Page 39 of Electric Blue Love
Court’s presence in my apartment had disarmed me.
“I can’t believe you’re really here in my apartment,” I said and shook my head as if the movement would focus my eyes and I’d discover he wasn’t really here at all.
He shrugged. “I know it was probably presumptuous to just show up, but it felt too impersonal to send a congratulations text. When do you go to New York for the second interview?”
“In two weeks. The interview is on Friday and then I’m going to stay the weekend, so I can see my family while I’m there.”
“That’ll be nice,” he said, and his tone had a rough edge to it that I couldn’t understand.
We talked about New York – about the location of his office and apartment and I told him more about my family and where they worked and lived in the city. He was tight lipped about his past and his family. I didn’t pry – something about the way Aaron had mentioned Court “going through shit” made me hold back.
Tasha never reappeared and from the one-sided conversation I could just barely hear coming from her bedroom, I assumed she was having a marathon phone conversation with Lance. They were adorable like that – they both put on a good show of having nights out with their friends, but it always ends up like this, the two of them on the phone or, more often than not, them calling the night early so they could be together.
I’d have found it frustrating how often she dodged out on me if I didn’t also find it hopelessly romantic. I knew she didn’t do it to hurt me. I truly believed she just couldn’t help the need to be near him.
There was a lull in conversation and I heard the music for the first time in at least an hour, maybe longer. Big Pun played and as if Court was just hearing it now too he laughed. “You do know your old school rap.”
“Tasha’s playlists are always an eclectic mix. I made her add this one.”
“You did not,” he said with an unbelieving smile.
I lip synced to the chorus. “I’m not a player, I just crush a lot.”
I pointed to him as I sang, and he shook his head. “I am not a player.”
“Hey, they were your words, not mine.”
“Fair point,” he conceded. “What else you got on here?” he asked.
“Well, Tasha likes everything so some current hits and the classics like Destiny’s Child and Tupac.”
“Classics? God, I’m old,” he muttered. “So, this is Tasha’s playlist,” he placed a thumb in the air at the direction of the speaker, “but what do you listen to?”
“I like older stuff – Fleetwood Mac, for example. I’m into covers of older songs that my parents listened to.”
“You really do miss them, New York, all of it huh?”
“I thought it’d go away,” I said. “First semester all I wanted to do was run home, but my parents were so proud that I was out on my own. And it has been great here, don’t get me wrong, but I still miss my family and New York every single day.”
He nodded, and I thought he might ask more about my family or why I was considering staying when it was so clear I wanted to be with them. He didn’t.
“What’s your favorite cover song?”
I responded automatically. “Adele,I Can’t Make You Love Me.”
The look on his face was sad and his eyes looked at me with… pity. “Or the Thirty Seconds to Mars’ cover ofStay, that one is really good, too,” I added and stood under the guise of switching the music off.
“Play it for me,” he said.
“I –” my protest was cut short as Tasha strolled into the room.
“Play what?” she asked, turning the music off and then plopping into a chair in the living room.
Neither of us spoke for a moment and Tasha looked between us impatiently.
“Bianca is going to play me her favorite cover song.”
“Oh, God, not that sad song again.”
