Page 75 of Hard Rock Muse

He shrugged easily, but a small, sheepish smile crossed his lips. “Maybe.”

“You peacock,” I teased. “I’ll let you in on a little secret.” I leaned closer to him and pretended to whisper. “I fixed my eyeliner before coming up to you.”

We chuckled at each other’s expense.

“I can’t actually remember the first words I said to you,” I told him. “Probably asked if you needed help or something. How uncool.”

“I don’t remember either,” he said. “I was too stunned by the pretty girl standing in front of me to understand what she was saying.”

“So that’s why you stayed silent,” I said. “And here I thought you were just playing mysterious.”

“Honestly, I wasn’t able to string more than two words together whenever you were within five feet of me,” he said.

“Is that why you started bringing Seth in with you?” I asked. “So he could talk for you?”

“No, that was him insisting on coming when I accidentally let it drop that I’d met a girl at a music store. He wouldn't shut up about it after that.”

“But eventually you managed to speak for yourself,” I pointed out. “It only took a couple weeks of coming in and playing before you mustered up the courage to ask me out on a date.”

“Is that what you thought that was?”

“Of course,” I said. “Why wouldn’t I?”

“As I recall, I mumbled something about seeing a show together and shoved the ticket in your hand before skittering away.”

“Is that how you remember it going down?” I asked. “And here I thought you were just playing it smooth. You know,” I lowered my voice and imitated Julian’s deep tones, “I’m going to see a show, it’d be cool if you came, but if not, whatever.”

I snickered as Julian gave me the side-eye.

I moved on from the albums to the section of guitars. There were rows of them hanging from the walls with a few on display to touch. I ran my hand lightly over a hot pink guitar that almost matched my old hair color.

“I didn’t know much about you back then.” I plucked at a string. It thrummed through my bones. “But it didn’t stop me from falling for you, and fast. There was just something about you.”

Julian snorted.

“You saw a tortured, broken bad boy and wanted to fix him,” he said.

“That’s not it at all,” I replied. “You may have been quiet, but your actions spoke so loud.”

“I didn’t do anything.” Julian skimmed through the albums I’d just rummaged through. I’d always been more into vinyl than him. He hadn’t even owned a record player before I’d met him.

“You listened attentively,” I told him. “You were always interested in what I had to say.”

Julian hummed, not protesting. He knew he was more of a listener than a talker.

“You would hold me close and protect me from the crowds at concerts so I wouldn’t get trampled on,” I continued. “You scared away the guys who tried to touch me without my permission.”

“They were lucky I didn’t break their fingers,” he muttered.

“You always asked for my opinion when it came to important decisions,” I said. “You never just decided things for me. I never appreciated that as much as I should have.”

“That’s basic human decency,” Julian said.

I sighed and went to him. I stood in front of him until he looked me in the eyes. I had to crane my neck. I wasn’t wearing my heels. I placed a hand on his chest.

“You cared for me,” I told him.

“I did.” He put his hand over mine and squeezed. “I do.”