Page 84 of The Déjà Glitch

Gemma searched the room for Lila, ready to give hernotice that she was in fact leaving with Jack this time. She found her on the couch against the back wall, halfway on someone’s lap, laughing and tossing her hair. She took one step in her direction when the man of the hour appeared in her path.

“Gemma!” Nigel Black sang with his arms out. He’d changed shirts after the show, but he still smelled like hard work and liquor mixed with a heavy dose of cologne dashed on to compensate. “Not leaving, are you?” He glanced down at her and Jack’s clasped hands and smiled at the flush in her face, which only made her flush more.

“Oh, well, actually, we—”

Nigel tutted and shook his head. “Say no more. I will not stand in the way of this beautiful union after all the hard work Jack put into it.” Gemma thought she heard Jack murmur something that sounded likeYou have no idea.

“Thank you, Nigel,” she said. “For everything.”

He casually lifted his shoulder. “Made for one hell of a memorable show, didn’t it?” He thrust out a hand at Jack. “Jack, I’d tell you to be faithful to this one, but if even half of what you said to convince me to play the song is true, I know I won’t have to worry.”

Jack turned a sweet shade of pink that made Gemma desperately want to know what he’d said. “Of course, Nigel. And thank you again. I really can’t thank you enough.”

Nigel didn’t release his hand. He stopped shaking and squeezed it. A serious note dropped into his tone. “Thank me by not fucking this up, yeah?”

Jack swallowed hard, and Gemma felt a surprised swell of affection. Nigel Black was acting more paternal than her own father ever had.

“No—I mean, yeah. Yes. I won’t fuck anything up, sir,” Jack said, stumbling.

Nigel laughed like it was all a joke and clapped him on the shoulder. “Good.” He turned to Gemma and kissed her cheek. “Gemma, love, hold on to this one. He’s a good man. And give your father a chance. He means well even if he has his head in his ass from time to time. Happens to the best of us, god knows.”

She smiled at the feel of his scratchy face against hers once more. She never thought she’d meet Nigel Black again, let alone be kissed on the cheek by him multiple times in the same day.

Or have him cover a pop song for her live.

Or have him give a warning to her new boyfriend like they were teens going on a date.

All of it filled her brimming heart and more than compensated for her freeze-up of shame. Her inner seven-year-old self was proudly beaming. “I will, Nigel Black.”

He winked at them and folded himself back into the crowd.

Jack let out a heavy breath like he’d been holding it.

“What did you say to him to convince him to play the song?” Gemma asked, too curious not to.

“I’ll tell you once I recover from being threatened by Nigel Black. Holy shit.” He put his hands on his thighs and bent over for another deep exhale.

Gemma laughed and rubbed his back. He’d swapped out his tee shirt for a button-down the same color of the shirt she’d spilled coffee all over that morning. She glided her hand over the smooth, pale blue fabric and taut muscles and felt like her fingertips were sparking.

Jack stood back up and shook his head. “Can we go for real now?”

“Yes. I just need to tell Lila first.”

Jack slipped his hand back into hers as if he didn’t want to get lost in the crowd. They fought their way through the tangle of bodies and found Lila still on the couch. She sprang up as soon as she saw them.

“Gemma!” she gushed, and threw her arms around her neck. The heat of her curvy body pressed into Gemma in a clear signal she’d had plenty to drink. “This is thebestbirthday I’veeverhad! Thankyou!” she sang. She released Gemma and sucked in a big gasp as if Jack were a long-lost friend, which, in a way, he was, even though she’d seen him minutes before. “AndJack! I’mso gladyou’re here too!” She hugged him and let out a little squeak of affection. Her reaction made it feel like they were at her party rather than backstage at a show, and it didn’t surprise Gemma, seeing that Lila could turn about any situation into a party. “Are you guys leaving?”

Gemma expected a five-star pout, but instead, Lila smiled when she saw their clasped hands. “Yes. Will you be okay on your own?”

Lila rolled her eyes. “Of course, Gem.”

“Good,” she said, and fished her keys out of her bag. She held them out to Lila. “I know you’re smart enough not to drive yourself home tonight, but when you do leave here by whatever other means, can you please stop by my place and check on Rex?”

Lila slowly blinked at the dangling fob and set of keys. “Where are you going?”

“Not home,” Gemma said with a sly grin. She was intensely aware of Jack’s hand in hers. She felt him squeeze it.

Lila’s face lit, and she snatched the keys with an excited and coordinated swipe that told Gemma she wasn’t as tipsy as she’d thought. “Yes. Yes, I fully support this decision and will help enable it. Go. Be gone!”

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