Chapter 15 #2
I allow myself a few minutes to wallow in self-pity, and then I tell myself to stop crying.
There’s no way I can go into work looking like this, so I text Shane, telling him I need to take the rest of the afternoon off.
He doesn’t text back right away, so I call Valerie, but she doesn’t pick up.
I then try calling Willow, but she doesn’t answer her cell phone either.
I call Willow’s office, and the receptionist tells me she’s on her lunch break.
Willow always goes home on her lunch break, so I quickly get dressed, text her that I’m coming to see her, and drive to her house.
She still hasn’t texted me back by the time I get to her house across town, but her car is in her driveway.
I park behind another car in front of her house and walk up to the front porch.
I start banging on her door, needing her to open it right away, as the tears start flowing and I’m about to lose it.
She finally pulls the door open, her face contorted into anger until she sees me in my crying state. “Oh my God, Aly, what’s wrong?” she asks in a panic, grabbing my wrist and hauling me inside. She closes the doors and pulls me in for a hug.
“It’s Gavin,” I cry into her neck, my sobs preventing me from speaking coherently. “He’s… going… to… break… up… with… me,” I stutter out, the weight of those words causing me to cry harder.
She holds me tighter and in a soothing voice tells me it’s going to be okay. I take a couple minutes to collect myself before pulling back out of her embrace.
“I’m so sorry, Willow, for snotting all over you. I—” My voice falters as I take in her appearance. She’s wearing only a baggy, navy-blue T-shirt, with the hem of the shirt stopping at the middle of her bare thighs.
I look her up and down in confusion, wondering why she’s dressed like this on her lunch break then bringing my gaze back to her face.
“Are you sick?” I watch her gulp and her eyes focus behind me.
I turn around, my eyes widening in shock to see Brodie Larsen, gloriously half-naked with disheveled hair and jeans hanging low on his hips, standing in her bedroom doorway.
“Hey, Al,” he says softly with a tentative smile. “You okay?”
I inhale sharply and whip my head back to look at my best friend. Her lips are swollen, hair disheveled as well, and her cheeks are turning crimson under my scrutiny.
“You have a lot of explaining to do, Mayson.” I exhale the breath I was holding. “You told me the night I introduced you two that he was a conceited asshole.” I narrow my eyes at her in questioning.
“He can be,” she answers with a twitch of her lips and looks at him with adoration. I hear his chuckling getting closer and then he’s standing next to her, his arm around her waist.
“I’m so confused right now,” I grumble with a shake of my head. “How long has this been going on?”
“Since that same night I told you he was a conceited asshole.” She looks at me sheepishly, knowing she’s in so much trouble.
“What the hell, you guys!” I yell out in anger, throwing my arms up and placing them on my hips. “You haven’t said one word about this, Willow!”
“I know, and I’m sorry. I’ve kind of just been wrapped up in Brodie.
” He kisses her forehead tenderly, and she looks at him in a way I’ve never seen her look at any other man before.
She looks at him like she’s in love with him—the complete opposite of what her feelings were over a month ago.
“Just like you’ve been preoccupied with Gavin. ”
At the mere mention of his name, tears spring up again and I look up, willing them not to fall. “Yeah, well, that’s about to change.”
“Aly, do I need to go punch his face in?” Brodie’s demeanor changes, his eyes glittering with anger. “Because it would be my pleasure if he’s hurt you.”
I shake my head at him and give him a sad smile. “No. This is actually my fault, but thank you for looking out for me.”
“I’ll give you two some privacy to talk.” He looks down at Willow and smirks, his eyes darkening as he rakes his eyes up and down her body. “Even though my shirt looks sexy as fuck on you, babe, I’m going to need it back unless you want me to walk out of here shirtless.”
“Be right back, Aly. Make yourself at home.”
They go into the bedroom, and I busy myself in the kitchen, grabbing a cup of water to distract myself from hearing their whispers and kisses.
Willow comes out of the bedroom in her work clothes, with Brodie right behind her.
He gives me a tight hug then kisses Willow goodbye, promising her they will see each other later before he leaves.
