Page 97 of Lost Track

“Good for you.” Dave offered a fist bump which she accepted though she looked amused. He sat back in the couch cushions and crossed his arms over his chest.

“What’s going on, Dave?” Hannah asked.

“Nothing,” he answered honestly. “I wish something was going on, but…” He made a face and shrugged.

“Do you have anything you want to talk about?” she asked slowly.

He shot her a lopsided smile. “Did that feel as uncomfortable to ask as it sounded?”

She scrunched her face. “Sorry. That obvious, huh? I’m trying something new.”

He chuckled. “I appreciate it. But no, there’s nothing to talk about.”

She rolled her lips inward and nodded.

“Are you going to the NMA’s next week?” Dave asked.

Hannah jerked her chin back. “Fuck no.”

Dave laughed. “Yeah. I wish I was strong like you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You just live your life. On your terms. No one makes rules for you.”

Hannah frowned. She sucked in a breath and paused. She licked her lips. “Dave. You can do whatever you want.”

He rolled his eyes. “No, I can’t. Not really. When I do what I want, people get confused and I hurt their feelings and… Ugh. It’s too hard to explain.”

Hannah chuckled darkly and he narrowed his eyes at her.

“If you go, and you see Coach Riley, ask him how his nose is.”

He chuckled. “I don’t know if I’ll remember, but if I do, you got it. And I have to go. My… management team is adamant that I go and make a public appearance.”

“Right.” She nodded. “Still repairing your image after the house fire.”

“I’m supposed to take my mom and wear an actual tuxedo and everything.” He rolled his neck, trying to fight the tension building as he thought about the event. “I agreed to perform and present.”

Hannah whistled low. “That’s a lotta bullshit.”

He laughed again because he agreed. And it felt good to laugh with someone who knew what he was talking about.

“What are you working on lately?” she asked, swiveling the stool she was on to face the control board.

“Nothing solid. I’m supposed to be writing and recording the third album. That’s the only reason Curtis hasn’t been around. I told him I needed space to make it work.” He widened his eyes and filled his cheeks with air. “But I have not been doing anything.”

“Nothing?”

“Well…I’m always writing. But it’s not anything I can use. It’s mostly me venting my frustrations.”

She spun back around and lifted her chin. “Can I hear some of it?”

He thought about it. “They’re mostly voice notes. They won’t make any sense.”

Hannah rolled her eyes. “No, I get that. But let’s work through it. Sometimes you have to take the lid off to see what else is inside.”

He eyed her, intrigued by the challenge in her tone.

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