by Haley Travis
“Bigger than the venues you’ll be playing by next year?” I giggled.
“Yes. Bigger than the continent.”
“Well,” I said, trailing my fingertips around his ear, “That’s getting a little abstract.” Swallowing hard, I took a breath before whispering, “I have huge feelings for you as well.”
“Good.”
Curling up in his arms and disappearing into sleep was so comfortable. Maybe my body knew how to behave around the right guy, even if the rest of me didn’t.
8
_____
Ethan
My sleep had been a bit messed up from the stress of the upcoming show, but with Corina in my arms, I was out like a light and slept like a baby.
As I slowly woke up, I could feel her thigh against mine, her fingers on my shoulder as she cuddled against me. Without a doubt, I was the luckiest nerd in the world.
But in order to keep this incredible woman, I was going to have to treat her like the princess she was.
Kissing her forehead, I carefully rolled out of bed. After I threw on a pair of shorts, I went into the kitchen to put on coffee and start breakfast.
As soon as everything was underway, I opened my laptop on the kitchen table to read my emails and check my social media accounts. There were a ton of messages to go through, and I barely got through a tenth of them before I heard a little voice.
“Hey,” Corina said softly, coming into the room fully dressed with her hair brushed.
“Hey, gorgeous. You look far too put together already.”
I went over to give her a soft, dreamy kiss, then pulled out the chair beside mine for her. “How do you take your coffee?”
She sniffed the air delicately. “I usually drink tea, actually, but that smells really good. Just a bit of milk, please.”
I fixed her coffee and sat it in front of her, as she glanced at my laptop.
“What’s your favorite tea?” I asked. “I’ll keep some here for you.”
I didn’t think she heard me, as her eyes darted across the screen. “What are all these messages?” she asked.
I shook my head. “It’s crazy, I’m only on two social media platforms, but I get hundreds of messages a day. I just skim them and delete them, mostly.”
“It looks like they’re mainly from women.”
“Yes, mostly.” This was an awkward part of my life, and I hoped that it wouldn’t freak her out. “Although I did get a proposition from a very charming man on the other side of the country who wanted me to perform a very private concert for him, if you know what I mean.”
Her eyes jumped away from the computer. “I’m sorry, this isn’t my business.”
“I’ll never hide anything from you,” I said, turning the laptop toward her. “If you want to read anything, go ahead. A lot of messages are people talking about how they love the music, or how a certain song touched them in a special way. Or maybe they’re using a song as a first dance at their wedding, or whatever.”
Corina looked at me very seriously. “What else?”
I set down my coffee and slipped into the chair beside her.
“There are a lot of desperate women in the world, I guess,” I shrugged. “There are a lot of messages where they’re begging me to come home with them after a show, or to video chat with them. Many of them send nude photos. Those I just delete without even looking.”
“Doesn’t this bother you?” she exclaimed.
“Of course it does,” I said quickly, grasping her hand on the table. “But there’s nothing I can do about it.”
She shook her head. “Trust me, the super famous rock stars don’t have to deal with this crap themselves. They have media teams who run their online presence and social media. That keeps it from being overly personal.”
I took a sip of my coffee, smiling at her. “Yeah, but a huge part of the indie rock scene is all about being personal. Real . People know that posts are coming from me directly.”
Her fingers drummed on the table top, as she took a sip of coffee. “Wow, this really is good,” she murmured thoughtfully.
Watching Corina stare into space, it was clear that her mind was working a million miles a second. I got up quietly to warm up my giant cast iron frying pan. After a few moments, she turned to me.
“I don’t want to overstep any bounds, but you really need to focus on your performance, and schmoozing your contacts at this concert. Would it be helpful if I took over your social media for now?”
After dropping some butter in the pan, I turned around to awkwardly kiss the top of her head. “You’re going to protect me from the pushy women of the Internet?” I chuckled.
Her lips tightened, as her shoulders seemed to fold inward slightly as if she were trying to disappear. “I didn’t mean it like that. I swear, I’m not the jealous type, I just…”
“I know,” I said. “I’m just teasing. I don’t quite know what I’m doing with that stuff anyway. And maybe you’re right – if people think they can get too personal with me, then I guess my posts aren’t coming off as professional.”
“It doesn’t have to be permanent,” she said. “We could try it for a few weeks, and see how it goes.”
“I really appreciate all of your help,” I said, putting together my infamous three cheese grilled sandwich with spinach and yellow pepper on thick whole wheat bread.
She turned around to look at what I was doing, and laughed. “Grilled cheese sandwiches?”
