"We often miss opportunity because it's dressed in overalls and looks like work." Thomas A. Edison

----

XIX.

Nearly a week had passed since Noah had taken Sophie on their first date. It was now Friday, and they hadn't managed to go out again, but that hadn't stopped Noah from staring at her every chance he got.

How on earth had he not noticed how pretty she was before? He didn't wear glasses, but maybe he needed to. The way she smiled was so natural. The way she moved was so graceful. Noah had honestly never met anyone like her before.

But then, maybe it was a good thing that it had taken him a good minute to notice her outside, because it was her good inside that had drawn him in in the first place. She was so sweet, and so kind, and so fiercely protective as only a mother could be.

Noah hadn't been the only one obviously staring. He had caught Sophie looking his way plenty of times, and her fair cheeks blushed every time. It was so goddamn adorable.

God, he liked her. He liked her a lot.

When Noah wasn't spending his time daydreaming like a teenager, he did manage to work. And thank God for that, as in little over a month, he was due back in LA to start recording his score. He hadn't stopped writing. He had spent most of his nights this week staying up into the early hours of the morning watching The Last Hope and planning music, before spending the days composing on Pete's Steinway.

He had continued Maddie's music lessons, which seemed to occur most days after school at Noah's request, where she would do something that Noah hadn't thought of, which would make his piece even better.

Noah had taken to letting his phone record his writing sessions with Maddie. He almost felt like he needed to document this kid. He needed to prove that she really was writing, changing, and playing herself.

Maybe one day she could use this footage to bolster a college application. He saw a lot of himself in Maddie, and if she wanted to, nothing could stop her.

Noah checked his phone and saw that it was nearing five. Sophie would be returning soon from picking Maddie up from school ready for the night shift. Holly and Amy had both arrived for work, and Pete was behind the bar organising himself like normal.

As it was Friday, Sophie would be singing, and it was also the night that Maddie's biological father liked to frequent the bar. The asshole liked to harass Sophie. He liked to make her uncomfortable, to put Sophie in her place, and to try to weasel his way back in with her.

Noah knew he wasn't Sophie's official boyfriend or anything. They'd been on one date, technically, but if Beck thought for one second that he was going to get away with his usual behaviour he had another thing coming.

Noah's phone suddenly rang. Expecting it to be Tally, or even Sophie, he picked it up without registering the caller ID.

"Hey," he answered casually.

"Noah, it's Rick Walsh, how are you?"

Noah suddenly sat up straight as he realised, he had his director on the phone. "Great, thanks, Rick," he replied. "How's things?"

"Fine. Getting along with post," he replied. "Looking forward to hearing the score," he hinted.

"Yes, I'm sure. Not due till Christmas, though, remember?" prompted Noah.

"I remember the contract, don't you worry," Rick assured him. "Listen, the score is not why I've called. I know the score is in good hands. I wouldn't have insisted that we hired you if I thought otherwise."

Vote of confidence. "Thanks."

"It's the song."

Noah felt himself physically pale. Shit. He hadn't even thought about the song yet. He was so focussed on getting the score right that the end credits song was a complete after thought at this point. "What about it?" Noah tried to ask nonchalantly.

"I need a copy of it," requested Rick.

A copy of a song that didn't exist. "Why now?"

"Because the studio is shopping for singers, Noah, and we need the song to get a deal done," Rick urged.

Noah clenched his teeth, knowing Rick was right. "Can't you sign someone using my reputation?" he asked. He hadn't meant to sound like a dick, but he hadn't written a flop yet.

"Is there a problem with the song?" Rick demanded to know.

"No," assured Noah. "It just needs a little ... tweaking."

The door to the bar then opened, and Maddie bounced inside, closely followed by Sophie. The minute she crossed the threshold, she looked up at him and smiled.

"What if I told you that I had a singer?" he asked Rick. "An amazing one."

"You've got a singer? Who?"

"She's an unknown. Her name is Sophie Cartwright. She has one of the most beautiful voices I've ever heard, and I'll bet I can get her a deal for royalties only. Upfront costs will be a steal."

Rick groaned. "Come on, Noah. You know all the money is in royalties."

Noah did know that. That was why he had suggested it. "Only if the song is successful," he replied casually.

"And is the song going to be successful?"

Noah scoffed. "Of course, it is. I'mthe one who's written it."

Sophie was setting Maddie up at one of the tables, pulling a container of strawberries out of her lunchbox before giving it to her.

"The studio wants a name, Noah," Rick replied firmly.

"She'll be a name," Noah said confidently.

"Who the hell is this girl then?" Rick demanded to know. "How did you discover her?"

"Look, I'm in London," he admitted. "I'm working in a piano bar, and she works here. She sings every Friday night, and I'm telling you, she's amazing." Noah took a breath. "Sophie, could you come over here?"

"She's there?" exclaimed Rick.

Sophie frowned as she made her way over to the stage. "Is everything alright?" she asked.

Noah put his phone on speaker, and then said, "Sing something for me."

Sophie looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights, but she managed to open her mouth. It was almost like instinct as she sang the first verse of I dreamed a dream.

Her voice was clear and beautiful, and if she was nervous it didn't show.

Noah grinned at her and nodded when she needed to stop. He took Rick off of speaker and said, "Well?" Sophie continued to look at him with utter confusion.

