Page 69 of Reckless Desires

“Come on, sis. Let’s go find you something to wear,” Veronica says, resting her head on my shoulder as we walk. “Actually, remember that sexy black number you wore to your interview…? You should totally wear that.”

Forty-Nine

Bordeaux

Retrouvaille (n.) the joy of meeting

or finding someone again after a long

separation; rediscovery.

___________

She walks in and for a fraction of a second, time stops, then moves like a slow-motion movie in front of my eyes. She cut her hair, it’s the first thing I notice. It isn’t short by any means, but it was so long, almost down to the middle of her back before. Now it sits just hitting her collarbone. She’s got it straight, tamed, and perfect. The second thing I notice…? That black fucking dress still fits her like a goddamn glove.

The band and I are playing one of our new songs, one we had complete creative control over. I sing the lyrics as she walks farther into Iconic and I can’t take my eyes off her.

She’s the reason this song exists anyway.

The only thing stopping me

From driving to your place

Are the words that haunt me every damn day

And I swear if I could change the road we’ve paved for us

I would

I sing into the mic, and I hold her gaze as she fingers the necklace resting against her skin. The moment takes me back to when I interviewed her and she was messing with the chain around her neck. It feels like we’ve lived a lifetime since that day.

Do you know the magnitude of the space you’ve left?

This emptiness is deadly

You’re my little hurricane

Coming in hot and leaving me with nothing in your wake

Stealing my heart and my sanity

I’m begging you, come back to me

I feel the room shift, the crowd in front of me parts and looks to the back of the room. They see who has my attention and suddenly, it’s only Isla and me, the rest of the bar looking between us. She’s so fucking beautiful it hurts.

Come back to me, baby

I swear I can make it all better

Come back to me, baby

You and I were meant to be forever

And forevers never end

We finish the song, and Declan tells the crowd who came out to the listening party that we’ll be back in a few to play another song.

As soon as Declan is off stage, she’s running toward Isla. They collide and Isla drapes her arms around Dec’s neck, pulling her into her, and I’m suddenly jealous of one of my best friends. Declan is feeling Isla’s skin, breathing in her scent, doing all the things I can no longer do.

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