Page 66 of Next Time I Fall (Excess All Areas 2)

“I fucking love it,” Alex said. “Pared back like that for so much of the song, and then letting go, made for a much more intense listening experience.”

“I’m with Alex,” Ben said. “Ignoring the label’s current expectations of us, it would be great to play live. When you know the crowd is just waiting for the beat to drop so they can get down to it. But I don’t know how we park Bexter and Moseley and their expectations.”

“Luke?”

Luke let out a deep sigh. “I wanted to hate it, but I can’t. It’s a great edit. Your girlfriend isn’t a bad drummer. I mean, she’s not great, but really solid.”

Girlfriend.

Luke had probably said the word to wind him up, but he found himself enjoying the idea of talking about Cerys that way. “I’ll let her know what you think.”

“You sounded great.” Matt took a slug of his beer.

“Finally took Cerys up on those vocal lessons. Breathing and shit. Better control of vocals. It helps.”

Matt tugged his hand through his hair. “You couldn’t have had this epiphany six months ago? Would have made life a lot simpler. It’s fucking brilliant. But what everyone else has already said is true. This is the antithesis of what Bexter and Moseley are expecting.”

Jase picked up his glass and took a sip. “If we’re going to be in this for the long haul, hell, if we’re going to be in this for the next few years, we have to write and record songs we’re going to be proud of playing. Sure, we can play Bexter’s version of this song, or we can—”

“Play Bexter Junior’s version of it?” Luke said.

Shit. When they pushed back against Bexter’s version, he was totally going to know that Cerys had helped him make the new version. “I think we just front up. Tell him we like this version better. I know Cerys is concerned how he’ll take it, but she’s happy to stand with us. Assuming we’re agreed we like this version.”

“Dude, stop with the collaborative speak,” Alex said. “It’s freaking me out. Of course we all agree it’s better and the version we actually want to record. And I want to hear the rest.”

Jase grinned, returned to the laptop, and pressed play.

Two hours later, when everyone was agreed they were going to talk to Bexter, Jase sat back in the booth as the rest of the guys discussed getting some food as a late lunch.

While they looked at the menu, Jase quickly messaged Cerys.

They loved them. All of them.

He’d ordered food, a club with onions rings and fries, and was sipping his pint when she replied.

Sorry. Was setting up studio one for some clients coming in. So it went well?

He looked around the table, at the conversation happening around him. Even Luke looked closer to his animated self. Or maybe that was because they’d already lost count of the number of beers they’d had.

Better than I could have imagined. You are one sexy miracle worker.

Not sure sexy and miracles belong in the same sentence.

Look in the mirror, babe.

Sweet talker.

There’ll be no talking when I see you in that apartment of yours you invited me to. Send me the address. I know I dropped you off the other night, but I didn’t write it down.

He grinned when she sent it through with a love heart on the end.

I’m going to be stuck here for the rest of the day but enjoy your afternoon away from the studio. Is it cheesy to say I’ll miss you?

He grinned.Not cheesy at all. I’ll miss you too. Do I have to talk about, like, your intelligence and how smart you are before I just come straight out and say how much I want to get naked with you?

There was a pause. Three bouncing dots in the bottom of his screen.

No. Because I’ve been thinking a lot about it too.

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