I chewed the inside ofmy cheek, darting my gaze between Devin and Sebastian. “But,why?”
Sebastian raised hisglass to me. “Because we’re looking for a piano player.”
Getthe hell out of here. “Whoa. Wait, what—”
Devin rolled his eyestoward Sebastian. “Bro, that’skindaundersellingthis whole thing.” Then, he looked back to me. “We haven’t beenlooking. It’s been mentioned, and we’vebeen open to the idea, but it’s not like we’ve interviewed anybody or anything.But when I saw your video, I just knew you were the guy.”
I released a whoosh ofbreath that lingered somewhere between a gasp and a sigh. “I don’t even knowwhat to say,” I admitted, pushing a hand into my hair. “You could probably findsomeonewaybetter than me. I mean,I’m nobody, and—”
Reaching across thetable and clipping my arm with his knuckles, Devin cut me off. “Let me tell yousomething, Jon.Iwas nobody at onepoint, and that wasn’t all that long ago. I was convinced that I was nevergoing to make it beyond playing in a coffee shop. But my wife waspretty insistentthat itwouldhappen, and you know what? One day, someone walked into that coffee shop andfinally made me somebody. And here I am.”
At the mention of hiswife and her belief in him, I felt an understanding bind us together, a mutualbond.
“So, when I saw thatvideo, I got this feeling I couldn’t shake, and I knew I had to try and beyoursomeone.”
Hearing what Devin hadto say, I thought of Beth. About the fighting, and the years spent in our tinyapartment, all to help maintain some pipedream that never seemed to be comingtrue. I heard the voices of her parents, so insistent that I would never amountto anything, and so sure Beth was wasting her life on a guy who would nevergrow up.
It was her insistencethat had kept me going, kept me playing, kept mestuck.
I wish she could’veseen it all pay off.
It should’veembarrassed me that my eyes were filling with tears. I probably should’vehidden my emotions behind some façade of masculinity, but I must’ve been inshock, because I didn’t care. I didn’t care as I pinched the bridge of my nose,pursed my lips, and shook my head. I squeezed my eyes shut, saw Beth’s face,and imagined her there. I wished, God, I wished so hard, that I could’ve calledher up and told her that it had all been worth it.
“Dude, I’m reallyfeeling like I should hug you right now or something,” Sebastian spoke up, andI found myself laughing, wiping a hand over my eyes and shaking my head. “So,uh, does this mean we can welcome you to our merry little band of misfit boys?”
Reality weaseled itsway inside my euphoria. I lowered my hand and cleared my throat. “Ireallyappreciate this. I mean, as cornyas it sounds, this is a literal dream come true, and a relief, to be honestwith you. But I really don’t know if I can accept.”
Concern blanketedDevin’s features. “Why not?”
“Well …” I swallowedwith my heavy-laden shrug. “A few years ago, my, uh … my wife passed awaysuddenly.”
Their faces fell, andSebastian wiped a hand over his mouth. “Shit,” he muttered. “I’m sorry to hearthat.”
Devin’s eyes wereclouded with sympathy as he nodded. “What happened, if you don’t mind measking?”
I cleared my throat,shuddering with my long-winded exhale. “It was an aneurysm. I came home, andshe was gone.”
His jaw shifted. “Fuck.”
There was a moment,when my eyes met his, and I thought he might cry. Forme. This guy, who I didn’t know, came all the way fromwherever-the-hell to talk to me. And now he held one of the purest forms ofsadness within his deep, caring eyes, and I understood it completely. It wasthe curse of an artist, to put yourself into someone else’s pain and make ityour own, to feed on it and find inspiration.
It was almost as bad asliving it yourself.
“I can’t imagine that,man,” he replied, his voice rough and raw. “I’m so fucking sorry.”
All I could do wasshrug, not wanting to dwell on it, before I continued, “I have three daughtersbetween the ages of six and two, and I really don’t know how the heck I’d beable to work with you guysandbethere for them.”
Sebastian shrugged.“Most of us have kids, and we all find a way around it. My son stays at homewith my wife when he’s in school, and if we’re touring during the summer, hecomes with us. Devin’s wife and kids are always on the road, and Ty’s family isalways at home.” He winked. “We’re a pretty accommodating group of guys, sowhatever you need, man, you got it.”
I scoffed,disbelieving. “I’m sorry,” I muttered, scrubbing my hands over my face. “I’mjust having a really hard time understanding how this is even happening.”
Devin rapped hisknuckles against the table, never taking his eyes off me. “I get it. It’s a lotto take in, and I don’t expect you tomake a decisionright now. So, go home, think about it, and give me a call. Okay?”
AndsoI left the club with a slip of paper in my pocket that I knew could change mylife.
Tess was waiting at thedoor, and threw it open with an eagerness I wished I could feel. She stared atme, her heart pounding in the base of her throat, and I gave her my sinceresthalf-smile.
“So? Tell me whathappened!”
