Page 63 of Rockstar's Accidental Marriage

I swallow my rising panic and focus. “Did anyone touch the system after soundcheck?”

He shakes his head. “Not that I know of.”

I glance around the stage, my mind racing. This shouldn’t be happening. “Okay, reload it from the backup drive. If that doesn’t work, let me know immediately.”

He nods and dashes back to his station. I pace the edge of the stage, my stomach twisting. It takes less than ten minutes, but those minutes feel like hours before he gives me a thumbs-up. “It’s good to go!”

Relief washes over me, but it’s fleeting. I try to brush it off, but a nagging worry lingers in the back of my mind. Everything was fine earlier—so why did this happen at all? It feels like a warning, and I don’t like it.

As I glance around the bustling stage, my eyes automatically seek out Sam. He’s talking with Luke and Nate, gesturing animatedly toward their instruments. His calm confidence is like a lifeline. I exhale slowly, his presence steadying me in a way I can’t explain. Whatever’s going on, I’ll deal with it. Somehow.

The energy reaches a fever pitch as the doors open and fans pour in. The band is backstage, going through their pre-show rituals like clockwork. Cass paces near the entrance, mic in hand. Luke and Nate are cracking jokes. Vince, as always, is laser-focused on his guitar, his fingers moving over the strings with practiced ease.

“We’ve got this,” I say as I pass Cass, meeting his eyes.

He grins. “Don’t we always?”

Sam’s fingers dance over the strings of his bass guitar, his concentration fierce, his energy infectious. At one point, he looks up, his eyes locking on mine across the stage. A sexy smile curves his lips, and he winks. My heart flips in response, but I force myself to look away. His energy is so intense. Instead, I try to focus on my clipboard, ignoring his pull.

By the time the encore ends and the band exits the stage, everyone is riding the high of a perfect show.

“Hell of a start,” Cass says, clapping Sam on the back as they head toward the dressing rooms.

Sam glances at me, his eyes warm, and I smile back at him. He then grins, looking around and giving everyone a thumbs up. “Not bad for a first night back.”

His words dissolve the tension that hung over the band earlier—first-night jitters replaced by satisfaction and camaraderie.

From the wings, I watch with my chest tight, pride and relief coursing through me as all the moving parts fall perfectly into place.

For now...

Twenty

Sam

We don’t linger long after the show. The crew begins packing up, and Emily oversees the breakdown, ensuring everything is squared away before we head out to the hotel. I’m eagerly looking forward to getting Emily alone to show her just how much I’ve missed sharing a bed.

The front desk clerk greets us with a polite smile, her attention divided between the ringing phone and the stack of papers on the counter. “Welcome,” she says. “Let me just pull up your reservation.”

I lean against the counter, pulling Emily close as she gives the clerk her name.

The clerk slightly frowns as she types. “Actually...” Her voice falters, and she winces. “It looks like that reservation was canceled.”

“What?” I ask, striving to keep my voice calm, but there’s an edge to it. I glance at Emily, my brows knitting together. “Emily, you didn’t cancel the room, right?”

“Of course not,” she replies, pulling up the confirmation on her phone. “And no one else would have, either.”

“I’m so sorry. This must have been an error,” the clerk explains, typing furiously on her keyboard. “However, we have no rooms available—we’re completely overbooked.”

“Perfect,” I mutter under my breath.

“Would you like us to call around to other hotels? Unfortunately, with the sold-out concert, it may be hard to find a room.” The clerk looks up at Emily with a sorrowful expression.

"Yes, we're aware of the concert," Emily says curtly. "Sam is part of the band—"

The clerk looks at me for the first time.

“You’re Sam Ryder! Oh, I’m so sorry. Let me see what I can do.” She makes a few frantic phone calls, then looks up at us with a regretful smile. “Nothing is available. Do you have any other options?”

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