A French Girl in New York ( The French Girl Series #1)

Chapter 48

"Thank you! Thank you very much!" Maude gushed, breathless as she waved to the cheering crowd.

The Mood was packed for Maude's release party and the atmosphere was thick.

Maude had performed  'Leaving You Behind' and 'Reckless', and the feeling was exhilarating. Her fear, her anxieties were gone. The only thing that mattered was communicating with the crowd. And as she watched the crowd applaud and cheer energetically, she felt an indescribable sense of empowerment. 

She noticed Matt in the crowd, talking earnestly to a reporter and sighed. She still hadn't found the right moment to clear the air with Matt.

Maude went back to her piano and started on her last song.

"How many of you have felt that feeling of utmost joy and bewilderment when discovering you're falling in love?" she asked as she started the introduction.

The crowd screamed its answer.

"Yeah," Maude agreed. "I know the feeling. How many of you don't know how to voice that feeling?"

Again the crowd cheered and a female voice rose out from the crowd and said, "Show us how it's done, girl!"

"I'm going to show you how it's done," Maude laughed.

How long have we been friends?

It feels like forever

Will this phase come to an end?

Or become something stronger?

Looking at his niece perform, James felt once more comforted in the choice he'd made seven months ago. He remembered arguing with Alan before signing Maude.

"What more does she have?" Alan had asked. "Why do you want her and not Thomas Bradfield?"

James hadn't hesitated as he'd answered,

"She's got soul, Alan. She'll put the soul in Soulville. Thomas won't."

Today as he watched her he knew he'd been right all along.

"Maude's leaving for her tour in a couple of weeks. Is she ready to leave her newfound family behind?" Alan asked as he came near James.

"Look at her. She's more than ready. Besides, I'll be with her," James answered.

"I've got to hand it to you James, you know how to spot a shooting star in the midst of a starlit sky."

"That's because I don't look for dollar bills in that starlit sky."

Alan just laughed, a slow cynical laugh.

"Your company needs someone like me, or it would be a sinking ship," he replied. "Is Matt leaving on tour with Maude?"

"I don't know if he's made up his mind yet," James answered. "I feel like he's waiting for something, but I don't know what. I know he's thinking of getting started on his new album. I thought Maude could work with him. They make a great team together."

"That's undeniable. The best I've seen in a long time," Alan agreed before walking away. "As soon as she gets off the stage tell her Rita Hems wants her to answer a few questions."

"I'll do no such thing," James answered back.

James shook his head.  If it were up to Alan, Maude wouldn't get a moment's rest.

Maude left the stage with a round of thunderous applause and went to get some fresh air.

The city was filled with shining lights, and Maude wanted to breathe in the city air.

"Am I interrupting?" Matt asked as he came up behind her.

"You know you're not," Maude answered.

"That's not what you would've said six months ago," he reminded her. "If I recall, you told me we would never be friends."

"I was pretty ridiculous back then," Maude acknowledged a smile creeping on her lips. "I was prejudiced against you after our first encounter in the subway, and I shouldn't have been."

"And now? You never answered the question I asked you in France. I asked you if we could be friends if I remember correctly."

"I do," Maude answered, blushing profusely. "It's just that, I was surprised. You seemed to be under the impression I was dating Thomas Bradfield, which I wasn't at the time. Or now," she added flustered.

Matt smiled a slow, satisfied smile.

"I never thought he suited you."

"I totally agree. And I wouldn't want to be dining with 'a total loser half as handsome as you' while you're waiting for me at the Met," Maude replied slyly.

Matt laughed, trying to hide his embarrassment.

"She told you didn't she?"

"Absolutely every detail," Maude relished. "How you huffed, puffed, and drowned in your tears when you realized I wasn't coming."

"Those tears were really pouring," Matt joked. "I just," he hesitated. "I just don't know how to act around you," he admitted. "I've never felt this way before for any other girl, Maude Laurent. You're infuriating, proud, and stubborn, and I swear your eyes can throw daggers and make the most confident guy melt with insecurity."

Maude laughed, "You're irritating, too, you know. Why didn't you just tell me you'd waited at the museum?"

"I thought you'd had the time of your life with Thomas," Matt admitted shamefacedly. "How was Ambrosia anyway? I'm sure it wasn't half as good as Las Fajitas."

"That's true," Maude acknowledged cautiously. "I couldn't stop comparing Ambrosia to Las Fajitas and the fun time we had that day."

"Even the whole spicy dish episode?" Matt teased.

"Especially that!" Maude admitted. "The evening went from bad to worse when I heard our song on the radio sung by Thomas and Lindsey. Dinner was definitely ruined for me at that moment. You know, you and I haven't really talked about it, but I was really bummed about the fact they stole our song. I love 'Betrayed But Not Broken,' but it's not the same."

"I know how you feel," Matt admitted. "We put a lot of hard work into it."

"Maybe there's a support group for singers whose songs were stolen," Maude quipped.

They laughed together, both of them feeling a tinge of regret.

"Matt, I need to know something," Maude declared resolutely.

"What is it?" Matt asked, a worried look on his face.

"Have you and Lindsey ever had anything going on? I mean, I know it's none of my business but­­­—"

"Lindsey and I have never dated and we never will," Matt reassured solemnly. "That's what I was telling you our first day in the Creation Room, but you told me you weren't interested in hearing about my love life."

Maude's face flushed as she recalled their conversation.

"Then why did you take her to the Summer Dance?" she moaned. "I can assure you that I came pretty close to strangling her that evening."

"I went with her because she told me you and Thomas were an item and that you were attending the dance with him!"

"Well I wasn't," Maude refuted dejectedly. "The night of the dance when Thomas told me he loved me. I realized I didn't want you and I to be just friends," she admitted slowly.

"I don't want that either, Maude," he answered turning towards her. "I want more."

Maude hesitated then turned fully towards him.

"Matt, would you come on tour with me?" she asked half-boldly, half-shyly.

Matt heaved a deep sigh of relief.

"I thought you'd never ask," he answered.

Then he kissed her, and the bright, shimmering lights that illuminated the city seemed to explode in a joyous, dancing array of fireworks.