El & Em: Two hearts, one band, a long slow ride

Chapter 11

On this tour the band often played two or three nights in the same town, which made for a less hectic schedule and also gave them more chances to meet people. Leo had a family now, but everyone else took advantage of their private hotel rooms and the many interested women who found their way back behind the stage after a show.

Emmett had always been friendly and charismatic but in the past he'd kept some distance from the women; this time he turned on his charm with them as well. Luke watched him in the greenrooms and dressing rooms backstage, and saw he had no trouble making connections or finding someone to join him back at the hotel later.

Of course, Luke had no trouble with that either; he'd been meeting women at shows for years. For him, the process had lost its novelty, and he no longer had any expectation of meeting the right person this way, if he ever had. Even for short-term companionship, the soft skin and small, delicate features that used to enthrall him in women now seemed strangely boring and lacklustre.

Some nights Luke would sit in his dressing room, chatting with fans and groupies, listening to the low intimate rumble of Emmett's voice from the room next door, and tell himself he should try harder. If Emmett was looking for the love of his life, shouldn't he be too?

It was hard to work up the enthusiasm, but he could never begrudge Emmett his new-found freedom. Luke promised himself that he'd back off, give Emmett every chance to find what he was looking for. Who, after all, deserved happiness more?

So Luke spent post-show evenings hanging out with fans or local musicians, talking shop and sharing stories. Outside of performing or playing, that was his favourite way to spend time anyway, and it seemed like another way to give back to his supporters. Once in a while he'd bring a girl back to his room, if only to keep the worst cravings at bay. On free days, he often stayed in his room with his guitar writing new songs, or met with Jerry to take care of business.

The rest of the team tended to hang out together on off days, when they weren't meeting with locals, and Emmett's hotel room soon became the centre of social activity; not so much because he was the most gregarious but because he naturally drew people to him. Band and crew members would gather in his room on free afternoons or evenings, to drink, talk, play cards or jam. Even Eddie preferred to join the gang rather than hole up with Luke to work on new material. Luke couldn't resist dropping by occasionally for a game of Hearts or a rehash of the previous day's show, but he tried not to do it too often these days.

At every major city on the tour, an industry event of some kind would be held in Luke's honour. While the facilities and catering were substantially better this time around, the events themselves continued to bore him. He did his duty, allowing himself to be paraded around and introduced to hordes of faceless functionaries, shaking hands and making polite small talk. Even the suits were different this time – less condescending, more fawning. Sometimes he'd meet local musicians – often ones he knew and admired – and the chance to talk shop and perhaps find opportunities to work together was the only good part of these evenings.

As he'd promised – or perhaps threatened – Luke began asking Emmett to join him for these events, along with Eddie and Jerry. On nights with no one interesting to distract him, Luke would stand with a beer, nodding along to whoever was bending his ear, and watch Emmett interact with the grey-suited execs and media personalities across the room.

It reminded him of that first night they'd met. Emmett had the same warm, open candour, though now it was mixed with a certain authority and presence that had been toned down before he joined this band. Watching him, Luke could see the suits respond, charmed and captivated, much as he had been that first night. It gave him an odd feeling – half jealousy at the idea of Emmett's charm bestowed on someone other than himself, and half pride in the knowledge that Emmett was his discovery, had chosen to join his band. Then he'd tell himself again that Emmett did not belong to him. If anything, maybe he belonged to Emmett.