Here With You (A Laurel Heights Novel) - By Kate Perry Page 0,59

worries," Eve called out. "They all broadcast over the Internet. We'll get him on the speakers."

"What's going on?" another patron said in the expectant silence.

"True love," Valentine called back.

The guy at the table next to them nodded. "Can't argue with true love."

Nicole resisted the urge to lean over and give him a smacking kiss on his cheek.

"We're excited today to have Griffin Chase in our studios," a radio DJ enthused suddenly over the café speakers.

"Turn it up," a customer yelled from the back.

A murmur of consensus went through Grounds for Thought. Eve shrugged and cranked it.

"You've joined Captain Kirk, and my special guest, Griffin Chase. Griffin, it's a pleasure to have you here today."

"Thank you, Kirk," Grif said, his voice low and sexy.

But Nicole knew it was sexier in bed, in the middle of the night, when he was holding her and telling her his dreams. It was sexier in the morning, when he woke up and his eyes brightened as he said good morning to her, and it was even sexier when he beat her at Scrabble.

She missed him. She clutched her middle, listening avidly.

"Griffin, you're coming out with a new single called Here with You," the announcer said. "How would you feel about giving our audience a preview of the song?"

Grif chuckled. "I thought you might ask so I brought Tallulah."

"Tallulah?" the DJ and half Grounds for Thought asked at once.

"His guitar," Nicole said as Grif answered, "My guitar."

Marley wrinkled her nose. "He named his guitar? Isn't that weird?"

"Shh." Valentine gave her a prim, quelling look.

Over the airwaves, the entire café hushed as he tuned his guitar. He paused and then started singing softly.

With him streaming over the loudspeakers, it felt like he was in the same room with her. Nicole closed her eyes and let him serenade her. When he reached the chorus, he sang from his heart. "I'm here with you. Kiss me, take me, love me..."

A hand touched her arm.

Nicole opened her eyes to find Marley's face in hers. "He wrote that for you?" her friend asked incredulously.

She nodded unable to say anything.

The song ended and then Grif said, "This next one is special. It won't be on this album, but I thought I'd share it today. It's called A Song for Wendy."

Rachel gasped.

Nicole looked up to see joyful tears in the girl's eyes. She took Rachel's free hand and squeezed as Grif began to sing along with the beautiful, haunting music.

You moved away—

a new house

a new life perhaps more blurred than

the one you left behind.

Now you live beneath a roof of grass

screened in by your own name.

If I found your forwarding address could I contact you?

Could I express my rage that you left without warning?

If I touched the stone door of your home

would you feel my grief?

The last strains of the song trailed away like wisps of smoke, and the DJ's exuberant voice came back online. "Griffin, that was amazing. We're going to take callers in a second, but first maybe you'll answer a few questions. I've loved all your albums, but your first has always had a special place in my heart, and Here with You is reminiscent of it. Was that conscious?"

There was a pause, as though Grif was thinking. Then he said, "Actually, my first album was influenced by a friend. While I was pulling together this new album, also called Here with You, I spent some time with her, so it'd be reasonable to say that it'd have the same flavor."

"Is her name by any chance Wendy?" the DJ asked with a verbal leer.

"No, it's not," Grif replied sternly. "A Song for Wendy is a tribute to a woman who died before her time. The lyrics were written by Rachel Rosenbaum, her daughter."

"That's me!" Rachel shouted triumphantly.

The café broke out in applause and whistles. The teenager glowed happily, and Nicole squeezed her hand.

"Here with You," Grif continued, "was inspired by a dear friend. I've known her most of my life."

"A romantic interest?"

"She's always been my best friend," Grif answered calmly.

Marley threw her hands in the air. "What does that mean?"

"You have to find out, Nicole. You have to call and ask." Valentine began poking furiously at her phone. Then she held it out to Nicole. "Take it."

"What?" Nicole stared at it, confused. Valentine never gave up her phone. She had a relationship with it that defied reason.

Valentine just shooed her.

"It's not like they'll take my call," she said, letting go of Rachel's hand to take the phone. "Do you know