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“Or would you rather go upstairs?” Sienna asked, her lips brushing across Natalie’s.
Natalie fisted Sienna’s shirt, keeping her close, her body humming with desire as she pulled Sienna in for a passionate kiss before eventually leading her up the stairs and pushing Sienna back against the bed.
16
It took Sienna a while to settle into the reality that she was a recording studio. The contrast between the very ordinary-looking gray exterior of the garage and the impressive and professional setup inside was almost unbelievable. Soundproofing panels lined the walls, and on Frank’s side, there was a mix of modern recording equipment and more vintage pieces with lights glowing from the screens and the mixing board.
It was like a dream come true for Sienna to be here, and once she’d gotten over the shock of it all, she got in the zone and the hours flew by.
At times, she forgot that Natalie and Frank were even on the other side of the glass. It was only when either of their voices came into the booth, slightly distorted, giving her suggestions and tweaks she could make, that she remembered that she wasn’t on her own.
During one of her breaks, Sienna suggested that Natalie join her for By Chance. It had taken a little bit of persuading, but Frank was all about it, asking her what was the harm? They’d already recorded Sienna’s vocals. This would just be an added bonus.
“I’m rusty,” Natalie had said between takes.
But it wasn’t long before they got into a flow, and just having Natalie beside her made Sienna want to give her best performance, any nerves falling away.
As they both sang the chorus, their voices harmonizing, Sienna’s confidence soared. Natalie frequently held her gaze as they sang, and Sienna could feel the buzz in the room with this added connection. It was euphoric, and by the time they reached the last line, goosebumps had broken out across Sienna’s arms.
The applause sounded louder than it should have been and Sienna looked through the glass, her eyes widening as she registered who that woman standing beside Frank was, her blond hair styled in loose waves that fell across her teal blazer.
Sienna glanced at Natalie as they both took off their headphones.
“What’s Amelia doing here?” Natalie asked no one in particular, her voice barely audible.
Sienna followed Natalie back into the control room, a sinking feeling in her stomach.
Frank congratulated them on another great recording. “I can’t wait to mix it. You two together… It’s a beautiful thing.” He turned to Natalie. “I hope you don’t mind, but Amelia got in touch a few weeks ago asking if I ever saw you, so when I knew you were coming to town… I let her know.”
Natalie nodded.
Frank glanced between them. “Sienna, this is Amelia. Amelia, Sienna.”
Sienna politely smiled before reaching for a bottle of water and taking a long drink.
“You have a gorgeous voice,” Amelia said to Sienna.
“Thank you.” Sienna shifted her weight from one foot to the other, feeling the tension in the small space.
“Can I have a word outside?” Amelia asked Natalie, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.
“Yeah. Sure.”
Sienna sat down in now of the chairs, listening as Frank played back that last chorus and making a few adjustments.
“You know,” Frank said, fiddling with a few of the sliders, “she’s never actually done a duet before.”
Sienna turned to look over her shoulder, through the window panes of the garage door. Amelia and Natalie were standing in the middle of the driveway, between two cars.
“How do you know Natalie?” Frank asked, forcing Sienna to turn back around.
“She heard me singing at my county fair a few months ago.”
“It’s a shame about what happened,” Frank said after a moment, nodding towards the door. “When Amelia called me a few weeks ago, she said she’d been trying to track down Natalie for years. I hope it’s to apologize. That’s the only reason I told Amelia that Natalie would be here. If they were still on good terms, Amelia would have had her number.”
Sienna’s stomach did a somersault. There was no way that Amelia was here to apologize.
17
