Page 68 of Notes of Attraction

“I’ll figure it out,” I say. “I always do.”

We talk for another twenty minutes. Harrison's new girlfriend, Remy, who is an actual supermodel and who Eli has decided is using him, on the grounds that nobody dates a broke guitarist who lives with his mother unless there's a camera nearby. Luca’s latest attempt to grow a mustache. Whether the label will eventually come crawling back or whether we need to start taking meetings elsewhere.

It’s easy. Talking to Eli has always been easy.

For a few minutes, we’re fifteen again, playing to forty people in a bar and believing forty people were the whole fucking world.

I miss him hard enough that I nearly say it.

“Go finish your bridge, college boy.”

When we hang up, the apartment goes quiet again.

I play the opening riff.

It’s good. I know it’s good. But every lyric I put over it sounds polished and empty, the kind of line Danny would call marketable because it could mean anything to anyone.

All the girls will eat it up, Cal. They wanna think that this song could be about them.

I set the guitar against the cabinet, and I’m about to get up when my phone buzzes on the floor next to me.

Bea

okay I need to know the dress code for Saturday because I am fully panicking and I need you to help me immediately

Cal

good morning to you too, Doc

Bea

good morning. now what is the dress code?

Cal

oh, I’m glad you asked

lingerie and a stethoscope