A few beats in, Sophie joined them, adding a counter-rhythm with her electric Yamaha. It took some time, and a few false starts, but soon that magical thing happened where all three musicians felt the shift, grinning at each other like idiots.
Casey started to sing. This particular song had undergone many metamorphoses since he’d first put pen to paper, and it was leagues from being done. He sang softly at first, feeling it out. On the second chorus, his pitch rose, and Sophie joined in.
The third verse was the newest, the least polished, but they played through it. Sophie sang along to the chorus again. This time, she stopped playing and doubled down, the lyrics he’d written taking a new shape. As though they clawed from her diaphragm, she made them hers, down to the raw wobble at the end of the final note.
“Holy tits!” a voice boomed from behind the couch. Casey jumped. He’d forgotten Sophie’s boyfriend was home.
Noah was propped against the wall, an intensity vibrating his entire aura. He beelined for Sophie and gripped the back of her neck for a passionate kiss. It was deep and hard, like he knew exactly why those lyrics had brought such emotion out of her.
Damn. Casey imagined Tsunis kissing him like that in front of a crowd. What would they wear to a gig, anyway? With a body like that, they could pull off anything, but he was curious what kind of style Tsunis went for. He shamelessly hoped they’d wear something with easy access. If Tsunis was in the crowd, he’d be a needy slut when he got off stage.
Fuck. Casey tore his gaze from Sophie and Noah. It landed on Anna, who rolled her eyes.
The oven dinged, and Anna popped up. She playful shoved past the tongue-locked couple to tend the snacks, which smelled fucking delicious.
“That’s the song you guys are going to play.” Noah declared, sounding way less breathless than Casey would be after a kiss like that. Fuck, he was breathless from witnessing it.
Anna snorted. “Play for what? Dad’s next wedding?”
“Don’t,” Sophie snapped. “I’m not even going to this one.”
“I found you guys a gig.” Noah sidled past Anna in the tiny kitchen space, nearly knocking her over and sending the plate of triangular puffs onto the carpet. “Shit, sorry, Anna!”
“Whatever,” Anna waved him off. She set the tray on the coffee table in front of Casey and sat on the floor across from him. “Say more.”
“Well,” Noah drawled, taking a moment to revel in having all eyes on him. He held up a six pack from the fridge in offering. Casey and Sophie both nodded, while Anna rolled her eyes and all but bared her fucking teeth at the man. Christ, she’s vicious. “Well. How would you guys like to open for Restless Villainess Revival?”
And he’d lost them. Except for Sophie, but even she looked skeptical. Anna turned all her focus toward blowing off the taco snack. Casey followed her lead.
“No, seriously.” Noah cracked open a beer, handing it to Sophie, then another, which he set in front of Casey. “There’s a competition at The Social Scene in Orlando. Winner gets to open for Restless Villainess Revival. Something else, too, either cash or an EP contract, something like that.”
Anna groaned. “That’s a trap.”
“I don’t know,” Sophie hedged. “Casey’s won competitions before.”
Casey almost choked on the taco pillow, which was a pizza but taco and triangular and every bit as addictive as Sophie had warned.
“Fucking yeah,” Casey coughed out. “Fucking karaoke.”
“Karaoke on the Rocks!” Sophie argued. Oh. Right. Casey often forgot about that one, since he’d been piss drunk and heartbroken over the loser he’d allowed to infiltrate his life the first year of college. “Literally the same stage Hendrix and the fuckin’ Beatles, not to mention U2, Judas Priest, Widespread Panic, shit tits!”
“Impressive,” Anna said through a mouthful.
“Just because some famous people played there and the acoustics are fucking exceptional doesn’t make it a big deal.” Casey winced as he bit into a taco pillow that wasn’t properly cooled off. They didn’t even give him a trophy. Or if they had, he didn’t remember. Might’ve tossed it in a dumpster.
“You guys didn’t hear what I just heard,” Noah said, oddly serious. “That”—he pointed in the general direction of the living room—“was fucking solid. You don’t have to win, you know, there’s bound to be important people in the crowd.”
“A pipe dream,” Anna scoffed.
Sophie leaned over the arm of the couch to snatch a taco pillow, nudging Casey’s shoulder. “Wasn’t it you that said it was time for the world to meet the Red Leather Knights of Miserytown?”
“That name really needs some work.” Casey laughed, and the subject dropped.
An hour or so later, Anna left for her community college class and Noah disappeared into the bedroom. Casey was dying to pack up and head to the brook, but if he left, he’d be early for their standing two-o’clockish appointment, and he hadn’t had a chance to speak with Sophie alone yet. Project Befriend-Sophie-And-Make-Her-Feel-Loved was a priority.
“You and Noah are cute together. You’ll make great parents,” Casey mused. He was lounging on the couch, eyes roving over the row of baby pictures hanging on the wall. “Definitely the chill kind.”
“Ha, thanks. That means a lot.” Sophie paused. She reached out to pluck a few strings on her guitar where it leaned on the arm of her recliner. “We’ve been through a lot. Like, a lot. Not sure how we made it.”
