Page 159 of The Broken Note

I laugh at their protests, bring my phone close so I can see when it buzzes, and start working out the new song.

Thirty minutes ticks by.

And then an hour.

And then two hours.

At first, I don’t notice.

Since meeting Cadey, my relationship with music has been changing. I find myself getting lost in it more often than before.

Eventually, I start to notice how late it’s getting.

“Why the hell hasn’t she called?” I mumble, swiping my phone roughly and checking my messages.

Nothing.

“Zane, can you text me?”

Behind his drum set, my brother taps on his phone.

At once, I get a message from my twin.

It’s the middle finger emoji.

“It’s working,” I growl.

“Maybe she’s sleeping,” Finn says.

“She promised she’d call,” I growl. “She should be done talking to her brother by now.”

“Don’t be clingy, bro. It’s not a good look,” Zane warns.

“What if she’s hurt—”

“She’s probably fine,” Finn says, giving me a look.

“You’re going to be married. Do you want to smother her before you’ve even said ‘I do’? What if she decides she doesn’t want to be with someone who can’t give her a break?”

“We’re in dangerous times.”

“There will always be danger, bro. If this is how you’re actingbeforemarriage,imagine how much worse you’ll be when you move in together?”

I glance at Finn.

My brother shrugs. “This might be a test. Maybe she wants to see if you go ballistic if she doesn’t keep her promise.”

“Ballistic? Why would I go ballistic?”

Finn shrugs again.

I tap my phone against my leg. I’m not angry. I’m just worried. Cadey’s in dad’s sight and, since her mom set me up, her mom is in dad’s pocket too. Their entire family has a big red target on their back because of me.

“Cool off, Dutch.” Finn sets his guitar away and pins me with his quiet gaze. “If she needs you, she’ll call.”

It goes against my grain, but I take my brother’s advice and set my phone down.

Cadey might still be with her brother, or she might be with Vi, or she might even be with her other friends celebrating Serena’s return to Redwood.

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