“Well, let me know if there are any hiccups. We like to stay on top of these things, ensure everyone has asatisfying experience.”
Ugh, what was with his tone on that last bit? Was he making an innuendo? Something about his smarmy expression told me he was.
“Will do.”
I was about to move past him when he continued, “Oh, and I saw that your ex-husband’s band is busking on Grafton Street today. Are you heading out to watch them?”
I stared at him in stunned silence, and he looked purely delighted to have taken me off guard. What was it with some people and never being able to get over a rejection? Clearly, Dean was still irritated that I’d said no to the date and was delighted to reveal he had insider information on my private life.
“How do you—”
“My flatmate is a huge Astro fan. Can you imagine my surprise when she was looking at clips of their old award show appearances, and I see you on the arm of the lead singer? I told her that you were a colleague of mine, and she was only too happy to tell me all about your relationship and divorce. You were childhood sweethearts, right?”
“Dean, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t spread this information around the office. I prefer to keep my personal life private.”
“Of course. It can be our little secret,” he said, preening, and I wanted to slap the smug look off his face. I managed to remain cordial.
“Thank you. I appreciate that.”
“Enjoy your lunch!” Dean called after me as I left the building. Something about the interaction made me feel uneasy. I mean, I’d regretted drunkenly kissing Dean every day since it had happened. But after I’d rejected him, there’d just been something off about him. Like he had this weird need for payback.
Remembering what he’d said about Astro playing a free gig on Grafton Street, I found myself heading that way. It was only a short walk from my office. Jace and his band used to busk all the time before they were famous and every once in a blue moon would turn up for a surprise show for old times’ sake. They’d only announce it on their social media maybe an hour before it started so people needed to either already be in the area or drop everything to try and get there.
Despite being much more famous in other countries, they still had a loyal fanbase in Ireland, and I imagined at least a couple hundred people would turn up. I knew it was probably a bad idea to go, but my curiosity was urging me to check it out. It had been so long since I’d seen Jace perform, and something in me yearned for it. Avoiding listening to his music all this time had hardly lessened my feelings for him, nor made our broken marriage any less painful.
Maybe exposure would work better than avoidance. I needed to not be afraid of something as innocuous as a few songs.
As I made my way down Anne Street, I could already hear the crowd cheering. Then, as I rounded the corner and saw the gathering, my mouth fell open. There had to be a thousand people or more. The band was in the middle of one of their older hits, “October Sunset.” It had a catchy chorus, and the crowdsang along to every word. Goosebumps rose along my arms as I watched Jace sing and play, the powerful way he commanded the attention of everyone around him. He’d taken off the denim jacket he’d had on this morning, now wearing just the white T-shirt, and I was transfixed by how his muscles moved.
Okay, Shannon, the lusting really needs to stop.
Forcing my gaze away from Jace, I took in Elias on the bass, his long dark hair hanging loose and wild around his shoulders. Kami looked beautiful and skilled as always on the drums, while Angus shot a grin at a woman at the front of the crowd and strummed his guitar. Endless phones were held aloft, capturing one of Astro’s rare street performances. Nearby, I spotted Dixon and Isla, both dressed in ordinary clothes. Their keen, watchful eyes were the only thing that set them apart.
I found myself scanning the crowd then, too, and oddly enough, a familiar face popped out. Jace’s dad stood at the entrance to a shoe shop, and just like Astro’s security guards, he was watching the crowd instead of the band. Unlike Isla and Dixon, Jay didn’t appear to be looking for general threats or danger, he seemed to be searching for something or someone in particular.
Odd.
Maybe I was overthinking it. He’d probably just tagged along with Jace and the others to watch them perform. But then, when I looked back to where he’d been standing, he was gone. Glancing about, I couldn’t see him anywhere, and I started to wonder if he was up to something. If I knew anything about Jace’s dad, it was that he was always working an angle. Jace had mentioned that his father had taken charge of the catfish investigation, so perhaps it was something to do with that.
Wait, did he think the catfish was here today? Was this whole thing a ruse to lure them out?
Uneasiness crept down my spine, but before I could ponder the idea further, the song came to an end, and Jace was addressing the crowd.
“Thanks so much for coming out today. Sadly, we have to leave soon—” Immediately, everyone started booing, and he chuckled into the microphone. “But we have time for one more song.” The boos turned to cheers. “This one’s called ‘Her Heartbeat.’ I think you might know the words.”
As soon as he played the opening chords, he had my undivided attention. It was a beautiful, slow melody full of feeling. Then came the opening lyrics, and a lump lodged in my throat. I couldn’t tell if I wanted the song to be about me or not, but when he moved onto the chorus, I knew for sure that it was. When we’d been together, Jace had loved to lay his head on my chest while I stroked his hair. I couldn’t count the number of times he’d fallen asleep that way, completely at peace. Sorrow swept over me at the memory, and I felt like fleeing, but then, somehow, Jace’s eyes found mine in the crowd. For a moment, there was a flash of surprise, quickly replaced by that intense, unwavering focus as he sang, and I found myself frozen in place
Midnight eyes sparkle like starlit skies
And all I can hear is her heartbeat
Head on her chest, her fingers though my hair
And I listen to the rhythm of her heartbeat
Now she’s gone, taking away my favourite song
And I long for the sound of her heartbeat
