“And other than saving my company, Julian,” Albert’s voice had grown a little unsteady when he spoke and he looked at me with pleading eyes, “I hope you bring back my daughter’s passion too. She had this big smile on her face and I reckon it was because of you. I think you might be making my daughter happy, Mr. Hudson, and as her father, please continue to do so.”
He turned to look at Amber. “I should rest again, Amber. And if this guy changes his mind or makes a decision, the contract’s in my office. Give it to him.”
Amber helped Albert get into his room and I stayed there in the living room, staring at Audrey singing on the screen. She had about thirty videos up on her channel. Most of them were covers but there were a few original songs too that barely had any views. She didn’t even have a lot of subscribers. I chose one video and turned up the volume.
Tell me, brave heart
Can you chase after the wind,
Even when sunlight burns your skin?
Do you have the courage
To pursue even if it breaks your heart
Continuously,
Over and over and over again?
“Jules?”
When I turned around, Amber was standing behind me with a document in her hand. “Audrey just got home. I think she’ll stay there for a little while to rest because she doesn’t want Albert to see her stressed.”
I approached Amber and took the document from her and kissed her cheek. “Tell Albert I’ll pay him another visit soon and that I’m sorry I can’t say goodbye.”
Amber laughed and let me go and I rushed to the front again and got in my car, Amber following closely behind me to open the gate. I honked at her once and then sped to Santa Monica, where Audrey lived.
I wasn’t sure what I was meant to feel right now because I was overwhelmed with emotions. First, Amber wanted me to understand Audrey and although she wasn’t asking for me to forgive her best friend instantly, she wanted me to understand why Audrey blamed me. She wanted me to understand that it wasn’t anything personal, it was simply someone acting human.
Second, Albert Finch apologized for rejecting our band even if it was an apology five years too late. They were one of the many record labels that I sent a label to and their rejection stung like everyone else’s. But more than that, I felt like he trusted me with his daughter even when his own daughter was hesitating to trust me with her heart.
Third, the voice I had been looking for belonged to Audrey and I wasn’t sure how I was meant to grasp that fact. All I knew right now was that the document was signed and I was on my way to Audrey to deliver it.
It took me more than thirty minutes to reach her place, and I wanted to barge in her house because I knew the code but I stopped myself and continuously rang the doorbell instead. My heart was still in my throat and if I didn’t get my shit together, I had a feeling that I might just spew out random words that might not make sense or might make a little too much sense that it scared me.
When the door opened and Audrey stood there, shocked to see me. She had her robe on and I had to contain myself. There was a towel wrapped around her hair and the scent of cinnamon and strawberries told me that she must’ve been taking a bath to relax. The meeting she had must’ve been stressful.
“Julian?” Her voice sounded like she had been crying and I could see the tear stains on her face if I looked closely. “Why are you here?”
I couldn’t really speak because I didn’t really know what I was meant to say. My heart was racing and to be honest. I just wanted to wrap my arms around Audrey and not say anything but let my hug do the speaking. But I knew that I had to make it clear to her why so instead of hugging her, I raised my hand that had the document.
She visibly swallowed. “Are you going to tear it in front of me?”
I licked my lips and then slowly shook my head. “I signed it, Audrey.”
Her eyes widened as she quickly snatched it from my hand and stared at the sign. We still needed the sign of the other members but since I was the one with the condition, their signatures were already a shoo-in. She looked at me. “I thought…I thought…”
“Kiss me,” I whispered and looked at her brown eyes that always seemed to wrap me in a warm embrace, “kiss me and we’ll seal that deal.”
20
Audrey
I woke up snuggled closely in Julian’s arms and he was snoring lightly beside me, my head buried in his chest while his was on top of mine and his arms cradled me close, as if he didn’t want to let go. I closed my eyes for a moment, allowing myself to marvel at the fact that nothing in the world seemed to be a better place than Julian Hudson’s arms.
And how I never thought that I would ever think of anything like that about the person that I hated most in the world. When people said never speak of the conclusion of things when the universe hasn’t declared it over yet, they truly weren’t kidding. Who would’ve thought that one day I would wake up comfortably in the arms of the person I always thought I’d hate even up to my next lifetimes but here I was, wishing it would never occur to him to let go.
Beside me, Julian stirred and he slowly opened his eyes. The sight of the two differently shaded eyes made my heart skip a beat. On mornings, his eyes seemed to promise me a bright and clear day ahead, filled with nothing but him. “Good morning.”
I bit my lip to contain myself from smiling like a fool. I hated how Julian seemed to have this effect on me because I honestly felt so weak with his charm. “You better go home and get ready. We have the press conference at 9.”
“That’s today?”
“Yes, and you agreed to it.”
He looked thoughtful for a moment. “Maybe you can remind me how we sealed the deal, Audrey.”
“Julian, get up. I have to take a shower and you need to get ready.” I was glaring at him by this point but I was trying hard to keep a straight face on because Julian looked adorable with his messy curls and sleepy eyes.
But Julian didn’t move an inch. Instead, he tightened his hold on me and buried his head on my shoulder. I could feel his hot breath on my bare shoulder and I squirmed from his hold. “Jules…”
He opened one eye- Hudson gray- and I felt as if I was trapped in his one-eye gaze. “A quick one?”
I couldn’t help but roll my eyes, the trance gone the moment the question left his lips and I placed a hand on his mouth and shoved his face away from mine as I pulled out of his hold. Julian laughed in the bed but the laughter immediately died down when I stood up- all in my naked glory- and his eyes darkened at the sight of me.
“That’s not fair, Audrey.”
Flashing him a tantalizing smirk, I made my way to the bathroom and swayed my hips purposely. “Make sure you lock the door when you leave, Julian.”
I heard him hiss in annoyance. “You make it sound like I’m just a booty call.”
Turning to face him, I watched in amusement as his eyes continued to darken. “I called you last night and you were here less than half an hour later. You fucked me before I could even say hello. If that’s not how you define a booty call, then I’m not sure what millennial dictionary you’ve been reading.”
I opened the bathroom door and was about to close it shut when I saw a foot stopping me from doing so. Julian was right in front of me in an instant and he swiftly slid inside the bathroom and shut the door and pushed me against it. “I don’t really like the idea of just being your booty call, Audrey.”