Because if I don’t?
I will not be able to function today.
I shift on the couch, clearing my throat, forcing my fingers back into motion on the fretboard.
Focus, Price.Mission first.
“I still don’t understand why you’re outhere.” Anna folds her arms, glaring like she wants to incinerate me on the spot.I’m actually starting to love it.
I sigh like she’s exhausting me.“I told you.Creativity needs space.You should know that.”
Anna’s eye twitches.
“Go to Nocté.”She waves a dismissive hand.“Play in the green room.Hell, play in the walk-in fridge for all I care.Just get out of my space.”
I pluck a few more strings, cocking my head like I’m analyzing the sound.“Mm.Yeah, no.That won’t work.”
“Whynot?”
I shrug.“Nocté doesn’t have the right energy.”
She stares at me, deadpan.“Theright energy.What, are you some sort of New Age nutter now?”
I nod.
Anna closes her eyes, her lips parting slightly like she’s praying for strength.
It’s adorable.
She inhales through her nose.Exhales through her teeth like some sort of banshee.
Then she grabs her coffee, turning on her heel.
My heart sinks and my stomach flips.
Missionfailed.
Or so I think.
Because just as she steps into the hallway—I play the wrong chord again.
I make sure it’sbad.
Likenails-on-a-chalkboard, send-a-music-teacher-into-cardiac-arrestbad.
Anna stops.
Her entire body locks up—very similar to last night.
She stays frozen there, gripping her coffee mug like it’s the only thing tethering her to sanity.
I pluck another atrocious note, dragging it out long enough to make even an AI-generated music bot short-circuit.
Anna stiffens like I just personally insulted three generations of her ancestors.
She’s fighting it.
Come on, Ace.You know you want to.