Page 35 of California Love Songs (The Davenports, #4)

Chapter Twenty-Four

D amien couldn’t believe how natural it felt having Crystal in his house, helping him make breakfast, doing dishes together.

Very rarely, in all the time he’d owned this house, had he entertained.

It had been his sanctuary, the place he always knew he could come home to and be Damien, the guy who grew up in Carmel-by-the-Sea, part of the big happy family that had called this town home for years.

When he came to Carmel, he felt like Betsy and Howie’s kid, not Damien Davenport the rock star.

As he looked across at Crystal, he realized that this was the first time a woman had stayed overnight.

It wasn’t that he’d meant to keep his sanctuary separate from his love life.

It was that his love life had always tended to happen on the road or in other cities.

Instead of freaking out, he realized how well she fit in here, how it had never even occurred to him not to ask her to stay over.

In fact, he’d been disappointed, surprisingly so, when he’d glanced around the impromptu pizza party last night and realized she’d gone. Without saying goodbye.

So when he’d suddenly found her banging on his door at nearly midnight, her gorgeous body clad in skin-tight dance gear, and a look in her eyes that sent arrows of lust into him, it had seemed the most natural thing in the world to take her to his bed, and equally natural to curl up together overnight and share breakfast in the morning.

Watching her run a brush through her long, dark hair, he had a moment of true contentment, as though his life had been a puzzle, and now it was not.

There had been a piece missing all these years, and now it had clicked into place.

The notion should have scared him, but instead he felt happy. Content. It felt right.

Crystal.

Who’d have thought that after all the women he’d met on his worldwide travels, he would come home to find that the woman who seemed to fit that missing part of his life was one he’d known half his life.

Crystal was the missing note. The soul in his music.

He could see she felt a little uncomfortable about going back to school, and he got it.

It was a scary thing to do. She was already running a successful business, and there would be a few raised eyebrows if she announced that she was going to medical school.

But he deeply believed she should go for it if it was still her dream—or at least explore the possibility.

She’d given up so much to help her family when they’d needed her.

But now she was free of those obligations. She could please herself.

And the thing was, he meant it when he said he’d be right there with her through this huge change.

It was kind of scary, but from the moment he opened his eyes and saw her smiling back at him from the other pillow, he knew that he wanted to be the man in her life, wherever their lives took them.

He would accept that she might not always be available to him.

She’d be busy reading medical textbooks and taking exams. If the TV shows were to be believed, she’d be at the hospital at all hours, saving lives and bantering with other exhausted interns.

But he could handle it. And he wanted to be there for her.

He wanted to be as supportive of her career as she’d always been of his.

Because the truth was, he didn’t think he’d have this career if it hadn’t been for Crystal.

She’d believed in him long before anybody else had, including himself.

He still laughed when he thought about the way she’d hustled on his behalf.

Hiring his high-school band to play at her birthday party had been the beginning, and, like the trendsetter she was, word got out and other people (with plenty of money) had booked his band for gigs.

The more they’d played, the more opportunities there were for practice and the better they got.

When he wasn’t working birthday parties, he’d been down on the beach with his guitar, writing songs.

Thinking back, he knew now that every time he’d written a song, the first person he’d wanted to hear it was Crystal.

How had he not seen how important she was in his life? How had he been so blind?

He wanted to say something of this to Crystal, but he also didn’t want to freak her out.

She already seemed a little skittish, as though she were searching for a graceful way to leave.

But he didn’t want her to leave. He wanted to take her back to bed and explore more of that beautiful body, find new ways to make her cry out with pleasure.

When his phone rang, it was almost a relief. “It’s Erin,” he said, and then answered.

Erin told him that she’d be happy to pick Opal up and deliver her to Damien’s house for today’s music session. They agreed on nine o’clock, and he thanked his sister one more time for helping him and Opal out the day before.

Erin said, “We’re having a viewing party of your interview at Arch’s house tonight. You’d better be there.”

He wanted to tell Erin he had to check with Crystal first, but stopped himself just in time. Crystal might not appreciate him blabbing to his sister—her friend—that they’d spent the night together and had plans that evening. He’d leave that to Crystal.

Instead, he ended the call and said, “So Erin’s delivering Opal here at nine this morning, and Arch is having a viewing party of Celebrity Tonight at his place tonight.

We’re all supposed to be there. But I don’t think it needs to change our plans for the evening.

We can pick up some literature at the college, and after the viewing party, we’ll go to the jazz club. ”

She tilted her head. “Can you even imagine the stir it will cause if you show up at the community college? Why don’t you leave it to me to visit there today?

I promise I will. And then we can meet at the viewing party and go to the club afterward.

It will be fun to see your interview when we’re all together. ”

He grinned. “That’s a plan.”

He was happy—happier letting her leave, knowing he’d be seeing her later that day.

Still, he couldn’t prevent himself from giving her a long, steamy kiss that went on far longer than it should have.

When she pulled away, a tiny sigh escaped her lips and her eyes stayed closed just a second longer than they needed to.

He liked to think she was imprinting the taste of his lips on hers, just as he had done.

He wanted to carry her with him all day.

By the time Erin and Opal arrived, Damien had managed to shower, clean up the kitchen, and remove any traces that Crystal had been there.

He imagined she’d tell Erin what had happened, but it was her story to tell.

He’d keep his mouth shut for now, much as he was dying to broadcast to the world that he’d just had the greatest sex of his life—with a woman he’d always loved as a friend, who made him wonder if there was something far more precious than pure friendship growing between them.

Opal said she’d slept like a baby at Erin’s apartment and was excited to get to work. If she was nervous about the interview on national TV later today, she kept her feelings under control.

