Shivers break over my spine as I watch him make magic. Pip’s jaw is on the floor but Cassie’s eyes are lit up, and she follows where he’s leading her, their voices mingling. Eventually he stops and looks at me. I don’t even bother hiding my grin.
“Holy shit,” Cassie says. “How did you do that?”
Danny shrugs. “I just picked it up.” He glances at Pip, who’s still shocked.
“Wow,” she says.
I reach out and run my fingers across his temple. “That was amazing.”
Cassie pulls out her phone and presses record. “Let’s do it again.”
Chapter 27
DANNY
I’ve never sang for anyone other than Anya, so playing for my sister and Cassie feels surreal.
As Cassie stumbled through her song, I felt my heart beat pounding in my chest. Something inside me was telling methis is it, go for it. But then a voice that sounded like my father did it’s best to stamp it down. It was only after Anya caught my eye, and I saw in her expression encouragement–love–I knew I could do it.
Every time Cassie or I would create a lyric that was just right, I felt like I was on top of the world.
That evening, sitting in a room with some of the people I love the most in the world, finally doing something I’ve wanted to do for the longest time, I felt like my heart would burst out of my chest.
Anya slots seamlessly in with Pip and Cassie. She and Pip spent the evening alternating between listening to us and giggling to each other over the rest of the wine.
Still, when Cassie asks me to perform on the song as a duet, I stumble. Could I really make that last jump?
“Think about it,” Cassie says, pressing a kiss to my cheek as we say our goodbyes. “I’m going to take this to the studio, but even if you don’t want the duet, you’ll need to come in when you’re back in LA.”
I nod, unable to find the words.
Pip hugs me tightly, whispering in my ear, “I’m happy for you, Dan,” before pulling Anya into a bear hug. “Next time I see you we’re going for brunch.Aurevoir!”
Anya laughs and promises to stay in touch. As soon as the door closes behind them, I have my girl in my arms and her soft lips under mine.
She looks up at me with a twinkle in her eye and I almost say those three little words at the tip of my tongue. I swallow them down before they escape and get me in trouble.
“I need to clean up,” Anya says resting her head on my chest. “If I don’t do that before we start this”–she waves a hand between us– “I will never do it.”
I laugh and press a kiss to her hair. “I’ll help.”
Anya gathers the empty wine bottles and I pick up the guitar I left leaning against the side table.
“You were amazing,” she says, cradling the bottles in her hand.
“Thank you.” For everything.
She smiles and bustles around the room collecting our mess. I put the guitar back in its place and gather the wine glasses. Loading dishes into the dishwasher shouldn’t be a new experience, but helping Anya clean up after my family visited feels domestic. It feels like this is what we could have everyday. We could close up the house before brushing our teeth side by side at the sink and climbing into bed together, knowing that tomorrow we get to do it all over again. I don’t know why it feels like such a far-fetched dream, but the more time I spend with Anya, the more real it feels.
Once the room is set to rights and we turn off the lights, I can’t take it any longer. I cradle Anya’s face in my hands. She looks up at me with those big hazel eyes and I almost say the words floating at the tip of my tongue.
Instead, I take her to bed and show her.
Chapter 28
DANNY
When my sister falls in love, she falls in love hard. Which is why a few days after she met Anya for the first time, she sends me a detailed itinerary signed‘Have funxoxo’.
