Chloe flashed a bright smile and moved next to the lead singer. The two grinned at one another before Chloe spoke. “Three years ago, my good friend, Lizzy, nearly passed out on this very stage. But unlike most people, she didn’t quit. She’s too stubborn for that. Instead, she told me to take over for a song and pushed me in front of the mic.”
“Best idea I’ve ever had,” Lizzy added. “When I found out Chloe was in town for the Somersault Festival, playing alongside an artist named Reid Ryder . . .” Lizzy smirked as the screams turned manic. “I had to ask her to play with us again. So how about it? You guys ready?”
Over the screams, Chloe began to sing. Reid sat stone-still as her voice filled the room. It was the first time he’d heard her sing, but he knew it would not be the last. Goose bumps crawled over his body. Her voice saturated his skin. It sank into his bones and wrapped him in warmth. He felt weightless, a drugless high.
When their eyes locked, something inside Reid shifted. His vision blurred, but for the first time in years, everything was perfectly clear. She’d done it again. She’d taken a sledgehammer to his wall. Just like she promised. Only, this time, he wasn’t just adding layers to someone else’s music. A wave of emotions rolled over him as melodies and lyrics flooded his mind. He wanted to climb across the table and pull her from the stage. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and feel her breath across his skin. He wanted to breathe her in, inhale her exhales, pull her very essence inside his chest. The image caused his breaths to quicken and his heartbeat to pound in his ears. He grabbed his beer and drank until the bottle was empty.
“Holy shit.” Inky looked around the table in awe. “I had no idea Chloe could sing. Why the hell isn’t she in a recording studio blowing up?”
“Because she’s in Brooklyn and not LA,” Tom answered, his expression a little dazed. Reid knew the look on his face; he’d seen a similar look from a guy years ago in a bar in Memphis.
“Not for long,” Reid whispered to himself. Tom and the others still didn’t know he’d convinced Chloe to move to LA. While most of the group would just be happy, he knew some would question his motives.
For the remainder of the song, Reid focused only on Chloe. He was captivated by her stage presence. The experience of watching her from the crowd was completely different than playing next to her. It was a whole new perspective of her as an artist. The crowd didn’t love her just because she was attractive, and it wasn’t just about her killer talent—it was the whole package. She was a living, breathing addiction. When the song ended, the applause from their table could be heard over everything else.
“Thank you,” Chloe gasped into the mic, her face split in a wide smile. “I have one more song before I turn things back over to Lizzy if that’s okay?” The crowd cheered her on, their approval clear. Reid’s breath stilled when Chloe looked in his direction and cleared her throat. “This song is by one of the greatest bands to ever play. I’m dedicating it to a very special friend of mine, who turned a year older today, as a reminder that sometimes you’ve just gotta let others help you carry the weight.”
“Chloe,” Reid whispered, his voice constricted with emotion as she began to play the opening chord of “The Weight” by The Band.
“Holy shit! She didn’t tell me she was going to do this,” Tom said, distracting Reid from his inner turmoil.
“You knew about this?”
“Of course I did. She came to me when her friend Lizzy called. She wanted to play with them, but she needed to make sure doing so wouldn’t violate her contract. I told her it was fine. She suggested we all come see the show but asked us not tell you until we got here. I see why now. Are you still going to pretend there’s nothing going on between you two?”
“There’s not,” Reid hissed, his eyes darting around the table. “We’ve had this conversation.”
Tom exhaled and passed Reid a fresh beer. “You can lie to me however long you choose, but eventually you’re going to have to be honest with yourself. If you don’t, this entire thing is going to blow up in your face.”
Stubborn and petulant, Reid ignored Tom and turned his attention back to the stage. He smiled and sang along with the others. When the song ended, he shot to his feet and let out a piercing whistle. He didn’t care if people recognized him. He wanted Chloe to realize how much what she’d done meant to him.
Chloe dashed off the stage, disappearing through the side curtain and into the shadows. “Holy shit,” she exhaled. Wiping sweat from her forehead, she pulled in a shaky breath. Her heart pounded like a hammer and her body vibrated with adrenaline as she dashed toward the dressing room to pack away her violin. She wanted to catch the rest of the show, and if she was being honest, she wanted to see Reid. Once her violin was put away, she wasted no time getting back out front. Pushing her way through the throng of people, she squeezed in at the bar to order a beer.
“Guinness?”
The bartender nodded and popped off the top before sliding it across to her. “It’s on the house. That was one hell of a performance.”
Chloe smiled and raised her bottle. “Thanks.”