“Yes. I’ve never made them for anyone other than the band, and they’re too good not to share.”
Corina’s eyes darted to the clock, and I could tell she was conflicted.
“Listen,” I said casually, “If you’re taking over my social media, and doing so much work on my project, wouldn’t it make sense for you to work from here today?”
“Really?”
“If you want to, sure.”
“I could work here until quarter to noon, if it’s all right with you that I borrow your laptop. Then I have a lunch meeting, and I can go to the office from there for the rest of the day.”
“Sure, whatever works.” I slipped our sandwiches onto plates, setting them on the table. Raising an eyebrow, I attempted to look stern. “Who is this lunch meeting with? Anyone I should be worried about?”
Damn, she was so beautiful when she giggled at me.
“My girlfriends and I have a very important lunch meeting almost every Thursday,” she said. “You don’t have to be worried, but I’m pretty sure your name might come up.”
I poured us some orange juice, then sat down beside her, leaning in for a swift, light kiss. “I don’t know why it feels so good knowing you’re going to tell your friends about me,” I murmured near her ear.
Her fingers fluttered around her coffee mug. “Yes. I mean, it’s going to make this even more substantial, somehow.”
She looked so shyly nervous that I wished I could relax her somehow. “Corina, we are real. Just because it’s fast doesn’t mean it’s not solid as a rock.”
She nodded, biting that perfect pouty lip. “I know. I’m just used to thinking things through, and researching, and analyzing. No matter how many books I’ve read, nothing quite covers this feeling.”
“We’ll make a brand new language for it, my sweet angel,” I said, leaning in again to kiss her cheek. “Now eat while the cheese is still melty or you’ll ruin the entire effect.”
Her nose crinkled when she laughed. She had a tiny scar on the thumb of her left hand. She dug her toe into the ground strangely when she was thinking of what to say next.
And this beautiful, smart, wondrous vision was my girlfriend.
9
_____
Corina
It had been almost a month since Brynn told us about Owen, and nearly two months since Jenna had met Andrew.
I thought I would have felt proud when it was my turn to share that I had a boyfriend. Yet for some reason my hands were clammy and my shoulders felt tight.
; Walking into Riverside Restaurant was always like entering another world. The old-fashioned black and white checked floors made you feel as if you had just gone through a time machine. Between the music on the jukebox and the smell of fresh coffee and scrambled eggs in the air, my shoulders always lowered slightly as I walked into the safe, cozy space where my friends and I caught up.
Sitting down beside Jenna at our usual booth, Brynn came in just a minute later, so that I slid into the center.
“I hope someone has big news,” Brynn laughed. “Other than Owen taking me out to an absolutely amazing dinner, the rest of this week has been pretty boring.”
“Mine too,” Jenna smiled, nodding to Anna as she delivered two coffees and a tea without being asked. “I’ve been super busy with some extremely boring filing projects. But we don’t want excitement all the time, do we?”
The other two girls looked at me as I cleared my throat. “Well,” I started, “Things have certainly gotten interesting for me.”
Brynn stared at me, tucking her long auburn hair behind her ear. “You look really good, I have to say. Did you do aerobics this morning or something?”
My instant searing blush spoke all of the words I couldn’t manage.
“Oh my God,” Jenna squealed. “Who is he?”
“Do you guys remember ages ago when I told you that my biggest crush was an older music student I had to work with on a high school band project?”
“Yeah. Did you run into him again?” Brynn asked.
My mouth opened but I couldn’t quite form words, so I sipped my tea instead.
Jenna’s loud giggle ran through the diner. “She did a lot more than run into him, I’m guessing.”
“Wow, good for you,” Brynn laughed.
Taking another sip of tea, I placed my hands flat on the table and tried to collect my thoughts.
“It turns out that Ethan became an incredible singer songwriter, and he’s now my client. I am boosting the profile of his concert in about a week and a half, and we’ve become reacquainted along the way.”
“Fling or true love?” Brynn asked. “Zero judgment either way, I’m just curious.”
Looking back and forth at the two of them, I couldn’t help but grin. “Love. Definitely. And I know it’s way too soon, but –”
They both shook their heads. “Sometimes it’s instant,” Brynn said knowingly.
Jenna nodded emphatically. “Yes, or just a few days. These things are completely out of our control.”
“Tell us about him,” Brynn insisted.
“I don’t know where to start,” I admitted. “Since he was my first real crush, I don’t know if he’s the man of my dreams, or he’s just the man I’ve been thinking of the longest.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Jenna said. “Does he listen to you well?”
