“Where did he rush off to?” Genna asked.
I shrugged.
We waited in the foyer, just outside the ballroom. The wedding planner stood in the doorway, waiting to give us our cue to walk in and take our seats. Evan wasn’t back yet and I was getting worried. I didn’t care if I had to walk in alone. I just wanted to know he was okay.
When it was our turn, I looked back over my shoulder to Genna and Luke and they looked just as bewildered as me. “Oh well,” I told them, smiling. “He’ll get back eventually.”
“He’s probably in the bathroom. It’s not like guys know how the timeline works.” Luke gave a meager explanation. “Or maybe he’s at the bar. I hope he’s getting me a beer.”
With that, I turned back around, rolling my eyes. Both mine and Evan’s names were announced by the DJ when I walked into the ballroom alone. I waved as the guests cheered. Genna and Luke followed a minute later.
“And now, let’s hear it for Mr. and Mrs. Luke Harte.” Everyone stood, applauding wildly while the newlyweds made it to the center of the ballroom and onto the dance floor. They held up their joined hands and the crowd clapped even more. “And now...the bride and groom would like to share their very first dance as husband and wife.”
Damn it. Evan was missing it. I walked to my seat along with the rest of the wedding party as Luke and Genna waited for their song to begin.
Without warning, a curtain raised on the stage revealing a band. I couldn’t believe my eyes as Evan took center stage with a microphone in his hands and a guitar strapped to his back. Why was I surprised? This was just like him to do something special for his friends.
“Good evening,” he said. Damn, he looked so good. When I walked up the aisle, I had to force myself to take the steps to the left of the alter, instead of right to jump into his arms. His dark gray suit was tailored to perfection. Without a hat on, his hair caught me off guard. Warmth had spread all over my body when he raked his hands through his wavy locks, pulling his hair from his eyes. He looked good enough to eat. Like he did on that stage.
Only now, at the reception, he was in his element. His black fedora sat on his head causing pulses of fireworks to zip through me. “My name is Evan James. I’m the best man. I’ve known Genna since she stuffed her bra in high school. I’ve known Luke since Genna didn’t need to stuff it anymore.”
Laughter could be heard throughout the ballroom. I was guilty of laughing as well. Evan was funny and spot on.
“You’re in so much trouble, Evan James. You better watch your back, buddy.” Genna didn’t need a microphone. Everyone heard her loud and clear.
“Sorry, Gen. Hopefully you’ll forgive me.” He glanced at me, and gave me one of those winks. I blew him a kiss. “I’d like to thank my best friends for letting me be part of their big day. And I’d really like to sing the song they chose for their first dance if they’d allow me to.” Genna nodded, tears filling her eyes. I couldn’t help it. He had me, too. “And I’ll try not to be offended that they didn’t choose one of mine.” More chuckles filled the room. Evan turned around and walked a few steps to pull a stool and mic stand from the shadows. “For Genna and Luke, I wish you all the love in the world and many years of happiness.” The lights dimmed as he eyed each of the band members. Then, he began playing the intro to ‘You and Me’ by Lifehouse. When he started singing, the butterflies launched into a frenzy in my stomach and I swear I could’ve flown. Listening to the tender sound of his voice, seeing the sentiment in his eyes as he sang made me feel like anything was possible. “What day is it? And what month? This clock never seemed so alive...”
Genna and Luke stood hypnotized in the center of the dance floor, not moving an inch. Their eyes fixed on Evan. I couldn’t blame them, but I had to do something. “Hey,” I called out to them in a loud whisper. Genna’s eyes met mine. “Dance.”
She mouthed the word, “Oh.” And then she and Luke began to dance. Not using any of the moves our dance instructor taught us.
* * * * *
I could hear the shower running when I woke up the next morning. My head hurt and I felt like I had a hangover even though I only had one glass of wine. Headache or not, I couldn’t help but think back to the previous day. The wedding was all Genna hoped for. She was the best bride I’d ever known, just going with the flow as she spent a year making plans and then enjoying the day when it finally came. I’d seen brides running around like lunatics the day of their wedding, seen some throwing fits because something wasn’t just right. Genna...that wasn’t her. Even when we were late to the ceremony, she was calm and true happiness oozed from her.
