***** Brenley's Point of View *****
Dylan strummed the guitar, playing a soft, romantic melody as he sang in his deep, smooth voice:
🎶 "When you came into my life, I was fine with being alone. Til you filled a void I didn't know was there and made me feel whole." 🎶
🎶 "I didn't know a piece of me had been missing until I met you that day, so when it was time for you to go back to Iowa, I had to beg you to stay." 🎶
🎶 "Instead you left without saying goodbye, and my world came crashing down. It had only been a week, but I'd already gotten used to having you around." 🎶
🎶 "My week with you felt like one of the best vacations. When you left, I missed your smile, your laugh, and our long conversations. 🎶
🎶 "I felt empty and alone with you gone and it didn't take me long to figure out that I was in love and you were the one. 🎶
As he sang those words to me, my heart skipped a beat and I covered my mouth with my hand, feeling my eyes burning as they filled with tears. The entire crowd went wild, cheering and screaming and looking back and forth between me and him.
People were filming my reaction with their phones and they were probably going to post it all over the internet and share it with all their friends. It was probably going to go viral and I might end up with paparazzi parked in front of my house tomorrow morning, but in that moment, I didn't care about any of that. The only thing that mattered to me right then was that Dylan had written me a song and said he loved me.
As I watched him up on that little stage in my little coffee shop in Iowa, my heart melted. I had never expected him to be there. The fact that someone as famous as him not only wrote me a song, but flew all the way to Iowa to surprise me, meant a lot to me.
It was crazy to even think about. I was a nobody and there he was, a rich, famous movie star, writing me a song, and putting his feelings for me out in the open for the whole world to see. He wasn't ashamed of how he felt about me, even though there was probably going to be a huge backlash from his fans. Everyone was going to tell him he could do better, that he should be with a famous actress or a supermodel, not a coffee barista, but he obviously didn't care about that.
I wiped my tears away with a sniffle, but more came down right behind them. It was the sweetest thing a guy had ever done for me.
🎶 "You turned my whole world upside down with just one touch of your hand and for you Brenley, you make me want to be a better man........ I know for you, I can." 🎶
As Dylan finished his song, the crowd went wild, screaming and cheering loudly. He smiled at them and gave a few waves, saying, "Thank you," before slipping the guitar strap off over his head and grabbing a permanent marker from his pocket, signing the top of it. He handed it back to the man he had borrowed it from who looked at the signature in awe. Then he stepped down from the stage and my heart skipped a beat as his eyes locked onto mine from across the room. He started making his way towards me, walking through the crowd in my direction and all I could think about was the fact that he said he was in love with me.
A silent hush fell over the crowd as they waited anxiously to see what would happen. He came around behind the counter and as he got closer, my heart started pounding faster with adrenaline. He stopped right in front of me, looking more handsome than he ever had, his shaggy hair covering his forehead, his bright green eyes shining and his smooth, tan skin looking like it was kissed by the California sun.
He shot me his bright white smile and my heart melted. In that moment, I wasn't worried about my anonymity or privacy. All I was thinking about was how much I wanted him, more than I had ever wanted anything or anyone in my life. I might not have been thinking clearly because even though I knew a media circus would descend upon us if I did what I wanted to do in that moment, I still did it anyways.
I stepped forward, grabbing a handful of his t-shirt and pulling him down, crashing my lips against his.
Dylan didn't hesitate to pull me against him and kiss me back. It felt like fireworks were going off in my heart. I could vaguely hear the cheers and clapping from the crowd behind us, but I was too lost in his kiss to care. To me it felt like we were the only two people in that room and nothing and no one else mattered.
I finally pulled back and looked up into his eyes, with my heart pounding and a big smile on my face, trying to catch my breath. He stood there, looking down at me and studying my eyes. There was something behind his gaze that I recognized because I felt it too. It was longing. I could tell he wanted me just as much as I wanted him.
Then I slowly became aware of all the eyes around the room that were staring at us and all the phones they were holding that had just recorded our kiss. My cheeks blushed and I cleared my throat and laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of my neck and suddenly feeling self conscious.
Then I heard someone clear their throat from behind us and I turned around to see Dave standing there with his arms crossed across his chest.
