Edge of Forever

by Taryn Elliott

It was a miracle really.

  The town was excited about their upcoming nuptuals. They were going to take over the entire park for the ceremony and party all night at The Barn. It would be highlight of the year for Winchester Falls.

  He was marrying the woman of his dreams tomorrow—which should be the single most amazing day he could plan—and a freaking maniac from his past was probably going to crash it. Yeah. No big deal.

  The moment he’d asked Izzy to marry him at the falls he’d known his life was going to change. He’d welcomed it. He was tired of being alone, tired of imagining his life would consist of one show after the other in a succession until he was too old, or worse, irrelevant in the music world.

  For the first time he had a chance to have a future that included someone he trusted and loved. And instead of a bachelor party or even just a picnic with his friends, he was planning strategies and security check points so Aimee, or more likely, someone she hired, couldn’t get into the wedding.

  He was officially going to lose his shit.

  The studio was the only place he figured that he was even able to breathe around the pressure in his chest. He sat down at his piano, his fingers felt clumsy on the keys. The only time his hands had been on the keys since Izzy had been hurt had been the broken piano at the lodge.

  The clear tones from the old upright that he’d refinished felt too loud and too perfect. He moved down to the minor keys and slowly picked out notes. With barely there strokes, he wound his way through a tune that had been busting around his ribs since the moment she’d told him they were getting married.

  He pulled out his phone and hit record, leaving it on top of his piano.

  I poured my heart out into the shadows

  Playing around the torn out keys of a shattered piano

  The tones were lost to the dust motes and sunlight

  The shadows called to her, on a minor melody

  The door to the studio opened and he turned. Zeke and his wild hair and ever ready smile peeked around the corner. “You playing sad songs down here, pal? I can understand since it’s your last day on earth as a single man.”

  Logan laughed. “Just a memory.”

  “We’re ready to party man. We have to give you some semblance of a bachelor party.”

  “Oh God, no.”

  “C’mon. At least let’s get stupid drunk. Tomorrow is going to be madness.”

  Another set of feet came running down the stairs. “Are we doing this or what?”

  Logan grinned. Christian had his baseball batt out. “We are not hitting the ball around tonight, man.”

  “C’mon, midnight ball was a staple on the tour. We’ve got that huge driveway and a cooler full of brews. Whatdya say?”

  Zeke nodded. “Hell yeah. And we got the shitty beer just like the old days. It’s gonna be epic.”

  Logan stood up. He so wasn’t in the mood, but if he pretended to have a good time, then maybe he actually would have one.

  Zeke slapped Christian on the shoulder. “Great idea. Well, if we can’t have strippers anyway.”

  Christian nodded and swung the bat, clocking Zeke at the back of the head. His friend went down like a brick.

  “What the fuck?” Logan lunged for Zeke.

  Christian held the bloody bat over his shoulder. “You know, I really don’t understand what she sees in you.”

  Logan stopped and slowly looked at Christian. “What did you say?”

  “Aimee. I mean, man. I don’t get it. But she said that the only way we can be together is if you’ve been properly tortured for breaking her heart. So. Off we go, boss.”

  Logan took a step back. “You and Aimee?”

  “That night you broke her heart. I was there to pick up the pieces. She explained to me how you treated her. I don’t know how you could turn her away. She’s so beautiful and so full of life. Every day I saw you two together and knew you didn’t deserve her.”

  He swung the bat again. A drop of blood flicked across Logan’s face. He jerked back.

  “God, I was so jealous. I wanted her so bad and she always wanted you. Until you treated her like shit one too many times and she finally saw me.”

  “Christian, I—”

  “I don’t want to hear your sob story. I just want to get this over with so I can finally have her all to myself.”

  Logan’s gut burned. All this time, all the nights that he’d sat with Christian and the rest of his band. The concerts that he’d nearly blown. The whole time Christian had been just lying in wait.

  “So, what you’ve been reporting back to her like a little bitch? Do you honestly think that she really wants anything to do with you? All she wants is me. How can you be so stupid? She’s using you.”

  How could he have been so goddamn blind?

  “No! I take care of her. I love her like you never could.”

  “Then why is she having you do this? Why would she care if I suffered if she loved you so much. Can’t you see that Chris?”

  Was the door open?

  Jesus, they were in the studio—it was fucking soundproofed.

  Did anyone know they were down there?