“Nope.” Ella shook her head incredulously. “Stop that. You think you don’t deserve some hot, incredibly sweet, successful person that thinks you’re amazing, but you do. Liv, you do deserve that.”
“Then it’s a good thing I’ve got the two hottest dates in this place right here.” I linked my arms through theirs. “Let’s just enjoy the show and this amazing view.”
Grace sighed dreamily. “You could be dating a rockstar.”
“You’re going out with him.” Ella squinted at me.
“He hasn’t even asked me to go anywhere.” I threw my hands up. “You guys have lost it. I’m not—”
“Champagne for the lovely ladies.” Cash approached with two sparkling flutes in his hands, saving me from any further conversation about Jaxon Slade. Antoni was on his heels with a tall, sparkly glass in one hand and a black shopping bag packed to the brim, with what I assumed was the merch Cash had mentioned, in the other.
“I got a Shirley Ginger for you, honey.” Antoni shimmied his shoulders. “Nothing like a good mocktail.”
“Thank you so much,” I said gratefully. We took the drinks and the bag from their hands, thanking them profusely. “Y’all have done too much. We really appreciate it.”
“Truly, it’s our pleasure.” Cash smiled brightly. “You guys mind some company? We’re usually working throughout the show, but the band is on a little break after tonight, so things aren’t as crazy as usual.”
“Of course,” I said, perhaps a little too eagerly. I knew that as long Cash was there with us, there would be no further mention of Jax.
“You guys are in for a treat.” He moved to stand by Ella. “These guys put on such a great show. Jax’s voice is even better live.”
Well, shit. You had one job, Cash.
“Jax isquiteimpressive.” Ella smirked in my direction, letting me know that though I may have avoided the topic for now, this conversation was far from over.
Cash was right. Midnight in Dallas put on a hell of a show. I don’t think the audience sat down the entire ninety minutes they played. As promised, Jax’s voice was otherworldly. Every word he sang felt like salve on a wound. By the time they stepped on stage for their final encore, Cash, Ella, Grace, and I had felt every end of the emotional spectrum. We’d even managed to pull Antoni in to dance with us for a couple of songs.
I watched the way the crowd responded to Jax, how he seemed to hold them in the palm of his hand. My hands twitched with memory, and I suddenly felt a familiar ache to feel my fingertips on the neck of my old guitar.
I watched as Cash twirled Ella, her head thrown back with laughter, and the sheer bliss plastered on Grace’s face as she sang along to every word, and I felt grateful. Ella had been right the day before. I had been wallowing in my misery for the last six months. Really, if I’d been honest with myself, I’d been drowning in it a lot longer than that. It felt good to come back to the land of the living with the two people I loved most in the world.
But just as the carriage turned back into a pumpkin in Cinderella, I felt the sadness beginning to grip at my heart. It threatened to morph me back into the sad sack I’d been the day before.
Antoni bumped my hip with his. “Why the long face, gorgeous?”
“Hmm?” I looked up into his chocolatey eyes that seemed to see right through me. “Oh, nothing. Sorry. I guess I spaced out there for a second.” He studied me as though he were trying to decide whether he believed me or not. Even if he didn’t, he decided not to press the issue any further.
He clutched his headset to his ear, listening intently. “Duty calls.” He groaned before disappearing through the backstage area.
Midnight in Dallas closed their set with “Fortress.” As promised, Jax dedicated it to Grace who dissolved into a puddle of happiness. From the response of the crowd, the song appeared to be a fan favorite. Upon closer inspection, the lyrics told the story of a girl who’d built a fortress to protect her from pain. In doing so, she discovered she’d locked out the whole world, and the hurt she’d tried so hard to run from had become her only friend.
At one point, Jax stopped singing, and the audience filled in every word in perfect harmony. Because Nashville, of course. The show ended in a much deserved decibel-crushing explosion of applause and screams.
“That was fucking amazing,” Ella said breathlessly as the band ran off the stage opposite to where we were stationed.
“I told you.” Cash nudged her arm and beamed with excitement. “Man, that was fun. Thanks for letting me hang out with you guys.”
“Are you kidding me?” I asked. “Thanks for lettingushang out withyou.”
“I am ruined for all other concerts in the future.” Grace laughed. “Ruined.”
“I’m so glad you guys enjoyed it.” Cash’s eyes settled on Ella.
I pulled my phone out of my back pocket. I made a mental note to mention how many times Cash’s eyes found their way to Ella during the course of the evening when she inevitably tried to bring up this Jax business again.
“We should probably get going.” I was admittedly a little sad that our evening had come to an end.
Ella pouted. “It’s going to be a bitch trying to get a Lyft outta here.”
