“What did he say?”

Simone was standing beside me, an anxious look plastered on her face and her usually slick ponytail haphazardly bunched on top of her head.

A few days had passed since I had one, yelled at Will, and two, spoken with Chris. And what an eventful few days it had been. We’d played an extra show in Newcastle, did some interviews, and another messy but fun photo shoot on the beach.

I was glad it was just The Devil’s Tattoo for the latter. I hadn’t spoken to Will since, you know, his crap attempt at apologizing, and he hadn’t tried, either.

We were packing up the bus for another day of driving. This time, we were going down to Sydney, and I wasn’t looking forward to it at all.

“He hasn’t spoken to you?” I asked, surprised. I’d told Chris it was a done deal. Him and Simone.

“No,” she replied, her shoulders sinking. “He’s been really awkward around me.”

“I don’t know why.” At the photo shoot yesterday, he had been quieter than usual.

“What did you tell him?”

“Simone,” I scolded her. “He likes you. He told me. I told him you felt the same.”

“You didn’t!”

“Of course, I did.”

“Zoe—”

“Done deal, Simone. Someone has to be the first one to make a move. May as well be you. Obviously, Chris is still scared stiff.”

“Why would he be scared?” she asked with a frown.

I looked at her over my sunnies. “Why would you?”

She looked up then and caught sight of Chris lugging his bag across the car park. With a small squeak, she scurried off toward her rental and opened the back.

As Chris passed me, I said, “Asked her yet?” Knowing full well he hadn’t.

He paled and kept walking.

“Playing matchmaker?” I stiffened at the sound of Will’s voice in my ear.

“What’s it to you?” I asked flatly, not bothering to turn around.

“I’m sorry, okay?”

“For what?”

Silence. I looked up at him, and he was smiling at me with a lopsided grin, the stubble on his chin infuriatingly sexy.

Anger and desire flared up inside of me, and I snapped, “Still an a-hole I see,” and stalked off into the bus.

Unfortunately, we were a seat down, and I’d waited too long to get on. Will was last, and he could’ve sat next to anyone, but as if he wanted to irritate the hell out of me, he slid into the seat next to mine. “I said I was sorry.”

“Yeah.” I glared at him over the top of my sunnies. “I got it.”

“Can we start again?”

“You’ve gotta be straight with me,” I replied. “I don’t do games. I don’t do cryptic.”

“Okay.”

I didn’t want to talk about it anymore, so I put my earphones in and turned on some Queens of the Stone Age to drown him out. To my annoyance, he pulled an earbud out, and I snatched it back from him. My breath caught as my hand ran over his, and his gaze snapped up to mine. I never once believed that zap of electricity shit, but right then, that’s exactly what I felt, and by the look on Will’s face, he just might have, as well.

“Zoe…”

I scowled at him and put the earbud back in with a small shake of my head. I’d just gotten my life back on track. I didn’t need this emotional roller coaster. I was stuck sitting next to him for the next God knows how long. I just had to focus and get through it.

I hated that I was so attracted to him. I hated how I fantasized about his hands, his fingers, and his lips. I hated that he crept into my thoughts with ease. The thought of him near me overwhelmed everything else to the point his body against mine was the only thing I could think about. I was thinking this, and he was sitting right next to me. Five centimeters separated us. I was so hyperaware that I squirmed at the tingling between my legs and sank down into my seat. Pulling my hoodie over my head, I hoped he couldn’t tell how amped up I was.

Thankfully, he decided not to push it any further, but he didn’t move from the seat next to me, either. I’d been bitchy enough, and asking him to move would be the bitchiest thing I could do. We all had to get along for the next five-ish weeks, so I stared out the window and did my best to ignore him.

With the combination of late nights and a smooth ride, it wasn’t long before I fell asleep despite all my best efforts to keep my eyes open. It was only two hours, but two hours extra sleep was better than none at all.

“Zoe.”

Opening my eyes, I wasn’t sure where I was for a moment. My leg was pressed up against someone else’s, and for a moment, I thought it was Dee, but when he said my name again, I realized I was still sitting next to Will, and it was his leg I was pressed up against. It was so unexpected that I jerked away like a scared animal. Like a lamb who’d been cornered by a fox.