"Well, maybe I could swing it with the studios," he admitted begrudgingly, as though he didn't want to let Noah know that he was right. "Probably be happy not having to pay an exorbitant fee for a name."

"Of course, you can swing it," Noah assured him.

"You're telling me royalties will get it done?" Rick checked.

"Yes," confirmed Noah. The last song that he had written for the mainstream market had spent three weeks at number one, and a year in the top one hundred. He could most definitely make royalties work.

Now all he had to do was write the goddamn song that he had just hyped up. Simple.

"While I've got you on the phone, Rick, I do need to speak to you about something else."

"Mummy!" whined Maddie from her table. Maddie's voice distracted Sophie from her confusion, and she left Noah to see to whatever the problem was. Sophie quickly ushered Maddie out of her chair, and they headed back towards the backroom.

"Why do I have the feeling this is about to affect my budget?" groaned Rick.

"It's not going to affect your budget at all, just your editing department, specifically those responsible for typing up the end credits," Noah said calmly. "And I want to halve my salary."

"Done," Rick agreed.

"Not so fast," Noah said dryly. "I want to give a co-credit. I've had help composing this score. A lot of help, really, and I want to give credit. Her name is already on everything I've written, and I want it in the credits. I also want half my salary put in a trust of something for when she's eighteen."

"Eighteen?" repeated Rick. "How old is this kid?"

"Eight," replied Noah.

"Eight?" cried Rick. "What kind of composer is eight?"

"A damn talented one," he retorted. "Can you make it happen?"

Noah heard Rick sigh on the other end of the phone. "A credit I can do. Salary, contracts, all that bullshit is not my problem. I'll pass this on to the producers and I'm sure they'll be in contact with you about the money. So long as this isn't costing me anything out of my budget, I don't give a shit. When can I expect the song?"

"On the due date with everything else. You won't be disappointed, Rick," promised Noah.

"You're a cocky son of a bitch, you know that?"

"Thanks, Rick," said Noah gratefully, and he ended the call. Noah placed his phone down next to the snow globe that Sophie had bought him, and he stood up from the piano stool.

Sophie walked out of the backroom alone this time, and she noticed she immediately that he was no longer on the phone. She quickly darted across the room to him. "What was all that about?" she demanded to know. "Who was that on the phone? Why did you want me to sing?"

"That was my director, Richard Walsh," explained Noah. "He was asking for a song I haven't even begun to write yet because they wanted to lure in a huge singer to perform it for the movie, but you just auditioned and got the job instead," Noah said in one breath. "How as the train? Crowded today?"

Noah didn't think it was humanly possible for human eyes to widen as far as Sophie's did as every manner of shock expression filled her face.

"What on earth are you talking about?" Sophie gasped, cupped her hand over her mouth.

The door to the bar started to open with customers making their way inside, dressed in business attire on their way home from work. They immediately made their way up to the bar to get a drink.

God, she deserved this. She worked so hard. She worked seven days a week and did everything she possibly could to support Maddie with no help from anyone, least of all the sperm donor who'd fathered her.

"You don't have to do it if you don't want to," promised Noah. "But you just auditioned to sing the end credit track on the movie I'm composing. I'm going to be writing the song, and it will be professionally recorded and distributed as part of the marketing campaign for the film."

"You want me to record a song?" she gasped in disbelief. "Surely there is someone better, someone more qualified –"

Noah smiled, and wrapped his arms around her. He loved the feeling of Sophie immediately relaxing against him. God, it felt natural. "Wrap your head around it," he encouraged. "But I believe in you, Sophie. I wouldn't have suggested it if I didn't think you could do it and do it beautifully." He kissed the top of Sophie's head.

"Oi, Soph. What the fuck is this?"

Both Sophie and Noah were startled at the sudden abrasive, aggressive tone coming from behind their embrace. They broke apart to turn around to see Beck standing before them, a furious, possessive expression on his face, and his hand clenched in a fist. 

----

Hope you enjoyed it! 

Can't see Beck going quietly. Think he's got a few things up his sleeve. What an asshole ;) 

I hope you've all had a great week! It's been another long one for me. My state is the last one holding out with restrictions and lockdowns. I'm just praying they reopen schools soon because I need to be in the classroom with my kids. 

Being at school will also stop me from online shopping so much. 

You guys ... I'm a candle person now. 

I have bought SO. MANY. FREAKING. CANDLES. I have never burned a candle in my life and now I own about 11 and they all smell different and I'm obsessed with burning them all day. 

And I have more coming in the mail. I wanted to buy these specific candles but they only ship to the US and Canada. First of all, racist, and second of all, that is one of the most inconvenient things about living in Australia is every bloody company forgets we exist and doesn't bloody ship here. Or if they do, they charge a shipping price that I would expect would send a package to Mars. 

All I wanted was these cool coconut candles off of Etsy guys .... :_(

I have bought so much stuff. You know how your phone remembers your most frequently visited sites when you click on your internet? Mine is Amazon right now. Yep, that's my life. 

I bought a head massager for my shower that is supposed to distribute shampoo effectively. Like why? Doesn't your hand do that? But it was next day delivery and damn Prime sucked me in.

In other news, "The Coveted Countess" is launching next week! I'm so excited! The new cover is up so you can check it out! And the first six chapters are available to read, and they will remain free. 

It's not edited yet as I will be posting those chapters soon. 

Okay, I'd better head to bed! Night guys xx

Vote and comment!