Both Lucas and Tessa glared at Mason for the comment.
He raised his shoulders. “What? I didn’t mean anything disrespectful.”
“It’s OK.” Sindy fluffed her hair up with both hands. “You don’t think it’s too much? I just wanted a cut. It was Tessa’s idea to play with color.”
“It’s gorgeous.” Lucas approached to take a closer look, and she eyed him warily. They both felt the tension, but if they were going to move forward as bandmates it needed to disappear.
Tessa stepped over to the mic stand, done with small talk and ready to get down to work. They ran throughDrivenwhich was the song they agreed to play on stage for their guest appearance with Immortal Angel. Tessa brought her all, as always. It sometimes stunned Lucas that such a powerful voice came out of such a petite girl.
After 45 minutes they took a break. Tessa grabbed a bottle of water, and Sindy went to talk to Mason. She did great with the rhythm, but their interactions were minimal. They needed to play off each other more so the audience could feel the rapport they shared. They’d get it back, he told himself.
“I’m gonna play it back.” Tessa fiddled with the recording equipment, then took a seat on the sofa, eyes trained on the flat screen.
Lucas sat next to his sister, curious to see how the four of them looked together now that they had become accustomed to playing with one another. Mason remained on his drum stool, as usual. Sometimes Lucas wondered if the guy was glued to that thing. Sindy stayed at the back of the studio leaning against an amp. Lucas couldn’t take his eyes off her. That rock star haircut and bright color baited him, and he wanted her more than ever.
“We look awesome!” Tessa had enough enthusiasm to fill the room, and Lucas reluctantly shifted his gaze from Sindy to the video recording.
He had to admit, they did look great as a band, and Sindy rounded them out to an even number.
Tessa turned toward Lucas and leaned forward, as if she expected Sindy to be sitting on his other side, but Sindy was still at the back of the studio, and Mason actually left his stool to sit on the amp next to her. Tessa’s back went rigid. “Sindy, why are you all the way over there? Why are you watching from the back of the room?”
“I don’t know. I was just sitting with Mason.”
“Well, come sit here. With me.”
Sindy slowly made her way across the room, but chose to squeeze between Tessa and the end of the couch, rather than sit in the open space on the other side of Lucas.
Lucas concentrated on the video. The vocals were killer, as usual, and Tessa dropped a chunky and compelling bassline. Mason knocked on the drums as if his life depended on it. But they weren’t the ones Lucas was watching. He usually watched himself, but today he watched Sindy. She had magic on the screen. Her new hair, mingled with the attitude she projected while she played, escalated the band, and the addition of the rhythm guitar added depth to the song. They reached a point in the song where he and Sindy faced one another as they played. At that moment, it wasn’t two people dealing with personal issues. They were two guitar players battling with their instruments. They looked good together and sounded even better.
“Right there!” Tessa practically jumped off the couch as she pointed at the screen. “Do you see that, Sindy? The way you and Lucas are facing one another, you can feel the connection. “Do you see the chemistry the two of you have together? That’s awesome! We need more of that. Really bring it. Don’t hold back. You’re great Sindy.” Tessa glanced at Mason and Lucas with a coy smile. “You two were great, too.”
When the video finished, Tessa stood and faced everyone as she waited for a critique. “What did you guys think?”
“That was great,” Mason said, twirling a drumstick.
“I think Sindy was amazing,” Lucas’ eyes washed over her, and he spoke directly to her. “You know music and you play with your heart. You looked like a pro. Beautiful and sexy. Rock and roll.”
Her cheeks turned pink, and she dropped her eyes. “Thank you, Lucas. Your opinion means a lot to me.” She raised her head, and Lucas saw the watery sheen that covered her eyes. It cut his heart like a razor to know that she was hurting, too, but it gave him a glimmer of hope that maybe she really did care about him.
