After Rome, the weeks rolled by. Reid’s nightmares and stress had slowly begun to lessen, but the absence of his words and his cravings for things he shouldn’t have, both living and not, pricked at his resolve with relentless tenacity. He tried to focus on the positive. Like the fact Chloe had made arrangements to rent Josie’s newly vacated house. She was really moving to LA, but for some reason it just wasn’t enough.
When they arrived in Devon, England on his birthday, the last thing he wanted to do was celebrate. In three days, they would head back to the States. In three days, he would wake up and Chloe wouldn’t be there. The pit of his stomach twisted and his chest tightened. She wasn’t even gone, and he missed her already. Just the thought of being away from her, even though she was sitting right next to him, hurt more than Jess being on the other side of the world. It was the first time Reid truly began to realize just how far he’d fallen.
Reid pulled his hat down low to shadow his face as he weaved his way through the mob of people. The venue was small, but everyone seemed too engrossed in the band on stage to pay him any notice. With Tom and Drew flanking his sides, they made their way to a table in the back of the room. Once they’d settled in their seats, Reid scanned the room.
“Why are we here again?”
“To hang out. Relax with the gang,” Tom answered.
Reid’s mouth twisted into a frown. “It seems like we’re missing a few people.” Jealousy and guilt knotted his stomach. He hated how much it bothered him that Chloe and Greer were off somewhere together. Alone. He didn’t have a right to be jealous, but he was.
“Aww, did you miss me?”
Reid looked up in surprise, his eyes moving between Greer and Inky as they crowded around the table.
“What are you doing here?”
“Relaxing with the gang,” Greer drawled, his expression deadpan.
Reid ignored his sarcasm and tilted his head to see behind Greer. “Where’s Chloe?”
Greer shrugged and passed Reid a beer. “She’s around. Apparently a band she toured with a few years ago is in town. I left them when the conversation turned to girl shit.”
“I didn’t know that,” Reid mumbled, taking a pull from his beer. He wouldn’t admit it, but it stung that Chloe didn’t mention having friends in town.
“You’ll see why,” Tom said, leaning in close to Reid so that no one else heard. Reid’s brow furrowed, but before he could ask any questions, the lights dimmed and cheers erupted.
A petite girl with short pink hair walked onto the stage, a guitar strapped over her shoulder. “How’s everybody doing tonight?”
The crowd responded with cheers, whistles, and beer salutes as two more girls joined her on stage. Reid studied the faces of the bass guitarist and drummer as they took their places. “What’s the name of this band?”
“The Pessimistics.”
Reid’s heart beat a little faster as the pieces started to come together. “Is that the same band Chloe toured with a few years ago?”
“That’s the one,” Inky said. “I love these girls. It’s a shame they haven’t made it big.”
Reid turned his attention to the stage, his eyes focused on the side curtain as the lead singer addressed the crowd again. “We’re so happy to be back in Devon. It’s been too long.” She adjusted the mic and shifted her stance as the drummer started playing. When she began to sing, Reid’s anticipation turned to confusion. He scanned the room again, attempting to remain discreet as he searched for Chloe.
A half hour into the show, Reid’s unease peaked. Chloe was still a no-show, and he couldn’t help but wonder if something was wrong. He picked at the label on his beer bottle and cut his eyes to Tom. He’d assumed from Tom’s comment earlier that Chloe was going to play with the band, but now he wasn’t so sure. Just as he was about to ask, the music stopped midsong.
“I’m sorry, guys.” The lead singer sighed and dropped her eyes to the floor. “This just doesn’t feel right. You see, the last time we played this song here, I didn’t sing it.” Murmurs started to rise. “Do any of you remember?” She lifted her chin and flashed a mischievous smile. “Y’all remember. I know you do. What would you think if I had her come sing it again?” The crowd’s murmurs transformed into a dull roar as the high-pitched sound of an electric violin flooded the room.
When Chloe stepped out of the shadows, Reid stopped breathing. The only thing familiar about her appearance was her knee-high combat boots. Her short, pleated skirt, suspenders, and crop top, exposing ink Reid only saw in his dreams, were all new. Her normally wavy hair was completely straight, the ends almost reaching the top of her skirt.
“Jesus,” he gasped, pulling in a lungful of air.
“So fucked,” Inky mumbled just loud enough for Reid to hear. He didn’t bother looking at her. Nothing in the world could have forced his eyes away from Chloe. He was mesmerized.