Sunday morning, I wake up just after eight. I roll over and try to go back to sleep, but Asher's promise of working on our song today fills me with too much energy to laze around. Our song needs a lot of work, but I'm no longer dreading the work, nor am I dreading the thought of spending time with Asher. It's still a bizarre feeling, not dreading Asher. Bizarre, but not unwelcome.

After throwing a light sweater on over my sleep singlet and shorts, I make my way downstairs and rifle through the kitchen cupboards, assessing the cereal situation. There is plenty to choose from, but after opening the fridge and seeing fresh eggs and bacon, I decide I'd rather cook breakfast.

The Cassidys had a full-time chef until Jesse married Mum. Now, he is only around part-time, and he often leaves us prepared or pre-prepped meals instead of being on site to prepare everything. Mum does the shopping for any meals the chef hasn't prepared, and I hope she doesn't mind me getting stuck into the eggs and bacon. I'll make enough for everyone so that people can heat it when they're ready.

Aware that the rest of the household is asleep, I set up my phone to play through the wireless speakers with the volume low enough that it won't wake anyone. Immediately, I dance around as I take the pans out of the cupboards and start cracking eggs. I'm so busy singing along to The River by Delta Goodrem that I jump through the roof when a hand grazes my shoulder. Whirling around with my hand on my heart, I glare at the culprit - Asher.

"You scared the shit out of me."

"Sorry," he says, trying and failing to hide the smile pulling at the corner of his mouth.

He reaches past me to pull a glass down from the cupboard I'd been standing in front of, which is probably the reason he'd touched my shoulder.

"Yeah, I can see that."

I watch as he fills the glass with water and downs the contents in one go. My eyes trace the movement of his Adam's apple before dropping to his bare chest, and lower to the sweatpants riding low on his hips. I suck in a breath as I realise just how pronounced the v line below his six-pack is.

In the past, we must have stood this close before while Asher has been topless, but if he has, I didn't react the way I am now - lightheaded, throat dry, hands clammy, heart beating too damn fast. My breath lodges in my throat as I register just how broad his shoulders are and how huge his muscles are. I'm also horribly aware of how close Asher is standing to me.

What the fuck?

"You were in the zone. I didn't want to interrupt your dancing."

"Sure."

There is every chance he deliberately tried to give me a heart attack. I drag my gaze up from the tattoos which pop on his golden tan skin up to his face, only to find Asher looking down my body. To the short sleep shorts I'm wearing. Goosebumps break across my skin at the same time as heat explodes through me.

I don't realise I'm holding my breath until Asher's gaze finally slides back up my body and his dark gaze locks with mine, at which point my stomach tries parachuting down to my feet.

"Your bacon is burning," he says, the corner of his mouth turning up into a near smile I haven't witnessed before.

"What?"

"Your bacon. It's burning," he repeats.

It takes a second for the smell of burnt bacon to tickle my nostrils.

"Oh, shit."

Relieved for the distraction, I turn back to the stove and deal with the burning bacon before starting on my second batch.

I don't know what is suddenly wrong with me, but Asher should not be affecting me the way he just did. He's always been extremely popular with the opposite sex. And before Maddie, he was definitely something of a manwhore, but I've never been so affected. I mean, when he was my enemy, the hatred never let me see him as anything other than a pain in my arse.

Okay, there was that one time–the very first time we met, before I'd met Ethan. But that was years ago, and now he is my stepbrother. A couple of weeks ago, he'd been my sworn enemy. And even if we're on better terms now, there are so many reasons I don't want to be aware of just how hard his abs are, or which tattoos cover them.

"Did you and Maddie get everything sorted out?" I ask, mentioning one of those reasons as I focus on flipping bacon.

"I just got up."

"I know, but you could have texted her before you went to sleep."

"You want me to tell you what I did before I went to sleep?"

I look over my shoulder and glare at him, even as my cheeks burn again. This is the second time in less than twelve hours that Asher has made a suggestive comment. He is almost being flirtatious, and it catches me off guard. Perhaps I'm going to miss enemy-Asher and our adversarial relationship. It almost feels better–safer - than the way my stomach flips at his words, and the way I notice how the aftershave he wore last night still clings to him this morning, making him smell better than any unshowered eighteen-year-old should.

