She heard the others come in on the harmonies, Chase pick up on the duets. And always, the lights glimmered around her.
She realized she could compartmentalize what they were doing...
They would get to the truth.
But she would do the show, too, with all of her heart, in memory of the man she had loved. And in doing so, she took a minute between the songs to just talk about her father, about the amazing man he had been...
And it was good.
There was a silence following her words as she prepared to say goodbye so they could walk off—and then, of course, return for the encore they believed the audience would demand.
Then there was applause, real and spontaneous, from the band members, the crew, everyone out adjusting lights and screens and everything else that would go with the show.
“Thank you!” she cried. “And Skyhawk thanks you! Good night!”
She and the others headed off.
Charlie, Justin and Nathan were there, nodding to her, beaming, each congratulating her and Chase and Brandon.
“Now, let it go a few beats and then...everyone back out!” Mark said.
They headed out and did the last two numbers.
“If only the real show goes so remarkably!” Joe Garcia said, grinning. “Sky, thanks, that was... Man, your dad is grinning from ear to ear up in heaven!”
Sky thanked him.
“Hey, you are joining us for a quick drink tonight, right?” Brandon asked. “You said you would!”
“Um, well, I was going to, but today I got a dog—”
“Cool. Dogs are cool,” Brandon said. “But come on, another thirty minutes. There’s a great quiet place in the Irish Channel, and we can slip away for just a few minutes!”
“Sure,” Chase said, sliding up behind her and slipping an arm around her. “Sky, come on, let’s hang for just a bit.”
She looked at him, a question in her eyes. He didn’t have to nod. She almost smiled. There had been times in the past when...
She was feeling that now. That sense of both security and sensuality when he touched her.
Compartmentalize! she reminded herself.
But that night, it seemed they were joining the crowd.
“Sure,” she said.
“Hey, guys! Barbie and Ken are coming with us!” Brandon called. “Drinks on us after that great lunch.”
“Snacks, too—no dinner tonight,” Chase said. He frowned suddenly, and she realized his phone was vibrating as he reached into a pocket to retrieve it.
“A sec, guys. I’m right with you.”
He stepped away for a minute. Sky smiled at Brandon as he called out to the others, finding out who was driving with who.
Chase stepped back up by her and put his arm around her shoulders again.
Something about him had changed. Others wouldn’t notice.
But she had once known him oh so well.
“We’re going to take my car—probably a quick drink and then out of there. New dog, remember? Anyway, see you there,” he said to the others.
There was a lot of tension in his touch. He led her out through the back. Quickly.
“What’s wrong?” she asked him as they reached the car.
He shook his head. He wasn’t speaking; maybe there were ears somewhere near them.
Skylar crawled into the car and waited.
Once he had gunned the engine and they were moving, she turned to him. “Chase! What the hell is going on?”
Chapter Five
Chase kept his eyes on the road and sighed inwardly. He hated lying, and yet he’d spent a whole two days with Skylar. Intense days that, when he touched her, seemed to wash away the years.
But she had turned away from him. And he wasn’t in a position now to bare his heart—and his life—to her.
“Call from a friend,” he said.
