“You didn’t, I just offered.”
“Still, it wouldn’t be fair.”
I tilt my head and try to figure out what he’s thinking. “Why not?”
“Because...” He trails off, takes a deep breath, and shakes his head. “It just doesn’t feel right.”
My heart skips a beat, because someone else in Easton’s situation probably would have taken me up on my offer. But Easton is Easton, and he doesn’t do that kind of thing.
“If that ever changes—”
“I’ll let you know,” he says, finishing my sentence.
“Good. That’s what I wanted to hear.”
“There’s something I want to hear too.” He reaches for my hand and puts it on the keys. “Play for me, Rayne.”
Chapter 15
Easton
I Can Wait Forever—Simple Plan
Rayne has small hands with long, graceful fingers. Her hands are too small for a pianist; she can’t spread them wide enough. But she’s good anyway. Damn good, even. She plays with such ease, and it’s a version of her I’ve never seen before. Admittedly we haven’t spent much time together in the “real world,” but I can’t help wondering why she never mentioned that she plays piano, and guitar. I wouldn’t be surprised if she could sing too.
I’m afraid I might have to ask her soon, and then ask why she’s really at this school. She misses her mom, I get that. But I’ve been watching her every morning for the last three days, because I can’t help it when we’re in the same room. She’s never looked as relaxed dancing as she does now, her fingers gliding confidently over the keys.
Her expression softens and turns introspective, but the sad lines around her mouth have disappeared. She plays and plays, and I try not to think about the fact that I just lied to her. Not abald-faced lie, but not the whole truth, either. It wasn’t just that I couldn’t accept her offer to help us because it feels wrong, although that does play a part. But that’s not the whole reason. I couldn’t accept because she has enough problems of her own. She shouldn’t have to worry about ours.
A small, selfish part of me would have liked to say yes, because it would have made everything so much easier. Rayne has all the right connections. She knows the right people, and she knows how the business works. With her help, we might finally find a label. But I couldn’t do that to her, or to myself. My guilty conscience would probably kill me, even if putting an end to the endless cycle of sending out demos and getting rejected over and over again does sound appealing.
On the other hand, who knows? Maybe we’re just not good enough, even with Rayne’s help. There must be some reason why no one wants us.
Liam wanted you, a voice in my head reminds me. It sounds like hope. Only there isn’t much of it left now.
Yes, Liam wanted us. But he’s dead, and I can’t block out the other voice, the one that keeps telling me repeatedly that we’re not good enough, thatI’mnot good enough.
What if Liam didn’t really think we were that good? What if he only wanted us as the opening act for his tour because his daughter liked our songs? But no, that can’t be. You don’t take a band you’re not completely convinced of on tour just because someone close to you likes them. Or do you? Shit, I hate my mind.
“Easton?” Rayne’s voice snaps me out of my thoughts, and now I feel guilty for asking her to play and not even listening properly.
Great, Easton, you really knocked it out of the park this time.
“Is everything okay?”
“Yes, fine. Sorry, I was just thinking.”
She smiles a little. “Yeah, I noticed.”
“You’re good,” I say, because at least I heard enough to be able to say that with total confidence.
Her eyes narrow. “Are you only saying that because you like me?”
Now I have to laugh. “No, of course not. You’rereallygood.”
Now she shrugs, and something about the gesture makes me feel uncomfortable. It’s something in her eyes. Something that’s very familiar to me. Self-doubt.
I reach for her hand before I can stop myself. “You’re good.” I look at her intently and her eyes widen. She opens her mouth, and my gaze is drawn to her lips. She has such damn beautiful lips.
