Page 4 of California Love Songs
“I believe this is yours,” she said, pressing the cold can into his hand.
Damien’s fingers brushed hers as he took the drink, sending a small shiver up her arm. “You remembered,” he murmured, his eyes softening with an emotion Crystal couldn’t quite name.
“Of course I did,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. “Some things never change. You’ve always loved this soda.”
As Damien popped open the can, Crystal thought, how many times had they shared this simple ritual over the years? It was such a small gesture, yet it felt loaded with meaning––a testament to their shared history, to all the moments big and small that had shaped their friendship.
“You know,” Damien said, taking a sip and then sighing with pleasure, “no matter where I go, nothing ever tastes quite like home.”
Crystal’s heart skipped a beat at the word home. She was so happy he still considered Carmel-by-the-Sea as his home. She couldn’t imagine home being anywhere else. She was about to say as much when the emcee, a famous comedian who’d cost another small fortune, boomed over the speakers, announcing Damien’s performance.
Crystal gave him a gentle nudge. “That’s your cue, rock star.”
Damien flexed his fingers with anticipation. “Wish me luck?”
“As if you need it,” Crystal said, laughing, but she took the empty soda can from his hand and then gave his palm a little squeeze.
As Damien strode onto the stage, guitar slung across his back, the crowd erupted. Crystal felt the energy shift, electric anticipation crackling through the air. Damien’s presence commanded attention; even as a teenager he’d had that magic, but age and success had only increased his appeal. Glancing around, she saw women who were movie stars, tech moguls, and models. Women who were invited to parties like this every week, who were impossibly hard to impress—and yet she could feel every one of them fall under Damien’s spell. What must it be like to command that kind of adulation from women all over the world?
She was transported back to high school, to her role as his supporter and promoter, watching from the wings while girls like Melody got to put their arms around him, and press their lips to his, while she went home alone.
She shook her head at her own foolishness. Damien was one of her best friends, and if there was a tiny part of her that still yearned for what could never be, no one had to know that but her.
Beside her, a familiar voice said, “Even I was getting worried that he wouldn’t make it, but you never doubted him for a second, did you?”
Crystal turned to find Erin Davenport grinning at her. Erin was Damien’s sister, and the Davenport sibling who noticed everything. She and Crystal had been besties since high school and Erin was probably the only person in the world who’d guessed Crystal’s secret. She thanked her lucky stars that Erin was too tactful and understanding to ever say out loud that her best friend had a massive crush on her big brother.
She hugged Erin hello. “Come on, you know that Damien’s a pro. He’ll cut the time to the last second, but he’ll always show up when he says he will.”
Their gazes turned to the stage, where Damien had now assumed his position. He grabbed the mic, flashing that trademark grin. “How’s everyone feeling tonight?”
The audience roared in response. Crystal watched, transfixed, as Damien launched into his first song. His voice, rich and soulful, carried across the beach, mingling with the crash of waves. Crystal felt the usual surge of pride as she watched him. This was the Damien she knew—charming and utterly captivating. But then, to her, he always had been.
“God, he’s incredible,” Jay Malone murmured, suddenly appearing next to Erin. The agent-to-the-stars handed his girlfriend a glass of champagne and then happily slung one arm around her. Erin looked so contented next to Jay that Crystal had to pinch herself. She still couldn’t believe that this unlikely pairing was working out so perfectly. And yet she could. Erin never did anything without fully believing in it, whether that was adopting a dog or writing a newspaper article for the Sea Shell. So it made sense that when she gave her heart away, it would only be to a person who deserved it. And Jay Malone had surprised them all. He treated Erin like a princess. No, like a queen. It was beautiful to watch. Crystal was so happy for her friend.
Jay said, “I wish Damien was my client. I wouldn’t mind a percentage of his career.” Since Jay repped such movie stars as Archer Davenport and Smith Sullivan, Crystal doubted he was suffering. She rolled her eyes and Jay chuckled. He held up his hands and said, “Okay, okay, repping one successful Davenport is enough.”
Crystal turned her attention back to Damien’s performance and found herself subconsciously whispering the lyrics. Damien had such a way with words; he seemed to know exactly the right ones to express what everyone was thinking. Whether it was about love, as with Tessa and Archer’s wedding song, or the rousing anthems that echoed the struggles and triumphs of his fans, every word he wrote was truthful and carried weight. He turned pain into poetry and joy into fire. This was how his songs had become the soundtrack of a generation. He connected deeply with his listeners, leaving them feeling understood, heard, and less alone.
Damien’s eyes found hers and he flashed her a private smile. Crystal’s heart fluttered. For a moment, it felt like they were the only two people at the party, sharing a secret.
She gave him a nod. It was time.
Damien responded immediately. “And now, I think there’s a special lady here celebrating a very special day.”
To great applause and shouts of congratulations, a blushing Margot, led by her proud husband, came forward. Damien asked everyone to join him as he sang “Happy Birthday.”
Crystal’s team were so well trained, and the timing so carefully orchestrated, that with only a nod from her, the enormous buttercream cake, its twinkling candles protected from the sea breeze with a special glass screen, was carried out.
Margot blew out the candles to more applause and the staff cut the cake while Damien sang his final song. He’d been asked to end with “Colors of Love,” his current hit and the song he’d written for Arch and Tessa’s wedding. Crystal scanned the crowd and caught a glimpse of them, standing together in a quiet spot. As the familiar song began, Arch pulled his new wife into his arms and kissed her.
Crystal felt the breath catch in her throat. It was such a beautiful sight to see two people so in love. Crystal knew it hadn’t been easy for Tessa to go from a caregiver looking after a movie star with a broken leg, to the wife of that movie star. And then her own career had taken off and she was becoming a famous painter in her own right. Talk about being thrown into the limelight. And yet Tessa seemed to be taking it all in stride. She was quiet, humble, and focused. And so in love with her husband that Crystal could feel the warmth of it on the other side of the lawn.
The final chords of the song faded into the night. There was a split second of absolute silence as the audience stood in wonder, and then it was quickly replaced by thunderous applause. Crystal watched in awe as the crowd surged, clapped, and cheered, their faces alight with adoration.
Damien took a bow, his smile genuine. But Crystal knew him well enough to see that it was tinged with relief. He had been nervous. The famous Damien Davenport was still the sweet and slightly shy musician she’d known since they were teenagers.
Chapter Two
