Chapter 30
Chapter Thirty
Nash
T he door swung open before I could knock. “Get in here,” Ronnie whispered loudly. “The two blockheads are still sleeping.” She continued in a fast-talking whisper. “They stayed up till three in the morning watching a horror movie marathon. I still can’t get the sound of suspenseful music and blood-curdling screams out of my head.” She grabbed my hand and pulled me along to the small front room. “Sit,” she commanded.
I sat. “Uh, officer, what did I do wrong?”
Ronnie pulled out her phone. “What did you do wrong?” She was still hissing through a whisper.
“Why are we being so hush-hush?” I asked, mimicking her dramatic whisper routine.
She sat next to me with a plunk. “Because I wanted a chance to talk to you about this before those two found out.”
“All right. You’re starting to freak me out, Ronnie.”
She held her phone up and pushed it close enough to my face that I had to lean back. It was my video. I hadn’t looked at it since I posted it.
“Oh wow, you found my video. I was just messing around.” I was done whispering.
“Well, your ‘just messing around’ already has a hundred thousand views. Your song, the one you apparently wrote in secret, has gone viral. Fans are begging to download the new track. Of course, I had no idea that this little gem of a video existed out there in the internet-o-sphere, but it’s bringing some great traffic to our site. I noticed that our downloads and streams had gone through the roof overnight. Then I saw your video.” She held up her phone. “Hundred and fifty thousand. This will be at a million by noon.”
I sat back, flabbergasted. “I don’t know what to say. I swear I was just working on this song that I had no real plans for. I got inspired …” I stopped, but it was too late. Ronnie caught what I said.
She sat forward with a teasing grin. “Aha, I wondered if there was some inspiration behind this song. Does this inspiration, by any chance, have copper hair?”
I nodded and relaxed back against the couch cushions. “She does, and since none of our other originals ever went viral, it seems I needed that inspiration to finally write something people loved.”
Ronnie was scrolling through her phone as I spoke. “They love it all right. We need to get the song up on our site as soon as possible. This thing has big download potential. My gosh, Nash, you nailed it, and it didn’t even take any professional sound editing or studio. Just you on a couch with your guitar.”
The news had hit me like a sonic blast, but I was slowly absorbing it. “Wait, do you think we could make enough that I could pay for that first installment on my mom’s procedure?”
“If things keep going the way they are, and I see no reason why they wouldn’t, then yeah. I think we’ll all be making a solid chunk of cash. Your new video was just what we needed to introduce fans to our music.” She paused and got a funny look on her face. “I don’t want to go all legal-eze on you, but you posted this on the band’s social media and used our fan base?—”
“Ronnie, it’s all right. Of course we’ll share these profits. We’re still a band at the moment, and to be honest, I’m hurt that you would think otherwise.”
Ronnie laughed. “Sorry, that was my greedy financial brain talking. I know you’re not like that. I’m like that, so I always expect other people to be the same way.”
Footsteps pulled our attention to the hallway. Bosco was shirtless, in a pair of shorts. He was rubbing his hair, and it stuck out in every direction. His face had that just-woke-from-a-heavy-sleep look, but he was staring intensely at his phone. “What the?—”
“Yep, our singer posted a little song he’d been messing around with, and well, it’s on fire,” Ronnie said.
Bosco glared at me. It was exactly the kind of reaction I expected. “You posted a song without our input?” He was about to start on a rant, but Ronnie stopped him.
“Our downloads are through the roof,” she said.
Some of the tension in his bony shoulders faded. “Yeah?”
Ronnie nodded. “We’re going to make a lot of money on this.”
Bosco pulled his glare away from me. “Would have been nice to know about the song,” he muttered as he headed to the kitchen.
“And you’re welcome,” I said. “I hadn’t planned for it to be anything but me messing around with my guitar.”
“He had inspiration,” Ronnie teased, unhelpfully.
Bosco turned from the refrigerator with a carton of orange juice. He chugged some and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “You mean my inspiration. I spotted her first.”
“Well then, that makes her yours. Sometimes, you’re such an ass, Bos.”
“Thanks, I take that as a compliment.” He lifted the carton to drain the contents.
“That was my orange juice,” Ronnie complained.
“I’ll pay you back. It seems we’re all going to be rich soon.”
“Once again, you’re welcome,” I said.
