Chapter Thirty
Jonathan
The benefit festival this weekend is insane. We’re in Florida, and the weather is perfect for our outdoor concert. It sold out within hours of tickets going on sale. It’s the perfect opportunity to network with all the top acts and rising stars. Perfect for me, and perfect for Gabby.
I’m so excited for her success, and her performance during our set on Saturday afternoon was her best yet. It made her first performance a few weeks ago look like that of a nervous amateur. She owned the stage today.
The show’s still going on, the sounds of the screaming crowd making it through the walls of the portable dressing rooms that are set up for us. There’s a nonstop party flowing between several of them, and Gabby and I are in the thick of it.
I’ve been doing my best to introduce her to everyone I know, but I don’t have to try very hard. After her performance, and the way the media has spun her debut as some kind of secret weapon I’ve kept hidden all this time, she’s in high demand. Everyone wants a piece of her. I stick close, keeping an arm around her because I know she sometimes feels overwhelmed and out of her depth at these things when she doesn’t really know anyone.
But I can tell she’s relaxing, growing more comfortable. We’ve been talking to the guys in Cataclysm, but my involvement in the conversation has dwindled as they got into discussions about theory and music school.
Charlie catches my eye from across the room and waves, making her way over to me. I turn back to Gabby and lean close to her ear to murmur, “I’m going to go talk to Charlie for a few minutes. You okay?”
She glances at me and gives me a nod and big smile. “Go. I’ll catch up with you in a bit.”
I thread my way through the people standing around talking and drinking. There’s alcohol, and some people are partaking, but most everyone is holding a bottle of water, a few people drinking from paper cups with sleeves. Some of them hold coffee, I’m sure, but I know for a fact that many are drinking tea. Gotta save the chords. It’s early yet, though. The alcohol consumption will get heavier as the night progresses.
Charlie wraps her arm around mine. “You guys sounded amazing. I’m so glad I got the chance to see you perform together.”
I pretend to be affronted. “What are you saying? You don’t like my solo stuff anymore?”
She scoffs, slapping my chest lightly. “Please. You really need me to stroke your ego that much?” Pursing her lips, she shakes her head at me. “But seriously. Gabby was even better today than in the video I saw of you. I know someone’s bootleg cell phone video isn’t going to be the same as live, but she was much more active on stage today. She seemed more comfortable up there.”
Nodding, I steer us toward the table filled with drinks and snacks to grab a bottle of water. “I noticed that too. I think the video you saw was the first night she performed. She did several more concerts that week, each time getting more relaxed. Her performance anxiety has gotten a lot better. The more she plays something, and the more often she does it in front of an audience, the more comfortable she gets. I’ve made her run through our whole set at the sound checks for the shows she’s played to get her used to the space and people listening, even if it’s just the roadies and the tech crew.”
Charlie snorts. “In some ways, they’re the worst audience. Hyperjudgmental from working so many shows, plus they’ll just shout over you trying to rehearse if they feel the need.”
I grin, knowing exactly what she’s talking about. “They haven’t gotten bored enough of Gabby’s playing yet to start doing that. I’ll have to warn her though, so she knows they’ll get to that point. Probably by the next set of shows she plays. Or maybe the one after.”
Charlie looks around, following my gaze to where Gabby’s still deep in conversation with Cataclysm. “They going to try to poach her?”
With a quick bark of laughter, I shake my head. “Probably. You’re trying to, and you’re supposed to be my friend.”
She shrugs, unrepentant. “You’ve heard what she comes up with. And how people are responding to her. I want some of that.”
“You know,” I say, deliberately sounding philosophical, “if we all do the same thing, people will get bored.”
Her blond brows climb her forehead, contrasting with the hot pink that currently dominates her hair. “You saying you don’t want her working with any of us?”
I shrug now, surveying the room. Part of me feels possessive of Gabby, jealous that she might consider working with someone else. But I soothe myself with the fact that she’s mine. Even if I don’t own her music or her playing, I know for a fact that she’ll prioritize my writing over anyone else’s. Except for maybe her own that she does for herself.
And then there’s the time issue. How would she juggle working with other bands, even on one or two songs apiece, with playing shows with me and still going to school? That makes me swallow in trepidation. I don’t want her to overload herself. And I don’t want her to give up on her dreams.
Charlie tugs on my arm, bringing my attention back to her.
I shake my head. “I didn’t say that.”
Her brows come back down. “You don’t think she can come up with different enough stuff for everyone? Cataclysm doesn’t sound anything like you or me. And we don’t even sound alike.” Charlie looks toward Gabby again. “From what I’ve heard of what she’s done with your music, I think she’d come up with something interesting for everyone. And just because she’s writing with us, doesn’t mean she’ll be performing with everyone.” Her blue eyes turn to me again. “She’s only one person, Jonathan. I don’t think she could do that and not burn out.”
I look down at her face, really studying her now, taking in the dark circles under her eyes, the droop of her mouth, the way her shoulder sag. She’s so exhausted. “You’d know more about that than anyone, I think. When are you taking a break again?”
She presses her lips together and looks away. “I’m working on it.”
“You need to demand it. Put your foot down. Quit letting your mom guilt you into going beyond your limits.”
She lets out a breath and rubs her forehead. “I know. I have contractual obligations to fulfill. But I’m planning a long break soon.” Her eyes dart back to my face, then she looks around again, but this time it’s more to check no one is listening to our conversation. “Don’t tell anyone, though. I don’t want to give my mom any warning, that way she can’t prepare and maneuver me into not being able to take time off like I need to.”
“Of course not.” I look around too. Even though the room is full of people, everyone around us is engrossed in their own conversations. “Your secrets are always safe with me.”
