Music of the Heart (2 page)

“What?!  You’re just going to screw me and run out?  I want you to stay the night with me.  Let’s just lay down and go to sleep.  Besides, we need to rest up for another round.”

              She just winked at me and licked her lips.  Does she honestly think that is going to change my mind?  I really need to go so I can clear my mind and get some sleep.  Thomas, my driver and friend, texts back that he is on his way. 

              “Yes, Haley, I’m leaving.  I have to be at work early in the morning and I need some sleep.  Besides, I don’t do sleepovers.  Ever.”

              Obviously, she is not happy with me and stomps back into her room and slams the door.  Guess I will just see my way out.  I grab my jacket and practically run out of her apartment before she changes her mind and tries to get me back in her bed. 

              Thomas pulls up and the look on his face is one I see often.  It is the look of disapproval.  Thomas is in his early fifties and feels like a second father sometimes.  He, too, believes I need to find a nice girl to settle down with. 

              “Early night?  You never go home before midnight. “

              “I guess.  I just wasn’t into hanging out with Haley tonight.  I have an early morning of meetings before I leave for Sweden plus I think I may be getting too old for one night stands.”

              “Excuse me, did I just hear you correctly?  No more one night stands?  That would be a nice change and good for you.  You need to find you a nice…”

              “Don’t say it!  I hear it enough from my family and friends.  If Merritt had her way, she would have me married off to one of her friends.”

              We arrived at my condominium complex.  I live in the penthouse condo on the top floor of one of the nicest buildings in Buckhead.  Luckily, I have my own private elevator so I don’t have to be around everyone else who lives in the building.  It is the stereotypical bachelor pad for the bachelor who is rarely home.  Some would say I work too much.  Some may say I am rude, I’m mean, I’m harsh… an asshole even.  I say I live for my job.  I own one of the most prestigious and well known world wide commercial real estate and development companies.    I also have the title of Atlanta’s most eligible bachelor for four years running.  So many women have tried to win me over and call me their own.  They all want to own the title of taming the bachelor but it’s not going to happen… or so I’ve always said.    Lately, thoughts keep running through my mind that maybe I should settle down. Maybe it’s time.  I’ll be thirty-two years old in a couple of months.  Both of my brothers are settled down and my mother drives me crazy wanting me to find the perfect woman.  Add to that every single one of my friends has found the perfect women and are headed to the altar sooner than I could imagine.  I’ve just never been interested in being tied to one person.  I’ve never even thought about it until recently.

              I take a quick shower to get her smell off of my body and then crawl into bed.  I need to sleep but sleep cannot find me.  I am wide awake and can’t stop thinking about my lifestyle.  Should I change my ways?  Should I find the perfect girl?  Am I really done having fun and one night stands?  Ugh, I just need sleep right now.  I am still deep in thought about my life as I finally drift off.

Chapter Two

ASHLEIGH

              “Good morning, sunshine!  Time to get up!”
 

              “Go away Allie!  I need to sleep. “

              “You can sleep later.  We’re back in Atlanta and you need to get up and get in the car.  You can go home, take a shower and get in your own bed all day if you want to. “

              “Ugh!  Fine!  Wait.  Do I smell coffee?  Give me that coffee.  I need coffee to function today. “

              “You need coffee to function every day.  Come on, up and at ‘em.  You better get home and sleep today because tonight’s show will be huge.  It sold out in the first thirty minutes.  Plus, you know the girls are going to be at your house the minute they hear you are home.”

              “I know, I know.  I’m up, but first, coffee.  Now. “

              To say I am happy to be back in Atlanta would be an understatement.  I miss my home, I miss my bed and I miss my friends.  Again, don’t get me wrong.  I love my job.  What kid doesn’t dream of being up on a stage singing music for a living?  A small break is all I need and then back on the road.  Do I enjoy being alone? Not really.  Do I want to find my future husband?  Who knows.  I’m only twenty-four, well almost twenty-five.  I’m still young and have time but all my friends have found their future husbands.  Maybe I need to sit and really think about my life and what direction I want it to go in. But that will all have to wait until after my show tonight.  I love shows in Atlanta.  All of my closest friends and family will be there who I haven’t seen them in months.  It always feels like a big family reunion. 

I head to my bedroom the minute I get to my house.  I just know I will be out the minute I hit the mattress.  Of course, that doesn’t happen.  Sleep.  Where are you, sleep?  All of a sudden I’m not tired at all.  I decide to go through all my mail and catch up on some of my shows from the DVR.  It’s only 8:30 in the morning so I have about 7 hours until I head to the venue for the show. 

I hear a noise at my kitchen door and know exactly who it is. Merritt, my best friend, comes waltzing through my front door with her arms full of bags.  I have missed her so much.  We’re so much like sisters, most people think we are. 

“Thank God you’re home.  I have missed you so much.  Word on the street is you are staying around for a couple of months this time.  Tell me the rumors are true.  I could stand to have my best friend home for a while. “

I shake my head at her and laugh a little.  I walk into the kitchen to help her unload all the bags she brought in.

