CHAPTER 7
REESE
Reese scanned the bar for Emery as people slowly began filtering into the room.
Jette was already on stage adjusting her drums. The sparkling silver kit stood out against Jette’s signature all-black look.
Her hair fell in soft waves, and she messily brushed it out of her face as she moved around the stage.
Reese tried not to stare, but the stage lights seemed to illuminate her every curve as she moved around the stage, leaving Reese mesmerized.
Jette’s face lit up when those dark brown eyes finally spotted her.
Reese glanced back at Kiran and Garrett leaning against the bar before picking up both drinks in front of her and starting towards the tiny stage.
“Hey!” She called out over the loud music playing overhead and handed a glass to Jette.
Jette let out a surprised laugh and ran a hand through her hair before taking out an earplug.
Reese could’ve sworn her cheeks looked a little flushed.
Silver eyeshadow highlighted Jette’s dark eyes and Reese couldn’t look away.
“How’d you know my drink?” She asked before tapping her glass to Reese’s.
Reese let out a snort. “As if you ever drink anything other than bourbon,” she bantered. “I think we’ve hung out enough times for me to notice.”
Jette slowly slid off the edge of the stage, her chunky black boots hitting the floor with a thud just barely audible over the music.
She nodded appreciatively, “Well look at you,” her eyes flashed as she leaned into Reese’s shoulder.
Reese felt her cheeks flush as she leaned into Jette reflexively.
“Shut up,” she mustered playfully, determined to seem casual. “I can’t wait to see you play,” Reese added, “It feels like we’ve been talking about this for months.”
“I’m glad you could make it.” Jette’s eyes crinkled in the corners as she smiled.
“I’m just waiting for Emery to show up now,” Reese continued.
“He said he was planning on walking over since the snow is supposed to get pretty bad later.” Jette nodded understandingly and leaned against the edge of the stage.
It was surprising to see Jette so reserved and quiet.
It felt like something was off. Though, to be fair, she’d never seen Jette before a show.
Maybe her unshakeable confidence was capable of faltering after all. “Are you—” she started to ask.
“Did you drive here?” Jette asked simultaneously.
Reese nodded while an undeniable tension lingered in her chest. That uneasy feeling hadn’t gone away even after weeks of talking.
And it came back with a vengeance when Jette looked at her through impossibly long lashes like she had been.
“We should hang out after,” Jette said evenly.
“If you need to wait for the roads to clear up or something,” she added.
“I’m less than a ten minute walk from here. ”
Reese nervously tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and nodded while her throat tightened.
“That sounds great, thanks.” Her voice trailed off as she spotted Emery claiming a high-top table near the bar.
He was turned toward the stage and grinned the moment he saw the two of them.
He waved and blew a kiss before gesturing to the bar.
Jette spoke first, “Well, I’ll let you go hang out with Em…I gotta finish setting up.”
“Do you need any help?” Reese asked. “Full disclosure, I don’t know anything about drums and I might just get in your way, but I promise I’m a fast learner.”
Jette laughed, “I appreciate the offer, but I’m almost done. I’ll see you after?
“Definitely,” Reese promised as she watched Jette’s face glaze over with casual indifference. Reese took a shaky sip of her drink as Jette turned towards the stage again.
The music overhead was significantly quieter in the back and Reese could finally hear herself think. Emery elbowed her and asked, “Have you seen Jette play before?” He shrugged off his jacket, revealing a tight-fitting white tee shirt and cuffed blue jeans.
“I haven’t,” Reese answered, “But I’m so excited.”
Emery nodded in agreement and flashed a beaming smile.
“I’ve probably seen her play a million times, but I still get excited for every show.
” Reese returned a smile and brought the drink to her lips, casually glancing at the stage.
Jette seemed to be joking with another person on stage as they strung long black cables all over the equipment.
Emery’s voice brought back her attention, “Is Kiran meeting us here?”
Reese’s head whipped around to search for Kiran in the crowd.
Fuck. She was so excited to hang out with her new friends that she had almost entirely forgotten that they’d come to the show together.
Her eyes scanned the room, frantically looking for Kiran’s spiky black hair or Garrett’s signature baseball cap.
“Um,” she began, “He’s already here, but I’m not sure where he went off to…
” her voice trailed off. She reached into her pocket to text Kiran.
