“Yeah, that’s for sure. I wasn’t laughing at the time, but now I don’t care at all. Ruben makes it worth it. I know it’s still early days, but I really feel like this might be the one.”
I stared at her. In all the time that Paisley and I had been friends, she had never once said that about the guys she had dated. She’d always rolled her eyes whenever someone had said something like this to her. She laughed when she saw my reaction.
“I know. I know. I always complain when other people say this.”
“I’m shocked. And very happy. You deserve this Paisley.”
We drank some more wine and laughed about all our old relationships. I was happy for her, and it was good to have her there.
“Okay, I’m getting more wine!” she said and went to get another bottle from the kitchen. I couldn’t believe how much we’d polished off together in such a short space of time. I wasn’t a huge drinker, but every now and again it was fun to just let loose with her. Paisley was always a lot of fun to be around. It was why I got along with her so well. She was always making me laugh. When she came back, the glasses had been topped off, and she had a stack of envelopes under her arm.
“What’s all this?” she said. “So much unopened mail.”
I chuckled as I took the envelopes from her. “I know. I keep meaning to go through them. Probably bills or something. You never get nice mail when you’re an adult.”
“There was one that didn’t look like a bill though.”
“Which one?” I said as I looked through the pile.
“That one,” she said.
I looked down and frowned. I hadn’t noticed this envelope amongst all the others. She was right; it didn’t look like a bill. It was handwritten and the writing looked a little familiar to me, although I couldn’t quite place why.
“Maybe you have an admirer,” she said. “Open it.”
I chuckled. When I was younger, I used to have a few pen pals from across the world, and we would write to each other every month without fail. When we got older, and life got in the way the letters started to fall by the wayside. I wondered what ever happened to those girls and I was sad now that we hadn’t continued with our correspondence. There was something very exciting about opening a letter. I tore it open, and the first thing I saw was a check for half a million dollars.
“What the hell?” I said as I stared at it.
“What is it?”
I showed it to Paisley and she almost choked on her wine. “Is that real? Who is it from? Read the letter.”
With shaking hands, I read the letter out loud.
“Riley, I want you to know that I believe in you and I want to see your dreams come true. I want you to use this money to help with your dream of starting up a school for troubled teenagers. I miss you so much, and I can’t wait to see you again. I know you’re going to say no, but I want you to know that I’m just as stubborn as you are and I won’t take the money back. This is yours. Do something great with it and make yourself and your grandmother proud. Silas.”
“Oh my god! Silas? A half a million check from Silas? That’s incredible. What a great thing to do for you!”
“I can’t believe this. I can’t accept this. It’s too much.”
“Of course you can accept it. You can and you will. From the moment you told me that idea to use your drawing and writing skills toward troubled teens, I knew you were going to do it. This is what you’re meant to do with your life. You should do it. Not everyone gets an opportunity like this. Silas is right; you need to do this, Riley.”
“But . . .”
“No buts. This is amazing.”
“I’m in shock.”
“I’m sure you are. Wow, first someone gives you a house, then someone gives you half a million dollars. How crazy is your life?”
I laughed. “That does actually sound a little insane. Do you think this is a dream that I’m going to wake up from?”
“No, this is reality. And you’re going to do something amazing with all of this. I just know it.”
“Thanks, Paisley. I feel so bad for just leaving that mail there now. I got this yesterday, and I didn’t even look at it.”
“I don’t think you’re ever going to leave your mail unopened ever again now. Hell, neither am I. Oh, speaking of Silas, by the way, I saw that he has a concert in Kansas City in two weeks’ time. Did you know that?”
I shook my head. “No, I had no idea. Silas said he was going to send me a schedule when he has it. He says it keeps changing though. Where did you see it?”
“I was looking online today and I saw it just got announced. He’s probably waiting to tell you over the phone. Actually, he’s probably waiting to hear that you got that envelope.”
I laughed. “I better phone him.”
“You better. Hey, why don’t you tell him closer to the time that you have to work that night or something. Then we can go and surprise him at the concert.”
“That’s a great idea.”
“Two weeks, Riley. You’re seeing him in two weeks. That must make you feel better about everything. Maybe the two of you can finally talk about what’s going on between you. It will be interesting to see how you feel about each other after being away for so long.”
“Is it weird that I’m so nervous?”
“It would be weird if you weren’t nervous. But don’t worry, Riley. The guy obviously cares for you. You have a half a million-dollar check in your hand to prove that to you.”
I giggled. The wine was starting to take effect now and the thought of starting my own business as well as seeing Silas in a few weeks was making me feel giddy. “I’m nervous, but I’m very excited.”
“And horny I’m guessing,” she said and chuckled.
My eyes widened. “Paisley!” I exclaimed.
“Well, you’re not exactly denying it.”
