“Can you give me a hand?” Johnny asked Dave.
He let her go and joined Johnny in the bright recording room.
Zara moved in and gave Sabine her own hug. “I was hoping I’d get to see you,” the pop star said.
They stepped back, out of the way of the bustling activity.
“So things with you and Sunshine look…interesting.” Zara was fishing and Sabine laughed out loud.
“Interesting is an accurate word for it.”
“We still staying friends or are we upgrading to more than friends?”
Sabine swallowed a smile. “I don’t know. I mean, I love him, but––”
Zara’s eyes widened just noticeably and she grasped Sabine’s elbow. “You mean you like him.”
Woof. Is it hot in here?
She hadn’t meant to say that.
Or had she?
Was it a slip of the tongue or a slip of her thoughts?
“Yeah, yeah, of course.” Sabine blinked and waved her hand like she could wipe away what had just happened. “I like him.”
Zara narrowed her eyes at Sabine like she didn’t believe her. “Hey, gimme your number. I’m out of here tonight but I have to be back in a few days for a thing. I want to see more of you.”
Sabine watched from outside her body as she exchanged contact information with the woman who won Artist of the Year three years in a row.
What was her life anymore?
If Zara had kids this would make sense. But it looked like Zara Lorna wanted to hang out with Sabine? For the sake of hanging out?
“You know I’m a teacher, right?” Sabine asked, not wanting to spoil whatever image Zara had of her but not wanting to mislead her.
Zara giggled softly. “I know.”
Dave rejoined them and Zara waved goodbye.
“So we’re going to try to get this finished before her flight. Can I call you later? It might be very late.” To his credit he looked conflicted. She was pretty sure that if she said she needed him, he’d drop everything and go with her.
But that would be ridiculous.
She tugged on one of his hoodie strings. “We can talk tomorrow.” She pushed up on her toes and kissed his cheek. “Go be amazing.”
The way he looked at her was part adoration and part disbelief.
But it was all Dave.
* * *
DAVE
She left the studio and he thought maybe she took a piece of him tucked inside the pocket of her cardigan. It was the gray one with tiny purple unicorn buttons. She probably thought no one noticed. But he had.
Zara playfully punched his shoulder.