Music of the Heart (Runaway Train, #1)(62)

“All right,” she replied in a small voice.

When the music started in the booth, Abby looked like she might puke instead of sing. She started out evenly, but then when the notes climbed an octave, she missed the note. “Sorry,” she mumbled.

“No problem. Let’s try it again.”

The second and third takes were even worse. Even through the glass, I could see the tears shimmering in her eyes. I leaned forward and patted Gio on the shoulder. “Hold up. Lemme try something.”

I walked through the door and into the booth. Abby reached up to take off her headset. “I’m sorry, Jake. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I thought I could do it. I’m so sorry.”

“We’re not stopping.”

Her brows rose in surprise. “We aren’t?”

“Oh hell no. You’re going to sing your ass off right now like I know you can, and we’re going to record this song together.”

Her face crumpled. “But I can’t! You heard me earlier. I’m awful. You need to find someone else.”

I took her face in between my hands. “Where is the kickass-and-take-names, Abby that I know?” When she shrugged, I shook my head. “The Abby I know wouldn’t fall apart right now. She’d sing the hell out of this song just like I know she can.”

“You really believe in me that much?”

“Yeah, I do.”

She drew in a deep breath. “Fine. I’ll do it.”

I grinned at her. “Good. I’m glad to hear it.” I took her hands in mine and squeezed them tight. “And I’m going to stay right here while you do it.”

A determined look spread across her face that was both cute and at the same time sexy. “Okay, let’s do this.”

I gave a thumbs up to Gio. As the music started, Abby’s gaze locked with mine. She didn’t even glance down at her lyric sheet. Instead, she sang her f*cking heart out to me and only me. When she finished, I blinked a few times in disbelief.

“Holy shit, Angel. I think you nailed it.”

She grinned. “You think?”

We both looked to Gio who was making a perfect sign with fingers. He leaned in to the microphone. “That was fantastic, but let’s do a couple more just in case.”

Abby bobbed her head in agreement. “Think you can do even better?” I asked.

“I sure as hell can try,” she replied.

After five more takes, we stayed around the studio listening to them merge our two vocal tracks. “That’s a number one right there,” Gio said with a grin.

“I never had any doubts,” I replied.

Abby’s blue eyes widened. “To have my first ever song go to number one would be amazing!”

Gio grinned. “Just wait until this drops. People are going to go batshit, especially with Jake singing a duet. He’s never done that before. You couple that with the emotions, and bam, solid gold.”

With a squeal, Abby did her happy/victory dance around the studio before jumping into my arms and wrapping her legs around my waist. She then proceeded to lay a hot, lingering kiss on me right in front of Gio. It was in that moment I knew I f*cking loved Abby Renard with all my heart.



After we finished at the studio, we headed back to the hotel to join the others for a late brunch. As we sat down, Brayden said, “We waited to order until you got here.”

“Aw, that was so sweet. Thank you,” Abby replied.

As soon as we had all ordered, everyone wanted to know how the recording session had gone. With animated gestures, Abby filled them in on every single detail—including her freak-out. My heart swelled with pride when she told them how it was me that helped her overcome her stage fright. Leaning over, I planted a kiss on her lips. “You were amazing all on your own. I didn’t do anything.”

“You did everything,” she argued.

AJ rolled his eyes. “God, you guys are positively sickening,” he groaned.

“You’re just jealous.”

“Whatever,” he grumbled as he raised Jude onto his lap.

Our food arrived, and after we ate, I caught Abby gazing with a wistful look at Brayden and Lily. While Melody slept soundly on one of Lily’s shoulders, Brayden nuzzled Lily’s neck and spoke softly to her. Lily’s eyes closed while a serene smile filled her face. I had a pretty good guess that Abby was envying what she saw of the perfect rock-star family.

When she caught me looking at her, Abby smiled. Motioning her hand towards Brayden and Lily, she asked, “Are they always like that?”

I chuckled. “Pretty much. During the tour, they don’t get a lot of time together, least of all alone time. When they finally do see each other, they act like two horny teenagers.”

“But they’re so in love,” she murmured as she watched Brayden rub Lily’s cheek. A frown turned on Abby’s lips. “Poor things, I bet they don’t get much alone time with the kids though.”

Shrugging, I replied, “They seem to be doing just fine to me—nauseating as it is.”

When her hand came to graze my upper thigh, I almost jumped out of my chair. “Jake, if I asked you to do something for me, would you?”

My heart thudded to a stop before restarting. “Don’t tell me watching those two has turned you on, and you want to go upstairs with me?”