refocus on Mia. “I gotta go. We’ll talk more this weekend when I get home, okay?”
“You think you’ll actually come back this time?”
“Yeah…you know…” I look at Zack and wink. “I need to pack and all that fun stuff. Bye, Mia.” I flip my phone shut without waiting for her reply.
I stand up and look at Zack. “I’m getting more coffee. I’ll be back in a minute.”
I need a few minutes to think to myself without the distraction that is Zack to process mentally everything I have just learned.
Chapter Twenty-One
Mia has stayed in Minnesota for who knows how long for me.
She is now moving to New York.
Zack wants me to record on his next album.
Zack wants me to move in with him in Los Angeles while recording his album.
I want to record the album.
I want to move in with Zack.
I want to record the album, move to Los Angeles, leave Minnesota, and move in with Zack. While recording the album. Holy Shit, I actually want this.
I can’t help myself. My silent happy dance takes over without a rational thought in my mind. I throw my hands in the air, my head back, and dance around his kitchen.
“That’s some dance.” Crap. Busted. I freeze but don’t turn around to face the familiar deep voice behind me.
“You shouldn’t sneak up on people like that Chase. It’s not polite.”
He no longer tries to hold in his laughter. “You shouldn’t be dancing like a chicken in a kitchen.” I compose myself and pour my cup of coffee.
“I don’t dance like a chicken. I have mad skills.”
“On the keys, maybe.” While I usually enjoy our friendly morning banter, I have stuff with a certain sexy rock-god to handle. I glance over Chase’s shoulder and see Zack still sitting frozen in the spot I had left him.
On my way out the door, I turn back to Chase. “Did you know Mia is taking a new job?”
His raised eyebrows tells me has no idea.
“She’s moving to New York, in January.” I watch a quick range of emotions flash through his face. Shock, disbelief, uncertainty, lust, joy. So I continue. “So, yeah, that means when you’re not out here recording, you’ll be living pretty close to her, right?”
I hadn’t thought about it when we were on the phone, but Chase has a place on the upper east side of New York that he stays at whenever he’s not on tour or recording. I silently wonder if Mia knows this, but I’m guessing she does.
He nods slowly, still processing what I’m saying. It seems to be a morning for processing heavy information.
Still I continue, knowing I’m risking, sounding way too girly. “She’s crazy about you, you know. I’ve never seen her so fascinated by someone. She’s always put her career first, but maybe, if you guys are closer….” I leave my own thought to drift off, knowing what he’s thinking based on the fact that he’s still filtering the same range of emotions repeatedly across his face. I want to tell him to stop thinking and just pick one. “But if you screw it up and hurt her, I’ll kill you.”
I turn on my heels and head back to Zack leaving Chase still searching for the right emotion. There is one more person who is going to be doing some processing of heavy information. Except this time, I know exactly what his response will be.
Zack hears me as soon as I step out onto the patio. He watches me like a hawk all the way back to my seat. I sit down and take a sip of my coffee before focusing on him. His eyes don’t leave mine the entire time.
“So I have a question for you.” I set my coffee down and give him my most serious look.
“Hmmm?”
“What happens after the album?”
It apparently is also the morning for wide ranges of emotions to flitter across male faces. Zack’s show hope, confusion, disbelief, shock, excitement, and way too many more in the few seconds until it settles on one that appears to be cautiously optimistic. “What do you mean after the album?”
I shrug my shoulders. “Where do we live after the album? Your place or mine?”
Ahhh….shock and awe and hope are back on his face. I wish it would be lust and desire, but I’m sure those will come later. Sooner rather than later if I have my say.
“Are you saying what I think you’re saying, Nic? Because it’s early, and I’m trying to figure out why you’re not