Page 66 of Giving Chase

Everything that matters already has.

"We should head back soon," Eliza says eventually. "Get some dinner before final rehearsal."

"Five more minutes?" I'm not ready to share her yet. Not ready to be Chase Avery, Hall of Fame inductee. I just want to be Chase, watching leaves fall with Eliza.

Her smile is soft. "Five more minutes."

Somewhere in the distance, church bells chime. A perfect October evening spreads out before us. Tonight we'll run the whole show, tomorrow brings all its ceremony and grandeur, but this moment...

This is the one I want to remember.

Can’t Quench the Fire

ELIZA

The private diningroom at Giovanni's overlooks downtown Cleveland, city lights twinkling like earthbound stars. Chase fidgets with his water glass, that tell I've known for twenty years. He wants to say something but isn't sure how.

"Out with it," I say, smiling. "You've been sitting on something all day."

He laughs softly. "That obvious?"

"Only to me."

He reaches for his jacket, pulls out a small notebook – the kind he always used for lyrics. My heart skips.

"I've been writing again," he says quietly. "Real writing, not just... not like before. Different stuff. Clearer." He pauses. "Better."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." His fingers trace the notebook's edges. "Will and Mark have been coming by the house. Playing around with some arrangements. It feels... it feels right. For the first time in years."

The implications hover between us like smoke. I take a sip of water, choosing my words carefully.

"Have you talked to them? About making it official?"

"Not yet. Wanted to talk to you first." His green eyes meet mine. "For obvious reasons."

A waiter appears with our appetizers. We wait until he's gone before continuing.

"The industry's changed," I say. "Streaming, social media, virtual concerts. It's not the same landscape you left."

"Good thing I know the President of a major label." His smile is tentative. "One who's pretty good at navigating changing landscapes."

And there it is.

"Chase..."

"I know." He reaches for my hand. "I know it's complicated. But hear me out? Please?"

I nod.

"What if... what if we did it differently this time? Same label, different management team. Michelle's been grooming that new guy – James? He's got a good track record. And you've got other artists to focus on. Bigger picture stuff."

"You've thought about this."

"Haven't stopped thinking about it." He squeezes my fingers. "The music's different now. I'm different. No more addiction metaphors or pain songs or... or loving you from a distance. This is..." He smiles. "This is what happy sounds like."

"And Will and Mark? They're ready for this?"

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