Mallory silently panted as he climbed up the stairs with groceries in both his hands. He put them down and grabbed his keys. After successfully unlocking the door, he picked up the groceries and kicked the door loudly against the wall. 

"The noise, please," a male voice complained. Mallory jumped and darted his eyes to where the sound came from, dropping some of his apples.

Don looked at him with an innocent and calm expression, like he wasn't in someone else's home. Mallory dropped his groceries and calmed down his nerves.

"Don..." Mallory said with aghast, "What are you doing in my home?"

"You left your door unlocked." Don replied as he silently closed his book and stood up, "Let this be a lesson to you."

Mallory's nervousness faded to anger. "I... You have the gall to scold me?"

"You're lucky it's just me. I could have been a serial killer." 

"...Okay, whatever. Why are you here?"

"I wanted to talk about our musical partnership, Mallory. I have been thinking about it, and I think it's time we talk about it more," Don explained as he picked up an apple and tossed it to Mallory. 

"What do you have in mind?" Mallory asked as he put away his groceries in the refrigerator, "A concert?"

"Tout à fait," Don nodded.

"Just wondering, don't you have other connections?"

"That's right."

"Have you asked other famous people you know of?"

Don tilted his head to think, "Well, There was this famous french actress I worked with... It didn't work out between us."

"What happened?" Mallory curiously asked. 

"...Creative differences, she was very demanding!" Don answered. "You know, actresses can be demanding."

Mallory finally finished his task and gave his full attention to Don. "Well, my band will have a concert next month. You can come over to my studio so we can practice our duet." 

"Thank you, Mallory." 

"Can you leave now, Don?" Mallory asked in the gentlest way he could. "Not to be rude, like the way you barged into my home uninvited, but our business is done."

Don laughed, "Of course, Mal. I hope you learned your lesson. See you soon!"

As the blonde gentleman exited out of the door, Rose came in with a soda in her hand.

"Bye, Don!" Rose said to Don.

Don grinned and nodded to her as he said goodbye back. Mallory abruptly pulled her in and shut the door.

"I thought you were at work!" Mallory scolded. 

Rose stared at Mallory with a mild surprise on her face. "But I sent you a message."

"B-but Don was here!"

"Don? He texted to ask my permission to stay here," Rose replied. "Did you think he would just barge in here without telling us?"

Mallory paused, then sighed with relief. Rose laughed heartily before she spoke, "You thought he broke in?"