"Hi." It's all I say but it's enough to make River's head snap up, his eyes meeting mine.
"Hi," he says back and his face is unreadable, but I swear I see guilt in his eyes.
The next series of events seems to play out in slow motion. Ellie swings her head around and her mane of silky black hair follows. She looks up and gives me a fake smile and a slight wave. She flutters her unnaturally long eyelashes and glares at me like I'm intruding. I can't help but return the look. Then I avert my stare and look around. There's a pizza box and a few beer bottles on the coffee table and I have to wonder how long she's been here and how much they've had to drink. I feel my heart tear a little at the picture before me, but it rips my heart out when I see Stella, his guitar, propped against the couch on the other side of Ellie.
Water is dripping down from my wet hair and onto my face. I push the hair out of my eyes as she says, "Oh sorry, did I block you from getting in the garage? I never thought of it."
I can't help but sneer at her and say, "Of course you didn't." Afterward, I abruptly turn toward the bedroom and throw over my shoulder, "Sorry if I interrupted." My head is spinning as I move to escape the large room that suddenly seems claustrophobic. I slam the bedroom door, kick off my shoes, and throw myself onto the bed. I know I wanted to come home and talk calmly to River, but now I'm just annoyed.
Staring out the window, I try to see the Hollywood sign, but the rain is falling so hard that I can barely make the letters out. I'm not a jealous person, or least I never have been, but there's just something about that woman. I begin to wonder if I haven't picked up on what's clearly in front of my eyes. Have we been over and I just didn't realize it? Is the bond I thought we shared not as strong as I envisioned?
Flashes of our fairy-tale romance swim before my eyes-our fun drive from Vegas to LA, our games, his crazy made-up rules, the fountain and our wishes, waking up with him every morning-him always asking if I can "wait a bit" for my coffee because he's got better things in mind, sleeping on whichever side of the bed we happen to be on because being together is all that matters.
"What the hell, Dahlia!"
Without turning around I ask him, "Is there something going on between the two of you? Is that what you're not telling me?"
"No!" he snaps and then I feel the bed dip as he moves across it. He hovers over me and his hand slides along the curves of my waist before resting on my hip. I shudder at his touch. With his lips near my ear he more calmly says, "Why would you even think that?"
I turn around to face him. "You've been spending a lot of time together. Then I come home and she's here again."
He shakes his head, "She's here working."
"I'm afraid she's here just waiting to pick up our pieces."
"There are no pieces. We'll never be in pieces."
I whisper, "But I see the way she looks at you."
His eyes meet mine and he whispers back, "I don't care how she looks at me. You're the only one I see."
I know I shouldn't say this, but I have to, I have to know. "It didn't look like that tonight. What was she doing here? Did you play for her?" I can't bear the thought of him playing his guitar for her. When he plays for me, he bares his soul, and it feels like the most intimate moment two people can share without touching one another.
"Dahlia, I didn't play for her." But as he says this, his body stiffens and he throws himself back on the bed.
My heart lodges in my throat. "What's wrong? I know there's something you're not telling me."
He sighs then announces, "I quit," before throwing his arm over his forehead.
"What? Just like that!" I scream, bolting upright and looking at him in complete shock. I know we are having some issues but I never thought he'd just end us like that. "Without even trying to work this out, you're just going to throw us away?"
He sits up and forcefully pulls me to him. "Fuck, Dahlia. No. Not us. I could never quit us, not ever. You're a part of who I am. I was talking about the tour. I'm done with it. I quit the band." He lets go of his hold on me and runs his hands through his hair.
I'm not entirely surprised, but I am a bit thrown. "Are you sure about this, River? You're weeks away from the tour. What did Xander and the other guys say?"
He throws himself back on the bed. "Yes, I'm sure. I haven't told them yet. I wanted to see what would happen to the guys first. Make sure my quitting doesn't have a financial impact on them. That's why Ellie was here, she was pointing out the penalties for breach of contract."