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I let his promises swirl in my mind for a second and shake my head. “If you did quit obsessing over guitars, you wouldn’t be you.” I’d kiss him on that ever-intriguing scar on his chin, but it’s hiding under the beard. I settle for a kiss between his eyebrows. “And I don’t think I’d want that guy.”
Jace’s phone rings. He ignores it and dips his face toward me, aiming for my mouth, but I remember we’re here to work. Dying from denying myself the one thing I want the most right now, I press my fingers to his lips. “We’d better get back.” If we kiss now, no one will see us again tonight.
He scrunches up his nose, disagreeing, but understanding still flashes across his face. He takes my hand and kisses my fingertips. “We need to talk some more.”
“Of course.” The whole conversation has been beyond abrupt, both of us too full of emotions to articulate ourselves well. “But we have to go.”
“Laurel, I love you. You can doubt me in every other aspect, but never doubt that. I love you.” He smooths out my hair and takes a step back, but he intertwines our fingers. “Would you please give me another chance?”
“Only if you’ll do the same for me.” I’m not blameless either.
“Laurel—” His phone keeps ringing. Jace groans and whips it out of his pocket. “That’s my manager. You’re right. We’d better get back.”
We exchange one last longing look, then dash back downstairs.
“Jace!” A stern exclamation rings out as we round the last corner before ACD’s green room. A man waits for us in the middle of the hallway, arms crossed, filling the air with the angry manager vibe. “You’re on stage in ten minutes.”
Jace ignores him and turns to me. “Watch me play.”
“I wouldn’t be anywhere else.”
“Nine minutes,” the manager reminds him.
I give the man an exasperated look. To my surprise, my impulsive reaction causes him to walk away.
Jace cocks an intrigued eyebrow. “Well, what do you know?”
“Go.” I push him toward the dressing room door.
“I can’t.” Once again, we’re one, our arms around each other.
“Go.” I whisper against his lips, dreading the moment we become separate individuals again.
Jace plants a kiss over the corner of my mouth. “I’ll see you in a little bit.” He pushes away and disappears inside the green room without another look at me. I’m not mad. If he did look back, we’d ruin the schedule.
I run backstage to wait for him. My pulse rejects all my attempts to calm down. How could it? Jace and I… There is a Jace-and-I again! The audience, full and already impatient, whispering, hungry and demanding, adds to the effervescent adrenaline permeating me. I check my watch. Two minutes until the show.
A slight commotion arises behind me. Turning, I find all of ACD getting hooked up to in-ear monitors and wireless transmitters. Jace grins as he slides his guitar on. The white one I almost destroyed at Briar’s party.
The audience begins to chant. I’m so used to it, I ignore them, but Jace stares at the stage, confused.
I turn around and listen.
“ACD! ACD! ACD!”
Okay. I know what his frown means. I whirl around to face him, but he’s already by my side.
He pops the monitor out of his ear and clenches it in his fist so that he can talk to me and not broadcast it to the whole world. “Nobody chants for the opening band. Besides, we’re subbing.”
“They are for you.” I laugh and, grabbing his shoulders, shake him. “They’re chanting for you!”
His bandmates line up beside us.
Jelly’s twirling her drumsticks in her fingers, leaning slightly forward, waiting for the signal to go. Tristan holds his bass and looks ahead with stoic determination. Link smiles wider and wider as he listens to the chants. He throws his arm around Jace’s neck and drags him closer to whisper something in his ear. Jace grimaces at first and shoves him away, then laughs. He slides the monitor back into his ear and looks at me. Flames dance in his eyes, brighter than his orange hair highlights. I stand speechless. I’ve never seen him glow like this before.
“ACD, you’re a go,” says the stage manager from behind us.
The four of them exhale at once, but stay where they are for a moment.
