Page 225 of Goodbye Note

I knew exactly what they planned when Nova and Arik showed up on side-stage where everyone could see them and she was handing him a guitar. He let her help, just like she was a real guitar tech. He walked out for our next song, and the crowd erupted. He didn’t shy away from me, staying close and singing into my mic.

He’d picked the perfect moment because he came out for the song before my thank you speech.

I went through my normal thank you for the opening bands and the crew, and for Second Star doing this with us, then added, “Thank you for the shirt. I’m quite a big fan.”

“Are you?” he said, leaning into my mic, face so close to mine.

“Very.” I looked into his eyes, and time stopped.

He cupped my cheek. “This okay?”

A hush fell over the crowd.

I nodded, and he kissed me.

Pandemonium ensued.

Screaming, crying, fans jumping up and down. Arik held my hand as I sang my next song. Vallen hugged us both with tears in his eyes at one point. After the encore, they didn’t let me offstage. The guys darted in and group-hugged Arik and I.

When we walked off, Nova hugged both our legs.

“This is what we should have had then,” Arik whispered.

“Do you think it would have lasted?” I asked.

“I’d like to think so. I’ve never loved anyone like I love you. I tried for years and years, I tried, but nothing before you or after you ever felt right.”

“You are my whole universe.” My smile hurt my face. I’d never grinned like that onstage. “I can’t believe we just did that. I used to dream of doing that with you.”

“Did you?” Arik asked.

I nodded.

“You’re making me soft.” He slipped his arms around my neck.

“I hope that doesn’t…affect our plans for later.” I teased cryptically so Nova wouldn’t get it.

“It does affect it. But only because it makes it a lot better for you.”

I groaned.

SIXTY-TWO

ARIK

I slowly blinked. It was still dark out, and I felt groggy as fuck. Usually, I only felt that way if I woke up before my sleep meds wore off. I reached out for Varian, not sure what had woken me.

Panic set in before my fingers found his skin and I could take a full breath. My therapist told me it would get better with time and with Varian showing up, but it wasn’t a pleasant way to wake up.

My phone buzzed from somewhere on the floor. That must have been what woke me up. I closed my eyes to ignore it, but then I remembered I had it on Do Not Disturb. I half-leaned out of bed to reel it in by the cord.

It was still ringing.

Kiernan calling

That couldn’t be good. I shoved out of bed because I didn’t want to wake Varian. No need to freak him out. I closed the door to the bedroom and opened my phone to call him back, but I froze. An alert on my screen caught my eyes.

BREAKING NEWS: Country music legend Victor St. James is dead at the age of…

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