Page 94 of Electric Touch

“You have anything to write on?”

She pulls a pad out of her pocket with a pen shoved into the spiral binding. It has notes on about the other bands performing, but she flips to a blank page.

“What’s your sister’s name?” I ask.

“Er… So, it’s…”

I glance at her lanyard. Clearly, the autograph is not for a little sister, if she even has one. “Nevaeh Rose? Pretty name.”

She blushes and I scribble out a message and sign it, then hand her the pad with a wink. A guy with a headset on and a lanyard looks over. I step in the way to block her from his sight. Nevaeh thanks me, tells me she loves the band, then hurries away. I follow the others back to the dressing room.

Ciro, for once, is laughing with Jack.

“Has hell frozen over?” I mutter.

“No. He got laid.”

A laugh bursts out of me. Alessa has snuck up beside me, watching her friend. “Jordan’s doing?”

“He wish. No. Ciro won’t say.”

“So if he won’t say, that means it’s a thing?” I arch a brow.

She shrugs. “His business. I’m glad he is happy for a change. We need that.”

Yeah, we do. Tonight was fun. The press tour for our upcoming tour has been good. We’ve been busy. Non-stop interviews, for various different media. As well as some performances, and photoshoots. People have been giving us so much free stuff. Half the time I was handing it back, thinking I don’t need it. Declan said I was offending people by not taking it. Who am I to argue?

Tonight’s show is the pinnacle, even if we were early on the schedule. But I’m ready to head back to New York.

“You are smiling. Why is this?”

Alessa has her arms folded over her chest as she studies me. I wonder if Adrestia is still a part of their group chat, and if so, what she says about me. Asking won’t do me any good right now.

“Just because, Alessa.”

“Everyone getting laid.” Her lips pinch. She may even be trying to pout. Who knows? “Anymore crap from Riley?”

“Like personally? No, she’s kept her distance, things have been good. Tonight’s performance was amazing. It was well worth taking the time away to do it, we’re playing well together.”

“Hmm, yes.”

“What’s up Less? You seem even more… pensive than usual.” I reach over her to grab a bottle of water from the bucket of ice on the floor. It’s hot back here and my throat is dry.

“We had dinner.”

“Was it nice?” I ask in amused confusion.

“No. Well, food was nice, company was… Odd.”

I take a long drink of the water. My throat was a little scratchy earlier.

“Was with Riley and Bent.”

“You had dinner with her and… Wait, you mean Brent, right?”

She waves her hand and makes a face. She knows what she said. “I don’t like him.”

I’m not even touching that, even if it gives me a sense of satisfaction. “When did this happen?”