Page 29 of Revived

“Maybe,” I told him honestly. “You did the right thing by giving her time. Be patient for a bit and then go back and fight for the both of you.”

Chevy made a humming sound before he stood. It was only then that I returned my focus to the stage to find Gabe gone and Kaylee glancing longingly into the seats where Wen and Cal had been making out moments ago. I wondered, briefly, if that was something she had done with Gabe before, or if she was just daydreaming about making it happen. I couldn’t blame her one bit. Having been able to get to know the man pretty well, not just the rock star persona, I knew he’d be worth it. Hell, I’d suffered through my own fantasies about him for months.

“Come on,” Chevy called out to me, jolting me from where my mind had wandered. “You need to go get ready for tonight.”

I glanced down at myself. My jeans were faded, worn, and well-loved. My Vans were comfy on my feet and my t-shirt was a band tee that Cal had given me. It fit tight across my breasts and a bit loser down to my hips. “What’s wrong with this?” I asked as I stood.

“Nothing, if you’re part of the stage crew, and a dude,” he teased. I smacked him playfully on the shoulder. “You should glam up for tonight and get the full concert experience. I’ll be your own very platonic date, even though I plan on looking sexy as fuck. Don’t get any ideas. Ford would legit kick my ass if you fell for me and not him,” he joked.

“Heaven forbid that I fall for the wrong brother,” I joked back.

“Mel?”

“Yeah?” I answered with my own questioning tone.

“If I haven’t said it before, I want you to know, I appreciate you. Not just as my nurse either. You’re family now.”

“Chevy,” I gasped.

“Nope, don’t bother denying it. Our whole family thinks of you that way – no matter whether you and my dad pull your heads out of your own asses or not. I care what happens to you and don’t ever want to lose you. Promise, no matter what, you’ll always be around?”

“I don’t know if I can promise that,” I admitted.

“We’re not like your family,” he told me and I knew my story had gotten around to more than just Alex and Gabe.

“I appreciate that, Chevy. I care about you too,” I told him. It was as much as I was able to give in the moment and he realized that.

“All right, see you in an hour?” He asked. The moment I nodded, he took off. My heart thumped heavily in my chest as our entire conversation settled in. Chevy had not only given me his okay to date his father, he was pushing for it. I wondered what he would have to say if he knew I suspected his mom and dad still had a thing going? Hell, it was most likely just my own insecurities rearing their ugly heads. I knew that, somewhere deep down. Still, given my history with my husband and sister carrying on behind my back for years, it tended to taint all other potential relationships from the start. I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop or looking into the dark spaces for hard truths. That’s why I had empathy for Kaylee and why I worried about Kendra.

~*~

My first side-stage concert experience was a wholly different vibe from simply being on the road, in the background, with the bands who were on tour. I’d somehow separated them in my mind from the rock stars they were to the people I knew. My realization that they were one and the same came shortly after chevy picked me up from the tour bus for our concert date.

“You’re too much,” I told him as he bowed before me.

“I like to think that I’m just enough.”

I rolled my eyes at him. Spending time with Chevy both made me feel younger again – on the inside – and wistful for my lost youth. I hated having regrets about my life, but I did. What would I have experienced, gone through, and who would I have turned out to be if I’d just let my ex go off to New York without me like my mom begged me to do all those years ago? I might have had the chance to live young and frivolously, rather than jumping straight from my youth into being bogged down by adult responsibilities, and a husband who lost interest while I was working to make our lives better.

“Get out of your head,” Chevy demanded as we made our way through the back door of the venue. “Shall we hit up craft services first? I hear they put on quite a spread today for some big wig’s ego boost or something.” My stomach grumbled as the smell wafted our way, making Chevy laugh. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

We turned into the room just as two men were coming out. “She’s becoming a problem,” Gabe was saying.

“Not anymore. She told me she was leaving after this show,” the man I recognized as Deacon, returned. “I’m having someone new flown out to meet the tour at the next venue. Everly is looking for a man so we don’t have to worry about this shit again. Preferably a gay man, since we have Sky and Macy on board too.”

“I haven’t been with her in over a year,” Gabe explained before he glanced over and noticed me and Chevy standing there. His son did not look at all happy with Gabe in that moment. I wanted to laugh, because I knew he’d think that the conversation wouldn’t sit well with me, but it was quite the opposite. I’d seen Gabe be gracious and respectful to Kaylee – who I assumed they were speaking about – but there was only so much a person could take of saying ‘no’ before it became tedious and harassing.

“Hey,” Gabe called out before turning back to Deacon quickly. “Catch ya later about this, all right?” Deacon nodded, a ridiculous smirk on his face as he did. I wondered if he was calculating the risk of me becoming his next problem. The man sauntered away before I could hazard a guess though. “What are you two up to?”

“I’m taking Mel on a concert experience date,” Chevy informed him.

“You’re what now?” Gabe snapped out, causing me to flinch back and his son to grin ear to ear.

“Chill,” Chevy commanded his dad. “It’s totally platonic. Ford called dibs on her, and I respect that.” I rolled my eyes and laughed again as we moved further inside the room so that we weren’t blocking the entrance.

“Fucking Ford,” Gabe hummed before turning to me. “You look amazing,” he complimented, which caused heat to rise to my cheeks.

“Thanks, so do you,” I returned, only to see Gabe’s own grin broaden to match his son’s. He wasn’t made up for the stage yet. Gabe was just his usual, relaxed self, in jeans, tennis shoes, and a t-shirt from a band I’d never even heard of. Honestly, he was dressed a lot like I had been earlier. Suddenly, I was thanking Chevy for insisting that I get glammed up.

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