The guys from Pushing Limits wave to the audience. They’ve just finished their second encore and the audience doesn’t seem to be in a rush to see them go. Can’t say I blame them.
The festival will be shutting down in another hour. I can already taste the beer and stiff drink I plan to have tonight at Barside Brewery.
The band strides off stage, heading to where I’m standing beside the sound tech. I came backstage a few songs ago, waiting to talk to the band before they head out for LA.
They gather around me, their T-shirts soaked with sweat from their performance.
“That was great,” I tell them, fist-bumping each guy, my grin curved with gratitude and relief. “I can’t thank you enough for doing this.”
Mason nods, his smile friendly and bright against his brown skin. “You’re welcome.”
Nolan, the band’s lead singer, surveys the lit backstage where the roadies are busy doing their jobs. Large black-and-silver cases are stacked in piles in the middle of the open outdoor space. “I don’t suppose you know Savannah Townsend, do you?” he asks, sweat dripping from the messy light-brown strands of his hair.
Her name on his lips surprises me for so many reasons, and I’m not sure how to answer him without asking a million questions first. So I opt for the simplest reply. “I do. Why?”
“I’d like to talk to her.” There’s nothing nefarious about his tone, yet his request still puts me on edge.
“Any particular reason you want to talk to her?” I do my best not to yank up my alpha-male superhero underwear. He and the band did me a solid by performing today. They didn’t have to do that.
“She and I have something in common,” he explains. “And I can imagine she’s having a rough time with the fallout from all the media attention. I get that.”
I guess he would understand. The media has been unrelenting at times for the band. “I can take you to her house.” And stay to make sure she’s okay…with Nolan being there. But not because I want to see her. And not so I can make sure she’s okay—my brothers and our friends have insisted she’s fine.
The guys return to their tour bus to quickly shower first.
The need to see Jess clenches my heart in a tight fist. I might have driven past her house once or twice over the last three weeks, but I haven’t caught sight of her. And shit, if I don’t want to catch sight of her, if only for a moment.
Looks like now’s my chance.
Christ, I hope I’m not making a mistake seeing her again.
* * *
I drive Nolan,Mason, and Jared to Jess’s house and park in the driveway. There’s only enough room for four passengers, so Kirk and Aaron, the other band members, opted to stay with the bus.
I can do this. I can survive seeing her.
I walk with them to the front door and ring the doorbell. Just being here is a kick to the gut, and I’m ready to break out in a cold sweat. But my heart is also beating faster, the way it always does when I first see her.
The door opens, and all I can do is gape at Jess. Shit, she was gorgeous before, but this Jess, with golden-brown hair curling loosely above my favorite spot on her shoulder to kiss, is breath-stealingly gorgeous. She looks strong and unbreakable.
But I know that’s not true. She might have begun to heal, but she’s still shatterable. Amelia is the only thing that truly matters to her. The only thing she loves, other than Bailey.
Her beautiful brown eyes with flakes of gold lock on me, and for a second everything else vanishes. It’s just her and me and my aching heart.
A politeHave-you-forgotten-about-us?cough jerks me back to my reality. The reality without Jess.
“Sorry,” I say to the guys, to Jess, to whatever god is watching from above and cackling at me. “Jessica, this is Nolan, Mason, and Jared from Pushing Limits.” I point to each man in turn. “Nolan wanted to meet you. Guys, this is Savannah Townsend. But she goes by Jessica Smithson now.”
Jess stares at the guys as though she doesn’t know what to make of the three men gathered on her front stoop.
Bailey barks and pushes past Jess’s legs. Jess seems to snap out of her momentary shock, but not before Bailey looks up at me, her eyes round with excitement.
I kneel next to her. “Hey, girl. Haven’t seen you in a while. You’re getting so big.” Butterscotch has been miserable without his friend around.
Jess smiles sheepishly at the three men. “I’m sorry, c’mon in. Bailey, I didn’t give you the command to go outside.” Her tone is gentle as she reprimands her dog. Hearing her voice loosens something inside of me. Like a vital screw that keeps everything together.
Bailey looks at Jess and grins as if to bemoan, “But it’s Troy. Can’t I say hi to your ex-boyfriend?”
