33. What Are You Waiting For – Chase
What Are You Waiting For
CHASE
The headlines start rolling in over room service coffee: "Rock's Greatest Love Story Finally Confirmed!" "Hall of Fame Inductees Incendiary Ink Steal Their Own Show" "Twenty Years in the Making: Inside Music's Most Secret Romance."
"Your phone's about to explode," Eliza observes from the suite's plush couch, still in my t-shirt from last night. Cleveland radio plays Burning Bridges in the background - for the umpteenth time this morning. "Will says Twitter or whatever it’s called now is losing its mind over the performance."
"Let it." I hand her fresh coffee, peek at her laptop screen. Rolling Stone 's review of the ceremony is overwhelmingly positive. Our award from last night sits on the coffee table, catching morning light filtered through Cleveland’s autumn clouds. "Oh look, we're 'rock's most compelling comeback story.'"
"Speaking of comeback..." She gives me that look I've known for twenty years. "Three messages from Atlantic. Two from Sony. Even Universal's sniffing around. All since the ceremony ended."
"Hoping to steal us from Blackmore?"
"Can't steal what isn't signed." But her smile is soft. "Though a certain label President might have an inside track."
My phone buzzes again. A text from Mark this time.
MARK: Dude. Ryan and Jake want to collaborate on the new stuff. Also your love life is trending higher than our actual induction. Congrats? Also what time's your flight? Will's trying to change his to match.
"The vultures are circling," I muse, settling beside her. Lake Erie stretches grey and endless beyond our window. "Though I'm more interested in a certain label's opinion of our demos."
"Mixing business with pleasure already?"
"Always have." I kiss her temple. "We're just honest about it now."
She closes her laptop, turns to face me fully. "Chase... are you sure? About Blackmore? We could keep business and personal separate this time. No one would blame you for signing elsewhere."
"Hey." I take her hands. "Twenty years we've proven we can handle both. The only difference now is we don't have to pretend we're not in love while doing it."
Her phone chimes. She glances at it and laughs. "Michelle says the board is having an emergency meeting about 'recent developments' as soon as we land in LA tomorrow."
"Bet they love that their President is trending worldwide."
"Bet they love that their potential new signing is the reason why."
I pull her closer, breathing in her familiar scent mixed with lingering traces of last night's celebration. "Any regrets? About going public?"
"Only that we waited so long." She traces my jaw. "Though maybe we needed the time. To get here. To get it right."
Another buzz. Justin this time.
JUSTIN: You two seen the memes yet? Also, TMZ has photos of you leaving the party together. Mom, your hair looks amazing even at 4am. Unfair.
"We're going to have to release a statement eventually," she sighs. "Something official."
"How about 'Mind your own fucking business, we're busy being happy'?"
Her laugh echoes through the suite. "Very Presidential."
"Very honest."
More notifications flood in. Will sending screenshots of fan reactions. Michelle with PR strategies. Mark with potential studio dates for when we're back in LA. The future rushing at us like a freight train.
But for now...
For now we're just us. Finally us. Room service coffee and headlines and twenty years of almosts turned into definitely.
"Move in with me," I say suddenly.
She pulls back, eyes wide. "What?"
"When we get home. Move in with me. Or I'll move in with you. Or we'll buy a new place together. I don't care. I just... I'm done with separate spaces. Separate lives. I want to wake up with you every morning. Want to read ridiculous headlines over coffee. Want..." I cup her face. "I want everything. With you. Finally."
Her smile is brighter than any spotlight I've ever stood in.
"Yes."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." She kisses me softly. "Though we might want to wait until after the press dies down to go house hunting."
"Probably smart." I pull her back against me, watching clouds drift over Lake Erie. "Good thing I know this incredibly smart label President. She always knows the right timing."
Her laugh is better than any song I've ever written.
Some headlines write themselves.
Some truths don't need to be whispered anymore.