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Songs of the Heart: Lyrical Odyssey Rock Star Series Book 3

Page 23

by B. Rose, Charli


  I swallowed down the lump of emotion in my throat. Izzy laid her hand in mine, lacing our fingers together. She didn’t try to fill the silence. We’d known each other long enough that she knew I wasn’t done, but I needed a minute.

  ♪ Gravity by John Mayer

  Drawing in a deep breath, I continued, “When you changed your number, I convinced myself that you’d read the writing on the wall. That all the crap that comes with being with me was just too much to deal with. If all those doubts hadn’t been quietly nagging my mind for months, I probably wouldn’t have let go so easily. I am sorrier than I can ever express that I didn’t fight harder. I really am.”

  Izzy eased herself across my lap and took my face in her hands. “Dawson, you are not your father. There is not an unfaithful cell in your body. Hell, even after we were over, your heart forced you to remain faithful to our love. That has to convince you that you are nothing like your dad in that category.”

  “Maybe…” I said unsure.

  “Not maybe. Definitely,” she said vehemently. “I know in my heart that you’d never cheat. That was never part of my insecurities. I was always worried you’d realize just how many better women there were out there for you. Prettier, richer, more connected. I couldn’t understand why you’d choose to stay with me,” she admitted.

  “There’s never been anyone who owned me like you do. I was yours long before we took the plunge. And I’ll always be yours. Even…” I didn’t have the strength to say what I needed to say.

  “Even what?”

  “Even if you really would be better off with someone else. Someone who can worship you every day, not have to leave you. Someone who won’t put you at risk. Someone who can give you everything you deserve. Someone like Beckett,” my voice was whisper soft and laced with pain.

  She shook her head. “My heart would never be better off with someone else. The only person I want is you. Only ever you. Eventually you’re going to believe that. Until then, I’ll wait,” she said simply as she pressed her lips to mine.

  ♪ I’ll Never Love Again by Lady Gaga

  All the hurt, pain, heartache, hope, love and lust flavored the kiss, turning it hungry. Greedy.

  We were both panting by the time we separated. “No strenuous activity,” I reminded her as I reached for the remote.

  “Pretty sure coming is relaxing, not strenuous. And not coming is very strenuous,” she quipped back at me.

  “That may be, but I’m not risking your health by indulging either of us at the moment. Now pick a movie.” I handed the remote over to her.

  “Oooh,” she said as the TV screen filled with the Hollywood incarnations of Edward and Bella.

  Before she could press the button, I said, “Nuh-uh. Veto.”

  “What?” she screeched. “You watched Twilight with me when we were younger.”

  “I am very certain that arguing with you about why Jacob was the better choice for Bella would not keep your blood pressure low. Pick something else.” I shook my head.

  “Fine,” she huffed. “How about The Princess Bride?”

  “As you wish,” I said with a grin.

  She started the movie and sank into my embrace.

  * * *

  We spent the whole day watching movies and kissing like a couple of teenagers who couldn’t get enough of each other. It was a perfect day, just like the previous two. But our time was running out. In just an hour, I’d be bidding her goodbye with no concrete idea of when I’d see her again.

  As the credits rolled on Forever My Girl, Izzy got very quiet.

  “Everything OK, flutterby? Should you have taken a nap instead of watching that last movie?” I asked.

  “No. I just know you have to leave soon. And I’m not ready.” She squeezed me to her.

  “Me either, baby. But we’ll talk as soon as I land. And every day until we’re back in the same place again.” I ran my thumb across her lower lip.

  “When will that be?” she prodded.

  “I don’t know. The weekend of your show is our fan concert in Ohio. Then the following weekend is our concert in LA. Then there are a couple of meetings I can’t miss. So, I can fly back like four weekends from now.”

  “Sounds like forever,” she observed quietly.

  “Not as long as two years,” I countered.

  She smiled up at me. “You’re right.”

  “Hey, there’s something I need to talk to you about before I have to leave.” It was time to tell her.

  “Sounds ominous,” she joked.

  “It is serious. I didn’t tell you earlier because I didn’t want to ruin our last day together. But the message that woke us up this morning was Rayne, the girl the band hired to handle fan correspondence. Anyway, she got my mail late last night and there was a letter in it from the woman who’s been stalking me. It was dated over a week ago.” I dragged my fingers up and down her back, soothing both of us.

  “OK.”

  “She called you by name and pretty much said that she was going to let you know that I was hers,” I explained, my blood boiling just thinking about it.

  “It’s not a stretch that anyone who’s been obsessed with you for as long as this person seems to have been would know my name. I’ve been in your life for a long time. And though our full relationship may have been hidden, our friendship never was,” Izzy reasoned.

  “Don’t you see? If the letter hadn’t gotten lost in the mail, we’d have been warned that she was coming here. We’d have been prepared. Your art probably wouldn’t have been damaged, and you wouldn’t have gotten hurt,” I had to force my tone to not sound as rage-filled as I felt.