"You should probably get back to work. There are a lot of people still waiting for coffee," he said, sounding mildly annoyed.
"Oh, yeah. Sorry Dave," I told him with a weak smile.
Dylan reached over and slipped the black apron on again, tying it behind him and I turned around and started making my signature coffee drink. It was going to be really hard to concentrate on making coffee after that kiss. I was probably going to mess up every single order.
I glanced back over at Dylan and when I saw that he was looking at me too, I smiled shyly and my cheeks blushed again before I looked away. Damn, this man was doing things to me I couldn't even explain. I was a grown woman that was about to graduate from college, but I felt like a giddy, lovesick teenager.
The coffee shop stayed busy the rest of the night, the busiest I had ever seen it. It seemed like every single student and teacher from Morningside College that I had ever had a class with came in, even the guy from the basketball team that had asked me to come watch his game. He didn't flirt with me this time though. He just said, "Now I understand why you didn't come watch my game," before throwing a tip in the tip jar and walking away. Word must have spread to him about Dylan's song to me and the kiss.
At closing time, Dave had to shoo the customers out to get them to leave, even though there was still a line of them waiting for autographs and selfies with Dylan. Dave didn't care. He was ready to close up.
I was surprised by that because he seemed like such a huge fan of Dylan Chase before all this happened, so he should have been able to relate to how those fans felt. When the last one walked out, he locked the door and put his back to it, letting out an exhale.
"What a crazy night huh?" I asked.
"Yeah, we've never been that busy," Dave said, walking over and plopping down into a chair, looking exhausted.
"We made more tips tonight than we usually make in a year. We might just have to keep you around," I said jokingly, nudging Dylan with my elbow and smiling.
Dylan was helping me wipe off tables and stack the chairs on top of them so we could mop.
"I'm glad I could help," he said with a smile in my direction.
Then I looked over and noticed the grumpy look on Dave's face and he grumbled something under his breath about inventory before getting up and heading into the kitchen, leaving the door swinging back and forth behind him from how hard he hit it walking through. That wasn't like him at all. It made an awkward tension in the room and Dylan and I finished up silently.
When we were done, I walked over to him and said, "So, ummmm. It looks like we're all done here."
"Yeah, do you have plans tonight? I was wondering if we could go somewhere and talk?" he asked, before slipping the black apron off and hanging it on the rack behind the counter and then lifting a hand and running it through his sandy blonde hair.
I cringed, saying, "Ugh. Actually I do. I promised my Dad I'd have dinner with him tonight because we haven't talked in a long time. I really can't cancel. What about tomorrow?"
He looked disappointed, but said, "Yeah, tomorrow works. What time?"
"I don't have to work tomorrow, so how about noon?"
He nodded. "That works. Just text me your address and I'll pick you up."
"Okay," I nodded, standing there, looking around awkwardly.
It was so weird that we had been talking to each other over the phone for the last couple months but when we were in person it felt brand new and nerve wracking all over again, even more than when we met as strangers, because now there were all these unspoken feelings and this cloud of sexual tension hanging over us.
I stood there in front of him, looking down and wringing my black apron in my hands and wondering what to do now. Should I hug him? Kiss him? Just wave goodbye? I was so not good at this sort of thing.
I slowly lifted my eyes up and looked up into his as he whispered, "I'll see you tomorrow," before glancing down at my lips and taking a step closer to close the gap between us. My breath caught in my throat and I suddenly forgot how to breath as he leaned down slowly, hovering over my mouth for a second before pressing his lips against mine.
I closed my eyes and kissed him back, feeling a shiver across my skin as his hands cupped the sides of my face, and his tongue pushed past my lips, colliding against mine as he covered my mouth completely with his own. He turned his head to the side to deepen the kiss, making my insides ignite and my legs go weak.
"Hhhmmmmmhhhhmmmmm," I heard someone clear their throat and I hesitated before reluctantly pulling back from the kiss and looking over to see Dave standing there again. My face fell and I glared at him. He really had to stop interrupting us like that.
He had his hands on his hips and his jaw locked, like an overprotective Dad or something. Dylan looked at me and then back at Dave.
