Here With You (21 page)

"Explain to me what happened again. She found out you proposed to that Norwegian string
bean and had a fit?"

"You're just as thin as Inga."

"Please don't compare me to her." KT audibly shuddered. "I met her once. You're lucky
you escaped her talons. Let's talk about Nicole instead."

"Because you'd like to torture me?"

"Because you need a kick to the butt. Are you really going to let her get away? You
obviously like her."

He loved Nicole, but he wasn't going to give KT more ammunition. "She kicked me to
the curb, as you so lovingly pointed out."

"Yeah, but all that's just a negotiation, right? Isn't that how relationships work?"

"You're asking me?"

"Well, it's not like I have a great example in my parents."

He clicked on his email, and as he waited for it to load he started going through
the mail piled on the corner of his desk. "Your parents have been together for almost
thirty years."

"And they never fight," KT said. "It's unnatural. They're aliens or something."

He stalled on an envelope, recognizing the handwriting even though he hadn't seen
it in a long time. He glanced at the return information to be sure. Nicole James.
"I have to go, KT," he said slowly.

"I'll play a dirge for your love life." She snickered.

"I'm glad my misery amuses you."

"Sing her a song. Chicks dig pop stars."

"I sing crossover hits," he protested to the dial tone. Shaking his head, he ended
the call and opened the letter.

A crinkled, folded piece of paper fell on his lap. He set it on the table and read
the note from Nicole.

Grif,

I know you're wondering how I got your address. Your mom gave it to my mom, who gave
it to me. You know how that goes.

But I did ask for it. I have a favor to ask. I know this girl who's a big fan of yours.
Her mom died and she wrote a poem, and she wants you to set it to music and sing it
really badly. Apparently she and her mom used to listen to your music together all
the time.

I know it's probably not likely, so I sent it to you hoping maybe you could sign it
and send it back to her.

I hope you don't hold our relationship against Rachel's request. She's a great kid—this
would mean a lot to her.

Thank you,

N

Unfolding the other sheet of paper, he read the poem. It brought tears to his eyes.
He thought about KT's mention of a dirge. This poem was perfect for it. In fact, he
could hear the music.

He closed his eyes, leaning back, and tapped out the harmony he heard in his head.
Something simple. Something sweet. Pretty much how he felt since he'd lost Nicole.

Chapter Twenty-six

Nicole looked at the charts and figures that Valentine had laid out for her, and her
only thought was that she thought she might keel over. That was a problem, because
Grounds for Thought was especially busy that afternoon and there wasn't much room
around them to pass out.

Valentine leaned forward, her face bright with excitement. "What do you think?"

"I think I'm going to throw up." She put her chin on her fist and stared hopelessly
at all the information. "I'm not sure I can do this."

"I started my own business," Marley said. "If I can do it, you can, too."

"But you're a talented photographer," Nicole pointed out.

"And you're a talented designer. Seriously, Nicole"—Marley gestured to the sketchpad
that had become Exhibit A—"why have you been hiding this? You draw all the time, but
I didn't know you could draw like
that
. Why haven't you done this sooner?"

She shrugged, hugging herself. "I don't know, guys. What if I can't do it? What if
I bomb? What if—"

"What if you never try, and you end up working in a little shop for the rest of your
life?" Marley said bluntly.

"Not that there's anything wrong with working in a little shop," Valentine said quickly.
"But you yourself said you wanted more. This is it."

"What if I'm not ready?" She picked up her teacup and then put it back down. Whoever
decided chamomile had soothing qualities lied. "Just the thought of what it's going
to take is making me hyperventilate."

Valentine pulled one of the sheets of paper lining the table surface forward. "That's
why I broke out everything you need to do in stages. If you tick off each item on
this list one at a time, in order, you'll be fine."

Nodding, she looked over the list. There was still time to run. She'd heard Guatemala
was nice this time of year. "Maybe I should wait until I'm in a better place in life."

"Nicole, you can't wait, because ducks don't line up." Marley pursed her lips in thought.
"Well, actually,
they kind of do, which is where the expression came from
, but you know what I'm saying."

She shook her head. "No, actually I don't."

Valentine slapped her hand on all the pages she'd compiled and leaned in like an enforcer,
which should have been funny considering she looked like a pixie but only made her
seem more menacing. "Just do it, Nicole."

Marley smirked. "Or Valentine will kick your butt."

"Okay." She took a deep breath. "Okay, I'll do it."

Valentine smiled happily. "Good."

The door burst open, slamming against the wall. Everyone in the café silenced for
a moment as two teenagers rushed in.

Nicole frowned. "Rachel? Is school out for the day?"

"Barely. We ran all the way here to make it in time." The girl paused to breathe,
still holding onto the hand of the boy next to her.

A cute boy. Nicole winked at Rachel.

The teenager blushed. "I know, right? Aaron's
hot
."

"You really do have a way with words," the boy said, looking at Rachel adoringly.

The girl gave him a brilliant smile before facing Nicole. "But that's not why I'm
here. He emailed me! Griffin Chase!"

At Grif's name, she froze. Her heart did a series of crazy flops before beating really
hard. But she wasn't surprised that he'd emailed the teenager. Griffin was a good
man. He wouldn't just leave Rachel dangling, not when it obviously meant so much to
her. "What did he say?" she managed.

"He told me to listen to the radio. He's doing an interview." Her eyes widened with
disbelief and excitement. "He isn't going to...?"

"There's only one way to find out. When is his interview?"

"
Now
." Rachel bounced with impatience. "He told me to tell you to listen, too. He insisted,
actually."

Hope caught in her chest, making it difficult to breathe. "Why would he want me to
listen?"

Marley rolled her eyes. "Duh."

