Chapter Fifteen
Caleb
Once we have finished the set, I practically fly off the stage and down the stairs, riding the biggest high of my entire fucking life. My body feels weightless, like I’m floating instead of walking.
The first people I spot are Mum and Dad waiting near the bottom of the stairs, both grinning so hard it makes my chest tighten. I rush straight toward Dad, and he immediately wraps his arms around me, gripping me tightly enough to nearly crack my ribs.
“I’m so proud of you, son,” he says before kissing my cheek.
I laugh and wipe at my face dramatically. “What’s with the kiss?”
Mum snorts while pulling me into her own hug. “Oh gross, you’re all sweaty,” she complains while hugging me anyway.
Dad laughs loudly beside us.
“So?” he asks once Mum finally lets me go. “How was it?”
I throw my head back and drag in a huge breath before looking at him again.
“It was everything,” I admit honestly. “Everything I ever imagined it would be and more. I finally get what you meant all those years when you talked about the rush of being on stage. I felt like the fucking king of the world up there.”
Dad grins proudly.
“Did you see that chick throw her top at me?” I ask with a laugh.
“Yeah,” Dad says seriously. “I paid her to do it.”
Mum scoffs and slaps him on the chest. “He absolutely did not.”
“She totally looked paid off.”
“She did not!” Mum laughs before turning back to me. “You were incredible tonight, Caleb. Absolutely incredible. You belong on that stage.”
Dad nods firmly. “You’re better than Colt.”
I bark out a laugh. “No one’s better than Colt, and you know it. I’m absolutely telling him you said that, though.”
Dad groans dramatically. “Fantastic. I’ll never hear the end of it now.”
I shake my head, smiling before my expression softens slightly. “I really couldn’t have done this without you, though. So… thanks.”
Dad immediately reaches out and grips both my shoulders firmly. “Son, you did the hard work. Your talent got you here, not me.” He smiles proudly. “But fuck, it’s good finally seeing you get the chance you deserve. You’re gonna be incredible at this, Caleb. I can feel it.”
The lump in my throat catches me off guard. Hearing Dad say he’s proud of me always hits harder than I expect.
“Thanks, Dad.”
He squeezes my shoulders again before letting me go. “Now go get ready for your first after-party. It’ll be tame compared to the ones I used to go to, but you’ll still have fun.”
I grin and nod before heading toward the green room, though honestly, there’s only one thing on my mind right now.
Indi.
I pull out my phone and send her a quick text.
Me: Hey, Indi, what did you think? I’m in the green room if you wanna come backstage. I can get someone to bring you in :) Otherwise, I’ll come find you once the crowd dies down a bit.
I hit send before shoving the cell back into my pocket and heading down the hallway.
The green room is chaos when I walk in. Everyone’s buzzing from the performance, talking over each other excitedly while adrenaline still crackles through the room.
We fucking did it.
And we killed it.
I head straight for the fridge, grab an icy bottle of water, and down nearly half of it in one go.
Singing under stage lights is brutal. Between the heat and the adrenaline, I feel like I’ve sweated out half my body weight.
Dropping onto the couch, I let myself finally breathe while replaying the last hour in my head.
My first crowd.
My first real show.
And Indi was there for all of it.
The thought alone makes me smile again.
But after a few minutes, I notice she still hasn’t replied.
Maybe she didn’t hear her cell phone over the crowd. I grab mine and call her instead. As it rings, excitement builds inside me all over again. I want to hear what she thought. About the songs, about the band, but mostly about “Saving Grace.”
Her opinion matters more to me than anyone else’s.
The phone keeps ringing.
And ringing.
Then the call cuts off unanswered.
I frown slightly.
Maybe she still can’t hear it.
I wait another ten minutes before sending another message.
Still nothing.
Now unease starts crawling into my stomach.
Maybe she went to the bathroom or something.
Dee mentions Annie and Ella have gone to shower before the after-party starts, and honestly, that sounds like a great idea. I head down to the showers with Aston and wash off all the sweat from the show. No way do I want to hug Indi while smelling like a swamp creature.
Though admittedly, I wouldn’t mind covering her in some different bodily fluids later.
Jesus Christ, Caleb.
I laugh quietly to myself while drying off and getting dressed again. Freshened up, I head toward the after-party while trying Indi’s number again.
Still no answer.
Okay. Now I’m worried.
