The Carol Wyatt Collection

by Carol Wyatt

Cam climbed the stairs, crowded with students, and found her way to her next lecture: Personality Psychology.

  The lights were already dimmed, and Cam found one of the last free seats at the back of the room. Her eyes immediately fell on Jackie, her dark hair pulled away from her face in a ponytail, her black pencil skirt hugging her hips, and her white blouse unbutton slightly.

  Cam couldn’t believe how different her life was. This time last year, Cam had nearly broken out in a cold sweat at the sight of Jackie when she’d sat down for her first lecture. Now, she was her girlfriend.

  Cam bit the inside of her cheek to keep her lips from moving into a smile. She was so lucky, and she knew it. Jackie was easily the best thing that had happened to her.

  Cam knew the next few years would be difficult, until Cam could call Jackie her peer instead of her lecturer, but she was confident that they would get through it. If they could make it through the last year, Cam knew they’d be alright.

  City Nights

  By Carol Wyatt

  All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, including scanning, photocopying, or otherwise without prior written permission of the copyright holder. Copyright © 2018

  Chapter One

  “And to your right, you'll see the Empire State Building,” Hailey Evans said into the microphone, bringing it closer to her lips as their open top bus sped up, the warm spring air whipping through her blond hair. “I would highly recommend checking out the observatory on the one hundred and second floor. If you get a clear day, you'll be able to see five states: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania.”

  “There are so many businesses in that building that the Empire State Building even has its own zip code.”

  Traffic was heavy today as they made their way downtown. This is where Hailey liked to slip in some interesting facts. There was only so much she could tell her audience about a building's history before their attention wandered and she needed their attention. Hailey didn't get paid much for this gig, but she made up for it in tips. The only problem was, she knew she wasn't exactly funny like most of the other people who did these tours.

  “Did you guys know that one in every twenty-one New Yorkers is a millionaire?” Hailey asked into the mic. “And no, I'm not one of them.” She did still try, and she might have got one or two smiles for that one.

  They were coming to the end of the tour and Hailey mentally ran through the encyclopaedia of facts about New York City that somehow all fit in her head. “Did you know that there's a fake building in the middle of a New York City street that most people walk right past without even noticing anything strange about it?” That got a few more pairs of eyes on her. “If any of you find yourselves in Brooklyn while you're here, take a stroll down Joralemon Street and see if you can spot the faux building that actually serves as subway ventilation.”

  She could see a few of the tourists taking out their phones, maybe to take note of the street so Hailey spelled Joralemon into the mic as the pulled up outside their last stop.

  Joralemon Street was always a winner. People liked exploring the city like that and finding something unusual, almost like they were on their own treasure hunt.

  At twenty-seven, this wasn't exactly what Hailey thought she'd be doing but being a tour guide did have some advantages. When she got back to her apartment in Brooklyn in the evening, she still had some energy to put into what she really loved doing, writing songs. When she was a waitress, nothing got done after work except binging her favorite tv show. Hailey didn't have the brain capacity to sit down at her old black Yamaha keyboard and put a song together.

  This job suited her right now. Her mind could wander while the bus took the same route it did every day. She didn't think the passengers would appreciate Hailey's voice giving them an overdose of details. They probably wanted to talk to their family or spouse while they took in the city and when Hailey wasn't talking into the mic, she was putting words together in her head. She'd replay the lyrics she'd been working on, finding better ways to get that line across. Her phone was always in her pocket, so she could easily take it out and jot down any inspiration that came to her while she was working.

  When she moved to New York six years ago, Hailey had lofty goals. She'd always been creative, writing poetry as a child that later turned into lyrics as she started listening to rock music as a teenager, and she thought it wouldn't take long for someone to discover her talents. But the harsh reality of life in a brand new city, a very expensive city, meant that Hailey had to get a job and write when she could squeeze it in.

  Hailey was ready for this shift to end. She didn't know why, but today had dragged along. She took the stairs down to see if anyone wanted to move upstairs at the next stop now that there were a few seats available.

  They pulled up at their Empire State Building stop, and Hailey helped a mother with her stroller while she took her child's hand and stepped off the bus. Hailey opened it up and the woman lifted her child into the seat.

  “Thank you,” the woman said in accented English.

  “No problem,” Hailey said as she got back on the bus and continued the tour.

  Chapter Two

  Hailey turned the key and opened her apartment door, the aroma of garlic hitting her as soon as she got in. Her roommate, Lauren, wasn't in the kitchen but Hailey crossed the carpeted living room floor and into the kitchen to see what was waiting for her.

  “Hey,” Lauren said, slinging her bag over her shoulder, pushing her long black hair to the side. “I'm just on my way out but I made some eggplant parmesan. Eat whatever's there.”

  “Thanks. Good luck with the gig. I'll have some of this and then head over.”

