Page 119 of Time Out

Brianna came around the back hall, dressed in black cowgirl boots and short white shorts, and a gray and white flannel tied in a knot at her waist. Her jewelry was wooden and clunky and she had matching earrings dangling from her ears, partially hidden behind her thick head of wavy, copper hair. Belle was at her side, dressed in ivory, wide-leg pants, and a tan crop top tank. She had on matching ivory heels. Gorgeous as always, my best friend came right to me and smothered me with a hug.

“You doing okay?”

Brianna took one look at my face and flinched. “Do I need to grab a puke bucket?”

I hadn’t needed one until she said it. “Maybe.”

She grinned wider. Next to me, Ruth giggled.

“You’ve got this, sister. Pretend you’re at church or at those bars you sing at.”

“This isn’t karaoke, Ruth.”

“It sort of is,” Brianna cut in. “You’re doing songs you know, covers you’d sing anyway. You can do this, absolutely, but is there anything you need from me before you go on stage?”

“Davis. Where is he?” I hadn’t seen him since he drove me here.

I’d been swept into a room where Brianna made sure I was plucked and tweezed. She’d dressed me in an emerald-colored dress that had rouching at the waist and flared at the hips. It hid my belly while allowing me to breathe easy. The neckline was low, and my ever-growing breasts were shoved together, almost bursting from the top half. Every nervous, ragged breath I inhaled pushed them against the seams so much so Brianna had insisted on using double-sided tape to ensure they didn’t make their own appearance and turn my show into a different kind of one.

She’d tried to shove me into tan boots that were similar to her black ones, but I’d put my foot down at being able to wear my own shoes, ones I’d already broken in and were comfortable.

“I’m here,” he called from behind Brianna and made his appearance in worn denim jeans and a skintight light-blue shirt. It showed off his biceps and clung to him like a second skin, and like every time I saw him, my body reacted like his hands were already doing wicked things to my body.

“Where were you?”

“Guys are here. I was out front having a drink with them.”

“Guys?”

“Dawson and Cole. Eden. Mason and Sam and Charles Carr. More are coming.”

“Good grief. Why?”

He rolled his eyes at me like I was the ridiculous one. “Because it’s my girl’s debut on stage, and my brothers will always support those closest to us.”

My heart fluttered, and I reached for him, cupping his cheeks and pulling him down while I lifted to my toes to kiss him.

“Thank you. Thank you for everything. Thank you for loving me so well.”

The words came so easy now.

“Love you, too. Now go knock them dead. And if you’re nervous, find me. Sing only to me, sweetheart. Okay?”

“I will.” I would always sing only for him.

“Good. We’ll see you out there.” He escorted Ruth away and winked at me over his shoulder before he disappeared.

“I’m going to be out front, okay?” Belle’s hands did a calming sweep up my arm, but it wasn’t my arms that were freaking out. It was my insides. My guts had never been twisted so tight. “Just like always. And you have Ruth and Davis there, too. Sing to us, but like Brianna and Davis said, you’re going to kill this. Got it?”

“Got it.” I’d try, at the very least.

The band Brianna had set up for me showed up, guitars slung over their shoulders and drumsticks in my female drummer’s hands. She spun them in a fancy circle and the colorful tattoos running up and down her arms danced with her movements.

“Ready to rock this, beautiful?”

“I’m closer to throwing up,” I admitted.

Stella threw her head back and laughed. “Nah. You won’t. As soon as that first chord is played, you’ll own that stage.”

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