“Something with an edge. Let me see your range.”
Taking a deep breath, Chloe closed her eyes and dragged the bow across the strings. She alternated the pressure, causing the melody to sway from haunting and dark to soft and light as she quickened her pace. Rising to her feet, Chloe let the melody consume her, lull her into the state of calm that always came when she lost herself to music. When she finished, it was with a soft, slow pull across the strings that sounded like heartbreak feels. For a moment, she stood completely still before pulling in a deep breath, dropping her hands to her sides, and opening her eyes.
Surprise caused her lips to part when her gaze locked with Reid’s. The intensity in his expression as he studied her made Chloe shift her weight. Silence hung heavy in the air as the pair stared at each other until Chloe finally dropped her eyes to the floor. After what felt like an eternity, Reid stood.
“The job is yours if you want it. Brian has the details. Once you look everything over, if it’s agreeable, sign the papers and send them to my manager with your contact information. It was nice to meet you, Chloe. I look forward to playing with you. Brian, I’ll talk to you soon.” With a quick handshake, Reid exited the room, leaving a flabbergasted Chloe in his wake.
With his collar pulled high around his ears, Reid stepped out into the cold February air and jogged to the edge of the sidewalk. Flagging down a cab, he quickly hopped inside and gave the driver the address of his hotel. When the car started moving, he called Tom. He relayed the events of the morning, letting Tom know he was certain they’d scored a replacement violinist and the tour should proceed as scheduled. After several minutes of back-and-forth, Reid pocketed his phone and sighed.
Normally at an audition, he would have asked for more than one song to be played, especially when filling such an important role. After listening to Chloe’s tapes, however, he only needed to hear her once to know she was as talented as Brian promised. Something about her, though, made him uneasy even though her appearance was everything someone could hope to find in a new violinist. Her long blond and purple hair, lip and nose rings were the perfect mix of sexy and edgy. Maybe that was the problem; she was far too attractive. The way she had reacted to Reid, wide-eyed and star-struck, spelled trouble. Without a doubt, Chloe was what he needed for the show. As for his relationship with his girlfriend, Jess, and how she would react once she saw Chloe, well . . . that had potential to be the worst kind of complication.
After paying the cab driver, Reid wasted no time getting up to his hotel room. Pushing open the door, he smiled at Jess who was lounging on the bed. The familiarity of her answering smile and bright eyes caused his shoulders to relax. “Hey, you.”
“Wow, that was fast. How did it go? Did you find a replacement for Valerie?”
Reid pulled off his beanie and jacket. “I promised you I’d be quick. We’re here for vacation, not work. And yes, I think so. I called Tom and let him know. Hopefully, everything will be squared away by tomorrow.”
“Well, that’s a relief,” Jess sighed, pulling Reid down next to her. “What’s her name? Is she good?”
“She’s good. Her name’s Chloe. From what Brian’s said, she’s had a few rough breaks lately. I don’t see her turning down the gig.”
“Oh, yeah? What kind of rough breaks?”
Reid pulled Jess to his chest. “I don’t want to talk about tour stuff. We only have a couple of days together before you head back to Memphis and I’m living on a bus for the next year. I think we’ve wasted enough time, don’t you?”
Jess rested her cheek against his chest and nodded. “I can’t believe you’re leaving so soon. I just got you back.”
A familiar feeling of dread caused Reid’s muscles to tighten at the thought of being separated from Jess. She was his rock. When his entire world had fallen apart, she’d stepped back into his life and given him purpose again. She kept the demons at bay. Slipping his arms around her waist, he hugged her against him and tried his best to reassure the both of them. “We’ll be okay. I’ll call you every chance I get, and when you have time off work, you can come to the shows. I also have a couple of weeks off after the first leg of the tour. I’ll come to Memphis, spend some time with everyone I’ve neglected for the past few years.”
Jess was quiet for a second before she spoke, her voice trembling. “I’m scared. I know that’s a crappy thing to say right now. I know you need me to be strong, but the thought of us ending like last time terrifies me.”