“I called work and told them I’m taking the rest of the day off. So sit down and tell me everything.”
We sit down on her couch, and I start from the very beginning of when Kathleen first approached me to her text message today.
“You should’ve told him, Aly,” she says softly after I finished my story.
“Yeah, I know.” I nod sadly in agreement.
“I had no idea he was talking to Scotty about Big Little Music. I knew he was upset about having to work with Tori again, and I told him I didn’t care and that I trusted him, but that was the extent of our talks about him being unhappy at Charisma.
” Gavin told me about Atticus’s threat and offer to write for Tori again.
I wasn’t happy about it, but I told him to do it for his career.
After reassuring him that I trusted him and I wasn’t going to be upset with him having to work with her, I haven’t thought about it again.
I’ve put off worrying about it, because they aren’t supposed to start working on her new album for another couple weeks.
“Well, you can’t undo the past,” she says with a sigh. “And I don’t think he’s going to break up with you. He loves you.”
I shrug, not really knowing how to respond to that.
“I know he loves me but—” I let out a shaky breath.
“—the look in his eyes, Willow…” I shiver thinking about it.
“He looked like he hated me.” I know after I refused to let him go and cried, something softened in his eyes, but I still don’t know where his head’s at.
“He said he needed time to think, and I knew I had to let him go.” I look down and pick at another one of my nails, noticing I’ve chipped the nail polish off most of them in my despair.
“He probably just needs some time to think things through. I’ve seen the way that man looks at you. He isn’t breaking up with you,” she says confidently while studying me closely. “Do you really love him, Aly?”
“With every fiber of my being,” I tell her firmly, my eyes unwavering as I look at her so she knows I’m serious. “But I’m mad at him too.”
“What do you mean?”
“He should trust me. I know he was mad, but he should have known I wouldn’t do something like that to him.”
“You’re right,” she agrees then looks down and takes a shaky breath before bringing her gaze back up to mine. “That said, you know his history and you knew that not telling him and him finding out about Kathleen might cause problems.”
“Yeah.” I swallow hard, seeing only one solution to this problem. “I need to quit my job.”
“What?” Her eyes widen as I start to come up with a plan to prove to Gavin he’s what really matters to me. Handing in my notice should prove to him that I’m with him for only him and not advancement in the music industry. “I’ll quit my job and get a job somewhere else.”
“Do you really want to quit your job?”
“No, I mean I love my job, but I’m not happy Kathleen put me in this situation. And I can apply what I do to almost any industry, so I’m not worried about finding work.”
“You’re talented and smart, so I know you’re right. If you’re sure about this, then I can help you reconstruct your resume.” She takes my hands as I smile in my excitement of finding a solution. I hug her, tackling her to her couch.
“I love you so much, Willow Mayson!” I say to her as I squeeze her to me. “Thank you for always being here for me.”
“I love you too, Aly.” She returns my hug, her arms tightening around me. I pull back so she can stand up. “Now get in that car, call Shane to give him your notice, and go find Gavin!”
“I will, but you have to know that when this drama is over, we’re going to have a conversation about you and Brodie.”
“I figured as much.” She rolls her eyes.
I give her a hug goodbye then race out of her house.
Hope starts to fill me as I get into my car, shut the door, and start the engine.
Please, God, this has to work! I have enough savings in the bank to live comfortably for six months until I find my next job.
And while I’ll miss Shane and some of my co-workers, Kathleen showing her true colors makes me second-guess if Big Little Music is where I’m meant to be.
I dial Shane’s number, praying he picks up and understands when I tell him why I’m quitting.
“Baby girl, you should’ve told me,” he says sadly after I finish.
We’ve been talking for the whole thirty minutes I’ve been stuck in traffic, and I’m now parked across the street from Gavin’s building.
I have no idea if he’s home, since he normally parks in his building’s garage, but I figured I can start here first and then go hunt him down at the studio.
“I should’ve told a lot of people, and now I’m paying the price for it.”