The only time Genna lost it was at the end of her first dance. She and Luke slowed to almost a complete stop, facing Evan. They hardly moved, swaying back and forth as he finished their song. When everyone else clapped, Genna took her husband’s hand and they rushed to the stage. Evan jumped down meeting them with his arms wide open. The three of them hugged while they sobbed with happiness and love. “Evan, thank you so much. I so wanted you to sing our song, but I didn’t want to ask. You’ve made my wedding day complete,” she said to him through her sniffling.
“I’m glad it made you happy, Gen,” he said, hugging her again. “My music means nothing to me if I can’t make my friends smile. Congratulations, you two. I love you guys.” From the wedding party table, I sat watching and listening to the exchange with tears in my own eyes. Evan caught my stare and we shared a moment as if we were the only two people in the room. With one intense glance, he was somehow able to declare his love for me, loud and proud, and I soaked up every bit of it with a smile.
I wanted to get out of bed, but I also wanted to stay there all day rehashing the wedding from start to finish. It was beautiful. After Evan sang, the regular traditions continued. I didn’t catch the bouquet even though Genna tried tossing it right to me. Some women take themselves a little too seriously and I wasn’t about to risk bodily injury to snatch the flowers. I had my man. I didn’t need them. Besides Evan singing, the best part was when Luke shoved cake up Genna’s nose. I pointed at her and told her it was payback for the disgusting amount of cake tasting we did. After dancing to old hip hop and pop tunes from the eighties and nineties, the newlyweds left the ballroom blowing kisses and bidding goodbyes the whole way out. Evan and I took that as our cue to leave, too.
His phone rang, startling me from my wedding replay. I sat up, thinking I might take the phone to him in the shower but changed my mind. I fell back into the bed, nestling myself into the pillows. The phone rang again. This time, I rolled over and picked it up. It was Sam. The ringing stopped as I threw my legs over the side of the mattress and wiped the sleep from my eyes. Then, the ring came again. Sam. He wouldn’t have called three times back to back if it wasn’t important. At most, Evan had talked to him once a day when I was around. So I got up and went into the bathroom. I listened as Evan hummed my song. It made me want to shed my clothes and jump into the shower with him, but we had things to do. Our plan was to go visit my parents and let them in on our news. I wasn’t nervous about telling them of my plans to get married, as I was excited and anxious. I knew they’d be happy for us. If I knew my dad like I thought I did, he was going to say something like, “It’s about goddamned time.”
“Hey, Evan,” I called out to him. He immediately stopped humming and turned to me.
The smile on his lips reached all the way to his eyes. He was beautiful. “Good morning, Sunshine.”
“Good morning. Hey, listen. Sam keeps calling. He’s called three times in the last five minutes. Want me to bring your phone to you?”
He scrunched his nose. “Nah. I’ll call him when I’m done. Whatever it is, it can wait.” Then, he gave me one of those sexy grins. “Wanna join me?”
“I’d love to, but if we want to get to my parents’ house anytime soon, I’m going to pass.”
He chuckled. “Probably a good idea.” As I walked out of the bathroom, he shouted, “I love you.”
&nbs
p; “I love you, too,” I shouted back with a smile that could be seen from an earth orbiting satellite.
As I entered the room, a chirp sounded from Evan’s phone alerting him of a text message. I glanced at the screen and sure enough, it was from Sam. I unlocked his phone and read the text so I could let him know if it was as important as I expected. I didn’t think anything of reading his messages. He had given me his password and asked me often to read texts to him while he was driving or shaving. It had felt that we didn’t have any secrets we kept from each other.
Until I read that text.
CALL ME ASAP. VULTURES GOT WIND OF THE DEAL. ASKING FOR CONFIRMATION. CAN’T RESPOND UNTIL EVERYTHING IS SIGNED. NEED YOU TO MEET ME BY NOON. LET ME REMIND YOU THIS IS A 3-YEAR CONTRACT SO BE SURE THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT.
