Page 22 of Love You Like This

Stone grabs his acoustic guitar and strums a few chords. “You want to hear what I’ve been working on?”

“Yeah.” I sit back and listen, guitar in my lap as I learn the music.

He quietly sings a few lines, changing words around until it sounds right. His talent for all things musical has always blown me away. I might be able to play a plethora of instruments and compose music, but he does everything. He’s the closest person to a musical savant I’ve ever met, and not enough people give him credit for it.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” he glances up from his guitar.

“Just thinking about how fucking talented you are. It’s irritating.”

His grin is quick. “You love me.”

He’s trying to turn it into a joke, but I’m serious. “I do. I’m really fucking glad we’re here doing this still. Blue Sunday wouldn’t exist without you.”

The air in the room thickens with all the possibilities of what could have been. Him dying from his accident. Overdosing. Hell, us never meeting in the first place. I can’t imagine a world where I didn’t have him by my side.

Just as it’s getting awkward, the door swings open. Hazel and Jade walk in with smiles on their faces. Jade’s falls as she sees me, and it fucking guts me. She’s radiant in a moss green sweater dress and brown ankle boots. Green has always been my favorite color on her.

“What are you two up to?” Hazel drops down on the couch by Stone and kisses him.

“Song writing. Xan has some lyrics he wants to piece into a song.”

“Really?” Her gaze turns to me. “I didn’t realize you did some of the songwriting, too. Can I hear it?”

“No.” The answer falls from my lips quickly. “It probably sucks right now,” I add quickly when her lips turn down. I’m not about to put my writing out there for a professional writer to critique right out of the gate. I’d rather die.

“I’m sure that’s not true.” Jade has her phone out, ready to document the moment for some future social media post.

I lock eyes with her and recognize the gift of her sincerity. It immediately reminds me of when we were kids and she found my notebook full of lyrics. I felt so dumb that I snatched it out of her hands and didn’t speak to her for a week. It was the worst week of that summer.

“It’s your job to say that,” I reply.

“My job is to make you look good, not blow smoke up your asses. Don’t be an idiot, you know you’re just as talented as anyone else. You’re just scared.”

Fuck if she isn’t right.

“It’s okay,” Hazel reaches across and pats my knee. “I get it. The first time I had to share a story in a creative writing class I almost passed out from nerves. And then they proceeded to rip it apart.” She shudders. “Still gives me nightmares to think about.”

“I don’t think I could have pushed through that.”

“I think you could. You will. I don’t know anything about song writing aside from watching Tyler, but I’d love to see what you have when you’re ready to share.” She gives him a kiss and stands. “I’m going to go shower and get ready for bed.”

I watch as she walks into the bedroom and closes the door before turning my attention back to Stone. “I’ll never get used to her calling you by your actual first name.” He’s always gone by his last name, so it was easy for him to adopt Stone Tyler as his public persona.

“I know. It’s so weird, but I love it. Like our own secret language.”

“God, you two are sickeningly cute,” Jade says as she sits in a chair at the table. “Do you mind if I stay for a bit to document you two creating?”

“Not at all,” Stone says for both of us.

Nine

JADE

Present

After I settle into the corner and out of Xander’s line of sight, I pull out my camera. Most of the time I’m okay using my phone for social media posts, but this is a moment worthy of more serious documentation. Xander opening up his writing to anyone is huge.

As much as he’s hurt me, I can’t deny how deeply talented he is. It’s always pissed me off how he brushes off anyone suggesting he help Stone write songs. Yet at the same time, there is a perverse part of me that loves being the only one to have seen his lyrics. He was just a teenager and the things he wrote back then hit me straight in the chest.