Fifteen minutes later, Ian and I escort Jenny to her dressing room to prepare for the show. I glance at the partially opened door to the green room where Olive and the others are hanging out for the night. My stomach flips when Olive’s sweet laugh tickles my ears.
I blow out a breath through pursed lips. If she thinks she gets to just blow me off, and I’ll let it go without pressing her for an explanation, she’s going to be in for a big shock.
Ian and I take up our posts in the hallway. Only being a few feet from Olive and not getting to talk to her or see her is messing with my mind.
My phone vibrating in my pocket snaps me from my stewing. When I pull it from my pocket, the name on my screen doesn’t make me feel any better at the moment.
“Hi, Pamela,” I answer with a sigh.
Ian perks up at my greeting. “Pamela? Tell her I say hi,” he remarks, a little too eagerly for my liking.
I give him a pointed look and turn my back to him.
“Is that Ian I hear in the background?”
What the hell?
“Is there something going on with you and Ian that I should know about?” I demand.
Pamela’s husky laugh comes through my phone. “Stop being dramatic, Nathaniel. Ian and I are just friends. I’m happily married, in case you’ve somehow forgotten.”
I grit my teeth at her use of my full name. Both of my sisters know that I hate it, especially in that condescending tone. I’m also thoroughly weirded out by their apparent friendship, which I had no idea about. But I decide I have enough on my mind and don’t need to add to it. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I ask, “Is there a reason you’re calling?”
“Are you coming home for Jack and Ella’s engagement party?”
Jack and Ella changed the date of their engagement party to the few days’ break we have in Jenny’s tour so that Ian and I could attend. “Yes, I’ll be home.”
“Good. You need to come over and see your nieces and nephews before you leave again.” Pamela and her husband, Cam, have two girls and two boys ranging from seven to twelve. They all love me, mainly because I act like a fifth child with them more than the adult that I should.
“I will. Is that all you need? To tell me to come over and see your kids?”
A noise of hesitation comes through the phone.
“What, Pamela? I don’t have time for this. I’m working.”
“Well…I just heard there may be a woman you’re interested in.”
I whip around and glare at the traitor I used to think was my best friend. He gives me a grin and a small finger wave.
“I’ll talk to you later.”
I mash my finger to disconnect, ignoring her voice still trilling through the phone. “Really, dude? You told my sister about Olive?”
Ian appears to be holding back laughter when the door down the hall opens. My head whips up, ignoring the snort of amusement from behind me. I take a small step down the hall before freezing. The band that’s the opening act steps out from the room on the other side of the one Olive is in. My growl of annoyance vibrates in my chest as I settle back into my sentry outside Jenny’s door.
Crossing my arms over my chest, my mind wanders to how differently today has gone than I thought it would when I woke up this morning.
Exhaustion is catchingup with me. My body aches from standing in one spot for the last thirty minutes. I haven’t gotten a lot of sleep the last few nights. During the night I spent with Olive, after she fell asleep cuddled into my side, I stayed up entirely too long just admiring her and being grateful to have her with me. Then, every night since, that image of her and the phantom feeling of her skin against mine haunt and tease me while I toss and turn.
Stretching my back, I let out a low groan. It’s times like these when I can’t deny I’m almost forty. I nudge Ian’s arm. “I’m going to take a lap and go to the bathroom.”
Ian nods and turns back to whatever he’s looking at on his phone.
I hurry to the bathroom and do my business, then stepback into the hall. There are a few workers scattered around, and the sounds from the opening band’s soundcheck are muffled this far backstage. I’ve reviewed the layout enough times to know that the hallway circles back around if I head to the right. I turn in that direction, needing to move my legs a little more before being stationary again. After I complete one lap, I’m coming around for a second when a door in front of me to the right flies open, and out walks the object of my recently acquired infatuation.
Olive’s looking down, not watching where she’s going. Taking a small step to the right, I place myself directly in her path. Her head raises at the last minute, and the yelp that pops from her mouth battles with the sounds from the stage. I reach out, lightly gripping her biceps to steady her.
“Nate, you scared the shit out of me!” She takes a step back to dislodge my hands. I reluctantly let her go, but follow her steps.
