AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“My Medusa hair is my superpower,” she croaked, her throat dry.
She lowered herself to the floor and he pushed a bag her direction.
“I got you a variety since you like pretty much everything.” He set two cans of different kinds of carbonated water in front of her. “And Hannah keeps the lounge stocked with seltzer water. So you can go to town on those.”
“Thanks,” she said, starting with the water to help her dry throat.
They ate silently for a few minutes. Neither one speaking, the writing fog still heavy around them. Something occurred to her and so she asked, “Am I going to get you in trouble?”
He snorted. “What for? Coming into the studio?”
“No. You’re supposed to be working and I’ve been monopolizing all of your time.”
Asa finished chewing and his eyes wandered to the ceiling. “I’m still getting all my other stuff done.”
“You are?” That surprised her. He’d been coming home early and going in late and then last night’s all-nighter.
He shrugged one shoulder. “My job’s not that hard.” He rolled his lips inward like he was thinking about how much he wanted to share. “They’ve been trying to get me to take a bigger role with some of our other artists. I’ve been…reluctant.”
She understood a little of what he was saying. When they’d met, he’d been very closed off to even the idea of making music again.
“Then why work at a recording studio?”
His mouth tugged up on one side. “Nikki asked me for a favor.”
He said it so simply. Like it was obvious.
“You’re a good friend,” she said.
“So are you,” he replied. He took a breath and the exhale seemed to release a lot of the tension he usually carried around with him. “You gave me the space I needed.”
“What do you mean?” she asked, a funny feeling sliding through her insides.
“Living with you, spending time with you. I’ve never felt as free as when I’m with you. And that’s made all the difference.”
Her heart hiccupped like an inebriated sailor having the best night of their life. Warmth spread through her body, blooming from her heart. Tears tingled at the back of her throat and she swallowed them down.
Don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t cry.
No one had ever given her such an enormous compliment. He was giving her too much credit for work he’d done himself. She was thankful that anything she had done had helped. To be a part of anyone’s journey back to where they belong was an honor. But especially when it was Asa.
“You okay?” he asked, his eyes scanning her features and posture.
She glanced down at her hand pressed to her chest like her heart was trying to escape. “Yeah,” she said, voice rougher than she expected. “Asa.” She took a breath and met his dark brown gaze. Eyes that had become so much of a home to her over these past months.
Words that she never expected to say to anyone again held still in her throat. Her pulse roared, thundering through her veins like she was possessed by another force entirely.
A knock on the door stopped her from having to make a huge decision she wasn’t sure she was ready to make. The door opened and Nikki poked her head in.
“I’m ready for you in Y when you’re done here. Ooh, La Morenas?” she asked.
Asa chuckled and held out a paper bag. “I gotchu.”
Nikki swiped the bag of tacos. “You’ve always been my favorite,” she said.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Asa waved her away and got to his feet, their moment over.
Zara crumbled up her garbage and tossed it in the can Asa held out to her.
