Page 58 of Hard Rock Muse

“Thanks,” I said, pushing back a small stab a pain. It hurt to be reminded of the past. But things were better now. Those festered wounds inside me had begun to heal. “You’re pretty awesome up there on the stage, too. But I’m sure you know that.”

“Sure do,” Nathan said with a smirk.

Becca nudged him with her shoulder.

“What have we learned about modesty?” she teased.

“That I’m never going to have any?” he grinned.

The squeal of feedback assaulted our ears and we all winced.

“Sorry!” Jessie called out as she fiddled with the amps. “Okay, we’re good!”

Within seconds, the heavy thrum of bass guitar echoed throughout the room. The contest had begun.

Nathan and Becca took a seat at our table. Julian and I scooted over to make room.

“How’s your song going?” Nathan asked Julian.

“Not bad,” he replied. “You?”

“I’ve been having a bitch of a time. This one here,” he jabbed a thumb at Cerise, “is being a hard-ass, as I’m sure you know.”

Julian just gave him an enigmatic smile.

Nathan turned to Cerise, not bothered by Julian’s terse responses.

“We’ve still got some time, though, right?” he asked her.

“Not as much time as we think,” Liam warned.

The three of them started talking timelines and dates. Julian shifted to lean closer, joining in on their conversation without words.

I wondered if all they ever talked about was their music and their work. It wouldn’t have surprised me. It was well known that Cherry Lips were some of the hardest working musicians in the industry. It was what helped them get where they were today.

“Aw, fuck!” I heard someone curse out with a choked sputter. It was that Cameron guy on stage. “This is fucking terrible. Who made this?!”

“That would be me,” Seth shouted out. I could hear the pleased grin in his voice.

“So, Everly,” Becca said, turning to me. “Nathan said you used to be in a band with Julian. You’re a musician too?”

“Used to be,” I said. “Now I’m mostly behind the scenes.”

“I always wondered what it would be like to work with Nathan,” she said.

“Working with Julian has been…” I tried to think of a word to describe all the shit we’d been through. “Challenging,” I finished. “But it’s a good challenge.”

I heard a thump from the stage and turned to see a bright red head stumbling around and nearly falling over. Cameron grabbed the edge of the table full of shots with one hand and put the other to his mouth, his bass guitar swinging from the strap around his shoulders.

“The fuck…” he groaned. “I’m gonna die. How do you drink these things without hurling?” Cameron complained to Gael.

“Practice,” Gael smirked as he continued wailing on his instrument.

“You can do it, babe!” Jessie yelled from off stage with a handful of claps. “Beat his ass to the ground!”

“Nathan mostly keeps his work separate from our relationship,” Becca said, making me turn my attention back to her. “He doesn’t want to bring work home. Of course, that doesn't stop him from playing music all hours of the day,” she laughed. “But I like it. It’s like he’s playing just for me.”

“It’s different with me and Julian,” I said. “The music is so intertwined with our relationship. I think it helps make us stronger. There’s things we can’t express in words that we can through song.”

I hadn’t planned on saying that, but the moment the words came out, I realized it was true. Whenever we made music together, I could feel what he felt. I could feel the things he wasn’t able to say.

Was it enough that he could express himself through song?

Maybe it would have to be.