Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 100441 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100441 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
“Umm, playing hide-and-seek?”
My eyes narrow. “With who?”
He flusters. “Uh, your daughter. Who else would I be playing with?”
“You mean the daughter watching TV right now?” I point to Kaylee sitting in a trance in front of the screen.
“Kaylee,” Lyric says. “You’re supposed to be finding me.”
She turns her head. “What?”
“Oh sure, when I tell her it’s time to practice writing her ABCs, she pretends she can’t hear me, but no, this time it’s loud and clear,” Lyric mutters.
“So, why are you hiding?” I ask.
“Wait, Cash didn’t tell you?”
“Tell me what?”
“I’m surprised he didn’t. I would’ve. I would’ve told every single person I met, even the dude who bags my groceries at the store.”
That intrigues me. “What happened?”
“Let’s just leave it at our date was a disaster. If I never see Cash again, it will be too soon, and I will die of embarrassment, okay?”
“Disaster how?”
He averts his gaze and stares down at the counter. “I’d kinda rather not say.”
“Wait, he didn’t, like, hurt you or anything?”
Lyric bursts out laughing. “Hell no. He was really sweet. I was the disaster.”
“You’re going to have to give me something, or I’m going to go back in there and ask him.”
Lyric thinks about it. “I’d be cool with that. Then I won’t have to relive it.”
“He went to see you play, right?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Did you fall off the stage or something?”
“I wish that’s what I did. Oh God.” He closes his eyes. “I’m never drinking again.”
“Okay, now I have to know. Last chance to stop me.”
He turns to Kaylee. “What’s that, sweetheart? You need me?”
“Nope!”
Lyric scowls. “Man, I have to teach her how to be a better wingman.” With a sigh, Lyric looks me in the eyes. “I might have gotten nervous about Cash coming to my gig, and I usually don’t drink. Like, I’ll have one or two after my set. But this time, I had so many I lost count.”
“Uh-oh.” The thought of a drunk Lyric is kind of cute.
“Yeah …”
“He owes me a pair of shoes.” Cash’s voice comes from the doorway, and he’s got a huge smile on his face as he leans against the doorjamb. “I was wondering what was taking so long.”
I side-eye Lyric.
“Oh, you know, just reliving the most embarrassing moment of my life. Which is saying a lot, because I’ve bombed in auditions countless times.”
Which, I still don’t understand how with a voice like his.
“I’m guessing you didn’t puke all over any of those producers or label execs, though,” Cash says.
“Truth.”
“You didn’t really … did you?” I ask Lyric.
“Oh yeah. Big-time.”
I half feel sorry for him, half want to laugh at him.
Red creeps up his neck and onto his cheeks.
Cash comes around the counter and goes to the fridge to get his water. “So I dropped him at home and we agreed to pretend like it never happened.”
Lyric must not have gotten that memo considering he was hiding from Cash, but I won’t rat him out.
Cash nudges me. “We should get back to it. A few more hours and you won’t have to see me until my next album.”
That makes me a little sad because I enjoy working with Cash, but I can tell Lyric is relieved.
“Is it all right if you stay late tonight?” I ask him. “Cash is super close to finishing his album.”
“It’s okay with me,” Lyric says.
“Thanks.” I follow Cash back down the hallway to the studio, but instead of going into the booth, he spins to face me.
“I want you to know, I had plans for that guy.”
I shiver. “I don’t want to know.”
“Oh, I think you do. Do you realize how much your face lit up when you found out nothing happened between us?”
“That’s because him vomiting all over you is hilarious,” I argue.
“No, no. It was not that, and don’t even try to convince me otherwise. My plan was to be an absolute asshole to him.”
“What, why?”
“Because you like him. Friends don’t do that to other friends. He told me you encouraged it, but it was obvious he felt the same way I do about it all. Don’t push a guy you like toward someone else.”
“Thanks for the life lesson, but you really should be getting in that booth.”
“Tell me I’m wrong. Tell me you weren’t jealous.”
“The only thing I was jealous of was you getting to hear him play. He refuses to let me help him get a record deal because he wants to do it on his own.”
Cash winces. “I did hear him sing. He’s …”
“Phenomenal.”
His eyes narrow. “Are you sure you’ve heard him sing? He’s okay, but he’s really green.”
“Maybe he was green because he was drunk. I’ve heard him sing with Kaylee. He has an amazing voice.”
“I … I didn’t hear it. I mean, he’s good, don’t get me wrong, but I can see why he bombs in auditions.”