Page 28 of Every Now and Then
Closing my eyes, I dislodge her memory from my mind and compartmentalize my emotions, channeling my energy toward our performance.
I hear the emcee on stage announce us. The mob erupts into ear-splitting screams as the auditorium goes dark.
It’s showtime.
Waving to the sea of fans, I take one last bow before heading offstage. The frenzied roar from the audience is deafening. Even after leaving the stage, I hear the fans loud and clear. I can’t lie; their reactions totally stroked my ego.
Removing my guitar strap from my shoulder, I hand it to a stage crew member. I slip my in-ear monitors from my ears and leave them dangling around my neck. Another staffer hands me a towel and a bottle of water. After chugging it, I drape the towel around my neck and wipe the sweat from my face. I’m ready for a shower and a shot of whiskey. Not in that order.
“Hey Ruston, great show.”
I turn my head to acknowledge the guy. He looks like a record label suit. I don’t think I’ve met him personally, but he seems vaguely familiar. I can always tell how well I know someone based on whetherthey call me by my first or last name. Only those closest to me call me Hayes.
I lift my chin. “Thanks, man.”
Ambling back to Outlaw’s dressing room, I keep my head on a swivel, looking around on the off chance I’m able to spot the same woman I saw earlier. I'm sure she wasn’t Annabelle, but I’d love to see her again to confirm my assumption.
Unfortunately, she isn’t anywhere to be found.
However, there is a small cluster of beautiful women nearby, talking and laughing. One of them catches my eye. Pretty face, curvy frame, and espresso hair. When she notices me watching, she aims a coy smile in my direction and arches an eyebrow. An unmistakable invitation to approach.
For a moment, I’m tempted to pull her into the dressing room bathroom for a quickie. Nothing takes the edge off the post-show adrenaline like a good sexual release. But tonight, I’m not interested in meaningless sex.
Instead of a bathroom quickie, I simply smile at the brunette and keep walking.
Thinking about Annabelle is messing with my head. Just like it always does. I heeded Charlotte's warning last month, and I've kept my dick in my pants. But without having any other women to distract me, I’ve been thinking about Annabelle even more than usual.
One fucking night. We had one night together over a year ago, and her memory holds me captive. What the fuck is wrong with me?
A heavy arm drops onto my shoulders, corralling me into our dressing room. “We fucking blew it out of the house. Did you hear how excited they were when we played the new single? Sounds like we’ve got another hit on our hands.”
Agreeing with James, I reply, “Shit, it felt good to be back out there again, didn’t it?”
“Indeed, it did. Got plans after this? Wanna stick around and find some groupies, or go somewhere and grab drinks?”
I decline. “Nah, thanks though. I’m trying to keep a low profile for Charlotte right now. She’s still mad about the leaked video.”
It’s a great excuse. No one needs to know I’m still hung up on Annabelle.
“Don’t worry,” James laughs. “Josh and I will get into trouble to take the heat off you.”
“I have no doubt.”
As James moves toward a group of women, I make my way to the beverage station and pour myself a tumbler of whiskey.
Tugging me away from the makeshift bar, Rowdy asks, his voice low, “What was that about earlier? Before the show, when you yelled Annabelle’s name?”
“I saw someone who reminded me of her.” I shake my head. “It wasn’t her, obviously, but for that split second, I thought it was.”
Rowdy looks at me with concern. “She’s still on your mind? Even after all this time?”
Dammit.
After I’d exhausted every effort to find her, I put the kibosh on all things Annabelle. When we finished writing and recording the album—an album she unknowingly inspired—I told Rowdy the songs had helped purge her from my system.
That was a lie, but I hoped someday it would become the truth.
“A bit.” A bittersweet thought makes the corners of my mouth twitch. “Like the song says, I still think about her every now and then.”