“Did Allie even wait until I got off the stage last night to call you?  Yes, I am home for a couple of months and I expect to see y’all every single day.”

“Well, I’m glad to hear that and of course, you will be seeing us every day but first things first, what’s up with your voice?”

“Just a little hoarse is all.  I do sing for a living, remember?  Besides, I’m going to the doctor Monday morning.”

“I know that but… wait.  Going to the doctor?  Why?  It’s worse than you’re telling me, isn’t it?”

“Merritt, I’m fine.  Grant just feels like I should be checked out before I continue on tour in November. “

Grant is my amazing tour manager.  He helps keep me in line.  His wife, Claire is also my publicist.  They make a great team and work so well with me and my crew.

“Ash, you know I’m just looking out for you.  I know how hard it was for you last time your throat and voice got damaged.  I just don’t want anything worse to happen this time.  I know exactly how it feels to live for your work and how it would feel if it were taken away from you.”

“I know and I love you for it.  So, what’s with all the bags and is that coffee from the Sweet Peach Cafe I see?”

“The bags are full of groceries for you and of course it’s coffee from the Sweet Peach.  Would I bring you anything else on your first day home?  I also got you one of their amazing chicken and bacon croissants you like so much.”

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!  You didn’t have to get me groceries though.  I could have gone to the store later.  Although, I am glad you brought them so I didn’t have to order in food.”

“That’s what I’m here for.  Come on, help me unload everything and then we can catch up before you and I have to start getting ready for tonight.”

CROSS

              I am exhausted.  I could not fall asleep last night and then had to be up at 4:00 a.m. to head to the airport.  Now, here I sit on the longest flight ever to Stockholm but cannot seem to take a nap.  We’ve been in the air for a couple of hours now and they are about to serve breakfast.  Thank God I am in First Class because I could not tolerate all the craziness in coach. Two hours down, ten more to go.   

              Breakfast has been served and cleared and I am begging sleep to come.  Every time I start to drift off, thoughts of work and my future invade my head.  I really need to get my mind off of my life and future.  I should take that flight attendant into the bathroom and ask her to join the Mile High Club with me.  She looks good enough but I have no desire to do anything but sleep.

              She won’t stop flirting with me so I just fake sleep.  No one would believe I am turning away a hot girl.  Thankfully, I don’t have to look at her or think about her anymore because sleep finally finds me and I am out for a few hours.  I spend the rest of the flight going over all the paperwork and proposal to land this property.  Jason, my right hand man at my company, flew over with one of my assistants yesterday to get everything ready for the big meeting. 

              I finally arrive in Stockholm around 9:00 p.m. their time.  Of course, I’m not tired.  They are six hours ahead of Atlanta but I know I have to catch some sleep so I am fully prepared for this meeting.  It is scheduled bright and early at 8:00 a.m. and I need to nail it.  I am only in town for a day and have no time for screw-ups.  I have to get back to finalize some properties in the Southeast as well as help my family work on the annual Atlanta Breast Cancer Benefit.  My mom is the president of the foundation and a survivor so helping and being at that benefit is a huge deal to my family.

              I take a quick shower as soon as I get in the room then fix myself a few drinks hoping it will help me sleep.  It works and the next thing I know is my alarm is going off at 5:30 a.m.  I hit the hotel gym and head back up to shower and meet my team for a pre-meeting breakfast.  Jason and Anita are in the hotel restaurant getting some breakfast and waiting on me to have a strategy talk.  Technically, Anita is Jason’s assistant but she travels with us and helps me out as well on business trips.  I have an amazing assistant back at home but she is older and married and doesn’t like to leave her husband for my work.

              After two hours, the meeting is finally over and it went great. We landed the deal and I couldn’t be happier.  I have other meetings in Atlanta so I don’t plan on staying in Sweden.  I actually have a flight in about three hours to head back to Atlanta.  I rush back to the hotel to get my bags and head straight to the airport.  Jason and Anita are staying a few extra days to nail out all the details and finalize everything so I can get back to Atlanta. 

              Once I sit down waiting to board the flight, I check my phone for texts and e-mails.  I have quite a few and start scrolling through them.  My mom has texted me five different times about the breast cancer benefit.  She wants to make sure I’ve found a date to bring and if I haven’t, she’s more than happy to help me.

              I love going to these events for her but I hate having to ask a date.  There’s never anyone I want to bring and always end up sending them home before the night is over.  So I spend the whole flight home trying to think of who to take to the breast cancer benefit.  Let’s be honest, I could take any woman I want because they aren’t going to tell me no.  Without sounding too cocky, I know I’m a good looking guy with an amazing body.  I work hard for that.  I also know how loved I am by the ladies due to my financial and social status in Atlanta.  Anyone I asked would jump at the chance to go with me but knowing myself, I will wait until the week of to ask someone.  I decide not to think about it anymore during the flight and go to sleep until we arrive in Atlanta.

For the next few weeks, my life is consumed with work and traveling.  I don’t have time for anything or anyone and I completely forget about asking a date.