“Gotcha,” Emery said. He noticeably fidgeted before taking another sip of his drink. “So how long have you guys been together?” he asked.
Reese typed out a message to Kiran before answering. “About three years now,” she replied distractedly.
“Wow, that’s a long time. Good for you guys,” Emery said earnestly.
“Yeah, it’s—I don’t know, it’s not a big deal,” Reese stammered.
Emery’s brow furrowed as he looked back at Reese. “Not a big deal?” he challenged.
Reese chuckled nervously. “No, sorry. Yes, it is a big deal, but we’re not like big anniversary people or anything. We’re just…you know,” she felt herself rambling and was suddenly desperate to talk about anything besides her relationship.
Thankfully, Emery nodded and changed the conversation before the lights overhead started to dim.
Hundreds of voices in the crowd began to cheer as the stage lights intensified.
Emery winked at Reese in the last fleeting moment before the room plunged into darkness.
The crowd grew restless and cheered increasingly louder, waiting for the band to start.
After a long pause, the kick drum rang out a steady, unrelenting beat.
Reese’s heart rate climbed as the faint pink light behind the drums began to glow, silhouetting Jette from behind.
Her long hair rocked back and forth as she swayed her head in time.
Reese couldn’t take her eyes off Jette. She couldn’t remember the name of a single song, or hell, even a single lyric, but she seemed to memorize the way Jette moved behind the kit.
She was powerful, graceful even. At the end of the show, the band came to the edge of the stage and joined arms in a large group hug before taking a bow and waving to the crowd.
When Jette’s name was announced, a shrill cheer rang out from one side of the stage and Jette raised her hand to shield her eyes from the lights.
She blew a kiss to the group cheering and the crowd roared back in response.
Reese found herself smiling along as the lights overhead glowed back to life.
The crowd started to disperse, with half moving to the exits and half still moving around the bar.
A door behind them swung open and snowflakes blew into the room.
The sudden rush of cold air stung Reese’s eyes before they squeezed shut.
“Fuck, that’s cold,” Emery exclaimed, furiously rubbing his arms with his hands to warm them.
Reese opened her eyes again and saw a small pile of snow had blown in before the doors slammed shut.
“Ugh, the walk home is going to suck,” Emery groaned before downing the last of his watered-down drink.
“I’m grabbing a shot before I head out. Do you want anything? ” he asked.
Reese glanced at her own empty drink and debated. “I think I’ll hold off for now…I want to check in with Kiran first,” she explained. “He’s supposed to drive us home after,” her voice trailed off.
“I don’t think either of you is gonna be driving anywhere,” Emery said. “It looks fucking miserable out there. Didn’t you see the roads?”
Reese glanced back to the doors which were firmly shut by now.
The outside cold lingered in the air, coating each tiny bump on her arms. A quick glance around the room proved unsuccessful in her half-assed attempt to find Kiran, but she surprisingly didn’t care to try any harder.
After all, Kiran hadn’t tried to find her either.
Not before, during, or after the show. A tiny flicker of annoyance settled in her chest, but she squashed it, selfishly wanting to replace it with other feelings.
Other more enjoyable feelings. Like the excitement to let loose a little and drink too much with her new friends.
Emery looked at her expectantly and she shook her head.
Her voice sounded more solid and sure than she felt as she replied back.
“You know what? Fuck it, let’s get another round,” she countered cheerfully.
She was tired of constantly keeping herself in check.
She wanted to live a little. Worries be damned, Reese would figure out a way home eventually.
“Atta girl,” Emery cheered as he slung an arm around Reese’s shoulders and whisked them back to the bar.
She giggled and leaned into him even as she subconsciously continued to scan the nearly empty room for Kiran.
He was leaning against the side wall with Garrett and a couple of strangers.
The overhead lights perfectly framed his jawline, which was visible even from across the room.
He glanced in her direction and his brow furrowed as he focused on the arm wrapped around Reese’s shoulder.
She shrugged and mouthed the words ‘Having fun?’ Kiran gave a friendly nod, but his eyes still looked hardened as he studied Emery next to her.
Emery’s voice broke her concentration. “Okay, love. What’re we drinking next? ” he asked.