Chapter 12: Tension

SLOAN

I see people starting to gravitate toward the stage, so I check the time; it’s getting close to showtime. I don’t want to disappoint Kade, so I head over to find a spot near the stage.

Soon, the stage lights come up, and Kade walks out to the center of the stage. He smiles at me right away.

“Thanks to everyone that’s here tonight,” he says. “We’re starting a new journey but we appreciate all the support we’ve gotten from you all over the years.

“This place will always be home, and we promise to come back and see you.”

People yell and cheer, and I join in. Once people realize what’s happening, more and more club-goers come up to the floor.

Kade and the band play a few songs, and I can’t help but notice how incredible he looks up there, commanding the room, singing, and playing guitar.

~He’s perfect.~

It seems like he makes eye contact with me every chance he gets, and it feels like he’s singing to me. His voice is deep and gravelly but melodic at the same time; it’s intoxicating.

“This is our last song tonight and it’s a cover for someone I think is really special.” He smiles.

The women in the crowd “oh” and “aw,” and I get nervous. He’s not talking about me… It has to be someone else.

Then Kade lets out a lusty “Ahh,” before the band starts to play the familiar opening of “Crimson and Clover” by Tommy James & the Shondells. Oh, my God.

He locks eyes with mine and sings directly to me. I get goosebumps all over my body and I feel like my knees are going to buckle; he’s singing the song perfectly.

I can’t believe he is putting himself out there like this in front of all these people.

It seems like the crowd likes the cover, and everyone is singing along to the chorus. It’s a surreal moment.

When it gets to the guitar solo, Kade runs his hands up and down the guitar, and I can’t help but wish I’m that guitar.

This just got a lot more complicated for me, because right now, at this moment, I think I could love him.

When the song ends, the room erupts with cheers and applause, and Kade and the guys line up and take a bow.

They all say thank you one more time, but all I can think about is getting next to Kade right now.

He goes backstage with the band, and the lights go dark. I make my way back to the table and wait for them to come out, bouncing my knee up and down nervously.

Then I see him re-emerge; he is swamped by people as soon he walks out, but it seems like he just wants to get to me, too, but he takes some selfies and shakes some hands before he escapes the crowd.

His eyes lock on mine, and he looks at me like a lion stalking its prey. He sits down next to me and never breaks eye contact.

“Kade, that was—”

“For you.” He smiles.

“Thank you, it was incredible.”

“You’re incredible.”

The tension is so thick that I don’t know what’s going to happen next, so I allow my eyes to drift over his shoulder for some relief when I see… “Archie?”

“What?” Kade puffs.

I get to my feet and march across the room and touch Archie’s shoulder. Kade is right behind me.

“Archie?” I seriously hope I’m wrong because I just interrupted him making out with the girl from the bathroom.

He turns around. “Sloan!”

“What the hell is this, Archie?” I yell and can feel myself shaking.

“I can explain, it’s not what—”

“You said you were working late…”

“Sloan I—”

“Fuck you, Archie.” I run to leave the bar because I don’t want to let him see me cry, and the tears are coming quickly.

Archie tries to follow me, but Kade stops him and I hear him say, “I think you did enough, man. Give her some space.”

“Who the hell are you?” Archie demands.

“Her friend, and I’m telling you to back off, right now.”

The girl with Archie pulls him to sit, so Kade turns and heads after me. I push through the doors to the street and sit on the sidewalk.

“Sloan?” Kade says softly.

“I mean, that really just happened, right?”

“Yeah, it did.” He sits down next to me.

“I can’t see him, I don’t want to talk to him,” I explain.

“I told him to give you some space.”

I can’t help it and I start sobbing.

“Hey, come on, let’s go, I’ll take you home where we can talk. You don’t need to sit out here on the sidewalk.” Kade helps me to my feet, and soon, we’re in his car, heading for my apartment.

“I don’t believe it,” I admit.

“Sloan, maybe it was just this once. Maybe it was a mistake… You are fighting right now and—”

“That was the weird girl from the bathroom. She told me she had a boyfriend. I bet he’s been dating us both.”

“You don’t know that. I know you don’t want to talk to him right now, but you’re going to have to eventually, to get an explanation or closure or…something.”

“I know that no matter what he says, I’m done with him.”

“I know you’re angry, Sloan, and you have every right to be. Just don’t make a rash decision you’ll regret later.”

“Kade, listen to me, I’m angry but I’m clearer than I’ve been in a long time.

“After we danced tonight, I was feeling guilty because I felt something for you. I called my mom, and she made me see that it was never going to work with Archie.”

Kade pulls the car to the side of the road and puts it in park. “Sloan?”

“I felt something… I feel something for you, Kade. I’m drawn to you.”

“I’m barely hanging on here. Don’t say more unless you’re sure because I can’t handle it.” He’s shaking from barely contained excitement or nerves, I’m not sure which.

“I’m sure, Kade. I want to end things with Archie because I want to see what could happen between us.

“I wanted to end things with Archie before I just saw him kissing another woman because he’s not it for me—he’s not the one.”

Kade is just staring at me like he’s trying to make sense of what I’m saying, so I keep explaining.

“When I was waiting for you to come on, I tried to text Archie and tell him I was ready to talk to him, but he blew me off—said he was working late.

“Well, it turns out he just had another date. That was his chance, and he blew it.”

Kade seems stunned silent, and a wave of anger hits me. “It’s fucking Tuesday, and he was on a date! God dammit, I’m such an idiot, how could I have been so stupid?”

“Hey, no, you’re a lot of things, but stupid isn’t one of them,” Kade assures me before he tucks my hair behind my ear and looks into my eyes.

“Sloan, you are incredible, beautiful, amazing, smart and capable, hilarious—I could go on—and you deserve the world. I’m sorry Archie couldn’t see it; he’s stupid, not you.”

I lean forward and press my forehead to Kade’s. His breath catches, and it seems like he’s shaking again.

“Sloan… God, it’s taking everything in me right now to be strong. I want to kiss you, I do, but I want it to be for the right reasons.

“Please, I’m not rejecting you but I just want you to talk to Archie first. I want you to be sure.”

My gut pinches a little bit. I’m embarrassed but, at the same time, I understand what he means. “I’m sorry Kade, I didn’t mean to. I’m sorry I don’t know how to do this.”

“Stop being sorry. I told you, I’m not rejecting you. My hands are shaking because of how badly I want to put them on you.

“I just… When I get to kiss you, I want it to be the beginning of something—a happy moment for us, not one tainted by Archie or anyone else.”

“Thank you, Kade, I’m just a mess right now.”

“It’s understandable.”

I look down and notice I have missed calls from Archie. “Ugh, I guess I should talk to him.”

“Let me get you home first.” Kade pulls back onto the road and drives the rest of the way to my apartment.

“Kade, thanks for tonight, you were amazing. And thank you for singing my song; it was perfect.”

“I’m sorry it had to end the way it did, but I’m glad you liked it.”

“Will you come up and sit with me while I talk to Archie? I know it’s a lot to ask, but—”

“Stop! Of course.”

Kade parks his car and follows me upstairs. I kick my shoes off and flop on the couch. He sits next to me.