“Sorry,” I mumbled, thoroughly embarrassed.

He frowned at me. “I didn’t mean to scare you. We’re here.”

I glanced out the window and saw we were in the lot behind the hotel we were booked in for the next couple of nights. The boys were already outside stretching.

Will slid out of the seat and held out his hand. I eyed him suspiciously and stood on my own.

“I don’t bite, you know,” he said. “Not unless you ask.”

When he didn’t move out of the way, I scowled. “What?”

“I don’t get you, Zoe.”

“What’s there to get?” I asked, silently praying that he’d move, and I wouldn’t have to push him. If I had to, I’d touch him, and where would that take me? Straight into the danger zone.

“You just seem uncomfortable.”

I shrugged.

“Why?”

I looked at him for a moment, blinking, put on the spot. “I guess… I don’t know what to talk about.”

He smiled at me. “There are plenty of things to talk about.”

“Well, I have no idea what to say. The idea bank is empty.”

He stood there for a moment too long, the awkward silence stretching into infinity. “Are you going to let me make it up to you?”

“Are you going to let me off?” I retorted.

He laughed wryly and ran a hand through his hair, pushing it away from his eyes. Standing aside, he held out a hand, gesturing down the aisle. “After you.”

Not wasting a second more, I hightailed it off the bus and into the safety of the hotel foyer.

* * *

I’d really come to enjoy sound check. It was my quiet time. I know it sounded silly considering the noise level, but it allowed me to sit back and observe. I didn’t have to perform, I didn’t have to talk to anyone, and I didn’t have to put on a face. I could just watch. Sometimes, all of that wore me down. Typically, I was a shy person, and talking took it out of me emotionally, so I relished those small moments where I could just be.

I was watching the support band set up their gear from a step out in the venue. The house lights were up, which gave the place a whole different feel.

The support was a local indie outfit called Damages. Apparently, they had a song that had just been picked up by Absolute, the radio station that was first to pick up ours. I hadn’t had a chance to hear it yet, so I was looking forward to them playing it in their set tonight.

When they finished, I noticed two of the guys talking to each other furiously, and then they glanced over at me. A moment later, one of them jumped down from the stage and began to walk over. He looked younger than I was—maybe about twenty—tall and wiry with dark shaggy hair. He looked a bit nervous, staring at the ground rather than looking where he was going. It was a move I was well aquatinted with.

“Hey,” he said as he stopped by me, and I knew he was nervous. Totally didn’t have to be.

“Hi,” I said with a smile, knowing exactly how he felt. “I’m Zoe.”

“Yeah, I know,” he said with a laugh. “I’m Max. I play guitar and do vocals in Damages.”

“I saw you guys sound check. You’re pretty good.”

“Wow, really? Thanks.”

“No problem.”

“I don’t know if you do this, but we’d be stoked if you would sing a song with us tonight.”

“Oh,” I said, blinking in surprise. “What song? I guess it depends if I know it.”

He smiled obviously pleased I was considering it. “‘Future Starts Slow’ by The Kills. We’ve done it a couple of times, and people seem to like it, but I reckon it would sound better with a female vocal. Man and if you sang it with us…” He stopped mid-sentence, realizing he’d been babbling.

I was taken aback by how much he seemed to respect me. I mean, he wasn’t trying to crack onto me in the slightest. He was into my band.

“Sure.” I laughed, instantly liking him. “It’ll be great.”

“Yeah?” he exclaimed, eyes bright.

“Yeah. When do you do it in your set?”

“Second to last,” he said. “We had a single picked up on the radio that’s doing well, so we play that last.”

“Good call,” I agreed.

“We don’t do anything to change the tempo or key. It’s pretty faithful to the original. Will you be okay without rehearsing? I mean, it’s different with another band… I mean… Shit on it.”

I let out a loud laugh and shook my head. “I’m not offended. I don’t know how long you’ve been playing together, but we’re new at this, too. I love the song, so if you stick to it pretty faithfully as you said, it’ll be fine. I can wing it.”

