Even though I’ve practiced the shit out of this one since I play lead, I take a deep breath. Not only do I have to play, singing with acoustic music doesn’t allow much room for error. A second after I strum, the rest of the band yells out the first words of the Lumineers’ song “Ho Hey.” The crowd recognizes the lyrics and starts stomping, clapping, and singing along wildly. Instead of making me more nervous, their exuberance helps calm me down.
Strumming and singing, I relax into the performance. Gabe pounds on his bass drum and bangs his tambourine. Then Romeo adds the mandolin. I scan the crowd for Allie even while singing and playing an instrument I’ve only recently conquered.
We’re in the chorus for the second time when I spot her shiny auburn hair at the back of the crowd. Smiling and clapping, she looks so happy and into the music, my newly awakened crazy-ass heart swells.
With my eyes mostly still on Allie, we finish the song.
We play three of our originals next, which are fast, folk, and bluesy. Romeo and Sam do most of the guitar work. I only have to strum a few cords. The crowd is still into us, and I’m still flying high from the energy, but my attention continues to wander toward the back of the room. To Allie.
We end the night on a song we have been practicing forever. I don’t play this one, only sing. If Romeo could have his way, I’d have learned the keyboards for this song, but I told him to back off. I can only conquer one thing at a time. My first priority is singing, then the guitar. Piano is a long way off. He wanted to hire a keyboardist for this song, but the rest of us put a stop to that. “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd has enough power to carry it with just vocals and guitars. When the drums come in halfway through, they kick the intensity up a notch.
After the first few guitar notes, the crowd goes crazy, and I sense a bit of surprise.
Yes, you happy fuckers, we are singing Pink Floyd.
Still sitting on the stool, I watch Allie through most of the long beginning instrumental. Musically clueless, she doesn’t join the the crowd in humming along and swaying with lifted arms. I concentrate on doing the classic song justice and sing the shit out of the lyrics, high for this awesome crowd.
I glance at Allie only a few times.
Then we’re bowing as the rowdy fans scream for more, and exiting the stage with our instruments.
Lucky for us, there’s a stage crew that hauls our equipment out back. Usually, I take my sweet-ass time helping out, but tonight I’m all business and efficiency. So much so that Romeo’s raising his brows. “Who slapped your ass?”
Before I can tell Romeo to eff off, Sam says, “His new lady friend is here.”
Romeo’s brows rise even higher. “You’re serious about this girl?”
For one stupid moment, I’m embarrassed, like I’m whipped or something, but then I proudly say, “Very.”
Romeo gives me a curt nod and we finish loading the van.
Afterward, I rush inside the bar and start making my way over to Allie, ignoring the people who try to get my attention or stop me. She’s leaning against the bar, talking to the guy next to her. A twinge of jealousy erupts in me, but then I remember her caveman comment from a few weeks ago and push aside the possessiveness. It’s an initial reaction but one I can ignore. Allie’s not that type of girl. Shit, I was the first guy she’d been with since her divorce.
“Well hello,” she says as I step in front of her and put my hands on her waist.
“Hello, pretty lady. I couldn’t help noticing you back here all by yourself.” She’s hot in her standard tank, jeans, and boots, but tonight her hair is in two braids. The ends lie right above the soft expanse of her cleavage. Very nice.
She smiles seductively and that’s all the encouragement I need. I kiss her long and slow, showing her mouth all the things I want to do to her body.
When we part, the guy who was talking to her closes his mouth and turns toward the bar.
Allie lets out a rare giggle as her hands tighten around my waist. “The show was great. I didn’t know you played acoustic so well.”
“I really don’t. I only know a few songs.” I reach for her hand at my back. “Come on. Everyone’s in the back room.”
“Holly’s coming,” she says. “I should wait for her.”
“Just text her to go to the back room.”
“Oh, okay,” Allie says, pulling out her phone.
I walk behind her as she texts, touching her waist but wanting to touch even more.
When we get to the back room, it’s full. Even Romeo and Riley are here tonight. I introduce Allie to Riley’s best friends, Marcus and Chloe, who ooh and aah over her sleeve tattoo. Riley gives Allie a wave, but of course doesn’t leave Romeo’s side. At the end of the table, Gabe sits as usual with his girlfriend in his lap.
The two of us grab the seats at the middle of the table, and then share the beer that’s there waiting for me. I order two more. It’s different and nice to just talk instead of trying to lay the moves on someone I hardly know with the expectation of whoever it is taking me home. Allie and I laugh at Sam’s story about going out for a smoke, then getting locked out of his apartment for four hours while the girl he’d brought home slept off the body shots they did. Chloe, Riley, and Allie talk school and classes while Romeo drones on to Sam and me about next Saturday’s recording session.
I’m arguing that I’d rather break it into two more sessions instead of an unbearably long one when I notice Allie is gone. Chloe picks up on my confusion and tells me Allie went to get Holly. After a thankful nod in Chloe’s direction, I continue arguing, but after more than ten minutes pass without Allie’s returning, I get up and go to inspect the busy bar. I finally spot her across the room. With Trevor. Even from this distance, I can see the grip of his hands on her arms. He’s leaning over her. She’s leaning back as her face turns fearful.
Pushing people out of my way, I’m across the room in seconds.
Chapter 26
Allie
As I walk through the crowded club to meet Holly at the bar, the giddiness that has pervaded my mood since watching Justin onstage doesn’t dissipate. As he performed, all I could think was, That wonderful, sexy rocker up there is mine. I’m not sure how it happened, when exactly I opened up to it, but there’s no denying that I’m out-of-control into him now. I feel exactly like I should, a twenty-two-year-old out at the bar with her boyfriend. m.ob.i.lism I feel young and mcarefree.
And I like it.
Holly and Jake are waiting for a round of shots at the bar, so I hit the restroom. On the way out, I’m still on my Justin cloud nine when someone steps in front of me. Startled to see Trevor, I stumble backward. He appears a bit menacing in all black: jeans, T-shirt, boots.
“Thought you weren’t into this guy. Thought it wasn’t serious,” he says, sneering so much the tats on his neck stretch. He’s also yelling in my face because of the loud music blasting through the speakers. “Making out in the middle a bar screams serious, Allie.”
For a moment I’m too stunned to reply, but I slowly put two and two together. I’d been talking to Mark Beech, a Dragonfly customer who’d known Trevor forever, when Justin came up to me at the bar. Obviously, the jerk had called or texted Trevor after we left for the back room.
I stand with my fists clenched but calmly say, “It’s really none of your business who I date, kiss—or how serious it is. We’re divorced, Trevor.”
His blue eyes blaze and he reaches for my arm. “We have a kid and a business together.” He pauses and leans low. “You’ll always be connected to me. Always. No douche bag singer is going to change that.” He starts dragging me toward the door.