Page 37 of When We Fell Again
By the time we were due on stage, I had never been so keyed up. I prowled around the backstage area on my own, muttering song lyrics under my breath, trying out stupid dance moves. Anything to make this show the one to remember.
“You ready?” Levi appeared at my side, pulling me out of the zone I’d retreated into.
“You’d better believe it.” Practically dancing on the balls of my feet, I bounced around while he got his guitar into place. “I have so many ideas for what we’re gonna do when we get into the studio.”
He looked me up and down. “That’s the kind of energy you had at the kids’ playground. Have you taken something?”
“Not even a painkiller.” I grinned. It had been a long time since the buzz was real and not chemically induced.
I knew exactly what had caused it, or rather who.
It wasn’t until about three-quarters of the way through the set that I finally spotted Lex at the side of the stage with Claudia. As if there was some kind of karma going on, it was at that point in the set we were due to playWherever It Takes You.As I started to sing, I turned my head in her direction, singing the lyrics directly to her. Her ocean-coloured gaze stared right back at me, unwavering. At one point, her hand covered her mouth and I could see her leaning close to Claudia.
What is she saying?
Tearing myself away, I faced the crowd, before whirling across the stage and whipping them into a frenzy as the song reached its emotional climax.
Seriously, this was better than any fucking cocaine high.
Even after that had happened before and during this tour, I wouldn’t have done it any differently.
Idol Rev was back, baby, better than ever, and I knew exactly who I had to thank.
The grin spread wider across my face as I took one final look towards the side of the stage for my inspiration as Levi started the chords of our last song.
Absolute fucking perfection.
They were the only words that could describe how the gig went.
After we’d finished, the whole team backstage went crazy, slapping each other on the back, fist-bumping, waving celebratory bottles of beer, and spilling them all over the place.
Though, the slightly empty feeling in my chest came from the fact that Lex hadn’t come backstage to celebrate with us. She was as much a part of the success of this tour as any of us. More so in my case.
Staff at the club had roped off a VIP area for us to party in and I fully intended to do that. After three weeks of moderation, now was the time to let loose and enjoy myself. There would be no hotel room, no alarm call in the morning, just chilling out and preparing to go back into the studio.
People who had been at the gig came up to us, asking about the tour and where they could see us again. The attention would usually have bothered me, but I was still surfing that high from earlier and hadn’t come down yet. True to my word to Levi, I hadn’t touched a single drug, legal or otherwise. That wasn’t to say I hadn’t been taking advantage of the beers and shots that appeared in front of me whenever my glass or bottle became empty.
We’d been there almost an hour and I still hadn’t seen Lex. Catching hold of Claudia as she went to get another drink, I asked her where Lex was.
“No idea. Sorry, Jordan.” Claudia shrugged.
“She knows this party was for her too, right?”
“If you’re that desperate to find her, why don’t you call her?”
That one word was the reason I couldn’t.
Desperate.
I wanted to know if there could be anything between us a second time, but after that night, who knew when I would see her again?
Before the night was over, I needed to know where I stood.
Robbie passed me another shot of tequila. If nothing else, it would give me the Dutch courage to address the situation head-on. If Lex ever turned up, of course.
My gaze darted around the room, checking out every new arrival, disappointment flooding through me when it wasn’t her. Maybe the universe was trying to tell me something, if I believed in any of that shit.
“You were absolutely amazing tonight.” A blonde and her brunette friend approached me, smiling nervously. “We’ve been to all your shows.”
