Chapter 6
The muffled sounds of conversation and laughter filtering through the rehearsal studio door did nothing to calm my jittery nerves. I hesitated outside, trying to talk some sense into myself. I’d earned my place here, through countless late nights, endless rehearsals, and more rejections than I cared to remember. Lily Tyler hadn’t chosen me on a whim; she’d seen something in me, something worth investing in.
There was absolutely no reason I should be frozen to the spot staring at the door handle like it would bite me.
I ran my clammy palms down my jeans, squared my shoulders, and reached for it. Now or never. I wrenched the heavy door open. The rich scent of coffee and the sugary sweetness of pastries immediately hit me. My belly churned, too knotted with anxiety to even consider eating.
The room was a hive of activity, people milling about, chatting and laughing in small clusters. My gaze skittered over them, trying to take it all in. So many new faces, so many names to learn. It was overwhelming.
And then I saw him.
Lewis stood off to the side. He looked tense, guarded. So different from the man who’d captivated me last night with his easy smiles and magnetic charm.
Had I done that? Or was last night an act? In all the interviews and fan videos I’d seen of him, he’d never looked like that.
Before I could spiral into self-doubt, a voice cut through the chatter. “Liv!”
I turned. Lily Tyler, lead singer of The Brightside and current reigning queen of the music industry. She was even more gorgeous in person, all tousled blonde waves and sparkling blue eyes.
“I’m so glad you’re here!” She engulfed me in a warm hug, her enthusiasm contagious. “Everyone, gather round! I want you to meet Olivia Monroe, our insanely talented new opening act. These are my guys.”
She gestured to four guys I would know anywhere: her bandmates Alex, Andy, Tom, and finally Lewis, who still hung back despite the converging crowd. Faces blurred together as Lily rattled off names and introductions. “Lover’s Knot are joining us in a few weeks.” She waved to a team of people huddled in a corner, their voices low but their hands gesturing and their mouths moving a mile a minute. “You’ll meet that lot in a bit. This is Ryan, lead singer of Rhiannon. Absolute dream to work with, you’ll love him. And here we have Dan, James, Jared - the rest of their merry band of troublemakers.” She winked at them and they laughed, easy and familiar.
I stared at all of them, desperately trying to commit their names and faces to memory. Ultimately, I knew it was hopeless.
“Don’t let her fool you,” the red-haired one said, eyes twinkling with mirth. “We’re angels, the lot of us.”
“Uh huh, sure,” Lily drawled, her tone dripping with affectionate sarcasm. “And I’m the Queen of England.”
More laughter, more inside jokes I couldn’t begin to decipher, a stranger amongst friends.
Ryan stepped forward first, his whole demeanour screaming lead singer. He flashed a broad smile and pulled me into a hug like we’d been friends for years. “Ryan. Welcome to the madhouse. You won’t regret joining us.”
“That’s debatable.” Dan playfully bumped Ryan out of the way and offered me his hand to shake. “We’ve been known to drive people to the brink of insanity, but the music makes it all worth it.”
Their guitarist laughed and clapped me on the back. “Ignore him. Compared to his kid, we’re a walk in the park.” He thumbed at Dan who glared at him. “I’m James, resident guitarist extraordinaire and if you ever want to jam, I’m your man.”
“Resident pain in my ass more like,” Jared said, rolling his eyes but his lips quirked in amusement.
I laughed, a little overwhelmed but charmed despite myself.
“If anyone’s the resident guitarist extraordinaire, it’s me.” Alex shook his head, his tone teasing. “Jesus, give a man an inch…”
While they all bantered like old friends, talking over each other, I was acutely aware of Lewis, still hanging back, still watching with that inscrutable expression. Our eyes met and it was like a bolt of electricity, the air suddenly thick with tension and unspoken questions. I wanted to go to him, to pull him aside and explain…
But I couldn’t.
Not here, not with everyone watching.
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