© 2011 All Rights Reserved

Four weeks later, on a Friday in the middle of January, Ryan was at work but all of her attention was on Lara.

"We got it?" Ryan kept her voice down as she gripped the phone. "Are you sure? Are you serious?"

"I know! I know!" Lara all but squeaked. "I'm sure, I'm so sure! I just talked to him and they mean it. Once we calm down, we need to find a lawyer. Trout said his dad will know someone; he'll ask tonight."

"Trout is so very handy, and connected." Ryan grinned. "Oh, my God. I can't believe it! Have you told the guys yet?"

"Well, I tried to call you first but you weren't at your desk and I didn't want to leave a message. So I called Nate and told him. He's going to tell Mitch; God, I wish I could see his face. Both of their faces." Lara laughed and Ryan couldn’t stop from joining her.

"This is just the absolute best news. Oh, my God." Ryan slumped back in her chair, euphoria leaving her drained. "Tell me again what he said."

Lara obliged. "He said he thought we had great stage presence, that our music was what they wanted, and he wanted to work out the details as soon as possible."

"Wow. This is just . . . amazing." Ryan couldn't believe it. The A&R guy that had been at the 9:30 Club had talked to them for a few minutes, then gone back to wherever A&R guys go. There'd been no word for a while, and they'd all decided that it was probably a bad sign.

Ryan had been bummed about it, but determined to keep going. Besides, other good things had happened, like all the YouTube videos people had posted from the show, and even a mention in the "Names & Faces" section of The Washington Post. That was due to so many members of the Caps being there, but Ryan didn't mind.

"I know. 'Wow' about covers it." Lara took a breath. "I know it will all sink in later, but right now it's like I'm just riding a wave or something."

"I know the feeling." Ryan closed her eyes and smiled.

"I think Trout was as excited as I was," Lara said. "He was all but bouncing off the walls. Hey, what do you think Brody will say?"

"I don't know." Ryan gave a short laugh. "I was just thinking that now I have someone to tell that will care, and who isn't in the band. It's such a novel concept." She was looking forward to telling him, to maybe some sort of celebration. Previously she'd only had Evan to tell, or friends like Annette.

"So, how serious are you guys?" Lara asked, half-teasing.

"Oh, I don't know." That was a tough question, and one she'd been avoiding thinking about. She felt herself getting more attached to Brody all the time, and it seemed mutual. They were both avoiding talking about it, she thought. On the other hand, if things were going well, maybe they should keep not talking about it.

"Come on, Ryan, talk to me."

"It's going really good." Ryan shrugged. "Really. I mean, I'm not sure I would have even bet we'd still be going out at this point, but it's nice. He's nice."

"From a few hints you've dropped, it seems like he's way past 'nice,'" Lara said.

"Well, that's all you're going to get from me, nosy."

"That's not fair. I've told you a lot more than that about me and Trout."

"And yet, somehow, I remain your friend."

"Oh, fine. Let's try another question: has he met your parents yet?"

Ryan made a strangled sound. "Not yet. I know, I know, it'll have to happen. Sometime. I guess."

"Ryan, are you kidding? They'll love him!"

"Yeah, I know.

They'll probably adopt him. Maybe we can work an exchange, and his family can adopt me." She'd met Brody's family over the holidays and they'd been great. His parents had been the opposite of hers, pleased with and proud of all their kids, no matter what they did. It had been a kick to see Brody with his nephews, and the family had been thrilled to hear that Brody's sister, Carla, was expecting.

Brody's family had been a marked contrast to her own. Christmas had gone as it usually did. Her brothers came home for the semester break, and she even went back on Christmas Eve to stay the night. Her mother liked to have them home for Christmas, and Ryan counseled herself that it was only one night.

The actual holiday had been about as she'd expected. Her father and JT dominated the day and the conversation with football, Evan had hung out with them, and her mother had dropped none-too-subtle hints about Ryan meeting "someone special." Ryan had bolted back to her apartment at the first opportunity.

"An exchange like that would work," Lara said, drawing Ryan's attention back. "Then you could still go out. Because, I mean, if only one of you got adopted, that'd just be too weird."

Ryan laughed. "It would at that. I guess I'm glad we are where we are, then."

"Still, he'll have to meet them sometime."

"Yeah, I know. They know I'm seeing him; Evan let it slip not long after the gig at the 9:30."

"He let it slip? Were you hiding it?"

"No, not really. I just didn't want to deal with them. Dad has no interest in whether I'm dating, and Mom thinks every guy I see is husband material."

"I know, but you guys have been going out for a while now. He's got to meet them sometime."

"I know, I said I know. He came back from a road trip last night; maybe I'll get it out of the way this week."

Lara laughed. "I love how you make this into some major chore."

"With my parents, it is, and you know it." Ryan glowered at her desk.

"Okay, okay. Look, I have to go. I'll catch you at home later, and we'll have to see about this lawyer thing. I still can't believe it!"

"I can't either." Ryan's happier mood returned. "But we have to do it right, so we'll take it slow and talk to the lawyer and everything."

"Absolutely."

They chatted for another minute and said good-bye, then Ryan looked at the clock. An hour and a half left. She laughed at herself; she felt like a kid waiting to be let out of school.

She hoped Brody would be around, or at least awake. The team had just gotten back from a swing through Columbus and Detroit, with a stop down in Nashville before heading home. Brody had sounded beat when she'd spoken to him earlier. Still, he didn't have to be awake for long, just long enough for her to tell him about the tour.

It was odd to know she'd missed him—missed him a lot—while he'd been gone. Somehow, she hadn't expected to, but she'd found herself going to call him just say hi, or thinking about him before going to sleep and wishing he was with her. She guessed it was mutual; he'd called every day, and some days more than once. If she couldn't answer, he left messages that made her laugh.

What was she going to do? She hadn't had many boyfriends before, and none of those relationships had gotten to this point. She'd never felt this serious about anyone, and if she wanted to know he felt, she'd have to ask. She wasn't sure what answer she wanted.

Ryan shook her head and tried to focus on work.