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She was glad they had him. Someone they could trust implicitly—who’d repeatedly proven that he had their backs. Someone who would always be there for them. Her heart hurt as she watched Zac pace around his side of the stage. What was he going to be walking into when the concert ended?
She desperately wanted to ask Drew what he needed to talk to Zac about so she could try to figure out what impact it would have on him. But she didn’t have that right. Even if she was actually his girlfriend, she didn’t know whether Drew would tell her. Guarding the band members’ privacy was one of his top priorities. Maybe if she were his wife—
A sudden pang of longing pierced her chest. She squeezed her eyes shut.
God, she was such a fool.
They’d shared a couple of intimate moments. That was all. And none of it meant anything to Zac. Wanting to be the one who was there to comfort him when he needed it wouldn’t do her any good.
He had Drew for that. His bandmates. His sister. Not her.
Nerves jangled around inside her for the rest of the performance. Drew either paced agitatedly next to her or stood with his arms crossed, tense and silent, waiting for the concert to finish. The worst part was when the men came offstage before their final encore.
They stood around the side of the stage, taking the opportunity to rehydrate and giving the unusually quiet Drew curious looks. Cassie’s stomach churned with worry. When Zac came and stood next to her, it was all she could do not to put her arms around him. The fact that she didn’t feel like she could, even after everything they’d done together, spoke volumes.
Fractured returned to the stage to perform their final two songs, and Cassie exchanged a look with Drew. She wondered if she’d made the right choice by suggesting he should wait to tell Zac.
A short while later, with the screams from the fans ringing through the arena, the men gave their final salute and jogged off the stage. Cassie pulled off her headset, and her eyes met Drew’s for a second. Apprehension tightened his features.
The band gathered around their manager. They were obviously aware something was wrong.
“I need to talk to Zac for a second.” Drew looked at the others. “He’ll see you back in the dressing room.”
They nodded and walked off, shooting concerned glances over their shoulders. Drew took Zac a little off to the side.
Cassie busied herself with Zac’s last bass, wiping it down, checking the strings, trying not to listen in on the conversation happening a few feet away. All she could hear was Drew’s low voice. Nothing from Zac.
After a minute, Drew stopped talking and there was silence. Cassie’s pulse thrummed erratically, as if she were the one hearing bad news. She wanted to be there, standing next to Zac. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and let him lean on her. Instead, she tried to go quietly about her work and not intrude on their conversation.
When it came, Zac’s voice was more audible than Drew’s had been. “Is Tori okay?”
In response to Zac’s tone, Drew raised his voice enough that Cassie could hear his words. “She was composed on the phone, but…” Cassie imagined him shrugging. “I don’t really know her well enough to say.”
Cassie stole a glance in their direction. Zac was staring at the floor, his brows drawn. When he finally looked up, it was at her, not Drew. He held her gaze for a long beat and Cassie’s breath stalled in her lungs. What was going through his head? Did he need her? She wavered in place.
She wasn’t forced to make a decision about going to him. Zac turned his attention back to Drew. “Thanks. I’ll give Tori a call and check on her.” He strode off.
Drew scrubbed his hand over his mouth. When he looked back at Cassie, his lips were pressed together. He came over. “I don’t know how much you overheard…”
She shook her head quickly. “Just the last bit. But you don’t have to tell me.”
Drew sighed. “I think you should know.”
Cassie clasped her hands together tightly and waited.
“His dad had another massive stroke in hospital. He didn’t make it.”
Her heart ached for Zac. His relationship with his father was practically non-existent, but she doubted the fact he was suddenly gone would have no impact at all.
Drew studied her. “It might be worth you talking to him. Because I doubt he’ll be talking to the others. I’ll get Dan to ask one of the other techs to finish up here.”
“I’m not sure if he’ll want to talk to me either.”
“Maybe not. But it won’t hurt to try.”
Cassie hoped her expression wasn’t as skeptical as it felt, but she nodded and turned to go. Drew’s hand on her wrist stopped her. Deep lines bracketed his mouth.
“Do what you can, Cassie. I’m worried about him. He needs to get the fuck out of his own head.”
