Following Me(40)

When she realized Amy and Hannah were going to continue ignoring her, Devon turned to Brennan. “So, what are you singing tonight?”

“I’ve opted for originals.”

“You write your own lyrics?” she asked, surprised.

He hadn’t mentioned that part. It made her want to pull out her notebook. With how busy she had been, she hadn’t had a chance to open it recently. It made her heart hurt to think about the last time she had written anything. Lyrics had always come so naturally to her. It was likely due to her parents’ profession even if she didn’t like to admit it. She still carried the notebook everywhere with her, but writing had fallen to the wayside since she had taken the job at Jenn’s.

Brennan shrugged, like it wasn’t a big deal. “Some. They’re not great, but I’ve been particularly inspired recently.”

“That’s good,” she said, finding she actually wanted to contribute to this conversation. “I like when I feel like that…most of the time.”

“Me, too,” he said, looking her straight in the eyes.

“Sometimes, it’s like ripping my heart out and writing with the blood.” She clutched her chest.

“Sometimes, it’s like that,” he agreed. “And other times, it’s like the sun only shines for you, every breath of oxygen was designed for you to breathe, and life has a new purpose.”

Devon swallowed and nodded. “Yeah,” she whispered. “Sometimes, it’s like that, too.”

“But I like either as long as someone feels the music.”

A pause followed in the conversation. Devon didn’t know exactly what to say. When her phone vibrated in her purse, it kept her from saying anything. She pulled it out and stared down at the message. Reid. He had only sent a message to her once since she had supposedly left for Paris. Her heart sped up. What if she got caught? How would she respond?

Taking a deep breath, she pulled up the text.

I know you won’t get this message for another month, but I’ve been missing you here. I wish I could get in contact with you because I have free time. Paris for a week sounds like a dream. Paris with you sounds even better. Call me as soon as you land, so I know you’re safe.

As Devon finished reading the message, her hands continued to shake even though she knew she hadn’t been caught. She closed her eyes and then opened them slowly. In a split-second decision, she deleted the text from her phone. She didn’t know what had come over her, but she couldn’t have his words staring at her, making her feel guilty, for another second.

Since she had left, she had received three or four emails a week from him. She hadn’t answered any of them. He was probably starting to wonder why she wouldn’t even answer emails, but she didn’t care. What could she say anyway?

“Anything interesting?” Brennan asked, leaning over to her side.

She closed her phone quickly and looked up at him. She hadn’t realized how close he was until that moment. Devon wet her lips as she gazed into the depths of his eyes. His pupils were especially dilated tonight. She didn’t know if it was from the lack of light in the room or if he had smoked pot before arriving. He didn’t smell like it. Actually, he smelled great. How had she never noticed that?

He cocked a lazy smile at her, like he could read her thoughts. Maybe he could. He just stared right back at her, exploring her face in ways that made her feel even guiltier for deleting Reid’s text message.

The more she was around Brennan, the more she noticed him, and that was a slippery slope. Had he always been this good-looking? Had she just not noticed before because she had been blinded by Reid and all the problems she was working through? Or was it more than just his appearance? After all, he hadn’t changed his looks. It was just him. It was something about him that she just got. It was something a person could only experience. Now that she was staring at him, she couldn’t fathom not noticing.

If she had thought coming to this show would at all dampen her rising desire for the man sitting in front of her, she was wrong. Dead wrong.

“No, nothing interesting,” she said, finally pulling her eyes away from him.

Devon was saved from further conversation when the lights began flickering to draw attention. A woman in a black dress walked onto the stage with more confidence than Devon could muster and took the microphone in her hand with a smile. She announced the start of the club’s open mic night, resulting in a boisterous round of applause. While she talked, she strutted back and forth across the small stage like she owned it. A few men let out catcalls. Devon hoped that didn’t continue and that it was only because the woman was clearly an MC of sorts.

Suddenly, the lights shut off, casting the entire bar into darkness. Devon looked around in confusion even though she couldn’t make out anything at all. She didn’t particularly like the dark, not after all her nightmares. She hesitantly began to rise, but then Brennan’s hand found hers in the dark, stilling her. Devon could feel Brennan staring at her even though she couldn’t see him, but this seemed to settle her rather than unnerve her.

Leaning into her, he whispered, “Just wait.”

A spotlight hit center stage a minute later, and the opening chords of a song strummed through the speakers. Then, the woman launched into her song, and the cheers followed. Brennan released her hand, and Devon tried not to fidget.