“Oh, I do.” Michael rustles around in the shoulder bag by his feet and pulls out a few sheets of handwritten notes. I’ve never played from handwritten music before, but the notes and staff are clearly inked, and I can read it without trouble. Shouldn’t be a problem.
“All right. I’d like to run through it once to get the hang of it, if that’s okay.”
“Of course. We’re ready when you are. Oh, and take these.” She hands me a pair of headphones, which I loop over my neck.
I kneel to open my violin case, and I can feel Dex’s eyes on me while I rosin my bow, but I don’t bother to look at him as I step into the booth. Alone, it’s quiet in here, and knowing everyone is watching from the other side of the glass makes me feel like I’m onstage. But that feeling is almost comforting to me, and my nerves start to melt away as I grab a stand and set up Michael’s handwritten sheet music.
Naomi gives me an A through the headphones, and I tune up quickly.
“Okay, I’m ready.”
“Great. Go ahead.”
I lift my bow to the strings, take a breath, and start to play.
The solo is similar to the original, though it’s slightly more technical, and it feels more passionate somehow. My first playthrough is light, without much in way of flair. I play it through once more, making sure I’m comfortable, and then I give Naomi a nod.
“Okay, recording,” she says through my headphones.
The music starts, and I close my eyes, listening closely to my previously recorded notes to know when to come in. Hitting my cue, I play through the new measures without a hitch.
“Let’s run it again, and slide into that high E in the fifth bar a bit more,” Naomi says through my headphones. “This isn’t the ballet; it can sound dirty.”
Nodding, I try to loosen up. I’m used to the formalities of the orchestra—Mr. Edrington would roast me alive if I slid into a note like that—but it’s a totally different vibe here.
The music starts in my headphones again, and I count myself in. This time as I play, I look up from the sheet music, and Dex is staring directly at me. He’s removed his sunglasses, so I can see his narrowed blue eyes and the slight furrow between his brows. Last time he stared at me like this, it made me mess up, but I won’t do that again.
So I stare back, matching his intensity as the volume crescendos into that dirty high E Naomi wanted. I hit it and draw it out with a fast vibrato that decrescendos into weighty silence amidst a puff of rosin smoke.
On the other side of the glass, Naomi stands up and smiles. “You killed it,” she says. “I think we have what we need.”
When I step out of the booth and into the studio, Dex holds out a hand for a fist bump, and I humor him, considering he’s done acting like he’s ignoring me.
“Impressive,” he says, and even though he says it in that lazy tone of voice I’ve come to know from him, it still sets my insides ablaze.
“Thanks.” I shift my gaze to Michael. “I really like the changes. I think it has a lot more . . . passion.” With Dex still lingering right over my shoulder, my cheeks heat up when I say the word, and I distract myself with putting my violin away.
There’s a commotion from out in the hallway, and Dex sighs.
“About fucking time,” he grumbles right before Lucas and Sebastian walk into the room.
“Nora!” Sebastian’s eyes light up, and he surprises me when he sweeps me into a hug and lifts my feet off the ground. It forces a giggle out of me while my boots kick in the air.
Over Sebastian’s shoulder, Dex’s eyes narrow, and he worries at his lip ring.
Sebastian sets me down. He steps back, a concerned look coming over his face. “Did I miss it?”
“Yeah, that’s what happens when you’re an hour late, fucker,” Dex says.
“Like you’re one to fucking talk,” Lucas says. He’s lounging on the arm of the couch, and when the collar of his hoodie pulls down, it reveals a massive purple hickey on the side of his neck. He notices me staring and winks, and I avert my gaze.
“Listen to this,” Naomi says. She hits a key on the keyboard, sending the audio into the speakers overhead.
They’ve already layered my new solo into the song, and as I listen to it played back, I start to smile.
“That sounds sick!” Sebastian says. “Damn, Nora!”
The guys give me a mix of looks: a beaming smile from Sebastian, a proud head nod from Michael, a shrug from Lucas, and nothing from Dex. He doesn’t even look at me, just stares straight ahead at the screen where the song is looping. For some reason, that irks me.
“I think we’ve got what we need,” Wes says, leaning back in his chair and tapping a pen against his chin.
“Yeah, we should have this mastered by end of day. The label wants to fast-track it to build hype for the summer tour. Well done, guys.” Nora claps, and Sebastian joins in, ever exuberant.
“Let’s go out to celebrate,” he says. When he looks at me, his eyes go wide. “You’ve gotta come with us! It’ll be fun.”
“Oh, um . . .”
I never go out for drinks, and I’d say no, but Sebastian is giving me puppy-dog eyes, and when Dex glances at me over his shoulder and makes eye contact, it’s like a spell comes over me, and the next thing out of my mouth is, “Yeah, sure.”
“Fuck yeah! Michael, you in?”
“Let me call Jordan,” he says, already reaching into his pocket for his phone.
“Bring her with us. And Lucas, get your girl too.”
Lucas is texting, and he flips Sebastian off without looking up from the screen. Michael has a quick quiet conversation, then hangs up and smiles.
“Jordan’s gonna come too, but we’ve gotta pick her up.”
