FADING (A novel)(57)

“I have this tough piece of music, and I’m having a hard time connecting with it. My instructor keeps telling me what I need to fix, but I don’t really know how. It’s frustrating. I can perfect my moves, but I don’t know how to get into this piece.”

“So she just bashed you the whole time?

“It’s how she is. But the fact that she even came in to work with me is unheard of. She’s extremely stern, but she’s only trying to help me.”

“I didn’t like seeing you upset.”

Looking up at him, I say, “It’s not a big deal, really.”

“I didn’t like it.” He says this intently as he looks down at me, and I have to look away from him because when he says things like this, it makes me feel too much. I know Jase likes Ryan, but the other night Mark had mentioned that he has a bit of a reputation for hooking up with random women. It’s hard for me to picture him that way because I don’t see him like that, but at the same time, it makes me feel like I should be even more cautious around him.

“You want that cup of coffee?” he asks, and I am pulled out of my thoughts.

“That’d be great, I’m still really cold.”

“There are some blankets in the trunk by the fireplace,” he tells me as he walks into the kitchen. I hop up and grab a large blanket, wrapping it around me before I sit back down.

“How do you take it?” he asks from across the room.

“One sugar and really blond.”

Ryan hands me my mug and sits down next to me with a grin. “You getting warm?”

“Trying too.”

He picks up the remote and turns it to TCM. I shake my head and laugh at him.

“What’s so funny?”

“You. I don’t know anyone who watches the classic movie channel, aside from you.”

“You want me to change it?”

Pulling my feet up on the couch, I say, “No, it’s fine. I’m only teasing you.”

He turns up the volume and we sit back and watch ‘The Blue Dahlia.’ He knows I’m only half paying attention because every now and then he will make commentary to keep me up to speed.

By the time the movie ends, Ryan has to get ready to go to work. I grab my clothes from the bathroom, and we head downstairs to his jeep. When he pulls in the studio lot, he asks me to come out tonight. When I tell him that I can’t, he doesn’t push.

“I’m sorry, but I’m just really tired and will probably go to bed early,” I say. I know Mark’s band has become the regular Saturday night house band and that Jase is often with him, but the thought of being in a crowded bar, and possibly crossing paths with Jack, is too much for me to think about. “Plus, I have the early shift at work tomorrow.”

“Your boss doesn’t strike me as the type who would mind if you came into work a little hungover,” he jokes.

“You’re probably right about that, but I’ve never drunk enough to have ever been hungover.”

“Never?”

“Don’t act surprised.”

“I’m more relieved,” he says

“I’m not even going to ask why. But, thanks for today.”

“Any time.”

“Tell Mark and Jase I said ‘hi’ when you see them tonight, okay?” I open the door and hop out of the car. Looking back at him before I close the door, I say, “Thanks again for being there today. It probably would have ended up being a crappy day if I just came home.”

“Thanks for letting me be there,” he says.

I close the door and get into my car.

When I arrive home, Kimber is sitting in the living room flipping through a magazine as I walk in.

“Hey,” I say.

Looking at the clothes I’m wearing that are entirely too big, she asks, “What are you wearing?” I’m surprised that she is speaking to me.

“Oh, um . . .” I stutter as she nods her head. By the look on her face, she seems annoyed. She closes the magazine and starts walking toward her room.

“Kimber,” I call out after her, but she just ignores me and slams her door shut.

I dump my clothes in the laundry room before I go into my room. I brush my teeth, take my sleeping pill, and slide into bed. I am still wearing Ryan’s clothes, and can smell the warmth of his scent with a hint of amberwood as I start to grow tired.





Chapter Twenty


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“What are you going to do for the next few weeks?” Ryan asks as we unload some firewood from his jeep. I figured since I was going to be alone for Christmas break, I could at least make it as festive as possible with a tree and wood for the fireplace. I called Ryan to go with me to the tree lot since his jeep is big and could hold everything I wanted to buy.

“I don’t know. This is the first year that Jase isn’t here with me. We normally spend most of the break together when I am not at my parents’.”

“How is that going?”

Stacking the firewood in the garage, I say, “It’s not, really. I spoke with my father for the first time since Thanksgiving a few of days ago, and he wants me to come over for dinner Christmas Eve.”

“You haven’t spoken with them for all this time?”