5. Flint

5

FLINT

I spend the night pacing our bedroom floor. The cops told me they can't do anything. He hasn't been gone long enough. The airport tells me they can't share a traveler's personal information. Literally all I can do is wait for him to come home because I have absolutely no idea where he would go.

The next morning, he's still not home. I keep checking our bank accounts for purchases to get an idea of where he is, but I think he's using his credit card, and I never bothered to get access to that account. At one o'clock in the afternoon, I hear the front door open.

I rush out of the room and to the staircase. That's when I see not only Dominic, but Liam fucking Wilder.

Oh my God . Of course. Dominic made a whole nest of Liam Wilder merch. Why did I not think of that?

Because it's absolutely insane, that's why. How did he get Liam to come here? Did he use the taser?

Liam's gaze finds me. "I'm sorry to show up unannounced like this. I'm here by request of your mate."

"Yes," Dominic clarifies. "He's going to wallow in shame at the foot of our bed and beg you to write another song for him."

Liam nods in agreement.

How on Earth did Dominic get Liam Wilder to agree to something like that?

"Right this way," Dominic says, leading Liam up the stairs. Which means Liam is going to see the murdered bobble-heads. That can't be good.

"Are you sure you want him to go up there?" I ask.

"Yes. He belongs at the foot of the bed, actively wallowing."

They pass me on the stairs and keep walking toward the bedroom.

"But don't you think we should clean up first?"

"No. I prepared it perfectly for his wallowing," Dominic says.

I follow behind them, hoping that Liam won't end up suing us or charging us with some kind of crime.

Liam pauses in the doorway, looking at Dominic's display. He covers his mouth with his hand when his gaze finds the murdered dolls. I guess he finds them amusing instead of scary. That's a surprise.

Dominic takes off his shoes and climbs into the bed. "Go on," he tells Liam. "Sit at the foot of the bed and wallow." He yawns and lies down, pulling the covers over his body.

Liam actually sits at the foot of my bed. "Well, here goes. I am very sorry the contract for Blooming Heart was so unfair to you. I know you never want to write a song for me again, but if you ever did, I would love to work with you. And I promise the contract would be much better."

I know he doesn't mean any of that. I've submitted lots of stuff to his producers and got rejected every time. But it means a lot that he came here for Dominic.

"Now sing him Fated," Dominic says.

If he wasn't nesting right now, I'd tell Dominic no. I don't want to sing my favorite song I've ever written to a man who will reject it no matter what. Especially not the man who cheated me out of so much money. But Dominic is nesting, so like Liam, I will do whatever he wants.

"I'll go get a guitar. Be right back."

"No," Dominic says. "It's better on the piano. Take him to the music room."

The last thing I want is Liam Wilder in my music room. But again, I do as he says.

Liam stands up and follows me down the stairs. The music room is on the main floor behind the formal dining room. We wind through the house in silence. When we finally get inside, a part of me wants to tell Liam I'm not going to play it for him after all. Dominic won't know either way.

But I can't lie. Not to Dominic.

I sit on the beautiful piano he bought for me and start playing the song I wrote when we were new. I try to pretend Liam isn't here, and play it the way I would if it was only Dominic listening. The song is simple and sweet. I haven't been able to sell it because I've been picky about who I want to perform it, and I'm willing to wait for the right voice.

I hate that Liam would be the right voice if he would ever deign to work with me again.

After the song is over, silence stretches between us. I don't know what to do now. Ask him to go wallow at the foot of my bed? That was ridiculous enough when Dominic said it, and he's nesting.

"I want that song," Liam says.

"Oh, c'mon. I've sent countless songs to you, and you haven't wanted any of them, but this is the song you want?" I try to keep the bitterness out of my voice, but there was a time that I thought Liam would take me with him to stardom. A lot of performers work with the same songwriters over and over again. I thought he'd at least want to perform one or two more of my songs. That would have made our unfair contract worth it to me.

"Flint, I have requested your work specifically several times. My agent said you didn't want to work with me again after that horrible contract, and I don't blame you. I am deeply sorry. I didn't know how things worked back then. I haven't agreed to another contract like that since."

Did the production company not tell him? Or was it his agent? I never considered that he might not be getting any of my submissions. I didn't send them to him directly because that isn't how it's done.

"I did want to work with you. Very much. I have written many songs specifically for your voice and submitted them through the proper channels. I thought they informed you about those songs."

Liam folds his arms across his chest. "That's terrible. I'm sorry. Have you sold those songs yet? Will you play them for me?"

Those songs are six years old. They wouldn't hit the market the same way today. But I have quite a few songs I've written about Dominic that would be perfect for Liam's voice.

"Let me play you my new stuff," I say.

Liam nods. "Okay."

As I play my work for Liam Wilder, it isn't lost on me that Dominic helped me face my demons, just like he faced his. It isn't the same, because his demons were a lot scarier than mine, but it means a lot all the same.

Dominic and I have never bonded to each other in an official way. We don't have matching bands or necklaces, and we didn't cuddle with each other during a whole month of winter, but we have shared many moments like this where we helped each other do hard things. I think that's a bond, in and of itself.

I think I'll always wish I could give him a pebble, but I imagine a lot of people have regrets like that. Life doesn't always turn out the way we expect. Sometimes, you have to stop searching for perfect and embrace what is.

Like singing my songs for Liam Wilder six years too late. It isn't the rise to stardom I wanted in my early twenties, but it's an opportunity for something good. It's what's happening now.

I'm ready for it.