Ember

29 - The obvious choice

Marco

We’re on fire tonight, and it feels incredible! This gig is different from all the others that have come before it. I don’t know if that’s because the venue is bigger and there are more people here or because we’re all psyched about the new date added. We’ll now finish in Memphis!

The atmosphere tonight is what I’ve been longing for since this whole thing started. The way the crowd reacted to us when the lights went up was out of this world. People were screaming and cheering. They recognized us, and they’ve been singing along to every damn song.

Could this night get any better?

I finish up Fallen Cambridge, and we leave the stage. It’s time for Ember to take to the piano and sing Roman Angel - the only song added to our set that requires no other instrument but the piano. Bob, Saint, Colin, and I watch from backstage just as the piano and Ember rise through the opening in the stage. I pray to God the hydraulics don’t fuc.k up.

The crowd goes wild when they see Ember but are silent pretty quickly when nothing happens. I know Ember still gets nervous when doing solos. However, watching her from backstage, seeing her eyes connect with mine, and the smile she throws my way, I know she’s just fine.

The moment Ember begins to sing, her voice wraps around me like silk. I can’t tear my eyes away from her. She looks fantastic in those tight pants and burgundy gothic style top she’s wearing. Her long, dark hair is tied in a high ponytail, yet her makeup is not as dark as usual.

“Looks like they love her.”

“What do you want?” I snarl at Nate Rigby.

Colin, Saint, and Bob move closer. Each one of us would like to rip him a new asshole. Ember and I haven’t spoken much over the past couple of days. Matt had us working eighteen hours a day. Between rehearsals for tonight’s show, Matt and Caren have us in a studio recording our album. It’s not easy to record an album when we’re moving around so much, but I guess that’s why we’re working so many damn hours.

However, we don’t have much choice because we have a deadline. The album is set for release in a month; we have tour dates to finish and a video to shoot. According to Matt, downloads alone for the album are set to go through the roof.

We’re working ourselves to death to keep everything on schedule, and we can’t have Nate stirring up trouble this close to the end. None of us knows yet what happened between Ember and Nate and how she got him to back off. But I must admit he’s kept to his word so far. I vaguely remember Ember telling me she didn’t sleep with Nate, but everything after that is a blur.

“If you’re here to cause trouble, don’t bother.”

“I’m not,” Nate shakes his head.

I must admit that the man looks defeated. The usual cock.y attitude and feeling of self-worth are gone. God knows what happened, but I’m guessing someone got the better of him. It would be no more than he deserves.

“I assume Ember told you what happened between us the other day?”

Colin steps forward, teeth bared. Hannah grabs his arm, but that doesn’t stop him. “If you’re here to gloat, turn around and fuc.k off. I don’t give a damn…”

“I’m not.”

Something is different about Nate. I narrow my eyes while looking him over. He seems to have lost some of his swagger. I wonder what the hell happened.

“Be careful with that girl; she’s not as sweet and innocent as she looks.” With that, Nate walks away.

“What the fuc.k was that about?”

“I don’t know, Bob. We don’t have time to discuss it,” I tip my head toward the stage. It’s time for us to get back out there and finish our set.

* * *

Four hours of sleep did nothing for my mood today.

Why give me a hotel room if I’m not getting much use out of it?

Matt woke us all up early, knowing we’d not slept enough. Bastard! We didn’t even attend the after-party last night. By the time we’d finished the meet and greet and got back to the hotel, it was after 2 AM. A shower and change and waiting for the adrenaline to wear off meant it was after 3 AM before I fell asleep.

Caren informed us that we’d be working on the album for the next two days ahead of our next gig. We need to finish recording the twelve songs required for the album while discussing the ideas for our first video release. Matt has also booked us on several TV shows to promote our album.

I love what I’m doing, but even I must admit it’s exhausting. Thank God we have a few days off when this tour is over.

While I watch Ember lay down her vocals for Roman Angel, my mind drifts to her and Nate. I have to bring it up with Ember and find out the truth once and for all.

“Fallen Cambridge is the obvious choice,”

I look at Colin and shake my head.

Okay, Fallen Cambridge is one of our most popular songs. The live version has been downloaded tens of thousands of times. However, that song is about my ex and what she did to me. I do not want anyone to know that fact.

