Page 67 of When Wrecked Meets Ruined
Brody scowled. “As if you had a shot in hell.”
“I took myself out of the competition. That’s the only reason you won. I hate to see a grown man cry.”
Brody snorted.
“How’s the recording studio coming along?” Ridge asked.
A recording studio?
“Great,” Shiloh said with a big smile. “Your uncle Patrick put his best crew on the job.”
“Of course, he did,” Ridge muttered.
“He’s so proud of you, Ridge,” Shiloh said softly. “He was just telling me today that he bought season tickets for all the home games.”
“Good for him.” I side-eyed Ridge. Obviously, he wasn’t a big fan of Uncle Patrick, but he quickly changed the subject, his signature smile firmly in place. “How about a tour of the studio? Evie’s dying to see it.”
I opened my mouth to protest but shut it again when Shiloh came over and linked her arm to mine. Shiloh Leroux led me through the open space where the door would go and into her recording studio, just like it was no big deal.
I reminded myself that Shiloh might be a rock goddess, but she was also a mere mortal like the rest of us. I didn’t usually follow celebrity gossip, but I’d read her story. Or, at least, the story the media got. I couldn’t help but wonder how much of it was true. Her life hadn’t exactly been all sunshine and roses, and I guess that’s why her music spoke to me. She’d gone through a lot of tough times and came out the other side.
“Evie?” Shiloh prompted with a laugh.
“I’m sorry.” I shook my head. “I zoned out for a minute.”
“Don’t worry.” She brushed it off with a warm smile. “I do it all the time.”
I looked up at the vaulted ceilings and around the vast space. Just a shell of a building so far, but it was a lot bigger than it appeared from the outside. There were big openings cut out, which I guessed would be windows overlooking the trees. “So this is where all the magic is going to happen?”
“Let’s hope so. Guess we’ll see when the next album drops.” She grimaced as if she was scared. I guess I couldn’t blame her. Putting out music must be a lot like baring your soul.
“You have absolutely nothing to worry about. It will be amazing. I love your music.”
“Thank you. That means a lot to me.” She must hear that from fans all the time, but she sounded like she genuinely meant it. “Do you have a favorite song?” She laughed a little. “Forget I asked that. It makes me sound like a diva.”
“No, it doesn’t.” From what little I already saw, Shiloh was the furthest thing from a diva. “And yes, I do. Have a favorite song, I mean. ‘The Ghost of You.’”
She gave me a little smile I couldn’t read. “That’s interesting. It’s Ridge’s favorite song too.”
“I guess I can understand why.”
She opened her mouth to say more, but before she could, Ridge appeared at my side and slung his arm around my shoulder as if it belonged there.
“You done here?” he asked, looking down at me. “We need to get going if we want to catch the sunset.”
“The sunsets are beautiful here,” Shiloh said. “You should take Evie to see the wild horses.”
“Damn. There goes my surprise.”
“Oops.” Shiloh slapped a hand over her mouth.
“Wild horses?” I looked at Ridge.
“Wild, wild horses, Cherry. Couldn’t drag me away.”
Shiloh laughed at The Rolling Stones reference, and I joined in, but only to cover up the little zing that shot through my heart. Ridge’s tone had been playful, but he looked right at me like he meant it.
“They’re the only horses Ridge can relate to,” Brody said. “The wilder, the better for my little brother.”
