Page 52 of Lance

“And you remember this song all these yearslater?”

“I’m a pro, Willa,” I say, meeting her eyes while my hands fly across thekeys.

“Now you’re just showing off,” she says, but I can tell that she’simpressed.

And I likeit.

“I’ve wanted a real Steinway my whole life,” I say, returning my attention back to the keys. “And the first song I play on it is freakingStarWars.”

“So play us something you wrote, Mr. Hot Shot,” she shootsback.

I go right into the riff fromFirefight, our single that’s currently dominating the charts. “Woah,” Simon says softly. “Your fingers arereallyfast.”

“Lots of practice,” I tellhim.

“This is what Lance does all day at work,” Willa says. “Maybe one day we could visit him and his friends at the studio and you could see them allplay.”

“Cool,” he murmurs. He’s quiet for a moment, eyes glued to my hands. “Can you teach methat?”

I look down at him, realizing that, for once, he doesn’t have the wary look on his face. He seems…comfortable. Happy. “We’d have to start a little simpler,” I tell him. “But I could teach you a fewthings.”

He grins up at me. “Awesome.”

For the first time in a long time, I don’t feel scared or awkward or any of the other emotions that usually descend when I spend time with Simon. Granted, I still have no idea what the hell I’m doing with the kid. And I’m sure that as soon as Willa leaves, as soon as I’m once again solely responsible for him, it will all come rushing back, all of the anxiety and theuncertainty.

I look up at Willa and she’s smiling down at us, something I can’t read in her eyes, and I decide not to worry about later. Right now, for this moment, things feel good. And that’s good enough forme.