  “I’m OK. A little banged up, but I’m going to be fine. Don’t let her win. If she steals the joy from us starting to reconnect, then she wins.” She brushed her fingers along my jaw.

  “I’ll try to not worry so much. But the thing that’s really going to help with that is me leaving Deke here to look after you until this nutjob is caught,” I said.

  Izzy drew in a deep breath. I fully expected her to launch into an argument.

  “If you think it’s necessary and it will make you feel better, I’m cool with it,” she agreed.

  “You’re not going to argue? You were so resistant to having security after everything went down a couple years ago.” I shouldn’t question this miraculous turn of events, but I couldn’t help it.

  “I know. And I’m not fond of having a shadow, but I love you and I don’t want you to worry about me.” She shrugged and kissed my jaw.

  Relief flooded through me. I pulled her tightly against me. “I’ll introduce you to Deke when Joe comes to pick me up.”

  Chapter 17

  Izzy

  Today was the day. Finally. I was a mess of giddiness and nerves.

  After saying goodbye to Dawson days ago, I poured myself into finishing my focal piece. Reuniting with him, even unofficially, loosened something in my soul that had been bound for years. The creativity poured out of me. The days flowed into each other and now, the day of my art exhibit had arrived.

  Charles closed the gallery yesterday, so we could set everything up. After spending the whole day moving, shifting and rearranging, I was finally satisfied with how everything looked. Then with Charles’s help, everything that was available for purchase was labeled with a price.

  I smiled as I recalled how everything looked when we were done. But the joy was short lived.

  I flew out of bed and dashed into my closet. I'd been so consumed with finishing my focal piece that I'd overlooked a key detail—I didn't have anything to wear.

  Clad in my pajamas, I destroyed my closet, searching for anything suitable. I didn't have time to go shopping. Tears blurred my vision.

  How could I have forgotten something so important? This was my first chance to really be seen as an artist. I had to make a good first impression.

  Before I could fall into despair, my phone started to ring with Dawson's ringtone. A smile settled on my lips as so
on as I answered. No matter what was going wrong in my day, he always made it better just by being him.

  "Hey, flutterby," he greeted when his handsome face filled the screen.

  Hastily, I left the destruction zone that was my closet, so he couldn’t see it.

  "Hey," I answered as I sank onto the foot of my bed. "What are you doing up already?"

  "I set my alarm, so I could be the first one to talk to you on your big day. I am the first, right? I told Deke not to come up until he heard from me," he rambled.

  "You're the first," I assured him. "Thank goodness."

  "Why thank goodness?" He was instantly alert.

  "Because I'm a wreck and don't want anyone else to see me until I manage to pull myself together," I half-joked.

  "Take that back right now. You are not a wreck. Why do you think you are?" he scolded.

  "Because I got so wrapped up in finishing the pieces for the show that I forgot to—"

  "Get a dress," he finished for me.

  My mouth fell open in surprise. "How did you know?"

  "Really? How long have I known you? I've seen you get so wrapped up in creating that you forgot to eat, forgot what day it was, forgot to put on shoes to go to school... do I need to continue?" He smirked at me.

  "No, I get your point. I was just digging through my closet, praying I’d forgotten that I owned something spectacular."

  "Do you?" he asked, his eyebrows lifting.

  "Not so far," I said with a laugh.

  Knock, knock.

  I frowned. "Someone's knocking on my door. I thought you told Deke to wait?" I said.

  "I did. Maybe whoever it is has the wrong apartment. Or maybe it's your parents?" he suggested.

  "Nah. They're coming straight to the show tonight," I said as I tugged on my fluffy robe.

  "Check the peephole before you answer that door," he said sternly.

  "Yes, sir." I saluted him as I walked down the hall.

  "Who is it?" I asked when I got to the door. I wasn't overly concerned. Deke was downstairs, standing guard, and the doorman wouldn't let people in to see me without Deke's approval.

  "Delivery for Izzy," a vaguely familiar voice said from the other side.

  I glanced down at the screen of my phone. "What did you do?" I asked the hot guy grinning like a loon at me.

  "I hate that I can't be there with you for your big day. But I wanted you to know I'm there with you in spirit. Now open the door," he commanded.

  After turning the lock, I threw open the door. Tansy and Mireille burst in. Tansy had a vase full of kaleidoscope roses, and Mireille had her hands full of other stuff.

  I was speechless. Once again tears distorted my vision. Tansy thrust the vase at me. "Take these to your room, so you can admire them later and say goodbye to lover boy. We've got work to do."

  She leaned around me, so her face was visible to Dawson. "You've got five minutes, mister. Then you tell her goodbye, so we can do what you sent us here to do."

  "Yes, ma'am. And thanks, ladies, I owe you," he said.

  "You're always owing us something," Mireille said from the other side of the room.

  I giggled as Tansy pushed me towards the hallway. Once I was safely behind my bedroom door, I set the vase down on my nightstand. My finger gently touched each bloom.

  "There are twenty-one," he said before I could count them.

