“I heard your alarm going off when I got home, so I let myself in. You look so peaceful when you’re asleep, you know that?”
“My alarm?” I patted the bed, searching for my phone. “What time is it?”
Lexie glanced at the digital clock before she handed me my phone from beside her. “Six thirty-nine.”
“Shit. Shit!” I threw the covers off my legs and began rummaging through one of my boxes. “You turned off my alarm?” I huffed.
“You set it this early for a reason? On a Sunday morning?”
“Yes!” I yipped, finding a simple white sundress with small red flowers on it. “You’re up!” I accused.
She smiled at me adoringly. “I haven’t gone to bed yet. The boys just got up though. We’re going down to the studio to start working in a bit. Coffee is on if you need it.”
If I need it?
I couldn’t fall asleep until well after two o’clock in the morning, thanks to Liam and his annoying face and repetitive guitar playing.
I always set three alarms, which meant I slept through my first two, and Lexie had turned off myjust in case I oversleptalarm twenty minutes ago.
Turning to face the wall, I ripped my T-shirt over my head, slipped my arms through the dress, and shimmied my pajama pants down. I loved dresses. They made you look like you were trying with the least amount of effort. My underwear was still packed away at the bottom of a tower of boxes. That was thirty seconds I didn’t have.
I stifled a laugh as I thought about going commando to meet my mother.
My new roommate seemed to have boundary issues, so I wasn’t surprised when I turned around and she was still on my bed, watching me.
I shuffled past her and grabbed my makeup bag out of my purse, opening a compact mirror and swiping mascara through my thick lashes.
“So, you play bass?” I asked, already knowing the answer.
She nodded, wiping her crumby hands on her shirt.
My brother, Milton, and Liam had been playing together since they were freshmen in high school. Their previous bass player had quit a little over a year ago after knocking up his girlfriend and moving to Texas.
Milton had taught himself to play drums for the band. I still remembered him tapping his drumsticks on our kitchen cabinets, coffee table, windows, and our couch cushions for hours when I was younger. It had driven my mother crazy. I thought that was why I liked him the most.
Danny played guitar and sang backup vocals. His voice was good but wasn’t anything like Liam’s—as much as I hated to admit it. Liam could pick up just about any instrument and know how to play it, but the talent he had with his voice was annoyingly perfect.
Lexie nodded and chewed on her lower lip. “You should come hang out with us in the studio. It’ll be fun, I promise. Liam and Nikko always end up in some sort of argument, and Milton always has to break them up,” she said, like it was some form of entertainment. “I always bring down a buttload of snacks. And it would be nice to have some outside ears, someone we don’t have to worry about spilling the deets of what we’re working on.”
I looked up at her as she made herself comfortable in my bed, lying on her side. She was like a sexy Korean cartoon character—tiny and colorful with innocent, round eyes. Confidence radiated off of her like an obnoxious strobe light, and as uncomfortable as she had already made me, I found myself wishing I could stay in her presence a little while longer.
“I’ve never been in a recording studio. Not sure the guys would want me there,” I said.
She arched a brow at me. “You mean, your brother?”
And Liam.“Any of them.”
“Screw them. If they can bring company, so can I!”
“Company?” I asked, tapping a blush-colored lip balm on.
My pillow-like lips were my favorite feature, and I tried to accentuate them whenever I could even if it was the only makeup I wore. Everyone always thought my eyes were worth mentioning, but I wished they were bluer than the colorless gray irises that they were. To me, they made me look cold and vacant of emotion, which didn’t help with the resting bitch face I carried with me on the daily.
“They have a few trusted friends who visit sometimes, but I never bring anyone. I try to stay focused while we’re recording, but I’m curious about you. You can be my first distraction.” Her eyebrows rose suggestively.
“Maybe next time?” I let my shoulders sag, hoping I wouldn’t disappoint her. “I really have somewhere to be,” I said, checking my phone.
“Okay, fine. You have to answer two questions before you go though!”
