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He knew exactly why her workspace looked this way. It was because the rest of the studio was exquisite. Organized and clean and beautiful.
It seemed Nikki was still putting herself last on every list in her life.
His chest compressed with regret and shame. He’d taken advantage of that in the past.
It had been easy to do. She had made it seem like she preferred taking care of everyone else’s needs. He’d had no idea hers weren’t being met until he’d overheard the fight she’d had with Shelby the night the band broke up.
As usual, his ability to make everything about him was truly remarkable.
It hadn’t been special behavior for him. It was just who Nikki was.
She enjoyed caring for those around her.
It didn’t mean she shouldn’t be cared for in return.
He took out his tape measure and small field journal and began measuring everything: the floors, the walls, the ceiling, her desk, the amplifiers in the corner.
The room was actually bigger than it appeared. It was just so stuffed with equipment that it looked tiny.
And the carpet had to go.
If it could even be classified as carpet anymore.
He put his tape measure back and took out his knife. He crouched down, cut a two-inch slit in the fabric and pulled it back slightly.
Same hardwood as in the lounge.
Johnny had explained the front of the building had once been a general store. The owner had lived in the rooms upstairs. But then it had gotten sold and reshaped a few times over the years until being turned into a recording studio. Most of the structure was newer, from the last twenty years or so, and Johnny had every intention of redoing all of it a little at a time. But the front rooms had been saved for last.
He explored the rest of the studio, taking inventory of any under- or un-utilized space and making notes in his journal.
Back in the lounge, he connected his phone to the large speakers Justin had lent him and cued up a playlist he hadn’t listened to in a very long time.
* * *
NIKKI
Ugh.
She made a face at the wasps swarming the front door of the studio.
The sun made the door hot in the mornings and apparently some paper wasps had decided to build a home right there.
They were waking up for the day and flying all over the place.
No, thank you.
She wasn’t going to mess with that.
Thankfully she didn’t have to walk all the way around the block to get to the back door. She could use the small footpath between the walk-up apartments and the brick building. It wasn’t meant for thru traffic on most days, but it would do.
Her phone alerted her to a text message and she hadn’t even opened it before the phone started ringing.
The screen displayed the name “Z” and Nikki shook her head.
“Hello?” she asked, trying not to laugh and failing.
“Did you listen to it yet?”
