Page 38 of Love is a Drum Beat
It felt strange to her to court paparazzi attention. She’d spent so long hiding the pregnancy. But the news was out now. This wasn’t for her. It was for the grumpy man scowling from the doorway.
She just hoped he realized that. “Dax, can Nolan stay here tonight? He’ll be on a plane after the appointment tomorrow.”
Dax gave a short nod and strode from the room.
Nolan sighed and leaned back into the pillows. “I expected Dax Nelson to be more…”
“Yeah, I know.” Some of Dax’s music held a joyful sound, one that didn’t fit with the stoic man who sang it. Maybe he saved all his happiness for the songs. Maybe there was some joy buried deep inside.
Dax was a puzzle, and Jo was determined to figure him out.
12
Dax
Dax checked the time on his phone—again—as Ben rattled off some lyrics. It was almost two. Jo’s appointment with his mom would happen soon.
He’d thought holding the first session with Ben would occupy his mind enough that he didn’t think of Jo and Nolan posing as a couple for photos.
The song he and Ben were working on would be for Dax to record with Ben’s entire band, but he hadn’t wanted Quinn Hayes and Conner Brooks to come. They didn’t know he was Dax Nelson, and he’d keep it that way.
When it came time to record the song, he’d record his parts separately from them.
“Did you hear anything I just said?” Ben didn’t sound annoyed, that wasn’t him. But curiosity shone in his eyes.
“I’m sorry.” Dax sighed. “I’m a bit preoccupied.”
“The Dax I know never lets anything affect his music. Get it together, man. This is the first songFatewill record with you.”
Ah. Ben was too nervous to be mad. It made perfect sense. “It’s a Piper song. We can’t go wrong.”
Piper had always been Ben’s safety net, even when he didn’t know it. She’d written his band’s songs in secret while letting the world think they were her sister Quinn’s words.
Ben rested a hand on the curve of his guitar. “I know. I just wish she was here to work on it with us.”
“Do you miss her? When she’s not here?”
Ben sighed. “Every single day.”
Dax envied Ben, he envied the way he was able to admit such a thing, to bare his soul to Piper. He was a guy who believed in love, completely and without question.
Dax didn’t know what to believe.
He flipped over his phone to check the time again, ignoring Ben’s stare.
“All right.” Ben held out his hand. “Give me your phone.” When Dax didn’t hand it over, Ben sighed. “She’s fine, Dax.”
“She?” His eyes widened. “No, I’m not checking for… No way.”
One corner of Ben’s mouth tipped up. He sat back in the chair in front of the recording equipment. Dax never let anyone into his home studio, but having a friend here wasn’t as bad as he’d imagined.
Dax couldn’t take Ben’s pleased stare any longer. “Do you want something to eat? I do.” He shot to his feet and marched from the room. In the kitchen, he gripped the sink and let his head fall forward.
The truth was, he hadn’t stopped thinking of Jo since she left half an hour ago. Were the reporters following her? Did Nolan get to hold her hand?
Ben joined him in the kitchen and put a hand on his shoulder. “Tell me what’s going on.”
Dax wasn’t a sharer or a talker in general. The only person he ever revealed his thoughts to was his mother. It was what kept him somewhat apart from Rockstars Anonymous, always in the background, never letting himself rely on it too much.
