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He nodded and crossed his arms over his chest. “Where are those crackerjacks? I’m feeling peckish. Whatisa crackerjack?”
“Um,” she swallowed and looked away from him. “I don’t think I know. Caramel corn, maybe?”
He twisted around again and his arm brushed against hers. The heat tickled the hairs on her arm and she took a deep breath.
Chill out, Harry. It’s been almost three years. You shouldn’t have any kind of reaction to him at all.
Indifference. That’s what she should be feeling.
Her phone buzzed and she glanced down at the screen.
AL: André IS a twat.
She smiled and set the phone in her lap.
“How is Allison these days?” André asked.
She glanced over at him. He made no apology for reading her text.
“She’s good.” Nikki stretched her legs out and braced her feet on the back of the seat in front of her.
Small talk was probably a good idea. Maybe it would help diffuse the swirling thoughts and emotions inside her. Help her see him as a regular person and not the guy that broke her heart and left her devastated.
Too dramatic?
Fine.
The guy who lost the best thing he’d ever had.
Better?
“She and Steiny just got back from touring. We haven’t had a chance to talk. She’s still resetting her clock.”
“New band? Old band?” he asked.
Nikki chuckled and made a face. “New-ish. Al, Steinhoff, and Des. And they found some guy named Carter something or other to sing.” She scrunched her nose. “I don’t think he plays anything though.” She shrugged. “I haven’t met him.”
“Are you still playing?” he asked, and she could barely detect the hesitancy in his voice.
Other people were a safe subject. Asking about her? That tested the boundaries.
She sent him a flat smile. “No bands for me. I don’t need that kind of drama in my life. I’m happy where I’m at.”
He nodded and they sat in silence for a few minutes.
She imagined he was remembering the last time he’d been to one of their shows. It had been the last one, but no one had known that at the time.
Old shame welled inside her chest and she took a deep breath to dilute it.
The things Shelby had said about her on stage, and even more backstage, in front of her friends, strangers, and André…
She shivered, trying to shake off the old memories.
“What about you? Still professing?” She was so proud of herself for how cool and chill she sounded she almost fist-pumped and ruined the entire thing.
Small talk for the win.
“Mm-hm,” he confirmed. “And I just spent a month in the Badlands overseeing a dig.”
