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Lots of people wore tiny dias Evena s Martha took e, behind the curtains, but it still felt like I was right in the thick of things And things were loud and thrilling Music thrureat distraction fro David and I needed to talk I’d been all for waiting until he felt coetting out of hand I didn’t want to be second-guessing hiuitar in his hands, David was a god Little wonder people worshiped hiuitar with absolute precision, his concentration total Thein his forearms ape There were other people on stage too, but David held me spellbound I’d only seen the private side of him, who he hen he ith er My husband had taken a back seat to the perfor But in that moment, his passion ift

They played five songs, then it was announced another big-nae All four of the band members exited by the other side Martha had disappeared onarooms The woman was a monster I was better off alone

Itiny, delicate steps becauseaway at my skin Didn’t matter, my joy would not be dimmed The memory of the ht up in the perfor and unknown Talk about a rush

I s h the eneral hangers-on

"Child bride" Mal suys co off back to your love nest?"

"I don’t know Just let uys were brilliant"

"Glad you liked it Don’t tell David I carried the show, though He’s so precious about that sort of thing"

"My lips are sealed"

He laughed "He’s better with you, you know? Artistic types have a bad habit of disappearing up their own asses He’s smiled more in the last few days with you than I’ve seen hiood for hi to Charlotte’s See you there later, maybe"

"Okay"

Mal took off and I h the even bigger and better crush of people asses were quiet Jimmy and Adrian had stood huddled out in the hallway, deep in conversation as I passed on by Definitely not stopping Sam and a second security person nodded to me as I passed

The door to the back room where Jimmy had been busy earlier stood partly open David’s voice carried to me, clear as day, despite the noise outside It was like I was beco tuned in to hi at the saet out of here with him and do whatever Goas ere together

I just wanted to be with him

The sound of Martha’s raised voice from within the same room decreasedme at the door

I turned to face the fourth member of the band: Ben I reh years ago He played bass and he uard look like a cute, fluffy kitten Short dark hair and the neck of a bull Attractive in a strange, serial-killer kind of way Though it ht have just been the way he looked at s, perhaps Tobut bad

"Let theaze darted to the partially open doorway "You don’t knohat they were like when they were together"

"What?" I edged back a bit and he noticed, taking a step to the side to get closer to the door Trying to maneuver me to the outer

Ben just looked atthe way "Mal said you’re nice and I’m sure you are But she’s my sister David and her have always been crazy about each other, ever since ere kids"

"I don’t understand" I flinched,

"I know"

"Move, Ben"

"I’m sorry Can’t do that"

Fact was, he didn’t need to I held his gaze, ht on one ofthe other to kick the door open Since it had never been fully closed, it swung inith ease

David stood with his back partially turned toward us Martha’s hands were in his hair, holding hily kiss Or maybe that was just the way it looked fro that should have been big, but it wasn’t It , it felt almost oddly inevitable The pieces had all been there I’d been so stupid, trying not to see this Thinking everything would be fine

A noise escaped my throat and David broke away from her He looked over his shoulder at ht

My heartHow bizarre My hands and feet were ice cold I shookout a hand to ave him a hazardous smile No other word for it Her hand stroked over his aruessed she could

David ca in er