“I thought Selene was going to go up in flames.”Dante’s hair was thick with sweat but his smile was only for Ellery.“That drum solo?”
“I can’t even feel my fingers.”Selene laughed, the way she often did when in heightened emotional circumstances.“You too, Dante.The way you and El were in sync?Magic.”
Warmth coiled in Ellery’s core and she looked at Dante, properly looked at him.It felt a little like a force field had descended over the band, cocooning them in this moment, in the tiny backstage of a grungy club that otherwise smelled of stale cigarettes and skunked beer.Inside that force field, all Ellery could see was her friends.All she could hear was them, their excited chatter.All she could smell was the perfume of Dante’s sweat, like cinnamon and mint.
She locked her gaze with his, her mouth tilted upward in an unmistakable grin.The corners of her lips ached and burned.He looked so hot tonight, so into the music it was like his bass was an extension of his hands.And those hands…oh, Ellery would do so much with those hands.Inside his gaze she could see his want, the one that equaled hers.
Yes.Why not?
The force field shattered with a slow clap, bringing Ellery back to reality.
This is what you wanted, her inner voice called.
She forced a taut grin.“Hello, Logan.”
His lupine features arranged themselves into a pleased expression.“Well done.The Vendetta killed it tonight.”He narrowed his gaze on Dante.“Seems like you brought your A game.”
“Dante always brings his A game,” Ellery said.“We never would have made it here without him.”
Logan arched one eyebrow before redirecting all his attention on his phone.“I suppose for Chicago, it’s close enough to CBGB.Next up, we rest back in LA and then we’ll talk strategy.We need to be booking the bigger clubs, and it’s completely doable.I’ll talk to my people, see if we can’t get New York.If not, we’ll see if anyone around town needs a last-minute opening act.I heard the Lumineers might need someone.Great job.”
Ellery didn’t care whether the club was CBGB, the legendary New York bar that had launched multiple rock, folk, and pop careers.She cared that they were here, as a team, and they had killed.No matter how unfortunate Logan’s personality could be, he was keeping his promise to get their name out in the world.
She also couldn’t stay frustrated, not when her family was in the audience.
“Whatever.”She turned to the group.“Who wants to do shots with my parents?”
Twenty minutes and much fawning later, the four of them were crammed around a table designed for two, hastily pulled next to the one where her parents and sister sat.
Lorraine sipped her club soda and lime.“You guys can just drive down from Milwaukee?It’s like another state.”
Her mom ran her hands over Ellery’s forehead, scratching the skin slightly like she had when she was younger and needed soothing.“It’s not that far.We took the train, and we’ll stay overnight.I love your hair, El.”
“Thanks, Mom.”Ellery cupped one of the two big knots on top of her head, where she had styled her hair.The few locks she had left down to frame her face were now all sweaty and pushed back behind her ears.
“So where’s Logan?”Her father, a trial attorney who never wore anything besides the handknit sweaters her mom made him, leaned conspiratorially toward her.“I’ve heard so much about him.I want to meet the shark in person.”
Her mom rolled her eyes and pushed him away from Ellery.“Please, no.I’m having fun talking to my daughter and her friends.I don’t want him to ruin anything.”
“He’s good at that,” Dante sniped.Ellery shot him a quick quelling look, but he ignored her and downed his shot of whiskey.
Beside her, her mom rested her arm across Ellery’s shoulders.“It’s so wonderful to see you all in person.Ellery has told me so much about you.”
Samara, who had only just turned twenty-one, downed half her beer.Her father nudged her.“Sammy?Did you like the concert?”
Samara rolled her heavily lined eyes.“You guys were… Okay, all right, you were fantastic.”She grinned, the dark plum lip gloss she wore sparkling ebony in the dim club lights.
Recognition from the golden child?If only Ellery could document this moment.“Thanks, sis.”
Selene threw back her shot of tequila and called to the bartender for another.“You guys are adorable.Like this cute Midwestern family, with one badass rock chick to set your soundtrack.”
Ellery twinged from the compliment.She knew her sister was the one deserving of all the praise.“Samara’s graduating this year too.She’s going to be an engineer.”
Samara doodled in the condensation along her beer glass.“I have to get in to grad school first.”
“Are you staying in Florida?”Lorraine asked.
“I hope so.”Samara sighed.“My girlfriend’s there.”She side-eyed her parents.“We’re hoping to find a place together after graduation.”
