Page 45 of Goodbye Note

“I liked it,” he said, the coy returning to his voice. “What is your idea?”

“Come play our encore with us? You’ve already been spotted. I bet they’d go feral.”

“I don’t have my guitar…”

I looked around for our tech, Dylan. “Do you have my other guitar?”

“Right here,” Dylan said, picking it up.

“Can you tune it up real fast and give it to Arik so he can jump in?”

Dylan did a double take at Arik, his mouth dropping open for half a second before he recovered. “Sure thing.”

“He’s got you,” I said as Val dragged me back out. “Just come out when he's…” The crowd erupted when they caught our shadows, drowning out my voice.

Arik gave me a thumbs up and turned toward Dylan, who had one ear of his headphones on. He quickly took off the capo and checked the tuning. I started the song with the back of my neck prickling, anxious for him to join us. The music took over, and it was almost autopilot until I heard him come into my earpiece. I looked up to find Arik standing a couple inches away, getting into the riff.

The fans exploded as word spread. They jumped up and down, screaming hysterically. The energy from the crowd doubled. I’d never experienced such a hyped-up pit. Crowd surfers were lifted at the back, getting dumped off over the rail to be hauled off by security.

Bronx ran out and jumped the narrow gap, landing on a cushion of hands. He played while surfing, upping the vibe even more. I oozed joy, watching him until a figure stepped into my view.

Arik got between me and the crowd, facing me, putting one foot between mine as he bent his knees, bringing our guitars inches apart. I leaned into it, mirroring his movements. He lifted his attention from his fingers. My stomach flipped as I met his eyes.

He smiled wide and bright. Almost blinding.

His knee brushed mine. I didn’t pull away from the contact, and neither did he.

Any closer, one of his knees would be between mine, and we’d be hitting fingers as we played. But that wasn’t the best of it. I stepped up to my mic, and he joined, lips millimeters apart. He belted along, harmonizing with Val and me while looking right into my eyes. His swirled like deep emerald pools.

I was such a fucking goner.

* * *

We collapsed into a mess by the time we had the gear packed up.

Arik stood with his hands tucked into his pockets, pulled into himself against the slight chill, a beanie over his curls, while he searched my face.

“Come out and have a drink with us.” I never wanted this night to end.“We have to celebrate headlining!”

“I don’t want to intrude on band time.” He looked at the rest of the guys.

“You’re part of the band now, man,” Fox said, clapping him on the shoulder. “You got to come celebrate with us. That show was sick as fuck.”

Arik caught his lower lip between his teeth, searching my face.

“Please,” I said silently, putting my hands together in a praying posture.

“Okay, one drink.”

One drink turned into many more. The entire crew side of the tour turned into a rave between buses. We drank and smoked and ended up sprawled out on blankets on the grass.

Arik introduced us to the rest of his band.

Serafin, their backup vocals and lead guitar player. He would make a better lumberjack than alternative musician. He had an impressive red beard and big blue eyes. I wanted to ask Arik where they’d met.

Hael, their bass player, who had bronzed skin and dark hair down to the middle of his back. He cut an imposing figure with his traditional tattoos and intense brown eyes, but after one hit he had out his ukulele, showing he was as good if not better at playing it.

Koa, their drummer, had his hair tied up on top of his head and an under shave. He had two full sleeves, and I was sure could kick mine and everyone else’s asses.

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