"We have to listen," Valentine declared. She looked around. "How do we listen?"

Nicole held her hands up. "The only time I listen to the radio is in my mom's car,
when I'm home visiting."

"Eve," Marley exclaimed, jumping up and running to the counter. After a brief discussion
with the owner, she yelled, "What station?" across the crowded room.

The room stilled again, which gave Rachel the perfect opportunity to yell the station
back. "It's in Los Angeles," she added.

"No worries," Eve called out. "They all broadcast over the Internet. We'll get him
on the speakers."

"What's going on?" another patron said in the expectant silence.

"True love," Valentine called back.

The guy at the table next to them nodded. "Can't argue with true love."

Nicole resisted the urge to lean over and give him a smacking kiss on his cheek.

"We're excited today to have Griffin Chase in our studios," a radio DJ enthused suddenly
over the café speakers.

"Turn it up," a customer yelled from the back.

A murmur of consensus went through Grounds for Thought. Eve shrugged and cranked it.

"You've joined Captain Kirk, and my special guest, Griffin Chase. Griffin, it's a
pleasure to have you here today."

"Thank you, Kirk," Grif said, his voice low and sexy.

But Nicole knew it was sexier in bed, in the middle of the night, when he was holding
her and telling her his dreams. It was sexier in the morning, when he woke up and
his eyes brightened as he said good morning to her, and it was even sexier when he
beat her at Scrabble.

She
missed
him. She clutched her middle, listening avidly.

"Griffin, you're coming out with a new single called
Here with You
," the announcer said. "How would you feel about giving our audience a preview of
the song?"

Grif chuckled. "I thought you might ask so I brought Tallulah."

"Tallulah?" the DJ and half Grounds for Thought asked at once.

"His guitar," Nicole said as Grif answered, "My guitar."

Marley wrinkled her nose. "He named his guitar? Isn't that weird?"

"
Shh
." Valentine gave her a prim, quelling look.

Over the airwaves, the entire café hushed as he tuned his guitar. He paused and then
started singing softly.

With him streaming over the loudspeakers, it felt like he was in the same room with
her. Nicole closed her eyes and let him serenade her. When he reached the chorus,
he sang from his heart. "
I'm here with you. Kiss me, take me, love me...
"

A hand touched her arm.

Nicole opened her eyes to find Marley's face in hers. "He wrote that for you?" her
friend asked incredulously.

She nodded unable to say anything.

The song ended and then Grif said, "This next one is special. It won't be on this
album, but I thought I'd share it today. It's called
A Song for Wendy
."

Rachel gasped.

Nicole looked up to see joyful tears in the girl's eyes. She took Rachel's free hand
and squeezed as Grif began to sing along with the beautiful, haunting music.

You moved away—

a new house

a new life perhaps more blurred than

the one you left behind.

Now you live beneath a roof of grass

screened in by your own name.

If I found your forwarding address could I contact you?

Could I express my rage that you left without warning?

If I touched the stone door of your home

would you feel my grief?

The last strains of the song trailed away like wisps of smoke, and the DJ's exuberant
voice came back online. "Griffin, that was
amazing
. We're going to take callers in a second, but first maybe you'll answer a few questions.
I've loved all your albums, but your first has always had a special place in my heart,
and
Here with You
is reminiscent of it. Was that conscious?"

There was a pause, as though Grif was thinking. Then he said, "Actually, my first
album was influenced by a friend. While I was pulling together this new album, also
called
Here with You
, I spent some time with her, so it'd be reasonable to say that it'd have the same
flavor."

"Is her name by any chance Wendy?" the DJ asked with a verbal leer.

"No, it's not," Grif replied sternly. "
A Song for Wendy
is a tribute to a woman who died before her time. The lyrics were written by Rachel
Rosenbaum, her daughter."

"That's me!" Rachel shouted triumphantly.

The café broke out in applause and whistles. The teenager glowed happily, and Nicole
squeezed her hand.

"
Here with You
," Grif continued, "was inspired by a dear friend. I've known her most of my life."

"A romantic interest?"

"She's always been my best friend," Grif answered calmly.

Marley threw her hands in the air. "What does that
mean
?"

"You have to find out, Nicole. You
have
to call and ask." Valentine began poking furiously at her phone. Then she held it
out to Nicole. "Take it."

"What?" Nicole stared at it, confused. Valentine never gave up her phone. She had
a relationship with it that defied reason.

Valentine just shooed her.

"It's not like they'll take my call," she said, letting go of Rachel's hand to take
the phone. "Do you know how many people probably call in?"

"Let's take a question from you. Caller One, you're on the radio with Captain Kirk
and Griffin Chase," Nicole heard, both over the speakers and in her ear.

What? Her mouth went dry and she gripped the phone.

"Caller One, are you there?"

"Hello?" she said tentatively.

An exclamation went through the entire café.

"Caller One, welcome to Rock Out with Captain Kirk. What's your name, honey?"

"Nicole."

"Nicole, do you have a question for Griffin Chase?" the DJ repeated.

She could hear the eye-roll in his voice, and it was enough to pull her together.
"Yes, I do. Grif—
Griffin
, I was wondering about your inspiration for
Here with You
. What's your friend like?"

Without missing a beat, he said, "She's the loveliest person I've ever known, and
I wish her all the happiness in the world."

"What if she doesn't want happiness?" she asked. "What if she wants you?"

Valentine smacked a hand on her forehead and shook her head.

"I mean," Nicole amended quickly, "what if
you
make her happy? What if she'd be miserable without you in her life?"

"Then I'd do everything in my power to make her happy for the rest of my life," he
said without pause. "She deserves that and more. She deserves to be treasured and
respected, and reminded how great and talented she is."