Page 21 of Lucas

Today was supposedto be my day off, but Carla called out sick. Sal volunteered to do a split shift with me so no one gets screwed working the whole damn day. We flipped a coin over the phone to see who opens, and guess who won? Yep, that would be me. No worries, my built-in alarm clock has me tossing and turning on most days anyway so it’s all good.

The breakfast crowd has already come and gone, so the rest of my shift should go by pretty fast. Truthfully, I didn’t have any big plans, so when I get home I might bingeBridgertonon Netflix since that’s all my customers have been talking about lately. Being the curious person I am, I want to see what all the fuss is about. It can’t hurt and I hear there are a few hot guys on the show. So there’s that, too.

When my shift is almost over I’m surprised to see Cheryl walk through the door. Usually where one is the other soon follows, so I keep my eyes glued to the door. I’m shocked when Beth is a no-show. “Hey, I’ve been texting you for hours and I was worried when you didn’t text back. I thought you had the day off.”

“I did, but when someone calls out, the boss steps up. Sal volunteered to work second shift, so I’m out of here in thirty. Sorry, I haven’t checked my phone. What’s up?”

“Well, I was hoping the three of us could go shopping since we have a concert tomorrow night. God, Abby, I’m so excited to seeThe Sinful Sevenperform and I’m sure you must be busting at the seams. What are you going to wear? I thought we could go pick out something slinky and sexy for the guys, ya know?”

“I don’t have tons of money to buy new clothes, so I was going to wear that mini-dress I bought with my leather jacket and boots. It might not be all that sexy but I think it’ll work. What do you think?” Now I’m going to question my wardrobe choice. I hate second guessing myself.

“Oh, I think that’ll be bomb. It’s short enough and the floral print will make it pop. Great choice, now what the hell am I going to wear?”

“We could go shopping for you unless you have something at home you can throw together. Sal just came in so I can leave soon. Want to?” Hope blooms in my chest because now I’m excited about going out with them. Oh, I suppose I should ask about Beth. “Did you check with Beth yet to see if she wants to come?”

“I did and she’s not answering her calls. I was driving over there when I spotted your car outside, so I decided to stop here first. You wanna go check with me?”

“Yeah, give me a sec to talk to Sal and then we’ll head out.” I touch base with Sal and fill him in on what’s going on, which isn’t much, and then Cheryl and I jump in her car. Ten minutes later when there’s no sign of Beth, we swing by the coffee shop to pick up my car.

“If you really want to go shopping, I can go home and clean up. I didn’t have any plans other than vegging out and watching Netflix or something.”

“OMG, do you want to watch that new show based on the romance novel byJulia Quinn? I can’t think of the damn name but everyone’s talking about it.”

I stifle a laugh since she has no idea I was going to watch that particular series. Hey, maybe Cheryl and I have more in common than I thought possible. It’s kind of nice, really. Might be the reason why we get along well. “Sure, that sounds great. And with the money we’re saving on our new wardrobe, we can call out.” Opening the car door, I slip inside.

“Cool, sounds like fun. I’m sure I can find something in my closet to wear to the concert. You know me, always looking for an excuse to go shopping. In case you didn’t know, I’m addicted to spending money.”

“We all have our little extravagances, and mine are sexy bra and panty sets.” Oops, I shouldn’t have said that out loud. Now she’s going to put two and two together and realize I buy them for Lucas. With a wave, I slam my door and hightail it out of the parking lot. Before she has a chance to point fingers at Lucas, I drive off knowing she’ll meet me at my house.

14

Lucas

The beatingof my heart matches the thrashing of the crowd. It pulsates in anticipation and has my body vibrating from the top of my head to the tips of my Vans. TonightThe Sinful Sevenis opening forExistentialat Station #9 in downtown Manhattan. It’s not a sold-out stadium like we’ve always dreamed about, but it holds around three thousand people. The roadies assured us that tonight it’s standing-room-only. Not too shabby for our first big gig, since our normal is a Friday or Saturday night at one of the local clubs.

I swipe my palms down the front of my jeans before stealing a glance at the monitors, which are set up backstage. Goosebumps prickle my flesh as I witness the crowd stomping their feet and screaming our names. Never in my wildest fucking dreams did I ever imagine we’d come this far in such a short period. Nowhere to go but up from here!

A stage manager leans into the room and says, “Showtime is in ten minutes. You’ll take your marks in five, so if any of you need a bathroom break, the time would be now.” Willow takes off running in the opposite direction and Jet isn’t too far behind. Trevor and I are too caught up in the crowd's chanting to move a muscle. I can’t speak for him, but I just want to hang back and enjoy every single minute. It’s surreal.

The organizers hurry us along, so the moment the music begins, we can walk out onto the stage. Darkness claws at my chest, but they’ve assured us we’ll be able to see with the overhead lights flashing, tearing up the crowd. Jet lays a hand on my shoulder, then we all wait for our cue. Since I’m the lead man, I’ll be going in last.

I vaguely hear someone counting in the background, since I’m so caught up in the moment. “Willow, you’re up. Go, go, go!” the stage manager barks out. I watch her retreating form tread silently onto the stage. The spotter motions with his finger in the air when she sits at the keys, and then it’s Jet’s turn. He steps onto the stage, but instead of making a quiet entrance he screams, “Let’s do this.” I’m not sure if the crowd hears him or not with the mob going crazy, but Trevor’s next and he places his fingers in his mouth and whistles. So much for the element of surprise. Once he’s settled behind his kit, he uses his sticks to tap out a beat and they begin playing one of our best-known songs,Distraction, named for the first venue that took a chance on us as a band. With my guitar clutched tightly in one hand, I saunter onto the stage and once I reach my mark, the announcer screams, “Let’s give it up forThe Sinful Seven!”

The crowd grows wilder as I strap on my guitar and the spotlight illuminates the stage. Showcasing me front and center. This is my element. Right here, right now. This is where I belong.

Shielding my eyes against the brightness, I glance out at the crowd and roar, “Are you ready to bring down the fucking house?” When the stage pulsates with their excitement, I count down in my head and pour my heart and soul into the mic. Listening to them sing along to the songs I’ve written is intoxicating. Thank God for social media!

One at a time, we belt out the songs that have been a part of our lives for so long now. By the end of the set, we’re drenched in sweat from giving them our all. Every time we perform, we lay down our hearts and bare our souls to everyone, which solidifies our fans and binds us together forever.

Music is the universal language.

By the time our hour is up, the fans are pumped and ready to party with the main act. And I just know deep down I’ll never sleep tonight with the amount of adrenaline pumping through my veins.

So, bring on the groupies and let’s see what comes up!

After one last encore, we rush off the stage so they can set up forExistential. They have tons of lights, equipment, and special effects. Truthfully, I’m amazed at how organized and in sync they pull this all off.

The second we walk backstage, applause echoes off the walls and the main act’s members whistle between their teeth. I couldn’t wipe the shit-eating grin off of my face if I tried. Yeah, this right here feels amazing. Especially coming from our peers.

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