Page 109 of Between Never and Forever
“Dig it.”
“Good. Now we’re going to start with the basics.”
I lay the guitar across my lap and point out the parts. I do it the same way Oscar did when he taught me how to play. I hate that sleazeball, but I will always be grateful that he put a guitar in my hand. Headstock, tuning keys, nut (Brynn doesn’t giggle like an immature idiot like me and Mabes did when Oscar said it), neck, strings, frets, body, pick guard, bridge, and saddle.
“There might be a test,” I tell her, and she giggles.
“I’m really good at tests.”
“I bet you are.” I smirk. This kid is too damn smart. Poor Levi. I look at my dog. “Okay, Ziggs, you have to get down.”
She doesn’t budge.
“C’mon, you mutt.” I give her butt a shove. “Boss can’t learn to play if you don’t let her hold the guitar.”
I shove Ziggy again, and she grunts. Brynn giggles, and I sigh, glancing at Red.
“Can you take her out?” I ask him, and he nods and moves to grab her leash, but Brynn pipes up.
“Or you can just come to my house. We can use the music room. We never use it, and it’s not by the kitchen so it won’t be in the way.”
I freeze. I glance at Red, and he jerks his head in the tiniestno. His eyes saythis isn’t a good idea, so naturally I glance away from him. Levi has a music room? I get a chance to be in Levi’s house? Um, why would I turn that down?
“How far is your house?”
“Just across the street.”
Across the street isn’t far. Levi said to stay within the set barricade, but just across the street might as well still be in the barricade. And besides, I’ve only seen like three paps since we got here, and they’ve all been on the beach since that’s the side of the house we’re filming on. I make up my mind and plow forward.
“Yep, let’s do it.” I pop up and gesture to the door. “Lead the way, Boss.”
I snag the Yamaha and slip the strap over my head, so the body of the guitar is resting on my back, then I grab my beat-up acoustic from the corner. Brynn shimmies out from under my dog, and Ziggy just rolls on her back like a giant dead bug.
“I think she’s pouting,” Brynn says with a laugh. I nod. She definitely is.
Brynn walks to the trailer door and says goodbye to Red, so I do the same, mimicking her wave and everything. Red stares at me.
“I know what you’re doing,” he says on a low voice. “Troublemaker.”
I smirk.
“Fun sucker.”
I follow Brynn as she walks down the street, then look both ways with her before we cross, which just makes me giggle because all these streets have been barricaded off to traffic. I suppose it’s smart to watch out for rogue golf carts or frenzied PAs though.
When Brynn starts walking toward the house where we’ve been filming, my feet start to drag. It’s almost comical how long it takes me to connect the dots.
Instead of heading around all the filming equipment to enter through the sliding doors from the deck, Brynn takes me through the front yard. Past the giant tree with a rope swing hanging from its branches, up the front steps, onto the front porch, then through the front door. Her movements are familiar and practiced, and I’m glad she’s not talking to me because I don’t know that I could form words.
I recall something Brynn said the other day.His guys built all the sets for your movie. One of ‘em even looks just like our kitchen.
Ourkitchen.
Because this house is her fucking house. It’sLevi’shouse. Suddenly, I’m even more in awe than I was this morning; only now, I’m also excited and nervous. The cast and crew are only allowed in part of the house. Everything else is blocked off with green screens and portable wall partitions. To be honest, I couldn’t stop myself from snooping now if I wanted to.
And I don’t want to.
I marvel at every detail of architecture. The crown molding. The open layout. The high ceilings and large windows. It’s absolutely gorgeous, and I know in my bones Levi designed and built this house.
