Chapter Twenty
NATE
Three Weeks Later
Today is the release of the video, and I can’t bring myself to be excited about it.
There’s a launch party at the office, and everyone’s going.
In these last three weeks, there hasn’t been anything scheduled, so I’ve been able to wallow and sulk in peace. Matt’s been great, staying home and keeping me occupied. I know he wants me to leave the house, but this party is the last thing I want to do.
“C’mon, man, how will it look if a member of the band isn’t there for its own launch? You have to come. Zaria won’t be there, I checked.”
“She won’t?”
He shakes his head, and I sigh.
“Okay, fine!” I throw on my leather jacket and walk to the car with Matt. After we get to the car, we notice an envelope under the windshield wiper and look at each other curiously.
“What the fuck is that?” I ask, and Matt shrugs.
“No idea,” he says, pulling it from under the wiper and opening it.
He pulls out a letter and what looks like an air freshener to hang from your rearview mirror, chuckling as he shows it to me. It’s of a little fat Buddha sitting next to a ficus.
Matt sniffs it and shakes his head with a smile. “Smells like sage.”
I burst out laughing. “You’ve got to be kidding?”
He shakes his head, opening the letter, when little bits of herbs fall out all over the floor. “How the hell did he get into the garage?”
I shake my head. “That’s kinda creepy, right?”
He nods and clears his throat. “Hello, sexy boys,” Matt says, putting on an accent to sound like Whisper, which makes me laugh.
“Today is big day. I proud of you two, and your video going to be huge. Nathaniel, keep your demons at bay and remember be cool, calm, collected always, and something good will come to you if you do. Matthew, you be a good boy and relax your chakra. Today big day of meetings. Chances will come to you both. Take them. Be one with world and soar, my sexy boys. Listen to your heart. When it calling to you. Listen to your soul. There nothing more you can do…” Matt pauses and smirks.
“Wait! Isn’t that last bit close to our song lyrics?
” Matt asks, cracking up in a fit of laughter.
I chuckle, and it’s funny how even though Whisper isn’t here, he seems to know when to show up to make us feel a little better. “That Korean Fung Shui guru…” I shake my head. “Man, he cracks me up. Okay, let’s get going. I needed that. I feel like I can actually face this now.”
“Good, you can do this, Nate. You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for.”
Reluctantly, I nod in agreement, and Matt laces the Buddha air freshener around the mirror before driving us to the office, where there’s a flurry of people running around. It really is a party.
We head up to the rooftop where the event’s to be held, and there’s a big screen, so I’m assuming the clip will be projected. There’s a makeshift bar and stools everywhere with drinks and canapes.
Paparazzi are here—invite only—and a few of the who’s who are here too. In a way, I’m glad Ria and I never went public with our relationship, because we didn’t have to deal with the whole public breakup bullshit. This way, I can look like a tragic rock star, and no one knows why.
Matt leads me to the bar, where we grab two tumblers of whiskey.
Tillie comes over. “You guys ready for tonight?”
“Are you?” Matt asks, and Tillie and I both raise our eyebrows in curiosity at his reply.
“You’re so weird, Matthew. You know that, right?”
He chuckles and shrugs. “Hmm… maybe.”
Tillie ruffles his hair and walks off.
I look at him and shake my head. “What was that?”
He shrugs again. “I’m weird… or am I keeping a secret? You’ll never know.”
“Yeah, I’m thinking the first one.”
I notice Danger, Ryan, and Lunar off to the left, not far from us.
Tillie taps the microphone as everyone gathers around.
“Welcome to the first screening of the music video for “I’ll Take Your Breath Away” featuring Recoil and the talented and breathtaking Oscar-winning actress Zaria Shafir.
” My heart pounds harder at hearing her name.
“Before the clip airs live, we’re going to premiere it here.
So, without further ado, I give you Recoil and “I’ll Take Your Breath Away. ” ”
I swallow a giant swig of my whiskey as the lights dim, and the screen flashes as the video starts.
Seeing Ria looking sexy as fuck, has my heart in palpitations instantly.
I look away, taking another sip as ‘oohs and ahhs’ come from the crowd.
I look up just in time to see Danger running his tongue up her neck.
I know what comes soon after, and I fucking can’t take it, so I stand and casually make my way down the stairs inside the building.
In an attempt to calm my breathing, I place my hands on the wall, trying to calm down.
Cool, calm, collected, Nate!
Suddenly, a hand on my back pulls me into the now, and I look up and see Lunar. She smiles at me, and I shake my head.
