Jamie freezes mid-step. “Seriously?”
“Don’t start.” I wince.
“I’m not starting shit.” Jamie frames my face with his hands. “I’m trying to picture it.”
Daniel laughs. “When was the last time you talked to a girl you didn’t meet through a shared Google doc?”
“I talk to women all the time,” I protest.
“Name one who isn’t from work.” Jamie folds his arms.
I open my mouth. Nothing.
They both crack up.
“Alright,” I mutter. “Point made.”
Jamie claps me on the back. “Look, you’re brilliant. No one here can do what you do. You’re an awesome dude who’s aggressively inexperienced with hooking up.”
“What a polite way to say virgin,” Daniel adds not-so-helpfully.
Heat climbs my neck. “Can we not announce this in public?”
“No one’s listening.” Jamie waves a hand at the chaos. “Honestly, it’s not even a bad thing. The problem is, you’re lusting after a girl who’s more worldly than you.”
“Look, shoot your shot.” Daniel slings an arm around my shoulder. “You’re up for the challenge.”
“I’dthinkso.” I look down at the ground because I actuallydon’tthink so.
She’s magic. I’ve witnessed Hope turn noise into silence at Pike Place Market. Observed many stop mid-step, drawn in without understanding why. Experienced how she closes her eyes on a note and holds it like her soul is beckoning the spirits.
It’s crazy, but I know her even though I’ve never said a word to her.
“C’mon. Liquid courage time. Let’s get some drinks.” Jamie turns and moves toward the bar.
We push through the crowd, weaving between bodies until the bar comes into view. I scan it. Left. Right. Nothing.
My chest tightens with disappointment. She’s nowhere to be found. “She’s not here.”
“Maybe she’s in back.” Daniel stands on his toes to see past a group pressed three deep. “Or on break.”
Some guy in a mesh top takes our order and hands us three beers.
I take a sip. Immediate regret. I cough, wiping my mouth. “People drink this on purpose?”
Daniel snorts. “It’s craft brew. An acquired taste.”
Suddenly, a ripple of energy moves through the room. Subtle but enough to shift attention. A guy bounds onto the stage, and a buzzing energy snaps into place.
“Wow. It’s Zane Rocks,” Jamie says under his breath.
I barely register I’m in the presence of a bona-fide rockstar. Hope follows him and she’s all I can see. Center stage. A new guitar in her hands catching the light. She looks different. Edgier in black jeans. Black tank. Gorgeous.
My grip tightens around the bottle. “That’s Hope up there.”
Daniel exhales. “Holy shit. She’s stunning.”
Jamie lets out a low whistle. “You’re screwed.”
