The line snaked around the store before ending at a table where Billy and the band chatted with fans and signed whatever was in front of them. Billy gave me a wink when I caught his eye as I entered.
"This feels very pop star-esque," I whispered to Tim.
"Yeah, it is, but it gets people's attention. When we started doing them, they were so boring. No one showed. One time, only three people came. I think one just needed to use the bathroom." Tim laughed to himself. "Vinyl section." His eyes lit up as he immediately changed the direction of his stride.
"Okay, but you have to talk while you flip," I demanded as I trailed after him.
Tim shot me a mournful look.
"Tess, I need all the info."
"She's amazing. She has an entire room devoted to 45s. And she has great taste. Things were going well. We've been texting and talking a couple of times a week, but today I found a copy of Rip it Up on vinyl, so I sent her a text and nothing."
"How long has it been?"
"Like two hours," he exclaimed.
"Maybe you're overreacting? It's only been a couple of hours."
"It's never taken a couple of hours before. And it correlates with my impending return home." Tim was quickly flipping through records.
"Timmy, simmer if she doesn't call by tomorrow, just try her again." I laid a hand on his arm to slow his manic flipping. "Tim, are you listening?"
"Yes, I don't agree, but I'm listening." Seeing Tim spun up by a girl was sweet.
"Hey, want to go get Billy's tea with me?"
He paused his flipping and let out an enormous sigh. "Yeah, fine."
We headed out a side door and started walking. Coffee shops were like post boxes; they popped up every couple of blocks.
"So, you and Billy are tense."
"Oh, yeah." Tim seemed a bit more apologetic. "Just a lot of time together and..."
"And someone needs to keep his head from blowing up to the size of a parade balloon." I deliberately knocked into him.
"Yeah, that's pretty much it," Tim admitted.
"And how's that going?" I pressed.
"Fine. He gets moody sometimes, but it's when..." His eyes lifted to me.
"Me, when I happen,"
"Yeah, I mean, he worries about you. It's hard." Tim was sympathetic, if nothing else.
"And I make it harder." All of my doubts in myself resonate through to Billy's suspicions of us.
"He gets lonely. He misses his mom a lot, too. They talk every day."
"Every day?" I knew they were close, but not that close.
"Every day," Tim read my expression. "It's endearing," he added.
"Yes," I agreed. "So, when did all this happen?"
Tim held the door to a café for me. "Well, pretty much, Europe. They were already big there, which is why the label booked the tour. The first single was taking off here over the summer, and when we got back, this greeted us. I'm not sure if you noticed, but people seem particularly taken with Billy."
"I caught that."
"Yeah, the band isn't super excited about his breakout success," Tim admitted.
"Well, his success is their success; I mean, how upset can they be?" I shrugged.
"Yeah, I wouldn't say that around them," Tim ordered a black coffee and then looked at me.
"Chamomile with honey and lemon, please." I turned back to Tim, compelled to explain, "for his throat."
Tim shrugged and continued, "so, it can be isolating for him. That and he doesn't hang out much. He's pretty focused on the music. He's not trying to make friends."
I nodded, "I'm sorry."
"Why are you sorry? That's all on Billy." Tim shot back as he leaned against the end of the bar.
"It's not all on Billy. He takes this seriously. He gets frustrated when the band plays shitty, especially if they're drunk or something."
"So, he's talked to you about them." Tim gave a cheeky smile.
"Yeah, he's called me frustrated a few times," I admitted.
"Has he talked about..." Tim uncomfortably shifted. "Has he mentioned splitting off?"
"What? No, never." He had never mentioned leaving the band. "Why? Has he said anything to you?"
"No, never. I've just been wondering," Tim smiled.
It was a fair question and made sense.
"He's almost pleasant when you're here. He hasn't joked around this much in weeks." Tim added in a brighter tone.
Tim was reassuring me, but his words hit my gut like a punch. I didn't want to make things better. I didn't want to have any impact on Billy Collins.
"This whole thing scares me," I blurted.
Tim looked at me with kind eyes. "It's a lot," he soothed as he pulled me under his arm.
"I'm just not a fame person. I never dreamed of being famous."
"Yeah, it shows," Tim teased.
"I'm not built for this. I have zero talent, am average looking, and shy away from crowds as this well-timed coffee run dictates."
"Lil, none of that's true. Okay, well, the introversion is true, but you're talented and far from average-looking."
"That's very nice of you to say, but I'm not rock-star-girlfriend pretty."
"What does that even mean?" Tim contemplated as he grabbed our drinks. "Billy isn't a rock star anyway; he's just Billy. The same Billy that you've known for over a year."
"But he's not." My mind spun through our conversations once he was in Europe; how they changed. The bravado and impatience slipped in often. "It's been hard since he went to Europe. It makes sense now," I acknowledged.
"I'm not sure if this changed him." Tim waved his hand towards the line outside the store as we neared. "Going from you being around to you not being around, that has affected him."
Tim continued to say everything I didn't want to hear. I'd leave again and again. All I was going to do for the foreseeable future was leave Billy.
"Tim?" A pretty redhead popped out of line when she saw us approaching the record store again.
"Tess? What are you doing here?" Tim's voice cracked with excitement.
"I wanted to surprise you, but when I got to the hotel, you were gone. I knew Billy was here, so figured I'd see if I could find you," she explained. "Surprise!"
"Surprise!" He echoed. "I texted you earlier."
"Oh, right; plane." She rummaged through her bag and pulled out her phone, flipping it from airplane mode. She watched as her text messages loaded. "No way, James Brown?"
"Yeah, it's back at the hotel," Tim awkwardly shifted as his shyness took hold.
"Hi," I interjected. "I'm Lily, a friend of Tim's." I stuck out my hand.
"Yeah, of course. Tim has mentioned you. And Billy has mentioned you." She had a gentle demeanor.
"You know Billy too?" I smiled.
"Yeah, these two are my best customers. Er, were, until they started globetrotting."
"I can only imagine," I sympathized as I took Billy's tea from Tim. "I'll leave you two to catch up," I added before heading inside the side door again.
I caught Billy's eye and held up the cup. He finished up with the girl in front of him and apologized as he slipped behind a marketing wall. I circled to meet him.
"Hey," I handed him the tea as I greeted him, fighting the urge to kiss him in public.
"Hey," his tone was flirty.
"Hi," I responded again, lost in his eyes.
"Too many greetings, Lil," he teased. "I love it."
"I solved the Tess problem; she's here."
"She's here?" He scanned the crowd for her.
"She and Tim are outside," I added.
"I missed the reunion. Tell me all the details tonight." He sipped his tea before adding, "this helps. We have a bit longer, and then we'll head to the venue for a soundcheck. You good?"
"Yep, I got my laptop, so I can occupy myself until the battery runs dead." His eyes lingered on my lips. "I want to kiss you as well," I added.
"Later," he promised before slipping back in front of the wall.