Lunar frowns, pulling me into an embrace as I hug her tightly. “I’m so sorry, Nate,” she says softly.
“I just don’t get it,” I murmur back while she holds me.
“Danger said the reason he was so into it the last time was because Ria had told him to think she was me and that it should be like being with me for the first time in a really long time. He said it was the only way to get into the right mindset. So maybe Ria was thinking the same thing while getting into character… that it was you for the first time after a long time apart?” Lunar touches my arm. “Maybe you guys can sort this out?”
I pull back from her and sigh. “Maybe, not sure. But I’m glad you and Danger are okay.”
“We’re good. I was upset, but I know he loves me.
I know they didn’t cheat on us, Nate. It was stupid of me to think that way.
They wouldn’t do that to us. I was so totally insane with jealousy that I pulled you along for the ride.
I know now they were only acting. I believe them…
even Zaria.” She gives me a soft smile. “Make it right, Nate. You’re miserable. ”
I nod as the video’s music stops.
“C’mon, let’s get back up there, hey?”
We head back up, hand in hand, toward the rooftop. Everyone is clapping, and it’s good to know this time around, the video is a hit. Lunar squeezes my hand and lets it go before I walk over to Matt.
He slaps my shoulder and nods. “You okay?”
I give him a curt nod while Tillie continues with the speeches, “So that’s it for the formalities. Does anybody have anything they’d like to say?” Tillie announces.
Matt shoves my side, making me furrow my brows in confusion as all the lights go out. Slight murmurs and chatter echo over the darkened roof.
Tillie gasps. “Oh shoot, sorry, everyone, there must be a blackout. I’ll get the power back on as soon as—”
“You are… so beautiful… to me,” Ryan sings as a spotlight flashes down on him, walking toward Tillie as he plays his guitar.
Everyone, including me, gasps as Ryan continues the song almost perfectly while Tillie cries.
Matt is sitting right next to Tillie when Ryan stops and has a giant grin on his face.
The ass knew this was going to happen.
Ryan steps up to Tillie’s feet and places his guitar around his back as he squats on one knee.
“Tillie Anne Marks… you are so beautiful, and my life wouldn’t be complete without you and our pets.
But it would be better if you could be called my wife.
Please do me the honor of marrying me so you can boss me around officially? ”
She laughs and bobs her head, the tears of joy falling down her flushed cheeks.
“Of course. A million times… yes,” she says as tears continue to fall.
Ryan smiles, patting his chest as if to look for the ring.
His eyes open wide as he pats his chest frantically.
Matt stands, pulls a box out of his jeans, and hands it to Ryan as Tillie gasps and everyone laughs.
“You sickos… you planned that, didn’t you?” Tillie asks.
Matt smirks, sitting back down with a shrug as Ryan pulls out a giant ring and places it on her finger. She smiles, bouncing up on her toes, and Ryan gets up, pulling her into a hug and kissing her passionately while everyone claps.
Oliver steps up to the microphone as the lights come back on, and he smiles.
“Now, this really is a celebration. Let’s party, everyone.
Drinks are on me!” Everyone cheers and throws their hands in the air.
Surprisingly, I manage a chuckle for the first time in weeks.
I figure I’ve had enough of all the lovey-dovey shit, though, so I’m going to stand by the edge of the building and get some air.
Cool, calm, collected!
I manage to do that for about ten minutes before a waitress comes up to me. “Excuse me, Mr. Levine?” she asks.
“Yes?”
“This is for you,” she says, handing me a black card, and then walking away.
Furrowing my brows, I figure it must be her number.
I’m flattered but not the least bit interested.
I go to wad it up when something catches my eye.
Zaria Shafir. The gold-embossed name sticks out like a sore thumb as I stare at it.
Swallowing hard, I turn the card over to see some symbols, which take me a bit, but I soon decipher them.
It’s my symbol for Matt. There’s writing underneath the symbol for Matt, so I think she’s telling me to get Matt to read it for me.
Exhaling, I figure, why not? I’ll play her game.
I take the card over to Matt, and he looks at me. “You look weird. What’s wrong?”
“I need you to read something for me.”
He nods. “Okay.”
I bring up the card, and he laughs. “Why is there a rhino on it?”
“You’re a rhino,” I say.
He jerks his head back with a smirk. “Me? Why am I a rhino?”
“ ’Cause you’re the older brother, and you’re protective and boisterous… Fuck! That doesn’t matter, Matt. What’s it say underneath?”