It had been two days since she’d left Chris’s place with that awkwardness between them, but it felt like two years. Yesterday had been so busy that the day had simply flown by without any time to talk, and after he’d been a bit weird toward her, she’d hidden away in the skybox for most of the day. When she’d finally gone home at eight o’clock, he was still poring over lines of code and going over clips with Shen.
Now she still felt really awkward. Like she wasn’t sure how to act. Was she just another of his forty-eight-hour girlfriends? One weird moment between them, and the magic was gone?
The thought depressed her probably more than it should have.
That’s what you get when you stray from the straight and narrow.
She made herself smile and nod. “Yep. Fine. Totally great!”
His eyes narrowed a bit, like he was suspicious, but she couldn’t blame him. She was acting too chirpy. Too fake.
Of course. Because you’re acting.
“Cool. Well, I’m just heading down the street to grab some lunch. Did you eat already?”
She shook her head. Part of her wanted to tell him about the job, to see what he thought. She valued his opinion. But that was exactly why she didn’t ask. She didn’t want him to think she was foolish for even considering Well Placed.
Except…she’d been gone for over half an hour. If he asked her what she’d been doing for all that time, would she really be able to keep it from him?
He was quiet for a while, as though he was contemplating asking just that. But after a second, he stepped closer. “Listen…I’m trying to finish up a bunch of stuff today, but, uh, are you free tonight?”
Relief flooded her. Why did she care so much whether he wanted her?
She nodded. “Yeah, I’m free. What did you have in mind?” The excitement was so intense now that she felt light-headed. What had she gotten herself into?
“Do you want to come over again? Maybe watch that movie that we never got around to?”
“Yes. I’d like that.” She’d like it very much, in fact. She was getting too involved with him, caring too much…taking a risk with her heart. To the point where she wondered whether breaking the rules might have been a much bigger mistake than she’d thought.
…
Nearly two weeks later, Chris was sitting in the booth at Phantom studios, watching the movie while listening to the pieces that Minh had composed and recorded for the scenes. Thankfully, the animation was complete, and all but two of the songs were finished. But he couldn’t stop the feeling something was missing.
He still wasn’t sold on her music. The guys seemed to like it, and it was technically superior, just like she’d said it would be. It fit all the rules of good music, too, but again…it wasn’t right.
He’d tried to be encouraging. Patient. Understanding. He’d called her out on it, and she’d seemed to want to rise to the challenge to be different. But she had yet to deliver that in her music.
With him, though…as cheesy as it sounded, it was like she’d blossomed. After those tense couple of days, he’d resolved not to push her too hard on whatever relationship was between them. He’d put away the hurt he’d felt at being denied, and tried to pretend it had never happened. They’d been together nearly every night for the past two weeks, always at his place, since it felt weird hooking up at her place, where his sister now lived. It was like they were an actual couple.
Except that…they weren’t. She shared her body with him, and some of her heart, but no matter how much he tried to push her to expand her music, she wouldn’t let him in, while he couldn’t help but feel he’d already given over a piece of his soul to her.
It hurt.
And still he didn’t push her.
But now, he wasn’t sure what to do. His personal life was one thing, but this was his business. His life’s dream. The score could still be salvageable if these last two pieces—one for the opening scene and one for the final scene—were stellar. Absolutely mind-blowing.
He was starting to believe they wouldn’t be, and that disappointed him more than anything. He hadn’t told her yet, but he was seriously considering redoing the entire score if they got investment from Harmon. It would mean that she wouldn’t have her name on a film score, after all, but he couldn’t let this go.
This was his one chance to demonstrate the originality and creativity of Phantom Studios, and he wasn’t going to fail.
Next to him, Minh was watching the opening scene on repeat. The guys had just finished it yesterday, and she’d been at it all morning, trying a few ideas so far that just weren’t working. They were both frustrated, and before things got too intense, he decided to leave her alone to work for a bit.
“Chris?” He heard her say his name, and he took off his headphones and turned to her.
“What’s up?”
Her head was tipped back, her eyes pointed at the ceiling. Her arms were hanging loose at her sides. She was the very picture of exhaustion. “I don’t know what to do about this scene. I’ve tried a few other ideas, but they’re not coming together. I—” Her voice wavered, and she trailed off, her body slumping even further in the chair.