“I love you, Sos, and I honestly don’t know what’s going to happen, but I do know I’m going to follow my gut and see where it goes.”
“I love you too, Gav,” she says softly as she wrings her hands on the steering wheel. “And I’m sorry, but I’ll always be protective of you. You’re like my hero. You really saved my life.” My throat gets tight at her words, but I ignore it and smile at her. “And it’s because I love you that I’m asking you to go slow with this girl. Maybe just talk to her on the phone for a week, and if that goes good, then plan a date?” She looks at me with worry-filled eyes.
“I can do that.” Maybe going slow and talking over the phone first will give me the chance to actually get to know her before we spend any time together.
When we get to the front of my apartment complex, I tell Sosie to take tomorrow off, since my workday will consist of writing songs for other people and hours in the studio. I tell her goodbye then go inside and take the elevator up to the fourteenth floor.
Ten minutes later, I’m pacing the floors of my apartment, questioning whether or not I should call Aly. It’s 12:30 in the morning and Aly hasn’t replied to my text. On the rest of the car ride home, Sosie filled me in on the information she learned about Aly, which was that she worked for Big Little Music in the A&R department as an assistant. Most people are sleeping at this hour, but when you work in the music business, there are lots of late nights, and oftentimes, that includes partying. If she’s a party girl, then whatever I’m feeling will fizzle quickly.
Is that why she hasn’t returned my texts? Is she out partying?
Curiosity and jealousy start eating at me as images of her hanging out with other men fill my mind.
“Fuck it, I’m calling her,” I say out loud, grabbing my phone from my back pocket and dialing her number. She picks up after the second ring, and I expect to hear loud music and talking, but instead, I’m greeted with complete silence.
“Hello?” I say into the phone, but still no response. “Aly?”
“Hi,” she barely whispers, and guilt floods through me for waking her up.
“Were you sleeping?” What a fucking stupid question that is, Captain Obvious! I shake my head at myself, not believing that here I am, an award-winning songwriter, and I can’t even think of something normal to say to this girl.
“Uh-huh,” she responds back in an almost childlike voice that has me chuckling at how adorable she sounds.
“Darlin’, I’m sorry to wake you. I just wanted to keep my promise and call you back. I should’ve waited until tomorrow. Can I make it up to you by buying you breakfast in the morning?” Shit, so much for taking Sosie’s advice on taking it slow and talking to her for a week first.
“Mmm-hmm,” she mumbles, making me wonder if her short answers might mean she’s still asleep.
“Why don’t we meet at Star Bagel at eight. Do you know where that is?” I question, thinking that it should be close enough to her job on Music Row that she won’t be late for work.
“Uh-huh,” she says softly, and I make a mental note to set my alarm thirty minutes early so I can send her a text to remind her about meeting me.
“Sleep tight, darlin’, and I’ll see you in the morning.” With nothing but silence greeting me, I laugh at her lack of response and hang up the phone. I get ready for bed, but the adrenaline coursing through me makes me feel restless. The thought of seeing her again keeps me wide awake and soon, words and sentences start filling my head. With the vision of Aly’s gorgeous face on repeat in my brain, I grab my laptop and start putting lyrics together for a new song, one filled with hope and the thought that love might really exist.
Chapter Six
ALY
I SMACK THE snooze button on my alarm, groaning at the thought of having to get out of my warm, cozy bed. Today is going to be one of those days I’ll be sitting front row on the struggle bus due to lack of sleep. I tossed and turned for most of the night, and for those few hours I did sleep, Gavin occupied my dreams in the most vivid ways.
I shuffle slowly into my kitchen, and I’m barely conscious as I go through my morning routine of starting a pot of coffee and feeding Apollo. Once my fat cat is fed, I get a bowl out of the cupboard for myself and dump way too much cereal in it. I add milk till it hits the brim of the bowl then lean over to sip some off the edge so it doesn’t spill when I pick it up. Once the coffee is brewed and poured, I bring my coffee and cereal over to the table, sit down, and start to eat. Just when I’m starting to feel somewhat coherent, my phone dings, alerting me to a text message. I shovel a spoonful of cereal into my mouth before grabbing my phone.