Jenna sat in her studio, almost overwhelmed by possibilities.  She could just play and get lost in the music, or she could record… The second option scared her more than she would admit. She knew JC and Justin had both acknowledged she had talent, but she also had no clue how to use most of what was in front of her.  She looked at the desktop attached to everything, pulling up YouTube.  She fought her instincts to look up videos of them in their prime, instead looking up how the hell to use what she’d been given.  

She paused the videos, going almost step by step, writing down the process so she wouldn’t have to look up the videos again.  She put on her headphones, unsure really what to do next.  Suddenly, a song popped into her head.  She found a karaoke version on YouTube, testing that she could record the song as it played.  Once she got that down, she started again in earnest.  She couldn’t play the song on the piano, at least too nervous on this first attempt.  The calm tone of the piano intro soothed her nerves.  She closed her eyes, pretending that she was at karaoke night, not trying to record a song.

I heard that you're settled down

That you found a girl and you're married now

I heard that your dreams came true

Guess she gave you things, I didn't give to you

She wanted to cry, years of hidden pain from the breakup hitting her like a wall, but she continued to sing, knowing the chorus was coming.

Never mind, I'll find someone like you

I wish nothing but the best for you, too

"Don't forget me, " I beg

I remember you said

"Sometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead"

"Sometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead"

She sang the song, a mix of emotions filling her soul.  This song was always emotional for her, but it was the first time she’d sung it where she knew she’d finally found someone, not like Steve, but better than anything she could have ever dreamed of.  

She finished the song, stopping the recording.  She all but screamed as she heard a sound within the room.

“That was… incredible, Jenna,” JC sighed.  “All I heard was your vocals, and just, wow…”

“I didn't interrupt your stuff somehow, did I?”

“No, I was actually wanting to have lunch, seeing if you wanted to join me.”

“You mean if I wanted to make you something.”

“I could easily have a bowl of cereal or something from the fridge I could reheat.  I missed you,” he smiled.

“It hasn’t been that long, Josh,” she replied.

“Almost 3 hours, Jenna.”

She looked at her phone.  “Wow, I guess it took me a while to get a rough hang on how this all works.”

“Does that mean you’re hungry?” he laughed.

“I could eat,” she smiled back.

“You know I actually mean eating, nothing dirty…”

“Is your mind always in the gutter, or at least assuming that mine is?” she laughed back.

“Just setting up a boundary, I really need to finish what I’m working on.”

“What IS this project?  No specifics if you aren’t allowed to tell me.”

“It’s a passion project, I guess that would be the closest way to describe it.  It’s just a few songs, but it’s been fun being on both sides of the recording booth.”

“Oh, are you doing samples or something for an artist?”

“Something like that, I guess.”

“And Justin’s helping with it?  Must be a big client to require both of your talents…”

“I can’t discuss that part,” JC answered quickly.

“I get that. I’m not gonna need to sign NDAs or anything, am I?”

“I doubt it.  Are you planning on spilling my secrets to anyone that could profit from it?”

“And jeopardize the trust we have built?  Never,” she replied, her eyes sparkling.

“See, you keep looking at me like that, and I’m never gonna get any work done,” he smirked, pulling her into his arms.

“I’ll make you something you can eat in the studio, if that’s allowed.”

“I was wanting to sit and eat with you at the table, but…”

“You’re so set on finishing this project, the sooner it’s finished, the sooner you’re free for other things, until the next project comes along.”

“I’ve got plenty down the pipeline.  I want this done before the NYC trip, I NEED it done by then, I’ll put it that way.”

“So get it finished.  Is there anything else you NEED to work on before NYC once that’s finished?”

“Not really, no.  There’s some minor things to get ready for the trip, some of the business stuff I’ll do there, but yeah.”

Jenna started grabbing things from the fridge, putting together a plan for lunch.  “So it’s just a business trip, and you want me along for the ride?”

“Not all of it.  There will be some times where we’ll be able to sightsee and things.  Not telling you what we’re doing, though, that would take away the fun of it all. You’ve never been, so I thought it would be nice to have you come along.”

“You wouldn’t want to FaceTime?” she purred.

