Page 65 of Composed
He sinks into the couch. “That, I don’t know.”
I chew my pen, scanning Cole as he tips his head back.
His hand curls around his wrist, his thumb pressing into his jumper right over his pulse point.
Make them listen to you…
I launch myself off the ledge before I can be talked into safe ground. “Ghosts!”
“Ghosts?” Cole peeks at me through dipped lashes, a line marring his forehead. “You think the concepts should be ghosts?”
“Yes.”
“Okay… Why?”
“I dunno, it just feels right.” I nestle my guitar into my lap, and strum a simple three chord progression. “Reckless Abandon as the world knows it is dead. Ghosts linger, but they’re different. It’s not a resurrection. Just something entirely new.”
He brushes a thumb over his plump lip, his eyes dancing over my face.
Then, his lips curve into a grin that stops my heart.
“Yeah, why not. Something new it is.”
Chapter twenty-one
Cole • Now
Stay Together For The Kids – Blink-182
AsharpDcutsthrough the air as Hendrix tests the string.
Her fingers pause on the tuner.
She huffs, blowing her fringe out of her face. The metal in her nose, lower lip, and ears glints under the LEDs.
Her cardigan slips down one shoulder, and her black lipstick has worn away, leaving her plump lips a dusky pink.
Shifting in my seat, I drop my gaze.
I trace the American traditional patchwork sleeving her biceps, before zeroing in on the ink peeking out beneath her top. Her once pale skin is covered in bold black lines, grey shading, and pops of vivid reds, oranges, and greens.
She looks up, gaze colliding with mine as she lazily strums her strings.
I force my head to the side, and zero in on a crack on the wall behind her head.
“Sorry.” A dry laugh slips her lips. “I’m a little rusty. Didn’t used to take me this long to tune up.”
“Still quicker than me.”
“I’m not sure if I should be offended.” She tilts her head when I look at her with a frown. “I did teach you how to tune a guitar, after all.”
I shake my head, my lips twitching. “Not offended. Without you, I’d still be watching Saint and having no clue what I’m doing.”
“He was useless.” She chuckles and nestles the guitar more comfortably in her lap, her hand brushing the ebony wood. “God can that man play, but he can't teach for shit.”
“He still tries. He's been teaching the gi—” I swallow. Not my place to tell her about the twins. If Carter wants her to know of their existence, he’ll tell her himself when he’s ready. “Theo.” I force a half smile to my lips. “He’s been teaching Theo over the years. She can just about play Wonderwall now.”
“They’re still together?” she asks.
