Gideon dropped the phone from his ear. Relief surged through him just as a pang of guilt pricked his stomach. Wasn’t that a bit harsh? He opened his email and saw the message Lucy had referenced. He clicked on the first attachment, but knew immediately he didn’t have the energy to read through those massive blocks of text.
He closed his computer and packed up, then walked into the hall. By the time he got to his car, he remembered what he’d been doing on his phone before that call from Lucy had come through.
Gideon tossed his bag into the passenger seat and sat down, then pulled out his phone and opened his messages. He could deal with Title Nine tonight after he had something to eat, but he needed to apologize to Megs now.
Hey. Didn’t see you in class today and wanted to make sure everything’s okay. I know a text is probably the exact wrong thing, but I needed to apologize. I’m sorry, Megs. I’m going to make this right, and I need you to know I never meant to cause harm
Cause harm.That was so clinical. Gideon pressed send anyway, then dropped his phone on the seat next to his bag. Pressure built behind his eyes as he drove home and took the stairs two at a time to his apartment.
It felt good to do something physical. He’d been so busy the past few nights, he hadn’t made an effort to get to the gym. He should have time to do that in the morning since the final audition with Oscar wasn’t until that night.
He was surprised at the relief he felt at knowing the competition was almost over. He hadn’t been lying when he told Alli he was glad they’d all gotten back together again. It had almost felt like a summer camp.
He wondered if Matt felt like it had been worth it. Based on the orange sticker next to Oscar’s book online, he guessed it had at least worked in one respect. Heartsong was in the top ten on at least the few online stores Gideon had checked out of curiosity, and while he hadn’t straight up asked Oscar whether he was happy with sales, that had to be good.
Gideon made himself a quick sandwich, no energy for grilled onions, and sat down at the counter with his laptop. He filled in the information for his department head, then started to type.
Twenty-Two
Gideon openedthe door to the building with the address Matt had emailed out and had to yank it closed when the wind caught it. He smoothed his hair and took in the room. Simple office space with chairs, a desk that sat unoccupied, and a water cooler in the corner.
Randall and Cassie were already there, as was Melissa, but it looked like the others hadn’t arrived yet. He glanced down the hall and saw Matt exiting a room that must have been the studio.
Matt looked up and smiled. “You made it.”
“I thought I was heading to a logging mill or something.”
Matt chuckled. “It’s in a strange location, but the equipment’s good.” He strode to the cooler and filled up a cup that looked like a mini ice cream cone with water.
“How did you find it?”
Matt took a drink. “From a reader actually. They emailed me when they read about the competition in the newspaper.”
Gideon nodded. “Supporting local businesses. Well played.”
“Exactly.”
Thedoor whooshed open, letting in a gust of wind along with Alli. Her glossy black hair was tousled on top of her head, and she quickly worked to put it back in order. Behind her came Layla and Sean. They all made small talk for a few minutes, and Gideon waited for one last gust of air from the door, but it never came.
Megs hadn’t responded to his text the night before. He hadn’t gotten an email back from his department head either, which meant his entire body was filled with a delightful concoction of nervous energy and dread.
"Alright, let's get started.” Matt threw his cone cup in the trash and walked to the hall. “We’ll go one at a time. Gideon, I was hoping I could have you with me in the booth, in case there are any issues with the equipment.”
Gideon nodded, and Melissa raised her hand to go first.
“I have to get to my daughter’s play rehearsal tonight.”
Matt pointed to the others. “Figure out who’s next, it doesn’t matter to me which order you go in. And remember, I only want you to have fun with this. Bring it to life.”
When Melissa was standing at the microphone, and Gideon and Matt were alone in the booth, Gideon asked, “Didn’t they provide an engineer for your session?”
“They offered, but I knew you’d be better.”
Gideon shot him a look. “I’m flattered.”
“You should be.”
Most of the settings were as they should be, but Gideon made a few last adjustments, then piped into the studio to let Melissa know she could start. He wasn’t sure if he should stay or go, but Matt didn’t shoo him out, so he sat and listened.
