My mom, infallibly ignorant to anyone’s anxiety, walked over and gave me a hug, pecking my cheek with a kiss. “So proud of you.”
“We’ll go find our seats,” my dad added. “Break a leg, kid.”
“That’s theater,” Connor snickered from the winds section.
I offered Jude a soft smile, before turning back to the band, eyes darting toward Mr. Halloway and the problem at hand. “See you after,” I called over my shoulder.
There were thirty-two minutes until showtime and we were going to need every second of it if we had any hope of making it through the piece.Now, it had to be perfect. I glanced back at Jude who wasn’t moving from his spot by the door.
Okay… you can go now. Please go.I made a quick, impatient gesture for him to leave.
Mr. Halloway stood, peering around the tuba’s. “Jude, you still drum like a bat out of hell?”
I turned to find Jude moving farther into the room, setting his phone and keys down on the piano. “Pretty sure,” he answered with a faint smirk.
My band director lifted his sticks in surrender. “I will happily relinquish the throne.”
Jude’s eyes flicked to me, and then to the sheet music sitting on the conductor’s stand. “I’d be happy to, if it’s okay with Solace.”
My gaze narrowed. “What? You haven’t played in years.” He shrugged as if it didn’t matter, but I knew for a fact that he hadn’t touched a drumstick since he left for Texas. My fists clenched at my sides before quickly releasing. He wasn’t supposed to be here. “I don’t know, we’ve been practicing all year,” I argued.
“You worked hard Solace, don’t let me ruin it.” Mr. Halloway placed the sticks down, straightening his tie as he rose. “Jude, you’re in. Executive decision. Sorry, Sol.”
“I’m not sure that’s a good—”
“Give me the part,” Jude asserted, rolling his sleeves as he stepped up beside me. My gaze stayed there for a traitorous second before the sound of my band director quietly excusing himself snapped me out of it.
“What?”
“Give me the part. All I need is fifteen minutes in the practice room.”
“Jude—”
“Do you have a recording?”
Mr. Halloway handed over his part with a copy of the full sheet music. “I’ll set it up.”
He winked at me as he followed Mr. Halloway out of the room.That’s it.I was doomed, I thought morosely. There was nothing stopping this head-on collision from happening.
“Tempo changes in the third movement! And don’t miss the part where you cut out—”
“I’ll figure it out.” He paused, flashing me a grin. “You look beautiful, by the way.” The doors slammed behind him as he disappeared down the hall.
Twenty minutes later, the auditorium was filled with parents, and grandparents. Friends. Teachers. Restless school mates. Hell—most of our sleepy little town.
I was standing in the wings answering a hundred last-minute questions when Luca leaned over. “Where are we all celebrating after this?”
I hadn’t given it much thought. We’d usually find ourselves at Corner Grill, sliding into booths to have milkshakes and fries after each concert. “I don’t know, probably Corner.” I bent over, grabbing my baton from where I’d dropped it.
Behind me a low voice said, “She’s got a date.” Jude stepped closer, drumsticks tucked under his arm.
Heat crawled up my neck, eyes flicking to the top of the sheet he held and then back to him. He looked at me with glassy eyes, jaw ticking.
“With who?” My voice was shaky. Had he put it together? What was he thinking? I should have titled it something else.
“Me.”
“Since when?”
