by Tori Fox
He clears his throat before he starts to speak. “Look, I have some not-so-pleasant news. No—”
“He chose her, didn’t he? He gave up on us?” I cut Carson off, dropping the empty mug in my hand and let it shatter on the ground.
Carson hesitates before answering. “No. That’s not it at all. But I need you to—”
“What is going on, Carson?” I yell into the phone.
“If you quit interrupting me, I’ll tell you.” He waits for me to say something but I stay quiet. “Thank you. Now listen. I want you to hear this from me before you hear it from someone else. Noah needs some more time away from you.”
“What?” I shriek. “He’s the one that fucked up. Why does he need space from me?”
Carson sighs into the phone. “He doesn’t need any distractions right now.”
“And I’m a distraction?” My voice growing louder with every word Carson says.
“More or less.”
“Fuck you, Carson Taylor.”
“Anna, listen please. This has nothing to do with you.”
I scoff into the phone. “This has everything to do with me.”
“No, it doesn’t. He needs to figure some things out with Claire. Let some dust settle and I am afraid if you are around, it won’t.”
“He is choosing her?”
Carson sighs again and I know I don’t want to hear any more of what he has to say. “This isn’t a matter of choice, Anna. This all has to do with some legal things that need to be cleared up.”
“You mean like the fact Claire says they are still married?”
I hear him muttering to someone in the background. “Yes. It has everything to do with that.”
“It’s true then? The divorce isn’t real?”
Carson takes a few seconds to respond and I already have my answer. “It’s compli—”
“I’ve heard enough.”
I don’t even say goodbye as I hang up the phone. I am sick of hearing things are complicated.
My phone starts ringing again but I ignore it. I scoop up the broken ceramic from the ground and grab a new mug and pour myself some coffee.
As I walk down the hall to the practice room, my phone keeps ringing so I turn it off. I do not want to deal with any of the Taylor brothers right now. My heart is cracking.
How could Noah do this to me? How could he just take that woman that shattered his heart years ago back into his life? Did he never stop loving her? Was our love a joke? And he doesn’t even have the balls to call me, to tell me to my face this is over.
I slam the door behind me and collapse on to the couch. I press my palms to my eyes to keep the tears from falling. But it doesn’t work. I fold over into the crease of the couch blocking out the world.
I don’t know how long I cry or when I fell asleep, the exhaustion from the past week and what happened with Noah taking over.
I feel a hand on my shoulder and roll over. Cole Farmer, the twenty-year-old up-and-comer, is sitting next to me. “You okay, Anna May?”
I wipe away any tears around my eyes as I sit up. “Um yeah, I just fell asleep. Tired is all.”
His brow drops forward as he squints at me with whiskey-colored eyes that look almost gold. This kid is going to be a heartthrob. “I was sittin’ in the corner when you walked in. You were cryin’,” he says with his strong southern twang.
“Allergies,” I mumble as I get up off the couch but Cole pulls me back down.
“I might be young but I know when things ain’t right, Anna May. You been cryin’. I know those were tears. And I know I’m young. But I’ve seen my mama go through a fair share of broken hearts. You can talk to me.”
I sigh as I lean back into the couch. A thousand emotions are running through me and I really do wish I had someone to talk to. But the only people I have are back in Asheville and I don’t want to turn my phone on.
I look over at Cole, his skin bronzed from his time working on a farm back in Texas, his jaw square and little hairs are trying to make their way across it. He may be young but he has a heart of gold. And from the look in his molten eyes, I can tell he has seen a lot in his twenty years.
“Why has your mom had so many broken hearts?” I ask, keeping the subject off me.
He smirks and a dimple pops out on his left cheek. “Ever since Pa died when I was little, Mama spent a lot of her time tryin’ to find a love like his. Hasn’t worked out too well.”
“Why not?” I ask.
Cole shrugs. “Her and Pa were best friends since they were five years old. They became high school sweethearts, married right after graduation. I was born a year later. They were your picturesque small-town love.” He pauses, gripping his knees. “When he died, a big part of Mama died too. But she is so young and she just needed that kind of love in her life. She loves too hard. The men she loves are just with her for her looks.”
His face grows sad as he speaks and I grab one of his hands. “I’m sure she will find someone one day.”
He looks at me and smiles a sad smile. “I hope so.” He leans back into the armrest of the couch so he is looking right at me, my hand still in his. “Who made you cry?”
I grab the necklace around my neck out of instinct. I’ve grabbed it more times than I can count.
“Let me guess,” Cole says. “Whoever gave you that necklace.”
“It’s complicated.” I snort, realizing I just gave the same answer I’ve been given by Noah and Carson.
“Love usually is.”
I think Cole’s words over. Maybe he is right. Love is complicated. It’s not easy. Love is a messy thing. It’s the explosion of a champagne bottle that wasn’t settled enough. It’s your dog that rolls in the mud and shakes it everywhere. Love is messy and hard and complicated.
“You should write about it,” Cole says as he nudges my knee with his.
I shrug. “Too soon. The wound too fresh.”