Seth came down the hallway, more dressed and put together, but with the same baffled expression as he held up his phone. “What the heck is going on?”
Ronnie patted my shoulder. “Our boy Nash did a little thing, and it’s turning into a big thing.”
“Whoa, bro, you sly devil,” Seth said. He walked out and sat on the couch. “What does this mean for the rest of us, for the band?”
“It means more money for all of us,” I said. “But I think everything else still stands, right?” I looked at Seth. He was the one who got the dissolution ball rolling by taking a day job offer from his future father-in-law.
It didn’t take Seth long to agree. “Yeah, I’m still taking the job.”
Bosco came out. He’d been the lone holdout on a breakup, but he sat down and said, “Yep. I’m done. I’m going to move on, and I think that’ll be best for all of us.”
Ronnie nodded along, but with less enthusiasm. “I’m going to miss all of you.” Her voice wavered, and that was unusual for Ronnie.
I patted her leg. “It’s the end of an era, and we’ve all got our futures ahead of us.”
Seth lifted his phone. “And this will help give all of us a boost in that future. Thanks, Nash.”
“Yeah, thanks,” Ronnie said.
They both looked at Bosco. He pretended to be scrolling through his phone. He finally looked up. “Yeah, I guess you did good.”
“I’ll take it,” I said to Ronnie who was rolling her eyes. “Well, let’s talk another time about how we’re going to dissolve this band. I’ve got someone to see.” I headed toward the door.
“Your inspiration?” Ronnie called to me.
“Yep.” I walked out and headed to my truck. I sent off a text. “Any chance we can hang out? I’d really like to see you.” There was no quick response. She’d mentioned a bike ride. I put the phone down and drove back to the cottage.
It was a great day, perfect weather, not too hot. I was dreaming about a swim and picnic on the beach when I pulled onto the small road leading to the cottage. At first, all I saw was Layla standing next to her bike and looking at something across from her. When I passed the last tree on the sidewalk, the object of her focus came into view. It was Dustin.
I pulled into my driveway so fast the tires chirped and the windows rattled. I stopped the truck, jumped out and raced over to Layla. Dustin pointed angrily at me. “You are somehow always around. Are you stalking Layla?” Dustin asked.
It was hard not to laugh. “Uh, I think someone should look in the mirror when they ask that question.”
Layla scooted closer to me. She was tense with fear as I took her hand.
“Get your hands off her!” Dustin yelled. “Leave. This is a personal conversation between me and my girlfriend.”
“I’m not your girlfriend, Dustin.” Layla’s quiet, shaky tone made my throat tighten.
I had no idea how long they’d been standing out on the driveway, but I was glad, now, that we delayed the meeting.
“I told you, Layla, we just need to talk about it and smooth things out. We had a good thing.”
Layla shook her head. “No, no we didn’t.”
I took a step toward him, and he backed up defensively. “If you come near me, I’m calling the police.”
“Don’t you see? You’re trespassing on Layla’s property. Maybe you should call the police. We’ve got something to report.”
Dustin backed up another step. “Just leave. I’m only going to talk to her.”
I shook my head. “You’re the only one leaving. She’s told you no. She doesn’t want to talk to you, and showing up to harass her and scare her is not going to force Layla to change her mind. You’re only pushing her away more. She obviously wants nothing to do with you.”
“Oh, I see, you’re planning to make your move on her. Well, she’s taken.”
I actually started to feel sorry for the guy. He was really detached from reality.
“Dustin, just go,” Layla said. “Otherwise, I will call the police.”
Dustin looked over at her. “You don’t mean that, Layla.”
Tears were rolling down her face. She nodded. “Yes, I do. We are never going to be together. Never. Please move on.”
Dustin’s eyes darted toward me.
“You heard her,” I said.
Dustin grumbled something under his breath as he marched down to the road, climbed in his car and drove off. I turned around, and before I could say a word, Layla threw herself into my arms. She sobbed for a few minutes and was still trembling when she finally caught her breath.
She peered up at me through teary eyes. “You hear about this happening to other people, but you never think it’s going to happen to you. He was blocking the path to the front door. I was contemplating getting on my bike and riding away, but I think he might have chased me in his car and that seemed scary. I’m glad you got home when you did.” She pressed herself against my chest.
I wrapped my arms around her. “Me, too, Layla. Me, too.”