The shower turned off as I read the message again. My throat squeezed and I knew I was about to cry. I had to do something and it had to be fast. I clicked through a few buttons on Evan’s phone, resetting the message to unread. I put the damn phone back on the nightstand and walked back into the bathroom. With one towel around his waist, he held another in his hands drying his hair like a shaggy dog. He looked cute but I didn’t allow myself the time to peruse his sexy lean body with my eyes. Instead, I turned on the water and jumped in, trying to distract myself from the tears that were about to fall. I adjusted the temperature to as hot as I could stand it, hoping the steam would keep Evan from getting a good look at my face.
“I’m going to make us some coffee and toast. I’ll bring it in so you can munch while you get ready.”
“Sounds good,” I said back, wishing I had the balls to say more. It was happening again. He was leaving me. But unlike last time, he lied. He said he wasn’t leaving. He said he was mine forever. It occurred to me that he might want me to go with him, but the thought quickly vanished. He knew I wasn’t going to leave my job or my friends or family. Damn, he duped me.
I had been feeling nothing but bliss for the last week, finally content and happy in our relationship. But my heart was slowly shattering, piece by tiny piece, into a million shards ripping me apart. Yes, I said taking the chance was worth the risk, but how the hell was I going to put my heart back together again this time? Had he lied to get me back into his bed? Had he run through his allotment of celebrity ass and thought he would slum with me? Was I his final hoorah before taking his show on the road yet again? Luke and Gen had thought he was genuine. Fuck me. So had I.
A few minutes later, he came back in. I was still letting the water pour over my body. I hadn’t even washed my hair yet. I stood there willing the tears not to fall, hoping that he would just tell me what was going on. But, he didn’t.
“I just talked to Sam,” he said, his voice strained. “We’re going to have to go to your parents tonight or tomorrow. I’m sorry, but you were right. It is important. I have to go meet him. I don’t even have time for the coffee and toast.”
The water was still hot and I hoped that it would burn my heart to ash so I wouldn’t feel the pain I was feeling. “What’s happening?”
He didn’t make a move to slide the shower door open to talk to me face to face, and neither did I.
“Nothing to worry about, I just gotta run.” I heard his steps getting closer so I did the only thing I could think of. I lathered soap all over my face. When Evan slid the door open, he chuckled. “You think a little soap is going to stop me.” I kept my eyes closed tightly as his face neared mine and a quick kiss was planted on my lips. “Bye, Sunshine. I love you.”
He closed the shower door. “Bye, Evan. I love you, too.”
When I was sure he’d gone, I cried my heart out. And then, I cried some more.
He had his chance to come clean and he didn’t take it. He lied again. My song played in my head. I could hear his fingers gliding over the keys of the piano. I could hear his sweet sexy voice, but the words were now meaningless. He was still the same Evan. He hadn’t changed at all.
EVAN
“You’re sure?” Sam asked again. It had to have been the hundredth time he’d asked since I had walked in the door of my new place.
I rolled the pen back and forth between my fingers. “Sam, relax. For the first time, I truly feel like I’m doing the right thing in my career. This is it.” Reaching for the ball cap on my head, I grasped it and flipped it back to get a clear view of the contracts. Sam had put those little sticky flags on every line where I needed to sign. It was a huge undertaking, but one that I was ready for. One that I knew Maddy would love.
I had to admit, it felt a little weird not having her here with me for such a big commitment, but the more I mulled it over, the more I wanted to surprise her. The look on her face when she saw the place and understood my vision would be priceless. I had no doubt at all that she was going to love it just as much as I did.
Doing it right was a huge priority to me. I had come a long way from the first time I had to make a decision about my future. While it was an opportunity of a lifetime to record my own album and head out on a tour with a musical superstar, I knew deep down in my gut it was the wrong move. If I hadn’t been such a stubborn dumb ass, I would’ve come back sooner.
After another quick read through the terms, I signed on each line. Line by signed line, I solidified my future to become a tenant of what was sure to be a hot spot in Pasadena for musicians, songwriters, and singers alike. Not to mention the bonus space I tacked on to the deal to teach music lessons. Jamming with Maddy’s class had just added more fuel to my fire to get this place going and make it something that could be enjoyed by artists of all ages.