“That’s the best time to write. Let it pour out of you. Let your heart bleed onto the page.”
I bite my lip. My head is as messy as my heart. How am I supposed to find the right words?
“I’ll help you.”
I look over at Cole and see a flash of sadness in his eyes. Maybe he’s been hurt too. He might be young but he’s from a small town. He might just understand more than I think he does.
“Okay.”
That infectious smile of his takes over his face, his dimples popping out. He swipes his hand through his blond hair before standing up and reaching his hand out for me. “Come with me. I found the perfect place to write here.”
I grab my guitar as he pulls me out of the room and through an emergency exit door. “Where the hell are you taking me?”
He looks over his shoulder and winks. “You’ll see.”
We climb four sets of stairs before we exit onto the sixth floor of the building. He drags me to a set of elevators and hits the up button. I look around and see that we are on one of the business floors of the high rise we are in. The studio takes up half of the second floor. The bottom floor is restaurants and reception. The four floors between the studio and the businesses are a parking garage.
The elevator dings open just as someone starts to walk toward us yelling. I look at the rotund man, his face turning red as he tries to make it to the elevator. He is wearing a security uniform, his shirt buttons popping at his round center.
“Come on,” Cole shouts, pulling me hard into the elevator just before the door shuts.
“Let me guess, we weren’t supposed to be on that floor?” I ask as I tuck my hair behind my ear and set my guitar against the wall.
A goofy grin takes over his face as he smiles. “Nope,” he says with a pop.
I look over at the elevator buttons and see he hit the button for the top floor. I raise a brow at him and he chuckles.
“I was hanging out in the stairwell last week and someone left the floor, I assume to go smoke in the garage. I slid through the door and took the elevator to the top.
Once I found the place we are going I knew I needed to come back.” He grins at me. “I waited for the smoker again and taped the lock on the door. No one has noticed.”
I laugh just as the doors open to the top floor. I follow Cole out the elevator and to a door marked emergency exit. I have no idea where he is taking me as we climb another set of stairs that leads straight to another door.
“Ladies first,” he says as he gestures to the door.
I look at him curiously but my curiosity gets the best of me and I open the door.
We are on the roof that overlooks the city of Nashville. I swear I can see miles away. I walk to the edge and peer down, Broadway booming a few streets over.
I start to walk around the entrance block to the nook where Cole is standing with a smile on his face. On the other side is a garden full of plants, a lush oasis in the middle of the city. I walk through the rows of greenery, my fingers brushing over the softness of the leaves and flowers. I can see a few garden beds with fresh fruits and vegetables growing.
When I come out on the other side a few couches are set up with lights hanging around it as well as a guitar and a notebook. I feel Cole approach behind me. “What is this place?”
“I found it randomly. I was having a day when I found this place. I was looking for an escape and made it to the roof. I’ve been up here every day since.”
I turn to face him. “Who’s is it?”
His face flushes a little and I laugh as I see him get shy. “One of the restaurants downstairs. The chef has her own garden up here. Farm to table idea.”
“She caught you?” I guess.
“I scared the shit outta her.” He grabs the back of his neck and laughs. “But I remind her of her grandson so she let me stay up here. She even comes up here sometimes to listen to me play.”
I look around and take in the space up here. It’s beautiful. It reminds me of Asheville. The lush greenery bringing a sense of calm to my otherwise fucked-up life.
I take a seat on one of the couches, laying my guitar next to me. I close my eyes as I lean back, finding my center like I do in yoga. I breathe in and out, letting go of everything that happened earlier in the day.
When I finally open my eyes back up, Cole is looking at me.
“You alright?”
I nod. It’s true, I do feel better. The open air, the plants, the calmness, it all feels better than being cooped up in the studio. “Shall we write some songs?”
Cole smiles at me as he sits across from me, picking up his guitar. “Let’s do it.”
I sit in the corner of a bar in a dive and sip on a gin and tonic. Cole got an opportunity to play here at the last minute so Austin and I decided to come here and watch. No doubt in my mind things will move quickly for him. He is talented and a heartthrob.
We ended up spending hours last week writing songs on the roof of the building. Austin was blown away by what we wrote and kept both of us in Nashville longer. Cole has become such a good friend and an amazing songwriting partner. There is a spark between us when it comes to music and I hope we can write more together in the future.
I am heading home to Asheville tomorrow. And I am not sure what I am going home to. Noah called me a few days ago, the first time I heard from him in over a week. But I was too scared to answer the phone. I didn’t want to lose the magic I was feeling with my work.
He didn’t leave a message. And I am not sure if that is a good or bad thing.
“You sure you want to leave this place?” Austin asks me, shaking me from my thoughts.
This isn’t the first time he asked me either. And even though my heart is broken and I have no idea what is going on with Noah, Asheville still feels like home. I pick at the hole in my jeans. “Yes. But that doesn’t mean I don’t love it here.”
Austin nods as he sips on his beer. “You could make a lot of money here if you stayed.”
I look up at him. “I can make a lot of money anywhere. I just write the songs, Austin.”
“The labels and producers want you here.”
“And I can come back when I am needed.”
