We chit-chatted a little after that. I asked about her parents, and she confessed that she hadn’t seen them in over six months. I missed them; I had spent a lot of time at their house during college. Thirty minutes later, we were standing in line at Grand Central Station, a bustling nightclub, waiting for a spot at the bar. It was hopping, even on a weeknight. Two spots together finally came open, and we slid onto vinyl-covered stools. Before I could ask what was happening, the lights dimmed, and a spotlight hit the stage.

It was William.

Chapter 10

The audience clapped and cheered, but I couldn’t move. This certainly had been a day of surprises. William sat on a wooden stool in the center of the stage and pulled the mic close. He strummed his guitar and played “The Heart of Love,” his most popular song. He had a brilliant smile that he used often, along with a perfect voice. And in just a few verses, the audience was in love. You could see it. Unfortunately, I wasn’t. He was my friend but nothing else, no matter how badly he wanted to be—or Mia wanted him to be. I didn’t understand why she was so invested in my relationship with him. I could feel her give me a sidelong look, but I refused to look at her.

The second song into his set, William spotted us at the bar. I gave him a weak smile, and Mia waved. He had the audience swaying in their chairs, especially the ladies, and why not? His shoulder-length dark hair and green eyes captivated many of them. Once his performance ended, William worked his way to the bar, stopping to talk to some enthusiastic fans along the way.

“Mia! Why didn’t you tell me?” I whispered to her. This wasn’t how I wanted to do this, face to face.

“I thought you’d like it.”

“Hey! What did you think?” William hugged Mia and then me.

“You were brilliant, William. They love you, and we do too. Right, CJ?”

He smiled even more broadly, and I offered, “I love the new song, the one at the end.”

“Thanks!”

After an awkward silence, I asked, “So, when did you get in?”

“I was going to call and let you know, but then Mia said we should make it a surprise. I got in last night, and I’m booked for the next two weeks. Maybe longer, if the Mobile crowd likes me. How’s the house? When do I get a tour?”

Mia had headed to the dance floor, no doubt leaving the barstool for William.

“Listen, William, can we talk? You know, outside? It’s kind of loud in here.”

With a sigh, he agreed, and we walked out of Grand Central and down the brick sidewalk. To the casual observer, we might have looked like a loving couple, me in my summer dress, William looking smart in his crisp gray shirt and black dress pants. I couldn’t remember seeing him dressed up before. “You look nice. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you wearing something besides jeans.”