32. Rae
Rae
I’m so in the zone with this new song I let my phone go to voicemail several times. The fifth time it rings it finally pulls my focus away from the music enough to answer it. I’m a little surprised to see it’s my manager calling and not someone from my family.
On one hand, I’m glad it’s not a family emergency, but on the other hand a work emergency isn’t great either.
I try to keep my breathing under control as I answer, “Hello?”
“Hi, why do you sound nervous?”
I hate how transparent I can be sometimes.
“I’m not, I just got done with…uh…a run.”
“You hate running.”
“What’re you calling about?” I divert.
“How would you feel about a possible duet?”
“It would depend with who,” I hedge. I’ll collaborate, but a duet is another story. It can end up a problem if the other person ever ends up caught up in the crosshairs of cancellation. Plus, I can be so picky with sound that I want to ensure our voices and sound will go well together.
“He’s newer, but he’s really starting to get some eyes on him. Are you able to look him up and see what you think?”
“Yes, but you not telling me his name immediately is making me nervous.” I chuckle.
“Okay, before I do—”
“Here it is,” I tease.
“Oh hush. I’m going to preface with his image he’s curating in the media. Like you, it may not necessarily be true. But he’s being framed as a sort of bad boy of the industry.”
I scrunch my face. “So you’re thinking of putting together the good girl and bad boy?”
“Now you’re getting it,” she says lightly. “His name is Noah Fuller. Comes from a small town in Washington, just has a bit of a reputation.”
When I look him up I see exactly what she’s talking about. “A reputation of being a man whore.”
“If that’s what you kids are calling it.”
I laugh, Janet is about the same age as my mom, but I swear sometimes she thinks she’s older. Especially when it comes to me. She doesn’t necessarily take on a maternal role I think because she knows the position is completely filled, but she can be brutally honest with me, and I like that.
Scrolling through some of the articles about Noah, all photographed with different men and women, all looking…
cozy. I finally pull up a video of him performing.
He’s shirtless, his blonde hair flops onto his forehead, sticking there with sweat.
His toned chest shines while he sings into the microphone moving like he’s trying to seduce it.
He sounds good, and I do feel like our voices could blend well together. My initial thought other than that is that he’s an attractive man and I feel like Grayson and Asher may be a little possessive about it. The thought has me smirking.
Noah isn’t my type, and this would be strictly professional, but having a duet with Noah may be the exact thing I need to shine a light on my new image.
“We can have a meeting,” I tell her knowing she’ll make it happen quickly.
“Perfect! I think this will be great for your career, for both of you.”
I nod even though she can’t see it before we hang up.
Now I’m distracted watching more videos of Noah perform, and while I can be flashy on stage and enjoy putting on a show that doesn’t focus purely on me, he commands the stage all by himself.
And it makes sense; he leans into his sexuality not only in his lyrics with the way he moves his body.
He’s either always shirtless or has a button down shirt open while he’s performing.
I twist my mouth to the side, thinking about one of the songs I started that I haven’t worked on in a minute because a few other ones have stolen my focus. But this one may be the perfect duet and intro to my new sound.
It’s sexier than anything I’ve written, and now I have even more of an idea for it as I’ve gotten deeper into this situation with Asher and Grayson.
I smile, pulling up the lyrics I’ve already written, knowing this is going to be fun.
Hopefully Noah likes it, but even if it doesn’t end up being a duet I think I may have found my next single.
I end up so lost in the new song that by the time I come up for air, I look at the time and I’m going to be late for Grayson’s game.
I rush to throw on the first jersey I see and some jeans while multitasking texting my driver.
I also send a quick text to Asher asking if he wants to come to the game, even though I know the answer.
With how late I’m going to be I debate staying in to watch the game at home, but Grayson is about to leave again for a road trip and I feel like I need to go see him.
I’m jumping around trying to pull on my shoes when I see Asher reply, and I’m not surprised he doesn’t want to join.
Asher
You could skip the game and be with me instead.
Rae
You’re going to have me to yourself for like a week.
Asher
Perfect, enough time to convince you that I’m more than enough for you.
Rae
Not going to happen. Like you say I’m too greedy. *wink face emoji*
I don’t get a chance to see what he says in response because I’m rushing out of the house out to the car waiting for me in the rounded driveway.
“Good evening, Ms. Sparks,” my driver, Jonathan, greets when I hop in.
“I tell you every time to call me Rae.”
“It’s just habit.”
I shake my head with a smile, looking out the window as we pull out of the gate.
And for a second before he turns onto the road I swear I see a car pull out onto the street behind us from further down.
But I know I’m being paranoid, other people live here.
Not extremely close, but close enough. I settle back in the seat and distract myself with humming the song I’ve been workshopping all day.
When I walk into the VIP entrance, I hear that the guys are warming up on the ice and decide to take a small risk and go to the glass in the friends and family section to let Grayson know I’m here.
There’s a few of his teammates family’s already down there.
Kids are waving to their dads, and it’s so cute.
It reminds me of growing up at the rink, Brynn, Chandler, and my mom bringing all of us here to see our dads.
I loved when mine would skate up in all his goalie gear making him look even bigger.
My mom said when I was a baby I was scared of him until he lifted up the mask, then all I wanted was to go to him but the glass was in the way.
I’m able to find an opening to look out and find Grayson. He’s across the ice, on his knees doing some stretches. He looks to the side and I think he’s talking to one of his teammates. He leans forward then looks up and instantly his eyes find mine like we’re magnets always drawn to each other.
He smiles widely, standing up and skating over immediately.
“Turn around,” he tells me through the glass.
I do what he says, then when I face him again he has a joking glare on his face.
“That jersey says Colver,” he states.
“Hm, almost like that’s my name.”
“You have one with Wheeler on it too.”
“I do,” I confirm. “This was the first one I found and was running late. You going to punish me for it?”
Grayson smiles, then winks. “Guess you’ll find out.”
“Can’t wait. Get back out there, you’re causing a scene.”
I hear his laughter as he skates away, and I duck my head down to hide my blush. One of his teammates wives sees me and smiles as she bounces the young baby she has on her hip. I can’t remember who she’s married to, but I know I’ve seen her around.
“Welcome to the WAG club,” she says sincerely.
“I’m not sure I’m welcome there yet.”
“Trust me, you are. We’ve just been waiting for you to catch up.”
I shake my head, because apparently every single person could see Grayson and I getting together except the two of us. What no one could see was that there would be three of us. Because there’s no way I would’ve expected. If it were to ever come out I’m sure it would be the talk of the town.
I’ve heard stories about when Chandler and the guys’ relationship went public, there was some backlash which is to be expected, but they basically told everyone it’s not their business. Which is how I feel as well, but it’s harder with the level of spotlight I’m in.
Our relationship is not anyone else’s. And that’s how I hope to keep it.