I slipped up behind him and gently started to rub the back of his neck and shoulders. He was sweaty, but I didn’t mind. “Thank you, for sharing this with me,” I said softly as I felt him relax beneath my fingertips.
He sighed, and I continued to find the knots in his shoulders, neck, and back and massaged them out. After a few minutes, he turned and embraced me. “Continue doing that and I will pass out. Can I get a rain check?”
I smiled against his chest, “Of course.”
“Plus, I wouldn’t want you to think you can butter me up so we didn’t have to run back.”
He chuckled at my mock gasp.
“Yes, drill sergeant,” I said mockingly as he turned to head back down the path we just came up.
At least most of the run home was downhill.
Ben, Rick, Taylor, and Mark were waiting for me when we got back. I groaned once more. I just wanted to take a shower and maybe take a nap. Maybe even relax on the couch for a few hours, vegging in front of the television.
“Ugh!” I slapped my forehead. “Is it already that time?”
Ben grinned. “In five minutes,” he passed me pretending to take a large whiff. “After you take a shower. A quick shower,” he added quickly.
“Blah, blah, blah,” I trudged out of the kitchen and made my way upstairs.
I did end up taking a quick shower and then threw on Remy’s hoodie that I never gave back to him, and a pair of yoga pants. By the time I came back downstairs, Sue was bustling around the living room, vacuuming and dusting.
“Hey, Sue,” I waved at her as I passed her.
Jemmy, Rachel, Ben, Taylor, Mike, and Rick were sitting at the island eating pancakes.
“Please say you left me some,” I begged as I went to look in the refrigerator.
“Some what?” Jemmy said, her mouth full of pancakes.
“Pancakes,” I groaned as I shifted through the contents of the fridge. “I just got done running like six miles and I’m starving.”
“Boo hoo,” Rachel teased. “These pancakes are amazing by the way.”
“Mm hmm,” Mike agreed as he shoved more food into his mouth. I liked him the least. He was so brash and tactless. I got along with him, but I knew I probably wouldn’t associate with him if it wasn’t for the other guys.
“I made extra batter,” Drake said as he came into the kitchen.
I threw myself into his arms. “You are such a life saver. I’m starving!”
He chuckled. “Remy would have never forgiven me if the hyenas ate all of them. Plus, Noah and Jax haven’t graced us with their presence yet.”
“I doubt Noah will be down anytime soon,” Rachel said off handedly. “If his room was beside mine last night, he was making Stacey sing almost all night long.”
I had to fight the urge to feel jealous. Once again, I had no right to. Jace was with me all night. How hypocritical would it be if I expected him to honor our connection?
Drake gave me a side hug. “How does strawberry pancakes sound?”
“With whip cream?” I asked hopefully, hoping the jealously wouldn’t come through.
“You know it,” he dropped a kiss on the top of my head before he started whipping up some new batter.
I felt like we had been in the music room for hours. We only had a few kinks to work out, but Ben was a perfectionist when it came to his band and he wanted everything to be perfect. He had created this band when they were freshmen in high school. They had originally played for family get togethers, school dances, and even competed in some local competitions. It wasn’t until this past summer that they had branched out and sought bigger venues and better paying gigs.
Ben told me I had come at the right time, because he knew some of their fans wanted something different. He hoped they could get a different fan base with the addition of me.
My reservations with becoming a part of the band had worn off a little. Dr. Allen even encouraged me to continue playing and singing with the band. Which was surprising since most professors generally encouraged a strong classical background and believed any other music was just distracting noise. He knew I got some of my ‘edge’ by being influenced by my eclectic taste in music.