  “Okay. See you later,” Lauren called after her as she shut the door and Hailey reheated her dinner, her stomach rumbling, urging her to hurry up. She didn't have time for lunch today.

  Hailey still couldn't believe how lucky she was to have a roommate like Lauren. When Hailey found this place six years ago, she'd already been in New York for a few months, saving as much money as she could to go from having four roommates to just one. This two bedroom came up in Brooklyn, and Hailey instantly fell in love with it. She just needed to find someone to share it with.

  She spent almost an entire weekend showing the room to over twenty people, and Lauren was one of the last ones through the door. Hailey was ready to compromise, giving up on the idea of finding someone that she could see herself being friends with as well as roommates.

  Lauren was exactly the kind of person she was looking for, although she was young. Hailey was twenty-one back then and Lauren was just eighteen but when Lauren mentioned that she came to New York to be a singer, Hailey forgot about her age. They hit it off right away, but Hailey never expected them to be here six years later. They'd only had two fights over the years and they were over incredibly trivial things.

  Their mutual passion for music was what held them together, and now that Lauren was getting gigs, opening for some smaller shows in the city, Hailey had her fingers crossed that Lauren would like one of Hailey's songs enough to perform them at her gigs. From there, with social media, Hailey might get lucky. Lauren was steadily building a following and she was as determined as Hailey was to get paid to do what she loved.

  Hailey brought her food over to the couch and opened her laptop, checking her emails while she ate. None of them needed her immediate attention so she finished her dinner and got ready to go to Lauren's gig. She'd probably hit a gay bar after the show while she was in Manhattan and looking presentable.

  Since Hailey broke up with her ex almost a year ago, she hadn't put much effort into trying to meet someone. She was spending almost all of her free time writing and practicing with Lauren. They'd been experimenting with the idea of becoming a duet.

  Even though Lauren played the piano, her strength was her voice, and almost every day they worked on a song together, so it seemed like a natural fit. H
ailey could sing but playing the piano and writing were what she was best at. They complimented each other really.

  They were almost ready to go out and find some gigs. They just needed a few more songs and a name. Then there was all the online promotion they'd have to do: creating a fan page and getting some photos of them performing. It was a lot of work, especially for something that neither of them really wanted. Hailey was focused on writing songs, and she knew Lauren wanted to make it as a solo artist. But it could help them get where they wanted to go, so it was always at the back of their minds.

  Chapter Three

  Elle Trevino took a wine glass down from the cabinet, her bare feet padding across the wooden floor as she opened the under-counter wine fridge and felt her shoulders drop when she stared at the empty racks.

  How did I forget to restock this after last weekend?

  Elle left the kitchen and took the stairs down to the wine cellar, one of the many lavish things she never thought she'd have in her own home. She ran a hand through her chestnut brown hair as her green eyes surveyed the rows of bottles, choosing three to bring upstairs.

  She'd been living in this five bed, four bath townhouse in Brooklyn for almost four years, and she'd done a lot of work on it. Elle had hired an architect and an interior designer to help her keep some of the original touches from when the house was built in the nineteen hundreds while also modernizing the kitchen and the decor.

  Elle loved the final product, but she ended up with a few things she never would have asked for herself like the wine cellar or the quiet and somewhat enclosed garden area or the grand piano that was in her living room that she had only played twice. This house was definitely bigger than what she needed but she reworked the space, turning one of the smaller bedrooms that was adjacent to the master into a walk-in closet. She also wanted space to get work done at home, so an office was a must.

  When Elle was looking at real estate four years ago, she didn't think she'd end up in Brooklyn after spending years in Manhattan, most of them in Chelsea, but you got so much more for your money out here, and Elle fell in love with this place the moment she saw it. The rooftop was what had sold it though. She loved going up there almost all year round and she knew she if she wanted something like this in Chelsea she'd have to wait a few more years. This was the perfect house and it came along at just the right time.

  She remembered the realtor telling her how Brooklyn Heights was the borough's oldest neighborhood, and that wasn't a surprise to her at all. The cobblestone streets and carriage houses made Elle feel like she was stepping back in time. It was so much quieter compared to the constant hustle and bustle of Manhattan's streets.

  Elle poured herself a glass of wine. She'd come a long way and sometimes she forgot to give herself credit for that. She'd sold four software businesses that she'd started from scratch and even though she really didn't need to work anymore, she couldn't imagine sitting around all day. Elle loved creating businesses and solving problems.

  She knew she wouldn't be where she was today if she hadn't had Matt, her best friend, helping her out. Her first business had failed miserably, and she'd been out of money. Elle had to sleep on his couch for weeks until she could scrape enough money together to start a new project.

  Elle's phone vibrated on the granite counter top.

  Speaking of Matt...

