Unexpected Harmony

14. When it Rains, it Pours

Chapter 14

When it Rains, it Pours

A spen pulled up in front of the Estrada’s home. Before she could put her Escape in park, Zoey was out the door.

She’d learned from Aspen’s mistake the first date and had called to see what would be appropriate to wear. The off-the-shoulder, not quite skin-tight burgundy dress flowed around her body, giving an alluring view that teased the senses just enough that Aspen could imagine what was underneath. Her long wavy hair was slicked back in a side ponytail and a classic pearl necklace hung around her neck, shimmering in the sun.

Scrambling out of the car, Aspen jogged to the other side, getting to the handle just as Zoey arrived.

“You. Wow.” Aspen’s eyes drank in Zoey, so different from her usual look of polo shirts and dirt.

“I scrub up pretty nice once we get past the layer of mud, don’t I?” Zoey teased, placing her hand on Aspen’s shoulder and leaning in to kiss her cheek.

The urge to lean her against her car and make out was strong, but it was doused when Zoey whispered, “Sorry, I’d invite you in, but my parents haven’t stopped bugging me about where I’m going and with whom. They are probably peeking through the blinds trying to sneak a glance.”

“You don’t have to keep it a secret, Zoey. Believe me, this will get out, and it’s better to know now if you can handle it or not,” Aspen replied, waiting for Zoey to change her mind.

She was more relieved than she could say when Zoey slid into the seat with a smirk on her face. “So, where are we going tonight?” she asked once Aspen got settled back into the driver’s seat.

“You know, I’m not sure.” Aspen tapped the saved address into her phone’s GPS.

“How do you not know?” Zoey asked, unable to hide her incredulous tone. There was a layer of teasing, but Aspen did have to dig for it.

For the first time, Aspen felt a sliver of shame slide up her arms. She hadn’t even second guessed outsourcing their date. “I don’t usually plan things, so I asked Morgan to set up something romantic.”

“Hmm.” The response sounded heavy in the car.

“I feel like I messed up, but I’m not exactly sure where I went wrong. Can you help me out?” Aspen hoped the night wasn’t already ruined.

For a few minutes, the atmosphere in the car was tense. Aspen waited on the precipice of a cliff of emotions. Finally, Zoey blew out a breath, and with it, her shoulders relaxed.

“Sorry, it’s not your fault.” Zoey reached over and patted Aspen’s arm.

“That doesn’t help me figure things out, though. I want to know what you’re thinking. If it upsets you, we should talk about it.” Aspen rubbed the top of Zoey’s hand for some connection before returning her attention to the road.

“That’s mighty mature of you. Okay, let’s see. It seems silly now, but my first reaction was that you didn’t really care about the date enough to plan something.” Zoey’s teeth sank into her bottom lip. “I’m sorry.”

Aspen mulled it over, watching the lights zip by overhead as she weaved in and out of traffic. “You don’t need to apologize. You’re allowed your feelings. If something bothers you, say something. I’m not a mind reader. Plus, you’re right—I can see how having someone else plan our second date would seem impersonal. I never thought of it like that. It’s just something I’ve always done. That’s no excuse, I know, but that’s where I’m coming from.”

“Thank you. My last girlfriend said I was too overreactive and a perfectionist. She felt she couldn’t ever live up to my impossible standards and anybody who tried would fail miserably. It’s nice to hear that my feelings were valid.”

Aspen listened intently, soaking up any information Zoey was willing to provide about her past. But she didn’t say anything more as Aspen continued to drive.

Pulling up to the restaurant, Aspen groaned. In her fog of getting ready for the date she’d forgotten it was one of the fanciest restaurants in the area, which was saying something for southern California. In a line of exotic cars, Aspen’s Escape stood out like a pigeon in a room full of peacocks. She wished she’d brought her other car. She used the Escape as a way to get around town discreetly, and now her cover would be blown by the end of the night. Inching closer to the front of the line, Aspen cursed under her breath.

Paparazzi lay in wait at the front doors. Their cameras were poised at the ready, but the lenses were starting to slip down at the sight of her beloved car.

“I’ve made a huge mistake. I’m so sorry for not being more prepared. Are you ready to be out with me?” she asked, looking for a way to turn the car around and get out of dodge. “I’m sorry, I didn’t think this through.” She made a mental note to strangle Morgan when she saw her next.

“We’ve only got a few moments to decide, Aspen. How do you want to handle this? I’m okay with whatever you want to do.” Zoey put her hand on Aspen’s leg.

Aspen sank deeper into the driver’s seat, finding the connection helped her relax. “We shouldn’t let these outfits go to waste. Let’s have a nice dinner and talk about it inside.”

“Perfect,” Zoey agreed, inhaling deeply when it was their turn at the valet.

As he started for her car, Aspen watched the young man wrinkle his nose. She could see him begin to prepare some polite but ultimately rude comment, as he made his way to her side of the door.

