“Thank you, Ryan. You’re the best.”
He shrugged. “Yeah, I know.”
Valerie glared at him, but she couldn’t hold back the laugh that eventually escaped her lips. Not even in a million years would she ever forget this birthday, she was sure.
Chapter 11
*** Present day ***
The show was great, just like she’d expected. She’d seen him perform whenever he’d played in Boston, and she’d always been his number one fan, but as time passed, Ryan seemed to become more and more confident on stage. Valerie wondered how far he would go. He was already a star in the States, and she was sure it wouldn’t be long until he’d become an internationally renowned artist.
When the last song ended and Ryan left the stage, she reached him in the backstage area. He was smiling, his shoulders were less tense and his eyes shone with excitement and satisfaction. She knew it was because everything else, every problem, every doubt, every difficulty, always disappeared once he was sitting at a piano playing his music. It had always been his “feel good” therapy, the way chocolate was for her.
“Hey, here’s my groupie at last!” he said, as he wiped his brow with a towel and loosened his tie. He always wore a suit and a tie in his shows, even if it meant he’d be soaked in sweat afterwards. He thought it would give him more credibility and, although she knew he’d be successful even if he wore a T-shirt and a pair of jeans, she had to admit he looked gorgeous in a suit.
“I’m not your groupie, you eejit!” She punched his shoulder lightly while glaring at him, and he laughed.
“Of course you’re not; I was kidding. You’re my number one fan—does that sound better?”
She nodded. “Much better.”
“So? How was it?” He turned serious all of a sudden, staring at her with a frown, as if he expected her to say she hadn’t enjoyed it. Valerie rolled her eyes.
“Aww, come on, you know you were great. You don’t really need to hear it from me.”
“I do, actually. You’re the only person who’d be willing to tell me the show sucked if it did. You’re the only one I can trust, so yes, I do need to hear it from you.”
She smiled, as a blush crept up her neck at his flattering words. “Well, if you put it that way... I’ll be glad to say I loved it, especially My lucky charm, but you already know that. It’ll always be my favorite.”
He smiled taking a step closer, then he wrapped her in a hug. “You really are my lucky charm, Val. It’s not just a song; I never would have gotten this far if you hadn’t been by my side.”
“How sweet,” she said, with a mocking tone. “But let go of me now and don’t get close until you’ve had a shower; you need one really bad!”
“Well, it was pretty hot out there under all the spotlights, especially since I was wearing a suit, you know?” He pouted, though the corners of his lips twitched, trying trying to contain a smile. This was just another wonderful thing about their friendship. They’d always been able to be completely honest with each other, just like real siblings, and without worrying too much about sounding rude.
“Do you see what I mean when I say I can always count on your opinion? My fans would have never told me I needed a shower. They would’ve drooled all over me, and they would’ve taken my sweat-stained towel as a token.”
“Yeah, well, though I’m a fan of yours, I won’t get close to you again until you’ve had a shower and start smelling human again.”
“You’re a true friend, Val.” He laughed, shaking his head in amusement.
“You can say it out loud, buddy. Just think of what would happen if you walked out there, bumped into the woman of your dreams, and missed the chance to get to her heart because you’re soaked in sweat.” He opened his mouth to say something, but she raised her hand in front of his face, stopping him before he could say a word. “And don’t start babbling about pheromones and stuff. I don’t care if other women like men’s sweat—I don’t, and if you’re gonna share a room with me tonight, you’d better be smelling of soap, musk, or whatever smells clean.”
He hung his head and laughed again. “I promise I’ll take a long, hot shower, and I’ll smell as clean as a baby.”
“You’d better, or you’ll be sleeping on the couch tonight, Mr. Jazz Star.”
The door opened before he could retort, and his manager walked in. “The car’s waiting outside. Hurry, before fans start gathering around it and you get stuck here.”
Ryan picked up his suit jacket off the armchair and followed Gordon and Valerie toward the emergency exit in the back of the venue.
As soon as they walked out, a few flashes went off, but Valerie didn’t think much of it, knowing they were probably fans who wanted to take pictures of Ryan. She got in the car just before him, and they remained in companionable silence until they reached the hotel.
While Ryan was taking a long shower as promised, Valerie lay in the huge bed, feeling a mix between a queen and a star. She still found it hard to believe that this was the life her best friend led, that he got to stay in five-star hotels, get escorted everywhere he went, and have everyone at his beck and call. What had happened to the teenager she used to love hanging out with, who could barely afford to buy a CD, and who had to play in a jazz club in downtown Boston to make extra money to buy food?
They’d grown up, things had changed, and he’d never be that guy again. It was inevitable.
Although he didn’t act like a spoiled star, he was a celebrity now, and he belonged to a different world, a world where she would never be able to fit in. She should get it in her head that sooner or later things between them would change. The more successful he became, the further apart they would grow. Soon enough he’d meet a woman who’d make him lose his head and who’d probably belong in his new world, and Valerie would have to take a step back and give him the space he needed. They’d slowly become strangers. They wouldn’t be able to find time for even just a coffee, and this would mark the end of their wonderful friendship.