  He sent her a text, asking her if she wanted to meet him at their usual spot for a few drinks. She sent him a quick reply saying that she'd be there in twenty minutes. She took a sip of her wine and climbed the stairs to get changed into something a little dressier. They were only going to a bar that was around the corner, but Elle liked to make sure she always looked her best.

  Chapter Four

  Hailey brought her whiskey and coke over to the front corner of the bar, right underneath the window, and sat down in front of the piano. She struck up a deal with the owner of this bar a few weeks ago where she'd play for free at least one night a week, usually Wednesdays, and in return, the bartender gave her a drink or two.

  Hailey loved playing and she knew a little light piano music would be perfect for this place. It had an old feel to it, with aged leather seats and dim lighting, but this place attracted a lot of upscale clientele. Hailey would never dream of coming here with Lauren for a quiet drink. It was far too fancy, too expensive, for either of them but Hailey liked to imagine herself fitting in here. She always dressed well, in black pants and a nice top underneath a black blazer that hugged her slim figure. Someday, she wanted to walk into a place like this and not worry about what the price of the drinks were or whether or not she belonged.

  Hailey took a sip of her drink and left it on top of the wooden piano, her fingers finding their place on the aging white keys. Her hands glided along, and the melody of a classic from the 1940s filled the bar. Her mind drifted as she played, and she thought about how unsuccessful her night out last weekend was. She'd ventured onto the dance floor and ended up with some random girl's hands on her waist, clearly trying to make a move while they danced, but Hailey wasn't into it. She wasn't drunk enough to go home with someone she didn't know. It'd been a long time since she'd done something like that, and she didn't want that to happen now.

  Hailey wasn't one of those people who needed to be in a relationship either. She'd had a few serious ones over the years, all lasting somewhere between one and three years, but it'd been a while now since Hailey dated anyone seriously. She wasn't going to chase after it. She'd meet the right woman eventually. Right now, she was focused on her craft, and figuring out how to get into the music business.

  Chapter Five

  Elle traced the rim of her wine glass with her fingertip. She was hoping for a relaxing night out, but Matt seemed to have other ideas.

  “I wasn't aware that I'd signed up for a therapy session,” Elle said with a shake of her head as she leaned back in her chair.

  “You know I'm only thinking of you,” Matt said, bringing his tumbler to his lips.

  “I know that... And I appreciate it but-”

  “Elle, how long has it been since Morgan broke up with you?”

  “Ugh...”

  “Six, seven years?” Matt guessed.

  “More like ten.”

  “What?!”

  Elle sighed as she watched Matt sputter, trying not to choke on his drink.

  “You have to try online dating,” Matt said, running a hand through his thick black hair that was always immaculately styled. “Clearly, women aren't beating down your door and I don't know why that is... You're smart, beautiful, successful...”

  Elle shrugged. “It'll happen when it happens.”

  “But why don't you try and be a little proactive... What about online dating?”

  “What? No.”

  “How else are you going to meet someone? What you're currently doing isn't working.”

  “Who says I need to meet someone?” Elle asked. “You're single and appear to be happy.”

  “I am, but I'm doing my best to bump into Mister Right. I just don't want you to look back in ten years and wonder what might have been.”

  “God Matt, I wasn't worried about getting older, but you're not painting a pretty picture.”

  “I know you probably don't want to talk about it, but you're going to be forty in July, and maybe it's time to try something different.”

  “Enough... I don't to talk about this right now. Tell me about work.”

  Chapter Six

  Hailey leaned her forearms on the smooth, polished wood of the bar, waiting to get the bartender's attention. The place had started to fill up since Hailey first sat down at the piano an hour ago. She could hear a woman sitting behind her at one of the tables complaining about the noise on her street.

  “It's a fake building. I guess it's interesting, but all of a sudden there's been people hanging around all week, taking photos...”

  Hailey stifled a laugh. Some people could be so arrogant.

  “Hey, Hailey. I'
ll be with you in a sec. The same again, right?”

  “Yes. Please. There's no rush, Mike. I'll go back and play for a few minutes.”

  “Thanks. It got busy all of a sudden. I'll have your drink ready for you then.”

  “Sure.”

  Hailey weaved her way through the tables, and sat down in front of the piano again, flipping through the sheet music until she got to Old Man River, one of her favorite songs to play from the movie Showboat.

  She loved how laid back this gig was. She could choose what to play, and rarely did anyone come up to her with a request. Plus, it got her out of the apartment once a week. Most nights, she ended up working on a song on her own or with Lauren. It was almost therapeutic to sit here and play for two hours.

  Hailey never got cabin fever, but it was probably good for her to get out. She wasn't lonely either, even though she should be. She didn't talk to her parents much, maybe a phone call at Christmas or on her birthday. She never went home, but she had Lauren, and she had her music. That was more than enough for her.