“Excuse me, ma’am. This is a line for La Nouveau Lumiere. There’s an Olive Garden down the road if you pre—” The words caught in his throat when he got a good look at her. “Shit,” he finished under his breath. “My apologies, Ms. Lake.”

To the kid’s credit, he pivoted quickly. His shaking hands were the only tell of the lingering snafu as he reached for the door handle.

Zoey snickered in the passenger seat. “I don’t know, Aspen, Olive Garden sounds better than this snobby eatery.” She threw the kid a wink before opening her door.

The paparazzi lifted their cameras halfheartedly in Zoey’s direction but didn’t snap any photos. Were they blind? The woman was the best dressed out of the bunch and could waltz class around the bozos.

“Thanks, kid. Treat this car with care. It’s my baby.” She patted the wheel before stepping out into the waiting night. She slipped a twenty into the man’s hand, showing there were no hard feelings, before walking up to Zoey’s side.

There was a hesitation before all hell broke loose. The night around them exploded in lights as cameras went off in all directions and questions formed a wall around them.

“Where have you been, Aspen?”

“Are you and Lexi going to reconnect at some point?”

“Who’s this with you?”

“When’s your next album coming out?”

Aspen ignored everything, instead trying to focus on getting her eyesight back. She noticed Zoey was leaving it up to her to handle their relationship. Without thinking, Aspen grabbed her hand, pulling her to the restaurant’s front doors.

The flashes didn’t stop, but at least the sound was bearable as they walked on wobbly legs up to the counter.

“Reservation for Lake.” Aspen tapped her finger on the counter. It had been forever since she’d been bombarded like that, and she was having difficulty shaking off the experience.

“Right this way. The table is ready for you.” The server didn’t even react, showing a level of professionalism Aspen appreciated.

The table they were brought to was smack dab in the middle of everything. Usually, Morgan was better than that. However, Aspen didn’t have it in her to fight for a more secluded spot.

Zoey sat, looking around like she was in a display in a zoo.

“Are you okay?” Aspen leaned in to ask under her breath.

“Sure. It’s just way fancier than I’m used to.” Her eyes focused on the different sets of silverware lined up bright against the backdrop of the tablecloth.

“Outward in,” Aspen provided, cringing at how the night was turning out. The mental note of strangling Morgan now had three underlines under it. “What was she thinking? What was I thinking in asking for her help?” Aspen hadn’t meant to say it out loud, but when she looked up, Zoey was chuckling silently.

“We might just have to make another date to make up for whatever this is.” Zoey waved her hand, nearly hitting a passing server carrying a tray full of food.

Aspen marveled at Zoey’s ability to shake things off, and when the waiter came by to take their order, the only outward sign that Zoey was uncomfortable was a few times she went to chew on the edge of her fingernails. If they could get through this date, they could get through so much more.

Aspen picked up her water, wanting to hide her growing hope for the future.

Zoey tried. She really did, but the oppressive restaurant, stares from all around, and the occasional phone being pulled out and pointed in their direction made her itch.

Needing something to concentrate on, she tried to think of something to ask Aspen but came up blank. Anything she tried sounded like she was fishing for information, which wasn’t the case.

“How do you like the yard?” she finally settled on, cringing at the impersonality of the question. It shouldn’t be like this, not on the second date.

“I’m sorry, Zoey. This date is a bust, and I only have myself to blame.” Dejected, Aspen slumped in her chair.

“It’s just a bit fancier than I’m used to, and I’m having a hard time shaking off the thought that I don’t belong here, especially with you.” Zoey looked for the restaurant’s exit as a bubble of anxiety threatened to unravel her.

“We can leave. Go someplace else. Try again.” Hope tinged with embarrassment shone out through Aspen’s eyes.

“No, we’re here, dressed up. Let’s make the most of it. I just didn’t mentally prepare enough for this scenario.” A steaming plate of artistically created food floated by them. “Plus, it smells amazing. I’ll be okay, promise.”

Talking things through had shaken their nerves loose. “So, tell me. When did you first know you had the gift of music?” Aspen asked, reaching for her cocktail, which had just been placed down.

Zoey took a moment to sip her Cosmopolitan before saying, “I’m still not sure I know. My brother has the gift of recreating music after just hearing it once. My grandfather was composing music by the time he was ten. An orchestra in England played the symphony he created at nineteen. What about you? Did you always know you wanted to sing?”

Aspen reached over to squeeze her hand. “That’s not what I asked, and you didn’t answer the question. You have a talent, Zoey. You’re able to create music in a way that can’t be defined. I want to know when you found that passion, the gift that unlocked your soul. I’ll tell you about my journey, but don’t take away from me getting to hear your story.”