I laughed. “No, I’m definitely not denying it.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Silas
Touring was a whirlwind adventure. It was hard to imagine that only a few months ago I was battling to get by with my job in construction and playing only at small venues with hardly any audience. I was the opening act for a few very big musicians, and because of this, I was always playing to a massive crowd. Garren had organized crew members for me, as well as some band members to go up on stage with. It was strange having them with me because up until now, I had always done everything myself. But I had to admit that they added something to the songs that I couldn’t do by myself. They were there to add to the songs, and not detract from them, but for the most part, it was still mostly just me and my guitar. I hadn’t wanted to stray too far away from this and Garren had agreed that it was something I should hold on to. He made sure that the other guitarist and the drummer stayed to the back and to the side up on stage. He wanted me to still be the main attraction when I was up on stage. I was glad for this, not because I didn’t want them there, but because I felt most comfortable when I was by myself.
The guys were great though, and it was fun to have other people on tour with me. Simon, who we called Shaggy, had long blond hair that he was always moving away from his face. He was the most energetic person I had ever met, and nothing seemed to get him down. He brought a great energy to the tour bus and constantly had us in stitches. Stuart, the drummer, was a lot quieter. His body was more tattoo than skin and the only time he really came alive was when he was hitting the drums. I’d never seen anyone play as well as him. They were just session members for the tour, but I’d already spoken to Garren about perhaps forming a band with them. The three of us got along well, and we seemed to work together as a team. But Garren had advised me against making any decisions like this too early. He still wanted to market me as a one-man show and didn’t really want me to be a band just yet.
“Still early days,” he said to me. “Let’s just see how this all pans out.”
If there was one thing I had learned since starting in this new career, it was that G
arren knew a lot more about the business than I did. It was in my best interest to listen to him at all times. So, whenever he suggested something to me, I adhered to it.
“You’re excited,” Shaggy said.
We were all on the tour bus and on our way back home for our next big gig. I was beside myself with excitement because I was going to see Riley again. She said she couldn’t make the gig because of work commitments, and that her boss was being horrible about it. I felt sad that she wouldn’t be there, but she promised that she would see me as soon as work was over. All I could think about was the fact that I was going to see her again. We’d been on the tour bus for weeks already, making our way from city to city, but none of them had offered me the same sort of excitement as this one.
“It’s my hometown, man. I’m looking forward to being there.”
Shaggy chuckled. “You act like you’ve been away for years. Haven’t you only been away for a few months? Although I suppose if this is your first time away, a few months can feel like years.”
Shaun rolled his eyes. “Can’t you tell that he’s excited because he’s going to see a girl?”
I looked at him in surprise. “How did you know?”
“Oh come on, we all know about Riley.”
I laughed. “Have I spoken about her that much?”
“I feel like I know her. Is she coming to the show?”
“Sadly not. Work stuff. Her boss is a bit hard on her.”
“Dude, that sucks. I’m sorry.”
“Nah, it’s fine. Maybe it’s better. I won’t feel so nervous now. It’s weird that I am fine to sing to thousands of strangers, but I feel nervous at the thought of her watching me. Anyway, I’ll go and see her afterward.”
“I’m sure you will,” Shaggy interrupted. “I’m sure you’ll do more than see her. Is she your girlfriend or what?”
“She’s . . . I don’t know. It’s complicated.”
Shaggy groaned. “That’s why I choose not to be in a relationship. It’s too hard when you’re on the road. Hell, they’re hard even when you’re not on the road. I prefer sleeping around. They don’t just call me shaggy because of my hair, you know,” he said.
We all laughed. Shaggy wasn’t exactly great with the ladies, and his last few attempts had been dismal, but he continued trying regardless. You certainly couldn’t fault his commitment to getting laid.
“Hi, boys, how’s it going back here?” Garren said. He’d been in the front talking on the phone for the past hour. The bus was big enough to have compartments, but we could still hear him talking away. We’d all chuckled at how Garren was always all business, but we didn’t mind. If it wasn’t for him neither of us would be on this tour.
“Going good. Going good. We’re just talking about how this is my hometown. This is where you found me.”
Garren chuckled. “I remember it clearly. I almost walked out until I heard you sing. It was like love at first sound.”
I laughed. “Thanks, man. It was by far the best moment of my life to date.”
“And here we are, only a few months later and you’re already on your way to becoming a star. Speaking of, I was just on the phone, and it looks like we’re going to be doing some overseas touring if all goes well. Of course, a lot rides on how this tour goes, but I don’t see it being much of a problem. I think it’s safe to say that your next year will be fully booked. And Simon, Stuart, I definitely want you on board for it.”
“Yes!” Shaggy said. “Great news.”
“Yeah man, thank you. That’s really cool. Always good to have security for a while,” Shaun said.
“How about you? Happy? I like it when things happen quickly like this. It means we’re on a roll and we better not get off it. Keep riding this wave, I always say.”
I smiled. “It’s amazing. Thanks, Garren,” I said. I really was happy. It was a dream come true for me, and one that I was so appreciative of. But I couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness at being away from home for so long. I had never expected to be away this long. “Uh, I was wondering, is there any chance of taking a few weeks off? I mean, we’re going to be in my hometown now, so I thought it would be nice to take a little break while I’m here. I know we’re booked up, but maybe we could reschedule a few things?” I knew it was a lot to ask, but I figured it was worth a try.