No, it didn’t have to be like that, she told herself. They’d been able to make it work thus far, in spite of their crazy schedules, and she was sure they’d be able to make it work even when another person would step in between them.
She closed her eyes and took a long, deep breath, enjoying the softness of the pillow and trying to push those thoughts to the back of her mind. Although she’d meant to wait until Ryan came out of the bathroom to wish him good night, a minute later she was sound asleep.
Chapter 12
*** Five years earlier ***
Valerie had started her second year in medical school and Ryan had been working at Berklee on a project for young students, which he loved and took very seriously. He still played at the jazz club downtown where he’d been playing over the last five years, but the money he made wasn’t enough to pay for the rent, and for basic things like food and clothes. At first he’d accepted the project just because it was a paid job, but then he’d started to enjoy being a part of it and had even been thinking about applying for a permanent job at Berklee, as part of the teaching staff.
Valerie had been quite busy recently, and they never had much time to meet up, so he often went and visited her at school during lunch break, the only moment in her day she didn’t have to study or be in class.
“You’ll never believe what happened today,” Ryan said in an excited tone, as soon as he sat next to her on a bench in the park. He handed her a sandwich he’d bought for her, then unwrapped his and took a bite.
“Um... a girl asked you out?” she asked, taking a bite of her tuna and corn sandwich, which was still her favorite. It made her think of home and those sandwiches they used to share while sitting in Stephen’s Green park.
Ryan stopped chewing and glared at her. She chuckled.
“Okay, sorry. Go ahead.”
He took a sip of water from his bottle. “I was playing some oldies with the guys, just for a laugh after classes were over, and this man came in saying he l
oved it. It turns out he works for a record company and wants me to sign a contract for an album. He said he loved my voice, and he was sure I’d be the new jazz star America’s looking for.” He shook his head, amazement shining in his hazel eyes. “Can you believe it, Val, a real album with a real record company!”
She choked on the bite she’d just swallowed, and had to cough a couple of times and gulp down half the bottle of water before she was able to breathe properly again.
“An album? And you’ll sing? I thought you wanted to be a pianist.”
“Well, don’t sound over-enthusiastic, Val.” He huffed and crumpled the sandwich wrapper. Valerie took his hand and gave it a squeeze.
“Don’t get me wrong, I mean, it’s great that a record company wants you to sign with them. I was just taken aback because I never knew you wanted to be a singer.”
“I wanted to be a musician,” he said, staring straight ahead at the oak trees surrounding them. “I’ve always thought I’d play in an orchestra and compose music, stuff like that. But I guess I can always give it a shot and see how it goes.”
“Wow,” she said on a long, exaggerated exhale. “I’m gonna have a famous friend. That’s grand! I’ll get free tickets to all the major events and get to meet famous people and... ouch!”
The slap on the back of her head hadn’t hurt her, but she scowled anyway. He grinned.
“You’re such a great and true friend, Val. I’ve always known that you love me for who I am, not for what I do.”
She chuckled, then she glanced at her watch only to discover her lunch break was over. Time always seemed to fly whenever she was with Ryan. She popped the last bite of her sandwich into her mouth and stood up.
“You have to go?”
She nodded. “I’ll call you later, once I’m finished here, and we can go have a drink somewhere and celebrate the birth of a new music star.”
He handed her the paper bag just before she turned around to leave.
“You haven’t had time for your muffin. Here, you can have it later, if you get bored.”
“Is it—”
“Blueberry muffin, yes. Your very favorite.”
She snatched the bag from his hand and kissed him on a cheek.
“Thanks, you’re a star. Talk to you later.”
With that she left, running across the park to get to class in time, and pushing away the dreadful thoughts of how this would change things between them.
The man from the record company had been right. Soon after the first song aired on the radio, it became a hit. The song went straight to number one in the iTunes charts, and she’d downloaded it and played it over and over again on her MP3 player while she was studying. He’d laughed when she told him it helped her concentrate, but it was the truth. Listening to Ryan playing the piano had always helped her relax. If CDs were perishable goods, the CD he’d given her for her twenty-first birthday would have been long gone, given the amount of times she’d played it.
When the album was released, Ryan gave her the very first copy he’d been given by the record company. He’d gone to her place, and they were sitting on her bed when he took the CD out of his jacket and handed it to her. She looked at it wide-eyed and took it with trembling hands.
“It’s the very first copy. I thought you should have it, since you’re the one person who’s always supported me all these years.”
Tears filled up her eyes and she sniffled like a child, trying to see the cover through the tears.
“Go on, open it. There’s something I want you to read.”
She looked up with a frown, then opened it and removed the booklet. He took it from her hands and flipped through the pages to get to the last one before giving it back to her.
She read all the thank yous, where most of the names belonged to people she knew, and when she reached the final paragraph, she understood what he’d meant.
