The clock read 5:35 p.m. when Bailey finished curling her hair, and painting her lips a deep plum shade to match her sundress and wedge sandals perfectly. She looked at herself in the mirror and thought it was a bit much for this concert, but it was too late to change.

“ Shake a leg Emily! It’s general admission, so you know I need to get there early or I won’t be able to see a dag on thing! Bailey hollered at her roommate.

“It’s not my fault you’re so short! I’ll be ready in about 5 minutes.” Emily shouted back.

Bailey skimmed through a magazine while she impatiently waited for Emily to get ready. After 20 minutes, Emily finally emerged in the living room in her favorite sleek mini black and white sundress and heels.

“It’s about time! Let’s get movin’ or we won’t have time for dinner an I’m hungry.” Bailey said as they headed out the door for the T.

The girls decided to eat at the restaurant in the House of Blues due to the time constraint before the concert. It was very busy, when they arrived and the hostess said there wait time would be about an hour. Bailey was annoyed, but there was nothing she could do about it. They decided to go over to the bar for some drinks and hoped they could snag a couple of seats to order food. As they headed toward the bar, Emily got Bailey’s attention and discreetly pointed towards a booth.

“Those guys over there are totally checking you out!” Emily said to Bailey.

“What? You’re crazy!” Bailey exclaimed, and then she looked over and saw that it was none other than Tyler Seguin sitting there with some guy. She was surprised to see him, as she didn’t figure him for this type of scene. She wondered if Tyler was looking at her or if he was just scanning the room to find one of his many admirers? She figured it was the latter and kept heading for the bar.

“I’m telling you that they were looking at you! Why don’t you believe me?” Emily inquired before ordering an Amaretto Sour for Bailey and a Blue Moon for herself.

“Because, that’s frickin’ Tyler Seguin that’s why. He dates Playboy models and hooks up with puck bunnies. Last time I checked, I don’t fall into either one of those categories. If anything, he was probably checking you out; you’re looking might fine in that dress.”

“ Whatever. There was a pause before Emily said “Wait, that’s Seguin? Didn’t you tell me Seguin hit on you after one of the Braveheart games? He was interested then, so why wouldn’t he be now?”

“Yes he did, but I think he assumed I was a bunny then. He was different at the Summer Games, he wasn’t the same cocky asshole and was actually great with all the kids and helping me at the end of the day. I embarrassed myself by being rude to him that morning and never apologized, so I’m pretty sure he’s not interested in me. He probably thinks I’m a Bitty. ” Bailey frowned at the memory.

“Bailey I find it hard to believe anyone would think you’re a bitch! I don’t think there’s a mean bone in your body. Maybe he realized the error of his ways and knew he needed to treat you with respect. That would explain the 180.Bailey, look at him he’s HOT! Let’s go over there and say hi and see what happens.”

“What? NO! No Way! I don’t want to intrude. I wouldn’t know what to say to him. What would Tyler frickin Seguin have in common with me?”

“Bailey, I wish you could see what I do. You’re a beautiful girl, any guy would be lucky to be with you!” Emily said, clearly frustrated. She loved her best friend and wanted her to be as happy as she was with her fiancé, Steven. It was hard for her to understand how Bailey could be so outgoing and confident in almost everything in life yet so shy and insecure when it came to guys.

Just as their drinks arrived, there was a tap on Bailey’s shoulder; she turned to see Tyler standing there.

“Hi Bailey, it’s good to see you again.” He said with a genuine smile.

“Hi” was all Bailey could get out as she felt her cheeks getting warm, hoping he hadn’t heard the conversation she and Emily just had.

“Hi, I’m Emily, Bailey’s roommate.” Emily said as she extended a hand towards Tyler.

“ It’s nice to meet you, I’m Tyler. Would you two like to join my roommate and I?” He asked gesturing towards the booth where Freddy was sitting.

“We’d love to!” Emily replied quickly before Bailey could object. She was determined to help her friend out and see where this might lead. In the very least they would have a seat and be able to get their dinner now.