  "You haven't known me twenty-one years yet," I quipped.

  "Nope. Not for three more months. But I figure, I already know I'm going to love you next year too, so may as well go ahead and celebrate it." He winked at me.

  "So, spill. What are Tansy and Mireille doing here?" I cocked my head at him.

  "They're here to help you get ready for tonight. The works. And I sent a dress." His eyes sparkled with mischief.

  "When did you line all this up?" I asked in amazement.

  "When I was there taking care of you, I noticed you didn't have any new dress bags hanging in your closet. And I know you. I figured you'd lose track of time and be scrambling today. So, I went shopping with Tansy to get you a dress and then arranged for them to fly to you. I hope that's OK?"

  He looked a little worried that he'd overstepped. The boundaries still weren't clearly defined as our relationship hadn't been officially determined beyond friends again.

  “It’s perfect. Thank you,” my voice warbled with emotion as I answered him.

  “I hope you love the dress,” he said, staring at me.

  “No one knows me better than you, so I’m sure I will love it.” And I was.

  “Make sure you take a pic to send me before you go,” he ordered.

  “It’s like the eighth-grade formal all over again,” I teased.

  “Yep, even sent you flowers.” He winked. “I really am sorry I won’t be there.” Regret was painted all over his features.

  I waved off his apology. “Stop apologizing. You had the concert planned for your hometown fans before you even knew about my show. I’d never ask you to sacrifice your dreams for mine.”

  “I know. I just hate to miss your moment of greatness. I have a feeling this show will change everything for you. Your talent will finally gain some recognition.” His belief in me knew no bounds.

  “Maybe. You don’t know that for sure.” I refused to hope for much other than getting the experience of organizing a show.

  “I do know that for sure. And I am so damn proud of you,” he said fiercely.

  ♪ I Miss You Boyz II Men

  I smiled shyly at him. “I miss your face.”

  “I miss yours too, flutterby. And I love you.”

  “I love you too, Daw. And remember, I’m a patient woman,” I said, turning his words from the past back on him.

  He chuckled. “I know you are. I appreciate it. And I’m so sorry that I can’t give you more right now.” He looked so distraught.

  “I know. Now that you’re back in my life, we have time. We’re connected. Forever,” I vowed to him.

  “The red thread,” he whispered.

  I glanced down at the friendship bracelet tied back around my wrist.

  “You got it.” Smiling, I brushed my finger across the screen, wishing I could feel his skin beneath mine. “Have there been any more letters?” I asked changing the subject.

  “No,” he said in an agitated tone.

  “Maybe she’s done,” I offered. There’d been no word from his stalker since the night of his concert here and my accident—except for the delayed delivery to his house.

  “Maybe,” he agreed, but he didn’t sound so sure.

  Before I could talk about it more, Tansy shouted down the hallway, “Five minutes are up.”

  “Be right out,” I shouted back.

  Turning back to my phone, I said, “Guess I better go.”

  “Yeah. I’ll try to call you later. But in case I miss you, because I know you’re going to be in your own world as the day goes on, I love you.”

  “I love you too. Just two more weeks before you’re back,” I reminded him.

  “I’m counting the minutes.” He blew me a kiss and disconnected.

  Tansy’s entrance into my room prevented me from slipping into the rabbit hole of yearning to be reunited with the other half of my heart.

  “Get dressed,” she ordered. “You’ve got an appointment in forty-five minutes.”

  “I haven’t even showered yet,” I protested.

  “You’d better get to it then. Don’t worry about doing your hair. That’s on the agenda.” She turned on her heel and walked out.

  * * *

  After I’d had a facial, a manicure, a pedicure and a massage, the girls led me to an upscale hair salon.

  As we waited for a stylist to call me back, I turned to Mireille. “So, I’m guessing since you’ve seen my dress, you have an idea about what should be done to my hair?”

  “Of course.” She dug in her massive bag and produced a couple of photos. “So, I was thinking you could wear it up like this,�
� she said showing me a photo.

  “I like that. Cute and classy with a hint of sexy,” I said.

  “And I was thinking this too,” she said showing me the next image.

  “That’s perfect. Let’s do it,” I said excitedly.

  * * *

  The rest of the day passed in a whirlwind. Before I knew it, the time had come to call Dawson and head out. Tansy and Mireille were waiting in my living room with Deke.

  Standing in front of the long mirror, I snapped a selfie and sent it to Dawson. My phone lit up in my hand as he called me instantly.

  “Hey, you,” I said as he filled the screen.

  “So, what did you think of the dress?” he asked anxiously.

  I glanced at myself in the mirror admiring the strapless gown he’d picked out for me. The top was black, and a ring of jewels circled the high waistline just beneath the bustline. The black from the top bled down into the skirt to mingle with streaks of pink, purple and orange, like a watercolor painting.

  “I love it. You picked the perfect dress.” He knew me better than anyone.

  The smile on his lips took over his whole face. “You look like a work of art. People are going to be so enamored with you, they aren’t going to be able to focus on your work.”

 

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