Fireworks 1 and 2

Chapter Thirty-Five

    Dinner became a lot more light-hearted. They shared thoughts and ideas regarding writing music. Talked about their theories on love. Their hopes and their fears.

    "One of my worst fears is ending up alone," Drake had confided in her. "And for me, it wouldn't even just be the fact that I wound up alone, but the fact that I brought it upon myself. Because I didn't make nurturing love a bigger priority in my life."

    She'd had her guard up the entire night, but after he'd shared that with her, it was as if he'd chipped away at some of the bricks holding up her wall. The expression on her face had softened. She told him, "One of my biggest fears is having someone cheat on me...again." She'd chewed on her lower lip, had avoided looking him in the eyes. "It wrecked me. I never want to go through that again. I talk to friends, and they've gone through it multiple times, for a lot of their relationships. And...I don't want that. I guess no one does, but..." She'd shrugged and stared off at some point over his shoulder.

    They ordered another bottle of champagne. Talked throughout dinner. Once dinner was finished, returned to the edge of the roof where they looked out across the city together in a blissful silence. He stole a few glances at her, wondering what she was thinking as she looked out over Los Angeles. Was she seeing a city that she would soon conquer with her songwriting prowess? Did she see the world as her oyster?

    He'd turned his gaze out to the city. A city he felt he'd already conquered. In most cities, he felt that way these days. He was always looking for a new challenge, a new goal to accomplish. He often caught himself looking towards those goals to the point where he forgot to just live in the moment, enjoy life as it was. He was always working. He'd take off a month or two here or there, but always wound up working at some point during that time frame. He was a writer. He came up with lines all the time, randomly. There wasn't a switch in his mind that he could turn off. He didn't think he would turn it off if had access to that kind of switch.

    He stood by side with one of the most beautiful women he'd ever seen. Both of them lost in their own thoughts. Thinking about each other and not trying to think of each other. Admiring the views of the city while trying to distract themselves with thoughts of their goals and their futures. Anything to distract from fleeting thoughts about how close they were standing to each other.

    By the time he escorted her out of the restaurant, the other patrons had long since gone and the lights in the restaurant were dimmed. The owner of the restaurant and head chef thanked Drake for continuing to visit their restaurant. He graciously thanked them for always showing him love whenever he came though. He kept his arm around Mia's waist as he followed Chubbs out of the restaurant. Spoons took up the rear, following them out.

    The black Chevy Tahoe was pulled up to the curb, waiting for them. Just as he had earlier this evening, Drake held the door open for her and assisted her in the car before climbing in. At this point, he checked his text messages.

    "Would you believe fans are already asking for the new album?" he asked Chubbs as Chubbs hopped into the passenger seat. "I just released one, not a few months ago."

    "Your music is like crack to them. They're fiendin'," Chubbs called back.

    "I mean, really?" Drake muttered, scrolling through his phone. "It's all love, I know, but asking for an album less than six months after I put one out?"

    Mia was quiet beside him.

    He scrolled through his text messages. A text message from his mother, checking in on him. She worried about him. She'd raised him since he was young. They'd been a team. And now it felt to her like he was worlds away. He punched in a response to her, checking in on her to see how she was. Let her know that he missed her and couldn't wait to go back to visit her. He continued scrolling. There were goofy images that OB had sent him. "Silly ass," he muttered, laughing as he continued to scroll. Text messages from women. Messages from women were always in his phone at any given time; it was just a matter of how many. He scrolled through them, marveling at how he used to live for the thrill of these text messages, whereas now he couldn't care less about them. The appeal of having these women was wearing off. Hence my concept for the album, he thought now, turning his attention to the scenery flitting by outside of his window.

    "Can I lean on you?" Mia asked, blinking slowly. Tired. No doubt exhausted after looking at those contracts.

    Those fucking contracts, he thought, wishing he hadn't had to put her through all of that. The only contract she should have had to look at was the one involving her work with the album. "Of course," he said, stretching his arm across her shoulders.

    She rested her head in the crook of his arm and cuddled next to him comfortably, kicking her heels off and bringing her feet up onto the seat.

    He lowered his head and kissed her forehead, without thinking. Pure reflex. He froze, thinking that she would bite his head off for it. Yell at him about how confusing it was for them to say they were keeping things professional when he went around taking her to dinner, wearing suits, and kissing her on the forehead. She did no such thing. She uttered a small content moan and cuddled closer against him.

    He lifted his head and went back to looking out of the window.

    Chubbs turned his head and looked back at him.

    Drake met his gaze. "What?"

    Chubbs lowered his gaze to the girl resting on his friend and shook his head.

    "She's tired," Drake said.

    "All right, man," Chubbs said, turning back around in his seat.

    Drake stared down at the top of her head and pulled her closer to him. He pressed another kiss to her forehead. This time, he meant it.