Page 26 of Timeless: Encore

Fiona’s hand is on my thigh. “Are you excited?”

“Yeah—but I’d rather jam with my guys. We’ve never gone this long without playing.” My knees bounce. I fidget with my zipper. It’s been a couple months since I’ve received anything from my bandmates but a quick text. It bums me out to no end.

Carter cranes his neck from where he’s sitting. “I forgot to tell you. Ty called. Says they’re coming home in a month or so. Zoey’s migraines are getting worse.”

“He called you? Really?” Now I’m a little pissed. “Ever since he got back together with Zoey, it’s like I don’t exist.”

Fee chortles. “Ah, Zaney. Is your boyfriend ignoring you?”

I stare at her, then burst into laughter too. Jesus. I’m acting like a jealous lover. He deserves to have some downtime with the woman he’d been unwillingly separated from for eight years. Thanks to my dad, which iswhythe call does niggle at me. Now’s not the time. “I’m an asshole. Is Zoey feeling any better?” She had a scary fainting incident at an awards ceremony earlier this year.

“She made an appointment with a specialist to get to the bottom of things.” Carter reaches down and takes Lianne’s hand. Places it on his thigh.

My mom looks back nervously to see if I’ve noticed. I raise an eyebrow. “I know you guys are together, there’s no need to hide it.”

“We’re not,” Lianne says simultaneously as Carter gleefully proclaims, “We are.”

“You two need help.” Fee shakes her head. “Even if it’s not official, you’re fucking like rabbits. You’re not hiding anything. Can you please put Zane out of his misery? Just admit you’re in looooove.”

“Fiona!”My mom’s face reddens to a shade I’ve never seen. She’s saved from further discussion when the golf cart pulls up to where a group of Fractured dudes are standing.

Tex approaches me. When I see him in person, I nearly fall over. He’s the absolute double of Ty. His hair is a different color. Clothes are a different style. That’s about it.

“Tex McClain.” He holds out his hand.

“Zane Rocks. My wife, Fiona. My dad Carter Pope and mom Lianne Rocks.” I gesture to my family.

Tex introduces us to his bandmates Connor Byrne, Noah Taylor, and Zac Ford, who lose their minds when they realize Carter fucking Pope is with me. “You’ve got to join us. We’d be so honored,” Tex pleads.

Carter grumbles a bit but agrees. He may be a legendary guitar player in a band that doesn’t tour much these days, but he gets his fuel from playing to a crowd just like me.

The four of us get settled into our own room before the Fractured dudes join us again. While the opening band plays, Tex, Connor, and I figure out when they want me to join their set.

“You’re freaking me out, man,” I say to Tex. “I swear to God, if you didn’t have the southern accent I’d swear you were Ty.”

“I get that a lot. Personally, I don’t see it.” He stretches his legs out. Shrugs.

I turn my attention to their singer, joking, “And you, why do you have to be named Connor? It’s so confusing for me.”

God it feels fantastic to shoot the shit before a show. Knowing there will be a show. And I’ll be playing in the show. I need to hold on until I’m with my own band. I can get through it.

When it’s time for Fractured to take the stage, Fee and I decide to watch from the sidelines. I hand Tex’s guitar tech my Gibson, warning him that if anything happens to it I’ll murder his entire family. Carter and Lianne sit on stools behind us. Mom’s body language is cold. Dad looks miserable. I guess Fee’s comment didn’t go over well, but I don’t blame her for making it. Whatever’s going on between my parents is weird.

Ignoring their tension, I stand in between them and sling an arm around each of their shoulders. “Trouble in paradise?”

“Zane, stop it.” My mom shoots me her most angry look, which isn’t all that scary. “Don’t be unkind. Your father and I are trying to figure things out. If you want to sit down and talk about it, let’s do that. The passive-aggressive comments are not appreciated.”

Carter blurts out, “I want your mom back. I’ve always wanted her back. It’s no secret. It’s never been a secret.”

“Look, I’m married with a kid. If you’re worried about permission from me, don’t. I’m thirty fucking years old. I don’t care what you guys do.” I throw my hands in the air.

“Um, a little awareness of your surroundings? Maybe take this conversation somewhere else.” Fee steps in the middle of us. “You’re not being exceptionally stealth. Do you want this to end up on TikTok?”

I kiss my mom’s cheek, I never want to make her feel bad. “I’m sorry. I’ll back off.”

Fee grabs my hand. We move closer to stage to watch the band. Well, I watch Fee. Her cleavage is out of control. I visualize cupping her big tits and sucking on those delicious nipples. My cock hardens. Shit, I’m going to embarrass myself and my wife if I don’t refocus my energy on what I’m here to do.

Reluctantly, I turn my attention back to Fractured. Soon it’s my cue and I join them. The crowd goes insane, which is a huge ego boost. But when Carter appears? The roof nearly blows off the stadium. The old man still has it. We play with them for about twenty minutes, Tex, Carter, and I trade off in an epic three-way guitar showdown.

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