Chapter 44

"Good morning." Pearl said as she wiped the sleep from her eyes.

"Good morning." Rhys said as stretched and stood up. "How are you?"

"I'm good. Thank you again. For everything." Pearl said, still feeling uneasy the previous night.

"No need to thank me." Rhys said. "My flight leaves at 3 today. I'm headed to Ontario for a week to get acclimated with the location and do a first script read through with the cast."

"Ah, ok. I'm sure you're excited about that." Pearl tried to hide her disappointment.

"Yes and no. Kinda bittersweet. It's always exciting beginning a new season. But I'm gonna miss what I have beginning here, too." He winked and kissed her cheek. That made her feel a little happier about it.

"I will get out of you hair, then." Pearl said as she gathered her things.

"When I get back into town, let's spend some time together, sound good?" Rhys asked, putting his hands on her shoulder and looking in her eyes.

"Yes. Keep me updated." Pearl said. "I definitely will." Rhys said.

After a long shower and lunch, Pearl texted John. "Sorry I bailed last night. I'm really excited about this Epic thing."

"We are too, girl!" John texted back. "We need to all get on the same page and get some new songs together, tweak the ones we already have. If we want to make this happen, we need to take some time on this and put in the work."

Pearl knew what he really meant. She and Dylan needed to figure out a way to continue to work together, and keep the drama away from the band. Pearl knew she was able but Dylan was another story.

Pearl's phone rang. "Hello?" Pearl answered. "It's David. I was hoping we could meet for a drink later. Do you have plans tonight?" Pearl was on the fence about this. "I don't but I'm really tired." She honestly replied. "I promise I won't take up too much of your time." Pearl still wasn't sure. "Just to talk, right?" She asked. "Yes." David said. "Ok. What time and where?"

After she hung up, she felt conflicted. She missed David. Rhys coming into town had been a whirlwind, and she was still overwhelmed with all that happened with her and Dylan. She was actually grateful for David backing off and giving her space through it all. He was such a good friend to her, foremost. Dylan claimed he was but David was the absolute definition of it.

The drive was nice. It was a crisp fall evening and Pearl could smell rain on the way in the air. She got to the small and very classy looking cocktail lounge right as it stared to downpour. She walked in to find David at a booth in the corner. He stood up to greet her. "Hello, I'm glad you came." He said. He looked handsome and together, as always. He had on dark jeans and wine red v-neck sweater that made his bright green eyes shine like emeralds. She took off her wet jacket and sat down, seeing a glass of white wine sitting on the table. "I took the liberty of ordering you the wine. Hope that's ok." David said. "Yes great." Pearl felt the tension and tried hard not to acknowledge it outwardly.

"Having a good week?" David asked. Pearl knew he was aware of Rhys being in town and she wanted to avoid that conversation altogether if possible. "Yes, it was good. Busy. Chaotic. You?" Pearl avoided eye contact.

"Are you and Rhys becoming more than just a fling?" Avoiding it was obviously not possible.

"I don't know. Maybe? It's overwhelming. We agreed to see where it goes." She didn't feel right taking to David about this. "So where does that leave us?" He asked honestly. Pearl thought about what his father had said. What his father was. She thought about seeing David at the cafe that night, thinking he was with another woman. The way it had terrified her. She was afraid of David, afraid of his ability to hurt her if he wanted to. That fear had been implanted and it wasn't going to go away easily. She was afraid of him and his family situation. Dylan had his issues, Rhys came with things that may be difficult to deal with, but David had the real potential to bring her into something she couldn't get out of without damage. And had his father talked to him yet? How could she believe anything he said as genuine with that hanging over them?

"Seattle changed things. I admired you before from afar as well as being able to enjoy your talents at work. I really value you as a person, as your boss." David continued, "But Seattle changed things in a way I can't return from. I know we talked about it. And I know I promised I would always take care of you. I meant that. But I also know that I can't pretend it didn't happen. It's all I have thought about since. I am incapable of thinking about anything else, it's all consuming." Pearl looked at him while he spoke. Of the three men currently in her life, he was the only one that when speaking about his feelings, didn't waver. David never wavered. That one night of vulnerability after she met his father was most likely the only time she'd see him as anything but an oak.

Pearl tried to be just as steady when she spoke. "I knew making love would have an impact that would be difficult to navigate. But the truth is, we were already changing. We became friends. We had each other's back. And I'm grateful for that. I don't want to do anything to take that friendship away." Pearl told him, and although she was attempting to minimize the romantic feelings between them, she really did mean what she said about the friendship.

"That's not happening." David said. "That has been established and I respect it just as much as you do. I'm talking about the need I have for you. Sitting here. Looking at you. It's taking everything I have not to flip this table over and have you right here. The need I feel to so be deep inside of you that I want to become a part of you. The need I have to protect you." The intensity in his eyes when he spoke told her that even with the potency of his words there were even more depths of emotions words could never describe. "Don't talk to me like I'm some kind of random man you're seeing. You don't need have the 'friendship is important talk' with me. Don't put me in that category and compare me. It's insulting."

"I'm sorry, David. That's not what I meant, I ..."

He interrupted her, "Don't minimize what happened so you'll feel better about choosing someone else. I'm not asking you to choose between me and another man. I'm telling you that it's about what is supposed to be and what you choose to let go. You can't fight this just as much as I can't. So what I need to know is, are you willing to walk away from this and settle for someone else because it's easier or prettier or are we going to make this thing between us what is should be ?"

Pearl didn't know that answer.