I forgot whathefeels like when he’s in his full glory.
Even from across the room, he’s under my skin.In my veins.
Lily leans into my ear.“Holyshit.”
I don’t answer.
I can’t.
Because Joel doesn’t know I’m here.
And I don’t know what happens when he finally sees me.
But I’m not running.
Not this time.
For some idiotic reason, I’m seeing this through.
CHAPTER28
Joel
The crowd is alive, buzzing, pressing in from all sides.The heat, the sweat, the restless anticipation—it should be grounding me.
But it’s not.
I stand just offstage, fingers flexing and unflexing around the neck of my guitar.The house lights are low, shadows stretching across the dance floor, and the bass from the overhead speakers thrums in my chest like a second heartbeat.
I should be amped.Should be itching to step onto that stage and do the only thing that has ever made sense to me.
Instead, my skin feels too tight.
My chest is a fucking battlefield—my lungs refusing to settle, my ribs stretched like a wire pulled taut.
Because all I can think about isher.
What would she think about the tour?Would she care or tell me to get lost?
What if I stayed?Played some more shows at Nocté?Would it piss her off that I’m staying longer?
Shit, I told myself I wouldn’t let her invade my head tonight.That I’d get on stage, go through the set, finish the show, and move the fuck on if that’s what she wants.
But my head won’t shut up.
Did I push too hard?What if she just needs more time?Should I have told her?—
No.
I shake it off, adjusting the strap over my shoulder.Focus, Price.
The setlist is burned into my brain.My fingers know what to do.My voice will follow.
Music is what I do.
Even when nothing else makes sense, music does.
It’ll pull me back.It always has.