Page 205 of The Song We Lost

“I know.”

“No, Rachel.” My voice shakes harder now. “I genuinely hate them.”

Silence crackles between us for a second. Then, “I know, Bailey. I am so sorry. I tried everything I could think of.”

The anger sits hot and sharp beneath my skin long after the call ends. I stand there in the kitchen staring out the window while laughter drifts in from outside and all I can think is, they still own pieces of me. Even now.

They still want more.

I shove away from the counter before I can spiral completely and head toward the studio almost on instinct. Because lately whenever I don’t know what to do…

I look for Luke. The realization still catches me off guard sometimes. How natural that’s become again.

The studio door is cracked slightly open when I get there and music spills softly into the warm evening air. I stop immediately when I hear Luke. Just his beautiful raw voice and his guitar. I stay outside the door listening, not wanting to interrupt.

“And the song we lost still echoes through these walls

Somewhere between who we were and who we became through it all

In the innocence we gave away

In the parts they took and we let change

It still lives somewhere underneath

The song we lost never really leaves”

My chest aches at the pain in his voice. I take a careful step closer and see Luke. He sits alone on the stool beneath the soft yellow studio lights, head lowered slightly while his fingers move absently over the strings like the music lives somewhere inside him now instead of something he has to chase. I suck in a breath and cover my mouth to keep quiet.

I love this man.

The thought arrives suddenly and completely without fear attached to it this time. It doesn't feel painful or complicated anymore, it just is. Just true.

The floorboard creaks beneath my foot and Luke glances up instantly. The second he sees me his whole expression softens.

“There you are.”

Three simple words and somehow they still undo me.

I lean against the doorway crossing my arms loosely. “Are you hiding out here?”

Luke smiles slightly. “Maybe.”

I walk inside slowly while the last guitar notes fade around us. The studio feels different lately too. Less haunted. Like music belongs here again instead of pain. Luke watches my face carefully as I move closer.

“What happened?”

I blink once. “How do you always know something happened?”

“You get this little line between your eyebrows when you’re angry.”

I immediately frown harder just to annoy him. Luke huffs out a laugh and I realize how much I have missed that sound. My anger softens slightly just standing near him. Which honestly feels unfair.

“I talked to Rachel.”

Luke’s expression shifts instantly. “What’s wrong?”

I move toward the piano before sitting on the bench with a frustrated groan. “My label found a loophole.”