Love Song

Love Song Christina Lee Copyright © 2023 by Christina Lee All rights reserved. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without prior written permission by the author(s), except where permitted by law. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. All products and/or brand names mentioned are registered trademarks of their respective holders/companies. Published by Christina Lee in the United States of America Cover Art by Dianne Thies at Lyrical Lines Proofreading and Book Covers Professional Beta Read by Karen Meeus and Charity VanHuss Edited by Keren Reed Proofread by Abbie Nicole, Judy’s Proofreading, and Lyrical Lines Contents Blurb 1. Nolan 2. Ellis 3. Nolan 4. Ellis 5. Nolan 6. Ellis 7. Nolan 8. Ellis 9. Nolan 10. Ellis 11. Nolan 12. Ellis 13. Nolan 14. Ellis 15. Nolan 16. Ellis 17. Nolan 18. Ellis 19. Nolan 20. Ellis 21. Nolan 22. Ellis 23. Nolan 24. Ellis 25. Nolan 26. Ellis 27. Nolan 28. Ellis 29. Nolan 30. Ellis 31. Nolan 32. Ellis 33. Nolan 34. Ellis Epilogue Afterword Other Books by Christina Lee About the Author Blurb Thirtysomething bandmates, Nolan Metcalf and Ellis Bloom, have been there for each other through thick and thin. So when a life-changing event sends Ellis to the safety of Nolan’s apartment, he’s grateful for the comfort his best friend provides. They’ve never done anything resembling cuddling and sleepovers before, but Ellis finds he needs it just the same. Soul-deep conversations and tender moments transform into a passion that shocks them both. Since neither has ever entertained the idea of being with another man, they attribute their confusing feelings to their established nightly routine. Determined to spend time apart, they resume their solo lives. But the desperate, achy neediness only returns, and soon enough they’re back in each other’s arms—and beds. Before they have time to work through it, the real world intrudes. Admitting their secret status would change not only the chemistry of their band but the trajectory of their lives. Plus, their newfound feelings seem as fragile as the beginning notes of a new melody. They’ll need to rely on the solid foundation of their friendship, and even then, it could all fall apart. Will they become a one-hit wonder or a love song that endures the test of time? TW: Discussions of past child abuse and a home invasion involving weapons To Greg, who inspired this “regular guys in a band” book. Music quenches your soul just like writing does for me and I love how your passion shines through whenever you get to play in front of a live audience. Never lose that magic! I love you. 1 Nolan Ellis leaned toward the microphone near the end of our final set. “Thanks for coming out!” We drew a decent crowd on a good night, but by this hour, it normally thinned out. Ellis got enthusiastic applause from the stragglers, either because they enjoyed our music or because he was so charismatic. I often wondered if he should’ve been our front man. But I had better pipes. Still, he and Perry sang backup, mostly for the more energetic songs, and Ellis was always the one who got the crowd going because he was like a bright light everyone gravitated toward—and not only because of his sunny outlook. He was damned handsome with his perfectly styled dark hair, groomed scruff, and tall and bulky stature. His mad skills on the bass helped too, the ladies easily swooning. It was why we’d decided he should be the one introducing the band. Ellis continued, “We’ve got Anthony on the drums, Perry on the keyboard, and our front man, Nolan, on the guitar. And he’s single, ladies.” The audience clapped as I shot him a scalding look. I was going to kill him. Ellis enjoyed being in relationships, while I’d rather remain solo. He ignored me, flashing our attendees a smile. “And I’m Ellis, on the bass. You’re listening to In a Funk, and this is our final song. Something new we’ve been working on.” Our diehard fans, whom I recognized by now, seemed enthusiastic as I looked pointedly at Anthony, then Perry, my fingers perched on the fret. Perry counted off the beat to the first note, and then we were off, playing our newest song we’d practiced for weeks. We had a regular Thursday night gig at the Thirst Lounge, a little hole-in-the-wall place in downtown Ann Arbor, which was a mecca for live bands. We looked forward to it all week. Just four guys in our thirties who worked regular day jobs and breathed music. What was left of the crowd swelled toward the stage because it was a livelier number. An older couple even started their version of swing dancing, which wasn’t new. Once they got going, they were pretty entertaining to watch. Ellis and I moved closer to belt out the refrain, smiling on either side of the microphone. We were considered a funkadelic band in the same vein as Bruno Mars. Hell, we’d even covered some of his songs, but we did a ton of our own music because we loved the creative energy so much. We’d never strike it big or score a recording contract, despite Perry’s lifelong dream. Most musicians didn’t, but if we could play for the rest of our lives, we’d die happy. “Good night!” I said into the mic after the song ended. I was sweating underneath my trusty hat, my glasses sliding down my nose, and from the looks of Anthony, whose shirt was soaked through, he was just as exhausted. It used to be Heather on the drums, and she was badass. When she left the band, it