neck of the guitar a few times, the familiar sound of skin on textured metal made Sierra smile.
And then he started to play, a song that was all his. A unique strumming filled the room followed immediately by Donovan’s smooth voice. Sierra’s heart shifted even further toward the guy she’d grown up with.
This very simple thing—him coming home from work, her cooking, him playing, and soon they’d be sitting and eating together… All of it was what she’d wanted for as long as she could remember. There was just one more thing missing, but if he never looked at her the way she’d wanted him to for years, she hoped she’d at least start to be okay with them remaining just friends.
Six
Donovan rubbed his eyes as he ambled into the living room. He’d finally started to make use of the two pairs of sweats he owned, not wanting to accidentally give Sierra an eyeful through his boxers. She was surprisingly easy to live with. She never cared what he watched on TV, and she loved to cook. Three weeks , and they’d settled into a new kind of normal—one where they were roommates, and on more equal ground than he ever thought he’d be with Hanson’s sister.
He stopped at the end of the hallway and watched her staring at her computer screen, blinking over and over.
“You okay?” he asked quietly.
Sierra sniffed and rubbed under both eyes. “Another rejection on my book.”
“That has to suck.” He knew what rejection felt like. For the first few years of college he’d sent recordings of his songs to a million places. He always thought hearing nothing was worse than a rejection, until he got a rejection. “I’m sorry.”
She pulled in a breath. “It’s stupid anyway.”
“It’s not stupid.” How could she think that? “When your mom said you were writing, I just thought of course. Of course she is. Because it just… It just fits you.”
She pressed her small hands on her cheeks and breathed in. “Really?”
Van nodded. “I’m gonna grab cereal, do you want some?”
“I made granola yesterday, I’ll have a bowl of that.”
“People make granola?”
Sierra laughed a little. “Someone makes it, Van. Even when you buy it at the store.”
“Yeah…” He shook his head. “No coffee yet.”
“Think you’ll be up for playing a bit tonight?” she asked.
Her voice was so full of hope. Why did she care? Why was it this ‘thing’ for her? Because all it did for him was remind him of how he’d had to leave it behind. Trying to juggle a career in music that wasn’t moving forward, and a store that was… The choice had been smart, but it still sometimes stung. “I have a storeroom to clean out today.”
He found the granola and dumped some into two bowls before reaching for the fridge.
“Oh, good. I’m coming in to help because if I keep looking at my computer, I’ll keep reading that letter over and over, and I just…”
Donovan handed her the bowl. “This is the fanciest meal you’ll get from me.”
She let out a small sigh. “Thanks, really.”
“Don’t come to the shop. You’ll get filthy, and then you’ll know what a pig I am.”
“I cleaned your kitchen, Van.” She cocked a brow. “I’m aware of your lack of skill.”
He was about to open his mouth to tell her that she should have seen it before he cleaned it, but maybe that was better left unsaid. “Hmm.” He took a bite. Holy hell this was magic granola. He stifled another moan over the flavor. “This is amazing. But I’m gonna put on real pants, and head in to the store.”
“I’m going to shower and try not to check my email again.” She slipped a massive bite of granola into her mouth and then attempted to talk around it. “Ahhh well hee ooh dare.” She laughed and milk dribbled down her smooth chin. She wiped her face with the back of her hand with a partial laugh.
For being into so many stereotypically ‘girly’ things, there were times when she’d have totally blended into a room
And then he started to play, a song that was all his. A unique strumming filled the room followed immediately by Donovan’s smooth voice. Sierra’s heart shifted even further toward the guy she’d grown up with.
This very simple thing—him coming home from work, her cooking, him playing, and soon they’d be sitting and eating together… All of it was what she’d wanted for as long as she could remember. There was just one more thing missing, but if he never looked at her the way she’d wanted him to for years, she hoped she’d at least start to be okay with them remaining just friends.
Six
Donovan rubbed his eyes as he ambled into the living room. He’d finally started to make use of the two pairs of sweats he owned, not wanting to accidentally give Sierra an eyeful through his boxers. She was surprisingly easy to live with. She never cared what he watched on TV, and she loved to cook. Three weeks , and they’d settled into a new kind of normal—one where they were roommates, and on more equal ground than he ever thought he’d be with Hanson’s sister.
He stopped at the end of the hallway and watched her staring at her computer screen, blinking over and over.
“You okay?” he asked quietly.
Sierra sniffed and rubbed under both eyes. “Another rejection on my book.”
“That has to suck.” He knew what rejection felt like. For the first few years of college he’d sent recordings of his songs to a million places. He always thought hearing nothing was worse than a rejection, until he got a rejection. “I’m sorry.”
She pulled in a breath. “It’s stupid anyway.”
“It’s not stupid.” How could she think that? “When your mom said you were writing, I just thought of course. Of course she is. Because it just… It just fits you.”
She pressed her small hands on her cheeks and breathed in. “Really?”
Van nodded. “I’m gonna grab cereal, do you want some?”
“I made granola yesterday, I’ll have a bowl of that.”
“People make granola?”
Sierra laughed a little. “Someone makes it, Van. Even when you buy it at the store.”
“Yeah…” He shook his head. “No coffee yet.”
“Think you’ll be up for playing a bit tonight?” she asked.
Her voice was so full of hope. Why did she care? Why was it this ‘thing’ for her? Because all it did for him was remind him of how he’d had to leave it behind. Trying to juggle a career in music that wasn’t moving forward, and a store that was… The choice had been smart, but it still sometimes stung. “I have a storeroom to clean out today.”
He found the granola and dumped some into two bowls before reaching for the fridge.
“Oh, good. I’m coming in to help because if I keep looking at my computer, I’ll keep reading that letter over and over, and I just…”
Donovan handed her the bowl. “This is the fanciest meal you’ll get from me.”
She let out a small sigh. “Thanks, really.”
“Don’t come to the shop. You’ll get filthy, and then you’ll know what a pig I am.”
“I cleaned your kitchen, Van.” She cocked a brow. “I’m aware of your lack of skill.”
He was about to open his mouth to tell her that she should have seen it before he cleaned it, but maybe that was better left unsaid. “Hmm.” He took a bite. Holy hell this was magic granola. He stifled another moan over the flavor. “This is amazing. But I’m gonna put on real pants, and head in to the store.”
“I’m going to shower and try not to check my email again.” She slipped a massive bite of granola into her mouth and then attempted to talk around it. “Ahhh well hee ooh dare.” She laughed and milk dribbled down her smooth chin. She wiped her face with the back of her hand with a partial laugh.
For being into so many stereotypically ‘girly’ things, there were times when she’d have totally blended into a room
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