Page 64 of Wish You Knew
Scott entered, alone. When he caught sight of me, he stopped. “Rosie?”
“Scott.”
It was as if we were strangers, meeting for the first time.
He walked over to the table and placed his guitar in the case, taking his time closing the clasps. His back was to me and his grey denim shirt was stained with sweat from the exertions of his set. I hadn’t realised an acoustic performance required so much physical effort.
Knowing I couldn’t see his face or his reaction to what I was about to say bolstered my confidence. “That song… does it mean what I think it means?”
His hand froze over the final fastening, shoulders rising and falling quickly. “What did you think it means?” His tone was husky, speaking directly to my emotions as well as my body.
“That you might have feelings for me. More than friends with benefits, more than hooking up. More than fucking in a hotel room.” I rushed the words out, scared if I didn’t, I wouldn’t be able to say them. The silence which met them had me thinking I’d got it all wrong.
He wasn’t singing to me, about me, for me.
It was all about someone else.
Deliberately, he turned to face me. “You got that from the song?”
Shit. I had got it wrong.
Flustered, I slid off the table. If I’d misunderstood, I couldn’t bear to be in the same room as Scott, couldn’t bear the humiliation. I’d slink away to my suite and order the entire contents of the room service dessert menu.
“Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.” I went to push past him, but Scott grabbed my wrist.
“Rosie, don’t go.” He must have felt my pulse race beneath his fingertips, it thrummed so loud it was all I could hear. “Please.”
His eyes bored into mine, filled with uncertainty. I’d never seen him like this, so unsure of himself. He swallowed hard. “I’ve never put myself out here like this before, so bear with me. I can’t do this anymore.”
My hand flew to my mouth. He was going to tell me he didn’t want to see me any longer, that he’d met someone else and whatever we had was officially over. I didn’t want to listen to him tell me he’d moved on, and I was destined to be part of his lurid past. “It’s okay, you don’t have to say anything, I get it.”
Scott’s brows knotted together. “No, Rosie, I don’t think you do.” He took both of my hands in his, gripping onto them tightly. “I don’t want to hook up with you any longer…”
I knew it. I opened my mouth to speak, but he placed a finger on my lips.
“I’ve never felt this before. I want us to try a proper relationship, a real one this time.”
Instantly, my chest tightened. It was as if the air had been sucked out of the room. The words in the song, making it real for him.
It really was happening.
33
Scott
Ihad never felt more nervous in my life. Performing in front of thousands of people at gigs and festivals was one thing, but spilling my guts out to the woman I loved topped it.
“What do you say?” I removed my finger from her lips, waiting for her reaction.
Rosie’s blue eyes filled with tears. I hadn’t wanted to make her cry.
“You wrote a song about me?” she managed.
“About you, for you… same difference.” I shrugged, trying to pretend it didn’t mean as much as it did.
“No-one’s ever done that for me before.”
I narrowed my eyes. “And how many other rock stars have you dated?”
