Wild Horses

EIGHT

"I will hold you up, I will help you stand, I will comfort you when you need a friend..."

- Amanda Marshall; Believe In You

"Here," Jeff said as he handed Amber the plastic cup of more ice than soda.

"Thanks," she muttered, taking it from him.

Sneaking a sniff of the Coke, she was only partly disappointed to find that it wasn't mixed with rum or whiskey. But as she took a large gulp, letting the carbonated beverage fill her throat, she was grateful.

Her manager took the seat next to her, on the side of the stage where Harry introduced the next song. It had taken every ounce of energy she'd had left to follow Jeffrey into the audience to watch Harry's show. What she'd really wanted was to rush back to her hotel room and drink everything that called her name from the minibar. But after Jeff and Harry had sat her down in Harry's dressing room, making sure she was at least physically okay, her manager had insisted she stay with him for the duration of the concert.

She hadn't seen Carter since he'd stormed out after ridiculing her in front of everyone. Her guess was that he'd raved his own minibar, or even went to the hotel bar...not that she cared. He could take a long walk off a short pier as far as she was concerned.

Okay, maybe that wasn't entirely true. Even after what he'd just said and done, she knew she had always had a soft spot for Carter, and probably always would. They'd been through a lot together, for fuck's sake. He was the only one who knew everything about her. And he was a damn good drummer; she'd hate to lose him, as both a bandmate and a friend. But now...

"We're not who we used to be..." she heard Harry sing.

God, if that didn't hit home. Who they used to be... Who they used to be were two horny teenagers with a love for music and the bottle. Who they used to be were a lost girl with a need to be needed and a young man with a shoulder to cry on and an awaiting bed.

But Amber had grown. She knew she had. She'd known long before their signing with Full Stop Management, before the festival in Nashville where she'd first met Harry, even before her single had hit the airwaves. She'd known for a while that the knots that tied her to Carter needed to be loosened. She just hadn't wanted to admit it because...well, if she was honest with herself, because she was scared.

"Trying to remember how it feels to have a heartbeat..."

Amber sighed. And then there was Harry. He'd already made her feel things - things she hadn't thought she'd ever feel. He was a loyal friend and a kind soul, yes, but there was more. He made her feel...like she had a heartbeat again.

Finishing her Coke, Amber settled into her seat to watch the rest of the show. The crowd cheered when Harry's band started into one of his big hits. With a smile, Amber clapped her hands and sang along. She noticed Jeffrey watching her, a grin on his face as he patted her arm.

Sometime towards the end of the concert, Amber looked up to see a tall figure coming down the aisle. Taking the empty seat next to her, Brendan leaned over to whisper.

"I just talked to Carter," he said. "He wants to talk to you."

Amber grimaced. "Too bad. I don't wanna talk to him."

"He wants to apologize."

Leaning forward, Amber glared at him incredulously. "Are you fucking kidding me? For what exactly? Because as far as I see, I have a long list of apologies I'm long overdue. And he's a little late. Tell him he can fuck off."