Page 48 of From You to Me

A private chef was already arranging the spread for everyone. She introduced herself as Nova—she would be our chef for the entire tour.

I picked up his tray and headed upstairs, shivering. Fuck, I needed to dry myself ASAP.

“Hey, got your breakfast.” I smiled, entering his room. I placed the tray on the little tea table and opened the lid for him.

Jay’s breakfast actually looked amazing for the first once; it was some sort of poached egg’s benedict on top of a Caprese salad.

I turned to him, and my heart stopped for a second. His blues were locked on mine, darkening as they took in the red straps peeking from the towel.

I flushed, the old familiar ache returning as I licked my lips, my mouth dry. “I’ll get going then.” I pointed at the door.

I scurried out of the room like my ass was on fire. With each passing day, it was becoming so hard to be in his presence.

The tension between us was killing me.

And I couldn’t do a single thing about it.

I stood, starstruck, watching the crowd scream even louder than before. The band was performing their encore, and the entire stadium literally shook. It felt like a warning of an imminent earthquake.

When I first entered the arena earlier today, it took me a moment to take in how big it was. And to see it now filled with thousands of people screaming their names.

My heart couldn’t help but soar.

I was so proud of him, so proud of all of them.

I offered Jay his bottle of water and a towel as soon as he came off the stage. The air was still buzzing from their incredible performance. It was insane to watch all the people running behind the stage to make sure everything was perfect.

“Thanks,” Jay mumbled while he handed off his guitar to a roadie.

“Perfect, guys!” Katy beamed. “Great opening show, seventeen more to go. And the fan meeting starts in thirty.”

“Katy, I love you as a friend, but I hate you as my manager.” Mikey blew an exasperated breath while he shook his long blond hair, wet droplets falling all over the floor.

“Mikey, you can’t even put on your socks without me.” Katy grinned while she tried to wipe away the sweat from Lan’s head, while the latter looked red-eyed and drained.

Now I knew why Jay did all that extensive workout this morning. Even though I had watched them perform live in their earlier days, it was nothing compared to this. The amount of energy the guys, especially Jay, exhausted on the stage was on another level.

Soon, we all headed off to the green room.

“Here you go,” I mumbled while I gave him his steam inhaler while I got started on his special tea. I didn’t know if the rules counted anymore, but an important part of my job was ensuring he rested his voice properly.

I slid in next to him as I blew off the steam from the cup while waiting for him to finish. A sudden tingle across the side of my neck made me look up.

His eyes were fixed on mine, a blank look in them.

I flushed as the redness started to tint my cheeks. “Your tea,” I muttered.

He nodded, taking small sips while he sprawled back on the couch, stretching his neck.

My eyes were transfixed on his every move. “So great show,” I blurted out like an idiotic fool. Amazing, Evy. If there was an award to start small talk, you would definitely win it.

“I know.”

I nodded. “Of course, you know that,” I murmured.

“What?”

“Nothing at all.” I let out a nervous giggle and focused my gaze elsewhere. Lily was in deep conversation with Katy and Mikey, so I had no choice but to sit with Jay.

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