“I agree.” Saint nods. “That’s what people do, release the most popular song first, right?”

Caren nods her head.

“I do not want people to know why I wrote that song!” I snap.

“Not a problem,” Caren writes something down on the clipboard in her hands. “I think it makes more sense if people believe Ember is the wronged lover. You both sing the song, so why not center the video around the two of you?” She nods at me. “No one will know who actually wrote the song if you don’t want them to; just give credit to Ember or both of you.”

“I’m okay with that.” Bob writes something down, but I don’t have a clue what.

“Well, I’m not okay with that. Why can’t the video feature Colin and Hannah?”

“Because you and Ember are the singers. No one wants to see the guitarist and his wife; they want the lead singer and his love interest. In this case, you and Ember.”

I groan and scrub my hands over my face. Everyone is talking all around me, and I feel like my head is about to explode!

“Hey,” Comes a small voice in my ear.

I turn my head, and Ember tips hers. The others are all engrossed in their conversation about video ideas. So, I get out of my seat and follow Ember.

“Are you okay?”

“Sure,” I fold my arms around my chest and stare at Ember. She’s so beautiful, and all I want to do is kiss her plush lips. But I want to kiss Ember as my girl, not just my friend. “I haven’t seen you much these past few days.” I stare at Ember, and she swallows hard.

“You seem to have a lot on your mind. Is it because of what you told me the other day?”

“What I told you?” I am utterly confused.

Ember bites her lower lip and laughs nervously. “What is bothering you, Marco? You can talk to me; you know that.”

I run my hand through my hair. I want to be honest with Ember, but I don’t want to keep bringing up Nate. Whatever happened between the two of them is something Ember probably never wants to talk about again.

“Ember, we’re ready for you now,” Caren calls.

Ember rolls her eyes. “I’m sorry. I have to get back. Can we talk later?”

I nod my head and watch Ember walk away from me with a smile on her face.

“Is there any chance of you letting the others know?”

I shrug and shake my head at Hannah. I don’t have a clue what she’s talking about at the best of times, but I’m baffled right now.

What is it with everyone today?

“About you and Ember,” Hannah hisses toward me.

“What about me and Ember?”

Hannah rolls her eyes in annoyance. I have to stifle a chuckle because she’s such a child. “About you being together,” Now I’m really confused. “After I heard you guys talking the other night, I thought you’d have come clean. Isn’t Ember pretty much confessing she’s in love with you, what you wanted?”

Hannah keeps talking, but I’ve shut off. I’m having trouble processing what she just said.

Why the hell did I drink so much that night?

I don’t remember Ember confessing any such thing.

Was I asleep?

That would be just my damn luck.

I look over at Ember. She’s laughing at something the producer said, and I wonder if I could actually be lucky enough to have captured her heart.

Did I say something the other night to prompt such a confession?

“Are you even listening to me?” Hannah grabs my arm, bringing me back to earth. I nod even though I wasn’t listening to a damn word she said. “So, when are you going to tell them?”

“There’s nothing to tell them yet, Hannah. Ember and I, along with everyone else, have been too busy to talk. We don’t even know what we’re going to do yet, so there’s no point saying anything. Don’t you either,”

“Fine,” She huffs. “But sort it before the others figure it out for themselves. The whole world already thinks you’re a couple, just make it official already so the boys can get used to it before Dun’s Dungeon becomes too massive.” She walks away from me just in time for me to be called to the booth.

The whole time I’m singing my heart out, all I can think about is what Hannah said.

What if she’s lying to me?

Why would she do that?

Because Hannah can be a real bitc.h when she wants to be. I need to speak with Ember. We’re supposed to be attending a party tonight, but this is more important. I have to know what happened with Nate, and I need to know how Ember feels about me. If what Hannah says is true, if Ember does love me, then I think it’s time I told her how I feel.

The others won’t be happy, but I don’t give a damn any longer. I’m in love with that girl, and I won’t hide it if I don’t have to. We can work this out, Ember and I, I know we can.

Just be careful with your heart, Marco. Don’t let another beautiful woman break it because this time, you might not survive it.