Page 17 of Rim Shot Rebound

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Five

 

 

Eric stood to the side of the short platform that served as a makeshift stage for the band and adjusted his Panama hat to wipe a bit of sweat from his forehead. He’d spent the last break making his rounds—smiling at guests, smooth-talking hosts, and playing the part of the delightful paid entertainer. He and Robin were usually responsible for making contacts, handing out cards, and drumming up more business. Depending on the gig and the crowd, he generally enjoyed his role at these things. He was always happy to meet new people, and he was good at this kind of marketing. God help them all if the role ever fell on Nat’s shoulders.

Since he’d shaken hands with everyone already, he and Lauren were spending this last break drinking water and chatting. They’d discovered that her boyfriend’s former roommate, Darren, was a guy Eric had graduated high school with, and Eric was catching up on what Darren was up to now and getting to know Lauren a little better. She was so quiet, it was easy for her to get lost in the band sometimes. Especially when Eric had been so preoccupied lately with another band member.

He was listening to Lauren, trying to give her his full attention, but his eyes kept drifting to catch glimpses of Kelsey, who stood in a tight pair of faded jeans near the ice chests with Natalie. She looked good today. A little red-faced even though the stage was shaded, but it seemed like the fresh air was agreeing with her. She was smiling and laughing with Natalie as she held her dark hair in a twist with one hand above her neck. He wished he was a little closer so he could hear that low, throaty laugh of hers for himself. Even better, so he could be the one making her laugh.

He’d hardly spoken to Kelsey all day, and she’d shown up late to rehearsal earlier that week. He was usually the last one to get there, because his last lesson ended late on Thursdays and the drive to Robin’s place from the music school took almost forty-five minutes. But last night, Kelsey got there even later than he did. No explanation, just an apology. And she ran out the second they wrapped up. Didn’t even wait to walk out with Natalie or Lauren. She just bailed. If he hadn’t known better, he’d have thought she was avoiding him.

Or maybe that’s exactly what she was doing. It was what he deserved.

Still, he couldn’t live with the what-if for the rest of his life. He had to find out if there was one last chance for them. Maybe he’d blown that chance a long time ago, but he had to know for sure. And they weren’t going to get anywhere with all of this tension between them.

A breeze pushed the aroma of boiling spices over to where they stood, and Eric smiled as Lauren took in a loud, deep breath to inhale them. Cayenne. Garlic and onion. Bay leaves. That hint of clove and coriander. His mouth watered with the promise of a spicy free lunch as part of their payment once they finished this last set.

Antsy to get on with this gig and the rest of his plans, he looked around for their intrepid leader. Robin stood near the big boiling pot talking to the guy who’d hired them. Although that wasn’t a fair description. This was a guy Robin had known for years, and Robin had some sort of weird in-law relationship to him that Eric wasn’t entirely clear on, but also one that he got the feeling he wasn’t supposed to ask about either.

Eric caught her eye and tapped his wrist at his imaginary watch. She nodded, then waved at Kelsey and Natalie and walked back toward the stage.

“Ready?” Robin asked Eric and Lauren.

“Sure thing,” Lauren said. “I’m starving.”

“Me too, Sugar Bee.” Robin turned to Eric. “Let’s drive this puppy home and get some grub!”

“Amen to that,” he said.

 

* * * * *

 

A couple hours later, the band got up from their folding chairs and started the less fun part of their job: packing up. Eric stuffed his bass in its gig bag and zipped it shut. He rested it gently on the ground, then steeled his nerves as he turned to Kelsey.

“Can I help you tear down?”

Her eyes flared with panic, but a second later she pasted on a cheerful smile. He knew the difference between a genuine smile and a fake one by now. Forced, at the very least.

He vowed to earn a genuine one from her again. One day.

“You in a hurry to see my crappy lyrics?” she asked.

His fingers went to work unscrewing the top of a cymbal stand. “You and I both know they aren’t crappy.”

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