recognizing the song immediately. “I love these guys.”
“Me too, they’re awesome. I’m surprised you’ve heard of them. Not many people listen to indie rock,” Eric replied, sounding impressed. “They’re actually playing a show here in town soon,” Eric told me.
“ Oh? I’d love to see them someday.” They were one of the bands I’d grown up with. Music and books had been my only friends, as pathetic as that sounds. To see a dear childhood friend playing live would be a dream come true.
“I’m going to the show,” Eric said. “A buddy of mine was planning to tag along but I think he has to work late now. Hey,” he said as though a light bulb had just gone on over his head. “Why don’t you come with me?”
“I can’t,” I said immediately.
“Why can’t you?”
I shrugged noncommittally.
“If you don’t use it, my extra ticket will probably just go to waste,” Eric pointed out. “But it’s up to you.” He paused and peered through the windshield out at the dark, tree-lined street. “Is this your house up here?”
“Yeah, the one on the corner,” I replied and Eric pulled into the driveway.
He reached for my phone, which I’d been clutching like a life preserver. “Here, I’ll put my number in your phone,” he said, easing it out of my hand. “You can text me if you want to tag along to the concert.”
“Okay,” I agreed even though I had no intention of going anywhere with him.
“I’m putting your number in my phone, too.”
“Whatever.”
By the time I got inside, I felt mentally and emotionally exhausted. I was so flustered that it took me a while to even think about Chris. Then I remembered I’d told him I was going to call him right back – and that had been ages ago.
I grabbed my phone and saw three voicemails from him. I cringed, feeling like the world’s worst girlfriend. Quickly, I dialed his number.
The call didn’t go through.
Letting out a sigh of frustration, I hung up and redialed, this time making sure to punch in the long distance area code. In my haste to call him, I’d forgotten it the first time. This time, I seemed to have gotten it right.
Chris picked up on the first ring.
“What happened?” he asked, sounding concerned. “I called a bunch of times and it just kept going to voicemail…is everything okay?”
“Yeah, everything’s fine,” I replied. “I must have shut my phone off by accident when I hung up earlier. Sorry. How are you doing?” I asked, remembering that his surgery was only hours away. Now wasn’t the time to tell him about my strange encounter.
“I’m freaking out,” he admitted. “I thought I’d learned not to get my hopes up over these dumb medical procedures but Michelle…it really sounds like this could work. It could completely change my life.”
Yeah – and mine.
“Just try to relax,” I advised. Then I quickly added, “Okay, that’s dumb advice. I know there’s no way you’ll be able to relax, so forget I even suggested that. Sorry, I’m babbling. I’m really bad at this, I know.”
“Nah,” Chris said and I could practically hear his familiar teasing smile in his voice. “Your inane rambling is helping to distract me a little. And besides,” he added mischievously, “I happen to think you have the sexiest voice I’ve ever heard.”
“Well great, I’m glad I’m good for something,” I chuckled. “Where are you right now?”
“I’m at the hotel in my room. I’ve been lying in bed for four hours but there’s no way I’m going to be sleeping tonight. The sun is starting to come up now,” he told me, stifling a yawn. “ My mom’s been asleep for hours…all the traveling took a lot out of her. I can’t be alone with my thoughts right now. Will you stay on the line with me?”
“Of course,” I replied instantly. “But Chris, it will cost you a fortune.”
“It’s worth
“Me too, they’re awesome. I’m surprised you’ve heard of them. Not many people listen to indie rock,” Eric replied, sounding impressed. “They’re actually playing a show here in town soon,” Eric told me.
“ Oh? I’d love to see them someday.” They were one of the bands I’d grown up with. Music and books had been my only friends, as pathetic as that sounds. To see a dear childhood friend playing live would be a dream come true.
“I’m going to the show,” Eric said. “A buddy of mine was planning to tag along but I think he has to work late now. Hey,” he said as though a light bulb had just gone on over his head. “Why don’t you come with me?”
“I can’t,” I said immediately.
“Why can’t you?”
I shrugged noncommittally.
“If you don’t use it, my extra ticket will probably just go to waste,” Eric pointed out. “But it’s up to you.” He paused and peered through the windshield out at the dark, tree-lined street. “Is this your house up here?”
“Yeah, the one on the corner,” I replied and Eric pulled into the driveway.
He reached for my phone, which I’d been clutching like a life preserver. “Here, I’ll put my number in your phone,” he said, easing it out of my hand. “You can text me if you want to tag along to the concert.”
“Okay,” I agreed even though I had no intention of going anywhere with him.
“I’m putting your number in my phone, too.”
“Whatever.”
By the time I got inside, I felt mentally and emotionally exhausted. I was so flustered that it took me a while to even think about Chris. Then I remembered I’d told him I was going to call him right back – and that had been ages ago.
I grabbed my phone and saw three voicemails from him. I cringed, feeling like the world’s worst girlfriend. Quickly, I dialed his number.
The call didn’t go through.
Letting out a sigh of frustration, I hung up and redialed, this time making sure to punch in the long distance area code. In my haste to call him, I’d forgotten it the first time. This time, I seemed to have gotten it right.
Chris picked up on the first ring.
“What happened?” he asked, sounding concerned. “I called a bunch of times and it just kept going to voicemail…is everything okay?”
“Yeah, everything’s fine,” I replied. “I must have shut my phone off by accident when I hung up earlier. Sorry. How are you doing?” I asked, remembering that his surgery was only hours away. Now wasn’t the time to tell him about my strange encounter.
“I’m freaking out,” he admitted. “I thought I’d learned not to get my hopes up over these dumb medical procedures but Michelle…it really sounds like this could work. It could completely change my life.”
Yeah – and mine.
“Just try to relax,” I advised. Then I quickly added, “Okay, that’s dumb advice. I know there’s no way you’ll be able to relax, so forget I even suggested that. Sorry, I’m babbling. I’m really bad at this, I know.”
“Nah,” Chris said and I could practically hear his familiar teasing smile in his voice. “Your inane rambling is helping to distract me a little. And besides,” he added mischievously, “I happen to think you have the sexiest voice I’ve ever heard.”
“Well great, I’m glad I’m good for something,” I chuckled. “Where are you right now?”
“I’m at the hotel in my room. I’ve been lying in bed for four hours but there’s no way I’m going to be sleeping tonight. The sun is starting to come up now,” he told me, stifling a yawn. “ My mom’s been asleep for hours…all the traveling took a lot out of her. I can’t be alone with my thoughts right now. Will you stay on the line with me?”
“Of course,” I replied instantly. “But Chris, it will cost you a fortune.”
“It’s worth
Similar Books