Tyler guided the girls over to the table and sat next to Freddy. “This is my roommate Freddy. Freddy this is Emily and Bailey.” Tyler said and the four of them exchanged pleasantries. They enjoyed a great dinner and conversation together. Bailey and Freddy really hit it off over their love of music. Tyler was jealous of how much they had in common and the interest Bailey showed in the dialogue with Freddy. He wished the conversation consistently flowed as easily between Bailey and himself. He sensed that there was still a bit of uneasiness between them and he was doing everything he could to break that.

The group were enjoying themselves so much they almost forgot about the concert; it took the flashing lights to remind them it was about to start.

“Shit! Excuse my language. I’m not gonna be able to see a cotton pickin’ thing!” Bailey said exacerbated and the others busted out laughing at her expressions. Tyler nearly choked on his beer at her remarks. She looked so cute and her accent was thicker when she was angry.

“It’s not funny! I’m not tall like y’all, I won’t be able to see the stage.”

“Don’t worry, you can just sit on Tyler’s shoulders.” Emily chuckled.

“Ha-ha! They would never allow that, besides I don’t want to break Tyler’s back and have an entire city hate me.”

“Somehow I think I could take it. Pretty sure I lift more than twice what you weigh Bailey. As much as I’d enjoy proving it, it won’t be necessary. We are all going to have a great view.” Tyler said with amusement.

“How?” Bailey asked

“Just follow me.” Tyler smiled.

“Wait, we need to get our checks first.” Bailey and Emily said simultaneously.

“It’s already been taken care of, now lets go to the show” replied Tyler.

“That very nice of you Tyler, but you didn’t need to do that.” Bailey said, becoming more impressed with Tyler by the minute.

“It’s not a big deal, now lets go” he said as he gestured towards to music hall.

“Thank you!” Bailey said as she joyfully followed Tyler as he led the way.

Tyler wasn’t exaggerating when he said they’d have a great view. His status as a successful Bruin allowed him certain luxuries in the city. As soon as Freddy agreed to go with him to the concert he called the venue to make arrangements. The House of Blues was more than happy to reserve a special area in the mezzanine for Tyler and his friends to enjoy the concert with a fantastic view. Not only did they have seats, but they also had a waitress who came by to take their drink orders so they didn’t have to wait in line at the bar. Emily and Bailey were in awe at the VIP treatment they were receiving for the night and couldn’t thank Tyler enough.

Bailey and Emily were having the times of their lives dancing and singing along with Green River Ordinance. Tyler loved seeing Bailey this relaxed and happy and was glad he played a role in her bliss. He wasn’t really paying attention to the band, until Bailey got super excited when they said they would play “Endlessly” acoustically. He’d never heard of the song, but he listened intently because Bailey obviously liked it.

“She came along and she spoke so sweetly
Changed everything, took my heart completely.
I, I love that girl
I, I love that girl.
She is the days I can’t get over
She is the nights that I call home endlessly
For you I’ll always wait
Caught in the waves of hesitation
Lost in the Sea of my own doubt endlessly
For you I’ll always wait”

Tyler got lost in the lyrics of this beautiful song and his thoughts of Bailey. Even though they hadn’t even been on a real date and he wasn’t sure if she was interested, he knew he was falling hard. He didn’t quite understand everything he was feeling because it was so foreign to him. Could he really be falling in love?

“Caught in the waves of hesitation
Lost in the sea of my own doubt endlessly
For you I’ll always wait
For you I’ll always wait
For you I’ll always wait”

Those last few lines struck a chord with Tyler. He decided he would wait, however long it took for Bailey to feel the same way about him.

“It’s a great song, isn’t it?” Bailey asked looking towards Tyler. His absorption in the song hadn’t gone unnoticed by her. “Earth to Tyler, Earth to Tyler” she said as she waved a hand in front of his face.

“What? Sorry. Yeah I liked that song a lot. I actually liked most of their music; I think I’ll download their album. Really glad I came tonight!”

“Cool” was all Bailey could think of in response as she looked into his big brown eyes with flecks of gold. You sound like an idiot that can’t talk in complete sentences she thought to herself. Bailey didn’t understand why she was getting flustered around Tyler. That typically only happened around guys she was interested in. She didn’t like Tyler that way, did she? She suddenly hopped up and said she was going to the restroom and asked Emily to join her.

