Page 70 of A Love Song for Dreamers

Thanks to a delicious dinner and the fact that I made Annie come twice in the shower and once more in her bed, tonight’s already feeling like a solid win. Now, I try to push the email from Zeke from my mind as I get ready to share the night with the woman I love and her friend, watching an artist that I found andnurtured.

As we crowd around a high top table, Annie pries stories from Rae her life on the road as a DJ trying to make it. The woman’s always been hard to get a read on, but I’m fascinated hearing herexperiences.

Unlike me, she sounds like she could travelforever.

“You okay?” Annie asks, leaningover.

I slide a hand over her knee, resting my fingers on the inside of her thigh as I brush my lips across her jaw. “Yeah.”

I look up as the band starts, and Shay takes the mic, but she’s not looking at the crowd—she’s looking at thefloor.

Alarm stirs low in my gut. I can’t put my finger on the warning feeling, but I know something’soff.

“What is she doing?” Raeasks.

She misses her cue, and the band keeps playing. Eventually, they stop. Annie and I exchange a look, but we bothknow.

Shay’s frozenup.

I’m cursing her for it even as I weave through the crowd to the foot of the stage. I shoot security a look as they spring into action, but they stop when they recognizeme.

Shay’s eyes widen as she sees me leap onto the stage. “I’m sorry,” she whispers hoarsely when I stop in front ofher.

“It’s fine. You got this,” Isay.

“I know. I thought I did, but… Just don’t go anywhere,okay?”

I nod to the confused band, and theyrestart.

I step back into the wings and nod ather.

Her gaze is locked on mine as she sings the first line. It’stentative.

The guitarist is eyeing us warily, so I grab his unused mic and joinin.

Shay’s smile lights up the entireplace.

I keep going, and she finds herstride.

By the time we hit the chorus together, the audience is lovingit.

It feels good to be up there, better still to helpher.

My hand might be fucked but the way Shay’s looking at me from the stage and Annie’s looking at me from the audience, it’s hard to believe anything is missing in thismoment.

After, I head back down the stairs, surprised to see Annie and even Rae holler and applaud as I rejointhem.

“Well, that was adisaster.”

“It was averted, and you made something even better together,” Anniecorrects.

I search her gaze, my chest expanding. “You’re good for my soul,” I saysimply.

She grabs my arms, her hands digging into my biceps. “I know you don’t like thinking of yourself as depending on other people or having them depend on you…” she goes on, “But you matter. To your friends. To me. To Shay. You can make a difference here. With my dad and in people like Shay’slives.”

My chest tightens. Not herlife.

I tuck her hair behind her ear. “When I was on tour, I realized I couldn’t blame what happened to me for how I felt. But I also promised myself I’d do whatever it took to be as good as I was before. And while I was at it,” I go on, my mouth tugging up at the corner, “I’d get a house on the beach. Somewhere warm. Somewhere I’d wake up every day and make music I love and not owe anyoneanything.

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