Chapter 43
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
Astrid
Eloise rushes toward me the second I step into Vinyl Crush.
It’s early Friday morning.
I wasn’t expecting her to work today, so I only picked up a coffee for myself on my way back from the subway. I hit the platform at seven this morning and played a few sets before I packed my guitar back up to come to work.
“I didn’t know you’d be here,” I say quietly as I push everything in my hands toward her. “Take my guitar case and coffee. I’m going to run to get you one.”
“You’re not going anywhere.” Her gaze trails over my face. “Have you checked your phone this morning, Astrid?”
I place my guitar case on the floor, so I can tug my phone out of my jacket pocket and flash the screen in her direction. “It’s dead. I forgot to plug it in last night. I didn’t realize that before I left this morning. I’ll run up to my apartment to get a battery charger after I get you a coffee.”
“Wait.” Her hand on my forearm stops me as I take my first step.
“Why?”
She draws a deep breath. “Something happened overnight.”
Panic falls over me.
I haven’t talked to my dad in a couple of weeks, but that’s not unusual. He’s busy with work and his family. I’ve been wrapped up in Berk and the store.
“What happened, Eloise?” I question softly.
Tears well in her eyes as she shakes her head.
“Is it your mom? Your dad?” I move to take her into my arms. “Did something happen to Draco? Tell me what you need.”
She pulls back from our embrace to look into my eyes. “It’s nothing like that, Astrid.”
I silently question her with a perked brow.
“These are happy tears.” She skims a finger over her cheek to chase away a lingering tear. “You’re famous.”
I let out a nervous laugh. “I’m not famous.”
“You’re trending.” She turns her phone screen toward me. “Someone uploaded part of your set from the bar the other night, and it’s taken the world by storm.”
She has to be exaggerating. “I’m trending?”
“Hashtag Astrid Rehn.” She points a finger at her phone’s screen. “Everyone is going wild for Wait.”
Wait.
That’s a ballad I wrote last year about a man I hadn’t met yet.
It’s filled with angst and the sorrowful longing of a woman who wishes she could meet a good man who treats her right.
I wrote it in the span of four hours one night after a horrible blind date that a customer set up for me.
I was tired of the games men play and wanted something real with a man who saw me for who I am.
The chorus of the song is a chant that I’ll wait. I’ll wait forever if that’s what it takes to look into his eyes and soul.
“Astrid.” Eloise reaches forward to tap my shoulder. “You’re a huge deal right now.”
I take her phone from her and scan the posts that all end the same way: #astridrehn.
“I’m a hashtag?” I laugh. “This is wild.”
“You’re a hashtag.” She plucks her phone from my hands. “Charge your phone so we can see if any big deal music people want to meet up with you.”
“Big deal music people?”
“Producers, record label executives, huge names in pop music.” She laughs. “Take your pick. I’ll bet someone important is looking for you.”
I glance over her shoulder when I hear the bell over the door ring.
I raise a hand in greeting to one of our regular customers. “There’s someone important. It’s time to work.”
“I get it.” She nods. “You need a minute to absorb all of it.”
She’s right.
I do need a minute to absorb everything that’s happened to me these past few weeks, including the realization that the man I wrote about in Wait may have finally stepped into my life.
I feel like I’ve been waiting forever for Berk Morgan.
Eloise jabs her elbow into my ribs, luring my gaze to her face. “You’re daydreaming about all the fame and fortune coming your way, aren’t you? I’ll take care of the store. Go upstairs, plug your phone in and bask in all the attention.”
Four hours later, the most handsome man in New York City walks into Vinyl Crush carrying a brightly colored bouquet and a paper bag.
I’m suddenly grateful that Eloise left for class thirty minutes ago. I need some one-on-one time with Berk after this morning.
After plugging my phone into the battery charger, I ran through all the notifications on my social media accounts. There were hundreds, so I didn’t have a chance to read every last one yet.
I will.
Most were from people who left comments about how much they enjoyed my performance. A few were from men trying to hit me up for a date.
By the time I came back down to the store, my feet were grounded.
The online attention is an ego booster, but I’m not sure it will lead to anything beyond a few extra dollars in my guitar case when I busk.
“There she is,” Berk rasps as he approaches me. “I brought you lunch.”
I can’t say I’m surprised.
He sent me a text message an hour ago asking what my favorite type of sandwich is.
I told him anything with loads of fresh vegetables on it.
Judging from the smell wafting from the bag, he had some grilled chicken added to it.
I lean forward to kiss him softly on the mouth. “Thank you.”
His gaze scans my face. “You’ve got something on your mind.”
“You.”
That lures a broad smile to his lips. “Good. I’m here with flowers and lunch and something much more important than either of those things.”
I grab hold of the lapels of his dark blue suit jacket. “What’s more important than food and flowers?”
His finger traces a path across my forehead to push a strand of hair back. “How would you feel about another guitar lesson after we take Stevie to Axel Tribeca for dinner tomorrow night?”
“I’d love that.”
“We’ll need to do it early.” He chuckles. “Stevie is starving by six, so I booked a table for three at five-thirty. Can you find someone to watch the store?”
Eloise is already scheduled to come in tomorrow afternoon.
I nod. “Absolutely.”
“Stevie insisted that I ask if you’ll have time for another guitar lesson after dinner?”
I tug on his jacket to draw him closer. “I have all the time in the world.”
His lips find mine in a soft kiss before he pulls back slightly. “You’ve just made me the happiest man in this city, Astrid.”
He’s making me the happiest woman in the world, so I’d say we’re even.