Page 13 of Wish You Would

When I was about ten feet away, Gigi glanced my way, an unreadable look on her face. My footsteps faltered. Her eyes darted from me to Halle, lips parted. In surprise? In warning? Should I keep moving forward? Go back? What—

“Oh, my god. I love you!” Halle threw her arms around Gigi, whose eyes locked with mine as she slowly wrapped her arms around the other woman in return. Something twisted in my chest. I froze, eyes stuck to the scene in front of me. The two women parted, Halle’s hand coming up to rest against Gigi’s cheek. Gigi smiled and went in for another hug.

My eyes burned. I blinked the sting away and pivoted on my heel. I’d seen enough. Message received.

It was time to go.

7

GIGI

IMPULSIVE

“Seriously, you’re a lifesaver.” Halle squeezed my arm. “This is gonna be so good.”

I smiled back, dazed. “Yeah,” I agreed. “So good.” My brain was on a five-second delay, still not processing what I’d just agreed to.

What had I just agreed to?

“We’re gonna get set up,” Halle continued, jabbing her thumb over her shoulder, where her bandmates were unpacking equipment. “I’ll let you know when we’re ready for you.”

I nodded numbly. “’Kay. I’m just gonna…” Trailing off, I took a couple steps backward. From the corner of my eye, I caught a flash of movement. I turned to find Parker walking to the bar, her footsteps fast and frenzied.

“Shit,” I whispered, trance broken. With one more glance in Halle’s direction, I started after Parker.

“Hey,” I said once I reached her. She didn’t look at me as she grabbed for the jacket she’d draped over the back of her chair earlier. “Where are you going?”

“Home,” she said, still not looking my way. There was a hot pink flush staining her cheeks. “I’m going home.”

“Why?” I asked the question even though I knew the answer. I asked it to slow her down enough for me to clarify. The mere thought of Parker being angry, being hurt twisted like barbed wire in my stomach.

Her blue eyes flickered over me, then to Halle. Something like a scoff left her lips. Shaking her head, she threw her purse over her shoulder and started toward the exit.

I followed. “Hey, wait,” I said, stepping in front of her. “What do you think happened back there?”

That got her attention. She whirled to face me. “If you had a thing for her, you could’ve told me.” Her eyes flashed brighter against the deepening pink of her cheeks. “You didn’t have to make a fool out of me like that.”

“Hey,” I said again, firmer this time. “Stop.”

Something in my voice must’ve gotten through to her, because she paused in her escape. Her grip faltered on the strap of her purse. She glanced over my shoulder, eyeing the exit, then the other direction, toward the stage. I could almost see the wheels turning in her mind. With each thought she processed, her shoulders dropped a little more, until she let out a long sigh.

“Sorry. I’m just…” She trailed off with a shake of her head.

I wanted to reach out, sooth the heat in her cheeks with my palm. Instead, I balled my hands into fists at my sides and I nudged her foot with mine. “Maybe looking for an excuse to chicken out?”

“Ugh,” she groaned. Her bag dropped from her shoulder and she caught it on her fingertips. “Why am I like this?”

I took her bag from her and hung it on her chair. “You’re the one studying psychology. You tell me.”

At that, she laughed. “You see, it all started on a rainy day in September, when the universe decided to expel me from my mother’s womb and into my anxious, overthink-y Virgo existence.” She took her coat off and put it back on her chair, shaking her long, dark hair away from her face. “I could’ve been a Libra.”

“I’d like to say I know what any of that means, but I am not well-versed in astrology.” I ducked behind the bar to clear away her glasses. “My condolences?”

Parker laughed softly. “Thanks.” Then, she paused, pulling a lock of hair over her shoulder and twisting it. “What was all that about then?” she asked with a head tilt toward the stage. “The…hug and whatever.”

Her question sent my stomach into a series of somersaults. “Oh, that.” I shoved my fingers through my short hair and let out a quick breath. Then, I squeezed my eyes shut and let the words out in a rush. “I’m singing with them tonight.”

“You’re…” I opened my eyes to find Parker studying me, her brow furrowed. “Wait. You sing?”

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