Garren shook his head. “I’m not sure that’s going to be possible. I have some great shows lined up for you, and if you stay here, you’ll miss them. You don’t want to do that. Not while things are on the up like this. But don’t worry, Silas; you’ll get a chance to take a break eventually. I know this is all new to you, and it can be overwhelming, but you really don’t want to pull away this soon. You want your name to be everywhere, and you can only do that if you’re working.”
I smiled and told him that I was fine with it, even though I wasn’t entirely. I didn’t want to seem ungrateful, especially since I had been dreaming of this moment since I was a child. Garren was obviously right; I needed to keep pushing to get ahead. There were a lot of competitors out there, and they all wanted a taste of the limelight. I was just going to have to make the most of what small time I had with Riley while I was in town. We barely spoke while I was on tour, mostly because I was so busy, so I had a lot of making up to do. I allowed myself to picture kissing her for the first time in ages and smiled. We were going to do a lot more than kissing if I had anything to do with it.
We arrived at the concert a few hours before we were due to go on. We were all exhausted, but as usual, none of us could bring ourselves to get any rest. There was too much going on and too much excitement around us. Instead, we walked around meeting some of the other band members and talking to the crew. We were given our schedule and about an hour and a half before we were all given something to eat. Shaggy was the only one who seemed able to wolf down a big meal before a show. The rest of us, even Garren, picked at our food.
“Right guys, are you all ready?” someone said as they popped into our room. “We need you out in the next ten minutes.”
“Ready!” we all said and made our way backstage.
We waited for the announcement and then walked out onto the stage to a very rowdy and very excited crowd. I was very aware that they were all here to see the main act of the night, but the sound of them cheering was wonderful regardless. I looked out onto the crowd and felt a sense of excitement that I was actually playing in my hometown. I wondered if there was anyone in the audience that I knew. Maybe some kids from school or some of the construction guys. I hadn’t told many people about the gig because it felt too much like boasting, but there was a big chance that they knew about it regardless. I felt immensely proud of myself at that moment. My only wish was that Riley was there to see me. I imagined her there regardless and played as if she were the only person in the room. Even though she wasn’t there, I felt closer to her just knowing that I would be seeing her soon. I hadn’t actually realized just how much I missed her smiling face until then.
The set went well, although I think I was more excited to get it over with just to see Riley then I was for the actual gig itself. The crowd was still cheering as we walked off stage, so I knew it had gone well. Garren came up to us and told us what a good job we had done.
“Amazing, boys. As usual, I was very proud,” he said. He often spoke to us like he was our father, and to be fair, I often thought of him as a father that I wanted to please.
“Thanks, Garren. Great crowd out there,” I said.
“How about we all go sit down and have a drink?” Garren said. “You all deserve it.”
“A drink sounds great,” we said and followed him.
But, just as I was about to leave, I heard someone call my name. I turned around to see a young woman standing in front of me with a big grin on her face.
“Uh, hi, are you calling me?” I asked. I had no idea who she was. I definitely had never seen her before, but she was looking at me like she knew me.
She grinned. “You
don’t know me, but I definitely know you. And I’ve been wanting to do this ever since I saw you on stage.”
“Do what?” I asked.
Before I had the chance to ask her anything more, she walked right up to me, put her hands on my face and pulled me in for a kiss.
Chapter Thirty
Riley
My heart was beating fast as we made our way to see Silas with Paisley and Ruben. Ruben had never met Silas, but he’d heard a lot about him, and he was already a big fan after hearing one of Silas’s songs on the radio. He still couldn’t believe that I knew him.
“I can’t believe you know someone famous,” he said as we made our way to the concert.
I laughed. “He wasn’t famous when I knew him.”
“And he actually lived with you,” he sighed happily.
“Lives with me. Present tense. I still have all his stuff.”
“What? I didn’t know that! You have his stuff. Can I come and look through it?” he asked.
Paisley shook her head. “That’s so weird. I had no idea you were this weird.”
“Oh come on; you knew,” he said.
She giggled. “Yeah, I knew.”
I laughed at the two of them. They were ridiculously in love, and every time I saw them together, I felt like they had fallen even deeper for one another. Paisley had admitted to me that they hadn’t even slept together, which was very unusual for her. Not that she slept around a lot, but ‘try before you buy’ had always been her motto. I’d asked her why things were different with Ruben and she’d actually blushed. I had never seen Paisley blush about anything in the entire time I'd known her. She said they had done other stuff but that they were waiting because they wanted it to be special. I had a feeling that they wouldn’t be able to wait much longer though. They could not keep their hands off of each other. It usually made me feel a little twinge of jealousy, but today I just felt happy for them. I knew it had everything to do with the fact that I was just about to see Silas.
“So, I have a surprise for you,” Paisley said as we arrived.
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