Page 147 of Best Served Cold

“Is that ‘Through Hell’?” I asked. “Melrose Avenue?”

He nodded.

“How did you learn it? Did he put out the sheet music?”

“Figured it out.” Zane shrugged, still playing. “I can’t read music. I learn by ear.”

My stomach fluttered with something akin to butterflies, but gentler, at the thought of him listening to the music I’d introduced him to.

“I never understood when people would go on and on about how hot musicians are, but I get it now.”

He grinned. “Yeah?”

“Oh yeah.” I leaned back against the couch.

“Do you want me to stop?”

“No, keep playing. It’s nice.”

He smiled shyly and switched to a different song, one I didn’t recognize.

“Who is that?” I asked after a few moments.

“Me.”

“You wrote that?”

He nodded, still looking adorably shy.

“Wow. It’s really good.”

“Thanks.” Was he blushing?

“Is River going to be home soon?” I asked, needing to think about something other than how gorgeous Zane looked playing the guitar for me.

“Shouldn’t be too late. He’s out with Caleb and Gray.” He nodded to the pile of art supplies on the table next to me. “He won’t mind if you use those.”

“I can’t.”

“You can. He told me to tell you that.”

“Really?” I eyed the supplies.

He nodded and kept playing, the tune helping to soothe some of the anxiety and apathy still rolling around inside me.

Tentatively, I picked up a stubby pencil and a scrap of paper that had been torn off the pad.

Zane didn’t react, just kept strumming.

We had a million things we needed to talk about, but I appreciated how he was giving me a chance to process everything we’d just dumped on each other.

We sat there for nearly an hour with him playing, and me doodling. I didn’t think too hard about what I was drawing, I just let the music guide me and did my best not to think about anything other than how nice it felt to be sitting here with Zane and doing our own thing.

The front door banged open. “Hello?”

I jumped, my heart palpitating wildly at the thought of being caught using River’s stuff. I relaxed when I remembered he’d said I could.

“Hey,” Zane said as River came into the living room.

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