CHAPTER FOUR
KNOX
The loft is hardly recognizable when we find ourselves up here for the second time tonight. It’s wall-to-wall people. Where before the space felt open and light, now a sardine can reference comes to mind.
“I think we’re going to be up here for a while,” Matti mumbles as we’re ushered around the back of the bar to a table set up for us, complete with security.
It’s the last thing any of us say to each other. Within seconds, the line is open, and fans are rushing forward for their chance to take pictures and get signatures.
At least twenty minutes have gone by, and it’s been the same interaction on repeat at least a dozen times already when some pint-sized woman with brown hair and pink highlights shows up in front of me, clearly about to shake things up.
I can tell because this woman, unlike the ones who came before her, is practically being forced to make her way up to meet me, pushed and prodded by the eager fans behind her.
“Having second thoughts?” I tease, trying to break the ice. “You can just keep walking, I won’t take offense, promise.”
“I would if I was here for me, which I wouldn’t be, so this moment would never come to pass, but I’m not, so I can’t,” she mutters anxiously. Then she takes a deep breath and takes the final step up to the table of her own volition. “I need a favor.”
“Oh, yeah?” I sense a birthday wish via video coming on. I try not to say yes to those, only because there’s no way to say yes to all of them and saying no to everyone instead seems fairer somehow.
“My best friend is kind of obsessed with you,” she starts, then makes a face, apparently not liking the sound of her own words. “Not you personally.” She waves her hand back and forth just to make sure I understand she misspoke. “She’s not that kind of girl.”
Wherever this is leading, at least it’s entertaining me. “What kind of girl is that?”
She rolls her eyes. “You know, ‘the crazy, throws her panties at you, offers to blow you on the tour bus, then goes home to leave her husband because she’s certain she now shares a cosmic connection with you’, kind of girl.”
I have to fight back a laugh. “Got it. Thank you for clarifying. Please, go on.”
She sighs, and I think she might be having second thoughts again.
But she recovers and carries on, “As I was saying. She’s a huge fan of your work.
And I mean that in a literal sense. She’s like, in love with words, and apparently, you string them together pretty well when you’re writing lyrics.
Plus, she goes gaga anytime she’s witness to mastery of some sort of skill, which according to her, you’ve achieved on the guitar.
Then there’s your voice. I don’t think she can really explain that one away, other than she’s man deprived and thinks you sound sexy as hell. So, there’s that.”
I chuckle. “Yes, there’s that, but where is she?”
“I’m glad you asked.” She grins. “We’ve arrived at the favor portion of this conversation.
See,” she pulls her phone from her pocket, “we had VIP tickets, which entitled her to a meet and greet, but which she was too shy to show up for. But, since I stood in line, and don’t actually care about the meet and greet – no offense-”
“None taken.”
“Well, I was hoping I could FaceTime her, you know, since I’m here, and you could say hi to her. Kind of a swapped out meet and greet.” She eyes me curiously, waiting for my reaction even as her finger is hovering over the video call button, waiting to give it a tap.
I let her sweat it out a minute before I grin at her. “What the hell, let’s do it.”
Her face lights up more than I would have expected it too given her dry demeanor thus far.
“She’s going to freak.” She lets her finger land to make the call.
“Also, she’ll probably kill me. But I’ll die happy having done this for her.
” Then she turns away so I’m out of sight when her friend answers.
Before I can respond, her friend picks up.
“Now we’re FaceTiming?” As soon as I hear the voice, I recognize it. The chick from before, defending my song. “What the hell is happening to our friendship? Do I even know you anymore? Do you even know me ?!”
“Calm down. This is a one-time-only occurrence, I promise.” Her friend smirks, looking over the top of her phone at me before she adds, “I just really need to show you something.”
“Dude, if you’re still in the restroom, I don’t want to see it.”
I take that as my cue to walk around and say hi. Only hi is not what comes out.
“ Holy shit .” Not only does the woman have a mouth and mind I was already into, but she’s also so stunning my own brain ceases to function for a moment.
I shake my head, trying to clear the fumbling thoughts from the forefront and regain some of my usual charm, but all I manage on round two is, “ Goddamn .”
I don’t know if she’s more surprised by the sight of me or my lacking social skills, but she recovers a hell of a lot faster than I do. “Well, holy shit and god damn to you too.”
