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The kitchen, dining, wine cellar, and living area with a giant TV screen and another bathroom are on the first level (above the parking garage) with a small courtyard patio.
Alice and Teagan’s bedrooms and communal bathroom are on the second level with the gym and soundproofed music studio. Each upper floor has a deck.
Tucker’s bedroom, walk-in closet, bathroom, large TV lounging area, and wet bar make-up the top-level. He’s made it into his man cave for when he needs time to himself.
Once I have the mug of warm milk in hand, I make my way back up the spiral staircase.
A bedroom door opens when I’m on the second level, about to start my climb to Tucker’s floor. “Psst, Ophelia, is that you?” It’s Teagan. I do well not to spill a drop of milk when she makes that noise. “Hold up.”
“Morning…” I pause on the staircase. “I hope you don’t mind. I can’t sleep, so I got myself milk to help me relax,” I whisper into the darkness, which sounds far too loud in such a quiet house. I swivel around, shining my phone toward her voice.
Her strawberry blonde hair is up in a messy bun when she appears, and she’s holding a blanket. I shine the phone torch where neither gets blinded, but we can easily see each other.
“No need to whisper. My sister is snoring loudly in my room, She sleeps like the dead. We are safe from waking her by talking, and we already have the other occupant awake in the house. Tucker isn’t in Alice’s bedroom.
“I heard my twin leave Alice’s room about ten minutes ago. Here…” She takes hold of my elbow and my phone, drawing me farther down the hallway as she chats away. “I can’t sleep, either. I’m excited to see our parents, plus flying gets me restless. Tucker and Shamus are both good pilots, more than good, but that whole being at the mercy of man’s invention still gets me hyped up every time,” she admits candidly.
I just now realize she’s not wearing pajamas. Teagan’s already dressed for the day. Jeans and a vintage Bon Jovi T-shirt underneath a gray cashmere button-up sweater.
“I was coming out to check on my brother. You’ve got his mind in a spin.” We come to a halt outside the music studio door. “Tucker won’t be able to hear us if we scream.” She pats the door softly to the soundproofed music studio, then waves her hand. “Well, drink up.” I try not to look guilty for invading their refrigerator. “We are due a chat. No time like the present.”
Teagan’s as pretty as Tucker is handsome. They have the same hazel eyes that seem to sparkle when they are up to something, and I feel like that something is about to be made known to me.
I sip the milk, waiting for this chat to commence.
“Listen.” She turns a knob on a wall panel with a green light above it. It’s the volume. I can hear a man singing, accompanied by an acoustic guitar.
“Is that Tucker?” I recognize the song “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac.
“You betcha,” Teagan says proudly. “Alice can press this button.” She points to another button. “It allows her to talk to Tucker when he stops playing. The volume knob lets her listen in on his music and know when she can interrupt him, but if the red light is on, it means he wishes not to be disturbed, and he can turn it off from inside the studio. Let’s sit for a bit and listen to my talented brother.” She puts the torch app off and hands the phone back to me.
We both slide down to the floor, leaning up against the door, our legs blocking the hallway in the dark, and Teagan covers us with the blanket.
I saw different electric guitars hanging on the wall in his home, but not until I heard him play did I fully understand Tucker’s musical genius.
“Landslide” comes to an end. We hear Tucker moving around the room, and then he caresses the keys on the baby grand piano until he starts playing a beautiful piano introduction.
The milk gets forgotten on the floor beside my leg.
‘“Flicker’by Niall Horan—ex-One Direction.” Teagan sighs sadly.
I listen to the lyrics, and it becomes clear Tucker is singing about a lost relationship.
I feel like my heart gets stuck in my throat. Breathing is difficult.
I close my eyes and let the pain in his voice roll over me.
Tucker is hurting.
“I shouldn’t be invading your brother’s privacy, Teagan.” I make to stand up by removing the blanket from my legs.
“Stay. Tucker will know somebody is here listening because a green light comes on inside above the door. He will assume it is me or Alice too excited to sleep in.” Teagan puts the blanket back across my legs.
“He doesn’t know I am here. You’re his sister.”
“And what are you to Tucker?”
“Nobody. Just a passing interest.”
