by Wendy Louise
Ava rounds the corner with a cardboard carrier containing three disposable cups and a large glass vase. “Here’s the vase, and I got us all tea,” she announces as she hands a cup to Nanny and I, before taking one for herself. We sit with Nanny for an hour discussing Hawaii, the film, Ava’s parents, and much more.
We talk about everything except the elephant in the room that Nanny has left hanging over the both of us.
We bid farewell to Nanny, promising to return tomorrow, and I notice that Grayson has texted me back. He’s doing a gig tonight at a small club in downtown LA. I’ve seen Awesome Rebel perform there before, and they were great in such an intimate setting.
“Ava, Gray and the band are playing in LA tonight. Do you want to go?”
“Sure,” she replies. “I need to spend some time at home first though. I want to catch up with Liv, do some laundry and settle back in before work tomorrow. I also need to call Josh to catch up on what I’ve missed. He’s covered everything for me while we’ve been back here.”
“Yeah I know. I really need to do something for him to say thanks. I know he’s been after tickets to the Beyoncé concert next month. I may see if I can pull some strings and get some back-stage passes for him as well.”
Ava’s head spins to face mine. “Can you do that?” she asks in awe.
I laugh. “Yeah, sometimes I can. Depends who knows who. Connections are a big thing in this town. Usually my Agent or Manager knows someone who can get me in.”
“Oooh. That’s so cool,” she says. “Hey can I ask Liv and Ryan to come tonight too? I miss spending time with my sister.”
“Of course babe, the more the merrier,” I say as I take Ava’s hand and kiss the back of it.
Ava’s face lights up like the fourth of July. I don’t know whether she’s happy that I said okay to Olivia coming out with us, or whether it was my term of endearment, but either way I feel like a fucking king knowing that I’m responsible for putting that smile there.
Song Star
I throw my arms around my sister when I see her standing in the kitchen of the apartment, I’ve really missed her. It feels like so much has changed in such a short space of time and she makes me feel safe.
“How’s everything Sis?” she asks. “Is Nanny Grace okay?”
I fill Olivia in on all the news, letting her know what happened with Nanny Grace and how much she had improved when we went to see her today. I know that Ethan is so relieved. It was like I could physically see the weight being lifted from his shoulders as soon as we walked in to the hospital room and saw that Nanny was getting back to her old self. His eyes lightened and the deep creases on his face seemed to disappear instantly.
“Did you have a nice time with Ethan?” Olivia asks with a stupid grin on her face.
“Yes. We had a very nice time…” I reply.
She laughs her husky laugh, “I bet you did.”
“Olivia!” I admonish.
“Oh come on,” she says, “your face is glowing, your smile is wide and you look like the cat that ate the cream, I’d be stupid if I didn’t realise what you two have been up to. And just for the record, I’m really happy. For both of you. I’ll be watching him though, and if he does anything to hurt you, he’ll be dealing with me.”
“Liv, I love him and he loves me, I don’t think that will happen but it’s always good to know that I have you in my corner.”
“Always,” she says with a smile as she walks towards the balcony.
“The Producers have been able to re-work some of the scenes so we can shoot them indoors now. Some will use a green screen and they’ll add the backdrops in during post-production. Some will be on location at a beach here in California. They’re currently scouting locations.”
“That’s a relief; Ethan was pretty stressed about holding up production with what happened to Nanny.”
“He didn’t hold it up. We just shot some other scenes and came up with alternatives. We were all worried about Nanny too; she has quite the following amongst the cast and crew. Everyone adores her. You’ll also be happy to know that Josh looked after me beautifully in your absence.”
“He’s a gem,” I say as I grab my cell phone. “Ethan and I are heading to a club to see Awesome Rebel tonight; can you and Ryan join us? I’m going to text Josh now to thank him and see if he and Chelsea can come too.”
