A/N: Hey All. I didn't intend to go so long without updating but I've been really sick and extremely fatigued since the last time I updated. I apologize if this chapter is awful – well more awful than the rest. But I can barely concentrate on the screen long enough to get this down, let alone organize my thoughts to try to give a guys the chapter you deserve. You have all been truly amazing. I'm so grateful for your support. As I've said countless times before, You make me brave. You all make me want to be a better writer. I'm starting to get more comfortable with writing (especially with dialogue) and finding my voice as a writer.
If this chapter doesn't meet your expectations, I sincerely apologize. I will do my very best to redo it once I feel better. Please share your thoughts with me. I hope the pace isn't too slow for some of you. Wishing you all a happy and safe weekend. Much love and appreciation – Quiet and Complicated
Loren let the last few chords for the first verse of her new song ring out. The song was about Eddie of course – her feelings for Eddie to be exact. No matter how much Loren's brain tried to rationalize to her heart that falling for Eddie was a bad idea, she couldn't seem to help herself. These feelings were different than the crush; she used to have on him. Before Eddie and Loren had become friends, Loren liked the idea of Eddie. The person she thought wrote the lyrics to the songs that seemed to describe the feelings in her heart. Now that she and Eddie were becoming friends, those feelings were changing.
Loren no longer simply liked the idea of Eddie but she was starting to develop feelings for the real Eddie. The guy with whom she shared her secret spot, the one that blushed whenever fans paid him compliments even after all these years of being in the business, loved food as much as she did, the guy that made her feel brave, beautiful, secure and was unafraid to give his heart away to the one he loved. He was quickly becoming her other best friend (no one would ever replace Mel) and Loren was determined not to let her feelings get in the way. Eddie was important to her and she didn't want to lose him.
The sound of hands clapping brought Loren back down to earth (sorry couldn't resist the reference). "I see this place hasn't lost its ability to inspire great music. Although, I have to admit that I'm a little jealous that you stole my must Tate," Eddie teased Loren in a manner that was becoming familiar to the two of them.
"Sorry Rockstar, I wasn't aware that you owned the rights to inspiration. And besides, my song isn't even good and I sounded horrible" Loren teased back hoping to keep the conversation going and prevent Eddie from asking about her song.
Loren was not so lucky. "Loren, both your song and voice were amazing. You have that rare gift of being able to tell a story through your songs. I admire that about you. We're going to have to work on your confidence but I know that you're going to be a huge star."
Loren blushed at the compliment and before she could rebuff any of Eddie's statement, he began to speak again.
Eddie walked over to where Loren was sitting, pulled a chair from the table positioning it directly from Loren and sat down. "From one song writer to another, you going to tell me who inspired the song? The guy I have to be jealous of," Eddie teased reaching out to tickle Loren's stomach causing that laugh that he loved so much to bubble up from her lips.
Loren giggled and swatted away Eddie's hands. Once she had successfully stopped Eddie's tickle attack, she looked straight into Eddie's eyes for a second before turning her attention to her feet. The look in Loren's eyes before she turned away caused Eddie's breath to catch. Before Eddie could try to decipher what that look meant, Loren began to speak.
"You know I've always thought that the best songs are the ones that have a little mystery to them. You know the ones where the songwriter doesn't reveal their inspiration and simply allows the audience to draw their own conclusions from. The songs in my opinion have more meaning to them," Loren breathed out hoping that Eddie accepted her explanation and didn't push for more.
Eddie always seemed to know exactly what Loren needed. He sensed that Loren didn't want to discuss the matter further. Instead he moved to the bench that sat next to the table and pulled Loren to sit in between his legs. Then he proceeded to tell Loren the story of the beautiful girl who lived in the stars among the angels. It was a child hood favorite of his; one that his mom used to tell him when he was younger and needed to take his mind off of things.
After the story, the two spent some time cuddling before they noticed the night began to cool down and retreated inside to the warmth and safety of the house. Loren ventured upstairs after they worked out sleeping arrangements. Loren and Eddie would take the adjacent guest bedrooms. Loren had just stepped out of the shower and was towel drying her hair when her phone began to ring. She had talked to Nora on the ride to the beach house so she knew it couldn't be her. That left just one person and the caller id on her phone confirmed her suspicions as the words Mighty Mel flashed across the screen.
Loren put down her towel, took a deep breath, and pushed the talk button her phone preparing herself for Mel's interrogation.
"Hey Mel" Loren greeted her best friend happily – the two haven't had much time to talk or hang out lately.
"Hello Stranger" Mel greeted back laying it on thick. She really had missed Loren these past few days. "You sound awfully happy, romantic beach getaways with sexy rockstars will do that for you though." Mel teased. She knew that Eddie and Loren weren't doing anything (cause they weren't together . . . yet) but she couldn't resist teasing Loren. It was just so easy to get her all riled up.
"Mel!" Loren exclaimed, her cheeks burning from Mel's insinuation that she and Eddie were anything more than friends.
"Sorry Lo, I couldn't help myself," Mel half-heartedly apologized before asking Loren, "What are you up to?"
"Just got out of the shower and am drying my hair. I felt all dirty but I feel much better now," Loren let the words slip out of her mouth before she could stop herself. She just gave me all the ammo she needed to make one of her infamous dirty minded jokes.
"Ah, getting all hot and sweaty with Eddie will do that to a girl, huh?" Mel teased.
"Mel! It wasn't like that. It was a long drive over here and I felt dirty after at school all day then being in the care for so long," Loren explained hoping to get her friend to stop with the teasing.
"Well he may not have gotten you all hot and sweaty, but no doubt he will tonight when you go to bed," Mel fired back. Loren sighed and explained to Mel that she and Eddie would not be sharing a room. To which Mel replied, "Your body may be in the room next to him but your mind will definitely be in the room with him." She then burst out into a fit of giggles. Teasing Loren was just too much fun. Mel calmed herself down when Loren warned that she wouldn't get any of the good details when she got back. Mel sobered up quickly after she made Loren promise to tell her everything that happened when she got back. The two planned a sleepover for when Loren got back and bid each other good night.
Loren had just finished changing into her pajamas when there was knock on the bedroom door. Loren crossed the room and opened the door. There on the other side of the door stood Eddie looking more gorgeous than ever with his soft tousled hair, low-slung pajama bottoms, and a Henley stretched across his broad chest.
"Hey," Loren greeted Eddie wondering what he needed. "Hey you," Eddie smiled shyly at Loren before continuing on, "I just wanted to thank you for driving all the way down here to help me. I can count on one hand the number of people in my life that would do that for me. I'm glad to count you among those few. You are one amazing women, Loren Tate," Eddie finished before he pulled Loren into a tight embrace. Loren's arms automatically wrapped around Eddie's neck and pulled him closer. Eddie buried in face in the crook of Loren's neck and breathed her scent – an amazing mix of vanilla, brown sugar, and cherry blossoms. Eddie pulled Loren even closer and squeezed her tiny waist trying to convey through touch how much she means to him – how much he needs her. After a long while, Eddie whispered a good night into Loren's ear making her shiver and padded away to his own room.
The encounter left Loren flushed and dazed with her pounding in her chest. As Loren laid her head down on the pillow, one last thought that floated through her head before she slept. Oh Eddie, look what you do to me.