And last but not least, I would like to thank my very best friend for having faith in me and for all the rainy afternoons we spent together at the Music Club in Dublin, listening to Frank and Dean, while the other kids our age were chilling out in the city and made fun of us because we didn’t know any songs from the pop idols. I haven’t forgotten my promise, my friend. I keep you with me always, together with the good old memories of our teenage years, safely in the bottom of my heart.
She stared at him, but she couldn’t really see him through the tears that had welled up and that she tried to fight back, without success.
“I don’t know what to say...” Her voice cracked as the first tears rolled down her cheeks. Ryan smiled and wiped them away with the tips of his fingers.
“I promised I’d never forget you, didn’t I? And I always keep my promises; you should know that by now.”
She nodded and smiled, staring at the booklet again.
“Thank you. You don’t know what this means to me.”
“You’re very welcome, miss.”
He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and kissed her cheek. They hugged each other in silence but Valerie could hear a voice in her head warning her that all this would soon mark the end of life as they knew it.
Just as she’d predicted, Ryan soon became a huge success throughout the country. He played in most of the major venues, and all the shows were sold out. He’d been interviewed at radio stations, and his songs were often on the radio, at least that was what he’d told her when they’d talked on the phone, since she didn’t have much free time to listen to the radio anymore.
The first time she realized that Ryan was a real celebrity was when she saw his face on the front cover of a magazine a few weeks later. She was on her lunch break, sitting at a table in the park at the hospital where she was working and training. Although it was freezing, she needed to get away every now and then, and it was a nice sunny day, so she’d decided to eat her sandwich in the open air.
She glanced absent-mindedly at the front cover of a magazine that somebody had left on top of a table and nearly choked when she saw a small picture of Ryan. She gasped and grabbed the magazine with both hands, staring at the picture as if she was staring into his eyes for real. His beautiful, familiar smile brought tears to her eyes, and she blinked to get a clearer vision.
Ryan Wyler, the New Jazz Star in bold, yellow letters was underneath the picture on the left-hand side of the cover. For the first time since she’d met him, she noticed how beautiful he was. His dark brown hair looked soft and shiny, and he’d put on a sort of sexy look, which made her think of the I-swear-I-didn’t-do-it look he used to put on when they were younger, whenever he wanted to be forgiven for something he’d done or said.
She flipped through the pages to find the article about him and, when she found it, she stopped to stare at the same picture from the front cover, only full-page size now.
When she could finally tear her eyes away from that picture, she read the article.
Ryan Wyler, the twenty-nine-year-old artist who’s originally from Dublin, Ireland, is just about to end his first promotional tour of the United States. In a little less than a month, he has played in over twenty locations, performing in front of hundreds of fans. The ‘New Jazz Star,’ as The New York Times recently described him, pursued an impeccable career at the Berklee College, graduating with a degree in Jazz Composition as well as Music Education. His last show will be in New York City on February 5th and it’s no doubt going to be another sold-out show.
She closed the magazine, her hands trembling in shock. Ryan was a celebrity. She still found it hard to believe it. She couldn’t picture him playing in sold-out theaters, surrounded by screaming fans, most of which, she was sure, were young girls who’d been fascinated more by his physical appearance than by his jazz music. Actually, that part wasn’t too hard to picture. She’d probably been the one girl who’d been immune to his magnetic charm.
She shook her head and smiled, before taking out a book from her bag and going back to the chapter she would need to know by heart by tomorrow.<
br />
She lost track of time, going through the words over and over again, so when someone tapped her shoulder, she winced, dropping the notepad and pencil. The familiar chuckle that followed made her heart melt, and she whipped her head back to make sure she hadn’t dreamed it.
“Ryan!” she screamed as she flung herself at him. He staggered and steadied himself so as not to crash to the ground, bringing her with him.
“Yeah, I’m back.” he said, squeezing her a bit tighter. “I was sure I’d find you studying somewhere in the university park, you little nerd.”
“I’m so happy to see you, I won’t even bother to react to your silly provocation.” She pulled back and ruffled his hair.
“Hey, I’m a celebrity. Don’t mess with me.”
She let out a genuine laugh like she hadn’t done in a while, probably since he’d left. They sat down on the bench by the table, and he handed her the notepad and pencil that had dropped to the ground, which she quickly put away in her bag.
When she turned to look at him, she noticed dark rings under his eyes, which had never been there before.
“How are you?” she asked, trying to keep the worry out of her tone.
“Tired.” He sighed and leaned back, crossing his hands behind his head. “It was amazing, but I’m happy to be home. It was crazy: I’ve been in twenty cities in a little less than a month.”
“Yeah, I read about it.” She looked up at him with a cheeky grin. “Apparently, you’re The New Jazz Star. Remind me to put down the red carpet next time you come to visit.”
He put an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him, and kissed her head. “I’ve had enough of being treated like a celebrity. Please, let me be just Ryan when I’m with you.”
He stared at the trees in the park, and she thought she’d heard a sad tone in his voice, but didn’t say anything about it.
A Love Melody Page 6