Staccato (Magnum Opus #2) - E.M. Lindsey Page 0,63

his voice now coming from the doorway. “For what it’s worth—and probably not a lot because I really don’t know shit—but I think what you have is good. I think it’s worth it to try.”

He knew what his brother wasn’t saying. His dad was almost gone, and there was nothing left for him here. Just a piano and an empty house. His well of pride was almost completely dry, so he had nothing to lose. Not anymore. Not even Adam—not after shutting him down.

He turned back toward his music, laying fingers across the top of the page, and as the notes came to life under his touch, he heard them in his head. They weren’t bad.

No, they weren’t bad at all.

The trouble was, he wasn’t sure he could find the courage to do anything about it.

Nik shoveled salad into his mouth like he hadn’t eaten in years—and it felt like it. He’d spent half the night composing, fell into bed somewhere long past two that morning, then was up at seven for work. He left the house with nothing more than a cup of coffee, then worked on his lunch hour instead of eating.

When Jay called him and asked him to grab a bite after work, the harsh ache in his belly forced him to say yes. The last thing in the world he wanted when he slipped into composing mode was to be away from his table and his piano, but he knew he wasn’t going to get anywhere good if he didn’t take care of himself.

Van’s suggestion had been weighing on him since he told him about the email—he’d found his own in his junk folder and saved it in spite of not being sure he was going to send anything in. The deadline was months away, and he’d have at least something to submit before the final date. He expected with that kind of pressure, it would squeeze the creativity out of him, but the notes seemed to come with even more frequency than before.

He pushed down resentment as he and Jay made their way to their usual table, and maybe it was the tremble in his fingers that lit a fire in their server, but they had their salads out just minutes after they ordered.

“So, did your brother stop feeding you or what?” Jay asked.

Nik grimaced at him, mouth full of lettuce. “It’s been a hectic few days.”

“Yeah? Adam did mention he hadn’t seen you haunting Mitchell’s store. He asked me if you’d texted.”

Nik felt something heavy settling in his gut—guilt, he realized, and a reminder about why he’d make a terrible partner. It wasn’t all the time, but neglect just came with the job. “Sorry. I’ve been composing. I was working through my lunch hour, which was why I didn’t eat, and I’m fucking starving.”

“I can see that,” Jay said, amused. When Nik scraped the last bite from his plate, he was unsurprised when Jay pulled it away and replaced it with his own. He dug in with renewed vigor and waited for his friend to talk again. “So, you two didn’t figure your shit out, I’m guessing.”

Nik’s fork hovered over the plate and he swallowed thickly. “It’s more complicated than that.”

“Being someone who has been in long-term relationships, I can tell you it’s exactly that simple. What’s hard is the little shit, the day to day, admitting when you’re falling out of love.” His voice took on a tone of resignation, and Nik felt bad for neglecting him when he was clearly suffering.

“I’m sorry, Jay.”

“Don’t,” Jay said. “This isn’t about me. I like him, Nik.”

Nik felt something hot and ugly bubble in his chest, and he set his fork down and forced a smile. “You know I’d never stand in your way if…”

“Oh my god, not like that,” Jay said with a huff. “I mean, he’s a nice dude. We had burritos and beer the other night, and he made me laugh. Hell, he makes you laugh. He makes you stop what you’re doing and enjoy the moment. You invited him backstage.”

“Yes,” Nik breathed out. “Where I promptly fucked everything up, and now it’s weird.”

“Did you think maybe it’s ignoring what’s between you that fucked everything up?” Jay challenged, and Nik turned his face away because yes, he had thought about it. Quiet, traitorous thoughts late in the night when he was too tired to stop them from whispering in his ear. And yes, something in his gut told him Jay was right. “You