Total pages in book: 52
Estimated words: 50770 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 254(@200wpm)___ 203(@250wpm)___ 169(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50770 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 254(@200wpm)___ 203(@250wpm)___ 169(@300wpm)
Zane nods. “Yeah, and get this guy some caffeine too, but put it in a kid cup and be sure to add some whipped cream,” He glances over his shoulder at me. “Did you want the tootsie roll too, or are you going to pass?”
I flip him off.
He turns back to Bronte. “They grow up so fast, don’t they?”
She smiles at me, then tilts her head. “You okay?”
“Swell.” I choke it out and suddenly feel like crying like a little bitch, maybe I will take that tootsie roll, maybe it will occupy my throat enough to keep the thick need to cry at bay.
I walk around the counter and stare at the wall of books, half of them romance, what a joke. I don’t know how long I stand there but it’s long enough for Zane to tap me on the shoulder, hand me my coffee—it is in fact in a plastic kid’s cup with whipped cream—and then shove me toward the back door.
I frown. “Aren’t you recording?”
“Top secret studio, my friend.” We pass Bronte and go into the storage room, then through another door, it has a wooden winding staircase that looks like it’s new construction.
I follow Zane up the stairs and into a small studio with one booth on the left. The soundboard is right in front of me and to the right, several small fridges with energy drinks and snacks lined across the wall.
The wall is painted purple, and there are a myriad of different guitars hanging from it. Past the soundboard is a sliding glass door leading out to a balcony. And that’s when I see him.
Drew Amhurst, member of Adrenaline, award-winning producer, and apparently tame now? He has tattoos up and down his arms, a lip piercing, and messy dark hair that’s pulled back into a low ponytail. He’s holding a coffee and watching the ocean when Zane taps on the glass.
He turns and flashes a smile, then joins us in the studio, closing the door behind him. He’s in low slung blue jeans, a loose black tank top and has enough necklaces to make a person dizzy, don’t even get me started on the sheer amount of bracelets on his wrists or the black nail polish, I forget how old he is but I think he’s in his late thirties.
“Hey.” Drew laughs. “Eyes up here High School.”
“Oh, he graduated already.” Zane adds in helpfully. “How is the chess club, by the way?”
I shoot him a glare. “This is not the day to give me shit.” I almost throw my coffee at the wall, then hold out my hand to Drew. “Nice to see you, it’s been a while.”
He grips my hand, stares me down, doesn’t let it go. “Shame.”
“What?”
“That you aren’t an artist, I could do a lot with the pain you just brought into this studio. Should we light some sage?” He’s still gripping my hand but asking Zane.
Zane just sighs. “I know, I could literally feel his anxiety the entire drive here.”
“Artists.” Drew releases my hand. “We’re extremely sensitive to other people’s feelings, damn, who hurt you?” He turns to Zane again. “He’s not even standing up straight and his skin is pale.”
“I’m standing straight!” I argue.
“I know,” Zane says, completely ignoring me. “Quinn, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but there will be another chess club and there’re tons of fish in the sea, so what if she dumped you and—“
“—I left her.”
Both guys look surprised.
“What?” I scoff and set down my coffee on the table. “Is it so surprising that a guy who likes math would dump the hot girl?”
“Yes,” they say in unison.
Zane smirks. “I mean, you’re an attractive dude, fit, super funny, and why does it sound like I’m hitting on you right now?”
“What he means,” Drew jumps in smoothly. “Is that, it’s just a shock you know, to hear those words, from your mouth—specifically.”
I groan into my hands and just blurt it out. “I slept with the wrong twin!”
Zane’s mouth drops open while Drew’s eyes widen.
“At the risk of sounding like a dick, I’m not sure whether I should feel bad for you or respect the shit out of you for not having a nervous breakdown already, that shits messed up dude. Did you know?”
“Yeah Drew, I met the girl of my dreams, then her twin, and thought you know what would be super epic? Ruin my entire relationship by screwing her sister!”
Zane pats me on the back. “Should you sit down?”
“You sit down!” I toss a finger in his direction.
He holds his hands up in front of him. “Do you need like a shot of tequila? Seven?”
“I need ten bottles and even then, it won’t fix the fact that the girl I really like could potentially see myself truly loving knew this entire time, but didn’t say anything because her sister was holding it over her head, long story short. I acted like an ass, kissed both of them, had no clue the evil one was playing me, but the apparent nice one did.”