Page 20 of Syncopation
“What about you? Are you okay?”
Zavier started and dropped his arms to his side. “Yes. I think so.” He took a long look at the crowd before turning toward Ray. “This is different. This type of audience. The size.” He shook his head. “I’ll be fine when I’m behindthe kit.”
“Those symphony concert halls have to be pretty big.” Last thing they needed was Zavier freaking out. Kevin had done that the first big concert. “You guys even did touring in Europe, right?”
Zavier nodded and leaned back against the fence. Open. Honest. The sunlight shone against his black hair.
It occurred to Ray that Zavier wasn’t that much older than him—two years, maybetwo and a half. Hell, Ray was nervous, too. This concert might make or break them. “Can’t be that different.”
Pursed lips, then a smile. “It’s—there’s more chaos here. The symphony was very organized, even during outdoor performances. The air’s different here. The vibe. This is like walking on a live wire.”
“Welcome to the rock-and-roll life.”
Zavier pushed off the fence and the headedtoward backstage. “Can’t say I’m in the life untilafterwe play.”
Ray clapped him on the back, and left his hand there while they walked. “You’re the one who’s spent days telling me we can do this, that I can.” The songs were ready, everything was as done as it got.
Zavier slowed to a stop and Ray’s hand fell away. They stood close, inches apart. The air sparked, especially with Zavierlooking at him like that. “We can do this,” he said. “You’re going to walk out onto that stage and blow them away.”
Zavier believed in him.Reallybelieved in him. The realization was a physical shock. “I—”
“Will blow them away.” Zavier’s hand clasped Ray’s hip, and he spoke each word clearly, like he wouldn’t accept any other answer, as if there were no other answer.
Maybe there wasn’t.“Yeah. All right.”
“Good,” Zavier murmured. “Very good.” He slid his hand away from Ray. “I need to stretch out my back.”
Ray lifted his now-tepid tea. “I should finish this.”
Zavier nodded. “And remember what I said, Ray.”
He couldn’t forget. “I will.”
Like walking on a live wire. Every second with Zavier was that. Ray should have been turned on—and he was, in a way. Heatsurged through him and yeah, he was hard, but more than anything he wanted to get on stage and do what Zavier had said.
Blow them away.
He finished the tea and hurried backstage to start his vocal warm-ups.
* * *
Zavier had been on stage at Carnegie Hall in New York City. He’d played in Geneva, Rome, London, and Berlin. None of those concerts had ever made him as nervous as thisone. None of those had been as important.
The festival crowd gave off a strange energy—both excited and apathetic. They weren’t headlining, but there were still fans here. He’d seen the T-shirts, heard the cries of Ray’s, Domino’s, and Mish’s names.
He wasn’t Kevin. Better? Yes. But not the drummer those fans had known and loved. If Zavier screwed up tonight, he’d take the whole band downwith him.
That woulddestroyRay. Cement in his mind that all those fears were true, that Carl’s asshattery was correct.
Zavier wouldn’t let that happen. They’d worked too hard in the past two months. Lived on top of one another. Played more music in that time than he’d ever played at once, even at Julliard, even on tour with the symphony. He closed his eyes and focused his breath. Rememberedthe songs, the rhythms. Ray moving to the music. Yes.There. They’d be fine.
When cued, they headed out onto the stage, Domino and Mish first. He followed, climbing onto the platform and behind the kit. Everything was set exactly as he liked. Thank god for competent roadies following instructions.
Domino started, ripping out a low chord and working it upward. Bathed in red light, withhis spiked hair, leather pants, and tattooed glory, he looked entirely a rock god. The crowd nearest to the stage cheered and clapped. Then Mish joined in. A sultry and low bass line, blending in with Domino’s jamming, lights shining on her now, too. Tall, proud, unbeatable. Their combined notes screamed through the air and floated high, then dropped down and faded as the crowd got louder.
Electricity raced through Zavier. This was it. His turn, his time. One, two, three...
He hit the kit hard and fast, pulsing out the opening to “Diamond Fever.” Not their usual opener, but Ray wanted to mix it up.I want to start with your drumming, if you’re up to that, he’d said.Let the fans know you’re here and good, and that we’re back.
