He hadn’t been trying to piss me off. Well, he never tried. That also came naturally for him. But in his defense, I sometimes got ticked off if I felt myself being pushed into something I didn’t want.
“Ha. Look, I gotta go.” He stood up, pulled out a twenty and threw it on the table. He came around to hug me goodbye. “I’m glad you’re back in town.”
“You said that last time.”
“That’s cause I mean it.”
“It’s not all bad being back here,” I admitted.
“Don’t screw up and leave us all again.” He gripped my shoulder and looked seriously into my eyes. “It nearly broke Ma when you stayed away so long. Stay here. With your nieces and family. Do what it takes to make it permanent.”
“Why do you think I’m working so hard?”
He shook me lightly. “Then keep at it. And don’t be a chickenshit,” he said nodding at the open mic flyer on the wall.
“Goodbye, brother,” I said.
“Goodbye, brother,” he mimicked me.
After he left, I flagged down the server for a shot of tequila and asked about the line-up for tonight.
“Now or never,” she said as she set down the shot. “There’s an opening, but you gotta go up now.”
“Thanks.” I pulled down my mask to take the shot quickly before pulling it back up. Her eyes squinted like she was trying to place me. I wiped my mouth and walked away as she opened her mouth to speak.
“Okay.” I took a deep breath and stepped on the stage.
I got behind the piano and felt the room take notice behind me. I hadn’t played for an audience in a very long time. A familiar thrill of nerves energized me. My back was to the audience because it was an accompanist piano, off to the side of the stage. I tugged my mask down. My hands shook as I played a few chords to warm up. I launched into the opening stanza, hoping the jitters would wear off as my voice warmed up. At least Elton John was an almost-guaranteed crowd pleaser. My fingers found the notes easily.
I was desperate to turn around and gauge Kim’s reaction to the song. God, if only I could play like this for her all the time. But I felt it—I felt the bar’s energy coursing through me, felt the transformative power of a great fucking song. My body came alive as I played. My voice belted out the words. I was raw with explosive energy. I’d missed this—playing for people. I thought I’d shut this part of my life away. But here I was, loving every second of it.
* * *
As the whoops and applause broke out, I pulled my mask back into place and stood to bow.
Kim and her friends had made their way to the front and were clapping and pumping their arms. I jumped off the short stage and pulled Kim into a hug. When we pulled apart, she looked as dazed as I felt. I hadn’t thought about doing that. I was just buzzing with adrenaline and my body moved without thinking.
Gretchen smacked my shoulder with the back of her hand. “Erik Jones in the flesh.”
My eyes widened. Nobody seemed to hear it in the cacophony of the bar.
“Gretchen!” Kim punched her in the arm.
“Ouch! What the fuck?”
“Language,” Suzie warned.
“It’s not like anybody could hear me.” Gretchen rubbed her arm with a frown.
“Still,” Kim eyes were wide imploring. “This was exactly why I didn’t want to tell you.”
“How many people would connect that random guy in Genie’s with the pop star?”
“Okay, you have got to stop talking.” Kim grabbed my hand and pulled me away from her group of chattering friends.
The ones who weren’t talking were staring at me with wide, shell-shocked eyes. The blonde whispered to the brunette and I swear I heard her ask about an autograph as I was tugged to a quiet corner near an old cigarette machine.
This was exactly what I was afraid of. In any other circumstance, I would have just been a guy. I wanted to, God, I dunno, impress her? I’m such a tool. This was what I got for listening to Wes about anything. I wanted to show her something more than my instructor side without giving away too much of what I felt for her. But it backfired. I didn’t think they’d all recognize me. This was why I wore the mask. How differently would I be treated now? Because now I was only some former celebrity with a crap career.