Stunned silent for a moment, Zoey replayed back what had happened. She’d taken the spotlight off her—par for the course—and instead of getting swept up in the topic change, Aspen had called her out on it. Huh. What an oddly insightful and touching surprise.

“I think I deflect the question because everyone is so used to praising my grandfather or in complete awe of my brother. Both are warranted, don’t get me wrong, but I’m used to being looked over. I’ve had to work hard. It didn’t come naturally. But, to take the scenic route to your question, I was seven. I hid under my grandfather’s piano, although I’m sure he knew I was there. I listened for hours while he tinkered with a song. I remember his frustrated exhale as he slammed his hands on the keys. The sound scared me enough to scramble out from under my hiding spot. He looked at me with his head tilted and began playing this tune. It was different than what he was playing before, but the notes unlocked something. The way the process worked and hearing the outcome, it just hit differently. Later, he added the rest of the instruments, and I became hooked. That song won him a Grammy,” she added after a moment.

Zoey put her elbow on the table before pulling it back like she was burned. A waiter placed their appetizers in front of them. Delicious golden brown zucchini fritters on a bed of micro greens sat on a pristine white plate. When the staff disappeared back into the shadows, Zoey picked up the far fork, mirroring what Aspen was doing.

Being in the middle of the restaurant made the back of her neck itchy. She felt like people were staring at her, but she didn’t want to turn around to look.

“I know that song. It gave me chills when I heard it for the first time,” Aspen responded, unprompted. “I downloaded the rest of his stuff and tried to find any information there was about him. I’m sure you picked up on my complete lack of couth when I met him.” A self-deprecating chuckle escaped. “I might be way out of bounds, but just because you have to work at your craft doesn’t mean your talent isn’t valid. If anything, it shows your passion. People who can pick up a pencil and draw a tiger on the fly are cool and everything, but someone who dedicates time, energy, and their spirit to the craft to draw the best tiger shouldn’t be considered less than. You’ve got talent. You work hard for it, and it shows. That’s not something to deflect. Own it.”

The impassioned speech was punctuated with a zucchini stabbed at the end of her fork, which promptly flew off the end and smacked Zoey in the tit. They both froze before crumbling into a burst of laughter that had people looking around. A flash went off around them, ensuring their exuberance was tampered down quickly.

The rest of the dinner was uneventful. Zoey was able to stumble through the excess of silverware and waiters that popped up silently beside her.

Aspen excused herself and when she returned, she held her hand for Zoey to take. “I asked if there was a back entrance. They’re bringing my car around. Hopefully we can make a break for it without getting spotted.”

They met the restaurant manager, who was well-versed in this type of covert getaway. The halls were a maze, and they turned too many times to recount how to get back. Finally, though, the manager opened a discreet side door and ushered them to the alley where the Escape was idling in wait.

“Thank you.” Aspen shook the woman’s hand before striding to the passenger side to let Zoey in.

A flash lit the darkened street, and a yell was cut off when Aspen closed the door. Zoey watched as she hurried to the driver’s side and zoomed down the one-way alley and onto the main road.

People were running through the alley, but after a nifty move that had Zoey clutching the dashboard for dear life, Aspen slowed down, blending in with the traffic flow. Loosening her grip and watching the white knuckles return to their regularly scheduled color, Zoey took a cleansing breath.

“I think we lost them.” She twisted in the seat, not seeing any pursuit. “Is it always like that?” The stressed words were out before she could censor them.

“Yes. That wasn’t even half bad. At least most of the patrons of the restaurant left us alone.” They continued along the street, both lost in thought before Aspen added, “Is it too much?”

Zoey didn’t want to threaten their budding relationship by answering too fast. She knew she was making Aspen uncomfortable with her silence, but it was too important not to give herself time to think seriously about her answer.

Was it too much? She was still working through so many of her own mental health issues, and going out with someone as public as Aspen wouldn’t be a cakewalk. Everyone assumed dating a celebrity would be fantastic, with extraordinary perks. But there was a definite downside to fame. Looking over at Aspen’s tense face, Zoey stroked her arm. She needed a connection to her as she thought.

“Aspen, honestly, I can’t answer that right now. I still want to try, but I also need to do what’s best for both of us. If ending it now is better, we should at least talk about it, right?”

Torn. Zoey was torn in so many directions in her life that she had no idea how to make a decision. The drawing she made came back into her mind. How can people make life-changing decisions? What if it’s the wrong one?

What if it’s right? her brain added hopefully.

“It might be selfish, but I want to see where this can lead. Let’s take it day by day. I’ll continue to check in, and we’ll see if there’s really something here. You have to be honest with me, though, and communicate. Our relationship will be DOA if we don’t talk things through. Deal?” Aspen held out her hand like this was a business transaction.

Chuckling at the break in seriousness, Zoey threaded her fingers through Aspen’s and held her hand all the way back home.

She had no idea what to do in any aspect of her life, but for now, this would be enough.