Half Notes and Highlights (The Road to Rocktoberfest 2024)

CHAPTER ONE

Tyler Kennedy landed at LAX with no regrets. He still felt a pang of guilt for leaving his brother behind in New York, but he was happy to be 3,000 miles away from the guy who broke his heart. It didn’t matter that the relationship ended almost three years ago. The man he longed for was out there loving someone else, and Tyler couldn’t stand it. His heart was heavy, and playing the carefree, jubilant guy who sneezed rainbows and farted sunshine was starting to feel like a masquerade. He needed something to obliterate the black cloud that was darkening the color palate of his soul. He needed a change, and moving across the country seemed like it would put enough distance between his past and his future.

After collecting his luggage and the rental car, he spent the next hour battling LA traffic. He made it to the apartment complex that was now his home without having a nervous breakdown on the freeway or screaming obscenities at the top of his lungs. The apartment was fully furnished in mostly white modern décor. Tasteful but boring. Once his things arrived, that would all change. A few animal-print rugs and Warhol replicas would brighten the place to match his colorful personality. Eventually, he’d buy new furniture that excited him, but for now, this would do just fine.

The first thing he needed to do was open the windows and let some fresh air in, so he pushed the flowy curtains aside and threw open the sliders. The warm, California sunshine hit him with a whoosh of heat, and the Hollywood sign stared back at him in the distance. He stepped onto the balcony with an excited rush of energy, threw his arms in the air and shouted, “Hello, City of Angels!”

“Hello.”

He jumped at the return greeting. It wasn’t the hills echoing his salutation. It was a girl in short shorts and a bikini top, rolling a joint on the balcony next door. He moved to the railing that separated them and extended his hand. “Hi, neighbor. I’m Tyler.”

“Iris,” she answered, the unlit joint now dangling between her lips. She shook his hand, then dug a lighter from the front pocket of her shorts. The end of the joint glowed as she inhaled deeply. “Welcome to the building. Did you just move to LA?”

“Yes. I just got here from New York. How’d you know?”

“Well, for one, your accent. And Angelenos don’t usually shout ‘hello’ to the Hollywood sign.”

He smiled exuberantly and extended his arm toward the mountains. “I could have an entire conversation with that view and never run out of words.”

She offered him the joint and he took it, even though it’d been years since he last smoked weed.

“It is beautiful, but you get used to it. I used to stay up and watch the sunrise sometimes, but now I just go to bed. I’m a bartender,” she explained. “I hope you’re not a light sleeper. I usually get in around four in the morning. I’ll try to keep it down. These walls are paper thin.”

He gave her a crooked smile. “I hope you’re not a light sleeper. Shouting hello to the Hollywood sign isn’t the only thing you’re gonna hear me scream.”

She coughed as the sweetened smoke left her lungs in a rush of laughter. Tears wet the corners of her eyes, and her blonde ponytail bounced behind her. She took a few gulps of bottled water which calmed her throat. “Let me guess. You’re either an actor or a musician.”

He placed his hands on his hips. “And why would you think I’m either of those two things?”

“You have that gorgeous long hair and tight leather pants like a rock star.” She took another hit from the joint, tilted her head and studied his face. “But you’re good looking enough to be on the big screen.”

“Are you flirting with me, neighbor?” He winked at her. “I’ll just break your heart.”

Another round of laughter made her choke. “You mean I’m not your type?”

He glanced at her crotch and shook his head. “Not unless you got something tucked away down there that I don’t know about.”

She covered her heart with her hand and pretended to faint. “I’m crushed.”

“I’m sure you are.”

“So, what brings you to LA?”

He wasn’t about to tell the sad story of how he couldn’t stop pining after someone who didn’t want to commit to an exclusive relationship. It was ironic, since Tyler had never wanted monogamy before Justin. They’d been on the same page from the start, but somewhere during the relationship, Tyler’s feelings had changed while Justin still wanted to see other people. If it ended there, Tyler might not have had such a hard time moving on, but that wasn’t the case.

After Justin refused to make a commitment, because he didn’t want to settle down, that’s exactly what he did only a few months later. He found love, only it wasn’t with Tyler. It was with someone who was the exact opposite. Shy, quiet, and low key, Justin’s new boyfriend couldn’t be more different than Tyler, which meant that their relationship didn’t end because Justin wasn’t ready to settle down like he professed. Justin didn’t want to settle down with him . If they didn’t get along so well, if the sex wasn’t out of this world, and if they didn’t have such a good time whenever they were together, it might not hurt so badly. As far as Tyler was concerned, their relationship was perfect—other than the fact that Justin didn’t want exclusivity.

“Are you OK?”

“What? Oh.” He didn’t realize that he’d been drifting off and that he let his happy smile slip. Perking up, he let go of the melancholy that he refused to give in to. “I came to LA to make the beautiful more beautiful. I’m a hairstylist and a makeup artist.”

“I should have known with that head of hair. Do you have a salon?” She flipped her pony to the front. “I need to do something with this mess.”

“I’m renting a small studio in West Hollywood for now. I won’t be settled in for another week, but I have my shears and tools.” He made a snipping motion with his fingers. “I’m very skilled.”

She moved closer to the railing that separated the two balconies and pulled her hair free. “I haven’t had a haircut in months.”

He dug his fingers into her hair to identify its texture and health. It was thick and unbleached but needed shape and hydration. “I can do almost anything with this. What did you have in mind?”

“I don’t know. Anything as long as I can still tie it up. I haven’t dyed it in years, but I’d be open to it if you think I should spruce up the color.”

“You came to the right place.” Tyler placed his hand on his chest. “Highlights are my specialty.”