Chapter Twenty

Cori rode the elevator, her heart beating faster as it rose higher, bringing her closer to Grey. Less than twenty-four hours had passed since the end of their long weekend. The plan hadn’t been for them to see each other so soon, but after talking to him briefly that afternoon, she’d had to come.

He’d mentioned something about a birthday party being thrown for Liam in Austin and music on Liam’s laptop. Grey had sounded as if he’d really had a lot on his mind, and she had promised him that she’d be there to listen. And she’d really wanted to see him. She’d purposely not gone home to change out of the tan and white wrap dress and nude pumps she’d worn to work. If she had, the temptation to pack an overnight bag, just in case, would have easily gotten the best of her. But a casual relationship meant not crowding into each other’s spaces every day, so she wasn’t spending the night.

She stopped at the door on the left near the end of the hall and knocked.

Grey opened the door. What he did for a simple white T-shirt and loose black athletic shorts really should have come with a sexual content warning. “You’re early.”

“I got a jump on traffic.”

She walked into the condo. As soon as he shut the door, Grey took her by the waist and brought her up against him. From the way he captured her mouth, he’d missed her as much as she’d missed him.

He eased out of the kiss. “How was your day?”

“Good, but it’s even better now.”

“Mine is, too.” His smile didn’t completely erase the fatigue in his eyes.

“You look tired.”

He sighed. “Yeah, I was up early listening to the rest of Liam’s music.”

“You mentioned something about distributing it. Are you doing this for his birthday?”

A strange look came over his face as he led her toward the sectional. He sat on the arm, putting them at eye level with each other. “No, but that’s actually not a bad idea.”

“What do you mean?”

Holding her by the waist, he pulled her between his legs. “Yesterday, Liam’s girlfriend, Sofia, sent me the music she’d found on Liam’s laptop. Some of them are original DJ mixes that could be distributed through subscription download sites. Liam’s sister could make a little money off of it. But what you just said about his birthday could really launch some downloads.”

Usually when he mentioned Liam’s name, sadness shadowed his face. But now a restless energy emanated from him. It reminded her of the old Grey. In the past, it meant he was on the cusp of executing something great but hadn’t figured it all out yet.

“What are you thinking?”

“One of the ways a DJ markets his original music is by playing it and getting other DJs to sample the music in their sets. Liam isn’t here to play his own music, but I’m wondering if the party at Breakers could be a little more organized than planned, with different featured DJs incorporating Liam’s original music into their sets during the party.” His gaze became faraway, as if he was imagining it. “We could even play his videos on the big screens in the club.”

She could see where he was going with the idea in her mind, too. “It would almost seem as if he’s there to play his own music.”

“Exactly.” As his gaze focused back on her face, the excitement faded. “But it might be too late. His birthday is two weeks away. I don’t know if Sofia can work with the club to organize an event like this in time. And then there’s getting the music ready.”

“Sofia might be able to do it if you helped her.”

He shook his head. “I’ve pretty much committed to Latham Reeves. I need to be ready when they are ready for me to start. And trying to produce music by that time would be a push.”

It would also be closure. If Grey helped with what would essentially be a memorial for Liam, it could help him move on and take a step closer to forgiving himself. But using words like closure and moving on in relation to Grey getting over Liam’s death might shut Grey down, along with his ideas. But if he was doing it for someone else, that would encourage him.

She searched for the right words. “The fact that Sofia and a few friends want to celebrate Liam’s birthday sounds like they’re looking for closure. It could really help them. And it would help people remember one of the best parts of Liam. It could be a nice memorial event celebrating his abilities as a DJ and his music. And you mentioned Liam’s sister—think of the money this could make for her. Maybe the club would be willing to give her a percentage of what’s brought in at the door.”

Grey suddenly leaned in and gave her a deep, long kiss that had her grasping his shoulders for support. Finally, he broke away. “You’re a genius.”

His grin was infectious. “You’re just noticing that?”

“Yeah, I should have noticed sooner.”

“So, you’ll do it?”

“I’ll call Sofia, and if she thinks it’s a good idea, I’ll approach the management at Breakers.” His expression sobered. “This means I’ll have to go back to Austin this weekend. I know you can’t come with me now, but do you think you could be there for the event if it happens? It’s on a Wednesday.” Grey said the date.

Cori ran it through her mental calendar. The disappointment she felt must have shown on her face.

He gave her waist a squeeze. “Don’t worry about it. I knew it would be a long shot.”

“I really wish I could be there, but two of the angel investors are coming by the office that Thursday.”

He slid his hands to her back. “Just knowing you support me means a lot. And you’ll be here when I come back. Right?”

The hopefulness in his eyes combined with the happiness growing inside of her sparked some apprehension. Having a casual thing meant not making promises for the future. But now wasn’t the time to worry about that. He needed her.

Cori wrapped her arms around Grey’s neck and held him tight. “Yes. I’ll be here.”