Tonight

Chapter 18

Joe let out the breath he had felt like he'd been holding all meet and greet - through every single one of the 250 VIPs he and Caspar had hugged, and taken photos with, he had been on high alert. He had enjoyed himself - he always loved meeting fans - but would be lying if he said he hadn't whirled his head around, nearly breaking his neck, every time he'd seen a flash of red in the line. He felt as though he was being eaten alive from the inside. He wanted to hit a pause button on the festival, freezing everyone in place so he could sprint from field to field until he found Dianne, pressing play only once she was safely back in his arms.

"You good?" Caspar whispered as they walked out of the meet and greet room and down to catering, ready to tuck in for a light meal before it was time to hit the stage.

Joe shrugged, unsure how to put his feelings into words.

"That good, eh?" Caspar smiled sadly, before whistling loudly as their manager came into view. "Oi, Char! What's next on the agenda?"

Charlie nodded toward the pair, "Alright you two? Just sound check and show prep. Ready to blow the roof off this place?"

"It's an outdoor stage," Joe rolled his eyes, still feeling irritated toward his manager for his earlier crass comments about Dianne. "There is no roof."

"Oh cheer up Joe," Charlie rolled his eyes. "Still got that redhead on your brain? Snap out of it. She's not worth it."

Joe felt a flash of anger as he tightened his fists at his side as he tried to focus on something else - anything else - so he didn't punch Charlie in the face.

"Okay, relax Charlie," Caspar interjected, swooping in to save his friend yet again. "Speaking of the redhead...she does have a name. It's Dianne. And if you see her, please do us a favor and bring her backstage, alright?"

Charlie laughed a hollow laugh, shaking his head.

"Charlie, please," Joe spoke, his voice low. "If there was ever a moment in your life that you wanted to do something nice for me - this would be it."

"I do nice things for you all the time, I'm your manager," Charlie rolled his eyes, still only paying half-attention to the conversation.

"Charlie," Joe spoke again, his voice sharper. "I don't think you understand..."

Charlie let out a loud laugh, mumbling to himself, "Jesus, you sound just like her."

Joe's eyes widened in shock. Somewhere in the background, he felt Caspar come stand beside him as he stared at his manager, mouth gaping open, no words coming out.

"Oh for Christ's sake," Charlie sighed dramatically as he finally looked up, wincing as he came face to face with Joe and Caspar's matching glares. "Yes, I saw her, okay? She was outside the media tent, trying to find you hours ago."

"Charlie...what...how..." Joe sputtered out, rage settling in his chest as he watched his manager casually shrug. "What did you say to her?"

Charlie shrugged again, "I told her she was being a distraction. She got in your head Sugg, and don't even try and deny it. She kept you up until the early hours of the morning with her handcuff bullshit, she's made you distracted and distant during all your interviews, not to mention jumpy as shit during your meet and greet. She came to the media tent and I told her to back off. I won't apologize for it, I was just doing my job."

Joe felt as if all the anger in the world was tightly coiled in his stomach, ready to explode at any moment. He wasn't sure if he wanted to yell or cry...or both. He felt Caspar's comforting hand land on his shoulder, as he stood seething, trying to burn holes into Charlie's chest with his eyes, and it took everything in him to mutter the words that began spilling out of him, his voice low, hanging by the very last thread of control he had in him.