Playing Evelyn

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

We were getting ready backstage at O’Riley’s when I got a text from Henry saying that he couldn’t make it. I frowned at my phone, feeling disappointed.

“Um, Evie,” Cynthia said, elbowing me in the ribs.

“Ouch, what?” I asked, rubbing the spot she’d jabbed with her pointy elbow.

“I think you have a visitor,” she said in a hushed voice. I looked up at her and followed her gaze to the doorway. Liam was standing there and when our eyes made contact, he gave me a little wave. I frowned at him and gave him a half wave back.

“I came as a replacement,” he said, striding forward until he was in front of me.

“For what?” I asked.

“Your grandfather,” he said, grinning down at me.

“You don’t look like her grandfather,” Cynthia said from beside me making me look at her. She was gazing up at Liam with a star struck expression on her face.

I rolled my eyes and focused back on Liam, ignoring my friend. “Well thank you for your consideration but it really wasn’t necessary.”

He gave a dismissive wave of his hand. “It’s my pleasure. Actually, I wanted to come see you guys play. Henry seems to think you really have something and I thought I’d check it out for myself.” He smiled at me and I found myself smiling back.

“I got you a bottle of water.” I jumped at Gabriel’s growled words and spun to face him as he came up beside me.

“Thanks,” I said a little breathlessly feeling guilty for some reason. My guilt quickly changed to anxiety when I saw the lethal glare Gabriel was sending Liam who seemed completely unaffected as he kept smiling at me, barely sparing a moment to nod at Gabriel. “Well Liam, thank you so much for coming and I hope you enjoy the show,” I said gesturing towards the door that would take him to the small dance floor.

His smile got a little broader as he sent a meaningful glance Gabriel’s way before giving me a thumbs up and heading out.

I let out a sigh of relief when he was gone.

“Wow. Oh my god, wow,” Cynthia said, her tone breathless. Her gaze was focused on the door that Liam had just walked through.

“You okay, Cyn?” I asked.

She gave a small nod, still looking at the door. “Was he real?” She asked. “Because I have a lot of hormones going on right now and he seemed a little too good to be true.”

Cynthia blinked as the door she was staring at burst open and my two sisters strode in. “Who was the hottie that just left?” Francine asked, quirking a thumb behind her.

“That was Liam,” Gabriel said in a low voice that conveyed his irritation. I looked up at him and he was staring down at me with a strange expression on his face.

“Are you mad at me?” I said quietly as Francine, Chrystal and Cynthia squealed about Liam’s hotness.

He frowned down at me for a second before shaking his head and sending me a small smile. “No, I just don’t really like that Liam guy.” He reached a hand up to touch my cheek as the MC shouted into the mic trying to quiet the crowd. “Kick ass tonight, okay?”

I smiled and gave him a quick kiss. “You know I will,” I said with confidence even though my heart was beating way too fast and my stomach was turning with nerves. For some reason, playing at a new club was definitely getting to me. We mostly played at Jam and it seemed like we were getting a little too comfortable there.