Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 108362 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108362 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
Okay, Shannon, the lusting really needs to stop.
Forcing my gaze away from Jace, I took in Elias on the bass, his long dark hair hanging loose and wild around his shoulders. Kami looked beautiful and skilled as always on the drums, while Angus shot a grin at a woman at the front of the crowd and strummed his guitar. Endless phones were held aloft, capturing one of Astro’s rare street performances. Nearby, I spotted Dixon and Isla, both dressed in ordinary clothes. Their keen, watchful eyes were the only thing that set them apart.
I found myself scanning the crowd then, too, and oddly enough, a familiar face popped out. Jace’s dad stood at the entrance to a shoe shop, and just like Astro’s security guards, he was watching the crowd instead of the band. Unlike Isla and Dixon, Jay didn’t appear to be looking for general threats or danger, he seemed to be searching for something or someone in particular.
Odd.
Maybe I was overthinking it. He’d probably just tagged along with Jace and the others to watch them perform. But then, when I looked back to where he’d been standing, he was gone. Glancing about, I couldn’t see him anywhere, and I started to wonder if he was up to something. If I knew anything about Jace’s dad, it was that he was always working an angle. Jace had mentioned that his father had taken charge of the catfish investigation, so perhaps it was something to do with that.
Wait, did he think the catfish was here today? Was this whole thing a ruse to lure them out?
Uneasiness crept down my spine, but before I could ponder the idea further, the song came to an end, and Jace was addressing the crowd.
“Thanks so much for coming out today. Sadly, we have to leave soon—” Immediately, everyone started booing, and he chuckled into the microphone. “But we have time for one more song.” The boos turned to cheers. “This one’s called ‘Her Heartbeat.’ I think you might know the words.”
As soon as he played the opening chords, he had my undivided attention. It was a beautiful, slow melody full of feeling. Then came the opening lyrics, and a lump lodged in my throat. I couldn’t tell if I wanted the song to be about me or not, but when he moved onto the chorus, I knew for sure that it was. When we’d been together, Jace had loved to lay his head on my chest while I stroked his hair. I couldn’t count the number of times he’d fallen asleep that way, completely at peace. Sorrow swept over me at the memory, and I felt like fleeing, but then, somehow, Jace’s eyes found mine in the crowd. For a moment, there was a flash of surprise, quickly replaced by that intense, unwavering focus as he sang, and I found myself frozen in place
Midnight eyes sparkle like starlit skies
And all I can hear is her heartbeat
Head on her chest, her fingers though my hair
And I listen to the rhythm of her heartbeat
Now she’s gone, taking away my favourite song
And I long for the sound of her heartbeat
10.
Jace
What was she doing here? When Elias had suggested that we should get the band together and do a surprise street gig today, I hadn’t anticipated Shannon turning up. If I’d known, I never would’ve chosen to sing this song. I’d written it when I was at my lowest and missing her. It wasn’t that I didn’t want her to hear it or know how much it hurt to lose her. I just worried it might overwhelm her, and I had a feeling she was already at her limit, especially with me goading her neighbours this morning.
Still, I couldn’t seem to look anywhere else. My eyes were locked in on hers, and she wasn’t walking away either. I thought she didn’t want to hear my music? So why had she come? And how did she even know we were here? We’d only announced the gig less than an hour ago.
When the song came to an end, she turned and quickly fled. Acting on instinct, I thanked the crowd again for coming, then shoved my guitar at Angus before I dashed after Shannon. Several people called my name, but I moved too fast, focused on the back of Shannon’s head as she swiftly hurried away.
“Shannon! Wait up!” I called, but she either couldn’t hear or was ignoring me. “Kryten!” I shouted, and she finally stopped and turned around.
“I’ve been chasing after you for the last five minutes,” I said, slightly winded as I finally caught up with her.
“Sorry, I didn’t hear you. I’m on my lunch break. My office is nearby, so that’s how I happened upon your show,” she explained, visibly flustered, a faint tinge of discomfort in her words that made me wonder if she was lying.