them quick and dirty. Then they would leave, mumbling about what a pervert I am. Some of them are beautiful, but there’s not so much as a tingle going on down there. Not unless I’m looking at Ella. It’s torture keeping my eyes off her.
I glance at Ronni. She gives me an approving nod. Bitch.
I try to make eye contact with more women, but my gaze never strays far from Ella. There’s not a doubt in my mind—I play better when she’s around. My fingers move effortlessly along the frets. My pick never misses a single string. I lock eyes with her during a long riff, feeling like I could play forever.
When the riff is over, I glance at Ronni again. She’s not happy. She points two fingers at her eyes and then gestures to the audience. If looking at Ella is pissing her off, wait until she sees what’s next. It’s nothing big, no grand gesture like what Crew has done, but I’m one hundred percent sure she’s going to lose her shit.
The third song ends, and like Bria told me to, I stand behind Crew and tap his shoulder. He turns around, pretending to be surprised when I reach for the mic. “Hey, man, you trying to take my job?”
I speak into the mic. “I wanted to talk to the bartender for a second.”
“You thirsty?” he jokes.
“I’m going to ask him to send a drink to the most beautiful girl in the room.”
Gasps are heard in the audience. I look at Ella. I can’t see the color of her skin, but I’d guess it’s bright red.
Crew puts an arm around Bria, another stunt sure to piss off Ronni. “Dude, she’s already taken.”
I laugh. “Sorry, Brianna. You’re hot too, but you’re like my best friend. I was talking about the girl at the table over there, with the brown wavy hair.” I point at Ella. “She looks like a champagne kind of girl. Bartender, can you send her a glass of your finest?”
All eyes in the room are straining to see who I’m sending a drink to. The bartender gives me a thumbs-up. If looks could kill, Ronni’s dagger eyes would have me dead on the stage. She says something to Dirk and storms off.
“Mission accomplished,” Crew says into the mic, as if getting Ella a drink was the mission. “Mind if we play now?”
“Send me a drink!” a woman shouts.
“I think one’s all he can afford,” Crew jokes.
Garrett counts us off on the drums, and we finish the set. Ronni’s gone. And good fucking riddance. She can yell at me, sue me even, but there’s nothing she can do to keep me from spending the next ten songs staring at the only woman I ever want to look at.
Chapter Forty-six
Ella
The past month has been incredible. Reckless Alibi recorded another album, the one with my sketch on the cover. A few of the new songs are already on the radio. I’ve finished two more books of illustrations. And Liam and I are practically inseparable.
But I can tell he’s keeping a secret. He’s happy yet distracted. He sometimes leaves the room to take a call. There’s something going on he doesn’t want me to know about. He’s not cheating; nothing about his behavior hints at him feeling guilty. Something’s going on, and I wish he would tell me what it is.
“Turn left at the light,” he says. I do it perfectly. “You’re getting a lot better.”
This is the fourth time he’s taken me driving. He thinks I’ll be ready to take a test by the end of summer.
“I have a good teacher.”
“Eyes on the road.”
“Where are we going?”
“Garrett told me about a good restaurant. I think he grew up around here.”
“He doesn’t like to talk about his past either, does he?”
“No.”
“You don’t think—”
“No, I don’t. It has something to do with his brother. He hasn’t talked to him or anyone in his family since I’ve known him, and that’s over four years.”
“I don’t know what I’d do without mine.”
“Your parents are different. They’re nice, and supportive. You’re lucky.”
“I wish everyone had parents like mine.”
“Some people shouldn’t have kids.”
I stop at a red light. “Do you want kids?”
“I can’t have them.”
“Oh, Liam. Did he … damage you somehow?”
He belts out a painful laugh. “You could say that, but not in the way you’re thinking. I assume I’m capable of having kids. What I meant is I won’t.”
“Why not?”
“Why do you think, El? Because, well, what if I …” He stares out