Page 24 of Crash & Burn

“I thought our next lesson would be Friday during the band’s last practice before the tour,” I answer, relieved that my voice is even.

“Yeah about that,” he starts, but then I hear him say something to, who I assume is, my brother, but I can’t make out what it is.

“Can I stop by?” he asks me.

Definitely not what I was expecting him to say.

I know my brain is telling me this isn’t a good idea and that we can have this conversation on the phone, but the word, “yes,” flies out of my mouth along with a flip in my stomach at the thought of seeing him.

Well, that’s not good.

“Okay, I’m on my way,” he responds.

Before the phone hangs up, I hear a muffled interaction between Eddie and Mateo as Eddie gives Mateo’s phone back to him without hanging up.

“You’re going over there?” Mateo asks Eddie.

“Yeah, just to talk to her about the lessons.”

“I’m going with you.”

Eddie brushes him off. “No, that’s weird. We don’t need a chaperone.”

“What do you have to tell her that you can’t say in front of me,” Mateo retorts, and this piques my interest because now I have the same question.

“Relax, Dad,” Eddie says instead of an answer to the question. “I already told you. She’s your little sister. I’m not interested.”

Ouch.

I hang up the phone, wishing I had before I overheard their conversation. It’s not that what Eddie said isn’t true, or that I don’t agree with what he’s saying, but why did it make that strange feeling come back? I shouldn’t haveanytype of feelings about Eddiejustwanting to talk to me about the guitar lessons or saying he’s not interested in “Mateo’s little sister.”

That isexactlywhat he should be saying.

But it makes me feel like shit.

Chapter 9

Mia

When I open my apartment door, not only do beautiful green eyes and toned biceps greet me, but my eyes immediately find that mysterious scar that I wish I knew the story behind.

“Hey,” Eddie says, and I can’t fight the urge to drop my eyes to his lips, curved in a crooked smile that shows off the dimple I noticed that night at Lenny’s. Eddie is the kind of guy who is always smiling, and his smiles range from soft to brighter than the sun. I’ve caught glimpses of all of Eddie smiles during my time at band practice and my down time with the guys, but I tell myself that’s only because I’m his band’s photographer, and it’s my job to notice.

I want to divert my eyes from his face, remembering the slight betrayal I felt when I heard him inform Mateo that he wasn’t interested in me, but I can’t. Now that he’s up close, I can see howthissmile doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

“Thanks for letting me stop by.”

“Oh, sure,” I say, shaking away the thoughts, remembering that it’s not appropriate to stare at my brother’s best friend and admire his facial features. I don’t need him thinking that I’m interested in him, especially after he’s made it perfectly clear that I’m of no interest to him. I move out of the doorway, so he can come in and, because of his height, he almost has to duck under the door frame.

I follow close behind not only noticing how his muscular thighs stretch his jeans as he walks,but also noticing the stark difference between today and the last time he was here, the two visions almost giving me whiplash.

That night him and Mateo came over, it felt so crowded in here, especially because it is always just me. But today, having Eddie here now, it feels morefull—but not in a bad way.

I don’t really know how to explain it.

The first time Eddie was here, my priorities were so different. No, mylifewas so different. I was concerned about hiding from my feelings and avoiding my triggers, just trying to get through each day. Now, just two weeks later, I feel like my priorities are the band and my photography, and that makes the days easier to get through.

“Oh, here,” Eddie says just before he reaches the counter in my kitchen. I quickly bring my eyes up to his face, hoping he didn’t catch me checking out his backside as I lost myself in my thoughts for a moment, but the slight raise of his eyebrows say otherwise.

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