What exactly were her feelings for Ethan Blake? That was something she wasn’t ready to think about, let alone discuss with him.
But as they unlocked the doors to their adjoining rooms, AnnieLee found herself turning to him. “Do you want to come in for a drink?”
He barely hesitated. “I kinda think you owe me one, don’t you?” he asked.
“Yeah,” she said, nodding. “I do.”
They walked into her hotel room, which looked like every other hotel room they’d been in: dark wooden furniture, a king-sized bed, a sultan-sized TV. AnnieLee kicked off her boots and opened the minibar. “What’s your poison tonight?”
Behind her, she heard Ethan taking off his jacket. “Is there any whiskey in there?”
“Of course there is,” she said, scooping up all six bottles at once. “Want to get us some ice?”
While he was gone, she poured two mini Jack Daniel’s into each of their glasses, and then she stood in front of the mirror and looked right into her own eyes.
Don’t let this go too far, she told herself.
In the bathroom she washed her face, took out her earrings, and pulled her long hair up in a knot on the top of her head.
When she came back into the room, Ethan was sitting on her bed. He must have seen the surprise on her face, because he said, “Not to be forward or anything, but there’s no couch.” He held out her glass, full of ice and whiskey now. “Cheers,” he said. “It ended up being a great show.”
She clinked her glass against his. “Thanks mostly to you,” she said. She took a sip and shuddered. She still wasn’t used to hard alcohol.
“Don’t be craz—”
“Don’t be selling yourself short,” AnnieLee interrupted. “You saved me up there.”
Ethan put down his whiskey and shoved his hands between his knees. He, too, seemed suddenly shy. Embarrassed, even. “I was just doing my job.”
“You’re doing the job of ten men,” she corrected him. “And I don’t know if you know how much it all means to me.”
She’d never spoken so directly to him before. Ethan looked down at his hands. Then he jumped up and took her guitar out of its case.
“When was the last time you put on new strings?” he asked.
She fell back on the bed and stared up at the ugly light fixture. Fine, she thought, let him change the subject. They weren’t really in the habit of deep honesty, were they? No wonder he was unsettled. She was, too.
“I’ve never changed them,” she told the ceiling. “I found that guitar in one of Ruthanna’s closets, and I just started playing it.”
Out of the corner of her eye she could see that he was looking at her like she was nuts. “It’s a great guitar, but who knows how old the strings are? You could’ve popped one onstage. You need a new set.” He started pawing around in the giant messenger bag he always carried on tour. It was full of bottled water, snacks, picks, batteries—and, apparently, a new set of Martin guitar strings. “I’ll take care of it.”
AnnieLee sat up. “Are you ready for another drink?”
“I wouldn’t say no.”
She looked at her own glass, which was emptier than she’d thought it would be. She figured she might as well get herself another while she was at it.
She flicked through television stations while Ethan changed her strings, and then he paced her room like he was casting about for something else to fix.
AnnieLee turned off the TV. “There’s a spiderweb up there in the corner,” she said, teasing him.
He looked at her uncomprehendingly. “What?”
“You were looking like you needed another job.”
He laughed. “Sorry. I don’t sit still much—unless I’m driving, that is.”
“Try,” she said softly. She took another drink of whiskey. She still didn’t like the taste, but she liked the way it softened the edges of things. Her limbs felt looser, and she’d suddenly stopped worrying quite so much about what might happen next.
She patted the edge of the bed next to her. After a moment, Ethan came over and sat. Not too close, but not very far away, either.
Something was about to shift—AnnieLee could feel it. Beside her, Ethan held himself very still. She inched toward him on the bed. Like a diver at the edge of a high board, she paused: did she dare?
She dared. She put her hand on his leg and her head on his shoulder. She felt him inhale sharply.
“I have to tell you something,” he said.