He was about to head over to the studio with her when Erin said, “Can I talk to you for a minute?”

He whipped his head up to stare at his sister. Her words were slightly alarming, but her tone was soft. This wasn’t a You have so screwed up, buddy, and I’m going to tell you about it moment. So he told Opal to get settled in the studio and that he’d be with her in a few minutes.

He invited Erin into the kitchen, where he’d enjoyed breakfast with Crystal only two hours ago.

“I want to talk to you about Crystal’s birthday,” Erin said. “I’ve confirmed that she’s free on the actual day, which is two weeks from Wednesday.”

“I know when her birthday is,” Damien interrupted. “I’ve been singing ‘Happy Birthday’ on that day for the last fifteen years.”

Erin rolled her eyes, as though she wasn’t sure that Damien really was on top of things. “Okay, I’m just making sure. And you’re definitely going to be here?”

With exaggerated patience, he said, “I am definitely going to be here.”

“Good.” She nodded briskly. “I’ve invited Crystal to come to Jay’s house and told her that we’ll have a girls’ night in with Mila and Tessa. But the plan is that I’ll make up some excuse why we have to pop in here first—and that’s where the birthday party will be.”

He’d been mildly pleased to host a birthday party for Crystal when Erin had first suggested it, but now he felt really pumped at the idea.

It would be the first party he’d ever had here, apart from gatherings of family and the few close friends he still had from growing up in Carmel.

He loved the idea that the first woman who had slept over in his home had been Crystal, and that the first real party he’d give here would be for her birthday. It seemed right somehow. Fitting.

“And before you ask,” Damien said, “Yes, I will sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to her.”

“Good. You don’t need to worry about anything. Mila is going to take care of the catering. Tessa and I want to take care of the decorating.”

“Wait a minute—it’s my house. Why can’t I do the decorating?”

She laughed at him. “You want to blow up balloons and hang birthday banners?”

“Absolutely.”

She looked a little incredulous, but clearly wasn’t going to fight him on it. “Good. We can use the help. Oh, and did I mention we’re doing a disco theme? Sparkles, glitter, tight pants.”

He pretended to frown. “If I am hosting this party at my house, shouldn’t I get to decide on the theme?

” But secretly, he loved the idea, mostly because he knew how much Crystal would love it.

She was always the person arranging the great parties.

To do one just for her was so special. He couldn’t wait to get started sourcing some crazy, tight, glittery pants.

He’d go full-out with his performance and hopefully make her laugh.

There wasn’t a sound in the world as beautiful as Crystal’s laugh.

“You know she’ll love it. I’m going to invite Opal as well, if that’s okay with you, to the supposed girls’ night,” Erin continued. “We can use that as an excuse to come up here and pick her up.”

He nodded, definitely approving of this plan. It would be nice for Opal to feel like part of the family while she was here. And he owed her some fun as well as hard work, after all the media frenzy he’d put her through.

“This is going to be great,” Damien said.

He hadn’t put on a surprise party since he and his siblings had surprised his parents for one of their wedding anniversaries.

Even then, his biggest job had been showing up on time.

Being involved in planning and hosting this party for Crystal made him feel as excited as a little kid. He couldn’t wait.

As she was about to leave, Erin gave him one of her penetrating looks. “You know, you’re looking awfully pleased with yourself today.”

Of all his siblings, Erin was the one he would’ve loved to confide in about the source of his permanent grin, but he’d decided to leave it to Crystal to tell her best friend.

So he just said, “Maybe it’s corny, but it feels good to give back.

I’ve forgotten what it’s like to be just starting out, so hopeful, with nothing but talent and dreams. That’s where Opal is right now.

And to help her find her way, well, it’s almost as much of a thrill as it was being discovered myself. ”

Erin clearly approved of these sentiments. She gave him a hug. “You’re one of my top three favorite brothers.”

He hugged her right back. “You might actually be my very favorite sister.”

And with a final squeeze of her arms around his ribs, she headed to her car and Damien went to the studio.

The first day he and Opal had worked together had obviously been pretty messed up, between the media scrutiny and then the unexpected interview. Today was all about the music and the hard work that was ahead of them. He couldn’t wait to get started.

When he opened the studio doors, he found that, as had happened the day before, Opal was way ahead of him. She was already playing her guitar and softly singing another song he hadn’t heard before.

She smiled when she saw him and put down her guitar. “Can I hear what we got yesterday?” she asked.

He nodded and played back the track. She listened with quiet concentration, and he was pleased to note that she didn’t say yes to his suggestions just because he was famous.

If she disagreed with an idea, she told him so.

She had good instincts, and together they worked to find new solutions that were in line with her vision and creativity while taking advantage of his experience and knowledge.

As the hours went by, they began to develop a true mutual respect.

They pushed each other; they argued a little.

Sometimes he gave in, sometimes she did.

Or sometimes he would suggest one thing, she’d suggest another, and then suddenly the third and perfect option was staring them both in the face.

It was a magical kind of alchemy. He’d always created alone, but this was fun.

They broke for lunch, and she spoke to him about her life and the boyfriend she’d left at home.

Again, he found himself wanting to talk about Crystal and had to bite back the words.

He’d never been a man who kissed and told, so why was he having trouble holding his tongue now?

Deep down, he knew the answer. This thing with Crystal was different from anything he’d ever experienced.

He needed to talk to another woman about it, to do a bit of soul searching.

Maybe once Crystal had told Erin, he could go to his sister and share his feelings.

But no, that would make it weird. She’d already know everything from Crystal’s side. If Erin was going to be Crystal’s confidante, he’d have to find someone else to help guide him through this ocean of unknown emotions.