Incapable (Love Triumphs 3)

He sighed. “It was luck to be born with this voice and luck to meet Ben Pinetti when I did. Seriously, big time lucky.” He wanted to reach over and shake the truth into her. “I’d be just like you otherwise, working my guts out, hoping for a break.”

She made a sound of disgust like a spitball spat wet on the pavement. “I should give up; get a real job before it’s too late for me to find something better than retail or working behind a bar. Look at Angus, he stopped hoping to be the next Keith Richards. Look at Jamie, he’s not trying to be Timberland or Eminem, he’s a freaking bean counter, he’s on the partner track f

or God’s sake. Everyone else got over it, everyone moved on except me.”

He reached over the table for her hand but she dodged it and he got hot metal under his fingertips. They were airborne but the flight plan was all wrong. In the middle distance a snow-covered mountain range approached and they were on collision course.

He sat back, hands to his thighs. He wasn’t sure how to help her through this. He was lucky, and every day he was thankful for it; for the ease it gave him, for the decisions he didn’t have to make because there was money to smooth every path. Angus and Jamie were pragmatists, they had moved on, but found ways to keep the music they loved in their lives. Sam was a plumber before he picked up a set of sticks and worked out how to use them.

God, if Taylor would just move in, she’d never have to worry about working, she could focus on singing until she wanted to focus on something else, not out of defeat, but out of desire.

“Do you want to hear me out or have you already decided to hate what I have to say?”

“Yeah that.”

“I think you should move in with me.”

“You’ve got to be kidding. I knew you were lonely.”

Mountain range dead ahead. “I’m not kidding or lonely. The house is empty half the time and that’s just dumb. You’d be doing me a favour.”

“Why are you staying home for months? Is there something wrong with you, do you need help? Is that why you’re asking me because why didn’t you just say that?”

Pull up, pull up. “Shit, Trill.” Mayday. Mayday. “There’s nothing wrong with me. I’m exhausted. I need time off to rest. I’ve got a full calendar of jobs booked for next year. The house will be empty. I thought it was smart to have someone I trusted live in it.”

“Why? You have an alarm system.” Those words were folded arms and stiff spine.

His were frustration. “It’s an empty house.”

“I’d have to pay you rent, same as where I am now.”

“No you wouldn’t, that’s the whole point.”

“You’re going to be late.”

He fingered his watch face. She was right. He went for his wallet, felt around for a folded twenty and threw on the table, more than enough to cover their two coffees. “We’re not finished with this.”

She came up close and kissed his cheek. Her version of yes we are. He took her arm and held her close, matching his step to hers, around two corners, down one hilly strip of street and they were there. Taylor buzzed the intercom and they heard the door unlock. Inside it was quiet, like they’d walked into a vacuum-sealed space; no traffic noises or random dogs, just the excited hello of the receptionist.

“Good morning. This is my friend, Taylor and I’m—”

“You’re doing Captain Vox.”

Taylor groaned. He felt it through her shoulder where he still rested a hand.

“Ah, Vox is my real voice on a good day.”

“That’s awesome.”

“I’m here to see—” Hell, he had no idea who he was supposed to ask for. Ben gave him rudimentary details and said the studio would look after him. This was one of those super simple jobs he could do half asleep.

“Trent and Georgia will be here in a minute. Can I get you coffee, water? Please take a seat.”

He declined another drink and Taylor backed him into a bench along a wall. She was ready to take off. He’d get a taxi home from here. But she wasn’t getting out that easy. He pulled her down beside him and held her to stop her bolting. “I want you to think seriously about it.”

“I’m not moving in with you.”

“I want a good reason that’s not all pride and prejudice.”