a few hours to show time and he could be anywhere in Philly, either strung out on drugs or passed out somewhere. Or, just getting high and planning on showing up whenever he feels like it. It’s the unknown that has everyone rattled.
I did the only thing I could think of to help them out. I offered to play his parts for the rehearsal and sound check. Except now I feel like my heart’s going to explode and I wish with every breath I take that Ethan will walk in the door and save me.
I force a smile when Zack walks to me. “You okay with this?”
“I think I would be since I offered, but no; I’m sort of freaking out.” I don’t know why this is. I have done piano recitals since I was five and I’m not one to typically get stage fright. But this is different. This time I’m playing with a professional band in an arena that will be filled with thirty thousand people in a matter of hours. And what happens if Ethan doesn’t show up? Surely they don’t expect me to be able to know enough to fill in for him for an entire concert.
I can’t believe I’m doing this.
Suddenly, Zack’s hands grip my waist and pulls me flush against his chest. If he’s trying to calm me down, it’s not working. I breathe in and smell his soap and masculinity. Being so close to him only increases my nerves, but in an entirely different way. He raises a hand to the back of my neck and forces me to look at him.
“Are you good?” Well, no, I’m not. I’m such a wreck I feel like throwing up, but I’m not going to tell him that. Plus, I think he’s asking about something different so I nod.
“You’ve heard all these songs at least a half dozen times now. If you’re as good as you say you are you’ll be completely fine.” His reassurance flatters me, but he has yet to hear me play, and all my earlier bravado and confidence has run far away from me.
I don’t respond, because when he’s this close to me, holding me so tightly, it’s difficult for me to breathe, or think, or remember my name; much less the songs I’ve been hearing for the last ten days.
I bite my upper lip, sucking it in nervously and watch Zack’s eyes darken. He likes it when I do this and I know it teases him. I’m not currently trying to, but I can’t help that my body responds naturally to that hungry look he gets in his eyes. His lips are on mine, pulling out my lip before I can think another thought. On instinct, my hands grip the front of his shirt and I pull him closer. I know we’re supposed to be doing something else right now, and I have a vague recollection there are other people in the room, but as soon as Zack’s lips touch mine, the entire world vanishes.
He pulls apart from me almost as quickly as the kiss began leaving my head spinning. I’m left gasping for air, completely breathless and I smile when I see he’s doing the same thing. I love that I have that effect on him.
“Don’t think about the music. Just play what you hear.”
He gives me one quick kiss on the forehead, nods to the guys who are waiting off to the side of the stage, and walks to the front.
“That was about the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.” Jake picks up his guitar and stands in front of me, plugging it into the amp.
“Shut up, Jake.” I feel as if I should be embarrassed by the overt public display, however, I find myself just smiling and not bothered at all. I also realize with that one kiss, my entire body is relaxed. Zack knew exactly what he was doing because in that one moment of hurried passion, all other tension left my body.
Chase bangs out a few beats on the kick drum and hits his drumsticks together to pound out the beat on the first song. I listen to the music just like Zack told me to. They play through the first verse before I pick out all the chords and hear, by memory, how Ethan would have played it. By the time the first song is done, I’m swept up in the music and the energy from the other guys. I’m completely in my element and fully