Austin places his hand on my knee. “Are you going to be okay?”
I haven’t told him much. He has figured it out from my songs. “I’ll figure it out.”
He nods and takes his hand away. “You always know—”
“I can stay with you if I need to.” I finish the sentence for him. He’s told me that ten times in the last week.
“Ash likes you a lot.”
I smile at that. His wife is adorable and amazing. The few days this week I stayed with them in their guest house she was a joy to be around. She always made sure I had food to eat and the quiet I needed to work. Their three kids are a bit rambunctious and liked to watch me play.
“I like her too. She is an amazing mom.”
“She’s a good wife.”
“She is.”
He flags down the bartender to order another round of drinks. “Don’t let the bad times ruin your spirit, Anna. You have so much to give to the world.”
24
Anna
I think I have bitten my entire lip off as I drove home today. I talked to Noah for the first time last night in almost three weeks. I came back from Cole’s show a bit tipsy and the anxiety of what I was walking into today weighed heavily on me.
We both cried when I talked to him. I didn’t realize how much I missed his voice. We were both a blubbering mess of apologies and proclamations of love.
But he told me something that has had me anxious all day.
Claire is living in our house.
He didn’t want to go into the details and I’m not sure I wanted to hear them.
I still am not sure.
I hung up after he told me. I didn’t know what to think.
I couldn’t sleep last night so I left early this morning. I said a quick goodbye to Austin and Ashley thanking them for their hospitality before heading back home.
I pull into our driveway a little before eleven and relax when I see Noah’s SUV is here. I know this is his weekend on call and I did not want to walk into our home with him gone and Claire knitting on the couch.
I look in the rearview mirror and try to fix my hair. I didn’t brush it this morning in my haste to leave and it looks like a mess. I swipe lip balm over my chewed lip and take a deep breath before heading into the house.
I walk across the path to the front of the house and climb the steps. My fingers shake as I grab the door handle. I don’t know what I am going to see. I can only hope that the words we shared from the beginning of our conversation last night ring true.
The house is quiet as I walk through the front door. No sign of Noah, Claire, or Brutus. I look around and everything looks the same. No signs she is moving in and taking over. I walk past the guest room as I walk toward the kitchen. The door is open and it’s clear someone is staying in there and I breathe a sigh of relief. All the flashbacks I was having of Kyle and Becca flutter away, knowing that Noah made her stay in the guest room.
I hear noise coming from the basement so I head to the door. When I try to grab the handle, it’s locked. Noah never locks the door when he is down there. I start to panic a bit as an image of Noah and Claire together downstairs flashes across my mind. I put my ear to the door but the only sound I hear is Noah’s grunts and the creak of the weight machine.
Brutus starts scratching at the door. He must have heard me walking around. I hear Noah tell him to calm down as I hear his steps as he walks up the stairs.
“Claire, I told you not to bother me when I’m working out.” His mumbled words come through the door.
He opens the door and I stumble backward. My eyes going straight to his sweat slicked chest. I follow a drop of sweat as it drips down the center of his shirtless body, running down the ridges of his abs before hitting the edge of his shorts.
I look back up at Noah and meet his stare. His look of surprise quickly turns ravenous. Lust and need beating out
of those sapphire eyes I’ve missed so much.
Words aren’t needed as we crash into each other. A tangle of limbs and teeth. My mouth adhering to his in the most needed kiss of all time. He hefts me up, pulling my legs around his hips as he tries to carry me toward our bedroom.
Brutus yips and barks at his feet, no doubt wanting to say hello to me too. But I can’t pull myself away from this man.
Noah presses me into the wall in the hallway, his lips going to my neck and ear, whispering a million I’m sorrys and I love yous all at once. I feel his stiff shaft against my stomach as I tell him it’s okay and I love you and I’m sorry.
I grind down on his hips and he growls in my ear. He pulls me away from the wall as I pull my shirt over my head.
“Fuck, Anna, I need you right now,” he says as he bites on my lip.
“Take me, Noah. I’m yours.”
“I need to get you upstairs,” he grunts as he pauses on the steps, pushing me back into the wall as he fumbles with the button on my jeans.
I grip his neck, kissing him hard before I push him off me. He stares at me as I unhook my bra, my full breasts teasing him as my nipples harden. I slowly walk up the stairs, swaying my hips as I go. I look over my shoulder and he is watching me with a predatory grin. I smirk at him as I get to the top of the stairs and slowly peel my pants and thong down. I kick them to the side and turn to look at him but he’s already on me, pushing me toward the bed.
He shuts the door and locks it and then strips his own shorts and briefs off. His cock his hard as he strokes it while staring at me. I bite my lip as I scoot back on the bed, spreading my legs for him.
He growls and is on top of me in a split second. His lips kiss me hard. Our kiss needy and wild. My hands grip his neck as his grip my thighs pushing them open. He slides into me with such force I nearly lose my breath.
But this is what we need. A mess of tongues, teeth, limbs, and love.
Grinding and moaning as we give each other what we desire.
An apology in the dirtiest sense as I let him own my body.
