I looked past Zoe and her band and found both Jonas and Quinn leaning out of their respective dressing rooms, watching. I tilted my head at them and narrowed my eyes.
Jonas lifted his brows and slipped slowly back inside his dressing room. Quinn just grinned and nodded toward Zoe, then stood to watch what I was going to do about her.
Well, I’d always done my best work in front of an audience. I blew out my breath on a long sigh and nodded to myself. Then I strode down the hall like I owned it and came up behind her. The scent of coconuts hit me straight in the dick, and I almost smiled. I wasn’t broken. I was in love.
“Zoe.”
Her shoulders straightened, then rose and fell once before she turned toward me, arching her neck slightly to look up at me. I was indecently, intimately close, and I wanted the baby rock stars behind her to note it. “Nixon.”
Words. I needed words. Quickly. But, fuck, her eyes were the knockout punch, stripping the common sense straight out of me.
“What’s up?” She arched her eyebrows in annoyance. As if I meant nothing. As if I hadn’t made her scream my name so many times she’d gone hoarse that first week. As if she didn’t love me.
“I’m in love with you.” It was easier to say than I’d imagined. Way easier. Effortless.
Her eyes flew wide.
“Holy shit,” one of the baby rockers exclaimed. “That’s Nixon Winters.”
“I am in love with you, Zoe Shannon,” I repeated, just in case she hadn’t understood me across the scant inches that separated us.
“Heard that part.” She did that little head tilt of hers that signaled her inner debate.
“And?” I would have given anything to be inside her head.
“And she obviously doesn’t feel the same,” the drummer replied. “Awkward.”
“No one asked the daycare crowd.” I didn’t look away from the confusion swirling in those green depths for fear I’d lose my chance if I lost eye contact.
“Hey, we’re like, seven years younger than you. That’s it,” another one chimed in.
“The fact that you know that when I don’t even know your names is why you’re the daycare crowd. Now quiet down and let the adults speak.” A smile tugged at the corner of my lips.
“He’s sorry, boys,” Zoe sang. “Don’t talk to them like that.”
“He’s not,” I replied. “They’re protective of you. Is that because you got them into the show, or because they’re immeasurably grateful for you making them fire their shitty bass player?”
“Both.” There it was, the tiniest smile. “What do you want, Nixon?”
“You.”
“We tried that once already, remember? Now, go get ready. I know you’re supposed to be on stage soon.” She lifted her chin.
Because she knew my schedule. Hope flared in my chest.
“We can do this in my dressing room, or right out here in the hallway. I don’t care.” That was a lie. I clearly preferred my dressing room, but I’d make do.
“And if I choose not at all?” Her voice softened.
“I’ll stand here as long as it takes. I just need you to hear me out.” I was going to smack Jonas upside the back of the head when I got ahold of him. If he’d warned me, I would have been prepared with something better than that.
“You’re really going to hold up the show? Make an entire stadium full of fans wait?” She shook her head. “What will Jonas say?”
“I’m good with it,” Jonas said from behind me.
“Me too,” Quinn added.
“You’re not helping,” Zoe replied, her gaze still locked on me.
“I’d argue otherwise,” Jonas countered.
“God, I’ve missed you,” I whispered. My hands formed fists to keep from reaching for her. “I’ve missed every single thing about you.”
Zoe sighed in complete exasperation. “Fine. Ten minutes.”
“Fifteen,” I argued.
“Nine.” She arched a brow.
I muttered a curse but nodded. Something was better than nothing.
“Don’t worry, I’ll watch the kids,” Jonas offered as Zoe and I headed for my dressing room.
She gave Chris a hug, which he quickly ended when he saw the look on my face, then she flung open my dressing room door and marched inside with me close on her heels. She looked around briefly, then hummed and sat on the edge of the counter.
“What were you expecting to find?”
“New Shannon.” She braced her palms on the counter as I approached. “Stop right there. That’s close enough. What the hell was that out there?”