Page 96 of He's The Reason Why

“Which of The Bellamy Sisters songs is closest to your heart?”

She’d been asked that question many times over the last few years, and her answer was usually I can’t pick a favorite. But this time, her answer had changed. The song Della had sent her had the potential to be the best song they’d ever done, and it was already her favorite, even if it wasn’t finished.

She wasn’t sure she was ready to tell the legions that though. Not until she spoke with her sisters.

“That’s…tough. We wrote all of them together. There’s bits and pieces of all of us through every album, so they’re all special and all very near and dear to me. What’syourfavorite? Okay, I realize we can’t all shout that answer out at once. Feel free to leave it in the comments, okay? Next question…”

A long series of random, routine, been-asked-a-thousand-times questions followed. She tried to pepper her answers with anecdotes to keep people interested.

Then one popped up that caught her attention and made her almost choke. She raised an eyebrow at it, then read it out loud for the audience.

“FromBryan…wow, this is long-winded. He says, ‘Hey Piper! Huge, HUGE fan. We have a lot in common. I love coffee, and changing seasons, and girls who make me do vocal exercises over and over and over. Question: Who’s your favorite movie star?’”

It was Blake.

She knew it was.

Nobody else would have mentioned vocal exercises or loving coffee—or used the name Bryan. B for Blake, Ryan for, well, Ryan.

“That’s…subtle.” She smirked. “Well,Bryan. Thank you so much for being such ahugefan and for loving vocal exercises so much. To answer your question, I’d have to say…I’m a huge,hugefan of Marshall Weston.”

She leaned closer to the camera. “Have you seen his latest movie? So cute. I got to meet him a few weeks ago and yes, heisthat adorable and totally hot in person. And before you start, no, there’s nothing happening between us. He’s way too busy at the moment, and you know how wrapped up inScorchedI am.”

She winked and moved on to the next question.

A few seconds later, a text popped up on her phone from Blake.

I’m hurt!

She giggled then cleared her throat and went on with the session. Knowing he was watching and listening gave the night an edge of excitement. There were over eight hundred thousand people viewing the post, but one of them was an amazing kisser who brought her coffee.

Thursday, the animators asked them to do another take on the forest chase sequence, which made the session run too late for just about anything except sleep. Actual sleep, not the kind where they stayed up all night.

“Friday?” Blake asked. He didn’t look like he expected her to say yes, but if that were true, why would he ask?

Regret and longing battled with her for domination, cheered along by hormones that urged her to ignore everything else on her plate. Every hour she spent next to him in the studio reminded her of that night they’d spent destroying his office and then his bed.

She wanted a repeat.

“Can’t, sorry. Rehearsal. Then the VIP show is Saturday, which makes Sunday my fall-over-in-an-exhausted-puddle day. I leave for Christmas on Monday.”

“You’re very busy and important, I get it.” He raised his hands in surrender. “I’ll stop asking.”

“You should come.” It was impulsive, but she really did want to see him somewhere other than the studio before she left for Christmas, and she felt bad that she had to keep turning him down.

“Sunday?” He looked confused.

“To the concert on Saturday. It’s at The Rox and starts at eight. I usually go for a couple of hours. I’ll have Neil put you on the backstage pass so you don’t have to wait out front.”

He looked like a man who couldn’t figure out how to say no. “That would be cool.”

She was about to let him off the hook when Jeanette buzzed in over the intercom. “Hey, Piper, could I go too?”

“Um, sure.” She hadn’t exactly planned on a group date, but she couldn’t tell Jeanette no. The woman had been in that boothtwenty-four seven for as long as Piper had known her. She needed to get out. “Neil will send you a confirmation code, okay? Be sure to bring a friend. Music’s always better when you share it.”

“Great! I will, thanks!” Jeanette squealed and dove out of sight.

She chuckled at Jeanette’s enthusiasm. “Think she’ll invite all of the animators?”

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