“I can, but Ryan can’t, he’s still in Hawaii. He’ll be back tomorrow; he just needed to wrap up some business there. I’d love to see Awesome Rebel though, it’ll be great to catch up with Grayson too. I didn’t get a chance to talk to him at Ryan’s party.”
“Oh, you know Grayson?” I ask.
She blushes, from her neck to her cheeks. Red blotches cover her face. My sister never blushes. Nothing ever embarrasses her, so this is really rare. “Yep,” she says quickly as she starts to make her way out of the room.
“Liv?” I call after her.
“Yeah?” she says turning to face me.
“What?” I ask.
“What do you mean what?”
“What was that reaction when I mentioned Grayson?”
“I didn’t have a reaction when you mentioned Grayson,” she says forcefully, as the blush returns.
“You’re doing it now, you’re blushing! Every time I mention his name.”
“Ava, don’t be ridiculous,” she says as she leaves the room.
I can’t help the laugh that bursts forward. “You like him,” I call to her in a sing-song voice. She doesn’t answer, but I know she heard me.
This night is going to be so much fun!
I clap my hands and do a little happy dance before I head to my room to unpack, tackle laundry and get ready for our much-needed night out.
Ethan wasn’t kidding when he said this was an intimate club.
It’s tiny.
There are large sofas and low coffee tables along the walls. Each table has a mason jar with a tea-light candle in it. The glow in the room gives a really cosy feel. The centre of the room is covered with bar stools lining large, rustic, wooden benches, again adorned with candles. There’s a small stage and a dancing area in front of it. There are a lot of people here, but it doesn’t feel overcrowded, it just feels comfortable, I love it.
It’s down-to-earth, and for the first time since arriving here, I feel like I could be in a little local bar back home in Melbourne.
Ethan leads us all to a large bench table to the left of the dance floor so we have a great view of the stage. Grayson and the boys are up there setting up. There are four stools and mike stands ready to go, it looks like a more acoustic set-up than the one they had at Ryan’s party, when I first heard them. I’m excited to see them more up-close and personal.
Grayson notices our arrival and jumps down off the stage to greet us. He and Ethan share some weird male handshake that I’ve seen them do before. Grayson gives me his usual big bear-hug as a hello and then looks to Olivia. His face lights up and he moves forward to give her a hug too. “Great to see you Olivia, I wasn’t expecting you. Where’s Ryan?” he asks looking behind her.
Olivia shrugs. “Still in Hawaii, but he’ll be back tomorrow.”
“Can I get you a drink?” Grayson asks her.
“Sure, lead the way.” Olivia follows Grayson to the bar and I turn to Ethan.
“So how long have Grayson and Olivia been in to each other?” I ask him with eyebrows raised.
Ethan looks at me cautiously. “What do you mean?”
“Don’t play coy with me; I saw the way he looked at her. How long has he had the hots for Liv?”
“Don’t say anything to her okay?” Ethan concedes. “He’s had a thing for her for ages, but unfortunately he was too late in doing anything about it and Ryan got there first.”
“If it’s any consolation I think Liv likes him too.”
“Really?”
“She got all funny with me and started blushing when I talked about Grayson earlier. I think she’s into him too.”
>
“They’d make a great couple,” Ethan says, “they have lots in common and Gray is the best guy I know, he’d treat her like a princess.”
“Well unfortunately she’s with Ryan so they can’t go there.”
I look to the bar and see them both throw their heads back laughing at something they are talking about. Yes, they’d look great together, and if they had kids….. Whoa, I need to halt that thought and concentrate on the gorgeous specimen of a man standing in front of me.
Josh and Chelsea come through the door, and I wave at them to show them where we are sitting.
“What do you want to drink babe?” Ethan asks me.
Every time he calls me that a tingle runs from my heart to my core, waking all my senses and tying me to this man a little more.
“A beer please.”
He moves to the bar to grab our drinks as Olivia returns to the table, and Grayson makes his way to the stage. Liv has a pink drink in her hand.
