CHAPTER 2
JETTE
Jette closed the door behind her and followed Reese down the hallway.
She was dreading going back to the crowded room filled with people she barely knew.
Even though it was her birthday—and allegedly her birthday party—Garrett had taken the liberty of inviting most of the shop clients and all of his friends.
None of this had remotely been her idea.
She kept an eye on Reese’s shoulder-length red hair bobbing through the crowd around them.
The lights overhead looked dimmer than before and the music was significantly louder than the last time they were out here.
Though maybe she had just gotten used to the quiet of her small workspace.
They reached the back corner where Kiran and Garrett had been talking earlier, but found it now filled with strangers.
Reese turned to survey the crowded room while absentmindedly reaching for the phone in her back pocket.
She looked down, the blue screen lighting up her face as she undoubtedly texted Kiran to see where he had wandered off to.
Jette wouldn’t be surprised if Reese left once he texted back, she didn’t exactly seem like the party type.
Then again, neither was Jette. Normally, she’d be looking for an excuse to leave early, but Jette was surprisingly enjoying herself.
Jette glanced around quickly before looking back at Reese.
Shoulder-length strands were tucked behind her ear on the one side, and her lips moved slightly as she texted unbelievably fast—as though she was mouthing the words to herself.
She swayed back and forth almost unnoticeably, matching the rhythm of the song playing overhead.
Jette leaned against the back wall with one shoulder and took a sip of her wine as she waited for Reese to finish.
Reese looked back to her, raised her eyebrows, and scrunched her lips as she shrugged.
Afterwards, she smiled and let out a sigh as if to say 'Oh well'. Jette opened her mouth to speak, but the music was far too loud. Reese’s eyebrows pulled together, an adorably confused expression crossing her face. She leaned forward and turned her head, tilting her ear closer to Jette’s mouth.
Jette stopped just shy of Reese’s ear and asked loudly, “No word from the guys?” She could smell something light and earthy coming from Reese’s neck, but it was too delicate for Jette to begin describing the complex scent.
Jette was drawn forward, tempted to lean closer to the source of the aroma.
Seemingly nervous, Reese’s wide shoulders hovered just below the tiny gold hoops that hung from her ears as she shook her head.
Jette watched her for a moment before looking down at her own boots.
She took an intentional step back, respectfully creating more space between them, but when she looked up again, she was surprised to see Reese leaning closer.
Reese’s hand lightly rested on the back of her arm, pulling her closer as Jette tilted her head, lifting her ear to Reese’s mouth.
Her breath tickled the hairs on the side of Jette’s neck as she loudly said, “If you want to go see other people, I can hang here. Don’t feel like you need to stay with me until they come back. ” The space between them seemed to hum.
Jette shook her head as they both pulled away.
“Don’t worry about it. I don’t actually know most of the people here,” she said over the music.
She leaned against the wall again with one shoulder and held her solo cup in front of her as Reese mirrored her.
Jette listened intently after Reese asked if she knew the name of the song playing overhead.
When she regretfully shook her head, Reese began to ramble on about a few concerts she had seen lately.
Jette swallowed back a laugh as she watched how animatedly her hands moved as she talked.
A few times, Reese gestured so wildly, the sudden movement threatened to slosh wine out of her solo cup.
Her hands were delicate with long thin fingers and short unpolished nails.
A tiny gold band on her finger caught Jette’s attention and she felt a fleeting and startling sense of relief when she noticed it was on her right hand instead of the left.
Jette blinked away the jarring feeling before giving it another thought.
Reese looked at her expectantly. It took Jette a moment to realize she’d gotten lost in her own thoughts and hadn’t been paying close enough attention. She tried to play it off as though she couldn’t hear over the music and leaned forward with an ear turned towards her, tapping her earlobe twice.
“Have you been to any concerts lately?” Reese asked louder this time.
Jette took a sip and shook her head, “No—well actually, I guess—uh—kind of?” she stammered. Reese smiled in amusement as her eyebrows came closer, waiting for an explanation. “I’m in a couple bands, so I usually play local shows a couple times a month,” she stated as Reese’s face lit up.
