Page 36 of Verses Of Us

“She couldn’t make it, so I’m taking her place. I hope that’s alright.”

Clark’s assessing and severe gaze left Alexis feeling exposed.

“Thank you so much for allowing us to interview Ciarán,” she added. Her throat tightened as she spoke his name, but she offered her most confident grin and fluttered her lashes a little, knowing all too well how managers like to be treated. “I know it’s impossible to fit last-minute changes into your busy schedule.”

Her words had the expected results, and his face softened.

“Wearereally busy.” He guided her into a nearby dressing room, touching the base of her back as he steered her inside. She fought the impulse to jump and swat his hand away. “Wait here. Sound check’s almost over. There’s some water and tea over there.” He nodded to a table along the wall. “Just don’t touch theO’Henrybars, they’re—”

“His favourite,” she interrupted, the memory of Ciarán’s Halloween-grade stash of candy forcing a smile to crack.

Clark’s questioning gaze returned; his stare filling the room with tension. “You met him before?”

No matter how much research she would have done, Alexis knew that Ciarán’s love of that specific chocolate bar wasn’t common knowledge. It was a little morsel of nostalgia she’d tucked away.

She forced her lips into her most charming smile and shrugged. “I must have read it somewhere.”

Clark’s eyes narrowed, but all he offered was a ‘hmm’ before leaving.

Restless, she paced the room. It held little character considering how many artists had passed through it. Except for a few large framed autographed posters, the walls were white and bare. Beneath them were two beige leather couches, separated by a glass coffee table, sitting on dark blue industrial carpeting.

She stepped closer to the snack table and pulled a bottle of Fiji water from a metal bucket. At home, she drank tap water, which always tasted like chemicals, but even after a few sips of this so-called fancy water, she pulled it away and grimaced. She didn’t understand what the fuss was about.

She tapped her free hand against her thighs, following a made-up beat that resonated in her head. A guitar sat in the corner, cradled in a stand, and as she touched the neck thoughtfully, she wondered if it belonged to Ciarán.

“Do you play?” asked a deep voice that instantly sent a flurry of sparks to every nerve-ending.

She straightened, taking a deep inhale.Here goes nothing, she thought, and turned around.

Ciarán’s face paled, and his arms dropped to his sides. “Alexis?”

Though he stood across the room, it was as if he was right next to her and the sight of him broke down her walls. She swallowed hard.

“Hi, Ciarán. How’ve you been?”

“What are you… How are you…?” he stuttered, shutting the door behind him.

He took a hesitant step closer, as if a sudden movement would make her disappear.

He was leaner than before, his cheeks hollow, the cut of his jaw sharper, but his eyes were still stunningly blue, if a little tired-looking. He looked genuinely stunned, and she couldn’t help her smile or the way it reached into her heart.

“I’m here for the interview,” she answered with a nervous giggle.

“But I thought Clark said it was, um…” He snapped his fingers a few times. “What was her name?”

“Yeah, my boss, Marie. She couldn’t make it.”

“Oh. That’s… too bad.” As if struggling to piece together a complex puzzle, he stared at the ground, a deep frown growing as he sat down.

His apparent disappointment made the wound inside throb and grow. “Look, if you don’t want to do this, I get it, but my boss will kill me if I don’t get this interview, so I’d appreciate it if you—”

“As feisty as ever, I see,” he interrupted and smiled that familiar grin that had once melted her teenage heart. It also reignited that long-lost flutter in her belly. “No, I don’t mind. Not at all. I only meant it’s unfortunate your boss couldn’t make it. But I’m totally thrilled you’re…here.”

No sooner were the words out of his mouth that he stood up and closed the distance between them. Released from whichever discomfort had held him back, he chuckled and lifted her into a hug.

“God, it’s so good to see you.”

Imprisoned by Ciarán’s muscular arms squeezing her ribs, she couldn’t move. Billions of thoughts and emotions ran through her all at once, and though she wanted to hug him back, she couldn’t.

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