Page 118 of My Rock Star Neighbor
She kisses me quickly.“You were so cute and protective that night.Let’s go.”
The sedan takes us to Strangelove, with Maddie curled into me.I kiss the top of her head and breathe in her peony scent.We step out of the car at the bar.
“Do you notice what’s different?”I ask.
“LOVE is spray-painted in red across the door,” she says.“How did you know they did that?”
“I did it.I promised I’d come back and add STRANGE tomorrow,” I say.“The owner liked the idea of Strangelove graffitied on the door.”
“I bet,” Maddie says.
We go inside.It’s crowded tonight, but somehow it feels a lot more welcoming, especially because the bartender immediately plays “Fevered Dreams.”Several men ask me for autographs.Others are grooving to the music.Maddie looks around but then heads straight to the bartender and asks him if he knows where I hid the clue.The bartender hands Maddie an envelope, giving me a big wink.
Maddie takes out a photo of an orchard.
“Home,” Maddie says.
Home.My home is Maddie.
We give the driver the deli address on Allen Street.It’s still best to be cautious.
The sedan lets us off at the deli, and once the car pulls away, I suggest we walk around the block to the front entrance of our apartments on Orchard Street.
We hold hands, Maddie pulling my hand into the warmth of her pocket and chiding me for forgetting gloves again.
“I brought my gloves,” I say, “but I prefer holding your hand.”
She kisses me, distracting us from the mission, until we’re finally recalled to our surroundings by some catcalls.
We turn the corner.
She immediately looks up at the fire escape to find our connected apartments.Three gold balloons spelling “YOU” are tied to the metal slats.
“I love you too, Nick,” Maddie says.
We jog up the stairs to my apartment, and I sit her on the couch.I hand her the last box.When she opens it up, a floor plan falls out.
“What is this?”Maddie asks.
“I asked the landlord if he would let us combine our apartments so we could have one larger one.Here’s how I sketched it out, although I’m open to your ideas.It seems it would be relatively easy to put a door in the wall between our apartments where there are no structural supports.I’ll also soundproof my bedroom so I can practice in there.”
“Nick, this is amazing!”
“You’re okay with moving in together?My feelings are not going to change.I know you’re the one for me.I can’t imagine my life without you.I want the world to know what you mean to me.”
Maddie hugs me tight.“Yes!You’re the only one for me.Once I met you, I think nobody else compared, at least in terms of the attraction that I felt.And then as I got to knowyoueven better, my feelings for you grew because you’re such a good guy.I feel so lucky to have found you.”
I feel such love and joy.Maddie is my forever family.And I can’t wait for her to hear my latest song in California this weekend.
Chapter thirty-eight
Nick
MaddieandIflyto California the next morning.The California air is balmy as they set up for my concert tonight.My new producer is way more on board with our relationship, so much so that Maddie is part of one of our songs tonight.
I grip the microphone for our final song, a new one I wrote a called “MRSN: Mr.Right Says No.”This is the first time Maddie will hear the full version.I look to the side and acknowledge the thumbs-up that Maddie is in the stage elevator decorated as a fire escape.
The lights come up.I sing about how I’d lost faith in romance.I’m joined on the stage by a whole troupe of backup dancers dressed as reporters, plumbers, and librarians.Books are being thrown back and forth in a complicated synchronized performance.Uncle Tony was responsible for the costumes, but we asked him not to reveal all his tricks because we still want disguises for when we go out.Behind me, a video plays of various couples holding hands, including our friends.
