Unexpected Harmony

1. The Proposal

Chapter 1

The Proposal

“ W ait, you want me to do what?”

Aspen’s eyes strained as she blinked rapidly while trying to process what her manager was suggesting.

“Propose. Come on, Aspen, you know your fans would go wild seeing your proposal live. This idea is exactly what's needed to push your next album into the stratosphere.” Aspen's long-time manager, and current preposterous proposition giver, Morgan, tapped at her phone, which was nothing new. Aspen wasn’t even sure what color Morgan’s eyes were since they were always glued to the tiny screen. Without looking up from across the desk, Morgan reached into her pocket before pushing a box across Aspen’s desk and flipping open the lid.

Aspen recoiled at the garish ring twinkling back at her. It was something her girlfriend would enjoy, but they had only been dating for about a year. That seemed like an eternity in show business, but the thought of spending the rest of her life with someone for the sake of promoting an album seemed ridiculous. They’d just moved in together, for fuck’s sake.

“Why do we need to lower ourselves to cheap tricks to push the album? I hate to boast when that's what I pay you for, but I'm not struggling to sell these songs. I feel we're already doing well. And it’s not like I’m hurting for money.” Aspen frowned, unable to reach for the ring, still sitting tauntingly between them.

Morgan’s sigh rustled the paper in front of her. “Aspen, please. You trust me, don’t you?” She finally put down the phone, giving Aspen her full attention.

Unable to handle Morgan’s piercing amber eyes, Aspen peered out her office window. The New York skyline overlooking Central Park used to hold her hopes and dreams. When she moved to the city, just a kid with a guitar, she would wish upon the twinkling lights and imagine what was now at her fingertips.

So why did she feel so unsettled now that she’d reached the top of the mountain? Was it the fact that she'd been staring at the clear next step of a relationship and all she felt was ash on her tongue? Shouldn't there be a spark of excitement? Even a dash of a flutter in her belly would be preferable to the rolling ocean of discontent she now felt.

“Have I ever steered you wrong?” Morgan asked, breaking her musings.

Turning back to her manager, Aspen wanted nothing more than to curl up on the couch tucked across the room and sleep for a year. Maybe that's why she was still feeling restless. While working hard to reach the top of the mountain, Aspen forgot to stop and enjoy the view. It was always about the next conquest, next album, next tour; never time for pausing to process the fact that she'd done the impossible.

A trailer park kid with big dreams. Yeah, right. But she’d done it. Sure, there were a few lucky breaks along the way, but the odds had seemed insurmountable twelve years ago.

Sighing, Aspen tentatively reached for the ring.

The light bounced off the diamond, winking in her direction as if to say, I’m in on the farce. Aspen had no idea why she was contemplating this, but she’d trusted Morgan’s ideas before. Sure, they'd stumbled a few times in their five-year working relationship, but she'd earned Aspen's trust.

“Come on, Aspen. We can either debate this for two days, where I would inevitably win by wearing you down with my methodical and tedious tearing down of any flimsy argument you might lob my way, or you give up now and concede to my ultimate will and amazing idea, saving us both the time and exhaustion.”

Aspen’s hair fluttered as she let out a deep breath. She didn't want to give in so easily, but Morgan did have an uncanny ability to break her down until she got her way. “I don't see myself marrying, though. So it seems like such an odd idea.” Notes of a song played in her mind, ideas always running in the background of her thoughts.

“Oh, sweet summer child.” Morgan rolled her eyes, picking up her phone again.

“You’re only two years older than me,” Aspen mumbled. She grabbed her stress ball and gave it a few good squeezes.

Morgan tucked her phone in her purse and stood up. “I’m not saying you have to marry her, just propose on a live feed. Your fans will eat it up, and I promise you, if you don't surpass the last album's sales in the first three weeks of release, I'll buy you that drone you've been eyeing.”

“The one with a high-resolution camera?” Aspen perked up at the offer. It wasn't like she couldn't afford an entire fleet. But even after her global success, which came with a comfortable amount of money, Aspen still held on to the mentality she’d grown up with. The never-enough-money mentality that now had her hoarding her fortune for a rainy day.

“Fine.” She groaned. “If you think it will really help with sales, which I maintain have been stellar, I'll do this odd stunt.”

What’s the worst that could happen? she thought.

“You won't regret this, I promise. How about tomorrow around three? Lexi should still be around before she gets ready for that DJ gig she does every Thursday.” Morgan walked a few steps to the closed door but halted when Aspen didn't answer immediately.

Clicking on her computer’s mouse, Aspen checked her calendar. The colorful squares taunted her. Each color represented the place she needed to be. Today was blue for the downtown office, and tomorrow, green for studio time at her home. The colors were a constant reminder that her time was not her own. “I'm supposed to be recording a few drafts until five. Plus, how do you know where Lexi will be?”

