Music of the Heart (Runaway Train #1)(24)
Author: Katie Ashley

Her eyes widened. “Yes, just like that.”

I smiled. “I think the muse has found its way to you.”

“Hmm, I dunno,” she murmured.

Motioning towards the paper, I urged, “Come on, let’s hear it.”

Her brow creased as she nibbled her lip. “You won’t laugh, right?”

“Of course not.”

“Promise.”

I crossed my finger over my chest. “Scout’s Honor.”

“Okay.” Bending over, she took her guitar out of the case and adjusted it on her lap. She then mirrored the melody I had written earlier with almost absolute perfection.

Baby, it breaks my heart to have to leave you here—shattered and alone.

With no one to pick up the pieces or ease the ache that you own.

There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you or for your love

Each and every moment I had with you was an amazing gift from above.

I’ll wrap the memories around me like a blanket as this winter crushes my soul.

And although I can’t stay, I’ll keep you with me each and every day.

When she finished singing, she kept strumming the melody. I could tell she was having a hard time making herself look at me. Finally, she dared a little peek.

“That is f**king amazing!”

“Seriously?”

“Hell yeah. We have to record this together.”

Her fingers slipped on the chords, making a screeching noise on the guitar. “You’re joking, right?”

“No, I’m completely and totally serious. This has chart topper written all over it.”

With her blue eyes widening in fear, Abby shook her head furiously back and forth. “But I’ve never been in a recording booth. This is an important song, so you need someone with more experience who can do it justice.”

I leaned forward to take her hand in mine. “I wouldn’t have even written the damn thing if it hadn’t been for you. As for a better singer, I can’t imagine finding one.” Giving her a reassuring smile, I added, “Besides, I don’t want to do the song unless I can do it with you.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, so quit arguing with me about it.”

She grinned. “Okay, but only if you insist.”

“Why don’t we try meshing both parts together now?”

“That sounds good.”

As Abby and I ran through the song a few times, the other guys started coming to life. Brayden waved at us before hopping in the shower while Rhys appeared clothed and with his blonde hair perfectly styled.

Without a word to us, he eased down at the table and listened intently. Closing his eyes a few times, I could tell he was imagining how to play his part. “That’s kickass, bro,” he said when we finished.

I glanced up from my guitar to wink at Abby. She rewarded me with a beaming smile that caused the cutest dimple in her cheek to appear. “You think so?” I asked.

“Oh yeah. Chicks are going to cream the hell out of themselves at the whole angsty thing you got going on about fighting for the woman you love.”

“I thought so too. Think the other guys will dig it?”

Rhys bobbed his head. “Bray’s gonna want it as acoustic as possible to bring out all the emotions. You know what a sap he is.”

I laughed. “I agree—about both the acoustic and Brayden being a pu**y.”

Before Abby could give me shit about the word she hated most, AJ staggered out of his roost and down the aisle towards us. “What are you douchebags doing up so early?” he asked. His hand, like on autopilot, went to his crotch to do an obligatory ball scratch and then his eyes widened when he realized Abby was at the table too. “My bad,” he muttered under his breath.

Although she ducked her head, I caught the grin that fluttered on her lips at AJ’s actions.

“It’s almost nine. We’re stopping for breakfast in a few minutes,” I replied.

AJ groaned and rubbed his face. “Nine? Jesus, it might as well be the asscrack of dawn.”

Abby laughed. “Let me guess. Not a morning person?”

“Hell no.” His gaze then fell on the notepad and our guitars. “Whoa, hold the phone. Don’t tell me you guys were songwriting?”

“Yeah, we just wrote a duet. Isn’t that amazing?” Abby gushed.

AJ’s dark brows shot into his hairline before his eyes locked on mine. Even though I felt like an absolute pu**y, I squirmed under the intensity of his stare. Mainly because I knew my secret was about to be out of the bag, and it was going to change things even more with Abby.

With a smirk, AJ crossed his arms over his broad chest. “Oh yeah, it’s more than just amazing. It’s f**king incredible considering this dude never, ever lets anyone in on his writing sessions. I mean, even he and Bray don’t collaborate together—each of them just writes his own part and then they merge it together.”

Abby stared at me in utter disbelief. “But I…I didn’t know. You should’ve told me you wanted privacy or that—”

“No, it’s fine,” I muttered, glancing out the picture window as we pulled off the interstate.

“You say that now, but just wait until Bray hears about this,” AJ said. He thumped me on the back. “Of course, I can’t say I blame you. Who wouldn’t want to make music with Angel?”

AJ’s words had the same effect as pulling a dark, heavy cloak across my raw and open emotions. Whatever openness and honesty Abby had coaxed out of me automatically shut down. My mother’s advice echoed in my ear about giving Abby a chance and how fate could’ve brought us together. Her words coupled with what had happened last night and this morning made my throat close up, and I fought to breathe. Without another word, I whirled out of my seat and stomped down the aisle to the bedroom. I flung open the door to find Brayden getting dressed. “Where’s the fire, man?” he asked.

“Nowhere. We just need to hurry the f**k up and eat so we can get back on the road.”

Bray gave me a funny look before leaving me in the bedroom. Once I slid on my jeans and threw on a clean shirt, I didn’t go back out into the living room until I was sure we were about to be parked.

When the bus finally shuddered to a stop, I couldn’t get off of it fast enough. I didn’t say anything to Abby or the guys. I couldn’t take being with Abby one more minute. Her very presence had sent tiny fissures through my carefully constructed wall of emotions. She was getting to me too fast and too soon. No woman but my mother had ever seen through to the real me, and I wasn’t about to let Abby in.