Bobby's guitar playing calmed her down. She'd laid her hands in her lap, no longer fiddling with her nails and clothes. Juice was grateful to his brother, for he hadn't known what he could do to distract her. His video games never had a good influence on her, and this wasn't the best moment to spend together in his dorm. Even more, Kenny and Elly were there, who did want to play games.
A smile played Dana's lips while she watched how Bobby's fingers touched the strings. It was a sad, nostalgic smile. The past two weeks he'd learned how to interpret her smiles. Despite everything she smiled a lot, but by now he knew they corresponded to different feelings and thoughts.
"Ya know how to play?" he asked, even though he thought to know the answer. His hand laid on her shoulder and his fingers played with a strand of her hair.
"I had a guitar once, but it's been ages since I touched one. I doubt I still know how to play."
Bobby kept his hand still, watched her for a while and then reached his guitar to her. "Give it a try, sweetheart."
Juice pulled back his arm to give her some space. He was a little surprised by Bobby's offer, he dealt with his instrument as if it was a newborn child and he'd never seen him lending it to anyone. But that was exactly how people reacted to Dana; without realizing she got things done others didn't.
"I had an electric one," she told them while taking the guitar from Bobby. Carefully she placed it on her lap. Her slender fingers folded around the neck and pressed the chords, while pulling the strings with her other hand.
From the side Juice studied her face. Between her eyebrows appeared a wrinkle that was always there when she concentrated, and her eyes were focused on the instrument. His lips bent into a smile. He loved to watch her while she was passionate about something, when she forgot for a moment that other people were around. That was the reason he loved to do archery with her, which they'd done a few times now, together or with others. He was no match for her, but he could watch her shooting arrows all day. To see how her muscles tensed, how she took the right position, the way her eyes lit up when she hit the target... he couldn't get enough of it. On moments like these she was in her natural element, and she was able to release the threat that was constantly surrounding her.
Would that threat be gone for good, after tonight? Would his brothers succeed in taking down Maddox? They had to be in San Francisco by now. He expected a phone call any moment. What if it really came to that? He could barely imagine their future. Would she leave the clubhouse? Would she stay in Charming at all?
A cramping feeling arose in his stomach. He hadn't thought that far. It felt like his life had been on stand by since he shared it with Dana. Actually, he didn't know if she wanted to stay for him. They were together for a few weeks, they hadn't even had real sex. To what extend did she feel connected to him? Was he more to her than temporal comfort, a distraction? The warmth she'd missed the past years? There had to be countless dreams she wanted to chase, and which of those would keep her in Charming?
They'd never talked about what she wanted to do when Maddox was dead. She doubted it was a plausible outcome, but he didn't. He had faith in his brother. They would fix this shit.
But then what?
It felt wrong he worried so much about it while her fears went so much deeper, but uncertainty started to gnaw. He had to let her go so she could follow her heart. And that heart wouldn't lead to a motor gang.
This was her refuge, her safe haven.
Not the place she'd been dreaming of since she was a kid.
Anxiety attacked him like a swarm of mosquitoes, buzzing annoyingly, without a chance to chase them away. He focused on the guitar play again, and only now he realized she was playing Sweet Home Alabama, softly singing along.
It was the first time he heard her sing. The words weren't clearly audible, but it was more than humming and it was easy to filter her voice from the others. Soft and warm, but with a slight hoarseness that was so typical. Her cheeks flushed when she caught his glance and she smiled a little shy.
Things like that kept surprising him. In many ways she was a tough chick, but a shy girl was also hidden deep within her. He winked at her, where after her lips turned into a smile. His glance wandered to her fingers, taking in the calm way they moved across the strings. Right now he wanted nothing more than feeling those underneath his shirt.
Before he could lose himself in that fantasy, his phone rang. Even before he'd pulled it out of his pocket, the guitar play died away and it became dead silent around him.