Page 15 of Tracing Holland

Now, she definitely does blush and looks away.“I was right not to say anything.It’s not going to come out any better now.”

I continue staring at her, determined to throw her off her game as well.I can be a damn stubborn painting when I want to be.Finally, she mutters a curse.

“Ok, ok!I was going to tell you that I don’t hook up with other musicians, especially on tour.I just wanted you to know that up front.Nothing personal, just a rule I have.”

My eyes widen in disbelief before bursting out laughing again.Her audacity is so funny and so freaking hot I can’t help it.“Seriously?You were just going to dump that on me right out of the gate?Do you start off every relationship with that warning?”

I can tell she’s embarrassed, but amused at the same time.“No.Only when I think my rule could be an issue for me.”

There it is again.The sudden rush of searing blood.Shit.I draw in a deep breath.

She grins.She caught me, knows she got to me.“Come on, Luke.You’re an insanely talented, walking, talking Greek god bad boy.You even have the sexy accent, tortured soul thing going on.Is there a woman on this planet who could resist you if you wanted her?”

I smirk to hide my own reaction to her words, and tear my eyes away from her.“I can name a few.”

“Besides Callie,” she laughs.“And let’s face it, Casey Barrett isn’t exactly far off himself.”

I grin and shake my head.“I’ll tell him you said that.”

“You better not.I love Callie.She’d kill me.”

“No she wouldn’t.She’d laugh and tell you you’re absolutely right.Then thank you for noticing and ask if you wanted some tea.”

Holland chuckles.“She would.It’s true.”She quiets.“Anyway, sorry if this is just making things more awkward.I just…I don’t know.Life’s too short to play games with people.I like to be open and just put the truth out there.How else can we deal with it and know where we stand?Our world is complicated enough.Why not simplify what we can actually control?”

I don’t look at her this time.She may feel that way, but it’s so far from where I’m at that I don’t even know how to respond.

“Does that approach work for you?”I manage finally.

Her eyes are on me.I can feel her tracing me, and I’m afraid to look.I’m terrified of what her gaze does to me.

“Does deflecting work foryou?”

I instinctively glance at her now and go still.She doesn’t let me look away this time.She’s searching for something but I have no idea what.I doubt she’ll find it, whatever it is.God knows there’s not much left to find.

“Usually it works pretty well,” I respond.

She nods, then softens.“Well, it won’t with me, Luke,” she explains gently, pulling herself to her feet.“I’m just warning you.I have no idea if we can be friends or not, but you should know that I don’t believe in bullshit.I guess that should have been my warning yesterday instead.”

And with that, I’m alone again on the steps, staring at a line of rumbling delivery trucks, breathing in warm late-summer air, wondering what the hell just happened.

I decideI want to run my own sound check today.My strange conversation with Holland still has me off balance into the afternoon, and I need to reset before tonight.Besides, I never did get my writing time in, and I could use some relaxed creativity.Casey agrees, and even Eli and Sweeny reluctantly follow when I tell them I have a new song I want to work on.Callie is parked in the front row, her encouraging smile beaming off her face as she waits patiently for us to get our shit together.

“Is this the butterfly song?”Casey asks as we settle into our positions.

Eli and Sweeny nearly choke.“Wait, what?You get clean and suddenly we’re doing butterflies?”

I shoot Casey an annoyed look.“Can you not call it the butterfly song?”

He shrugs.“What?Ok, fine.But that’s what it’s about, right?”

“No.It’s about metamorphosis.Working title is ‘Metamorphosis.’”

“So butterflies.”

I roll my eyes and can hear Callie laughing from her seat.“It’s ok, Luke!I love butterflies!”she shouts up to us.“So do all your teen girl groupies!You just need a four-part harmony and coordinated dance to go with it!”

“It’s not about fucking butterflies!”I cry in exasperation, even as I shake my head with a grin.

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