"Well, ummmm. I guess I'm gonna go. So, I'll pick you up tomorrow at noon?" Dylan asked.
"Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow," I exhaled, feeling disappointed that I couldn't hang out with him tonight. I hated the thought of him being in town so close and not being with him. Plus we had a lot that we still needed to talk about.
Dylan walked to the door and glanced back at me, before stepping through it and disappearing into the darkness of the night.
I turned back and looked at Dave who was standing behind the counter.
"Damn Dave. Way to ruin a moment! That's the second time today!"
Dave stood there in silence for a minute before he said, "Brenley. That guy's a smoothie. He uses his good looks and money and fame to get naive women like you to sleep with him. I bet he's written songs for lots of women to make them feel special just so he can get in their pants."
"You're wrong," I said, shaking my head. "He's not like that. He really likes me."
He scoffed. "You think he really likes you?" he laughed. "That man could literally have ANY woman in the world he wants; supermodels, actresses, princesses, famous athletes. ANYBODY! And you honestly think he would pick YOU?"
Now he was really starting to make me angry.
"Wow! You're really acting like an asshole Dave! I don't remember when I asked for your opinion on my love life," I yelled, throwing the washcloth I was holding down onto a table and crossing my arms over my chest.
"Can't you see I'm just looking out for you! He's a womanizer Brenley! He's just using you and you're falling right into his trap!" he shouted, getting visibly worked up.
I glared at him. "Do you really think that low of me, that it would be impossible for someone like him to actually like me? I thought you were supposed to be my best friend."
He looked down and let out a frustrated exhale before raising his eyes to look into mine. "I am. Look, I'm just trying to be a good friend here and warn you, because I don't want to see you get hurt."
He hesitated, taking a step closer before adding quietly, "For someone like him this is all a game, a challenge, something to entertain him while he's in between movies. I guarantee once you sleep with him, you'll never see that guy again."
I shook my head. "You're wrong, because I already have and he still came here."
His eyes widened and he looked stunned, like he had just been shot. I saw jealousy flash across his eyes before he finally shook his head, saying, "No. You wouldn't do that. I know you're smarter than that."
When I didn't say anything, he added, "Please, tell me you were joking."
I hesitated, looking down at the floor before shaking my head. "I can't, because that would be a lie."
We both stood there in silence, letting that sink in for a minute. I finally lifted my head and looked at him and I could feel the judgement in his eyes.
"Brenley. You know how famous actors are. You've said so yourself a millions times, but being with him seems to have clouded your judgement. You're fooling yourself if you really think you two sleeping together meant anything to him. Can't you see you're just another notch on his fucking bed post?" he asked, gradually getting louder.
He let out an exhale and shook his head before saying, "Don't be naive and think that just because he flew to Iowa, that it means he really loves you and you're gonna live happily ever after. When he gets bored of you and this little town, he'll go right back to his huge mansion in L.A. and he'll find some famous supermodel to bang, and I'LL be the one that's still here for you," he said angrily, pointing at his chest and shaking his head. "like I always am."
Dave turned and walked away, slamming the kitchen door with his fist as he busted through it, leaving it swinging behind him.
His words cut deep, mostly because I wasn't sure if he was right or not. Was I being naive and stupid to think there was a chance Dylan Chase really loved me, or was Dave just cynical because he was jealous?
My head hurt and I was ready to get home, have dinner with my Dad and not have to think about any of this for a while. I hung up my apron on the hook, pulled my jacket on and headed out the front door into the chilly night air.
Suddenly I heard someone yell, "IT'S HER!" and I was stunned by the bright flashes of light that started going off in my face, blinding me. I couldn't see them, but I could feel them surrounding me on all sides and they started shouting out questions, making me feel disoriented.
"How long have you been dating Dylan Chase? Are you two serious? Are you moving to California to be with him?"
I ignored their questions, shielding my eyes and pushing my way through the mob of reporters until I finally spotted my car, fighting my way over to it. I fumbled for my keys with shaky hands and somehow managed to unlock the door, quickly getting inside and trying to catch my breath, feeling my heart pounding with adrenaline.