"Do you need any help setting up?"
The sounds of people talking are getting louder with the increasing crowd. "No, thank you. As long as the setup is still the same from the party, I can do it."
"See you out there. Good luck, kid."
"Thanks." I wave him away and head toward the small backstage area. Repeating don't screw up with every step.
This...isn't so bad. I don't know why I was nervous. The crowd is great, and nobody has yelled boo once. A quick glance at my watch shows there to be about thirty minutes before the bar closes. Even though I still have a few more songs I can sing, I want some options for tomorrow night.
I take a drink of water from the bottle on the stool beside me. The chatter among the patrons is loud enough to give me that small break. Pulling the microphone off the stand, I clear my throat before speaking into it. "Is everyone having a good time tonight?"
The crowd offers up a boisterous yes in response. The elation flowing through my veins is more of an endorphin than I've ever felt. It's hard to describe and I hope like hell I get to feel this every time I step on stage.
"That's good to hear." I pause for dramatic effect. "Closing time is coming soon, and I have one last song for you. My name is Devin, and I hope you've enjoyed your night. Come back and see me."
I place the microphone back on the stand, sit on my stool and rest one foot on the step. Repositioning my guitar, I take a deep breath and strum the first note. Is it ballsy picking this as my last song? Absolutely. But I hope it will speak to Lisa. This was one of her favorite songs. It's a cover of a popular song and while I typically don't do them, I need her to know that I still think about her. It's a song about finding love and losing it. About wishing you still had it, and hoping like hell you can get it back.
It's a risky song to play for a closing not only because of what it's about, but because it's a ballad. Luckily nobody seems to mind. Some people are swaying at their tables, while others have grabbed their partners and are dancing. Their bodies close, feeling the rhythm and words flow through them. As much as I need Lisa to feel this performance, I'm glad the patrons are as well.
Leaning back the slightest bit, I glance toward the host stand. It's difficult to spot Lisa through the crowd of people and glass wall between the bar and dining area. Finally, I spot her. She's not beside the stand, but closer to the opening of the dining area. Visible, but just barely. Her eyes are focused on me, and when she catches me looking back at her, she turns away.
Well, that's good news. It means she's listening to the song I'm singing. Maybe she'll talk to me after the show. Hell, I'll even wait outside in the cold for her to get off. All I need is a chance.
The last words of the song leave my mouth and after a brief silence, applause fills the room. I set my guitar on the stand and get on my feet. "Thank y'all. I'll be back here tomorrow night with the rest of the band."
Considering this was my first time performing, and the fact it was an acoustic set, I think things went well. People start talking as I unplug my guitar and clear up my area. Out of the Ashes closes in about twenty minutes, and I don't want them cleaning up after me. While it might be a part of their job, I'm not that kind of person. I'm wrapping the cords when I feel someone behind me.
A part of me is worried it's Carlos, or Eric, here to give me a hard time. But Lisa's voice is what makes me turn around. "You did good tonight."
"Thanks." I'm not sure what else to say. A couple of seconds of silence fill the space between us. "So, how was my first performance you've seen?"
"It's not the first." She looks down and I can see her cheeks turn pink. The noise from the bar fades away. My sole focus is now on her.
"I don't think the performances at my house count," I laugh. Even though I loved those the most. After playing for her, we'd usually eat before peeling each other's clothes off.
She shakes her head before looking back at me. "I was here on New Year's Eve. I saw you open up for Crooked Halo. You were amazing then, but tonight was better."
Wait. What? How did I not notice her in the crowd? I've always been pretty in tune with her presence, and I doubt I would have missed her. "Where? I didn't see you."
"I stayed toward the back. It was the night I came back to town." She shoves her hands in her back pockets, and I know it's one of her tells when she's nervous about what she's saying. "I also left before the other band came on."
"Why?" It's not like her to run away. Not normally, anyway. Though, I know I'm the reason. My screw up is what caused this tension between us.
"Because I wasn't really ready to see you, or talk to you, if you were going to be in the crowd afterward. It was easier if I left. Then I wouldn't have to face you, or your sister. I didn't want to ring in the new year with Delilah upset with me."
She has valid points, even if they are ones I don't want to hear. As much as I want to say something about it, this isn't the time or place. Not when there could be so many eyes watching. "What made tonight better?"
This time she looks away. I follow her gaze. People are paying their tabs and leaving the bar for the night. Farewells are being made, and I hope my question doesn't scare her off.
"It was all you." She lifts one hand to her face and taps her cheek, trying to find the words she wants to say without giving too much away. "More raw. It reminded me of all those nights I'd listen to you play. When you only had a handful of songs."
"That means a lot." That's all I can come up with. "It felt good being up here." Even if I'm pretty sure my hat has sweat soaking the band.
Rocking back and forth on her feet, she turns to leave the stage, but pauses for a split second. "If you still want to talk, we can. Just not here."
"I can wait for you in the parking lot." I give her a sly grin. "We can drive the back roads like we used to."
"I'll see you then." She walks off the stage and back to the front of the bar. Now I'm shaking in my boots. This time for entirely different reasons.