“What’s up?” Emily asked Bailey as they headed towards the ladies’ room line.

“Nothing. I just didn’t want to wait alone.”

“Cut the crap, Bailey! This is me you’re talking to. Something’s on your mind so spit it out.”

Bailey bit down on her lip before she admitted, “It’s Tyler. I think I like him, is that crazy?”

“He’s hot as hell! So no, you are not crazy. Besides, I am pretty sure the feeling is mutual.”

“Do you really think he’s interested in me?I feel like the biggest geek around him. When I look at him I get all discombobulated and feel like a fool.”

“I’ve been watching and listening to the two of you all night. When you relax and are yourself, you’re fine. Stop thinking about it and just live in the moment and everything will be fine.”

“I’m just not sure anything can come from this. I’m not experienced like the girls he’s been with and not sure I can meet all of his needs, if you catch my drift.”

“My guess is he’s attracted to you because you are different. Did you ever think that maybe he’s tired of sleeping around and is looking for something more? Why don’t you just get to know him better and see what happens. “

“I’m scared I’ll get hurt.”

“There are no guarantees in life, but you’ll never find love if you don’t at least try. Just promise me you won’t completely close yourself off. I really think there is something between the two of you and I’d hate to see you throw it away because you’re afraid to get hurt. Bailey, I love you and just want you to find the same happiness I have with Steven.” Emily said and hugged Bailey.

“Ok, I’ll try.” Bailey said and then the girls headed back to watch the rest of the show.

Marc Broussard put on a stellar concert with his soulful voice. It had been a wonderful evening that Bailey and Tyler didn’t want to end. They hung back for a while in their special VIP section to let the crowd disperse. Once the music hall had pretty much cleared out, they started to make their way towards the exit. At the last minute, Bailey decided it would be best if she went to the restroom before waiting for the T. Emily told her she’d wait with the guys in the lobby.

As soon as Bailey was out of earshot, Emily started to feel out Tyler regarding his intentions with Bailey. Emily’s intuition was correct, Tyler admitted he was interested in Bailey. Without breaking Bailey’s confidence, she suggested that Tyler take things slow and that he would need to be patient with Bailey. Before Tyler could ask any questions and respond to Emily, Bailey returned.
As they walked outside Tyler asked if the girls wanted to go out for some drinks. They both thanked him for the offer but said they couldn’t due to work in the morning. Tyler was disappointed, but he understood. Freddy saw the disappointment on Tyler’s face and thought quickly on his feet by offering to drive the girls home.

“Y’all have done too much for us already. It’s late and we don’t want to be an imposition.” Bailey said and suddenly she felt an elbow in her side. She turned to Emily and saw her mouth “Shut Up! Let them take us home.”

“It’s not an imposition at all. It’s late and I would feel better if you let us take you home so we know you are safe.” Tyler responded.

“That’s very sweet of you. Thank you.” Bailey replied with a sweet smile.

Tyler was grateful that he drove his truck and not his Maserati so that everyone could easily fit. He took his time driving to the girls’ apartment in Brighton to spend as much time as possible with Bailey. When they arrived, he quickly got out of the car to open the door to let Bailey out. He told Bailey how much he enjoyed the evening and hoped they could do it again sometime soon. Then he finally asked her for her number. He watched as Bailey’s cheeks flushed red; she looked down at the ground and fiddled with her fingers before hesitantly giving him her number. Tyler thanked her, said he’d be in touch, and they said their goodbyes. Tyler was grinning from ear to ear as he got back in the truck. He could tell Bailey wasn’t completely sure about him, but she was interested and that was all he needed to know. He wasn’t going to take any chances and decided to take Emily’s advice to take things slow. Tyler wanted Bailey in his life and was willing to start out as friends if that’s what it would take. He knew in his heart that one day she’d feel the same way he did and would want more.

Notes

Welcome to all the new subscribers. Hope everyone is enjoying the story!


This is a link so you can get a sample of Green River Ordinance (GRO); "Endlessly" is one of the songs included. This band is great live and I highly recommend checking them out if they come near you! http://noisetrade.com/gro/sampler