Page 36 of The Music of Us
“It’s a walk-in pantry,” I corrected, yanking the pull-down cord above me and turning on the light inside so he could see how roomy it was. “In you go.”
Tentatively, Jake stepped in, looking entirely out of place among the shelves of kitty supplies.
“There, see? It’s perfect. Bigger than an LA apartment, even. Well, maybe notyourapartment. I don’t know where you live.”
Jake raised a single, skeptical eyebrow as he surveyedhis surroundings. “I can’t wait to take a video call in front of...” His lashes dipped down as he read a label. “Yum Yum’s Scrumptious Salmon Bits.”
“I’d take that over standing in front of the box of Litty Kitty cat litter on the other side, but it’s your decision.”
“You’re just making that—” He swiveled around. “Oh wow, that really is what the label says.”
“Sorry.” I grimaced. “But I really can’t think of anywhere else you can talk without anyone hearing you. Besides,” I added, giving him a knowing look, “this can’t possibly be the worst place you’ve ever called your manager from, can it?”
One side of Jake’s lips quirked up and I knew I had him. “Okay... no. There was that one time in the emergency room. Then in the hotel security office. Oh, and Olive Garden.”
“Olive Garden?”
“Long story. There was a bet.”
I snorted. “You don’t have to bargain for unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks, you know. I’m told those are free.”
“You’ll be happy to know there was a lot of yelling.”
“Well, when you’re there, you’re family.”
The joke slipped off my tongue before I could stop it, shooting back at Jake quick and easy, like how talking to him used to be. Maybe he felt déjà vu too, because surprise registered on his face just before a pleased grin did.
Had he missed talking to me like this? Did he like how familiar it felt?
Not about to let Jake get too cocky about it, I closed the door in his face.
I leaned back against the door and found myself smiling.
The café had customers today, Jake was talking to hismanager, there shouldn’t be a problem with singing his own songs, and we had a plan.
How could something go wrong?
***
Apparently, something went wrong.
I’d just handed a guest some toy mice to toss to the cats when I caught sight of Jake, his head peeking out of the pantry, and his expression grim. Motioning wildly, he waved me over.
“Hey,” I whispered, coming down the hall, “why do you look—”
In one smooth motion, Jake reached out, grabbed my hand, and pulled me into the pantry. Once inside, his fingers unlocked around mine and fell away, moving to close the door so customers couldn’t hear what he was about to say.
Trying to reorient myself, I blinked against the dim light. There wasn’t much more than a few handspans of space between us. My senses had no choice but to zero in on Jake, registering the way waves of heat radiated off his body, and noticing the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. This close to him, I could tell he smelled like something woodsy and spiced, with an edge of something sweet. Was it soap? Cologne? It reminded me of a candle I used to light every night before bed until the flame ate away the wick.
I forced myself to take a step back before I did something incredibly stupid like take a step forward instead, and in the process my elbow hit the shelf behind me, causing a faint jingle to echo off the rickety metal shelves.
Swiveling slightly, I looked up to see a box markedJingle Bell Ballson the shelf above. I carefully inched away again, before cautiously turning to look at Jake. “What’s going on?”
“We have a problem. Marie okayed the photo op she sent me down here for, but won’t let me use the music if it’s just me performing.”
My heart sank.
“But,” Jake continued slowly, “Marie says she’ll give us the songs, send over a professional crew, and let us promote the performance on the official US channel and all our social media accounts...ifandonly ifthe whole band performs.”
