The Reckless Collision

Chapter Seven

"Speaking of your band..." I started, trying to steer the conversation into safer territory. "There were two songs I'd never heard before."

Ray's face lit up with pride. "We're recording a third album," he said. "One of those songs I'll be recording today, actually." He glanced down at his phone. "I've got time, though."

"And you'll include those songs in your new tour?" I asked, raising an eyebrow, genuinely curious.

"Yeah," he replied with a nod. "My brother usually takes care of the setlist."

"It seems like a fun way to live," I said, half-joking.

"It is, to some extent," Ray said, leaning back against the kitchen island, his voice a little distant. "We get to see a lot of countries, and meet a lot of new people." He paused, his eyes far away as if he was seeing something else. "But maintaining relationships of any kind is very difficult."

"Is that why you broke up with your girlfriend?"

He tensed slightly, and I immediately regretted asking. His expression shifted, and I could tell he didn't want to talk about her. He was open about so many things, but this? This was clearly sore spot.

"That, among many other things," he answered, his voice flat. I didn't press. He didn't seem ready to open up about it, and I didn't want to push him.

"How long will you be traveling?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Almost a month in Europe," he said, leaning back even further, stretching his arms out. "It's still a bit unclear how many shows we'll have in America after that."

"So, you'll be touring here too?"

"Yeah," he said with a sigh. "We pretty much live on the bus."

"That part doesn't sound too fun," I said, grinning, trying to lighten the mood.

"It's not," he laughed, the sound low and rough. "But you get used to it. We usually write songs while traveling between places."

"And who writes the songs?" I paused for a moment, then asked, "More importantly, who wrote 'Daydreaming'?"

"I wrote it," Ray said with a smile, "and as for the other songs, it's mostly me and Andrew. We both play acoustic guitars, so it's perfect for writing unless Logan or James protests to some parts." He laughed, and the sound of it felt warm and genuine.

A strange sensation washed over me. I felt an unexpected comfort with him already, just after one day. I didn't know how it happened, but I started to like him more than I probably should. It was like talking to someone I'd known for years, someone familiar. The awkwardness I'd felt the night before had somehow disappeared in just a few hours, and it left me confused. How could I feel this way so quickly?

As a teenager, I was obsessed with romance books, movies, those stories where people meet and fall in love instantly. I used to dream about that kind of love, the kind that swept you off your feet. I thought I'd seen it in real life too, especially in my parents' and grandparents' seemingly perfect marriages. They made it look so easy.

But I grew up, and with that came the realization that love at first sight was a fairytale. I'd been in love before, with Tom, and sometimes I still thought I was. But what do I feel around Ray? That was different. It wasn't like anything I'd ever felt with Tom. Maybe the years I spent with him had clouded my feelings and made me hold on to something that wasn't there anymore. I didn't know.

We ate the lasagna while we talked. I was a decent cook. My grandmother Rose had taught me a few tricks and recipes over the years, so I never really worried about how my food turned out. It was always something I could do well.