Page 109 of #Moonstruck

“Yeah,” Cole replied. “Give me a second and I’ll meet you downstairs.”

Before I could ask where they were going, Fitz and Parker left. Cole stuck his head in my room and said, “The only thing wrong with you is that you gave up on love too quickly.”

Easy for him to say. He wasn’t the one who’d texted Ryan and never heard back from him again.

“And, uh, stay here. Don’t go anywhere.”

Before I could ask Cole why he’d said that, he was already gone. Weirdo.

I tried to make the quick change again on my Fender but finally gave up and set it down on the bed. I wondered where Ryan was now. He had been at a fund-raiser in LA last night. I’d continued doing my best Luna-tic impersonation and spent most of my free time stalking him online. Still wondering why he didn’t respond to my texts.

Maybe he was dating CeCe again, and he would be a happy little family with Thomas. That image made me feel queasy.

But I also knew I could have loved Thomas. Just like my mom took Cole in, I would have adored Thomas because he was Ryan’s son.

I wished I could tell him that.

Given that I had the place to myself, I decided to take a nap. I lay down on my bed and closed my eyes.

I heard music coming from outside. That wasn’t all that strange; there were often performance artists on the sidewalks, busking.

The strange thing was that I recognized the tune.

And the voice.

My pulse hammered as I ran over to the open window and looked outside.

Ryan was there. Singing the same song to me that my mother had when I was a little girl.

He was Lloyd Dobler-ing me.

There is a flower within my heart

Maisy, Maisy

Planted one day by a glancing dart

Planted by Maisy Ell

Whether she loves me or loves me not

Sometimes it’s hard to tell

Yet I am longing to share the lot

Of beautiful Maisy Ell

Maisy, Maisy, give me your answer do

I’m half-crazy all for the love of you

It won’t be a stylish marriage

I can’t afford a carriage

But you’ll look sweet upon the seat

Of a bicycle built for two.

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