I send another text telling her where the party is and letting her know Mum and Dad would love to see her too. But once again… nothing.
A knot forms tightly in my chest as I walk into the party room and head straight for the bar. Sliding onto a stool, I rest my elbows on the polished mahogany surface and drag my hands down my face.
How the fuck did tonight go from the highest moment of my life to feeling this shit in barely an hour?
Something’s wrong.
I can feel it.
“Can I get you a drink?” the bartender asks.
“Yeah. Lite beer, thanks.” I pull my cell out again and stare at the screen.
No messages.
No missed calls.
Nothing.
My pulse starts pounding harder.
What if she hated the show?
What if “Saving Grace” freaked her out?
What if seeing all those women screaming at me reminded her of why she left in the first place?
The ache in my chest grows heavier with every second.
I quickly open our messages again.
Me: Indi, are you okay? I’m getting worried now. Please just tell me you’re alright.
I hit send and stare at the screen like I’m trying to force her to answer through sheer desperation alone.
The bartender places the beer in front of me, but I barely even notice.
Then, suddenly, my phone beeps, and relief crashes through me so hard my shoulders sag. I unlock the screen.
Indi: Sorry. I had to leave. I’m not feeling very well. I saw some of the show, though. Sorry, I didn’t stay to talk.
My stomach twists painfully.
Something about the message reads off.
I type back immediately.
Me: Are you okay? What’s wrong? Do you need me to come look after you or bring you painkillers or something?
I hit send and wait for her to reply. Which she does soon after.
Indi: No, I’m okay. You have fun at your after-party, and I’ll talk to you another time.
Is it just me, or is she being really short with me? I rub the back of my neck and chew on my bottom lip.
Me: Indi, if you’re sick and need some help, I really don’t mind. What’s your address? I’ll come over right now and make you some tea and something to eat.
I hit send.
I would much rather be looking after her if she’s feeling unwell than be here at an after-party without her. My phone beeps.
Indi: Honestly, Caleb, I’m fine. I’m just heading to bed, and I want you to have fun at your first after-party. I promise we can talk tomorrow, but for now I need my bed. Have fun, okay?
I scoff and shake my head.
Have fun? Yeah right!
How am I supposed to enjoy myself knowing she’s sick and won’t let me help her? Tonight sucks!
Me: Okay, but I am here if you need me. Just call or message, and I’ll come right over. I promise xo
I hit send and finally look up from my cell and take a much-needed sip of my beer. My phone beeps again.
Indi: Thank you. You sang well tonight. Have fun :)
I huff out a breath before smiling despite myself. Even though I’m disappointed as hell that she isn’t here with me, I’m still ridiculously pleased she complimented the show. At least she liked my singing.
Then the realization smacks me straight in the face.
“Saving Grace.”
That’s why she left.
The song practically screamed to the entire venue that I still love her. Of course, that would scare Indi half to death.
“I’m such a fucking idiot,” I mutter, slapping my forehead before dragging my hand down my face.
I should have known she’d run. Indi has always bolted the second things started getting too serious between us.
Hearing that song probably reminded her exactly why she tried so hard to stay away from me in the first place.
But I can’t lose her again.
I won’t.
I need to show her the good parts, too. Show her why being around me could actually make her happy instead of terrified. Even if all I can get from her is friendship, I’ll take it. Anything’s better than losing her completely again.
The barstool beside me scrapes lightly, and I glance up to find a brunette sliding onto it with an easy smile.
I’m really not in the mood for this tonight.
“Hey,” she says smoothly. “I’m Sasha. Great performance.”
“Thanks, Sasha,” I reply politely before turning back toward my beer.
“So you enjoy drinking alone?” she asks.
“Tonight I do.” The sharpness in my tone comes out harsher than intended, but she doesn’t seem bothered by it.
“Well…” she says lightly, “… after a performance like that, there’s no reason for you to be sitting here looking like some depressed rock star cliché.”
I smirk slightly. “Depressed rock star cliché, huh?”
“Moping Mandy,” she corrects confidently.
I laugh quietly despite myself. “Moping Mandy?”
“Yes. That’s exactly what you are right now.” She inches a little closer. “And honestly, a talent like yours shouldn’t be wasted sitting at a bar drinking shitty beer alone.”
Normally, I’d play into this. Usually, I’d flirt back, drag her upstairs somewhere, fuck her brains out, and send her home before sunrise.
