“Ready, Rae? Hey Regan, how’s it goin’, man?” Regan and Bo slap each other’s hands.
“Yeah, Josh is meeting us there, and Regan can come with us. We’re all heading to the house so the girls can get ready.” Rae smiles and Bo’s eyes immediately shoot to mine...as do Regan’s.
“I’m ready.” I force a smile while Bo and Rae head to his car, but Regan chooses to stick around and stare at me. “What?” I ask of Regan incredulously, bugging my eyes for effect.
He shakes his head and puts his arm around my shoulders with a chuckle. “Ah, Rapunzel,” he teases, “I’m guessing this is going to be an interesting night.”
“Oh, fuck entirely off, Regan.” I laugh and slide into Monica’s car.
When I close the door, I have to deal with Monica’s face.
“What now? Why can’t anyone leave me alone today?” I start in.
“You know what now. What the hell was that earlier today with Ainsley? You do realize you showed Bo that you still care about him by pointing out your plans tonight in front of her, right?”
I was so ticked off by Ainsley’s presence, and her assertion in front of me that they’d had lunch together, that I didn’t consider Bo’s reaction to what I said.
“Whatever, just friggen drive.” I motion to Bo’s car that’s pulled out ahead of us.
“You need to get your shit together, sister. You’re skinny as hell, even Josh has noticed. Plus you’re having sex all the live-long day with Adrian, oh, and you’re in love with Bo.”
I bite my lip in an attempt to fight the anger brewing inside. I fail.
“Here we go! Do you remember when we got loaded at Lost Dog? Before that was when you told me to “figure it out” with Adrian, or whatever you said. Well, I’m figuring it out, so leave it the hell alone, Monica.”
“Oh, shut the hell up, like you do anything anyone tells you to do anyway. I could have told you to go after Bo that night, and you wouldn’t have done it just to spite me. Don’t use me as an excuse for your ‘issues.’” She puts air quotes around ‘issues’ and I kind of want to punch her in the face.
“Shit,” she continues, “I lost them.”
“Turn left up here.” I motion with my hand.
After I guide Monica to the private road, I watch her eyes widen to the same gauge mine must have the first time I came to this gate.
“Yeah, I know. He left it open. Just drive through, he’ll close it from the house.”
“You weren’t kidding ...” Monica recalls the phone call we had when I was in Bo’s bedroom after I met Rachel.
When the house comes into view, my wires and signals have become so crossed, they pack up and head home for the evening. I can no longer run on instinct or what I think I should be doing, I have to force myself through the motions and just get to the concert.
Chapter Sixteen
When we’re secured in the massive foyer, Rachel and Monica head upstairs, while Bo takes Regan to the studio.
I call after Rae and Monica, “I’ll be up in a minute, guys. I want to see Regan’s face when he sees the studio.” Ignoring their faces, I follow the guys downstairs.
When I get to the studio, Bo has Regan in the control room. The last time I was in this room, Bo played the song he’d written for his parents. I glance at the piano, but there’s no music there.
“Ember,” Regan speaks through the mic, “why don’t you show Bo that song Josh was helping you with. Bo, she can use your guitar, right?”
“That won’t be necessary,” I hold up my hands, “I haven’t practiced it much—”
Regan cuts me off, “It’s good, Ember.”
“I’d like to hear it,” Bo clears his throat. “Guitar’s over there.”
Come on!
Bo nods toward his guitar, and I nervously walk over and pick it up. Josh has helped me tinker with the lullaby that Bo worked on...for me. We’re working on a second verse. I’m scared shitless to play it right now, but decide quickly that I need to. It’s my song, damn it.
I look into Bo’s eyes as I start strumming, and watch his lips part as he takes a seemingly shocked breath. The first part of the verse is a carry-over of something Bo had written, and a small grin pulls at the corners of his mouth as I nail it. I look to the floor as a tougher part approaches, and I stumble over it. Twice.
Great. Shit.
When I look up, I see Bo walking toward me. His brow is slightly furrowed but he still has the cautious grin on his face.
“That kind of chord transition is tricky. Good, but tricky. You’re over thinking it— I can see it on your face. Try this.” Bo moves to my side and places his left hand over mine. “See, normally you’d want to use this finger for the chord, but in order to accomplish that transition, it’s OK to use this finger here.” I go numb as he effortlessly moves my fingers around the strings.
My heartbeat pounds through my lips. I look at Regan, who is staring back at me with intensity. With my pulse increasing, I audibly inhale to try to slow it down.