Free Aileen's Song by Marianne Evans Page A

how had such a great day flown so totally south?
    Now at his breaking point, Liam very slowly turned his head. He hoped and prayed the tiny pest could feel the fire of his wrath at being so thoroughly called out. He narrowed his eyes, edging closer and closer to Siobhan’s personal space. Unaffected, she just shrugged and grinned.
    She exited the booth, trailing her three friends.
    “Have fun,” she trilled. Her knowing laughter lilted through the air.
     
    
     
    From a singing standpoint, Aileen never wanted the session to end. She and Cole laid down their impromptu cover, and when the last chords drifted to silence, they received a series of thumbs-ups from the tech crew. That made her beam. They were right. It was good.
    From an emotional standpoint, she was a tumbled mess.
    The arrival of Cole’s crew caught her companion’s eye, and he started to move away, but he barely took a step forward before looking back. “Would you like to have a quick lunch at the commissary? I’ve got about a half hour while they set the studio.”
    Two reactions struck her at once and with equal power. First was the sense of stunned pleasure she felt at being asked out by Cole. Next was a sharp ache that amplified one simple truth. The offer didn’t come from Liam.
    Her gaze drifted to the studio where Liam seemed drawn into a conversation with the musicians.
    What was she holding on for?
    Gathering a breath, Aileen turned from the glass divider and its view of what she would never have. She focused on Cole instead. “I’d love it. Sure. My friends and I came separately because they have classes to teach at the community center in an hour or so, and Siobhan needed to get back to her dance studio.”
    Cole’s answering look filled her with warmth, but not fire. Kindles, but not passion. Still, he struck her as a caring and remarkable man.
    “Super. Give me five minutes.”
    “I’ll stow the gear. Thanks for a great wrap to my first official day in a recording studio. It was a thrill to sing with you.”
    “Likewise.”
    His tone made it clear the reply wasn’t simple pleasantry or an automatic response. He paused and looked her straight in the eyes. Hmmm. That slight kindle of flame danced just a bit higher.
    She focused on the results of the day’s session. It felt like the demo was going to be amazing. Finishing a song, especially when all the elements combined to goose-bump stirring perfection—like now—shot zings of a thrill through Aileen’s bloodstream. Voice, music, and instrumentation had been perfectly blended. Playbacks had been spot-on. At last she pushed open the doorway leading into the control booth, moving on light feet, riding high and enthused.
    She came upon Liam and Cole positioned away from the rest of the crew, talking.
    “You seem bugged by it. It’s just lunch.”
    “Yeah, I get that, so go. See you in half an hour.”
    Liam’s abraded response to Cole’s statement stopped Aileen in her tracks, halfway across the threshold, the doorknob still in her ever-tightening grip.
    Cole studied Liam, and both men remained unaware of her presence “You and Aileen seem to have a lot of chemistry.”
    Aileen’s gaze shot straight to Liam and an unmistakable stiffness crept across his shoulders. “What we have is a lot of history.”
    Aileen’s ears began to ring and her pulse to pound. Euphoria and happiness died a fast death.
    “I’m protective.” Liam punched a few keys on the console. His tone reached her ears as a low-rumbling growl. “I’m protective of all of them. They’re precious to me.”
    Aileen firmed her lips and shook her head. History. Friendship. A precious sense of relationship shared by five. Everything but love. Just as she thought.
    Cole shrugged. “I don’t know. It seemed different with Aileen. I noticed the way you watched her. I’ll say this.” Cole clapped a hand on Liam’s shoulder. “If you’re not interested, I sure am.”
    At that point, Aileen closed the