Here With You (A Laurel Heights Novel)

chapter Twenty-five



"You left town and didn't tell me!" KT exclaimed. "What the hell?"

"Come on, you're happy I'm gone." Grif grabbed a bottled water from the refrigerator and walked through his apartment, down the hall to his office. "Admit it. It's better that I'm here moping. Unless you'd rather have me moping in your home."

"I really wouldn't."

"I didn't think so." He smiled faintly, sitting in his desk chair. Since he'd been back, he alternated between self-pity and bouts of non-stop work. Roddy was happy, at least. His manager had loved Here with You.

Grif had had a word or two with Roddy about his high-handed publicity tactics. Roddy had acted superior, saying that maybe if Grif had answered his phone, he wouldn't have had to resort to extreme measures. The PR had pleased the studio execs, and Roddy figured Grif should be grateful.

Grateful for coming between him and Nicole? Not that he could really blame his manager. The situation was his doing—his and Nicole's.

"So she kicked you to the curb, huh?" KT said with her usual tact. "I knew it'd happen."

"Tell me why we're friends again?" he asked as he twisted open the water.

"You love me. Be honest, you miss me."

He did, amazingly enough. He missed San Francisco, too. He whirled his chair around and stared out of the floor-to-ceiling windows of his condo. His apartment was spacious and looked out onto L.A., which really wasn't saying much. The skyline was gray from smog, and the apartment itself was amazingly sterile.

Mostly though, he missed Nicole. Everything about her, from the abandoned way she kissed him to the feel of her body snug against his. He even missed how she left her shoes around for him to trip on.

"Hello?" KT boomed into the receiver. "Are you back to moping?"

Sighing, he turned around and opened his laptop. "I miss her, KT."

"Explain to me what happened again. She found out you proposed to that Norwegian string bean and had a fit?"

"You're just as thin as Inga."

"Please don't compare me to her." KT audibly shuddered. "I met her once. You're lucky you escaped her talons. Let's talk about Nicole instead."

"Because you'd like to torture me?"

"Because you need a kick to the butt. Are you really going to let her get away? You obviously like her."

He loved Nicole, but he wasn't going to give KT more ammunition. "She kicked me to the curb, as you so lovingly pointed out."

"Yeah, but all that's just a negotiation, right? Isn't that how relationships work?"

"You're asking me?"

"Well, it's not like I have a great example in my parents."

He clicked on his email, and as he waited for it to load he started going through the mail piled on the corner of his desk. "Your parents have been together for almost thirty years."

"And they never fight," KT said. "It's unnatural. They're aliens or something."

He stalled on an envelope, recognizing the handwriting even though he hadn't seen it in a long time. He glanced at the return information to be sure. Nicole James. "I have to go, KT," he said slowly.

"I'll play a dirge for your love life." She snickered.

"I'm glad my misery amuses you."

"Sing her a song. Chicks dig pop stars."

"I sing crossover hits," he protested to the dial tone. Shaking his head, he ended the call and opened the letter.

A crinkled, folded piece of paper fell on his lap. He set it on the table and read the note from Nicole.



Grif,



I know you're wondering how I got your address. Your mom gave it to my mom, who gave it to me. You know how that goes.

But I did ask for it. I have a favor to ask. I know this girl who's a big fan of yours. Her mom died and she wrote a poem, and she wants you to set it to music and sing it really badly. Apparently she and her mom used to listen to your music together all the time.

I know it's probably not likely, so I sent it to you hoping maybe you could sign it and send it back to her.

I hope you don't hold our relationship against Rachel's request. She's a great kid—this would mean a lot to her.



Thank you,

N



Unfolding the other sheet of paper, he read the poem. It brought tears to his eyes. He thought about KT's mention of a dirge. This poem was perfect for it. In fact, he could hear the music.

He closed his eyes, leaning back, and tapped out the harmony he heard in his head. Something simple. Something sweet. Pretty much how he felt since he'd lost Nicole.