Danny frowned.“She says there’s no point in practice if we can’t play.”His concern was tangible.
Now I really needed to be able to share what I’d talked about with Judith.I grabbed Danny and tugged him into another room.As I shared the conversation from this morning, some of his gloom lifted.
“There’s a catch,” I said.
“Of course there is.”
“You can’t tell Reese until Judith has more concrete information.I wasn’t even supposed to tell you but how was I going to keep anything from you?Especially something so big.”
“It’s okay.”Danny’s smile didn’t fade.“I can give Reese a little hope without spilling the beans.”
Good.I didn’t like the thought that she might feel even a little bit defeated.Awhat’s the pointwasn’t like her.
As I thought about brightening Reese’s day, it warmed me from the inside out.I was okay with her and Danny together.The thought felt right.I liked the way he lit up when she was around.It was true, I liked fucking her too.
Danny called Reese and told her he had a lead on helping with her contract, but he couldn’t say more yet.She’d already made work plans for the night, but she promised to come over tomorrow instead.The way he brightened was worth a lot.
It was still early for their relationship, at least in this way.If it looked like Danny was slipping, or that she might hurt him, I’d step in, but for now, I looked forward to what happened next between the three of us.
Tuesday,I was excited to mix the new music I’d composed with the art team’s replacement assets from the leak over Thanksgiving weekend.Most of the inspiration struck during those long nights, and it was some of the best work I’d done.
When I played it back for Phillip, his furrowed brows said he didn’t share my enthusiasm.
“What’s wrong?”I asked.
“Nothing.Just noticing it’s a different tone than the last piece.”
Of course it was.It was new and different and epic.“I decided to take things in a different direction.I didn’t ask for your critique.”The words snapped out harsher than I intended.
Phillip held up a finger.“Back the fuck up.It’s not a critique, and you asked what I thought.I can give an actual critique if you want.”
Dial it back.“No.”
“We’ll tweak the art to match, if this is the mood we’re going for,” Phillip said.
Fuck that.I’d give them the same old same old, like they expected.“Don’t worry about it.Give me a few days to clean this up and I’ll bring it back in line with what we always do.”
“It’s just a matter of tweaking lighting and a few outfits for my team.”
“I’ve got it.”Again, my reply came out more harshly than intended.
But I didn’t.I stared at the keyboard most of the day, plucked out a few notes here and there, but nothing came to me.Why was this environment so stifling?What was wrong with me?
Danny was only in the office half a day, because he had work in the afternoon, and when I got home, he and Reese were already practicing.They looked good together, but it was best when I slid in on the piano and joined them.
Correction, the sex after was better.
And as I left them to sleep, and went to fix Phillip’s problem with my music, my creativity was on fire.
Eighteen
Danny
Wednesday morning,I sent Reese on her way with a happy kiss, and made sure Brandon actually got out of bed, despite his growling.
By the end of the week, the pattern was obvious.Sex where Reese was involved equaled late nights of creating.
At best she was his muse.At worst…