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I nod.
"I'll take it you're concerned about my hands for your sake."
I admit nothing.
Relaxation spreads through my chest as I sink into the couch. I'm ready to have a quiet night with Joel. This is the perfect Christmas Eve, the two of us on the couch.
Maybe we'll make some cookies too.
The kind we can decorate with frosting and sprinkles.
But Joel's phone is ringing.
It goes to voicemail.
It rings again.
"I don't mind if you get that," I say.
He nods. There's something in his eyes, some apprehension.
Still, he pulls his cell from his pocket and glances at the screen.
His voice is bright as he answers the phone. "You shouldn't booty call me anymore, Strong. You know I'm married now." He laughs into the phone. "You do realize it's Christmas Eve?"
Joel looks to me and motions come here.
I do.
He slides his arm around my waist and brings his mouth to my ear. "Mal's organized an emergency recording session."
"Has he?"
Joel nods. "You want to come?"
I like watching them work. There's something about seeing people who know they're exactly where they belong. It's thrilling.
He turns to the phone. "You're lucky my wife gets off on watching me play." He ends the call and tosses his cell aside. His eyes meet mine. "We have an hour till we have to leave."
"Do we?"
He nods to the bedroom.
Well, I'm only human.
An hour later, I follow Joel into the non-descript building downtown. It's dark and the streets are dead. Nobody is at work today. Nobody but perfectionists like the guys in Dangerous Noise.
There's no one at the front desk of the lobby, but that doesn't stop him.
He leads me through the door on the right, down the hall, to the suite.
It's like something out of a TV show. Mal and Ethan are already here, in the other room. That must be the sound booth. It's encased in glass and the other three walls are some padded beige material.
Ethan is strumming his guitar. He has no idea we're here.
Neither does Mal. Both of them are lost in the song.
There's a guy here with his hands on the controls. He nods hello to us, but he keeps his attention on his task.
