Romance with Mr. Grumpy Pants: A Witty, Opposites Attract, Enemies to Lovers, Next Door Neighbor, Sw

20. Brian

Time moves slowly when you’re on the verge of anything. And right now, it seems like I’m on the verge of everything.

The stool I’ve been sitting on for the last five minutes is beginning to get uncomfortable. I shift and squirm as I adjust to it. My movement is limited by the drum set arranged tightly around me, forcing me to be careful not to knock my knees against the edges.

I’m usually not this nervous, or at least I haven’t been in a very long time.

But right now, as I keep my eyes on the dark red curtains, stage lights peeking in from a crack at the center, my mind wanders to the trickle of sweat that slides down my nape all the way down the length of my back before soaking into the waistband of my pants.

Come on, Brian. You got this.

“Are you guys ready?”

Everyone turns to me with enormous smiles as their eyes glow.

“Heck yeah!” Greg says, and I’m relieved by how energetic his voice is.

I’m not surprised at their excitement. It has been a very long time since we performed. With the move and everything else, we could use tonight as a release from all the stress that has been building up for the last couple of weeks.

Turns out, I’m the only one who’s stressed out. And it’s because of Jessica. I actually want to impress her.

I muster an assured smile as I nod. I can’t let them know how much my hands are shivering on my lap. Anxiety is a disastrously contagious thing. “Let’s crush it then!” I manage.

The curtains slide open just as soon as the words roll off my tongue, and the bright overhead lights glare down, washing over us. The cacophony of cheers and applause that follows is almost deafening.

The crowd is bigger than I expect, and almost impossible to see through.

But the minute my eyes adjust to the lighting, and I look up, she’s the first person I see…and then, the only one.

I’ve never really understood the alter ego, but I’m familiar with the concept, and one thing I’ve come to believe is that an alter ego always knows when to come out and play.

I feel the lingering tendrils of anxiety that tug at my core dissipate instantly as I lift my hands into the air, adrenaline rushing through me.

“I see you came out to play, South Brook!” My voice echoes, and just as I’d hoped, the cheers became even more thunderous. I can see Jessica jumping as she claps her hands, a wide grin on her face as her eyes meet mine.

Patiently, my arms remain in the air as the noise dies down, and once I find the perfect moment of tranquility, I slam my drumsticks together.

One… two… three… go!

In an instant, everything begins. My hands fall at powerful speed, the grip on my sticks tightening as I drum them against the cymbals. At the same time, all the other instruments swarm in at the same tempo.

The instrumentals go on for at least a minute. Then Georgie’s voice, sultry and captivating as always, sinks into the melody, carrying the lyrics of the song Jessica and I had written our first night together in my garage.

I notice Jessica stop moving, her eyes widening once Georgie gets past the song’s opening, and then her eyes search for mine.

The contact is electrical, and I feel the energy flow through every vein in my body. A smile creases her lips as I hold our gaze and continue to drum away.

The song ends sooner than I want, but my tired arms are relieved for the break as I hit the last beat, the echo of my cymbal crashing through the whooping crowd.

And once again, they go wild. Cheers, applause, and whistles fly through the air, and exhilaration spreads through every muscle of my body as I’m immediately reminded of why I do any of this in the first place.

My feet quickly push me off my stool, taking me to where Georgie stands. I lean closer, whispering into her ear before taking the mic from her as she steps back.

My grasp of the mic is loose, my palms still tired from the grip I had on my drumsticks, and my eyes remain focused on Jessica, as they had been all evening. But now, I’m forced to peel them off her beautiful face and address the rest of the audience.

“What’s up, South Brook?!”

They all cheer again, some cupping their hands around their mouths as they scream at the top of their lungs, others clapping and hooting, while the more energetic ones jump.

“What you guys just heard is a demo of an unreleased song coming out next month…” I trail off as my eyes fall on Jessica again. This time, I can’t stomach looking away. So I don’t.

“The thing is, it was supposed to have been released last fall, but no matter what I tried, I could never seem to find the right inspiration to finish it.” I sigh, a mutual understanding falling between us. She’s probably going to hate me after my next comment.

I chuckle. “But that was until I met a very special person, inexplicably irritating at first, but eventually, we became friends. I owe this song to her. She helped me write it.”

The audience swoons with delight, and a gentle wave of sweetness spreads through me. When did I become this sentimental?

“I would like to dedicate this song to that special someone…come on up here, Jessica.”

She blinks rapidly as she points at herself as though there is somehow another Jessica I’m referring to. She shakes her head when she realizes that I’m serious.

A subtle scoff escapes my lips as I walk down the stage and stretch my hand out to her. All eyes are on her now.

But her eyes are on mine.

I nod slowly, and she exhales before taking my hand. I squeeze it gently before leading her up the stage and walking to the mic stand.

“Give it up for Jessica Walsh, everyone!”

And the crowd goes wild.

***

The bar is mostly empty now, just a few customers scattered around, light chatter shifting across the air as the rest of my team packs up.

My back rests against the counter as I watch them, a glass of whiskey in my hand as Jessica’s perfume fills my senses.

I turn to her. She has her back to the rest of my team, one elbow propped on the bar table as she rests her chin on her palm, stirring her drink with a straw with her other hand.

She turns to me, her curious gaze fading into a quick blush, the kind that makes me smile.

“What is it?” She asks.

“Nothing.” The tip of my glass is cold against my lips as I sip the golden liquid, my eyes anywhere but in her direction.

“Uh-huh. Then why are you just staring?”

“Can’t a person appreciate beauty when he sees it?”

She rolls her eyes. “Oh, please.”

A loud laugh erupts from my throat, and I gently place my cup on the bar table, turning on my stool so that I’m sitting properly like she is.

“So… still think my music is a nuisance?”

“Your music? No. Your random drumming sessions? For sure.”

“Guess I walked right into that one.”

She smiles. “I think it’s great how close you and your band are. The melody in your music spawns from that bond.”

“You think so?”

“I saw it today. And I’m glad you let me into that part of your life. I see you…differently now.”

My eyes widen as my lips form an upside-down smile.

“Really? So tell me, how do you see me?”

She shrugs, placing her straw between her lips, sipping, a playful glint in her eyes. “I’ll keep my findings to myself, thank you.”

I chuckle. “Well, I’m glad you came.”

“Yeah, we’re glad you came too!” Sabrina shouts, approaching.

“We haven’t seen Brian this… human in a while,” Greg adds. The rest of the band follow.

Jessica grins as she spins around.

I don’t bother. Greg’s fingers latch against my shoulder, gripping it tightly.

“You guys really did great out there today.”

“Says the woman who wrote the song,” Greg teases.

“Hey, all I did was add a few lines, that’s all.”

“Yeah, right. Brian’s been stuck on that song since he was in diapers, and it’s never been that good. I think my man here is tone-deaf.”

“Do you not have a wife to get home to and kids to go feed or something?” My stern voice tears through their conversation as I finally flip my head over my shoulder to stare at him.

His eyes widen with realization as he snatches his arm up and looks at the time.

“Oh crap! Audrey’s gonna kill me. I’ll see you around, Jessica.”

“What about me?”

“What about you?” He teases, grabbing my glass, gulping the last sip before bolting through the door.

Laughing, I turn to Jessica. “Ready to head home?”

She nods.