“Yes.”
“Does he take care of you, and put you first?” Brynn asked.
“Yes. I mean, it’s only been two days…but yes.”
“Fabulous,” Jenna grinned. “Then everything worked out for all three of us.”
Brynn looked at me sharply. “Why do you look so worried?”
“It’s not worry, exactly. It’s more like…I guess I’m still unsure of everything. It’s all really new, and there’s a lot to take in.”
Looking up, I saw that Jenna and Brynn were staring pointedly at each other. Bursting into laughter, it was as if I could read their minds.
“You’re both trying not to ask if we’ve had sex already,” I practically stammered. “Yes. Last night. And it was the most phenomenal thing that has ever happened in this entire universe, but can we please not talk about it?”
After the laughter died down, Brynn reached out to pat my arm. “Don’t worry, we’re not going to ask prying questions and embarrass you. But you have to tell us what you’re worried about.”
Anna came by to take our orders, then I quickly explained the steady stream of women who were constantly throwing themselves at Ethan online.
“Does he like that?” Brynn asked.
“No, he seemed embarrassed about it,” I said.
“It’s not his fault,” Jenna said. “And remember – he has to play to the public. He has to flirt with girls a little bit if that’s part of his image.”
Nodding down to my tea cup, I pondered. Sex appeal always sells. Ethan was unbelievably sexy, and could definitely use that to his advantage. If I asked him to tone it down in any way, I wouldn’t be a good girlfriend, and more to the point I would be a lousy PR person.
“There’s a big difference between harmless flirting and actually crossing lines,” Jenna said. “I’m sure he’s fine.”
“Hey, can we come to the concert?” Brynn asked. “We usually don’t go to each other’s events, but this isn’t anything top-secret, right?”
“I thought of that too,” I said. “I’ll email you all the info. It’s at Bromney Hall.”
“Wow, that’s a big place,” Jenna said.
Brynn nodded. “That venue’s capacity is nine hundred and fifty people. How are ticket sales?”
I loved that these girls always went straight into business mode.
“Over eighty percent sold out so far. Wait until you see the VIP area I’m arranging.”
“How the heck are you going to make a VIP area there?” Brynn asked.
Our food arrived just as the conversation turned to VIP clients, staging venues, and completely geeking out for the rest of our lunch.
As I walked back to the office, I felt absolutely energized.
My work was going well. I had an incredible new boyfriend. I had discovered an entirely new physical side of me that I didn’t even know existed.
The only bit of negativity that still rattled around in the back of my mind was the knowledge that Ethan was being pursued by so many women.
How was I expected to measure up? How could I keep him fulfilled forever with that sort of competition? And was I ready to change my entire life to be with him as much as possible so that he didn’t forget about me?
10
_____
Ethan
My heart could have burst from excitement at any second.
I was about to have the biggest show of my life. We were about to name the band so that we were a permanent team. Most of all, I now had Corina.
Back when I was a nerdy little nobody, I never would have dreamed that I could be with such a gorgeous girl. It felt like absolutely everything was going my way.
After an intense workout Friday morning, I took a quick shower and made another pot of coffee. I had planned on spending the afternoon working on vocal exercises, when I got a text.
Corina: I was just sent the info of a junior stylist who is dying to work in the music industry. She can meet you at a new store downtown and help you pick out three outfits that truly embody your style, and the image you’re trying to project.
Corina: You’ll need something for on stage, then a bit of a change for the after party. Then an extra trendy outfit just in case something comes up that week.
Me: Hi. How are you?
Corina: Ha ha – sorry.
Corina: I don’t mean to be pushy, but we need to make the most of absolutely every photo opportunity.
Me: This stylist isn’t going to put me in lilac satin or anything with sparkles, right?
Corina: No – I checked her out. She’s new, but she has a great reputation, and she’s already worked with a couple of rock bands. No sequins, I promise. But you two should get it locked down this afternoon.
Me: OK, sure. Set it up.
Corina: I’ll send the details in a few minutes.
Me: Did you know that you are incredibly beautiful, even through text?
Corina: I assure you, I’m not. Especially when I’m working.
Me: I can’t wait to see you again. I’m sorry I’m booked with rehearsal tonight, but maybe Saturday?
Corina: Please never apologize for working. That always comes first.
Me: You come first. But I know it will make you happy for me to focus completely on this concert, so that also comes first. Right?
Corina: Precisely.
Me: Don’t work yourself to pieces, angel.
