Page 66 of The Ghost of You

“Bitch.” She smiles. “Fine, you get the popcorn. But you better text me when he is at the studio.”

“He is back in town for a few days. He is probably there now. I was going to head over tonight so I can finish up a song Mason and I were working on.”

“You better text me!” she yells before getting in her car.

* * *

I struma new melody on my guitar as Mason sits in his office on a call. Darnell has been putting the word out about Starlight Studios as he went on a short tour and it’s started to spark some interest.

Mason even hired a receptionist today so he doesn’t have to worry about who is coming and going through the studio all the time.

I scratch out words on a notebook and rewrite something that sounds a bit better for the melody when Darnell walks in.

“Coopcake! I was hoping I would see you today.”

I smile at Darnell as he takes a seat next to me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. “Well, I was hoping we could finish that song we started yesterday. I can’t get the melody out of my head but can’t seem to find the lyrics for it.”

“You and me both, baby girl. That melody is fire. It’s haunting. It needs a powerful lyrics.”

I flip through a few pages of my notebook. “I have some words I’ve written over the years that might work for it.”

“Let’s take a look.” He looks at my words and starts jotting down notes next to them as I play the melody over and over.

“Fuck me. I know this song will be a hit. I can feel it. But it’s still just not right.”

I scratch my head with my pen. “I know. Maybe Mason can help? He should be out soon.”

Darnell nods and we both go back to writing, hoping we can find the right lyric for the incredible melody.

Within a few minutes, Mason appears and sits down next to me on the couch. “Hey Anna May,” he says with a goofy grin.

My cheeks turn a light shade of pink. “Hi.”

“Have you thought about what I asked you yesterday?” he whispers in my ear.

I glance toward Darnell but he is completely engrossed in his songwriting. “A little.”

“And?”

The truth is, I never told Mason no. I told him I had to think about it. Because I am not entirely sure Noah will ever give me the time of day. “I still don’t know.”

“One date isn’t going to hurt, Anna May.”

I look at his handsome face and truly think about what it would be like to date him. I have so much more in common with him than I do Noah. But with Noah, I have a connection I can’t deny. “I know. I just—”

“What the fuck are you doing here, Darnell Baker?”

I am saved by Seraphina as she comes barging into the music studio.

Mason jolts up from the couch. “Who are you and how did you get in here?”

I might have given Seraphina the code to the door but I am not about to admit it. Instead, I go into my bag and pull out the popcorn I brought.

Darnell pales when he sees his ex. “Ugh, Sera—I didn’t think—”

“What? You didn’t think you would ever see me again?”

Darnell grips the back of his neck with both hands and looks up to the ceiling. I doubt he is going to find answers there. “No, Sera. I didn’t think I would see you again.”

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