“That’s so cool! What kind of music?” She seemed genuinely interested in Jette’s answer.
“Rock, alternative, punk…a little bit of everything.”
Reese nodded and asked, “What do you play?” Jette could’ve sworn she saw her eyes dart to her lips and back again, but it happened so impossibly fast that she couldn’t be sure if it had actually happened or not.
“Drums,” she answered plainly. Jette was pretty modest when it came to her own music.
Female drummers were a rarity in the industry.
She'd had her fair share of experiences with older musicians—usually men—that immediately resorted to arrogance when they learned she was a drummer.
After years—and with the help of her dad—Jette had grown a thick skin.
Nowadays, there was little that could shake her confidence.
Drumming had been Jette’s first love. And despite the finicky ins and outs of the music industry, the allure kept her coming back to it time after time.
The long hours, little pay, instability—all of that didn’t seem to matter when she was behind the kit.
Everything else faded away the moment she familiarly twirled a drumstick in each hand.
Reese’s mouth opened to reveal a goofy smile. “Damn! Girl drummer…now that’s badass.”
Jette laughed once before sarcastically replying, “Oh yeah, definitely.”
Reese’s shoulders loosened and her posture relaxed as they chatted.
The party continued around them, a constant stream of people gently jostling them as they moved back and forth.
Even under the dim lighting, Jette could tell Reese’s cheeks were flushed an adorable shade of pink.
Undoubtedly warmed by the dozens of bodies heating the studio around them or the many glasses of wine.
Jette made a mental note to grab her a water bottle before they left—before Reese left—before each of them left separately.
After what felt like hours, the boys finally circled back to check in.
Over the years, Jette had developed a sort of sixth sense when it came to reading people.
She hadn’t meant to, but she couldn’t help observing the stiff body language between Kiran and Reese.
He physically gravitated towards her but she seemed almost disaffected.
Or annoyed perhaps. Jette couldn’t quite place why the energy between the two of them felt off.
To be fair, she barely knew either of them, but something felt distinctly strange.
Kiran was now considerably more buzzed than earlier, which might have had something to do with Reese’s possible annoyance.
His words were just barely starting to slur together and he hovered over her shoulders, weighing down on her.
Jette felt her spine stiffen as she watched Reese squirm uncomfortably.
Kiran swayed precariously and Reese put a hand on his chest to steady him.
In any other situation, the innocent gesture could have registered as affection, but in this moment Jette could only see irritation grating behind Reese’s eyes.
Silently, Jette watched the scene unfolding in front of her.
Though she had no real reason, she couldn’t help but imagine what that relationship must be like.
Reese seemed normal, a little shy admittedly, but sweet nonetheless.
And so caring. Hell, even in the midst of the crowded room, she had offered to hang out alone just so that Jette could leave to find other friends.
Not that Jette could have taken her up on the offer, she was just as grateful to Reese for staying.
But Kiran seemed, well, obnoxious. The chemistry between them felt imbalanced.
Perhaps it was just the alcohol in his system or the wary feeling settling in Jette’s gut, but if she had to put a number on it, she would guess they had been together for a few months—a year at the absolute most.
Kiran swayed again, carelessly throwing his arm around Reese’s shoulders and nearly spilling her drink in the process.
Reese flinched as her hand wrapped around his waist, stabilizing the pair of them.
Her green eyes flicked up at Kiran, who was still oblivious.
Jette felt a dull prickle on the back of her neck, but before she could open her mouth, Kiran locked eyes with her and gave a brilliant smile.
He was damn handsome, even Jette could acknowledge that.
“Happy birthday, Jette!” he cheered loudly, the faintest sheen of perspiration on his brow.
His speech wasn’t nearly as slurred as Jette expected.
“A toast,” he cried while lifting his bottle and glancing around the room, “To Jette!” His eyes seemed to struggle to focus as he looked around.
Jette paused to see if Kiran had planned to say anything else in his toast, but after a few moments it was apparent that he had finished.