Page 69 of The Ballad of Us
Twenty-Two
RHEA
I'm wiping down the espresso machine at Mountain Mornings, the warm, nutty aroma of freshly ground coffee beans enveloping me. As steam hisses softly from the machine, I hum one of Gray's new melodies under my breath. The café is filled with the gentle clinking of coffee cups and the rustling of newspaper pages. The entire band troops through the door, interrupting the rhythmic sounds with their collective burst of barely contained excitement. It's three o'clock on a Tuesday afternoon, and they should be working on their album at the cabin, not appearing in my coffee shop looking like five-year-olds with a secret.
"We need to borrow Rhea," Gray announces to Emma, who's restocking the pastry display behind me.
"For what?" I ask, untying my apron with growing curiosity.
"Can't tell you. It's a surprise," Parker says, practically bouncing on his toes.
"I don't like surprises," I lie, because the truth is I've grown to love the way these men have made surprise and spontaneity feel safe instead of chaotic.
"You'll like this one," Andrew promises, and there's something in his tone that suggests this is bigger than their usual impromptu adventures.
"Go," Emma waves me away with flour-dusted hands. "I've got things covered here, and you know I can't stand it when they all hover like this. They're making my customers nervous."
Five minutes later, I'm squeezed into the middle seat of Andrew's SUV. We drive away from the now-bustling café and through the village toward a part of town I rarely visit. Soon, we turn off Main Street onto Belvedere, a quiet side street lined with older buildings that have seen better days.
"Where exactly are we going?" I ask as Andrew pulls into a small parking area behind a large brick building.
"Here," Gray says simply, but his smile tells me this moment means more to him than he's letting on.
The building they led me to is substantial and imposing, clearly dating back to the early 1900s when this part of Georgia was booming with textile mills and mountain commerce. The brick exterior is weathered but solid, and tall windows promise plenty of natural light inside.
"What is this place?" I ask as Zep produces a set of keys with the flourish of a magician revealing his final trick.
"Our new studio," Wyatt says quietly. "If you think it'll work."
My breath catches. "Your studio?"
"We've been looking for months," Andrew explains as we approach the back entrance. "Somewhere private enough that we can work without worrying about fans or paparazzi, but close enough that we don't have to leave the mountain."
Gray takes my hand as Zep unlocks the door. "We wanted you to see it first. Before we make any final decisions."
The door opens to reveal a cavernous space that takes my breath away. Exposed brick walls stretch upward, catching the afternoon sunlight that streams through tall windows. Dust motes drift lazily in the warm glow, like tiny fairies dancing in the air. The space feels alive with potential.
"Oh my God," I whisper, stepping inside and turning slowly to take it all in. "This is incredible."
"It used to be a furniture manufacturing space," Cody explains, his voice echoing slightly in the empty room. "Then it was an antique warehouse for a while. It's been empty for about two years."
I walk deeper into the space, my footsteps echoing off the high ceilings. The exposed ductwork gives it an industrial feel, but the warm brick and natural wood keep it from feeling cold. Windows line two walls, and I can already envision how beautiful this space will be when it's filled with music and life.
"The acoustics are supposed to be amazing," Parker adds. "Something about the height of the ceilings and the brick walls."
"And look at this," Gray says, leading me toward the back of the building. "The best part."
He opens a door I hadn't noticed to reveal a private courtyard, completely enclosed by the building on three sides and a tall fence on the fourth. There's a gate with a heavy lock, ensuring complete privacy from the street.
"Your own private outdoor space," I breathe. "For breaks between sessions, or acoustic sets, or just... peace."
"That's exactly what we were thinking," Andrew says, and I can hear the relief in his voice that I understand the vision.
"So what do you think?" Gray asks, and there's something vulnerable in the question that makes me look at him more closely.
"I think it's perfect. But why did you want my opinion first?"
The guys exchange glances, and I sense there's more to this story than they've told me. It's almost as if they're holding onto a shared secret, something that links back to their past or maybe even a new endeavor that's been quietly brewing. The curiosity nags at me, urging me to probe deeper. Could it be that there's an old connection to this building or a past dream that they haven't quite let go of? Or perhaps it involves a plan they have yet to fully unveil, and I'm about to become a part of that vision?
