Page 63 of Rock Out Together
“Oh, a girl?” Savannah cooed. “Are you going to tell us more?”
Jake smiled and looked into the camera. “Her name is Emily. And this is her song.”
My breath caught, his words piercing through the walls I’d been trying to build around my heart.
Rowan and Elliott took their places as Jake pulled out a guitar and strummed the song he’d played for her on the beach the night they made love. The drums and bass came in, transforming the country serenade Jake had sung into a full-on metal ballad.
Her shadow sways
Where stars kiss the sea,
My restless soul hums
An ocean melody.
Zara grabbed my shoulders and shook me as she squealed. “He wrote you a song!? The man who ghosted you wrote you a song?” Her excitement was infectious, but my heart was too tangled to join in.
“I don't understand …?” Why would he choose to reconnect like this? A public display of affection is a lot more intense than simply calling in a favor to find her contact info through the university. The grand gesture was overwhelming.
“Wow, that was amazing!” Savannah joined them back on stage.
“Thanks, I hope she likes it,” Jake said.
“She hasn’t heard it?” Her mouth gaped.
“Hopefully, she has now. Her roommate is one of yourcousins,” Rowan said, sidling up to The Today Show's meteorologist. Al’s eyes widened with shock.
“That’s me, bitches!” Zara held her hands in the air and squealed.
“I met Emily on Panama Beach?—”
“And her roommate, Zara,” Rowan interrupted.
Jake gave him a look that said, shut up. “We had to leave town before exchanging deets. So, I'm turning to you—” Jake pointed to Al and Savannah “—to help me find her.”
“Oh, my God, how romantic,” Savannah gushed and turned to her co-host. “It’s like Cinderella, Al! How can we find her?”
“We were on the beach that night, and she sang me a song. If she calls the show and tells us the right song, we'll know.” Jake grinned.
His boyish charm on the screen was the same that had captivated me that night. I clasped my hands to my chest, knowing what I was going to do.
“Wait, yousang?” Zara asked in horror.
I rolled my eyes. “I’m notthatbad!”
Zara pulled her head back and gave me a look.
I huffed. “Zara, I sang ‘Row, Row, Row Your Boat.’It’s pretty hard to mess that up.” The memory of our singing in harmony made me smile.
My best friend in the universe choked and then burst out laughing. She fell into her chair and cradled her head in her hands, her body still shaking.
“Well, that makes sense. Hedidrock your boat!”
nine
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Pixelated Pleasures
