Page 118 of Behind the Net

“I’d do it forever if it wouldn’t break my heart,” I sing. My throat tightens as the words spill out, and my voice catches.

It feels different, because I know Jamie isn’t Zach. Things have changed between us. It’s so new and I’m terrified to think forward to the future with him, but that doesn’t mean I can’t hope.

I close my eyes, because I don’t want to see whatever Ivy’s expression is. It’s unprofessional to get emotional in the studio.

I keep my eyes closed the entire song and let myself feel all the feelings. Jamie wanders into my mind, and I smile to myself, because his encouragement is the reason I’m even here, and I’ll always be grateful for that.

“Beautiful.” Ivy’s clipped voice comes through the mic, and my eyelids fly open.

Jamie stands beside her in the sound booth, arms folded over his chest, watching me with that intense, bright gaze, and the corner of his mouth curves up. So serious, even when he’s smiling.

He’s here, and I’m so stunned and pleased that all I can do is let the grin stretch across my face as my heart flips over in my chest.

He’s here, and I fall a little deeper in love with Jamie Streicher.

* * *

“Interesting,” Ivy says in the lobby that evening after she’s decided we’re done. It’s eight o’clock and I’m starving, but I’d stay here for days if she asked me to. She studies me for a long moment, barely glancing at Jamie. “Very interesting. Thank you. We’re done for today.”

And then she’s gone, disappeared back into the control room. From her reaction, I can’t tell if I impressed her or bombed, but I don’t see how I could have done better.

“Songbird.” I feel Jamie’s gaze on my face like a brush of his fingers. His eyes are soft like velvet, and my heart squeezes as I smile at him. “You did it.”

Emotion floods me, and I smile wider at him. “I think I did.”

Something between us. All these feelings I’m experiencing for the guy who has become so much more thanJamie Streicherpulse in the air, demanding attention. His gaze drops to my lips, and it’s not just heat I see in his eyes, but more. His eyes lift to mine again, and he gives me that proud smile.

“Let’s get you fed,” he says, and I nod. “And then home.”

CHAPTER57

JAMIE

We get homethat night after dinner and then taking Daisy for a late walk, and I’ve never been more in love with my pretty assistant.

She’s so brave. She sang her heart out in that sound booth, just opened up her chest and let everyone see the heart beating behind her ribs, even though she was afraid.

She got back on the ice, like I told her to all those months ago.

“Thank you for coming today,” she says as she kicks her sneakers off.

“Like I’d miss it.” I almost skipped practice to go, racing to the studio as soon as the whistle blew instead. “I’m so proud of you, songbird.”

Her eyelashes flutter, her gaze still on my face. Her lips are so pretty, so lush, and my fingers itch with the urge to trace them. “I love it when you call me that.”

My pulse jumps as something big expands in my chest. The nickname is my way of telling her I love her, I realize. I’ve been doing it for months, long before the reality sank in. The words are on the tip of my tongue, but I hold back.

It’s new, and I don’t want to rush her.

A rueful smile twists onto my mouth. “I love calling you that.”

I stare down at Pippa, into her mesmerizing blue-gray eyes. I’m never going to find someone like Pippa Hartley. She’s one in a million, and after what I saw today, she’s finally realizing it.

“There’s something I want to ask you.” I tuck a lock of her hair behind her ear.

I’ve been thinking this over since New Year’s Eve, when my feelings for Pippa hit me like a freight train.

“I want to reach out to Erin.” Erin’s devastated expression appears in my head, and guilt weaves through me. “I want to make things right with her. I—” My words cut off as I look down at Pippa, so open and curious. Jesus, I love her. I’d do anything to prevent crushing her like I crushed Erin. “I want to fix things.”

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