Chapter 45 Stevie
Stevie
Misty races toward me in a shocking red dress that matches her hair. “Bestie!”
Lex and I stroll into the Velvet Key, our arms linked together.
We rented out the piano bar for the night to avoid getting hassled by photographers who discovered Lex was in town as well as overeager fans with grabby hands.
It’s filled with an intimate group of people: friends, family, as well as Mr. Hamlin and his wife, Jane.
It’s the perfect send-off as we celebrate our last night in Chicago before heading back to Los Angeles tomorrow afternoon.
“So good to see you!” Misty coos, leaping into my arms with a bone-crushing hug.
She smells like Twizzlers. “Who would have thought you’d end up here?
” She follows up the statement with a knowing wink.
When Lex shakes her hand, she practically melts into the hardwood floors.
“Oh! I wanted to introduce you guys to my new partner. Well, reintroduce, I guess.” Blushing, Misty waves a hand to a familiar raven-haired woman in a mustard-yellow dress. “You remember Natalie, right?”
My eyes pop as I glance across the bar.
“I know this is weird,” Misty says.
Weird because my best friend likes women? No.
Weird because I had absolutely no flippin’ idea? A world of yes.
The bombshell is a testament to how absent I’ve been over the last few months.
No… years .
I can’t wait to change that.
“Holy crap,” I breathe out. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
A shrug. “My love life seemed insignificant compared to yours.”
“Not true. I’m so happy for you.”
Natalie saunters over and gives us both a timid hug, paired with her Disney-princess smile. “Great to see you two again. Congratulations on all the success.”
“Thank you.” I hug her back, ancient high school memories spilling through my mind. “It’s kind of surreal.”
“From a stage performance love story to the real kind. It’s really inspiring.”
Lex and I share a glance. “Minus the tragic ending.”
Mr. Hamlin frolics into our four-person bubble with a dry martini filled with extra olives, showcasing a glossy pair of magenta suspenders. “Lexington,” he greets, grinning wider than I’ve ever seen and pulling Lex into a warm hug. “When is the wedding?”
My cheeks flush, my hand falling to Lex’s with a squeeze when the two men pull apart. “Oh, well, things are still kind of…new.”
“Nonsense. It all began four years ago on my stage. This has been a long time in the making.” He winks, turning to Lex. “Your television series was masterful. I’ve been dying to tell you.”
“Thanks, Ham. Great to see you again.” Lex straightens out his silver tie. “Writing it was cathartic. I loved it more than I thought I would.”
“Yes, well, you have many gifts. Perhaps you’ll have a hand in future screenplays. It would be a privilege to see more of your words come to life.”
“I’ve been thinking about that. Maybe doing something behind the scenes.”
“A smart move. I’ve dabbled in a few scripts myself, though I do prefer the magic of directing.” Mr. Hamlin smiles, rubbing his thumb and finger along his snowy beard. “I’m a bit of an extrovert. I enjoy expression through movement.”
“Are you still directing at the school?”
“Mmm, indeed. It’s my calling. The piano bar is lovely, but directing young talent and giving them power and self-assurance is my ultimate passion.
” Another smile brings creases to the corners of his eyes.
“My wife and I made a donation to your charity for underprivileged youth looking for purpose in the arts.”
I glance at Lex, watching his face soften with a warm glow.
“Thank you,” he says. “My agent helped me set it up when I moved back to LA. I wanted to give back, make a difference. It helped me work through some things.”
“A truly inspiring cause. Come, let’s get you a drink.”
Lex releases my hand and joins Mr. Hamlin at the bar as his wife whips up cocktails and pours beer from the tap.
Smiling, I turn my attention to the mini stage where I often perform, watching as Joplin sits at the piano and plays “Let It Be” by the Beatles. Mom and Dad slow dance a few feet away, lost in their own world to a love story I’m on my way to recreating.
I make my way over to my sister, and she wiggles her eyebrows at me when the last chord rings out. “Not too shabby, huh?”
“You sound great.” I prop a hip against the instrument. “How’s school going?”
“I love it so much.” Her eyes brighten as she twists toward me on the bench. “A few weeks ago, we had a hands-on lab where we examined actual evidence from cold cases. It was incredible to see how the theories we’ve studied apply to real-world scenarios.”
“That’s amazing.”
A wistful smile touches her lips. “We’ve come a long way from playing dress-up in your bedroom, right? I swear I wake up in the middle of the night and still feel that dreadful mustache glued under my nose.”
The memory makes me snort. “That was love right there.”
“Always.” She glances across the room at Lex. “Do you think you two will stay in California? I can’t lie and say I won’t miss the shit out of you.”