I laugh and it seems to jumpstart my brain, and with it my ability to carry on conversations like a normal human. “Where are you at?” I ask, getting straight to the point.
“Outside the front doors.” She glances around nervously. “Why?”
“Stay put. I’m bringing this meet and greet to you.”
Her eyes widen and I have a feeling she’s about to talk me out of it, but I don’t give her a chance. I just hand the phone back to her friend. “Make sure she doesn’t leave.”
Then I’m cutting through the line of people before anyone can register what I’m doing.
I hustle down the stairs hearing echoes of my name everywhere I pass through.
Then, a minute or two later, I’m pushing my way through the double doors and getting hit with the cool breeze of an autumn night.
Any other time, I would stop to enjoy it, but I can’t tonight.
Something is pressing me to find her, to make sure she didn’t bolt.
It’s crazy. I haven’t even met this woman but I’m not willing to lose out on the chance to know her.
To find out what she’s really about, because so far, everything I’ve seen, has already got me hooked.
“Oh my God!” I hear a gasp from my left. It takes me a second to find her, she’s standing in the shadows of the awning beside several large potted trees. This will actually work in our favor. If I couldn’t see her, no one else will see me.
“There you are.” I smile, slowing down to take the last few steps toward her at a more casual pace.
“I can’t believe you really came out here.” Her hand is still covering her mouth. It’s been there ever since the ‘oh my God’ slipped past her lips.
“Woman, I told you I was coming for you.” I stop an inch or two later than I normally would, and still several inches sooner than I want. Then, because it seems wise, I slide both hands in my pockets for now. “You’re the writer with an affinity for stormy weather.”
The hand slides down at last to reveal her mouth, which can’t seem to decide between surprise or the most adorable goddamn smile I’ve ever seen. It’s not full out. It’s sweet, and shy, but smug at the same time.
“Arizona told you about that too?”
“Is Arizona the crazy woman who stood in line just to insult me and then ask me for a favor?” I ask, smirking.
She rolls her eyes, clearly trying to hide her embarrassment. “Sounds like her.”
“She did tell me a whole bunch of stuff, but that part I heard you say for yourself.”
She’s back to surprise. “You did?”
“Yes.” I confirm with a nod, slowly tipping back and forth between my heels and toes, hands still tucked away while I contemplate how to take this conversation where I want it to go. Then I stop rocking. I lean in ever so slightly. “Know what I haven’t heard anyone say yet though?”
“That eavesdropping is rude?” She smirks, shyness and surprise fading quickly.
I grin back at her. “Your name.”
Now she seems confused. “You want to know my name?”
“I do.”
“Aren’t you just going to forget it when you walk back inside and have your next meet and greet with a woman who actually stood in line for you?” she teases.
I clasp my chest dramatically. “Ouch. Is that really what you think?”
She shakes her head slowly, a small smile still lingering. “No. But I think that’s what I would think if I was being smart enough to think it.”
“Well, think this,” I pause to retrieve my phone from my pocket.
“I would like to ask you your number. So I can call you later and have a real conversation about real shit, not just some phony little meet and greet small talk, and I’d really prefer to add you into my contacts under your name as opposed to ‘the-holy-shit-goddamn-woman’. ”
She laughs and I think I’ve got her convinced. “It’s Kenley.” She cocks a brow at me, still smirking. “Though, I’m not against the idea of being Kenley-the-holy-shit-goddamn-woman in your phone.”
“Girl, I have a feeling you’re going to be the holy shit, goddamn woman for a long while to come.” I tap the screen of my phone and pull up the contacts. “Now then, how about that number?”
KENLEY
What. The fuck. Just. Happened ?
I mean. I know what happened. Hell, I’m still staring at my phone screen displaying the proof of it in my hand. But I’m still not sure I fully believe it.
“Did Knox ever make it out here? I just passed him inside, getting mauled by about fifty women halfway back to the loft,” Arizona rattles off before she even reaches me.
“Oh, never mind.” She takes in my expression.
“Based on what’s happening here,” she swirls her pointer finger around my face as she says it, “I think I can safely conclude you had your in person meet and greet.” She grins. “You’re welcome.”
“Thank you.” The words come out on autopilot. I’m not sure if I feel them yet. “Where’s Tara?”
Arizona hooks her finger pointing at the doors behind her. “We said goodbye inside. I dropped her with her boyfriend on my way out here. Why?”