Page 139 of Hope & Harmony

Maybe that was the whole point, torturing and killing me. I nodded and started again.

And again.

And again.

Two hours later,againwas my least favorite word, and she somehow looked cheerful over the fact that I was seconds away from throwing instruments around the booth.

A cymbal, God, even a cymbal, would give me stress relief. The song stopped again, abruptly.

Her finger had to be sore from all the times she slammed it down. But there was no way she was finished with me. She was a sadist. “Good.”

That. Was. It?

Good?

Good?

Just good?

My jaw dropped. “Is that your idea of a compliment?”

“Is that your idea of singing?”

Oh shit, I took a deep breath and looked down, not trusting myself to keep calm. “I’m more than good.”

When I looked up, all I saw was a shrug and a small smirk.

I narrowed my eyes, then I went for it. I stomped out of the booth, marched toward her chair, and pulled her against me. “Admit it.”

“What?”

“You missed me, and I’m more than good.”

She licked her lips and stared up at me. “Mildly better than good, and I didn’t even remember you until now.”

“Lie.” My nostrils flared. “I know I messed up, but I also know that the minute I met you I’d be leaving you for at least eighteen months. You can’t blame me for panicking when I had one of the best moments of my life after, mind you, growing up as a trainee who’s told he’s going to basically get blacklisted if he gets involved with anyone.”

Her smile grew a bit. “Probably not a good idea to hook up then in a recording studio as your first act of rebellion.”

“No.” I laughed. “Probably not my best moment.”

“I did.”

“What?”

“Miss you. I missed you. And you hurt me. And you’re better than good, and now you’re going to have another hit album, especially if I’m on it, and then you’ll walk away again. The good ones always do, want to know why?”

“Tell me.”

“Because of the music.” She nodded, her eyes glistened with tears. “The music is always number one, and I don’t blame you for it, but I don’t want to live my life as number two.”

“But...” I tilted my head and leaned in. “Couldn’t it be a tie?”

“What?”

“Music, love, can’t it be a tie? Why does one have to lose out when they’re always better together?”

“Two powerful things like that are terrifying, don’t you think?”

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