It happened during another clip when Frank’s face filled the screen as he spoke. I could see every tiny line and every shadow. Little stamps of time on his skin, barely visible but there. Just another reminder that he belonged to another generation and that somehow we still managed to mesh. Somehow we still managed to make it work.
Heart pounding, I turned my head to face him. His eyes were transfixed on the footage. The flickering images danced across his cheeks, illuminating his skin. That’s when I saw it, the wet trail of his tears.
He was laid completely bare, unveiled, and free.
I reached over and grabbed his hand. Our gazes met. Then there was a click, and something light, soft, and new passed between us.
It was the strangest thing, seeing the man I’d had a crush on as a teen for who he really was years later. Seeing all his strengths, his flaws, and his potential behind the blanket of darkness. Feeling him in every breath and every beat of my heart.
My senses were shattered when the film came to an end. I was lost and disoriented and my heart was too full.
The front rows buzzed. There was handshaking, hugging, and even some tears. My mother gave us a shy wave. A few eager fans lingered in my peripheral. Their eyes settled on our seats, wide, bright, and curious.
We waited until the guests began to leave.
“I think I should probably talk to some of these people.” Frank braved a smile and rose to his feet. Soft yellow overhead light illuminated his features. Our hands were linked, fingers threaded together, gazes connected. The moment was charged with the gravity of what we were. Whole.
I stood and followed him along the line of empty chairs.
The second we reached the general admission section, we were separated again.
Surrounded by a group of fans, Frank made his way through the auditorium to join Isabella. There was half an hour to go until the performance and everyone poured back into the lobby for another photo op, snacks, and drinks.
Linda met up with me and took me to the VIP lounge, where Levi was accepting congratulations. My memories of his father weren’t particularly pleasant. Old-school, business-minded Adam Bernstein never missed a chance to remind his only son that real estate was a far better career choice than a rock ’n’ roll magazine. But right now, the man’s face sparkled like a ten-carat diamond. I could swear this was the first time I’d seen Adam smile since I met him seven years ago when Levi took me over to his parents’ garage, which served as the original Rewired office.
Caught up in the chaos, we circled the lounge until there were no more hands to shake. I stared at the door, waiting for Frank. My feelings were bigger than everyone and everything. They swelled in my chest and filled me with an anxious tremor. I needed a minute alone with him. To ask questions and to share how I felt about what I’d just seen. I needed to get all these things out of me before he got on that stage. To make room for more.
“So what’s it like, partner?” Levi chuckled. “Being a producer?” He hooked his arm through mine and maneuvered me to a quiet corner, away from the crowd. Although I didn’t think we were going to stay unnoticed long.
“Your dad looks chipper,” I said, surveying the crowd.
“He thinks I’m about to make millions, ha!”
“Maybe he’s not wrong. Did you check the stats?”
“I’ve been glancing at them, but we’ll have to take a better look tomorrow.”
He squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath. “I fucking love how it turned out, Cass.”
I gave him a light punch on the shoulder. “I’m still a little mad. Why the hell didn’t you tell me Frank was going to be part of it?”
“He asked me not to.”
“When did you record all this?”
“Why do you think I’m going to sleep for a week starting tomorrow?”
My mind raced. I needed to hear everything. I needed details.
“Look.” Levi grabbed my arm and shook me out of my daze. “It doesn’t matter now, okay? It’s done. He didn’t want you to know, because you wouldn’t have agreed to this after what happened with ‘Afterburn.’ Just enjoy. The biggest rock star on the planet has professed his love for you in front of millions of people. And I’m not kidding when I say millions. This film is going to be seen by millions. It’s the kind of film that needs to be seen by millions. It’s the best fucking thing we’ve created together in all the seven years we’ve been doing this.”
Emotions clogged my throat. I swallowed past the developing lump and nodded. In my peripheral vision, I caught Frank’s silhouette across the room. People clung to him as he started his approach. His presence was the epicenter of everything, the epicenter that moved in my direction like a comet, burning all its obstructions.
Enthralled, I stood in my spot and tried to breathe through my panic. We were being seen together in public for the first time since the meltdown and it was both real yet unreal. The closeness of our bodies made me nervous when Frank moved to stand by my side.
“Impressive work.” He gave Levi a pat on the back.
“I had a great cast.”
They exchanged glances and shared a covert smile.
The chatter inside the lounge intensified. I recognized Isabella’s voice as Ashton steered her toward our group, the crowd around them thickening and clamping on to us. It was in the air, the invisible power she had.
Frank’s hand lay on the small of my back, his other one was in his pocket.
I heard a jingle.
“Ash?” He turned to my brother and held out his
