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He bites his lip, and damn him it’s sexy. He glances to his right, making sure the guys are occupied giving their orders and then lowers his voice.
“Tonight, stay late—I want to show you something.”
“What?” I ask hesitantly. Hollis and me alone in a room together doesn’t sound like the brightest idea.
“It’s a surprise.” He smiles, and it’s a genuine, almost shy and nervous smile.
It’s the smile that does me in and I nod. “Okay, I’ll stay.”
“Thank you,” he mouths the words before joining the other guys to order.
I might regret what I’ve agreed to, but his sincerity has me believing I won’t.
Kira slides a finished sub my way and I wrap it up before tabbing it into the register. I do it three more times before Cannon hands me a card and I swipe it. I can feel the brooding tattooed man watching me. Cannon makes me nervous, not like he frightens me, but I get the impression he’s good at reading people.
“See you guys later,” I say with a smile, because despite myself I’ve actually come to like all of them.
Rush winks at Kira. “Seeyoulater.”
As they file out, I wait for the door to close before turning on Kira with a raised brow and one hand poised on my hip. “Later?”
“Oh, don’t give me that look. After I saw what he was packing at the gym I decided I would be an absolute idiot to miss out on that peen while I had the chance.”
I shake my head. “You are crazy.”
“I am,” she agrees. “I’m also going to have crazy, hair-pulling, screaming orgasm sex tonight. You should try it sometime. Maybe you wouldn’t be so uptight.” She winks at me and I stick out my tongue.
The girls at the table in the corner glare at us. It’s only then I realize the guys only paidusattention and didn’t glance in their direction at all.
When my shift ends at six o’ clock I say goodbye to Kira who has to stay until close and hop in my car, heading to the studio. Between school, work, and the studio I’m rarely home anymore—basically only to shower and sleep. Luckily, I have fewer classes next semester and will hopefully have a chance to breathe—I just have to survive that long.
Inside the studio the front lights are dimmed to attract less attention from the outside. You wouldn’t believe the number of people who have wandered in here thinking the studio is an art gallery or museum. I’m losing my faith in humanity and their ability to read basic English.
I stroll into the room and barely say hello to the guys before my dad has me sitting beside him helping with the controls. He’s taught me a lot in a short time, more than I’ve learned in school. I’m happy he’s actually letting me participate. Any time he’s been in here recording with his band I haven’t been allowed to touch the controls—mostly because Uncle Mathias is a control freak, so I’ve only made sure they have food, coffee, and whatever else they might need.
But now I’m getting to do what I really want, what makes me happy, why I know my future is in music. I don’t want to be on the front lines, but behind the scenes is where I belong, making the magic happen.
I smile the entire time I work, my body moving with the song. I feel it. I live it.
This song has a faster beat, almost a pop edge to it compared to the first one they recorded. I love it just as much, but in a different way.
It doesn’t take a genius to see The Wild has what it takes for longevity in this business. They have the same thing Willow Creek has and it’s something rare. My dad was able to recognize it in them when other studios didn’t—but once they realized my dad wanted to sign them to his new companythenthey started to take more notice. But The Wild? They put their faith in my dad, and I’m glad they did. The smile he wears is contagious, like these guys have become his other children and I can see how proud he is of them and we’re only in the recording stage.
We’re all so in the zone we don’t realize how much time has passed and that it’s another late night. Reluctantly my dad calls it a day and everyone begins packing up to head out. Hollis goes through the motions, giving me a warning look telling me I’m not to leave. I give him a smile in return.
“I’m going to stay and clean up,” I tell my dad. “So, don’t worry if I don’t get home until late. I might see if I can crash with Kira,” I add, because if whatever Hollis wants to show me takes a while I might have to.
He nods and gives me a hug. “If you do come home, drive safe,” he warns. “The deer on the mountain are a nightmare right now.”
Don’t I know it. When I was seventeen, I hit one and it was traumatizing. I cried, not for the ruined front end of the car, but for the poor deer who lost her life. When I called Dad sobbing, he thought I killed an actual person. It probably didn’t help that I named the deer and was crying that I killed Petunia.
“I will,” I say in reply, and he smiles, saying goodbye to the guys before heading out. Cannon, Fox, and Rush head out too, waving goodbye.
Cannon pauses outside the door, giving Hollis an inquisitive look but Hollis waves him on. Cannon’s eyes seem to narrow in warning and Hollis ignores him.
With a shake of his head, Cannon disappears with the others.
I have a feeling a confrontational talk might be in Hollis’s near future.
