Page 50 of Ward Willing
He’s been gone for over an hour… possibly longer. I look over my shoulder and scan the crowd, searching for his tall frame and flannel shirt, but I don’t see him. As I wait for the song to finish, I skirt the edge of the stage and walk through the back door to await Scotty.
I hear the venue shudder with shouts and screams when he finishes, and as I wait for him to come through the back door, I wipe my sweaty palms on my skirt and take a few pained breaths, closing my eyes.
Scotty and I aren’t dating. So why do I feel guilty?
Or do I feel guilt pertaining to Liam?
Thoughts of self-loathing rush through me, and behind my closed eyes, all I can see is how Liam watched me so intensely–how his mouth dropped open slightly when I came. How his normally blue eyes had turned a deep, dark navy while he watched me–like I was the only thing he ever wanted to look at again. My whole body is hot and flustered when I hear the back door open.
I snap my eyes open.
“Zo!” Scotty shouts, grinning and sweaty as he jogs over to me. I can tell from his sweat-soaked shirt and exuberant expression that we’re on totally different energy planes, but even so, I let him wrap his arms around me and pull me close. He lifts me up and kisses me, but it’s all wrong.
Ishouldfeel like I’m cheating on Scotty, but we’re not exclusive. I don’t realize until his tongue sweeps between my lips that the reason it seems wrong is because of Liam.
Because it feels like I’m betraying Liam.
I push against Scotty’s chest as his bandmates shout at him to join them at a nearby bar. Fortunately, he lowers me to the ground and pulls away.
“You coming?” he asks, still breathing heavily.
“I’m kind of tired. Maybe next time.” It’s not a lie, but all I want to do is find Liam.
“You sure?” he asks, cocking his head as he licks his lips.
I nod. “Yeah. Liam can drive me home. Have fun, okay?”
His eyes search my face. “I guess it’s a good thing he drove you,” he adds, a bit of a bite to his words that wasn’t previously there.
“Yeah, he wanted to make sure I got home safely,” I explain defensively.
Scotty looks like he wants to say something else, but instead he plasters on a fake smile. “Fine. See you later, babe.”
As he turns and walks away, I know I should tell Scotty that it’s fine, that Liam is overprotective. That he asked to come with me tonight to save the long taxi ride from the valley to Crestwood. That we were just dancing earlier, and nothing more—not that he could see us.
That I didn’t mean for any of it to happen.
Instead, I watch as his friend places an arm around his shoulders and leads them to the side entrance.
I hug myself as I walk back into the venue, where the crew is taking down Scotty’s equipment and getting ready for the next performer. There are less people now; Scotty and his band have amassed quite a following. I quickly check for Liam. I do two laps before I decide he must be outside, because he’s certainly not in here. Slipping past a large group of women near the door, I see Bart, the security guard for the front door.
“Hey, have you seen a guy in a plaid shirt?”
“Oh hey, Zoe,” he drawls, giving me a slow smile. “You’re looking good. How’s your night going?”
I tamp down my annoyance. I just want to find Liam.
“Yeah, it’s fine. So, have you seen him?”
Bart squints as if he’s trying to remember. “Tall, brown hair?”
I nod eagerly. “That’s him.”
He grimaces. “He went that-a-way about an hour ago,” he says, pointing to the dimly lit street to the left. My heart sinks.
Did he leave?
He wouldn’t drive home without me, would he?
