Somewhere in the Middle

Never A Doubt

"Hey," Jamie said, closing the door of the back lounge behind him and effectively ending everyone's laughter.

Greg and Luke had been telling Evie about their night, how they'd both gotten more drunk than they should've while with their friends from high school. How Luke had ended up standing on the bar, thanking everyone for coming like he was ending the second show of the evening before the bartender had told him to get down. She could picture it so clearly, the giggles had rippled through her as she leaned into him, the rumble of his laughter warming her shoulder. He hadn't even seemed that embarrassed. Not that he ever was.

Now, Greg leaned back in his seat and propped his foot up on the table. "Hey man," he said, and it was the first time Evie had heard him answer Jamie in days.

Luke's fingers rubbed little circles onto her shoulder. He was the only one of them still smiling. "Hey J."

Jamie smiled a little at Luke as he sat, his eyes flicking over to meet Evie's as he settled in—she looked down at her knees, totally aware of the fact that she was tucked into Luke, and that her heart was now racing for a reason she couldn't quite understand.

"How was your night?" Jamie asked, his eyes on Greg now.

There was a pause, and Greg glanced down at his hands. "It was good." He nodded once as he met Jamie's eye again. "Everyone's doing well. Caleb and Snoopy missed you."

"Snoopy?" Evie asked, quirking a brow as she smiled.

"If you saw him, you'd understand," Greg said, smirking.

"He looks just like Snoopy," Luke added, turning his head toward her.

Evie giggled, her heart fluttering as she looked up at him. "Just so we're on the same page, you do mean the dog from Charlie Brown, right?"

"Yep," Greg said, folding his arms across his chest. "The very same."

"Oh my God," Evie muttered in amused disbelief as she shook her head, trying to picture a man who looked like a cartoon dog.

"Did you put fresh water in his bowl before you left?" Jamie asked, smirking now himself.

Luke burst out laughing, but Greg said, deadpan, "Of course. Couldn't leave knowing our Snoop was thirsty."

"You guys are terrible," Evie said, but she only looked at Greg. "How is he still your friend?"

"Snoop's a good sport. He knows we're just messing with him," Luke said with a shrug.

"And trust me," Greg added, "He gives as much shit as he receives."

Evie shook her head, still giggling a little, but fell silent. The guys started talking amongst themselves, recalling memories from high school, from times before she knew them at all. It was mostly Luke and Greg talking, but Jamie added to each of the stories in his quiet, thoughtful way. And she didn't mind listening. Because it was the first time in the two months she'd been on this tour that they hadn't just seemed like coworkers. They seemed like genuine friends.

Things had fallen quiet for only a few moments before Greg said, his eyes on Jamie, "Lisa asked for you."

Evie felt Luke stiffen up beside her, and her gaze immediately when to Jamie's face. His smile had fallen, his eyes went wide, and his lips pressed together in a tight line as he swallowed.

"She... she did?" Confusion. He was confused. And hopeful.

Luke's whole body had gone rigid, and his hand stopped moving on Evie's skin. She felt anxiety spike from somewhere low in her stomach, and reach up into her chest, spreading and spreading as her eyes went from Jamie back to Greg.