She swatted his arm. “Get your head out of the bedroom, Shaughnessy,” she teased. “We have to work on the interview, and by doing it on the road, there wouldn’t be any distractions. It would be neutral territory, and I don’t mean to brag but I’m pretty awesome at the license plate game.”
“Well…if you’re awesome then…” he began and then grabbed her and rolled them around until she was straddling his lap. “I’m not making any promises except that I’ll think about it.”
Leaning down, she kissed him, letting her tongue trace his lips before tangling with his. When she heard him groan and felt his arms band around her, she let herself relax. A road trip across the country was something she’d always wanted to do, and the thought of doing it with Riley made it even more appealing.
Lifting her head, she smiled sleepily at him. “The alarm is set for seven. We need to get some sleep.” Slowly, she crawled off him and snuggled up against his side, her head on his shoulder, her hand on his chest. When she was finally settled, she heard Riley sigh.
“This is the best part of the day,” he said.
“Going to sleep?”
He shook his head. “No. Having you beside me like this. This is one of my favorite positions to be in with you.”
Now it was her turn to sigh. “I like it a lot too.”
“Mmm…good.” He kissed the top of her head and within a minute, Savannah knew he was asleep.
She wasn’t lying—she did like this position a lot. In truth, she loved it. The problem was, she was beginning to love a lot of things about their situation.
And Riley.
It would be foolish to tell him she was in love with him this soon. There wasn’t any doubt in her mind that Riley had strong feelings for her, but she didn’t think he was the kind to fall in love so quickly—or at all. It was a huge risk to have gotten involved with him, but there had been no way to stop it. Her biggest consolation was that it seemed to be the same way for him. She’d known from the first time their eyes met that he was going to be someone very important to her.
She just hadn’t realized he was going to be her everything.
* * *
Riley closed the apartment door Monday night and let out a weary breath. “She’s my sister-in-law and I love her, but she is exhausting.”
Savannah smiled at him. “She was just being hospitable.”
“Sweetheart, there is hospitable and then there’s Zoe. Between the dinner, the tour of the apartment—which is only two rooms—the basket of muffins, the list of phone numbers, the stocked refrigerator…” He stepped away from the door and pulled at his dark hair. “I didn’t think she was ever going to leave!”
“That was sort of how it was with my parents this morning. They just kept talking and talking and talking the entire time we walked to the RV and then they were inside and still kept talking to me and…ugh. By the time they pulled away, I was a little relieved to see them go!”
“And really, you got off easy. When your parents left? They truly left. Zoe’s going to come back and want to refresh things and check on us, and then Aidan’s going to stop over and want to make sure we’re okay… It’s never going to end.”
Walking up to him, Savannah wrapped her arms around him and kissed him gently on the lips. “Poor baby. This is what happens when you come home. I’m an only child and even I know that. This is why my road trip idea is such a good one. Just us. No one else. No distractions. No prying eyes.”
Riley kissed her before stepping back. “I think you’re forgetting one key element here.”
“What’s that?”
“The press.”
“I am the press,” she joked. “What does that have to do with anything?”
He sat down on the sofa and patted the spot beside him for her to join him. “Savannah, I come home because no one bothers me here. I’m old news. It’s a small town and most of the people have lived here their whole lives. They know me as just one of the Shaughnessy kids. But as soon as I leave here? I’m back under the microscope.” He sighed loudly. “To be honest, this was the most disruptive trip I’ve had at home ever. I know some of it was orchestrated by my publicist but…” He shrugged wearily.
“Okay, I get that, but no one’s going to be following us on the road, Riley. I know you’re famous, but you’re not so famous that we’re going to have a swarm of paparazzi chasing us down the interstate.”
He rolled his eyes. “I didn’t say that. But when we stop someplace, there’s that risk. Then people know where we are and they’re going to figure out where we’re going and at the next stop, more people will be waiting. It may be a handful of people, it may be a mob. I’m…I’m struggling enough right now with my career, and it’s been kind of nice not having to deal with that one aspect of it.”
“But they’re your fans,” she said simply. “Without them, you don’t have a career, Riley. They’re a necessary evil, so to speak. And once you finish this album and it’s out there, you’re going to have to deal with them again in full force.”
“Yeah but…for now? I really need to…not deal with them. Can you understand that?”
Her head on his shoulder and a soft sigh came before she said, “I do.”
Riley knew she was disappointed.
“But if we can’t take a road trip, then I’m going to ask you to do something else for me,” she said softly.
“Anything,” he said, kissing the top of her head, and he meant it.
Savannah stood and walked into the bedroom. Riley watched her but once she was out of sight, he had no idea what she was doing. He was hoping it was going to be something sexy, something naughty and fun that she wanted them to do.
She walked out holding his guitar.
He began to sweat.
Savannah held it out to him. “I know I wasn’t around all weekend, but you started to play last week and I have a feeling you haven’t played much since. I want you to play for me while we’re here.”