"Only if it involves Maddie," I tell him, then quickly realise what I'm saying and go to correct myself, but Asher jumps in before I can.

"So, you want to know what I do in bed with Maddie? Lilah, do you and I need to have a talk about the birds and the bees?"

I flip him the bird and he chuckles, a sound that has my belly striving for an Olympic medal in diving.

"I meant-"

"I know what you meant."

"Do you want to help by making coffee?" I ask, trying to get off the subject off my stepbrother and Maddie in bed together.

The thought makes me too hot, and a little nauseous.

He raises an eyebrow and then takes two mugs out of the cupboard before switching the coffee machine on.

"I did message Maddie," he says as we work side by side. "She seems to think we're cool."

"Cool?"

He finishes making the first cappuccino and I transfer the bacon to a dish that will keep it warm. "That's what she says."

"You know, usually anyone who says they're fine or cool isn't actually fine or cool at all," I tell him, cracking the eggs into a bowl.

"I'm aware."

"So, what are you going to do?"

"Nothing. She says we're cool, so I'm going to take her at her word."

"But-"

"I'm not interested in playing games and Maddie knows that. If there's a problem, she needs to tell me, not wait for me to hassle her about it."

"Okay," I say, holding up my hands.

It isn't unreasonable to expect Maddie to speak up if they are still having a problem. And really, it is none of my business. Asher and I might be getting along better, but we aren't friends.

At least, I don't think we are.

Are we? I'm really not sure at this point.

"You still good to work on our song today?" I ask.

"If you are."

At that moment Ethan comes strolling into the kitchen, a smile on his face when he sees me. That smile quickly morphs into a frown, however, when he sees Asher standing a few feet away from me.

"What are you doing up already?" Ethan grumbles.

Asher shrugs. "Why not get up at this time?"

"It's a Sunday morning."

"Yeah..."

"So why aren't you sleeping in like usual?"

"Why aren't you?" Asher shoots back.

Ethan glances at me and then plops onto the stool at the bench. "We've got rehearsals," he mumbles. "The gig is next week, and I want to get in as much time with the band as possible."

"Rehearsals aren't until this afternoon." Asher nods at me as I crack the last of the eggs. "We're going to work on our duet this morning."

Ethan shakes his head. "I can't believe you've made plans to work on your duet when we've got band rehearsals."

Asher crosses his arms. "Did I miss something? Didn't we agree as a band to take the morning off because we've spent the entire week working on the gig?"

"Working on your duet isn't exactly taking a morning off."

"What's it matter what I do in my time off from rehearsals?"

My heart rate is speeding up as the brothers stare at each other. No, they're both full on glaring at each other. I'm having a serious case of déjà vu. One brother has agreed to spend time with me while the other one isn't pleased with that decision and is making it known.

"Ethan," I start. "Asher and I need to work on our song. The past couple of weeks you guys have been rehearsing, which I totally get, but if I want to get into that showcase, our song needs some serious work."

Ethan shakes his head, his arms still crossed even as his shoulders slump. The look he shoots me is like a lost little boy's. "I was hoping we could hang out this morning before rehearsals. I guess that's off the cards now."

I offer him a small smile. "I'm sorry."

"Never mind," he mumbles, looking down at his hands before looking up at me. "You making breakfast for everyone?"

I nod quickly and go back to beating the eggs.

"We have to change the guitar solo in Kryptonite," Ethan says to Asher. "I've been up half the night going over the arrangement. It's just not working. Deck isn't nailing it."

"I know."

"If he can't get the timing just right-"

"He'll get there," Asher assures him.

"He has to go away to that Uni camp on Tuesday. What if we don't get it right before then? We've got two days and then... I didn't want to put rehearsals off until the afternoon, but you said you'd probably hang with Maddie. And since I know what it's like when someone stops you from spending time with someone you really want to spend time with, I said nothing, but-"

"Ethan," Asher cuts him off, his expression dark and his voice tight in a way that makes my gut knot. "We all agreed to take the morning off. It wasn't just about me. It's not like I planned this with Lilah before the band agreed. I know you're stressed, but perhaps that's all the more reason you need to take a break."

