"We're just talking," Reagan said.
"About the show?" Steve asked, giving Reagan one last squeeze before releasing her. "I figured we'd fuck up a lot more than we did. The first show of a new tour is usually the worst. It went well, don't you think?"
She nodded. "Even though I was scared to death."
Steve rubbed her back. "You did great, sweetie. Even Max said so."
"I think he liked being just a front man," Dare said. "He got even more involved with the crowd than usual. He might want to keep this arrangement after his wrist heals." Dare winked at Reagan and she had to remind herself that she was a rock star now and should not be shrieking with enthusiasm.
"He's been trolling the Internet for reviews all night," Steve said. "He won't admit this to anyone, but he really does care what people say about us."
Dare chuckled. "Max? No way. He's too cool to care."
"Sure," Steve said.
"I go off to get the lady a drink and as soon as I turn my back, she starts feeling up her band members," Trey said with an exaggerated scowl.
"Trey, I did not feel up any of my band's members," Reagan said and accepted her drink. "At least not in public."
Steve burst out laughing. "You kill me, Reagan. Really." He pulled a bottle of beer out of the waistband of Trey's pants. "Thanks. I could use a cold one." He twisted off the bottle cap and took a long swallow before flicking the bottle cap at Trey. "What's up, Dare's lil' bro?"
"I thought I might ask my girlfriend to dance, but after seeing the company she keeps, I'm not sure I'm famous enough."
Reagan wrapped both arms around Trey and squeezed. He couldn't reciprocate; his hands were full. "Dare told me what you did."
He stiffened slightly. "What did I do?"
"You saved his life."
"Oh that. I didn't really have a say in the matter. I couldn't even string an entire sentence together then. Trey, do you want to donate some bone marrow? Ba-ba da-da yeah-yeah. They assumed that meant yes."
She snuggled her face into his neck. "I still think it's heroic."
"Did he tell you he almost died last year?" Dare asked, helping himself to one of the beers in Trey's waistband.
Reagan drew away to look up at Trey. "No, he did not. What happened?"
Trey took her hand and directed it to the side of his head. She fingered the narrow scar that arched over his ear.
"Got hit in the head with a ball bat," he said. "Some bleeding on the brain. A couple of grand mal seizures. No big deal."
Dare chuckled. "He says that now."
"I remember when that happened," Reagan said. "It was all over the news. I didn't realize it was so serious." Her throat tightened as she looked up at him. She couldn't imagine not having him in her life and wished she could have been there to help him through all the tough times in his past. Overcome with unexpected emotion, she hugged him tight. She didn't even care that one of the drinks in his hand sloshed onto her back. "I'm finished partying like a rock star for tonight. Let's go find Ethan and go up to the room. I want to be alone with you. Relatively speaking."
"You just got here," Steve complained. "Everyone wants to meet you."
Reagan glanced around the room. All eyes were on her. If her relationship with Trey had been unknown before, it was definitely no secret now.
"One drink," Trey said, handing her one of the glasses he'd carried from the bar. He handed the spare to his brother and kept one for himself. He turned to stand beside Reagan, wrapping his right arm around her waist as he sipped his drink. "Bring on the admirers."
"More like spectators," Reagan murmured.
Before anyone had the chance to approach, Ethan appeared next to Reagan. "There were no deliveries tonight," he said.
"So how did they get in there?" she whispered harshly.
"Someone had to bring them personally."
"They were inside my dressing room?"
"Apparently."
"What are you two talking about?" Trey asked.
"You didn't tell him?" Ethan asked.
"I didn't want him to worry."
"About what?" Trey asked.
"She got another of those threatening messages. On a card in some flowers. I've spent the last hour finding out about any deliveries that were made tonight, but there were no flowers delivered to her dressing room, so whoever it was must have access to the backstage area."