“Savannah…”
But she held firm. “No. It’s not negotiable. I gave up my plan of having a cross-country adventure, and you need to give up this plan you have of avoiding playing music.”
“I sing every morning.”
“Do-re-mi is not the kind of music you’re going to put on the album, so knock it off. We can talk until we’re blue in the face about your life and your career and your music. But if you don’t ever play music, there’s going to be no point in this article because you will no longer have a career.”
He jumped up, ready to argue, but one look at her face and the fight left him. She was right. He was avoiding it. It was too frustrating and painful to keep hearing music in his head when he couldn’t seem to get it out.
“You started to make progress last week. I’m not saying you’re going to complete the entire album while we’re here, but I think while you’re here and relaxed, it can’t hurt to try to get at least one song done.”
He collapsed back down on the sofa. “You have no idea how hard it is.”
“You’re right, I don’t,” she said, sitting back down beside him. “But I also know avoiding it isn’t going to help. No one here is going to judge you, Riley. I’m not going to judge you.”
“I don’t think that.” Sort of, he thought. “But at the end of the day, you’re still here to do a story. We can pretend they’re two separate things and be able to turn off the recorder and put the pad and pen away at the end of the day, but I don’t know if it’s really true. The whole point of this damn article is to get inside my head and figure out why I’m taking so damn long on this project!” He raked a hand through his hair and let out a growl of frustration.
“Riley…”
He grabbed the guitar and put some distance between the two of them and began to strum mindlessly. Over and over he went through the same chords—ones he’d learned over t
wenty years ago. Then he transitioned to some classic Led Zeppelin before going on to a medley of songs from the Black Crowes, Bon Jovi, the Eagles, and Nirvana.
And then, just as had happened the previous week, it was as if someone opened the door and Riley was allowed to hear what was on the other side of the wall. Without looking up, he knew Savannah was getting her recorder and he began to play. This song was different from the one last week, but one that had been just out of his grasp for months. He played. He played until he thought his fingers would bleed. He played until his arms began to tremble. And all the while, right beside him, Savannah sat in silence.
Riley had no idea how long he played. It could have been minutes or hours or days. One song flowed into the next and when he couldn’t do it any longer—couldn’t hold the guitar, couldn’t strum, could barely breathe—he stopped and gasped for air. Savannah rose and got him something to drink and never once uttered a word. She was good like that—she knew what he needed. Almost anticipated it. And then she would wait until the time was right to engage in any kind of conversation.
She clicked off the recorder.
She refilled his glass.
She took the guitar and placed it in the corner of the room.
And then, silently, she took him by the hands and gently pulled him to his feet and led him into the bedroom. In the darkness, she undressed him before undressing herself. Her kiss was chaste as her hands gently massaged his shoulders, his arms. When they finally walked over to the bed, she urged him to lie down first. Stretching out beside him, she caressed his face.
And without words, she showed him how much his music moved her. How his talent astounded her. And in her heart and mind, she silently prayed he knew just how much he meant to her.
* * *
Everything changed after that.
They talked all day long—barely left the apartment—but during most of the interview, Riley had the guitar in his hands. The music was finally coming, and Savannah felt a sense of pride that she had helped it happen. She wasn’t cocky or arrogant enough to believe it was all because of her, but she also knew that had it not been for her forcing the guitar into his hands, he would have let his fear and anxiety gnaw away at him indefinitely.
Mick had been so relieved when Riley had told him about having this musical breakthrough that he offered to send the studio musicians—and equipment—to North Carolina to start recording. Riley had turned him down but promised they’d be back in L.A. soon enough and to start getting ready.
They had dinner every night with his family. It wasn’t at the same house every night, but whether they were at Aidan’s home or Quinn’s, it was always a room full of Shaughnessys. Savannah didn’t mind—she was coming to love them all—but she started to wonder what their lives were going to be like when they returned to L.A. As much as she had encouraged their departure, it was slowly losing its appeal. They had a routine here. They were surrounded by people they loved. It was a very different life waiting for them back home.
It was Thursday night and she was working with Zoe to clean up the dinner dishes. Quinn and Anna had joined them, as had Ian, and Savannah had a feeling she was really going to miss this.
“So…we were thinking,” Zoe said a little hesitantly.
“We?” Savannah asked.
Anna walked into the kitchen carrying the last of the dishes. “We being the two of us,” she said with a smile.
“You’ve been here almost two weeks and you’re probably heading home soon, but…we were wondering if you’d maybe want to have lunch and a little girl time with us tomorrow,” Zoe asked hopefully.
“Girl time?” Savannah had no idea what exactly that meant.
“You know, lunch and then mani-pedis. It’s sort of our thing,” Anna said.
“Oh…well…yeah! What am I even thinking about it for?” Savannah joked. “I can’t remember the last time I indulged in a little pampering.”
Both Anna and Zoe looked relieved.
