Chapter 39
Tate
“Heyyyy, Jan, how are you?” I call sweetly as the door slides to a shut behind me.
She looks at me like she just tried a new food, and it didn’t go well.
In her defense, this is not a well-thought-out plan.
When I say not well-thought-out, I mean, I didn’t think before I hopped on a plane with my sister and her new fiancé to Los Angeles in an attempt to get tickets to the last show of American Icon so that Tim—whom my sister is engaged to, if you hadn’t heard—could cheer on his lifelong pal, Levi, who also happens to be the subject of the majority of my thoughts.
But he doesn’t know that and neither does Jan, so as I stand in the most insanely large, bigger-than-my-new apartment office, I’m going to not mention any of that and just wing it!
“Tate, it’s too late to beg for your spot back. The finale is in three days, and as much as I love a plot twist, it’s over.” She stands to move one pile of paper to another, and then repeats the movement.
I lean forward. “Are you looking for something? Maybe I can help.”
She looks up and curses under her breath. “I can’t find my readers and I’m useless without them.”
“Here, let me help you.” I get up and move over to her desk.
She watches me as I move, narrowing her eyes as I get closer.
I start lifting stacks of paper and folders, trying to see if anything will fall out from them, when I spot a pair of thin, wire-rimmed glasses between her keyboard and monitor.
They’re tucked in such a way that they almost look to be a part of the system.
“Are these them?” I offer, lifting them up to her.
“Those are them.” She grabs them from my grasp and slides them up the bridge of her nose. “Thank you. Now what can I help you with? If social media is any indication, congrats on your label and tour.”
“Thank you. Everything has happened so fast...I’m really grateful.”
I watch as she leans back in her office chair. It whines against her weight. Her gaze is directed out her massive wall-sized window overlooking downtown. LA is as I left it. Still on. Still moving. “Grateful, but are you happy?” she asks, still not looking at me.
“Happy?”
“You’ve always been grateful, Tate. You ooze optimism and positivity. Even when you were on the show playing my game. But are you happy?”
“I think so?”
She turns to look at me. “Feelings aren’t something you have to convince yourself of, they’re a state of being. You know that. For example, since you left, Levi has been a complete cow. He’s unhappy. Cooperative, but unhappy.”
“Why do you think he’s unhappy? He’s always been quiet, a man of very few words.”
A smile creeps up her face, the lines of her mouth chasing the chill up my spine.
“I have my ways. Anyways, as you know, I’m incredibly busy, and now that you’ve found my glasses, I can get back to work. Unless is there anything I can do for you?”
Her voice is quiet over the internal panic in my head. He’s unhappy?
“Um, yes, actually. Is there any way you can get me tickets—four of them—to the show? My sister recently got engaged to Levi’s best friend and he wants to be there on the last night.”
She stops typing, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. “Your sister is getting married to your love interest’s best friend? HA! You guys really are a mess, aren’t you?”
“He’s not my—”
“Tell Arianna at the front the name and room number of the hotel you’re in and I’ll have some tickets sent over. Front row!” Her phone starts to ring, and without even waving me off, she answers. “Hello, this is Jan...”
As quietly as I possibly can, I scoot my chair back and stand, slinging my bag over my shoulder and walking to the door. I open it to the rest of the office.
“Oh, Tate?” she calls as I’m halfway out.
“Hmm?”
“Try to dress nice. A dress or something. I’m sure the cameras will find you.” And with that, she jumps back on her call, yelling about licensing and “they can’t do that!”
Tim and Callie jump from the black leather lobby chairs the second they see me round the corner. It makes me smile how in sync they are. I hold up a finger as I give the receptionist our hotel information.
“Did you get them?” Callie asks, linking her arm with mine as we walk out of the office to the elevator.
“I think so? It definitely went differently than I had imagined.”
Bing! The elevator opens and the three of us step inside.
“How so?” Tim asks.
I hit the ground floor button, considering where to start and how much to tell Tim. “She just said Levi is unhappy, and that was surprising to me considering everything he said he wanted he got. But then again, how much of what Jan said is true and how much is speculation.”
Tim narrows his eyes in my direction, rocking back and forth on his heels.
The elevator is mirror-paneled so I get every angle of him.
He wipes his hand over his mouth. “I don’t know that he’s unhappy.
I think he’s trying to figure it out. I’m glad his mom came with us.
I think that will be good for him...to have her in his corner again.
I hope that wasn’t weird for you, Tate..
.” He smiles nervously like he just considered the possibility. The doors open.
“No, not at all. She was absolutely lovely.”
I don’t feel the need to mention that for the nearly five-hour flight she talked exclusively about Levi.
How she knew when she first had him that he was special.
The whole time I smiled, laughed, and picked out features that they shared.
Eyes and hair color. I wondered where his dad was and if he knew what a great guy his son turned out to be.
I contemplated asking her but didn’t because he’s not mine and it’s none of my business.
Yes, he sent me roses. Yes, we text daily.
And yes, I got on a flight to see him win American Icon (hopefully), but that’s where it ends.
Levi is a flight risk and above that I’m not sure I could be with someone who didn’t have the same spiritual outlook as me.
Like not believing in God is a big deal. The biggest deal.
I unlock the rental car but make Tim drive. Callie takes the front seat and I’m in back.
“Where to now?” Tim asks, clicking his seat belt before re-tethering his hand with Callie’s.
“I don’t know. Do we need to get his mom, take her to lunch or anything?” I check the time as my own stomach growls beneath my shirt. Ten past two.
“Nah. Actually, Levi said he was picking her up and taking her out.” Both Callie’s and my eyes grow to saucers. “Wait, don’t worry! She promised she wouldn’t say anything.”
“He’s totally going to find out.” Callie verbalizes what my brain screams.
Tim’s quiet as he winds his way out of the garage. Light filters through the car in a way that feels like opening the curtains first thing in the morning. Stark, but energizing.
“You guys really think she will say something?”
It’s my turn to answer. “I don’t think it will be intentional, but you know Levi. The second he smells something suspicious; he will be all over her for answers. Plus, does his mom normally take flights across the country by herself?”
“Good point. I’ll text her.”
“No, no, don’t stress her out. Let her enjoy lunch with her son.”
“Okay, and where do you guys want to go?”
Callie turns towards me, her head peaking up over the top of the seat so we can discuss.
“Did you guys pack anything special for the show? Jan told me to dress up without saying it.”
Tim shakes his head in a way that says of course not.
“Mall?” Callie asks.
“Mall,” I agree.