I let out a sigh of frustration. I’m sure asking Sarah to run upstairs to take a picture of my wife sleeping would be super creepy, right?
Right.
“Okay,” I say. “Maybe you can check to make sure her phone is being charged? And leave her a note on the bed to please call or text me when she wakes up? I don’t care what time it is. I just need to hear from her myself. I miss her, and it’s not like her to not reply to me.”
“I understand completely. Please accept my apologies. You shouldn’t be worried when you’re working. I’ll make sure she gets in touch with you tonight.”
Talking to Sarah hasn’t put my mind at ease as much as I was hoping it would. Something still feels way off to me. When Ember came back from Maine, she seemed a little too eager for me to go off on tour soon.
Why?
My head is pummeled with racing thoughts as I lie in my bunk and stare at the charcoal-gray ceiling.
Was it really because she wanted us to have time to think?
Or did she decide she doesn’t want to be with me anymore and doesn’t know how to end it?
Could she be packing up her things and moving out right now? Maybe her shopping spree was to buy things for a new house.
And now Sarah is covering for her. Maybe Kenzi’s in on it too.
What the hell is wrong with me?
Kenzi would never lie to me.
Well, she lied about having an affair with my best friend when she was eighteen years old. But that’s an entirely different can of worms. She’d never lie to me about her mother.
I try to remember the last time I had a cold… Did I feel so shitty I slept all day and didn’t want to talk to anyone?
I have to say…yes. I did.
I’m overreacting.
My night takes a cool, sudden turn when we arrive at the club before it opens to set up, and I run into Evan Von Bleu, former lead singer of one of my favorite bands, No Tomorrow, and his wife, Piper. Evan and I used to hang out and sing together occasionally back in the day, but it’s been about five years since we’ve seen each other.
I walk over to their table in the empty bar and give them both a big hug hello. They look great—exactly as they did the last time I saw them.
“I can’t believe it,” I say. “What are you guys doing in New York?”
“We’re here for a few days visiting Reece.” He nods his chin toward the bar. “The owner’s a friend of mine. He sent me a text you’d be here tonight, so we had to stop by and say hey.”
“Is Reece here?”
Evan shakes his head. “He couldn’t make it, but he sends his love.”
“You gotta come on stage and sing with me,” I say. “It’s been a long time.”
A slow grin spreads across his face, and he glances at Piper. “You mind if I hop on stage for a few, baby?”
Her eyes light up. “Are you kidding? Getting to hear you sing with Asher Valentine again?” She smiles at us. “You better get your butt up there.”
Evan finishes off what’s left of his soda and stands. “Alrighty then. Looks like we’re taking a trip down memory lane, man.”
I clap him on the shoulder. “Awesome. It’s been too long.” I turn to Piper. “Would you mind videoing us so I can send it to Ember?”
“Of course I will. How’s she doing? We were amazed when we heard the news. We’re so happy for you both. We meant to call, but we just weren’t sure…”
Her voice trails off, and she squints with uncertainty. Nobody knows what to say to us. It’s like they’re not sure whether to congratulate us, pity us, or both.
I rescue Piper from the awkwardness because she’s a sweetheart.
“She’s doing great. She’s home. She still can’t remember anything…from before.” I look away from their sympathetic eyes for a second. “But we’re doing good. Our daughter had a baby. Can you believe I’m a grandfather?”
“Wow! Congrats!” Piper exclaims.
“Dude, my daughter better wait a while to do that to us,” Evan jokes, shaking his hair out of his face. “I ain’t ready for that.”
Laughing, I say, “I felt the same way at first. That all changed the minute the baby arrived.” I pull my phone out of my pocket and bring up a photo of Tia. “Look how cute she is.”
They smile at the photo. “She’s adorable. You’re a lucky guy, Asher,” Piper says.
I nod in agreement. “The luckiest.”
We play covers of “Touch, Peel, and Stand” by Days of the New and “Long Gone Day” by Mad Season—two songs Evan and I have sung together before. The unsuspecting crowd goes nuts when they see us together on stage. They start texting their friends, and within minutes, the club is jam-packed to the walls with a line out the door. I’m not surprised. Evan’s a legend with a tragic past. To hear him sing and play guitar is something special. He hasn’t played a live show in years and has been off the radar just as long.