and how you reacted when you saw my tattoo. And the calluses—you play the guitar, don’t you?”
She nodded, certain of where this conversation was headed. “You figured out who I am.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you’re Grace Bella? And don’t say it’s because the subject never came up. I told you I came here to look for her—for you.”
“Because,” she sighed, “I don’t have any new songs for you. That’s why you came here, wasn’t it?”
“I came to thank you, for one thing, but yes, I do need those songs. What do you mean you don’t have any?”
She sighed. “I’ve been trying to write, but I only have half a song finished. I’m afraid ‘The Best Thing’ was the best thing.” She threw her hands up in the air. “I’m going to end up as a one-hit wonder like the Rembrandts, but at least their song made it onto network TV.”
“Who?”
“The band back in the nineties—oh, you were a baby then. They wrote ‘I’ll Be The
re for You’, which became the theme song for Friends. You know Ross and Rachel—”
“Friends! Oh yeah, I saw some reruns before. Never heard of the band though.”
“My point exactly!” Squeezing her eyes shut, she wished to turn back time. “I can’t even pay back the advance I received; I used it to open this place. I don’t know if I have it in me to write anymore. I should never have signed that agreement.”
“Hey, it’s okay, just breathe.” He took her by the shoulders and bent down to look her in the eyes. “I understand exactly how you feel. But putting pressure on yourself like this doesn’t help.”
Neither did his touch. Chase was so close, and he smelled so fresh from his shower that it was easy to forget all the reasons why she shouldn’t open her heart to him. “I don’t know what to tell you. I don’t have anything for you. What am I supposed to do?”
“Start believing in yourself again. Stop doubting your talent and remember who you are. You’re Grace Bella or Izzy Sutton—regardless of the name you want to go by—you are the woman who wrote my hit song. You did it once and you can make it happen again. I know you can do it. I need you to do it.”
His words hit her ears and bounced off, unable to penetrate her doubt. If only she had a portion of the faith he had in her. “It’s not that simple, Chase. I’ve got the worst writer’s block. I'm just not inspir—”
Suddenly, his mouth was on hers. The intimate, warm touch sent tingles up her spine. The kiss was so unexpected, yet so tender and sincere, like how she imagined love would be. She found herself leaning in for more, savoring the sweet taste of his lips. Sweet with a hint of bacon. It was heavenly.
After a moment, Chase pulled back to rest his forehead against hers. “Does that help?”
Izzy opened her eyes, surprised to find her arms wrapped around his neck. When had that happened? She dropped her hands to her sides, embarrassed at her unabashed show of affection. What was it about this man that had her acting like a crazy teenager? She realized he was waiting for an answer, but she had no idea what the question was.
“Hm?”
“Are you inspired now? Or do I need to kiss you again?”
“I …,” she faltered, unable to process her thoughts. Oh, she had it bad. If her back wasn’t against the counter, she would’ve melted into a puddle on the floor by now. She gripped the cool tile and leaned back, breaking their contact. No more kissing, even though she really wanted to. “N-no. I’m good.”
Chase’s lips curved into a satisfied grin. “Great. Will you show me what you have so far? The song you’ve been working on.”
It was a simple request, so why was she so nervous? “It’s not ready ...”
“It’s okay. I’m not here to critique it. It’ll be a treat for me to hear something new.”
She released a shaky breath. How could she say no to that face? “Okay. Come with me.”
The two of them, with her new dog trailing behind, went upstairs. Izzy opened the last door in the hallway and welcomed Chase inside. Her bedroom, despite being the smallest one, was her favorite place to be. During the day, she had the best view in the house of the lush rolling hills of the Willamette Valley, and in the evening, like right now, she saw all the stars in the sky. Even though she had wished upon the brightest one as a child to meet the man of her dreams, she never imagined she’d have a pop star sitting on her bed one day.
Thor lay on the cream-colored rug at their feet. She picked up her guitar from its stand in the corner and sat beside Chase. Her right fingers found their places on the frets, while those on her left strummed the strings with a triangular pick. “I’ve been working on this for a few days now,” she murmured, suddenly shy. “I haven’t played it for anyone yet. It’s okay if you don’t like it.”
“I have faith in you, Izzy,” Chase assured her. “Sing it for me.”
She started the first verse, her voice trembling as she stumbled over the words. Only when Chase placed a comforting hand on her knee did the knots in her shoulder loosen. Closing her eyes, she continued to the chorus, setting the fears in her heart free. There was something so right about the moment. She felt safe in the knowledge that Chase shared and understood her passion for music. The lyrics she’d written—about asking that special someone to wait for you—seemed oddly appropriate for the occasion.
