Nicolas and Lila were in the waiting room, desperate for a doctor, nurse or anyone to come out and give them Billy’s status after his operation. Nicolas got up and bought two cups of coffee.
“Here. Drink.”
Lila took one from him with a shaky hand. “It feels like forever.”
“Yeah. If someone doesn’t come out soon, I’ll go see what’s going on.”
He sat across from her. “How are you holding up?”
She threw her hands in the air. “I’m dying here. Oh, Nicky, the last thing I said to him was...terrible.”
He didn’t ask, didn’t want to know. She’d said terrible things about him, too. Lila was volatile and her mouth could get the best of her. “Billy knows you care about him. Just let it go.”
She sipped her coffee, thinking. After a long moment, Lila pushed her hair out of her eyes. “I must look a fright.”
Even with little sleep and maximum stress, she was supermodel beautiful. But he’d learned that he preferred a genuine beauty. One that got more and more appealing every second he was with her. He’d seen a true beauty and held her in his arms.
My Chloe.
“You look fine, Lila. Besides, who cares? You’re in the ICU waiting room, not on a catwalk. Give yourself a break.”
“Wow. You’ve never said anything like that to me before. You’re...different,” she said. “Calmer. More—I don’t know—centered.”
He grinned. “Yes. I am.”
She tipped her head and waited for him to say more. He didn’t. It felt wrong to talk about Chloe with his ex. Besides, he wasn’t sure how to explain all the ways that she’d changed him.
“Well, whatever you are taking or doing, keep it up. Calmer looks good on you.” She leaned forward. “I’m glad you’re here, Nicky. I wouldn’t have blamed you if you had told me to take a hike. What I said about you during that television interview... I didn’t mean it.”
“Words are powerful. Important. They mean things, Lila.”
And so do lyrics.
Suddenly he understood why writing music was so important to him. Why he’d pushed it aside for so long. Words touched people, connected them, made the listener feel emotions, life. He’d been trying to hide from all of that, from all of the pain he’d felt as a child.
Chloe had changed him.
Now he wanted to feel everything. With her.
“I know. I’m going to try to be better. I promise,” Lila said.
Better.
The word clicked in his brain and linked up with the familiar tune that played frequently in his head. It was the melody that had come to him in a nightmare in which Chloe had stood shoulder to shoulder with him as he faced his fears. It was the first nightmare in which he wasn’t alone. The melody was intriguing, pulsing, vibrant—just like Chloe.
My Pirate Girl.
The title came to him like a flash of light, sending a tingle of hope up his spinal cord.
“Merda!” he said. It was perfect.
“What is it?” Lila asked.
“Nothing,” he said. He wasn’t ready to share the only song he’d titled in years. And he didn’t want to push too hard to find the lyrics. He was afraid they might not come, so instead he said, “I’ve got some work to do. Mind if I do it while we wait?” he pointed toward his laptop.
She lifted her palms up. “No, of course not. I know you must have tons of work. Go for it.”
He grabbed his computer and checked his email.
He had one from RW Harper. His heart pounded as he opened it. Was Chloe all right?
“Nicolas, I am excited about the prospect of producing your show on my property. I have one more caveat that I believe will benefit us both. Please return to Plunder Cove so that I can show you a gem that will make you a very wealthy man.”
Nicolas stared at the screen. Leave it to RW Harper to try to negotiate another deal after the first one was done. Sorry, Harper, but that’s a big no. If he returned to Plunder Cove, he wouldn’t be able to keep his hands off Chloe. And he’d hurt her. Again. He couldn’t do it. It was better for her that she believed he didn’t miss her “kiss me” lips, better if she went on with her life.
As he needed to do. Someday.
He still had several contestants to listen to for the show, so he put his earphones on, but what he played was Chloe’s last voice mail. She’d left several and had hung up without a message a few times, too. He hadn’t returned any of her calls. He couldn’t because he was too weak. If he spoke to her, he’d hop in his car and drive up the coast to Plunder Cove. He would ruin her grand plan for a good life. It was better to not call and let her get over him.
“Hey. It’s me.” She sounded tired. “I won’t call again because I know you won’t return it. I get it. You’ve moved on. If Lila makes you happy, then... I’m happy. I only want the best for you.” She paused. “I’m going to miss you.” She made a sound that resembled a forced laugh that got clogged in her throat. “We were good for each other. I truly believe that. Because of you, I know what I am capable of feeling. But, uh, I’m not going to talk about that, because this call is awkward enough. Just...find love, okay? You deserve it. Goodbye, Nicolas.”
His chest felt tight. His mind rolled with sadness because he knew he’d hurt her, even though he’d tried not to.
He’d left the only chance he had at finding love, because he was scared he’d ruin it. He hadn’t called Chloe back, because he was a burro. He wanted the best for her, too, and Nicolas Medeiros obviously wasn’t it. Not even close.
Adeus, Chloe.
He closed his eyes and envisioned Chloe Harper one last time. It was sweet torture. He could smell her fragrance, taste her honey, her lips, her sweet skin. Her voice was the music in his head. Her words, the lyrics. Her intensity, sincerity, depth, realness, kindness and goodness all poured over him. He imagined her swimming naked in the moonlight, the phosphorescence glowing around her slender figure, and wished that just once he could have bodysurfed the Pacific with her. He pictured her dancing in his arms and let her music play in his head. He was overwhelmed with feelings. He opened his eyes.
He opened his notes file, but instead of typing lyrics on a page, he let his fingers pour out all the emotions he felt about Chloe. He could barely type fast enough to keep up with the upbeat melody dancing in his brain. When he was done, he stared at the screen in utter surprise. On his computer monitor was the first song he’d written in more than a decade.
And it was good! No, not good. The song was great because it sounded like Chloe.
His heart pounded hard, for he knew, really knew, that this was a hit. This was the one he couldn’t find in all the years that had come before Chloe. But more than that, he had laid out the truth in black-and-white, for even a burro to see.
“What just happened?” Lila asked him.
He took his headphones off. “What?”
“I was watching you work and the look on your face! I’ve never seen that expression on anyone. What are you watching on your computer?”
He swallowed. “A guy in love.”
Before he had to say anything more, a doctor walked up to Lila. “Mr. See is out of surgery and asking for you.”
Lila rose to her feet. “Billy is okay?”
“Yes. He’s going to need time to recover and some rehab, but he is out of danger,” the doctor said.
“Oh, my God. Thank you!” She kissed the doctor on the cheek and blew an air kiss toward Nicolas. “My man is going to be okay.”
“Go to him. Tell him I hope he feels better fast,” Nicolas said. “And to take care of you.”
“Thank you.” Lila almost ran down the hall.
Nicolas smiled. “Goodbye, Lila.” He didn’t think he’d ever see her or Billy again. He was at peace with that. He hadn’t loved Lila. Or anyone before his short but sweet visit to Plunder Cove. He could appreciate the difference between lust and love now.
He grabbed his stuff, jumped to his feet and rushed out of the hospital. He had a long drive ahead of him. He hoped he wasn’t too late to prove that he was, in fact, long-lasting material.