Page 89 of Let Me Love You (Excess All Areas 5)

“We’re two minutes late, Iz,” Chaya called out.

“Unless you’re early, you’re late,” she replied. “Everyone get a glass.”

Ben grabbed two and handed one to Chaya.

“I have a toast to make,” Iz said, holding her glass in front of her. “When it was hard, and you were all grafting, each and every one of you stepped up to do what had to be done. And now, well, you’re all different, yet the same. You’re wiser…”

“And more sober,” Alex added.

“High five to that,” Luke said.

Iz smiled at her brother. “You’ve all made it. And when we were broke, we still found a way to celebrate the wins and each other. And I know Matt thought I was stupid for wanting to have a party to open his recording studio, but this is a big deal for you all. So, here’s to the official Sad Fridays’ recording studio.”

Everyone raised their glasses and Ben sipped the cool champagne.

“I didn’t think you were stupid,” Matt said, tugging Iz to his side and kissing her temple.

“Okay, so show it to us,” Ben said.

Matt led them down the stairs to the basement, and Ben deliberately held Chaya back so he could kiss her again. “Did I tell you how pretty you look in this dress?” he muttered against her lips.

How was it so easy to lose himself in her deep brown eyes?

“You did…when you tried to strip me out of it before we left. I think you have a sundress fetish.”

“I have ayoufetish.” Ben chuckled. “I guess we would have been a lot more than two minutes late if I’d been successful.”

He kissed her again because there was nothing better. He didn’t think he’d ever get fed up with the feel of her in his arms.

“We should go downstairs,” Chaya said, pulling away from him.

“Spoilsport.” But he led her to the basement anyway.

The studio was small, but more than they’d ever had. There was a drum kit that Luke was sitting at. He’d given Zale a drumstick and Willow was filming him as he beat the shit out of a snare. The room was soundproofed, and equipment sat neatly organised along the walls. Cerys explained something about sound quality, while Jase slipped back out of the room.

When he came back down the stairs, everyone parted so that Jase could get to Matt. “I got you something. A studio warming present, of sorts.”

It was clear from the case it was a guitar. Matt took it and opened the lid cautiously, then grinned as he took out his very first guitar. Nan had bought it. Jase had broken it in one of their earlier fights. But being sentimental, Matt had kept the two pieces.

“I got it repaired and refinished. It plays great, but I figured you might want to, you know, hang it somewhere.”

Ben slapped Jase on the shoulder for support. He’d come such a long way in a short space of time, and the tightness Ben felt in his throat matched the pained look on Matt’s face. He handed the guitar to Alex so he could hug his brother.

“Thanks, Jase,” he said quietly, but then, was interrupted by a loud squeal from Zale.

Matt took the guitar back and strummed a few chords of the Foo Fighters’ “Learn to Fly”, before slipping the strap over his neck. When he continued, Luke passed Zale to Willow and grabbed a pair of sticks. Alex sat down at the keyboard and joined in. Jase perched his ass on the chair by the production desk and began to sing. Ben squeezed Chaya’s hand and picked up an acoustic guitar.

Willow covered Zale’s ears.

The sound was great, but what was better? The five of them. Playing. For no reason. One song became another. Their songs, classic rock songs, three of the five songs currently at the top of the UK charts that they kept fucking up. And by the time they stopped laughing and playing, they realised that all of their partners were gone.

“Guess they got bored,” Jase said, laughter in his voice.

Alex shrugged. “They see us play all the time. It’s just our job. I mean, it’s not like we go to their jobs and watch them do their shit.”

“I smell food, though.” Luke stood up and put the sticks back in their holder.

Ben placed the guitar back in the rack. “It’s a great space, Matt. We should think about starting ideas for the next album before we head out east on the Australia and Asia leg.”

---