Composing Love by Audra North
For A.B.
Chapter One
“The guy last night was probably the worst date I’ve ever had!” Minh had to shout at Gali to be heard over the loud music blaring from the stage. “And this band is awful.”
Gali nodded in agreement. “What happened?”
Minh took a sip of her drink, making a face at the burn of bad club vodka. Why was she even here? It was well past her bedtime and having a conversation was next to impossible.
She leaned back against the bar next to Gali and set the plastic cup down. She’d just wasted twelve dollars on swill, too. But she hadn’t felt like being alone tonight, not after the week she’d had.
“All he could talk about was my looks. How I’m so exotically beautiful, and he loves black girls but he also loves Asian girls, so it was like he was getting two for the price of one. He actually said that. Two for the price of one. Was that supposed to turn me on?” She slapped the empty stool next to her but quickly yanked her hand away and fisted it at her side, surprised at her own vehemence. “Like I’m some kind of buy one get one free deal?”
“That’s…oh my God, that’s disgusting.” Gali sucked Long Island iced tea through the tiny red bar stir that she’d appropriated as a straw and grimaced. “And so is this drink.”
Gali came here almost every week, but Minh hadn’t been in months. She’d forgotten about how notoriously cheap the Tiger Club was when it came to booze. But it was also the place to go in San Francisco to hear up-and-coming new bands…usually, anyway. The first in tonight’s lineup, Attila the Gourd, was as terrible as its name.
“I hate it when guys pretend they’re so progressive and understanding but then talk about women like we’re bargain-bin commodities. It’s like a nasty little open secret,” huffed Gali.
“Just talking about it makes me want to start raging at every man in sight. So far, my resolution to find a long-term man is only showing me that there aren’t even any qualified candidates.”
Gali sighed. “Well, you are beautiful. It’s not unreasonable that he would have tried to compliment you,” she offered.
“You know what I meant.”
“Yeah, I do. But when you want a guy who rarely goes to parties, likes classical music, but doesn’t live with his mother? That’s not easy to find, you know. Maybe you just need to change your requirements a little. Or maybe even get rid of them altogether.”
Minh snorted. Was Gali joking? Ever since that disaster six years ago, she’d learned that despite what movies and books would have people believe, following her heart only led to heartache. She’d wised-up and decided on her requirements—called The List, in fact—to use as a definitive guide for her romantic relationships. She hadn’t had a single problem with heartache from guys since then.
Of course, since the creation of The List there also hadn’t been many guys to have problems with, but still—
“No way. That list has made my dating life a lot easier.”
Gali fiddled with her straw. “Anything would have been easier than what happened with Richard.”
Minh flashed her a dark look, and Gali shrugged. “I’m just saying, you’ve managed to find one guy in an entire year who had all the required qualities. Not that I’m surprised. I think he was probably the only person in San Francisco under thirty who has a subscription to the opera. And he still turned out to be a douchebag.” She shook her head. “Anyway, I think it’s just par for the course. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been labeled a ‘Greek Goddess’ before the appetizers even arrive. I feel like we should just move to L.A., already. At least there we know guys are shallow, and we won’t feel so let down.”
“L.A. is looking better every day. That’s where the real work is, after all.”
“You mean movie work. Music therapy is real work too, and I know there’s plenty of opportunity for it down there.” Gali was laughing, but Minh still felt bad for inadvertently insulting her friend’s profession.
She sighed. “I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean—”
Gali dismissed Minh’s apology with a wave of her hand. “I know. You’re frustrated and I’m not going to take it personally.”
Minh pushed off the bar, turning to face her friend. “That’s no excuse, especially if it’s turning me into someone who would diminish your awesome accomplishments. You’re the best music therapist I know.”
“I’m the only music therapist you know.”
“Which makes it even more imperative that I don’t ruin my relationship with you. Who will I turn to when I finally dissolve into a quivering bucket of Liquid Loser and need music to cure me?”
“Seeing as you’re a violinist, you could turn to yourself.”
“Work with me, here.”
A grin lit Gali’s face. “Fine. Apology accepted.”