The realization that her manager knew her girlfriend's schedule better than she did spoke loudly about the shakiness of this idea.

“You're ahead of schedule. It's not like you have to travel very far. The studio is tucked a few steps from your door. You don't even have to leave your property.” Morgan's voice was getting huffy, a sign Aspen was approaching thin ice. “Plus, it's my job to know everything,” she countered with an exaggerated sigh.

“You really have prepared for all my arguments.” Aspen chuckled as someone knocked on her door. Morgan opened it, allowing Aspen’s assistant, Andi, to enter.

“I’ve got your smoothie and lemon honey tea here, and a few phone calls came in.” Andi placed the drinks perfectly centered on the coasters that stayed on Aspen’s desk before tucking some papers under the rainbow mousepad.

“You're a lifesaver as always. I'd never eat if it never magically appeared in my vicinity.” Aspen took a hearty sip, pretending the green smoothie was a vanilla milkshake.

“I used to think you were joking, but I’ve been with you long enough to know that’s probably true. The team will be ready in the conference room in five minutes.” Andi stood next to Morgan with her hands on her hips. “Anything else?” she asked.

Before Aspen could respond, Morgan spoke. “Three o’clock tomorrow. I know your schedule better than you do, and if needed, I'll contact Andi to track you down. This idea is gold, I promise.”

Morgan didn’t wait for her response before she and Andi left the office, leaving Aspen staring at a ring she didn't want and thinking of a future she wasn't ready to navigate. As the quiet pressed into her soul, Aspen put on her favorite composer, wanting the peace of an instrumental melody while she talked herself into this insane plan.

“Hello to everyone who’s joined me on this livestream. I’m Aspen Lake, and I’m excited for you to join me on this special occasion.” It shocked her how many people had already joined the event after just a few seconds, and the number was steadily climbing.

Aspen navigated the pathway to her house. The ring rubbed against her thigh, an irritant that seemed to add fifty pounds to her walk. Morgan was clearing a path of any obstacles and Andi was off to the side, holding on to all her stuff—out of the shot, of course.

On the cusp of summer, the sun was warm but a cool breeze ruffled Aspen’s hair. Before leaving the comfort of her studio, she’d debated taking her jacket but decided against it since she'd only be outside for a few moments—a decision she put more time into than asking someone to marry her. A choice she was regretting as she felt her nipples harden in the crisp air. There was symbolism in there somewhere. Her heart rate pounded in her ears as a bout of nervousness tickled the back of her throat. Concentrating on the phone while walking without looking at the ground was a juggling act she'd perfected after years of practice.

On the screen, she could see her curly brown hair whipping around her face and her blue eyes dancing with mischief, an emotion she was only playing up for the cameras, not one she truly felt. The number of hearts pouring onto the display had validated her earlier in her career, but now that she was thirty-three and a veteran in the business, she knew how hollow screen hearts indeed were.

Focusing on the task at hand, she reached the house without incident. “I'm taking a break from recording—don't worry, I'll give you a sneak peek soon—to propose to my girlfriend, Lexi.” Aspen's voice rose in manufactured excitement as her screen exploded with well-wishes, hearts, and an array of different emojis. She navigated her way up the spiral staircase, ensuring the screen showed only her face. She didn't want to show more of her house than necessary.

“I'm so nervous. All right, here we are. Wish me luck.”

Aspen stopped at her bedroom door. She paused, winking to the camera before handing the device to Morgan, who would continue live-streaming. Shaking off her nervousness, Aspen reached for the handle. She wasn't sure what face to give the fans, so she combined coy with delight.

Swinging the door open, she walked into the room, followed quickly by Morgan, who hurried to the side to get shots of Aspen and Lexi. The last thought Aspen had before her brain went numb was, damn, I knew this was a horrible idea.

Squeals filled the room. It took her a few moments to understand what she was seeing. Lexi's head was buried between the legs of a pretty blond. The woman was tapping Lexi's head and trying to scramble for the covers.

All the while, the live feed captured the scene—from Aspen's stunned expression to Lexi's panicked mumbles of the classic, it’s not what it looks like defense. If Aspen were in her right mind, she would have tried to reach for the phone—anything to get Morgan to stop recording the humiliating movie playing out before her.

The numbness she felt spread as Andi gently guided her to the guest room, allowing her some space to process. Closing her eyes, all she saw was the bouncing boobs of some woman with the soundtrack of her very recent ex-girlfriend's enthusiastic moans playing on a loop.

Lexi pounded on the door. “Aspen, please, just let me explain.”

“Andi, get my cottage in Malibu ready. I think it’s time for a break.” Aspen couldn’t stop the spread of stupefaction seeping into her veins.

All the music that had been flowing from her brain screeched to a halt, and for the first time in her life, all Aspen could hear was the white noise of her thoughts that sounded eerily similar to Lexi’s moans.