Page 225 of Fame & Chaos

I laugh quietly.

“I just wanted to wish you luck before your first Wembley show,” she says softly. “Couldn’t let you go onstage without giving you my good luck vibes first.”

“Well, thank you, baby. That means a lot.” I glance around backstage. “You sure you won’t get caught?”

“Oh, definitely. Which is why this call probably can’t last long.”

I grin. “Well, thanks for risking your nursing career for me.”

“You’re welcome.” I can practically hear her smiling. “Now go make Wembley fall in love with you.”

“I needed to hear your voice,” I admit. “I was nervous as hell before you called.”

“You? Nervous?” she teases. “The Caleb McCormack-Slade?”

“Shocking, I know.”

“Well, don’t be nervous. You belong there. But I should go before somebody notices I’ve vanished.”

“Okay, but thanks for calling.”

“And Caleb?”

“Yeah?”

“If I could’ve been there tonight, I absolutely would have.”

I close my eyes briefly. “I know, baby.”

There’s a small pause before she speaks again. “Now go show Colter Slade what real rockstars look like.”

I burst out laughing. “I’m absolutely telling him you said that.”

“Oh God, please don’t.” She laughs too. “He’ll never look at me the same way again.”

I grin like an idiot backstage while people move around us, preparing for the show. “Have a good shift,” I tell her.

“You too. Go have fun.”

Chad suddenly appears beside me, twirling his drumsticks between his fingers.

“Okay, baby,” I say quickly. “We’re up.”

“Knock ‘em dead, rockstar.”

“Always.”

“Bye, Caleb.”

“Bye, sweetheart.” I end the call, smiling like a complete fool, and shove my phone back into my pocket.

“We gotta do the pep talk thing,” Chad says seriously.

I snort. “Right. The highly masculine emotional support circle.”

“Exactly.”

I walk over with him toward Aston while the crowd roars out beyond the stage. The energy from Wembley is unreal, even from backstage.