Road Trip ⭐️

21 - Ready to Love Again

**7 MONTHS LATER**
**CHRIS POV**

I was finally back in LA, I just wanted to get home to my dog and back to Frankie.

While I was gone, we talked a lot, and we were back to being our funny, stupid selves telling a lot of the same inside jokes we used to have or even starting new ones. I hadn't forgotten what I overheard at my Ma's house about how Frankie still loved me, but I never mentioned it to her. I wouldn't do that while I was away and she was in the recording studio, busy working.

I knew she was done recording the new album from previous conversations, but we also had a lot of conversation about what we wanted for the future but never a future with each other. I think we were both scared to talk about what that could be.

I pulled into her driveway and didn't see her car but figured it was most likely in her garage and even if she wasn't home, I had a key, she had given me one, I would just go inside and wait. I had been texting but no answers. I knew she said she was done recording but maybe something needed changed.

I unlocked the door and didn't see any movement right away, but I did hear some sounds from the bedroom. I followed the sound and once I got to her bedroom door I looking in since it was open, and I found her and Dodger sleeping on the bed. Frankie was in a sports bra and leggings, she had obviously just taken Dodger out for a run, and they came back to nap. Dodger was on the side of the bed, his head on the pillow that was there, and I just shook my head. They looked adorable together and I thought this is a sight I would always want to come home to.

I pulled out my cellphone and took a picture of them together. They looked too perfect not to get a picture together. I didn't want to wake them up though. I knew when I talked to Frankie a few nights ago she said she was worried about the album and wasn't sleeping. This would be the first time I was ever with her around an album release, so I wasn't sure what to expect.

I walked over to Frankie and gently kissed her cheek, "I'm back Frankie." I whispered in her ear. I saw her give a little smile in her sleep but not wake up. I then decided to grab the remote from the nightstand and just sat in a chair in her room. I wanted to be with them but since Dodger was taking up the rest of the bed I couldn't even relax in the bed. I started flipping through the channels on the tv and finally found a show I wanted to watch and just waited for them all to wake up.

**FRANKIE POV**

I woke up and heard the tv a little louder than what I left it at. I didn't know what was going on, but Dodger was awake and watching the tv as well. I then sighed and went to grab the remote to turn it off, but the remote wasn't where I left it. When I rolled over to find it my eyes met Chris sitting in my computer chair. I screamed in excitement, jumping up and lunging at him, ending up in his lap. He laughed and wrapped his arms around me.

"Welcome home!" I said as I buried my face in his neck just happy to be held again. He felt my body start shaking in his hold. He then heard the sniffle.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Chris asked and I just shook my head. "I know these tears aren't because I'm home...or are they because I'm home and you're really not that happy." Chris said and I laughed through the few tears that had fallen.

"No, it's just I have been so stressed about the current songs they are wanting to use as the first few singles and the songs they wouldn't let me even put on the album, telling me to hold off. I just wanted to hug you. I had no one but Hollie and Dodger and they are great, but I needed you." I admitted. This was something I hadn't done since we were in high school. It seemed whenever I was stressed though I just needed Chris. He just held me until I calmed myself.

"Hey, why don't you let me listen to the songs and I will give you my opinion." Chris said and I nodded. I lifted my head from his shoulder, and he looked at my face. He brought a hand up to wipe away some stray tears. He leaned in and kissed my cheek, and I smiled as I got off his lap and we headed into the living room so we would have the sound system.

I sat down and got everything ready. I started playing songs for Chris. We went through Miss Independent, The Cure, Shakespeare and 7 Things. Chris wasn't going to say he already heard 7 Things, it wasn't time yet. Shakespeare Chris found out was about them as teenagers and he loved it.

"Those songs all sound great Frankie. I think they will be amazing picks for singles." Chris said and I shrugged.

"I have another one I was really in love with, and I wanted to release it as the first single, but they didn't even let me record it. The band and I worked out music but the said it's too much like my old stuff and the want new stuff." I said and Chris sighed.

"You have the music?" Chris asked and I nodded. "Sing it for me." Chris said and closed his eyes.

"Are you sure? I mean it's not bad about the past or anything." I said and he half nodded.

"I want to hear it, Frankie." He said and I smiled.

I pulled up the music on my phone so it would play over the system. Once it started playing, I was looking at the lyrics on my phone, so I didn't notice Chris pull out his phone and start recording.

🎵 Seems I was walking in the wrong direction
I barely recognized my own reflection, no
Scared of love, but scared of life alone
Seems I've been playin' on the safe side, baby
Building walls around my heart to save me, oh
But it's time for me to let it go
Yeah, I'm ready to feel now
No longer am I 'fraid of the fall down
It must be time to move on now
Without the fear of how it might end
I guess I'm ready to love again
Just when you think that love will never find you
You run away, but still it's right behind you, oh
It's just something that we can't control
Yeah, I'm ready to feel now
No longer am I 'fraid of the fall down
It must be time to move on now
Without the fear of how it might end
I guess I'm ready to love again
So come and find me
I'll be waitin' up for you
I'll be holding out for you tonight
Yeah, I'm ready to feel now
No longer am I 'fraid of the fall down
It must be time to move on now
Without the fear of how it might end
I guess I'm ready, ready to love again
Mmmmm
I'm ready to love again🎵

Once I was done singing Chris was smiling at me. I then noticed the camera and he stopped the recording.

"Chris what are you doing?!" I asked.

"That needs to be seen and heard by the fans. They need to know it isn't going to be on the album and you stand behind it. I sent it to Hollie and told her to post it to your Instagram." Chris said and I just looked at him in shock.

"CHRIS!" I said and lunged at him trying to take his phone from him to see if he really did as he said but I ended up tackling him on the couch and found myself laying on top of him.

We just laid there for a moment just looked at each other. I knew it was me this time and there was no question about what I was doing when I leaned in and connected his lips to mine.