I was unsure, didn’t know what I wanted,
Too young to know better, too hopeful to care
This heart’s aching, I’ve got so much to give,
I can’t wait for the day when I meet you there
Please wait for me, I’ll find you
Just a little while longer, I need you
I may take some wrong turns along on the way
But I promise if you hold on for another day
We’ll meet in that unexpected place,
Wait for me, I’ll find you
After playing the final note, she swallowed hard and opened her eyes. “What do you think?”
“It’s amazing.” The smile on his face reflected the awe in his voice. “I knew you had it in you.”
“Do you like it?”
“Like it? I love it. It’s good enough to be my next single.”
“I'm so relieved to hear you say that." She paused. "Do you think it’s as good as ‘The Best Thing’ though?”
“It’s better. The lyrics and melody are perfect. Even the key it’s written in is perfect for me. You thought of everything. Thank you, Izzy. This means the world to me.”
“You’re so welcome. I wish I had a full song for you though; it’s still missing a second verse and a bridge. I don’t know when I’ll be able to finish it. I’ve been working on it the past few nights, but I just can’t get it right.”
“We can change that. Let’s finish the song together.”
“Right now?”
“Sure. Between the two of us, we should be able to come up with something.”
Seriously? Chase Lockhart wanted to write with her? “Sure. It’s worth a shot.” Izzy reached for some sheet music sitting on her nightstand and handed it to Chase. “This is what I have so far.”
He glanced at the notes and nodded. “I like where this is going. What if we try a chord progression next …”
They spent the next three and a half hours working on the song until they were both satisfied. It amazed Izzy how in sync they were. Her strength was in writing lyrics, and Chase’s was in coming up with the music. Together, they were a creative powerhouse. It was the most fun and refreshing experience she’d ever had as a songwriter.
“This is it,” Chase announced after they had sung the song from start to finish. “We did it, Izzy.”
“We sure did. It’s amazing how it all came together. I’ve never written a song with anyone else before. Have you?”
He set his guitar aside and faced her on the bed. “No. And I wouldn't want to after this experience. I can’t imagine the process being as smooth with anyone else. We have something good going on. You have to agree with me on that.”
Izzy hesitated before she replied, “Musically, yes.”
His blue eyes darkened with intensity. “There’s more to it than that. Like I said before, we have a connection, a strong one. Tell me something ...”
“What is it?”
“The lyrics you wrote, are they true for you? Because they’re true for me. I’ve been waiting for someone like you to come into my life. I came here hoping to get a love song, but I found so much more. What about you? Do you mean the words you wrote?”
He sounded so earnest and vulnerable, she didn’t have the heart to turn him down. At the same time, part of her didn’t want to. She’d written the song with him in mind, but those lyrics were hers as well. Was she ready to trust a man again? Specifically, could she trust him? “I-I don’t know.”
“I think you do. The way you kissed me earlier tells me you do know.”
It was hard to disagree with that. “I ....”
“Or do you go around kissi
ng every guy you don’t like?” he teased her, a sly, satisfied grin lighting up his eyes.
“Actually, you kissed me.”
“But,” he countered, “you kissed me back.”
“I didn’t want to be rude,” she offered with a weak smile. “No woman in her right mind would turn down a kiss from Chase Lockhart.”
He set his jaw as he answered, “I don’t go around kissing any woman. I like you, Izzy. Only you.”
His words hung in the air, waiting for a response. She’d heard them before, but this time she believed them. She trusted the man speaking them. “But how are we supposed to make this work? We have so many things going against us. The long-distance thing, not to mention the age thing—”
“We’re only a plane ride away and our ages don’t—wait, hold up. Are you saying you want to make this work?” He gestured to the both of them. “You, Izzy Sutton, and me, Chase Lockhart—the two of us together?”
The awe in his voice was so endearing, she couldn’t help but smile. And to think she was the reason for it. “At least you didn’t give a caveman response this time.”
“I will never talk like a caveman again if that means you’ll give us a chance.”
Oh, how she wanted to, but he deserved a fair warning. “You should know I’m not good at this, at relationships. It’s just been me and Gracie for a long time. I dated a handful of guys over the years, but there was never a connection with anyone that was worth pursuing. Never as strong a connection …”
“As the one we have?”
She nodded, knowing how vulnerable she was making herself. “I feel it, too.”
“Give me a chance then. I promise you’ll be safe with me.”
Even though her mind flashed all kinds of warning lights, her heart told her to trust again. She’d been looking for someone like him as much as he’d been looking for someone like her. Now that they’d found each other—in the most unexpected town of Romance—could they write their own love story, too? It was more than she hoped for. “That sounds like too good of an offer to pass up.”