Page 56 of New Year's Faye

No. But only because I never let myself imagine the possibility of us.

I watched the three little dots appear and disappear and reappear then disappear once more.

FayeMoyo

Never?

My answer was simple and honest.

SamDogg

What we had before was always more than enough.

FayeMoyo

I’m not sure if that’s the correct answer or super depressing, but thank you for not being a creep. At least not today.

The tension that had twisted around my heart relaxed a fraction, allowing me to draw breath for the first time since I’d left her in the hotel room.

It wasn’t forgiveness, but it was a start.

Without thinking, I picked up my guitar, absently strumming as a whisper of a lyric took root.

The thing about being a songwriter is that sometimes the music says what you can't.

I let my fingers find chords that matched the ache in my chest. The melody that emerged was soft, tentative—like the way Faye had touched the notebook before fleeing.

My phone buzzed with an incoming text.

Justice

Get your ass down to the arena

SamDogg

No

Justice

Not a request, brother. Band meeting. Now.

I sighed, setting down my guitar. The last thing I wanted was company, but five years of being in a band had taught me that ignoring a "band meeting" only led to them bringing the meeting to you.

Usually with alcohol.

Always with opinions.

The backstage of the arena was quiet this early in the morning, just a few roadies and crew checking different things ahead of our gig later today.

I found them in the greenroom, our regular security detail by the door.

Justice, Felix, and Radley were bent over a table, their heads practically touching like they were plotting something.

They probably were.

"There he is!" Justice called out. "Our resident lover boy."

"Don't," I warned, sliding into the spare chair.

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