“Sometimes we don’t,” Ariel laughed, leading me into the master bathroom.
It too, was something out of a magazine but tasteful and calming. The bathroom was mostly shades of green with some brown accents, but I was fixated on the huge drop-in tub.
“I’d never leave the tub,” I whispered to her. “And don’t turn your back because I might crawl in.”
“There’s one in the guest suite downstairs too,” she said, laughing. “And you’re welcome to it.”
We chatted about the house and the new album she would be recording soon.
“I mostly listen to country,” I told her, “but everyone knows ‘Schoolgirl Wish.’ My roommate plays it when we’re getting dressed for work sometimes to get us dancing around the apartment.”
“I love hearing that,” Ariel said. “It’s nice to know my music touches people in positive ways.”
“What you do is special,” I said thoughtfully. “I mean, I imagine you work really, really hard, but you’re well-compensated so I think that part of it is a wash. What’s special about it is that only you can do what you do. Sure, lots of people can sing and dance or whatever, but your specific sound, your style of music, that’s all you. Your songs, your show, are unique. And when I stand here talking to you about a song like ‘Schoolgirl Wish,’ which has impacted my life in so many ways, it’s pretty trippy. Not because you’re famous, but because I’ve danced around my living room to that song a thousand times. That song has made me laugh and gotten me ready for work or a date or a night out, and the end result is always happiness. So essentially, happiness is what you do.”
“Oh my god, you’re my new favorite person in the world!” Ariel threw her arms around me and hugged me tightly.
I smiled, hugging her back. “I feel a little guilty because I do love that song, but until I met Bash, I’d never heard a single Nobody’s Fool song.”
“Shh. We won’t tell the boys.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “It’ll be our little secret.”
“Is it time for dessert?” Tyler yelled up the stairs.
“Why don’t you get everything out?” Ariel called back down to him. “We’ll be done by then.”
“Should we go help—” I started.
“No.” She shook her head. “You’re our guest and Tyler never does anything. His housekeeper, Betty, came with us when we moved into this house and does almost everything so it’s good for him to fumble around the kitchen a little.”
“One of these days we’ll have you guys over and I can cook,” I said. “And before you protest, understand that I love to cook. Like, love it almost as much as sex.”
Ariel paused, arching a brow. “Seriously?”
“Seriously. But note I said almost. Because I might as well have been a virgin before Bash. I’ve never had sex so good.”
“Tell me about it.”
We both paused to fan ourselves and then burst out laughing.
“So tell me about culinary school,” she said.
“I’m not supposed to talk about it for another week and a half,” I whispered.
“That’s to Bash. You can talk about it to me. Also, it can be another of our little secrets.”
“We suddenly have a lot of secrets,” I laughed.
“I never really had girlfriends until I met Tyler,” she said. “And now I have Lexi and Stu’s girlfriend Lindsay and hopefully you. That’s something that makes me happy.”
Wow. Who was I and how had giggling with Ariel Fox become my life?
20
Bash
* * *
I’d had an idea for a special date with Bri almost since I’d met her, but it had taken us a while to get to the dating portion of our relationship. I’d had to go behind her back to get her two days off without her knowing what I was up to. Kiki had been great, though, secretly packing a bag with essentials so I could pick Bri up from her lunch shift at the restaurant and head straight for the airport.
“Where are we going?” she demanded, laughing as we pulled into the long-term parking garage.
“L.A.” I replied since she’d see it once we got to the gate.
“But I don’t have my stuff and—"
I pulled a bag out of the back of my SUV. “Kiki packed for you. It’s all good, Red.”
She looked at me in surprise. “Declan!”
“Come on. It’s going to be a blast. Promise.”
“But I have to work tomorrow night!”
“Nope. You’re off. You’re going to work for Jenna on Sunday. You have Friday and Saturday night off. I know those are big days for you, but I have a huge surprise for you so it’ll be worth it. And you’re doing brunch Sunday at the restaurant, so Sunday will be a double.”
I slid my hand into hers as we walked toward the terminal.
“Declan.” She suddenly stopped walking and was tugging on my hand.
“Hmm?” I paused to look down into her bright green eyes, surprised to see tears shimmering in them. “Oh, baby, you’re not upset, are you? We don’t have to go. I just thought—”
“Shh.” She leaned up and kissed me, hard, her tongue seeking out mine right here in the parking garage.
“What was that for?” I asked, one hand cupping the side of her waist.
“You’re just so sweet. I wake up every day wondering how I found you.”
“Well, organic mocha venti, if I recall, you dumped—”
“Hush!” She laughed, threading her fingers through mine and starting to walk again.
We checked in, went through security and then sat at the gate, waiting for our flight to board. It was only forty-five minutes to L.A. We’d rent a car and go right to the venue for tonight’s adventure. I’d been so excited to set this up for her, and tomorrow I’d made plans to meet Stu and Lindsay for dinner. Brianna had been different after last week’s dinner with Tyler and Ariel. It was like her new friendship with Ariel had given her confidence, not just in us as a couple, but in herself. I wished it wasn’t like that, that she gauged her worth because of the friendship of a pop star, but it was good for her regardless.
We were together every day now. She hadn’t officially moved in, but she might as well have. She had more than a few things at my place, she only went home to her apartment to get more clothes or different clothes, and Dunkin’s favorite place was on my lap. She cooked for us at least once a day, no matter how many times I told her not to, and she’d even given Fiona a lesson on how to make crepes like the French did.
It was fun having her in my life, and after my talk with Tyler last week, I’d resolved to let Jayson know how I felt. But Tyler was right that Casey didn’t get a free pass either, and somehow I had to reconcile the two. I didn’t know what I wanted to do about the band yet, but I’d promised I’d have an answer by the time our month off was over. There was another ten days left, so I’d figure it out as I went along. And Sunday morning, after Bri went to work, Tyler and I were meeting Jayson for brunch at the Charleston hotel on the Las Vegas Strip.