* * *
This is insane.
Those words played on repeat in my head as I stood just offstage. I didn’t know what songs we were playing, I hadn’t done sound check, and I sure as hell was not mentally prepared to perform in front of a full house. Someone handed me a guitar, which I was relieved to see was a Les Paul.
Ezra clapped me on the shoulder, and I jumped in shock. He barely contained a laugh at my expression. “You’ve been playing these songs for weeks now, Ade. You’ve got nothing to be nervous about. Everything is set up just like it was at the studio.”
“C-can I see the set list?” I stuttered. A bead of sweat was already running down my neck. He pushed a small piece of paper into my hand, and I scrambled to read the messy writing before the background music was turned off and we had to go on.
Despite them not needing a pep talk, I sure as hell did.
Abel squeezed past me just as the music started to fade. It was almost time. He turned and grabbed my face—were his hands trembling?
For a moment, everything around us disappeared, and there were just him and I suspended in time and standing on a precipice. We’d either soar or tumble down in a spectacular crash.
He seemed to be vibrating with pent-up energy. I was so consumed with my state of mind that I hadn’t considered what this show meant for him and the rest of the guys. A few weeks ago, they weren’t sure if they were ever going to play again, and now here they were, about to go onstage in front of an intimate crowd in their hometown.
Of course, for them, intimate was bigger than any show I’d ever played.
He slid his hand to the back of my neck and pulled me closer. “I hope this is the first show of many,” he whispered against my lips. I gasped as he collided with me, the kiss drawing breath out of my lungs and making me see stars. Our tongues danced together, his teeth finding my bottom lip, biting and pulling and sending heat right down to my core.
When he pulled away, I was quivering.
“And I hope that’s the beginning of a tradition,” he said, his forehead pressed against mine.
The music stopped.
He took a step back, turning toward the stage.
I took a deep breath and followed.
Looking down at the frothing, cheering crowd was surreal, but it focused my attention completely on the present moment, leaving no room for any lingering fears.
Abel was saying something to the crowd, hyping them up even more as I plugged in my guitar with shaky hands.
Then he looked at me.
“We’ve spent the past month recording these songs here in River Valley, our hometown. This is the place where it all began for us, and also where it almost ended.”
The audience hummed with surprise at that.
“It wasn’t until we met a talented guitarist that we realized these songs deserved to be heard. I want to introduce Adeline—” He extended his hand in my direction. “Some of you may already know her, and those who don’t… Well, trust me, you won’t forget her.”
Loud whoops and cheers rang in my ears as I finally tore my gaze from Abel, whose magnetism seemed to multiply onstage, and smiled shakily at the crowd.
My mouth parted as I saw Liam and Elly beside Mason and Molly at the front of the stage waving at me with unbridled enthusiasm. Of course, Molly had her phone out and was probably recording the entire thing. Was that Frankie and Jimmy just off to the right? I waved at them while making a surprised face. Who the hell was working the bar tonight?
“This one is called ‘Hoarse.’”
And with that, the show began.
Silas kicked off the song with a heavy riff, and I joined in a few seconds later. We sounded solid through my in-ear monitor, and with relief, I saw that everything was set up just like I was used to. My fingers danced across the fretboard, muscle memory leading the movement and the remnants of my nerves finally disappearing. The magic of being onstage was kicking in.
Abel prowled across the intimate stage with magnetic energy, exuding power and confidence. I’d never seen him like this, and it was a stunning sight. He had complete mastery of his voice, his body, and the effect he was having on the audience.
The same was true with the others, who all looked like amplified versions of themselves. Ezra was pounding the drums, his chest already glistening with sweat, his face twisted in concentration.
My solo came, and I closed my eyes to focus all my attention on my instrument, feeling inspired to improvise a few parts while the guys cheered me on in the background.
