“It’s the classic ‘glow-up,’” Zander declares.
“Indeed. Even my mom has noticed.”
“What?” I shout, astonished.
“Yup,” Keane says. “Momma Lou said so last year at your show in Seattle. She said ‘Fish is so handsome these days, isn’t he?’” Laughing, he ruffles my hair. “Listen, baby doll. Alessandra’s not going to reject you. Fuck all those girls who used to be mean to you, back in the day. Every one of them would give their right ovary to get with you now.”
“But I don’t want someone who only wants me now! That’s the point.”
Zander pats my shoulder. “Aw, buck up, little rock star. The night isn’t over. You’ve still got plenty of time to swoop in and give Alessandra the kiss of a lifetime. Pull yourself together and give that girl an amazing memory, Fish Filet.”
I take a deep breath and nod. “Thanks. I needed that.” I take another breath. “I’ll give Alessandra a few more minutes to charm the hell out of Reed, and then, I’ll pull her into another quiet corner and give her the kiss of a lifetime.”
“Attaboy,” Zander says.
“Make her swoon with those sexy fish lips of yours, baby!” Keane shouts, making all of us laugh.
We head into the house and discover Dax, Violet, Maddy, and Aloha near one of the bars. So, of course, Keane and Zander launch into telling everyone the story of how they just intruded upon Alessandra and me. Which, in the end, only results in me being universally chastised for dragging my feet, rather than Keane and Zander being called out for cockblocking me.
“Yeah, yeah,” I say. “Bonnie and Clyde already ripped me a new one for my total lack of game. No need to pile on.” I flap my lips together. “Maybe, in addition to everything else, I’ve been holding back because I’m subconsciously protecting my heart from going all in. Alessandra is heading back to Boston on Monday. So, really, what would be the point of me kissing her tonight, and then falling hard? I’ll never see her again after tonight.”
Violet rolls her eyes. “If you’ve only got one night with her, then isn’t that all the more reason to make it a memorable one?”
“Plus, you never know,” Maddy says. “A lot can happen on video chat.”
Keane hands me a double tequila shot, and I throw it back.
“You know what?” I say. “You’re right. I’m gonna go back out there and give that girl a night to remember . . .” I look at my watch. “In approximately three minutes. I want to give her enough time to charm Reed. Hopefully, he’s listening to one of her songs, even as we speak.”
“Are her songs any good?” Aloha asks.
“I haven’t heard any of them yet. But Berklee doesn’t let in hacks. If her music reflects half the sweetness and understated star quality I’ve seen from her tonight, then it’s pure gold.”
Maddy pulls out her phone. “Let’s give her a listen. What’s her last name?”
“Tennison.”
Maddy taps on her phone for a brief moment. “Found her on Instagram. She’s got several videos where she’s holding a guitar.” She looks at the group. “Does anyone have some earbuds?”
Dax shoves a pair at me. And, two seconds later, I’m listening to the musical stylings of one Alessandra Tennison. Not surprisingly, she’s every bit as talented as I knew she’d be.
“Her voice is exactly how I imagined it’d be—only better,” I gush. “Sweet and breathy with kind of jazzy inflections. Wow.” I pause to listen again, butterflies ravaging my belly at the sound of her loveliness. “She sounds a lot like Laila, only sweeter. Without the edge. She’s really good, guys.”
I pass the phone and earbuds to Dax, who listens and passes them along. Until, finally, our entire group has listened and agreed that Alessandra is fantastically talented and uniquely adorable.
“I knew she’d be crazy talented,” I say excitedly. “She said she struggles with stage fright, so, I figured, if Berklee let her in with that going against her, she must have blown them away in terms of raw talent.”
“Yup,” Dax agrees. “A person can improve their performance skills, but you can’t teach raw talent.”
“You either have it, or you don’t,” Aloha agrees.
I nod. “And Alessandra’s got it in spades.” My heart racing, I look at my watch and jolt with excitement when I realize enough time has passed. “Okay, guys. I’m going back in. Wish me luck.”
“Wait!” Keane says.
He hands me another double shot, which I throw back with gusto.
“Thanks, man.”
“Go get your girl,” Keane says, patting my back like a coach sending in his star quarterback.
“Roger,” I say.
“Rabbit,” Keane replies.
And then, as my friends cheer me on, I grab two bottles of water and lope toward the double doors, determined to sweep the talented and adorable Alessandra Tennison off her gorgeous feet.
Ten
Fish
As I approach the dark corner where I left Alessandra with Reed, I find the big boss sitting alone on a bench with Alessandra nowhere to be found.