He belted out a laugh, and I almost melted into the wall as the hard edges of his face dissolved into beautiful, softened planes. “You think I’m pretty, huh?”
I twisted my lips. “You know you’re pretty, so don’t play coy.”
His smile slipped, his hands fidgeting at his sides as if he were going to reach for the flask again. And so I did something I’d never had the guts to do before. I stepped into him and cupped his face with my tingling hands. “Look at me.”
His brows pinched, hard eyes narrowing over the crooked bridge of his nose. “Clover…”
“Look at me when you play. I’ll be sitting in the back near the bar.”
“I can’t do that,” he said, a tad rough. “It’s…” His hands rose to mine on his face, but he didn’t remove them.
I sighed and almost swayed from the touch. “Then close your eyes when you feel like it’s too much, and when you open them and look at the back of the room, it’ll be just like home, only better.”
The calluses on his hands as they moved, squeezing mine, sent a shiver biting down my spine. Our eyes were stuck, and his breathing had slowed. After a minute, he inched closer, and my heartbeat quickened, my eyes falling to his parted lips.
He dropped my hands and stepped back. “Only better,” he repeated, and then he was gone.
The crowd was clapping and hollering before the band even took the stage, and with one shy smile directed at them from Everett as he strapped his guitar around his neck and approached the mic, I knew he’d fight his way through this and do what he did best.
Clearing his throat, Everett checked the mic, then adjusted the stand as he lowered to the stool. “How’s everyone feeling?”
Shouts echoed back at him, and he flashed another half-smile, then began strumming a melody I’d recognize in this life and every one after, I’d heard and watched him sing it that many times.
The stars all glow, even when it snows
But I find myself wishing they’d all blink out
Nothing that beautiful is meant to last
Especially in a world this hard and fast
I wish it’d all blink out
Happiness comes, and then it goes
The only constant anyone knows
Is pain
That filthy reminder
I’ll never find ya
Yeah, it’s pain
The one that comes with knowing
I’ll never see you again
Bottle tops, cars, broken stars,
You said we would never part
Smiling, laughing, fighting, and crying
Time is a bitch who keeps on lying
It’s here to stay…
His eyes remained closed, and I knew why he’d chosen this haunting song to start with. The same song that had me wondering and desperate to know what made him write it. It was one of the first they’d played as a band. Everett’s comfort and evasive heart all rolled into one.
By the time they reached the middle of their set, the stool was gone, and he was staring into not only my eyes, but also letting his gaze drift over the forty some other pairs in the bar.
My throat hurt when they wrapped from screaming so damn loud. Tears were cascading down my cheeks as the crowd hollered and clapped, shouting that stupid name of theirs.
“Orange Apples, Orange Apples!”
“Jesus,” Adela said, and I looked over to see her usually tanned skin three shades whiter, her soda hanging precariously between her fingers.
I took it and set it on the bar. “Amazing, huh?”
“They didn’t sound like that the last time I came over.”
“Different acoustics and a lot less messing around.”
“I’ll freaking say,” she muttered, eyes zeroing in on my brother as he swung his bass guitar around his shoulders, then jumped into the crowd of girls who were pushing toward the stage.
Everett waded through them, and I smiled and clapped my hands near my face when our eyes met.
He laughed, shaking his head. Then a redhead, Lainey Ray, a senior at school, grabbed his arm, and he stopped.
I tried not to let my buoyant heart sink as he gave her his complete attention, but that was shot to hell when she rose onto her toes to whisper into his ear.
I looked away, and even though I knew what would happen next, I couldn’t stop myself from looking back.
Of course, he was kissing her. Those large, rough hands framing her petite face. The same hands I’d had holding mine to his just half an hour ago.
Adela bumped my shoulder with hers. “He’s a butt ton of trouble anyway, Stevie.”