Page 32 of Half Notes and Highlights
“Of course. But only if you want to.”
“You won’t get sick of me?”
“Um. No. I don’t think so. But if I do, I’ll let you know.”
A soft chuckle came through the phone. “You’re so adorable.”
Tyler couldn’t believe the pang in his heart at the way the call turned out, or how much Ethan seemed to care about him. “I think you’re pretty adorable too.”
***
Tyler woke to his phone ringing at six in the morning. After the call with Ethan last night, which lasted well over an hour, he didn’t get to sleep until after two. He’d been too wound up, but once he fell out, he slept like the dead. So, the early wakeup call had his panties in an uproar. “This better be an emergency,” he barked into the phone without bothering to check the caller ID.
“It is,” Ethan answered. “I’m having chest pains.”
Tyler bolted upright in bed. “Call an ambulance!”
“Nope. It’s a pain only your voice can cure.”
A relieved breath left Tyler’s lungs along with a small laugh. “Are you trying to give me a heart attack? What are you doing up so early?”
“We have an appearance on a morning show. I hate those.”
“Did you sleep, or have you been up all night?”
“I passed out right after we got off the phone. I usually don’t sleep well on the bus. Too bumpy or too many bandmates screwing around.”
Tyler wondered if that meantliterallyscrewing around.
“But I slept like a baby after we hung up,” Ethan continued. “I didn’t wake up until Paul boarded and shouted that we needed to leave in 30 minutes.”
“Where are you now?”
“In a car on the way to the studio. We’re performing three songs. What’s on your agenda for today?”
“I have appointments, including an actor whose name I can’t disclose and one of my West Coast contacts—a rich lady who still rocks a modern and edgy style at 62. I imagine I’ll be like her when I get older—still trendy and never slowing down. My plan is to rock every gray hair and wrinkle I get. Wait. That’s a lie. I see lots of hair dye and Botox in my future.”
“I don’t think you have to worry about that. How old are you? 25?”
“Yes. That’s exactly right. I’m 25. You’re incredibly accurate. Do you want to pick the winning lottery numbers?” Tyler quickly answered. In truth, he was pushing his way into the next decade, but if he could keep that under wraps, he would.
“Really? Me too.”
“You’re 25?” Tyler knew Ethan was young. Despite that strong jaw and incredible bone structure, Ethan had a baby face.
“Yeah. We’re the same age.”
“OK. OK. You coerced it out of me. I lied. I’m 29. And a half.” Tyler wiped his brow. It felt good to get that off his chest.
“I’m dating an older man?”
“Just call me Gramps.”
Someone shouted in the background and Ethan huffed. “Sorry, Gramps. I gotta go. We’re here. What time do you think you’ll be done with your appointments? I’ll try to call you back.”
“I should be done by four. I’ll be waiting for your call, rock star. Think about me while you seduce the camera.”
“I always do.”