But tonight?
I just feel tired.
“A talent like mine?” I ask with a raised eyebrow.
She winks. “If you know what I mean.”
I suppress another laugh. This girl definitely doesn’t lack confidence.
“I know exactly what you mean,” I reply. “But honestly? You couldn’t handle me tonight.”
“Why, Caleb,” she says innocently. “I have no idea what you mean.”
I lean back slightly and look her dead in the eyes. “If I took you home tonight, I’d probably give you the best fuck of your life… then I would kick you out before you even got your clothes back on.”
Her expression flickers with surprise, but I keep going.
“I’d make you feel used, then I’d spend the rest of the night hating myself for treating you like a slut when you’re probably actually a decent woman.
So trust me, it’s better for both of us if you leave me here drinking my terrible lite beer alone. ”
Sasha studies me for a second before letting out a soft laugh. “Well… points for honesty.”
I raise my beer slightly. “Honesty’s the best policy.”
“I like honesty in a man,” she says, leaning closer again. “And I can tell you’re having a bad night, even though you should be riding a massive high after that performance.” She pulls a small folded piece of paper from her purse. “But maybe one day I can improve your mood.”
Before I can answer, she slides the paper into my shirt pocket.
“And just so we’re being honest,” she murmurs near my ear. “I’d probably give you the best fuck of your life too.” She kisses my cheek lightly before pulling back with a smirk. “Hope your night gets better, Caleb.”
I stare at her for a second before downing the rest of my beer and standing up.
Her eyebrow lifts hopefully, like she thinks I’ve changed my mind.
“It already got better,” I say casually before walking away from the bar.
I hear her scoff behind me and chuckle under my breath.
Yeah, I can be a prick sometimes.
But she picked the wrong night to try and flirt with me.
Still… the distraction helped a little.
I pull the paper with Sasha’s number out of my pocket and tuck it into my wallet. Who knows? If things keep falling apart with Indi, maybe Sasha will come in handy eventually.
Crossing the room, I spot Chad standing near the hallway, staring suspiciously at a wall with the biggest grin on his face.
I walk over and mess up his hair. “You got a hard-on for the wallpaper or something?”
Chad snorts. “No. But Aston definitely has a hard-on for Annie.”
“Ain’t that the truth.” I laugh. “Why are you staring at the wall then?”
“Because Annie and Aston disappeared around that corner together,” he says, wiggling his eyebrows. “Alone.”
I smirk instantly.
Cheeky little bastards.
“I can imagine exactly what they’re doing back there,” I say knowingly.
“We should totally go interrupt them.”
God, the temptation is strong. Watching Aston panic would be hilarious.
But Annie would probably murder us both.
“As entertaining as that would be…” I laugh, “… I’d rather not trigger one of Annie’s psycho meltdowns tonight.”
“Fair point,” Chad replies. “Guess we just wait for them to resurface.”
“Or wait for Colt to catch them,” I joke.
Chad nearly chokes laughing just as Annie and Aston finally appear from around the corner, looking thoroughly disheveled.
Both Chad and I instantly smirk at them.
They look guilty as fuck.
And considering all the advice I’ve given Aston over the years, I’ve got a very good idea what they were doing back there. Honestly, seeing those two together makes me weirdly happy. They’re chaos apart, but together they just work.
Annie catches me looking at her and immediately tenses, so I wink at her reassuringly.
She knows I’d never tell Colt.
Still, the panic in her face says she’s not completely convinced.
Aston quickly drags her away while Chad snickers beside me.
The rest of the night passes with me sitting at a table with the band while everyone celebrates the show. At one point, I catch Amber from one of the support bands openly checking out Aston, and my protective instincts immediately kick in.
That girl had better stay the fuck away from my cousin’s man.
Eventually, I head home alone. I’m not in the mood to fuck anyone tonight. Not unless it’s Indi. And honestly, Indi isn’t someone I’d just fuck anyway. She’s a beautiful woman you make love to slowly. Someone you take your time with. Someone you hold afterward.
Lying in bed later that night, I stare at the ceiling, wishing she were beside me. Or at the very least, wishing I’d gotten to talk to her after the show.
I need another chance to see her.
Tomorrow I’ll call her again and ask if she wants to meet up somewhere. We have too much history and too much left unsaid for her to keep running forever.
Right?