He nodded. “Realer than real.”
She grinned, hoping to tease him out of the tense headspace. “Wanna make out?”
He laughed. “Hell, yes, I want to make out. The answer to that question will never not be yes.”
“Probably not the best idea, though.”
“Nah. Probably not.”
She knew that the longer he sat here in the car, the more impossible it would start to seem to get out of it. The moment of stepping into the building, of facing the guys, would just start to loom larger and larger until it felt insurmountable.
She didn’t want to be a nag, but she had to give him a nudge. Supporting him was what she was here for. She squeezed his hand. “So, do you want me to come in with you, or should I take off and have some lunch, then come back for sound check?”
He looked at her for a long moment, then smiled. “You’re the best, Abs. And you’re right, I think I should do this on my own. Do you have your passes?”
She nodded. “No need to worry about me. I’ve got everything I need.”
He gave her a quick kiss. “Well, I’m triple-checking that you’re on the list anyway. Plus, I’ll have my phone on me if you run into any problems.”
She grinned. “Is focusing all of this worry on me and whether I can keep track of a laminated card on a lanyard for three hours helping you keep your mind off your stress?”
“Abso-fucking-lutely.”
“Then focus away, Rock Star. I’ll see you at sound check.”
He nodded and climbed out of the car, then walked to the back door with his head held high, his back straight. He didn’t glance back at her once. Until he reached the security guard stationed at the door, at any rate. Then he stopped and pointed her out to the man, and she waved at the scowling, muscled man through the windshield. He and Jet consulted a clipboard together, and the man nodded. Jet gave her a thumbs up and she returned it, smiling.
After Jet had disappeared inside the building, though, she took a deep breath and leaned her head back against the passenger seat. She’d been so focused on supporting him through his nervousness that she hadn’t even realized how tense she herself was until he was out of her sight.
Now, though, everything came flooding in. She wanted tonight to go well for him. It was so important.
Even more than the evening going off without a hitch, though, she wanted him to be happy. She needed him to be happy. That meant even more to her than her own happiness. And she hoped against hope that, whatever this night needed to be to support that happiness, that’s what it would give him.