45. Ember
Ember
O ne of the best things in the entire world about dating musicians was my never-ending supply of music.
Ben brought his laptop home and did some mixing; they had a studio downstairs; and even when Rian wasn’t working on his own stuff, he talked about the album they were working on.
They recorded with other musicians, but Kinsey was the only name I was familiar with.
Ben kept apologizing for the long hours until Rian told me and West to work from the studio on a day I could manage it.
I didn’t mind the long hours, but I wasn’t going to say no to spending the day at the studio. When my schedule let me work from my laptop, I took them up on the offer and rode in the passenger side to the studio.
“It’s going to be boring,” Ben said for the hundredth time. “I’m sorry.”
I stole a kiss. “I’m fine. I have my laptop and enough food to withstand a month-long siege.”
I parked myself on the soft, comfy couch that smelled like Ben and Rian, and I opened my laptop. I had a bunch of coding to do since the parts of the website that Terran and I had fixed were still messing up. Somehow.
If I didn’t check twenty times over, I would have said someone hacked our servers and screwed things up on purpose.
I ignored the slight rush of fear, knowing someone was out there watching me.
It was nice. Rian came and sat with me when he wasn’t recording. It was very sexy, watching both of them get so engrossed in their work. After I asked what they were recording, Ben switched on the studio sounds so I could listen.
“I’d warn you that it’s the same couple of songs over and over.” He grinned. “But I hear how you repeat one song all the time.”
I grinned. “It’s fine.”
It was fun watching Kinsey sing. He sang into a massive, flat, black microphone, swaying with the beat. In the corner Rian played guitar, with his own headphones on. They had good energy together, Kinsey waving his hands and Rian swaying back and forth.
The song was a catchy bluesy ballad that was sure to be a radio hit, and I found myself bopping along to the beat.
Needing a break, I went stand next to Ben. “Am I bothering you?”
“Not at all.” He pulled me into his lap in a rush of dark spicy woods. The black currant note was sweeter today, and I rubbed my nose into his neck. “We’re recording some tracks, so I’m not actually doing any mixing right now.”
“Yes, I know what that is.” I nodded.
Ben laughed and rubbed his cheek against mine.
He gestured in front of us, at the massive mixing board of little slidey things that I saw in every music video when they showed the musicians recording the song.
“Usually we record several different tracks to the song before I layer them together. It gives the song more body.”
“So they’re not doing a hundred takes because they’re perfectionists?”
Kinsey tapped his microphone. “I didn’t hit that one the way I wanted. More volume?”
“Also that.” Ben gave me an amused look before tapping a button. “Go ahead.” His voice echoed a bit in the studio.
Kinsey looked at Rian. “You can take five if you want.”
“Why don’t we both take five?” Rian gestured at the glass window where Ben and I were watching. “There’s enough food to feed an army.”
Kinsey chuckled, and the omega and alpha came out of the recording booth.
Kinsey rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry you had to hear that.”
“Am I making you nervous?” I frowned. “I can leave.”
“Not at all.” The burly alpha shook his head and took the tacos Rian offered. “I’m just struggling to hit the right note.”
“What do you think, alpha?” Rian asked.
Kinsey and Rian both looked at Ben.
Ben shrugged. “How does the song sound in your head? It sounds fine to me, but if you’re not reaching the emotion you want…”
“Saying stuff like that is why you’re so good at your job, love.” Rian patted Ben’s shoulder and brought me a plate. I stayed perched in Ben’s lap and stole a quick kiss from Rian.
I made sure Ben had room to eat, since eating a taco with me in his lap was probably not the most comfortable position, but he squeezed his hand around my waist when I tried to leave.
“Can we do a playback?” Kinsey frowned at his taco. “Damn, this is good. I see the pack is coming along very well.”
Rian and I had identical smug looks on our faces. “Alejandro takes good care of us,” I said. “Thanks for noticing.”
“Haven’t seen these two so happy in ages,” Kinsey jerked his thumb at Rian and Ben.
I beamed. It was nice that it was obvious that I’d had an impact.
Ben juggled his taco and me and hit some buttons. The recording of Rian’s guitar and Kinsey’s vocals came through. All three men had a sudden intense look of concentration on their faces, and I could almost hear them blending the song together.
It sounded flatter and higher than songs usually did, probably because it lacked the finishing touches Ben would add in later.
It wasn’t bad, just rawer.
“What other instruments are going to be part of the song?” I asked, trying to mentally fill in the sound.