“What’s that Liv?”
“Just some cocktail that Grayson said I needed to try. It’s really sweet. Goes down like lolly water. I’ll need to be careful not to drink too many of these tonight.”
“Grayson’s really sweet hey?”
Olivia blushes again. “Yeah he is,” she says with a shrug.
We both look to the stage and watch Grayson continue to prepare for his show. The way his ass looks in his Levis when he bends over to secure the mike cable, is a sin. No one should look that good in a pair of jeans.
We all settle in, getting ready to enjoy the show.
An hour later, Awesome Rebel is really rocking this place. They’re so talented, and Grayson’s voice is amazing when they play acoustically. They should play like this all the time. He has a gravelly sound to his voice, sexy and low.
They’ve just finished playing a full set of original songs when Grayson addresses the crowd. “Time to change things up a bit,” he says. “Let’s do a couple of covers?” He looks at the other guys in the band to make sure they’re on board with that. They all nod in acceptance.
“I’ve got some friends in the house tonight, and one of them has a great voice. Let’s see if we can get him up here to do a song for us. Come on up here Ethan.”
I totally forgot that Grayson mentioned that Ethan could sing. My heart is pounding for him. The crowd starts to clap and cheer in encouragement. Ethan places a kiss on my cheek and then rises from his stool.
I watch as he makes his way to the stage. If I thought Grayson looked great in his jeans, then he has nothing on Ethan. His black jeans are hugging every curve of his gorgeous ass, and his long legs are showcased with every stride.
Every female in the club is watching his approach intently. The realisation of recognition begins to show on their faces. Whispers fill the room as they become excited to see him in the flesh. They sit up straighter and begin to preen. I guess I need to become accustomed to the fact that they will always want a piece of my man.
My man.
I love thinking of him as mine.
I see a few people pull out their smart phones and start to take pictures and video of Ethan on stage. I guess this will be on social media sites by the end of the set.
Ethan leans down and talks to Grayson, I’m sure they’re discussing what to perform. I can’t wait to hear him sing. I feel like I’m sitting on pins and needles, making it impossible for me to sit still with the anticipation. Grayson nods and turns to let the other band members know what they’re going to do.
“Okay,” Grayson begins, “….we’re going to do a new one for you, a cover actually. Hope you like it.”
Ethan takes the stool next to Grayson and wraps his hands around the microphone stand, adjusting the height to suit him. He blinks once in to the spotlight that now illuminates the stage, and then his eyes find mine. He gives me that panty-dropping smile of his and nods to Grayson, giving the cue to start.
Grayson and the other guitarist - I think his name is Matt - begin to strum the chords of the song. The piano joins in soon after. I recognise the tune but I can’t place it. Ethan and Grayson begin to sing and it is amazing.
I mean - Oh.
My.
God.
Their two voices blend together in such an incredible way. I can feel it in my bones. I recognize the song as soon as they start to sing. It’s Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran.
I love this song. This acoustic version is pure perfection. You can hear the timbre in both of their voices. I can tell they’ve done this before, and that they both enjoy being up there together.
Ethan’s voice can easily match Grayson’s. His tone is amazing and boy can he sing. He looks so sexy up there on that stage. I can’t stop thinking about getting him home. I didn’t think it was possible to be more attracted to him but right now I am. I want to jump up and tell everyone in the room that this man is mine.
I pick up the long neck bottle in front of me and take a sip of my beer. I can’t tear my eyes away from the stage. My throat feels dry and my cheeks are hurting from smiling at the sight of Ethan up there.
The surge in my hormones has made the temperature in the room heat up too.
His eyes are closed as his lips lightly touch the end of the microphone as he sings. I have never in my life been jealous of an inanimate object, but right now I would kill to be that microphone.
