I leapt up the stairs to the apartment where I found Will and Frank sitting across from each other on the couches. They were both leaning forward over the coffee table, reading documents. My heart started racing when I realized it must have been a record deal. They both looked up at me and then directly to my shirt. Will raised an eyebrow.
“Occupational hazard,” I said, pointing to the stain. “Hi, Frank.” I shot my hand up and headed back to my bedroom to change. Will followed me and then stood in my doorway, quietly observing. I pulled my shirt over my head and threw it on the floor and then stared blankly into my open closet, wearing just my jeans and bra. I glanced up at Will, who seemed to be appreciating my bold behavior. “Nothing you haven’t seen before,” I said in a singsong voice as I grabbed a shirt off the hanger.
“We need to talk tonight after Frank leaves.” I sensed vague sadness in his tone, yet he was wearing his sexy, crooked smile. He leaned into my room, gripping the molding above the door with both hands. I focused on his tensing muscles as he rocked forward ever so slightly.
“Jenny’s pregnant,” I said as I pulled a T-shirt over my head.
“I know. Tyler told me. I think it’s great.”
“Yeah, me too.” We smiled serenely at each other. When I turned away toward my dresser, he was suddenly wrapped around me. He folded my arms in with his and pulled me back tight against his chest, his fingers intertwining with mine. His mouth went to the crook of my neck without caution. I tilted my head slightly, giving him access, where he trailed delicate kisses all the way up to my ear and whispered, “I gotta get back to Frank. Don’t fall asleep on me, okay? We need to talk.”
“I won’t.”
He held me with fervor, so tight I could barely breathe, and then he nuzzled his face in my hair and inhaled deeply before letting me go and walking out.
I let out the huge breath I was holding and then almost collapsed from the warm feeling running through my body. I took a shower and then sank into Will’s bed while he continued his conversation with Frank in the front room. Will’s gesture in my room earlier had me reeling; I thought it must have been some kind of goodbye embrace. I fought my heavy eyelids and tried to prepare myself for whatever he planned on telling me that night. When I could no longer keep my eyes open, I curled on my side and snuggled into his pillow.
I started awake when I felt him pulling me into his chest from behind. “You fell asleep on me. I like you in my bed,” he whispered.
“What time is it?” I asked.
“A little after eleven.” I had only been asleep for an hour or so.
“Let’s talk.”
“It can wait.” He sighed and then pressed himself against me.
“No! What’s going on?” I sat up and folded my legs underneath me.
He leaned up on his elbows. I turned the light on, arched my eyebrows, and waited for him to speak. “I was offered a deal from Live Wire Records. They’re an independent record label and they’re willing to give me a lot more creative control than the others. I have until February to make a decision, but they’ve asked me to go to California in January and open three shows for Second Chance Charlie. It would be San Francisco, San Diego, and LA.” I was familiar with that band, mainly because the female lead singer is drop-dead gorgeous and plastered on every magazine cover. I swallowed back the huge lump in my throat.
“Okay, and?”
“Well, they want me to work on a couple of songs at a studio in LA while I’m there, so I’ll be gone the whole month of January and I just wanted to know if maybe… you would want to go to Detroit with me for Christmas and come back here for New Year’s before I have to leave. I want to tell my parents about the deal in person and I want you there with me.” He had hope in his eyes and it made me smile.
“Can we go see my mom and David while we’re out there?”
“Of course.”
“I’ll have to figure something out with Kell’s and Jackson; I don’t want to take him on a plane,” I said, biting my lip. Leaving him worried me, but I really wanted to spend the holidays with Will and meet his family.
“I’m sure Martha will watch him.”
“Okay… Christmas Eve until the twenty-seventh, that’s all I’d be able to swing.”
He sat up and gave me a hug. “Thank you.”
When he let go, I leaned back and looked into his eyes, trying desperately not to cry. “I’m so proud and happy for you… congratulations. Honestly, Will, I knew it would happen.”
“Then why do you look so sad, sweet thing?” he said with a pained expression.
“I just… I don’t know. I want you in my life and I’m afraid…”
“There’s nothing to worry about. You’re my BFF, best friend forever; we’ll always have this,” he tilted his head to side and smiled.
“Promise?”
His lips flattened and his expression turned serious. “I promise.”