I follow her gaze, my chest prickling with unknowns.
“I’m not sure. We still need to discuss the future.
I had an audition with a really great producer while I was out there, and it went well.
He called me a few days later and offered me the role…
but I ended up turning it down.” Swallowing, I look away, shrugging my shoulders.
“I think music is where I want to end up. As much as I love acting, I’m not sure the lifestyle is what I’m envisioning these days. ”
She nods. “Follow that big heart of yours. It’s never steered you wrong.”
The other half of my heart catches my eyes across the room and gestures me toward him. “I’ll be right back,” I say to my sister, giving her arm a squeeze before floating over to my boyfriend and his show-stopping grin.
He drags me over to a quiet corner of the room, seating us in a plush velvet booth. “I think I need to make a phone call,” he says.
“Oh yeah? One of your producers?”
“My agent.”
We huddle up together as Lex pulls out his phone, clicks on Rudy’s name, and holds the device between us.
The video call connects, and Rudy’s face materializes on the screen.
“Where the hell are you?” He’s in some sort of club, winding through people and flashing strobes, looking for a quieter place to chat. “I’ve been trying to reach you.”
“Yeah, I did hear your fifty-two voicemails about how you think your neighbor’s parrot is spying on you and is sending your secrets to some shadowy government agency.”
A pause. “Look, I’m not saying it’s confirmed, but I’ve got evidence.”
“What would you say if I decided not to come back for a while?”
My heart caves in.
I latch on to Lex’s bicep, my eyes instantly filling with tears. “ What ?” I mouth to him.
He grins, squeezing my inner thigh.
Rudy pushes through a pair of double doors, the backdrop replaced by a peppering of crystal stars.
Leaning back against a brick wall, he gives a contemplative nod.
“I’d say please donate your high-rise condo to me so I can impress my future wife—and as a thank-you for my top-tier services—and we’re golden. ”
“Done.”
“You’re a saint.”
Lex slouches back, widening his legs and tapping his foot, while I try not to have a meltdown beside him. “But for real…I’m thinking about lying low for a bit and taking a break from the spotlight. Maybe a career change,” he says. “Writing would be cool.”
“I can see it now. ‘How My Amazing Agent Turned My Life into a Masterpiece, and I’m Still Trying to Figure Out the Plot: The True Story of Lexington Hall.’”
“You’re a fucker. I’m not joking.”
A smirk flickers to life as Rudy rubs a hand over his inky goatee. “Honestly? This pleases me.” He nods, puckering his lips. “I am pleased.”
“You are?”
“Sure. Why wouldn’t I be?”
Lex frowns, looking dubious. “Figured you’d be pissed. I’m basically firing you.”
“For your dreams, Lex. For the woman of your dreams. That’s so fucking romantic.
” When I inch my way into the camera lens with pink cheeks and wet eyes, Rudy sends me a wink and a wave.
“This has always been your destiny, my man. Love winning out in the end. The swoon-worthy, epic finish that is supremely sappy but even more satisfying, where you get the girl and live happily ever after.” His sigh is dreamy. “Go ahead and fire me. Fire away.”
Joplin dances her way toward us, singing the chorus of “Hit Me with Your Best Shot,” her arms lifting skyward like she’s raising the roof.
Rudy squints as if he can see the room behind the phone. “Is that Stevie’s sister?”
Joplin pops into frame, slithering into the booth, her big green eyes aimed at the screen. “Hey, Rudy.”
He clears his throat, adjusting his bow tie. “You see that new true-crime podcast that aired last night? About the Anderson murders?”
She gasps, clasping both hands over her heart. “Yes! Donovan did it.”
“One hundred percent.”
“The fishing boat is a red herring.”
“Evidence points to that anonymous tip that came in about the woman who was seen near the dock.”
“Yes!”
“Changes everything.”
“Her name matches a relative from the old family estate’s will.”
“The real mystery is tied to the estate.”
“Donovan’s estate.”
Rudy’s eyes turn into starry-eyed emojis while harps begin to play.
Breathing out a laugh, Lex pulls the screen away from Joplin as she straightens from the booth and starts fanning herself.
She’s toast.
Regrouping, Lex wraps an arm around my shoulders and tugs me closer until we’re both positioned in the frame. “Can I get sentimental with you for a minute?”
“Fuck. Yes. I’ve been waiting for you to get on my level.”
“Even though I’m semi firing you, I still want to be…” He can barely get the word out. “Friends.”
“It’s not me, it’s you. I get it. The answer is yes.”
Lex grins.