“Oh, I don’t have it,” Bailey replied with a shrug.“I saw it at the club.I kinda hooked up with a bartender before closing, and when we were leaving, a big group was crowded in the manager’s office watching the security video.”
“Great.”I sighed.“So, it’s only a matter of time before it’s circling on social media?Guess I should get ready to be Ms.Unpopular at the venue…and in real life.”
“Do you really think Oasis is going to let that video circulate?”Lark asked with raised eyebrows.“They don’t want it out there showing women that they’re not safe in their clubs.”
“And it’s not like anyone’s sad Keegan got shit-canned.”Bailey laughed.“Do you know how many women he’s made uncomfortable on the tour and at the arena?Spoiler alert, the answer is all of them.”
“Really?”I asked.
“Oh hell yeah.”Lark scowled.“The man is a grade-A ass.No one’s weeping about his spot in the unemployment line.I heard he’s been losing like crazy at the weekly roadie poker game.I guess he owes three different guys at least four figures each.What a dumb ass.Good riddance.”
I sighed.“That’s good.He’s been with the band for a while.I know the roadies get cliquey and waskindaworried about retribution.”
“Eh, he’s a tool.You got nothing to worry about.”A smile spread across Lark’s face.“Expect…maybe you should worry about getting ready for the show I booked for us.”
“What?”Bailey squealed.
I sagged.“Seriously?”
“You know we’re in a band, right?”Lark shook her head at me.“Maybe look a little excited to play in front of people.”
“We just finally settled on a name.”I sighed.“I didn’t think it would happen this quickly.”
“You can thank my sparkling personality for that.”Lark fake dusted her shoulders.“I glittered like a freaking fairy last night.I guess I caught the eye of this bar owner backstage.We got to talking, and he wants us to play at his bar next week!”
“Next week?”My voice trembled as my mind raced.That was too soon.We didn’t have a setlist.How many original songs did we even have?I mentally counted while Bailey squealed and bounced all over us.I shouted through the chaos, “We’ll never be ready by then!”
“Hell yes, we will be.”Lark beamed at us.“This is our chance.This is the first show that will determine the rest of our lives.Just think, this time next week we could have fans.People who come to our shows to hear us sing, who will sing our lyrics back to us.”
“It’s going to be awesome!”Bailey squealed, raising her arms over her head.
This was going to be an unmitigated disaster.
Chapter 8
Noah
The first thing I saw when I walked into the empty arena was Alice behind my drums, and I froze.
I’d blamed her.
Hated her.
I owed her an amends.Had owed her one for months.
Resolved, I crossed the stage and stood at her side.When her arms paused, I opened my mouth to start.“I—”
“I know, I know,” Alice cut me off.“The stool isn’t the right height.And the crash cymbal needs to move in some.I’m not done setting up.Church doesn’t start for ten more minutes.So…” She made a shooing motion with her hands.
Fuck.I balled my hands up at the dismissive and annoyed tone in her voice.More than anything, I wanted to remind her of who was in charge here, but I was just paying for my past sins.
“Do you have a minute to talk?”
Alice huffed like it was an annoying request.“As long as you talk while I work.I won’t be the reason church starts late.”
I watched her work for a minute.She adjusted the cymbal, ran her sticks over the drums again with a skilled ease.And not for the first time, I wondered what had happened in Alice’s past to make her want to work on the road for a rock band.She’d mentioned foster care in the past.Did she have anyone in her corner?
Or was she a lost misfit like me?
