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“Clearly I need to invest in better sunglasses,” Skylar teased.
“I know it’s hard for us to be out in industries that aren’t necessarily kind to that. But I also know that denying your feelings will only make you miserable. And who knows, maybe this tour can help Elena open up. See that the world is more accepting now. She’s divorced now, right?”
Skylar nodded.
“And she’s been seen with Fallon Rogers multiple times. I know of Fallon, and I know she’s out. I try not to pay attention to the tabloids and paparazzi photos, but I saw those, and they looked to be more than friends to me.”
“Me, too,” Skylar sarcastically laughed. “I don’t know. I haven’t asked her about Fallon. Mostly because I didn’t know if I wanted an answer. But she’s made it clear to me she’s happy in her closed-off world.”
“You never know,” Blake’s eyes twinkled, “people change. I know it’s not exactly the same, but when I first met Alexis, she was dead set on not letting anyone into her life. But eventually, she realized I wasn’t going anywhere and that I truly cared for her and loved her, and look at where we are now.”
Blake paused and laughed.
“Sleepless with two eleven-month-olds and a kid who just decided she wants to play Little League.”
“That sounds like a dream, though,” Skylar laughed, but inside, her heart ached for what Blake had. “I want that someday.”
“You will,” Blake reassured her as their food arrived. She smirked at Skylar as she picked up a fry and popped it into her mouth. “And maybe it’ll be with Elena.”
If only…
“Yeah, maybe.”
Chapter 15
Elena
It had been too damn long since Elena had opened for a crowd that filled an entire arena. She could hear the crowd buzzing with anticipation as she nervously waited behind the curtain. Gordon, Michael, Andy, and Erica were all chatting off to her right, while across the room she could see Skylar talking to Johnny. She was wearing skintight jeans, a black V-neck, and heeled ankle boots. Her silver jewelry kept sparkling each time she moved, drawing Elena’s attention to her like a moth to a flame.
Smoothing out non-existent wrinkles in her dress, Elena forced herself to focus on anything but Skylar.
Elena had spent more money than she’d care to admit on her dress, but it made her feel stunning. The form-fitting black dress had a deep cut in the front with an even deeper cut in the back. One wrong move, and Elena would be showing all to the crowd. But she didn’t care. She looked damn good in the dress, and she was going to flaunt that.
Across the room, she caught Skylar’s gaze again. And like clockwork, Skylar blushed before turning away with a smile on her face. Elena knew exactly what she was thinking. It was the same thing Elena had been thinking for weeks. But she knew they had to keep their distance.
Even if it killed Elena.
Skylar had broken her heart once by leaving, and Elena knew that after the tour, Skylar would go back to the Cove. There was no sense in starting any relationship. It didn’t matter that their chemistry was off the wall or that every fiber in Elena’s body wanted to touch Skylar, or the fact she pictured Skylar taking the dress off her when she bought it.
Elena had to keep it together.
Rolling her neck, she took a deep breath and tried to clear her mind. Her attempt failed miserably when she felt a warm hand on her back.
“You ready?” Skylar smiled, keeping her hand on Elena’s back. Up close, Elena could see the slight sparkle in Skylar’s makeup.
Elena nodded. “I am. Are you?”
“As I’ll ever be.”
“It’s gonna be great.”
“Yeah, it will be.”
She was still keenly aware Skylar’s hand was still on her back. Was she doing it on purpose? Or was it a habit? Elena wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer.
After not seeing Skylar for the past few days, Elena had actually begun to miss her. She missed not sharing a cup of coffee or a glass of wine together on the porch while they wrote songs they knew would never be recorded. Their time together—always at least five feet apart—had been a nice break after hours of rehearsal. And now they were only moments away from all their hard work coming to its crescendo.
The Footprint Arena in Phoenix, Arizonia, was their first of many sold-out shows. Over two thousand fans filled the venue, and Elena was ready to get the show on the road. As she looked over at a giant clock by the stage curtain, she saw there were only three minutes left to show time.