“I’m so fucking livid right now, Alyson!” I’ve never heard Shane this angry in my life, but with Kathleen owning the company, there isn’t much he can do if he wants to keep his job. “You shouldn’t be in this kind of position.”
“But I am, Shane. Do you understand why I’m quitting though? Even if Gavin and I aren’t together any longer, there’s no way I can continue working there for her.”
“I completely understand, but you know I’m connected in this industry. I can get you another job at another label like that.” I hear his fingers snap and smile in sadness, as I truly will miss working for him, but I know he’s my friend for life.
“I think it’s best that I choose another industry, no matter what the outcome of my relationship with Gavin will be.
” The more I think about it, the more it makes sense for me to completely get out of the music industry.
I couldn’t bear to stay in it anyway if he and I don’t end up together, knowing I might see him with other women at industry events.
The image of him even holding hands with someone else makes bile rise up in my throat.
“I need to give Kathleen a piece of my mind right now when I tell her the news of your resignation. I love you, my sunshine. Call me after you find Gavin to let me know what’s happened. If you need me, I’m here.”
I say goodbye and hang up with him. I look over at Gavin’s building and take a deep breath. Please let him be home, I pray as I get out of my car and walk across the street. I type my code into the keypad and open the door when the buzzer sounds.
“Good afternoon, Miss Dawson,” the doorman says to me on my way in.
I nod and smile in greeting, too nervous to even talk right now.
I punch the up button and the elevator doors slide open.
I smooth down my hair, pinch my cheeks for some color, and wipe the corners of my eyes while the elevator rises to Gavin’s floor.
I take a shaky breath when the doors open and lift my head up in confidence as I walk out, determined to win my man back.
This is our first major bump in our journey together, and I know we can overcome it.
I stand in front of his door, praying he’s home so I don’t have to go searching for him. I knock rapidly, and it takes only a few seconds for the door to open. Time seems to stand still as Tori Langston stands before me in only her green lace bra and matching panties.
“Wh… what are you doing here?” I whisper as I blink back the tears that are threatening to spill.
She smiles like the Cheshire Cat and folds her arms beneath her chest, causing her boobs to almost spill out of her bra. “You know exactly what I’ve been doing here, sweet little Alyson.”
“Where’s Gavin?” I look around her, my vision blurring as I see her clothes littering the floor, making a trail around the corner to where his bedroom is.
“He’s taking a shower,” she purrs and bites her lip, making me want to throw up all over her.
“He wouldn’t.” I shake my head at her, not believing he would throw away what we have and return to this vile woman.
“It was just a matter of time that he and I were going to be back together. Did you really think he was going to settle for a little girl when he can have a real woman?” She snickers as she looks me up and down in disgust. Tiny knives start puncturing my heart, my body shaking in anger, hurt, and betrayal.
My chest feels like it’s about to explode, and I can’t stand to look at her anymore.
Without saying a word, I bolt for the nearest exit and run down the stairs.
“No, no, no!” I scream in the stairwell, not caring if anyone hears me.
I finally reach the first floor and pull open the door.
I run through the lobby to the glass doors, ignoring the doorman, who calls after me in concern.
I get outside and run across the street to my car, horns blaring, as I don’t even watch where I’m going and almost get hit by a car.
I reach my car and fumble in my purse for my keys but can’t find them through the tears that are blocking my vision.
“Aly? Aly, are you okay?” I hear Sosie’s voice and look up to see her running toward me. I yank open my door and shut it just as she arrives. “Aly, what’s going on? Aly! Roll down your window and talk to me,” she pleads with me while banging on the window.
I start the engine and roll down the window, gasping for air as I try to breathe through my heartache. “Gavin… and… Tori,” I stutter out before a fresh wave of tears assaults me.
“What? No!” Understanding enters her eyes and she shakes her head in denial. “He wouldn’t!” she says in disbelief.
“Looks like he did,” I whisper, my heart in agony at how much this hurts. Needing solitude, I roll up my window and briefly glance up to see Sosie running toward Gavin’s building. Feeling numb, I put the car in reverse, back out, and get the hell out of there.