The boys wrap up the song to huge applause and whistles. They move seamlessly in to another one; this time I pick it immediately, it’s Just the Way You Are by Bruno Mars. Another of my favourites and it also reminds me of the night that Ethan and I danced in Hawaii. He glances my way and gives me a knowing smile, he’s thinking of that night too. It makes me feel like he’s singing this one just for me.
At the end of this song, Ethan thanks the crowd and saunters back towards our table. Grayson and the band start up again, this time with one of their own songs, and the crowd descend on to the dance floor. Ethan reaches me and extends his hand, “Let’s dance.”
I look to Liv, who with a sweep of her hand and a sip of her cocktail gives me the go ahead signal. That familiar electricity shoots up my arm as soon as I place my hand into Ethan’s. He leads the way through the bodies on the dance floor, pulling me behind him. Once in a place that he is satisfied with, he turns and pulls me to him, splaying his hands out on my hips.
Josh and Chelsea are ripping up the dance floor beside us.
“You were incredible up there you know,” I say, wrapping my arms around his neck, and moving along with him. Dancing like this with Ethan will never get old. He can move. The beat is strong and I can feel it pounding through my feet. My heart is matching the rhythm but that has more to do with my close proximity to Ethan than anything else.
He pulls me closer, and I nuzzle my face into his neck, taking in the unique scent of him. I don’t know whether it’s his body wash, his cologne or just his natural scent, but it is addictive, intoxicating and all male.
“I need to get you home,” Ethan growls in my ear.
I look in to his eyes and see them darken with want. God, I need to get him out of here.
We immediately make our way back to Olivia. Grayson has just wrapped up his set and heads over to us too.
“Ready to go Sis?” I ask Liv.
Olivia looks to Grayson, who is smiling down at her. “I think I’ll stay a little longer.” She smiles back at Grayson.
“I’ll go get us some drinks then,” Grayson says as heads towards the bar.
I lean down to Liv. “What are you doing Liv? What about Ryan?”
She flutters her eye lashes at me. “I just feel like hanging out a bit longer. I’m sure Grayson won’t mind dropping me home. He and I haven’t caught up in a while. Stop worrying.”
I give her the do-you-think-I’m-stupid stare and turn back to Ethan. He’s listening to our exchange with a knowing look, and a smirk on his gorgeous face.
Grayson returns to the table with a beer and another potent pink cocktail, placing it dow
n in front of Olivia as he takes a seat beside her. He smiles at both Ethan and I and says, “Later guys.”
I think we’re being dismissed.
Looks like he wants some alone time with Liv.
I hope they know what they’re doing.
We say our goodbyes to Josh and Chelsea, who are still jumping around on the dance floor, and make our way out to head home.
“My place or yours?” Ethan asks with a crooked smile, dimples on display.
“How about mine?” I reply, “it’s closer.”
Ethan laughs as he leans over the gear stick and grabs my chin, running his tongue along the seam of my lips, before dipping it inside my mouth. He pulls back with a sigh and leaves one hand on my knee.
Before I’ve even finished fastening my seat belt, he pulls away from the curb and heads towards my apartment, like a man on a mission.
Meet the Parents
The past few weeks with Ava have been some of the best in my life.
She is sweet and beautiful, and all mine. She amazes and inspires me every day. I can’t fuckin’ believe how lucky I am. I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve her in my life, but whatever it is I’m grateful.
What a turnaround!
We’ve spent as much time together as possible, both at work and outside of it. Everyone at the studio has been so happy for us, except of course for Madeline, who fails to acknowledge Ava’s existence or our relationship without a scowl on her face. Her opinion means nothing to me anyway so what she thinks is of little consequence to me.
The media outlets have backed off a little.
There were a lot of photos from the night that I performed with Grayson and Awesome Rebel at the club. Not only shots of me on stage with the boys, but photos of Ava and I dancing and kissing. They even published a few of Olivia and Grayson, trying to intimate that she was cheating on Ryan. I cringe when I think about how bad this is going to get when the movie premieres. The hype surrounding it grows every day.