“Overripe is a problem,” Beck says. “I prefer them young.Firm.”
“And I will never ask again.” I drop my guitar case and set my phone on the counter to grab myjacket.
The fridge has been fixed since Monday, but we haven’t gotten anything resemblinggroceries.
We’ve beenbusy.
Beck landed a string of auditions and even won a commercial. I’ve started working on my showcase audition in earnest. I have a song in mind, but I’m not satisfied it’s what I need to land the closing spot and score the visibility and ten grand that would put a dent in my dad’s hospitalbills.
My phone buzzes, and Beck grabs it before I can. “Tyler: ‘Got a line on a rehearsal room at 8a.m.’”
I shrug into the coat, his gaze cutting back to me. “Wait,” he says, “You not only scored a rehearsal room but you’re willing to share it withsomeone?”
I reach for my shoes. “It’s not a bigdeal.”
“Annie: ‘Long as it won’t cramp your style to practice with the competition.’” Beck hollers. “Oh, you’re trying to move in on mygirl.”
One shoe on, I snatch the phone back. “I told you, she’s not yourgirl.”
“You’re so far into her it’s a wonder you can speak. Because your lips are glued to her ass,” Beck explains at my blank stare as I tuck the phone away and put on the other shoe. “Or otherplaces.”
A week ago, Beck would’ve been right. I was fighting the attraction. Her dancing with me on Beck’s birthday—even if she did it to prove a point—meant I couldn’t fall asleep all weekend without jerking off to the thought ofher.
But the night at Comedy Palace changedthings.
“I understand why you left, but if you think for a second it didn’t tear me up, you werewrong.”
The way she looked at me, the way our hands brushed when we walked side by side on the way home, gave me something I haven’t felt in a longtime.
Hope.
Since vowing to win back my contract, I’ve been running on determination, conviction, even a need forvindication.
I didn’t realize how dark those feelings were until I had something bright to compare themto.
“We’ve been texting all week,” I tell him. “And we’ve had lunch twice atVanier.”
“Sounds serious.” He flutters hiseyelashes.
“She’s the first girl I ever fellfor.”
I reach for my bag, but Beck’s groan has me lookup.
“Slow your roll,” he says. “I knew you knew her before this year. A high school girlfriend fromPhilly?”
“No.” I exhale hard. “She’s Jax Jamieson’skid.”
His jaw hits the floor. “Well, fuck me. She’s the one who messed you up before you came here. I get it. She’s pretty fucking great.” His response has the hairs on my neck lifting. “But I’m not gonna go there, because you guys have some major unresolvedshit.”
“It’s pasttense.”
“Really? Because I saw how you looked at her the other night,” Beck says. “That wasn’t a ‘past tense’ kind of look. That was a ‘present perfect’ kind oflook.”
“You don’t know what thatmeans.”
“Sure, I do. You’d like tohave been getting somefor the last twoweeks.”
I shake my head as I start out the door. “Just eat the banana, Beck. I’ll catch youtonight.”