Page 73 of Everything After

Shawn did a drumroll with his fingers on the table, making the silverware jump. “Exactly,” he stated.

I chuckled, knowing they all had bias now. “Thanks for believing in me,” I said, touched by their appreciation of me.

“I get it,” Alfie stated, smiling warmly toward me. “After her first audition with me, I knew I had to have her.”

My jaw dropped and I felt my face redden. “Alfie!”

“What?” He chuckled. “I meant when I saw you up there on that stage by the beach. You looked good enough to lick all over, sitting there in your sexy, fuck me heels, compensating for that dick on the saxophone. What was his name?” he asked playfully,when what he was really referring to was the first night we’d slept together.

“His name is Will, and he isn’t a dick,” I protested, defending the guy I collaborated with in college. “And anyway, that was a long time ago,” I said, brushing past his pleasing description of me, and steering the conversation back to Delilah. “What direction would you like to go in, once you finish college?”

“It would be a dream to find a band that needed a singer and pianist.”

“Or you could go out on your own. You’ve got an amazing vocal range. Guys you need to hear this girl, I’m predicting huge things for her,” Alfie suggested.

My husband’s endorsement of Delilah clued me in to how special he thought she was, and for a moment I felt jealous of her. However, from the heated gaze he afforded me when his eyes met mine, I believed his praise was only related to her talent.

There had only been four other artists or bands that Alfie had made that statement about over the years, and each time he’d been right. Those being, Rick Fars, Screaming Shadows, Billie Eilish, and Ariana Grande.

“Maybe you could come and play for us?” I suggested. “I was thinking of having some people over to the house next month to hang out. Both Alfie and I tinker on the grand piano in our morning room, but neither of us play all that well.”

“M-Me, play for you guys?” she repeated, a little shook at my offer.

“Why not? In fact, we’ll hire you. My old roommate is getting married soon and she’s flying in from Texas. It’s been years since we hosted a party, right, Alfie?”

“Great idea,” Alfie mumbled around a forkful of food.

“Now you’re putting me on the spot,” Delilah said, sounding less confident than I’d heard before.

“Take every opportunity to get your music out there,” I advised. “You’ll do it?”

“Of-of course I’ll do it,” Delilah blurted with her palms on her cheeks, looking like she couldn’t believe her luck.

“That’s settled then. Alfie can sort out the details with you once your final assessment is done. We’d love to have you over. You never know, one of our friend’s bands might even ask you to open for them down the road.”

“Damn… oh, sorry,” Delilah muttered, looking embarrassed.

“Baby, your kindness and the way you want others to succeed is one of the reasons that you’re my everything,” Alfie murmured into my ear, then pressed a kiss to my temple.

“You have no idea how it feels to be a woman on the cusp of something you know you would be great at, and wonder if you’ll ever get that chance,” I remarked, frowning at Alfie.

“I get it,” Digs stated. “It’s not only women that are overlooked, Lily. If you’re not perceived to be hot, the music and acting industry tend to overlook you. XrAid was my seventeenth audition.”

A pang of shock coursed through me and my gaze swung to Digs. “Seventeen! Really? Were the other bands deaf? You’re an amazing bass player. Apart from that, there are plenty of women stalking you. How can you believe you’re not hot?”

“Look at me, I’m not hot,” Digs insisted. “I’m a better fit for a motor cycle charter than being a rock idol.”

“But you are a rock idol. And I’ve seen women drape themselves all over you… and anyway, I think your hot.”

Digs shrugged. “Wow thanks, and yeah, now women do, but to them I’m the ‘bit of rough’ in the band. Women want a one and done with a guy like me. It’s Lennie and Cody that get all the attention.”

“I think you’re under-selling yourself,” I argued again.

“May I just say, I was mesmerized when I saw you play bass at the last concert I went to. It was one of the biggest turn-ons. And Lily’s right, you have no idea how women see you,” Delilah added.

“Is that right?” Alfie asked Delilah, grinning.

Delilah nodded. “Yeah, and I should add that I’ve been sitting here quietly fangirling over you, Digs.”