"I don't need a break, we need to keep working."

Glancing at me and seeing my expression, Ethan shakes his head again. "I'm not trying to be a dick. I just want this to go perfectly and we're not there yet. Rehearsals haven't gone as well as they should have this week."

Usually, Ethan is pretty laid back and easy-going, but he has seemed stressed lately. Asher frowns as he turns back to the coffee machine, his expression dark.

After pouring the eggs into the frypan, I put my hand on Asher's arm and wait for him to look at me. "Maybe we can put off working on our duet until after the festival is over. You know, if you think that's for the best and you need this morning for rehearsals."

It's the absolute last thing I want, and my stomach is in knots over the idea of our duet not being ready, but how much is Asher going to want to work on this duet if he knows his brother is upset and stressing about their upcoming concert?

Asher turns around to look at his brother again before his gaze drops to my hand, which I let drop like he burned me. "Rehearsals haven't gone so great. Do you mind?"

"No. We'll just put in some extra effort after next weekend."

Our song needs so much work, and I'm more than a little disappointed we cannot spend any time working on it this morning, but I want the guys to kill it at the festival. Besides, I'm not sure Asher is in the best mood to work on our song now.

"I'm sorry, Lilah. I just really want to get this right," Ethan says.

"It's fine," I tell him, stirring the eggs. "I understand."

And I do. Music is everything to these boys, just like it is everything to me. The difference between the Cassidy brothers and me, however, is that everything they do takes them a step closer to achieving their dream of becoming rock stars. Meanwhile, I seem to take one step forward and two steps back.

If Asher doesn't make time to work with me on our duet after the festival is done, they will leave for the US at the end of the year, make their album and go on tour. And me? They will leave me behind with no acceptance to Sydney Music College in sight.

After eating breakfast with the two brothers and listening to more talk about their upcoming gig, I leave them to clean up after breakfast and head back to my room. At least, it's my intention to head to my room, but when I hear Asher say my name I pause. He isn't talking to me, though; he's talking to Ethan about me. Nibbling at my bottom lip I oscillate over whether to eavesdrop or walk away.

Ethan huffs. "I don't know what you mean."

"You do, and I'm telling you to chill out about me and Lilah," Asher warns.

"You mean like how you were so freaking chilled out when Lilah and I were dating?"

"That was different."

"Oh, how?"

I can practically hear Ethan crossing his arms, and even though I know I shouldn't listen, my feet refuse to move. The brothers always put each other first; it's why Ethan broke my heart. But the tension I've witnessed between them this past week leaves a gnawing sensation in my stomach. How is it possible I cause so much tension between these two brothers? They never seem to fight about anything unless it's about me.

"Your dating her interfered with MOD business."

"That's bullshit, and you know it. Was that all just an excuse so you could-"

"Don't! Don't even finish that sentence, brother. You know it isn't even remotely like that. I'm doing what you wanted. You begged me to work with her on the duet and I am. I put aside all the hesitation and reservations I've had about her and accepted her as part of our family. When I am doing what you want, you don't get to start shit."

"Answer truthfully, Asher. That's all you're doing with Lilah, just being nice to her for my sake?"

There's a beat of silence, and I tear my feet from the floor and walk away. I want to know the answer to that question, but not like this-not when it's a conversation not meant for my ears. I don't know if I can deal with his answer right now. If Asher says it is all for Ethan's sake, I'll be disappointed. Crushed, even. But if he says it's not? If he says his change of attitude isn't all for Ethan's benefit?

Well, I'm not sure how to feel about that either. Especially now that I've started to see Asher the way Kennedy once said she did- as a hot and talented musician and not just my arsehole stepbrother. I never had to worry about my stomach flipping around him or the way I respond to his flirting when he made it clear he hated me. He's supposed to be 'family'. He's a rock-star-in-the-making, one with a popstar for a girlfriend. And the Cassidy brothers will let nothing come between them and their band, least of all me.

So, perhaps, just for now, it's a good thing I don't know how he feels about me. And I'm just going to ignore the fact that right now, I don't know exactly how I feel about him anymore, either.