Everyone laughed as Chloe leaned into Reid. “They’re like you and Greer.”
Reid nodded. “So one of them is always right and the other has a hard time accepting that?”
“Exactly,” Anders and Madison answered in unison.
Chloe grinned and introduced Reid to everyone. She thought about the last time she was with the four of them, how much she’d felt like a fifth wheel. Now, the idea of hanging out with her friends felt completely different.
“That’s some rock you’ve got there,” Reid commented, tilting his head toward Josie’s hand.
Chloe’s eyes widened and her hands flew to her mouth. “Holy shit,” she squeaked. “You’re engaged?”
Josie laughed and lifted her hand, wiggling her fingers. “Yup.”
Chloe hugged Josie as tightly as she could. “I’m so happy for you! This is so awesome!”
“Apparently Maddie was right. I really have lost my mind.”
“Nonsense,” Anders scoffed, wrapping his arm around Josie’s waist. “I’m a fucking catch.”
“Oh my God, this is going to be the most entertaining wedding ever. I can’t wait,” Chloe said, her voice filled with mirth.
“Yuk it up,” Josie taunted, her gaze flicking to Reid. “We haven’t even started with you.”
Chloe leaned into Reid’s side and groaned. “Welcome to hell.”
He laughed and motioned to the others. “Come have a drink with us before the show. We can catch up there.”
After a drink and more harassment from various people, including Greer and Drew, Chloe said her good-byes to the others and started getting ready for the show. As the crew set about moving the drums, keyboards, and equipment into place, Chloe shifted nervously.
“You okay?” Reid asked, placing a soft kiss against her temple.
“Yeah, I’m okay. I’m just a little sad that this is our last show.”
Reid turned her body toward his and pulled her against his chest. “But this isn’t the end. You and me? The band and what’s to come? This is only the beginning.”
Chloe inhaled the calming scent of his cologne. “I know.”
“Then let’s go do this.”
As always, the crowd fed off the energy of the band. Through every song, the manic atmosphere grew. By the time they played the encore, Chloe was nearly coming out of her skin. She waited for the lights to come on at the end of the final song, but as the seconds ticked by, she became more and more confused. She looked at Reid, who was motioning to someone off stage. Chloe turned just as a prop guy approached her, carrying a stool.
“What’s going on?” she asked as he set it down.
“Just doing what I’m told,” he replied before turning and jogging back the way he came. The lighting suddenly changed, a soft purple glow blanketing the stage. Chloe turned her attention back to Reid when the sound of his voice flooded the speakers.
“Since this is the last show of the tour, I thought we’d end a little differently,” Reid said, causing a roar of approval.
“As most of you know,” he continued, taking a drink from his water bottle, “several years ago, before anyone knew about me, I was playing at a bar on Beale Street in my hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. I didn’t think any moment of my life would ever top the day I was discovered. Then, about a year ago, right before the tour started, my violinist broke her hand. As you can imagine, I was losing my shit just a little. Every person we called was unavailable. Finally, a contact came through and told me about this girl I just had to hear. So I made the arrangements and took off to Brooklyn to meet her. As most of you can guess, she’s sitting on that stool over there.” Reid looked at Chloe and smiled.
“Say hello, Chloe.”
Chloe laughed, her heart pounding. “Hi,” she said, her voice soft and shaky. The crowd cheered, wolf whistles piercing the air.
Reid nodded. “I hear y’all whistling. Believe me, I know exactly how you feel.” His comment only made the crowd cheer louder. Chloe swallowed around the lump in her throat and fought to keep her emotions under control. She still wasn’t one hundred percent sure what Reid was up to, but she knew it was going to make her cry.
“Anyway, like I said, I never thought anything would top the day I was discovered on Beale Street. Then I met Chloe, this talented, beautiful, and amazing violinist from Brooklyn, and while I didn’t realize it at first, I can admit it now. That day in Brooklyn topped the day on Beale Street. And so, I wrote a song about it. I wrote a song about her. This is a new one. It’s called ‘Brooklyn and Beale.’ I hope y’all like it.” He turned to Chloe and smiled. “This is for you.”
A boy from Memphis, playing on Beale, bluegrass roots with a classic rock feel,
I lost my way, stumbled and fell, let my life crumble to hell.
Looking in the past, I thought I could find the life that I had left behind.
A girl from Brooklyn, struggling to thrive, fighting to keep her dream alive,
Needing a break, just a chance, she played each time like it was her last.