The familiar chords of the song resonated through the air, and I couldn’t help but lose myself in the music. When Connor caught my eye and winked, a delightful flutter raced through me. I could sense Vail’s gaze on me, but I didn’t care as I let the smile spread across my face.
“Rosie, you’re embarrassing to watch. You’re acting like a college girl,” she remarked.
Turning to her with a mischievous glint in my eyes, I retorted, “Don’t be jealous, and I am still a twenty-four-year-old, technically.” With a wink thrown her way, I redirected my attention back to the stage, fully immersed in the music.
I could feel Vail’s restlessness beside me; she clearly didn’t want to be here and was itching to explore the warehouse. I wondered how she felt, sitting here while Sam and Ivy were on the stage. Sam had a bottle of beer resting on a stool beside him, lifting it now and then for a sip, while twoempty bottles lay on the ground in front of him. Sweat trickled down his brow, and when I turned to Vail, her steely gaze was fixed on the performers—two people she was convinced wanted her dead.
The lights dimmed as the final song finished, and the audience erupted in cheers. The band started packing away their instruments, and a few minutes later, Connor appeared at our booth, effortlessly sliding in beside us. He leaned in, his lips finding mine. His kiss was salty from the sweat on his skin; it reminded me of the metallic tang of blood. I inhaled deeply, immersing myself in the alluring scent that clung to him, finding it delicious. I stopped myself, feeling Vail’s eyes on me.
“I’ll be back,” she declared, gracefully slipping out of the booth, leaving Connor and me alone. His hands, strong and assertive, trailed down my thigh, pulling me closer to him.
He kissed me again, this time with a deeper intensity that left me breathless. In that moment, I didn’t care that we were out in public. All that mattered was the overwhelming need to have him close. The world outside faded into insignificance as we created our own bubble.
As our lips parted, I told him, “You’re impressive on the stage, Connor. You have good stage presence, it’s quite captivating.”
“Thanks,” he replied with a modest nod.
A smile played on my lips. “The way you play it looks like you’re telling a story.”
Connor cocked his head, his eyes reflecting the twinkle of the candlelight on the table. “Music is my way to escape,” he said. “I often lose myself in it. Even if it’s just for a moment, everything starts to make sense.”
“Also, I can tell, you’re very skilled with your fingers,” I said, a playful flirtation infusing my words.
A sly grin crossed his face. “You have no idea.”
I leaned in once more. “You were amazing tonight, Connor.”
“Yes, he was,” a voice chimed in, breaking the intimate moment as someone greeted us. Connor and I turned around, and someone was standing there with an extended hand. “Hi, my name is Jet Phoenix.”
“Oh my god, yes! I know you. You’re the drummer for Subdivide. Dude! I love your music. It’s nice to meet you, my name is Connor.”
They exchanged a handshake.
“Mind if I join you?” Jet inquired.
“Absolutely,” Connor gushed.
Jet settled in the booth across from us, and Connor shifted his body, fully facing him. “I want to kick things off by saying you guys were awesome. I really liked what I saw up there. So, I’ll take a leap here and propose that Subdivide is going on a small tour in a couple of months, and I think Sungods would be a perfect fit for the opening act. I would love to discuss the possibility of you joining us on tour.”
“Man, that would be incredible!” Connor could barely contain his excitement. “Holy, Rose, this is huge!” he exclaimed, turning to me before refocusing on Jet. “I’ll need to check with everyone else, but I’m pretty sure they would totally be down.”
Jet reached into the breast pocket of his jacket and pulled out a business card. “Here is my card. I’ve got to step out for a call, but I’d like to continue this conversation. Give me your number, and I’ll be in touch.”
Connor accepted the card and quickly jotted down his phone number on the back of a napkin, passing it back to Jet. “We’re actually playing a show at a secret pop-up location in a couple of days, and if you’re still in town, you should swing by.”
“Wouldn’t miss it,” Jet replied.
“I’ll be texting everyone the location on the day of the show,” Connor added.
“Right on. It was nice to meet you, Connor, and I hope to talk to you again soon,” Jet said, shaking Connor’s hand once more before turning to me and extending his hand. I shook it, exchanging a brief smile, before Jet slipped out of the booth and disappeared into the crowd of people.
Turning to Connor, I couldn’t contain my own excitement. “That’s pretty exciting,” I said, noting the joy evident on Connor’s face.
“Yeah, this could be huge for us. The big break we’ve needed,” Connor replied, his gaze scanning the crowd in search of the others to share the news. I spotted Sam right away; he was clearly tipsy, weaving unsteadily through the crowd.
Connor called Sam over, and he approached with three pints of beer in his hands, passing one to each of us. I declined, motioning to the half-empty glass in front of me that I had placed as a prop.
“More for me, then,” he remarked, chugging mine before starting on his own.
