Chapter 38

“Let’s try it again,” he says, flashing Joey that stunning smile of his. “You got to feel the music, kid. Really give yourself over to it, let everything else fall away.”

Easy for you to say,Joey thinks as he shuts his eyes to block out the rest of the studio. You’re not distracted by the hot guy sitting beside you.

Though Lord, I wish you were.Then he wouldn’t be the only one half-hard here.

The second time, Joey keeps his eyes closed so he won’t be distracted. He listens to the music, waiting for his cue. As he hears the dip in the melody where he comes in, he feels Key’s hand on his knee again, a slight touch prompting him to sing. He reels off the first line without a problem, but stumbles on the next; his hesitation is slight but Miles must be able to hear it because the music grinds to a halt again.

This time it’s E-Z who whines, “Jesus, what now?”