Page 15 of Love Rescheduled

I plastered on the fakest of smiles for Jolene. “You’re going to kill it.”

“I want to kill something.” Jolene narrowed her eyes at Zac.

Zac went ashen, obviously intimidated. Did that bring me some pleasure? Oh, yes.

“Let’s play nice,” Mikey jumped in. “You can kill him after the show.” He didn’t sound like he was teasing. I guess I wasn’t the only one who didn’t have any love for Zac.

Zac took that as his cue to head to the greenroom.

Jolene stood taller, filled with a sense of pride for intimidating the weasel.

Tara pulled me into a group hug with Jolene. “You got this. We will be here watching the entire time.”

“Absolutely,” I agreed, though I was shaking in my booties, literally and figuratively. Any moment now, Josh was going to come off that stage. I prayed he would keep on walking, although part of me wanted to confront him and shame him for what he had done to me minutes ago.

“Thank you.” Jolene fiercely hugged us.

Mikey headed for the stage, but not before giving me a look of condolence as he walked by.

Jolene let go of us and closed her eyes, getting ready for her big moment.

Tara and I stood by, holding hands. I begged myself to not make this about me and stay focused on Jolene. Josh was ancient history. Jolene and Tara would always be my present and future.

In what seemed like a dream montage, Josh appeared in front of me, just as Mikey was introducing Jolene.

I stopped breathing as Josh planted himself across from Tara and me near some mic stands. His rich chocolate eyes lasered in on me as if willing me to stay in place. He didn’t need to worry; he had sufficiently paralyzed me.

“I never thought I would say this to you, but you’re a prick,” Tara lobbed his way, seemingly happy she finally got to say her piece. Her grip on my hand tightened.

Josh didn’t even flinch. His eyes stayed right on me.

I said nothing, desperately trying to keep my eye on the prize, Jolene. Yet Josh was making it difficult. So many emotions swirled inside me while staring at the infuriating man. While I more than loathed him, there was no denying I still loved him. I ached to touch the curls of hair that played around his ears when he let his hair grow out like it was now. I longed to see his smile, which made his dimples appear. Mostly, I wished for him to tell me he didn’t hate me. Hypocritical, considering I felt all sorts of hate for him.

Zac came back with a towel for Josh, who had sweat dripping down his face because of the stage lights. That used to be my job. “Come on, man, let’s get out of here.” He scowled at me, warning me not to engage with Josh.

Josh ignored him. It was clear he wasn’t moving an inch.

“Oh, hell,” Zac muttered before throwing the towel at him and stomping off like a petulant child.

Josh easily caught the thing, yet he remained steady, making sure I didn’t move.

Tara looked between the two of us. “Well, I guess this is going to be awkward.”

Awkward didn’t even cover it. What was Josh’s deal? Why wouldn’t he leave?

I tore my gaze away from him, remembering tonight wasn’t about me. As soon as Mikey said, “Please welcome to the stage Jolene Carmichael,” Tara and I hooted and hollered the best we could. I even mustered up a real yell. Did I regret it instantly? Yes. But it wasn’t about me.

Jolene started, and for a second, I could pretend like Josh wasn’t unnaturally gaping at me.

“Thank you, thank you,” Jolene began. “You know, this place reminds me of my mom’s house. Brick walls, smells like cheap perfume, lots of strangers coming in and out laughing at me.”

That got the crowd going.

“Good one,” I mouthed to Tara.

Jolene went on with her shtick about being named Jolene and crazy stories about her mom that sounded fake but were all true. Then she did her new bit about the joys of where she had found glitter on her person. It was hilarious. The audience was eating it up. Jolene shined the entire time.

Meanwhile, Josh never moved a muscle. I would admit to glancing at him a few times. Apparently, he was determined we speak to one another. Oh, did I have some things to say to him after he’d mortified me and lied about me in front of hundreds of people. I was a lot of things, but a thief wasn’t one of them.

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