She turns and gives me a hug, wrapping her arms around my torso and squeezing herself to me. I drape my arms around her too, turning my head so my cheek rests against her hair. In so many ways, Charlie is the little sister I never had. I feel more protective of her than I do my brothers. And I hate that she’s let her mom have this much power over her for so long.
God knows my relationship with my mom is far from perfect, but even with her desire to push me as far as I can go, I don’t think she’d run me into the ground like Charlie’s mom is doing to her. Her schedule is grueling.
“If you need any help orchestrating your escape, let me know. I’m happy to help.”
She pulls away, looking up at me with wide eyes, her teeth sinking into her lower lip. “Actually, if you could give me Gabby’s number, that would help. If you think she’d be okay with it, of course. I wanted to talk to her about … my plan. I think she can help.”
My eyebrows jump in surprise. “Uh, yeah. I’m sure that would be okay. I’ll double-check with her, though, and text it to you later.”
She nods, giving me a wan smile. “Thanks.”
I give her a narrow-eyed glare, fighting the smile that wants to lift the corners of my mouth. “Hang on. Are you just getting her number so you can twist her arm some more about working with you?”
Her laughter rings out, light and free, the way it used to be when we were kids. I like hearing her laugh like that. She’s been so stressed for so long that she rarely laughs these days.
She shakes her head. “You caught me. That’s exactly what I was planning.”
I give her one more quick hug, and she says she has to go talk to someone else. When I spot Gabby again, it looks like she’s wrapping up her conversation, glancing around the room like she’s searching for someone. When her eyes land on me, her face lights up, and she gives me a big smile. I smile back and head over to her. Whatever she decides about working with anyone else, that look on her face guarantees she’ll always work with me.
Later that night, we’re naked and sated, Gabby snuggled into my side. Her fingers trail up and down my abdomen, making me drowsy. Before I drop off to sleep, her soft voice pulls me back to wakefulness.
“How’s Charlie doing? I saw you talking to her and wanted to say hi, but she was gone before I got the chance.”
I shift, putting my free hand behind my head. “She said she’s planning some time off. Actually, she asked me for your number. Said she wanted to talk to you about something, that you might be able to help her with whatever she’s got planned.”
Gabby lifts her head to look at me, her brows raised. “What do you think that’s about?”
“I don’t know.”
Her lips purse. “I think she’s the only one there today that didn’t corner me to try to convince me to collaborate with her next. Maybe that’s what she wants to talk about.”
A grin spreads across my face. “She did mention being interested in working with you. But I don’t think that plays into her plan for a break. I told her I’d text her your number if that’s okay with you?”
She nods, her brows drawn together as she contemplates that. I see when she decides to worry about it later. Her face relaxes, and she lays her head back on my shoulder.
I pull her close with the arm wrapped around her and place a kiss on top of her head. “Did you have a good conversation with the guys from Cataclysm? You seemed to hit it off.”
“They’re cool.”
I nod. “I’ve only met them a couple of times, but they’ve always seemed like genuinely good guys.”
“Yeah. They do.” Her voice sounds abstract, like she’s deep in thought. I wait, giving her the time and space to decide if she wants to share whatever she’s thinking. She usually does. At least with me.
My patience is rewarded.
“Did you know,” she says slowly, “that three of the four guys dropped out of Berklee College of Music?”
I lift my head to look down at her, but her attention is still on her hand on my abs. Her fingers drum a little rhythm. “No, I guess I didn’t realize that.”
She nods against my shoulder. “Yeah. Aaron’s the only one who didn’t go there. He dropped out of Julliard.” Her voice is dripping with disbelief.
“Wow.” I’m not sure how else to respond to that. She seems to be working through something by talking about this, but I’m not sure what exactly.
I can see part of her face like this, and her brows are scrunched together. She gives her head a tiny shake. “Marcus, Danny, and Mason met at Berklee and started playing together there. Another guy was their keyboard player. But when they decided to quit school because they’d built enough of an audience to get attention from record companies, he didn’t want to do that. So they put out a call for auditions. That’s how they found Aaron.”
“That’s a cool story. And since they all studied music, I can see why you guys hit it off so easily.”
Her head moves in another small nod. “Yeah …” Her response is little more than a whisper. “I almost applied to Berklee. I wanted to audition for the New England Conservatory of Music too.”
“Why didn’t you?”
One of her shoulders lifts in a shrug. “My dad said it was too far away.”
I can’t help the snort that comes out at that. “Boston’s as far away from Denton as Spokane.”
She turns her face to me, a half smile pulling at her lips. “I know. But Lance is in Spokane, so I’m not all alone in a strange city there.” She lays her head back down. “I might’ve been able to get my way eventually. But it would’ve been hard to scrape together the money for a plane ticket to go audition there too. And Clara’s an awesome teacher. So, while Marycliff doesn’t have the reputation of a Boston conservatory, I don’t regret my decision.” She looks up at me again. “Besides, going to Marycliff is what led me to you.”
I pull her on top of me, bringing her face to mine and giving her a soft kiss. “I can’t say I’m sorry for your decisions either.”
Her knees plant on the bed on either side of my hips, and she leans in for another kiss, this one hotter, deeper, her tongue teasing at my lips until I open and take over, sucking her tongue into my mouth, then giving her mine. She grinds her hips down on me, her wet heat getting me ready for round two in a matter of seconds.
And like that, all thought of our conversation, concern over Charlie, whatever puzzle Gabby’s working out after talking to Cataclysm, all of it’s gone. And all that’s left is Gabby. Her skin. Her tongue. Her heat surrounding me, welcoming me, making me lose myself in her. And I don’t ever want to be found.