“We know you’re busy with the interview and all, but we were hoping you would enjoy taking a little bit of a break,” Zoe said. “I hope you don’t mind, but I already mentioned it to Riley—just in case he didn’t want to share you.”
Savannah laughed. “Believe it or not, you may be doing us both a favor.”
“Why?” Anna asked.
Savannah looked out toward the dining room to make sure the guys were all still busy talking before she looked at the two women. “He’s finally started playing the guitar this week. It’s as though his mental block with the music is finally starting to lift.”
“That’s great!” Zoe cried and then put her hand over her mouth as Anna slapped her arm and shushed her. “I mean, that’s great,” she whispered.
“Yeah, it is,” Savannah said softly. “He doesn’t mind playing with me sitting there, but I think if he had some time alone, he could do more than just jam. He might really start writing lyrics and getting stuff down on paper. I kind of feel like I’m mucking up the process by being there.”
“Hell no,” Anna whispered. “If anything, you’ve helped him have this musical breakthrough. This is awesome.”
“Okay, so we’ll all meet here tomorrow,” Zoe said softly, “around eleven and we’ll head into town for lunch and then the spa. Will that work?”
“If it’s okay with you, I was planning on the two of you just coming to the pub and having lunch,” Anna said. “I’ve got some things I need to do there in the morning and it will just work better for me that way.”
“The pub?” Savannah asked.
“It’s Anna’s business and she makes the best burgers in the world,” Zoe said. “Trust me.”
“Hard to trust a group of women huddled together whispering,” Aidan said as he strode into the kitchen. “Here I thought you were hard at work cleaning up the dishes and getting dessert ready and you’re all bunched up in a corner telling secrets.”
“Says the man who was part of a rather large, secretive huddle not that long ago in our own backyard,” Zoe said, breaking away from the women to go kiss her husband.
Aidan nervously looked at the three of them before slowly backing out of the room. “I…um…we’re just going to hang out in the living room until dessert is ready.” And then he quickly turned and walked out of the room.
“That was fun,” Zoe said. “I’m telling you, some of the greatest moments of my day come when I get to freak my husband out.” She rubbed her slightly rounded belly and smiled. “Sometimes I blame it on pregnancy hormones, other times it’s just for my own amusement.”
“Poor Aidan,” Anna said. “It doesn’t seem right.”
“Trust me, he has things he does to me too so it’s not entirely one-sided.”
“I don’t doubt it,” Anna said. “I mentioned to Quinn the other day that Bobby—my brother,” she added for Savannah’s sake, “was going to move in with us because he wasn’t happy in South Carolina.”
“Seriously?” Zoe asked. “Oh my gosh! Is he all right? When did this happen?”
Anna grinned. “It didn’t. Quinn was carrying on about how much easier his life has been since Bobby moved away, and I couldn’t resist making him panic a little.” She laughed out loud. “My brother is very happy and has no immediate plans to move back here.”
Savannah looked between the two women and stood back with a very satisfied smile.
“What?” Zoe asked her. “What’s that smile about?”
Savannah shook her head. “I think I’m really going to enjoy hanging out with the two of you. You’re my kind of people.”
Both Zoe and Anna smiled with her, and Savannah knew she’d made some friends for life right there.
* * *
When Savannah came home late Friday afternoon, Riley looked a little worse for wear. His dark hair was in complete disarray and there were dirty dishes and empty wate
r bottles all around him along with dozens of crumpled up pieces of paper. She walked hesitantly into the apartment and was a little surprised when he didn’t acknowledge her presence.
Rather than disturb him, she got herself something to drink and then went into the bedroom and took out her laptop and did some work on the rough draft of the article with what she had so far.
When the room darkened, she looked at the bedside clock and realized it was after eight and still they hadn’t spoken to one another. Standing, Savannah stretched and quietly walked back out to the living room. This time Riley did look up—confusion written all over his face.
“When did you get home?”
“About four hours ago,” she said lightly and walked over and kissed him. “You were very busy and I didn’t want to disturb you.”
“So what were you doing?”
“Writing. I started drafting the article and going over some of the notes I’d written down. It’s not much but it’s a start.”
He stood and yawned and stretched before pulling her into his arms and kissing her properly. “Sorry. I was really deep in thought. I can’t believe I didn’t hear you come in.”
“It’s all right. It’s a good thing. It must mean you’re making progress too.”
Riley looked around the room and grimaced at the mess. “Yeah,” he said distractedly, picking things up and walking to the kitchen. “How was your day out with the girls?”
She smiled. “It was good. Really good. Better than I expected.”
He put the dishes in the sink and washed his hands before turning back toward her. “What were you expecting?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s been a long time since I’ve had close friends who I would do the lunch and pampering thing with. I know it sounds weird, but I travel a lot for the magazine, and I found people who I thought were my friends really weren’t after a while. They liked the perks of maybe getting in to free concerts or meeting celebrities. I don’t know… I guess after a while I just stopped trusting people. It was easier that way.”
This Is Our Song Page 21