He laughed, smacking his forehead with his palm. “God, I’m such an idiot. I just really admire the way you play, is all.”

“Wow. No, really, wow. Thanks. I’m going to watch your set anyway, so just gimme a cue.”

“Now you’re just flattering me.”

A loud booming voice echoed over the sound system then, making us look around. “Zoooooeeeeee.”

I smiled and glanced up at Dee, who was on stage waving me over. “I better go,” I said to Max.

“Sure and thanks again. It’s going to be ace.”

Giving him a small smile, I made my way to the stage where Dee gave me a look.

“What?” I asked.

“Flirting with the support, Zo? Are you on operation drive indie bass players bananas still?”

I rolled my eyes. “Shut up, Dee. I’m not trying to piss off anyone. They asked me to do a song with them tonight, and I said yeah.”

He let out a slow whistle. “Zoe Granger, branching out. Never thought I’d see the day.”

“I’m the product of your creation. Deal with it.”

“What song?”

“‘Future Starts Slow’ by The Kills.”

“Sex-y.”

“Oh, tune your guitar, Dee, or we’ll be here all night, and I won’t get the chance.”

“You’re a hard task master.”

“All I need is a whip.”

“Zoe, you’re making me think dirty thoughts,” Frank said as he wandered over to the drum kit. “Especially after leading me on the other night. No wonder everyone is hot for you.”

Groaning, I went to retrieve my guitar and pedals, hoping that by the time I’d set up, Dee would have tuned his guitar and forgotten about his smart comments.

By the time the doors opened and Damages were getting ready to start their set, I was a ball of nerves. Every time I went out on stage, I had a guitar to hide behind. Going out there on my own made me feel naked. I hadn’t thought about that when Max asked me earlier, and now I wished I had. Me, my flailing arms, and a microphone.

As if he could read the blind terror that plagued my thoughts from whatever expression was plastered on my face, Dee said, “Nothing to worry about, Zo. You’re gonna be awesome.”

I could only nod as the stage lights went up, and Damages began to play their first song. To be honest, I really enjoyed them. They were a talented bunch of guys and looked at home on the stage. It was no wonder the radio station had picked up their song, and I felt that odd sensation of having my fear melt away as I listened to the set. Music had that strange effect on me. It was hard to describe. If a song spoke to me, then everything else slipped away.

“We’d like to welcome Zoe from The Devil’s Tattoo.”

Dee elbowed me sharply, breaking me out of my daydream. “Batter up, Zo Zo.”

As the song began to play, I put my head down, letting my hair fall into my face, and strode out onto the stage. I didn’t hear the crowd cheer, nor did I acknowledge the guys on stage. I just grabbed the microphone and pulled it from the stand. Some people would call it a rock ‘n’ roll attitude. I would call it just blind fear.

Standing right at the edge of the stage, I was hardly aware of people touching my legs as I sang. Right now, more than any other time, I realized this was what I had been born to do. Music was my life, my savior, and my blood. After all that time trying to figure out where I belonged, I was finally home.

The last chord died away into loud applause, and I finally glanced up into the crowd. Hands were raised in the air, whistles and cheers were echoing, and a lot of people were holding up smartphones taking videos. Yeah, this was what I was born to do.

A hand fell on my shoulder, and I turned to find Max beaming at me. “That was amazing.”

Another of the guys came up and said, “Thanks so much.”

The bass player came over too, and yelled, “That was bloody brilliant!”

Soon, we were joined by the drummer, who pushed me forward, and I was forced to give a little bow and wave. Backing off, I glanced to the side of the stage and saw that everyone had come to watch my little guest spot.

I frowned slightly as I saw Dee talking to Will, and to my surprise, they looked almost friendly. I wondered what they could possibly have to talk about, and the only common denominator was me. Finally, Dee clapped him on the shoulder and walked off. I didn’t want to think about it. I was enjoying this moment way too much.

Will caught my eye and grinned, then shook his head. He was too far away for me to hear, but I could read the word that escaped his lips.

Beautiful.

And I couldn’t help the answering smile that crept onto my own.