Page 195 of Movers and Shakers

But no Barry.

Disappointment hit me, but I tried not to let it show on my face. Where was he? Was he backstage for some reason? Was he late?

The song came to a close and I fought the frown trying to tug on my lips.

My next number was an older one, a pop song that would get people dancing. I performed the routine in the back of my mind, glad I’d practiced it many times. In my head, I was replaying what Malia had said about Barry. He’d have the best seat in the house. Butwhere?

I looked at Ruth and Tom as if they could give me some answers from all the way out in the crowd.

But they weren’t even looking at me. They were looking behind me at my band.

Ruth’s jaw was on the ground. She was shaking her brother, moving his entire body as he looked in a similar state of shock.

What the fuck? What was going on with my band?

Screw my usual steps, I had to know. I turned to face them. Everything was in order. My drummer was rocking out as usual. My background singers were having the time of their lives. I knew them all.

Except for my rhythm guitarist.

The newest member of my band was buff with shoulders that looked familiar. If it weren’t for his long, black hair, I would have said it was . . .

Barry.

My mind blanked and I missed my next moves. All I could do was stare at the man who played my music. He looked up, joining the thousands of eyes that were on me.

And I saw stormy-gray irises, the same ones I’d stared into for many hours.

Holyshit.

He was in a wig, almost unrecognizable. Like this, he was messy in ways he usually wasn’t. His arms were on full display while he was in a tight black shirt. He looked the part of a rock star.

And I realized exactly what Malia and he had pulled off.

I couldn’t help the smile on my face when I saw him.

The crowd, watching my every move, cheered at my newfound good mood.

The happy love song I was in the middle of suddenly was far easier to sing.

As energy sank into my every atom, the crowd got louder, as if they were feeding off of it too. My choreography was entirely forgotten as I ran over to Barry.

I wanted to ask him so many questions, but I could only mouth things unless I wanted the whole audience to hear them.

Luckily for me, the one thing I wanted to say was easy.

I love you,I mouthed at him.

His eyes widened and he almost missed a note. He recovered far faster than I would have.

I could have waited, but these words had been in my head for too long. And if he had found a way to beonstagewith me, then he needed to know.

I love you too,he mouthed back. I wondered if I could say more, but he reminded me that I was performing by bobbing his head to the music and giving a pointed look to the crowd of excited fans.

Shit.I was about to miss an important mark. I reluctantly moved to go to the left side of the stage, but I couldn’t stop glancing over at him at every turn. It didn’t feel like I was singing for the crowd anymore. The world had fallen away, leaving only him and me.

It took another two songs for me to find a moment to get back over to him. I couldn’t say anything, but our matching smiles said everything we needed to. I danced to the rhythm, my feet moving of their own accord, and Barry joined me, moving his feet in sync like when I was Rose in his bar and we’d lost time dancing together.

I had to pull my mic away to let out a laugh of pure joy. I hadn’t felt this light onstage since I was just starting out, and all the lights and cheers felt new to me. We finished the song together and I reluctantly left, knowing I had to make my way to center stage to get ready for another song. I interacted with the crowd as much as I could, but he was constantly on my mind.

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