Sam and the attorneys shared a few last words before they headed out. I didn’t pay attention. My mind was focused on the place. I scanned every inch creating a vision of what I hoped it to be.
“Congratulations, Mr. James,” the property owner said, offering his hand. “I think you’re going to love it here.”
I took his extended hand. “I’m sure I will. Thank you.” The man was banking on my success so I would be interested in buying the property at the end of my lease. Three years. I had thirty-six months to get this place up and running just how I imagined it to be.
When they left, I glanced over at Sam. He picked up his arms and surveyed the place. “Well, this is it.” His hands fell to his sides. “I’m proud of you, man. You’re doing what you want to do. You didn’t let the business make you something you’re not. That’s cool, man.”
Placing my hand over my heart, I patted my chest. “That means a lot to me, Sam. It really does.” We were both silent as we took in our surroundings. “You ready to get started?”
Sam’s brows arched in shock. “You have it all planned out, don’t you?”
I tapped my index finger on my temple. “It’s all in here, bro.”
For the next few hours, I gave Sam directions on where we needed to start. First, we needed to take care of the audio. The place was no use to us if we didn’t have a good sound system and excellent acoustics. Then, I gave him a list of the instruments that would be needed along with designs for a small intimate stage. Once we had that in place, I had planned on asking Isabelle to work on furnishings. If Maddy were interested, which I thought she would be, I would ask her to work with Isabelle, too. Together, I was sure they would make the place look perfect.
When we were finished, I took my time turning off the lights and locking the doors. It was a satisfying feeling knowing that I would soon be back. Only the next time, Maddy would be with me...sharing our future.
* * * * *
As I drove home, I couldn’t help thinking it felt so amazing to sign my name to something I truly believed in. I always believed in my music, in my songs, but the touring was never me. I needed to be home and I needed Maddy. After it was too late to change anything, I realized I should have brought her with me. I wished she had been there to celebrate with me after I was done signing the papers. It was all too anti-climactic without her.
When I got back, I flew thr
ough the door in search for my sunshine. I wanted so much to tell her about my new plans. Initially, I wanted it to be a surprise. I wanted to cover her eyes, take her to the venue, and surprise her at a grand opening, but that changed. I wanted her to be with me every step of the way. I wanted her input, her support, and her light. I craved it like I craved her.
I looked in the kitchen when I didn’t see her in the great room. Then, I went into the bedroom, but she wasn’t there either. I pulled out my cell to call her but she didn’t answer. Puzzled, I circled the house once more, but Maddy was gone.
An idea flashed in my mind, so I grabbed my house phone. “Hi, this is Evan James. I’m looking for Madison Grey. Have you seen her on the property anywhere?” The security staff knew everything. Maybe she went for a run.
“Mr. James, she left shortly after you did this morning. She called for a cab.”
A cab? What the hell was Maddy up to? “Thank you, I appreciate it.”
Falling back onto the couch, I ended the call. Instantly, I went to my cell again and dialed her number. “Maddy, where did you vanish to? I just called the gate and they said you left in a cab. I’ve called you and you’re not answering. Obviously. Call me back. You’re worrying me.”
I waited another fifteen minutes before I called her again. She still didn’t answer. Now, I was worried. This was so unlike her. She always answered my calls. If she couldn’t, she at least responded with a text message.
One more try. Still, no answer. I took to texting to see if she would respond.
HI. WHY AREN’T YOU ANSWERING ME? WHERE ARE YOU? I’M WORRIED.
I sent it. Then, I added a second message.
I LOVE YOU, SUNSHINE. CALL OR TEXT. JUST SOMETHING.
When I got home earlier, I was dying to tell her the news but now I just wanted to know that she was safe. My heart pounded faster in my chest as I waited for a response. I considered calling the police but I knew that wouldn’t help. Only an hour had passed since I tried getting in touch with her. To them, that was nothing. Then, I considered calling Sam and asking him to get some people on it. I imagined him telling me she was probably off shopping or something and she took my balls with her in her purse. She could have my balls, my dick. Anything she wanted. I just needed her to call me back.
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