Finding the Dream (For the Love of Music #1.5) by Mia Josephs

won’t dry out.” She passed them again as she moved back into the kitchen.
    Donovan sighed, knowing that Chuck was going to love every second of being waited on by Sierra.
    “How is there left over roast ?” Chuck jerked open the fridge. “I mean, roast. You’re in college. College students don’t eat roast. They eat Ramen.”
    Sierra’s brows wiggled. “My food is all tax deductible.”
    Chuck stood straight, blinked, and stared at Sierra. “I have stepped into heaven. You cook. You make popcorn taste like…taste like…something I might choose over beer, there’s roast in the fridge, the living room now looks like adults live here, and your groceries are tax deductible? So you cook? A lot?”
    “It’s part of her job,” Donovan interjected.
    Bringing Chuck had not been a good idea.
    “I love to cook.” Sierra smiled. “ Love it.”
    “And she’s refurnishing your house.” Chuck brushed past Donovan and walked into the living room. “Nice deal you got here.”
    “You guys pick the movie.” Sierra began pulling food out of the fridge. “I’ll warm up real food for you two.”
    “You don’t have to do that,” Donovan protested as he walked toward her.
    Sierra set down the two dishes of leftovers on the counter and pushed on Donovan’s chest, backing him out of the kitchen. “I’m going to make you both tell me what you did and didn’t like about each popcorn. Or tell me something I can write up on my blog. And I’m going to take pictures. Warming up food is cheap payment, Van.”
    He set his hands over where hers still pushed his chest and she froze, sucking in a breath. Donovan dropped his arms. What was with him? “Fair enough. We’ll pick the movie.”
    But he wasn’t able to step away from Sierra before Chuck’s gaze was on them, his shit-eating grin saying that yes, Donovan definitely should not have invited his friend.
     
    Sierra shook out her hands as she turned from Van. How was she supposed to even look at someone else, much less entertain the idea of a date when Van felt like… Felt like everything ?
    She brought the boys’ dinner plates to them and sat on the floor, ready to take some serious notes on her popcorn flavors.
    “That one’s the best,’ Chuck said pointing.
    “You like the spicy one?”
    He nodded. “But the chocolate caramel one is also awesome.”
    She snatched her laptop while Van scrolled through movies, settling on something with Jason Statham’s dirt-streaked face on the front.
    Typical.
    But there were worse things than spending an evening eating popcorn and watching Statham’s abs, biceps, and crooked smile on screen.
    “Okay.” Van patted the spot on the couch between him and Chuck. “Stop working. Come sit. Movie time.”
    She bit her lip, grasping the edges of her laptop. Writing up their night and her thoughts on popcorn recipes felt a lot easier than joining in.
    “Do you guys want something to drink? Or a refill?”
    “I’m stuffed.” Chuck patted his stomach, his plate of food already scraped clean.
    “Sit. Down.” Donovan smirked and she finally relented, finding her spot between the guys on the couch.
    Van hit play and Chuck brought everyone a cup of water, and by the time Statham let the “package” in the back of his car out for a pee break, they were passing the popcorns back and forth.
    “How many times have you guys seen this movie?” Sierra asked after the fifth time one of them had said something about the next bit being the best part.
    Chuck tapped his chin. “One or two, or…”
    “Close to twenty.” Donovan smiled. “And should I ask how many times you’ve seen Pride and Prejudice ?”
    She felt her cheeks warm. “Nope.”
    “That’s what I thought.’
    “Shhh!” Chuck pointed at the screen. “This is so good.”
    Sierra glanced at Donovan whose blue eyes still rested on her. The same tingling in her stomach and chest skittered inside her as she scooted lower in the couch, her long day slowly catching up