“W
ho says anyone has to know it’s you?”
“What?” I looked at Boyd, but he was locked on to Zach, and a half smile crept over his face.
“We release with no promo or video. We give you a pseudonym.” Boyd sounded excited and pointed to the Luke the Drifter album. “Kind of like old Hank there. Except his was an open secret. With you, we’ll just make sure no one knows. The three of us are the only ones in on it. No one else knows.” He turned to me, and his enthusiasm was infectious. “What do you say?”
“I don’t…” I looked between the two men, and it was hard to ignore the spark of something that burned in my gut. “Seriously? We could do that?”
Zach hopped to his feet. “Hell, yeah. We can do whatever we want.” He took a step back. “Look. I’m going to grab some coffee and some eats. You talk it over with lover boy and let me know what you decide. If this is a go, I’ll stay and mix what we laid down last night. We might have to do a few more vocals, but I won’t know that until I have a listen.” He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans and nailed me with a look. “If we don’t move ahead, then that was the most amazing recording session I’ve ever taken part in that no one will ever hear. And if that’s where you’re headed, it’s a fucking shame. So make sure you consider everything.”
He disappeared, and I sank back into Boyd’s arms.
“What are you thinking?” he asked, his warm breath fanning the hair at my nape.
“I’m thinking that it’s a scary thought, but…”
He kissed the skin beneath my ear and pulled me back as close as he could. “But?”
I twisted around so I could see his face and look into his eyes. “Do you promise no one will know it’s me? At least for now?”
“I promise.”
“Because if that happens, I don’t… I won’t be able to handle it. I know it sounds weak, but it’s how I feel.”
“It’s not going to happen. Do you trust me?”
“Yes,” I replied, surprised at how sure I was. “I do.”
“Okay, then.” He grinned the kind of grin that made a girl melt into a puddle of goo. “Let’s do this.”
He got up and held out his hand. I didn’t hesitate. I took it and let him pull me up until I was on my feet. And when he led me out of the room, I knew I was headed into the unknown. That was a scary thought for anyone, I would imagine, especially me, the girl who needed to be in control. But for the first time in my life, I was okay with that. Okay with letting go because I wasn’t alone. I had Boyd beside me.
For the first time in my life, I wanted it.
24
Boyd
We spent most of Sunday perfecting the perfection we’d laid down Saturday. I’d never been so pumped. What we created in that studio transcended anything I’d ever done before. Echo had layers of talent. Each time we peeled one back, there was another. And each of her layers set off something inside me that sent both of us into the stratosphere. I didn’t want my time here to end, and I would have stayed longer if I could have. Hell, I would have stayed forever.
But she had to be back in New York City Monday afternoon, and I knew she needed time to process what had happened here. Hell, I was still navigating it myself. We’d spent one last night together, and when I woke up, she was gone.
I called her right away, and she picked up on the second ring. “Hey,” she said softly. “I’m just about to board. What’s up?”
“I just wanted to hear your voice.”
There was a pause, and I heard voices in the background. “You better watch it, Boyd. You’re sounding like a romantic.”
“Yeah. I kinda am.” Sheesh, I sounded corny as hell, but I didn’t care.
“I’ll talk to you tonight?” she asked.
“Make sure you do.”
And that was it. She was gone, and I felt it like a punch to the throat. I fell back onto the bed and inhaled her scent, dragging it deep into my lungs. If I could have bottled it, I would have.
Eventually I dragged my ass out of bed and packed up my stuff. After breakfast I headed outside, my mind already gone from this place, thinking about a future that wasn’t exactly settled.