“I remember the last time we were supposed to faceTime, and I got a live performance instead that I liked very much.   I’d be very ok if you packed that outfit again.”

“It’s clean now, I suppose I could,” she smirked.  “When would I wear it?”

“Do you trust me to tell you when to wear it?”

“I suppose…”

“You don’t trust me?”

“It’s not that I don’t trust you, more like I feel you’re going to want me wearing it every chance you get.”

“The way you look in it, I’m not opposed,” he smiled. “I definitely want to do something we didn’t do on our flight home from San Francisco…”

“What was that?”

“Induct you into the mile high club,” he grinned, his eyes a dark hue. 

“Let’s finish lunch and get you back in the studio or you’ll never finish your project.”

“Actually, I'd rather work on helping you get to know all this stuff.  I’m proud of you for looking it up and knowing how to do what you did today, but I thought maybe I could show you how to edit it, fine tune things here and there.  That way you can do it all yourself and produce your own stuff, even if it’s just playing around.”

“Josh, this is just something I’m doing in my spare time while I’m waiting to go back to work. I’m not gonna take it that seriously that I’ll be the next big artist.  I’m 39, I’m not gonna be a star, not even with people my own age, we’re too set in our ways musically.  This is just something fun to keep my mind and time occupied.  It’s never been a possibility for me, and it never will be.”

His heart broke at hearing that statement, that she had let more self esteem come out, but she still held onto that lie from her teenage years.

“Just let me help you get that one track studio finished, ready as if we were to put it on an album.  That way you’ve learned how to do it and that you just play around with it when you have the time.”

“Ok.  It definitely gives me a better appreciation for what you and Justin do on a regular basis, the work that’s involved to make this all happen.”

They finished lunch, going into Jenna’s small studio, JC loving standing behind her and giving her a hands-on lesson on how to go through and edit music and put things together.

“Has this been a good learning experience for you?” he asked, leaning over her shoulder, whispering in her ear.

“It has, being so close to you, feeling closer in understanding how this all works…”

“Now that we’re done, I say we christen this studio.”

“Didn’t we just do that with me recording and you helping me edit?” she teased, knowing full well that wasn’t what he meant.

“I figured more like when we were in my studio, on the couch…” he said, running his fingers along her neck, tracing the shell of her ear.

“I don’t have a couch,” she smiled, continuing to tease him.

“I can do all kinds of things to you just in that chair,” he offered.

“I’m sure you could, but you need to go work on your project now.”

“My client is very understanding, it's fine if it isn’t fully finished before New York…”

“Nice try, but I’ve been enough of a distraction already.  Get back to work, baby.”

“This isn’t over, Jenna… We’ll finish this later.”

“I look forward to it. But for now, get that cute little ass of yours back into your studio and get back to work.”

I just HAD to tell her I had work to do… he thought, kicking himself.  I could be having much more fun right now, but this will all be worth it next week…

…

JC finished doing dishes while Jenna got comfortable on the couch and set up Friends on the TV. JC sat beside her on the couch, wrapping his arm around her. Bronson jogged up to them, getting up onto the couch and sitting squished between them. 

“Bronson, you’re being weird, bud,” JC sighed. 

They began to watch, getting a couple episodes in before JC stopped between episodes. He looked at her, tilting her chin up to kiss her lips. 

Bronson growled at JC, starting to bark at him. “Bronson, what is going on?!” Jenna asked, confused and frustrated. “Strangers, sure, but your own Daddy?”

“I wonder if that’s what’s going on…” JC gasped, his eyes eyeing in realization.

“What?” Jenna wondered. 

“Let me try something,” he said. He kissed her lips, Bronson growling and pushing between them. JC moved a hand towards her breast, Bronson beginning to bark, surprisingly aggressively. 

“He’s protecting you, Jenna. He’s accepted you as his new mom, but also can sense you’re pregnant. He’s trying to protect you and Liam from anything. Even me, apparently.”

“Really, dogs can do that? I’ve always been a cat person, so I had no idea…”

“Sorry, bud, but you’re staying out of the bedroom for a while, I can only imagine what he’d do if he saw what we’re gonna do next,” he smiled, sweeping her into his arms and carrying her upstairs.