from my face.
He barges into my room in a tan suit, looking around and sniffing the air before coming to me.
“I’m leaving for New York.”
“Enjoy yourself, sir.”
He nods. “I always do. What are your plans?”
“Gig tonight, then work the backstage crowd.”
“You’ve been busy lately.” He says it with an ounce of pride and takes my bare shoulder in his hand. Then he runs the back of his finger along the small patch of hair at my sternum. “We should have this lasered off. Doesn’t your generation prefer less body hair?”
“Yes, sir,” I tell him, though I definitely haven’t received any complaints.
He gives my bicep a squeeze, and his eyes slide down to my stomach, studying my body. “You could stand a bit of bulking up, as well. Abs could use more definition. Time to hit the gym harder, yeah? Make the girls resent those paunchy men of theirs.”
He laughs and pretends to punch me in the abs, so I play along, bending with an “oof,” and I laugh, as well. Gotta love quality father-son time.
I’m immensely relieved when he leaves.
Just like at the last show, I have to take three shots of Jack to calm my nerves. This time I know Anna will be here, and I’m in knots. Before we go onstage I bounce on the balls of my feet, shaking out my arms and loosening my neck. Raj looks at me like I’m crazy, because I’m usually leaned against the wall at this point, calm.
Thing is, I’ve been listening to Anna’s voice since she arrived at the club. Hearing her after several weeks has pumped me full of the angel voodoo that makes me go a bit insane. I even feel like smiling.
We take the stage and I look straight up, hungry for eye contact, but she’s not looking.
SHE’S NOT LOOKING.
I’m consumed by paranoia—is she over me so quickly? Has she fallen for another? Is she still mad at me? I shake my head at my own questions and grab my crotch to remind myself I’m a man. The goods are still there. I need to chill the hell out.
Her attention is on Jay as we start his song, and I force myself to focus on the drums. She’s being supportive of her best mate, ’cause that’s how she is. That’s all. I’m not going to look again.
During the brief guitar instrumental where I have to pause a measure, I totally look up again. This time she’s staring right at me. It’s as if the entire room goes silent and disappears. Her eyes are warm. It’s all still there between us.
Marna pulls her away just as it’s time for me to pick up in the song. I feel relieved enough to focus on the music now. Anna seems to be getting on well with the others. I lose myself in the next song, feeling a bit of enjoyment for the first time in weeks.
And then the song ends and I look up again, like a fool.
Anna and Kope are facing each other, leaning against the rail, looking bashful. I shoot my hearing up to them.
“. . . very much like to know your story,” Kopano is saying.
Oh, I bet he would like to know her “story.” On the outside, Kope is a smooth-talking picture of perfection, but I know what he’s like on the inside with his rare double curse. He’s bound by both lust and wrath. I’ll just bet he’s thinking he’s finally met his flawless match and he’d love to unleash all that withheld aggression on her.
When they stare at each other, standing far too close, and she doesn’t move away, I am overcome with deranged jealousy. Naturally she looks down at me at that very moment and I’m unable to school the expression from my face.
She sucks in a breath and looks down at her hands. My eyes move to Kopano as he looks at me, and I glare back. Disappointment seems to flash across his face as he catches my “back off” vibes.
That’s right, mate. Back. Off.
I’m all too keen to get to the party after the gig so I can stake my claim. Before I get out of my car I pull a fifth of Jack from under my seat and drink a healthy bit to hide any bond Marna and Ginger might see between Anna and me. It’s none of their business, and I don’t want to hear any ribbing.
I think of Anna’s voice mail as I approach the party, and I