Roadie: A Summer Set FanFic

Chapter 8: Emmett

*I do not own any band members, Connor Montgomery, Twitter, YouTube, etc.*

Chapter 7 recap:

(At Zam!) Every single memory of my mom's boozed out breath screaming at me hit me over and over until I found myself hunched over a toilet in a random stall, everything I'd eaten that day staring back at me. 

***

(In the hotel lobby) Stephen was so drunk. He stumbled forward toward me, tripping over himself. I had just enough time to put my guitar down on the coffee table before having to catch Stephen to keep him from falling into me. 

"But you..." Stephen continued. "You're so much nicer than Chloe ever was. You care...ab-about me. She never cared...about..." he whispered, gazing at me with his red, glazed eyes. 

A few moments later, he slumped over into my lap, fast asleep.

***

"Hey, who's Chloe?" 

"How did you hear about Chloe?" John asked. 

"Stephen was talking about her before he passed out," I said with a halfhearted laugh. 

They didn't say anything for a moment, until Josh said, "I guess one of us should stay down here with him tonight." 

Annoyed with his half-ass attempt to change the subject, I rolled my eyes, then went on a weird urge. "I'll stay," I said quickly.

***

(John to Stephen) “Tess is curious about who Chloe is, so unless you plan on telling her, don't get so damn hammered around her. You get mad word vomit." 

***

(Tess’s POV) "That was the most sappy, cliché move I've ever seen!" Jess exclaimed, laughing loudly. "Like, straight out of a cheesy romance novel! That was so lame, and it still got you stuttering! The brushing of your hair, tucking it behind your ear, his hand lingering, the smirk. How did you fall for that? Oh my gawd, you sooooo like him!!" 

"Well...." 

"I KNEW IT!!" 

***

"Our new venue is in Emmett." 

***

"If you leave," I continued quickly. "I'll have to finish this alone." I pouted, hoping the dim lighting hid the embarrassment I was trying to fight. 

"And by that," Stephen answered, walking toward me. "You mean, you won't have anyone to flirt with." He stood inches in front of me, my knees touching his hips. Sitting on this high table, I was about eye-level with him. His face was alarmingly close to mine. I hoped he couldn't hear my heart pounding as I looked at him. His hands were planted on the table on either side of me, holding me still. 

Stephen stared at me with a flirty glint in his eye, his perfect lips within easy kissing distance. 

Leaning back slightly, I told him sarcastically, "Yeah, and I'm the flirty one." I nodded my head pointedly at his stance over me, thankful that my voice stayed relatively even. 

He leaned in until his lips grazed my ear, and whispered, "I wish you would be." 

Then, with a final signature smirk, he backed up and walked away.

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