“Ben has graciously agreed to help with piano,” Kinsey said. “I was thinking this might be the first single if I can get the…” He gestured with his hand. “The bridge right. And we’ll have some bass added too.”
I listening to Kinsey sing about a relationship burning down. He had the same raw, emotional quality like many blues musicians. It felt like it could be a dive bar anthem.
Kinsey reached the part in the song where the bridge started, the lyrics breaking down as he sang, “We built this love just to burn it down, standing in flames like we don’t know the roof was caving in, the walls crumbling.”
Ben cycled through three different tracks as we ate, listening to Kinsey hit different notes for the bridge each time. The first version was high-pitched and forlorn, the second was lower and angry, and in the most recent he sounded like it was a plea.
Even without the other instruments, I could feel the power of the song. Rian tapped his hand in time with the beat, and Ben still had the same faraway expression.
“What made you write the song?” I asked.
Kinsey blinked, like he was coming out of a nap. “Uhhh, I had a really bad breakup.” He gave me a sheepish grin. “Sort of cliché.”
“Not cliché.” I shook my head at him. “It’s a universal feeling. I love the emotion.”
“If I could find the right…” He gestured with his hand, making his palm tip in a wave motion.
“Let’s just play together,” Rian suggested. “Sometimes it’s easier to work through the song without worrying about tracks.”
“Good idea.” Ben stirred. “I’ll play some piano.”
“Oooooh.” I perked up.
“That okay if I borrow your alpha?” Kinsey grinned at me. “I’ll bring him back.”
“Of course.” I clapped my hands. “My own personal concert. I should have brought a lighter.”
Rian laughed. “We play a lot of music at home.”
“You can sit in the booth with us if you’d like,” Kinsey said.
We finished eating and moved into the recording booth. Ben pushed some buttons, letting the other two know he was recording in case they actually produced something they wanted to keep.
Ben had a keyboard set up, and Rian went back to his guitar. Kinsey picked up his headphones and positioned himself so he was the third point of a triangle, facing Ben and Rian.
“Why does everyone wear headphones?” I took a seat on a soft bench along the wall. “Isn’t it hard to hear yourself?”
“It’s easier,” Rian said, holding his guitar. “I can also hear the backing track, so my mic doesn’t record the same thing twice.”
“Come here.” Ben gestured for me to come over, so I slid onto the bench. He pulled up his laptop and clicked some buttons. “This is how I control the tracks from inside the recording booth, by the way.”
I rubbed my hands together. “I love this behind-the-scenes look.”
“Doesn’t it take away the mystery?” Kinsey looked thoughtful.
“Just because you love it doesn’t mean it’s still not work.” I shrugged.
Ben let me use his headphones and clicked some buttons. The basic track of the song played without lyrics. It was mostly guitar, and low enough that I could hear myself think.
“That is so cool.” I pulled Ben into a hug, and he looked pleased. “Which is so sexy.” I kissed his cheek, reining myself in. “Later.”
I handed him back his headphones, and he nodded at the other two. Rian was standing, and they started the song over again.
The added piano helped, or maybe it was the combined energy, because Kinsey seemed more comfortable. He gestured with his hand, shifting his weight as he got into the song, his voice a combination of anguish and reprisal, especially when he landed on the refrain, “nothing left but ashes.”
Ben and Rian both got into the song, Rian strumming his guitar, and nodding at Kinsey.
Ben played along, and I’d never get tired of watching him play. The piano track was upbeat and bouncy, a nice counterbalance that brought the song almost into seventies rock and roll vibe. It was an elevated version of the rockabilly vibe from Kinsey’s first album.
They finished, grinning at each other.
“This is definitely the next bar anthem,” I said, and Kinsey laughed.
“It’s true.” Ben nodded. “They’re going to eat this up.”
“The bridge isn’t right.” Kinsey made a face. He was massive and had his hands shoved in his pockets like he was trying to make himself seem smaller.
“Another!” Rian said, throwing his hands into the air.
“That’s not excessive?” Kinsey frowned. “It usually doesn’t take this many takes…”
“Oh, this is nothing,” Ben said darkly. “There’s a couple of artists who will spend three days on one bridge.”
Rian sighed. “More’s the pity on you, Ben. Surrounding yourself with a bunch of neurotic artists.”
Ben gave a mock sigh. “It comes with the territory.”
I snorted and elbowed Ben gently. “Like you don’t sit on your laptop and obsess over the layering for hours?”
“Shhh, whose side are you on?” He laughed, looking surprised. “Throwing me under the bus.”
“It’s why he’s the best.” Kinsey beamed.