Page 81 of Playing With My Heart Strings

A few moments later, by the grace of God, the cameramen walk in.

“Hey, Dusty,” one of them greets me.

“Where’s Baylor?” the other one asks.

“She’s in the restroom,” I reply.Can they see me sweating? Does it look like I just fucked her in a dirty bar bathroom?

“Right on. The other girls should be here any time now.”

As if on cue, Baylor walks up to the booth.

“Sorry, I was in the restroom.” She laughs. I will say, she’s a great actress. Besides the slight flush in her face, you would have no idea she’s sneaking around with me. She has this natural air about her, though. She sparkles so much already that a tiny post-sex glow has nothing on her.

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baylor

Dancing Around the Truth

Rehearsal has gonea lot faster than it did in Chattanooga. While it did take some time to figure out our spots on the new stage, since we’re performing all the same songs again, it’s much easier to find our groove.

Having already played through the setlist once gives me more confidence during soundcheck as well. I’m able to experiment more and truly feel like I’m putting on a show, rather than standing and singing in front of an audience.

“You’re doing good out there today, Baylor.” Charlie, the lead guitarist, pulls me aside after a quick runthrough of the opening setlist.

I brush a stray lock of hair behind my ear. “Thanks, that means a lot. I’m trying to be more engaging on stage and move around this time,” I poke fun at myself.

“Your last performance wasn’t bad though, either. You had the crowd enamored.” He pats me on the back. “I, for one, think you’d be a great addition to the group.”

I’m sure I’m blushing from the compliment, but it’s nice to be validated by Dusty’s bandmates. I don’t want to seem too confident, though, so I add, “I’m sure any of the other girls would fit in just as well.”

“Come on, now, don’t be so humble. Give yourself some credit. You’ve got real talent.” He winks as he walks away.

“Damn, if I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were flirting with my guitar player.” I whirl around, nearly tripping at the sound of Dusty’s voice.

“I definitely wasn’t.” I laugh. “He was just complimenting me on my performance during soundcheck.”

His lips quirk up in a playful smile. “I know, I’m just giving you shit. Charlie’s engaged with a kid anyway. Don’t think his fiancée would be too happy with him if he was flirting with anyone other than her. Especially since you’ve also been dating me. He’s a good guy, though. Been with the band for years now.”

“How did you meet?”

“My manager, Craig, actually introduced us. Charlie was looking for an opportunity, so we met up, immediately hit it off, and the rest was history.”

“Better not be talking shit about me, Wilder!” Charlie calls over his shoulder from across the stage.

“Of course, I am. Only the bad things!” Dusty sends him a mock salute with a crooked grin, and Charlie flips him off in return.

My lips quirk up at their interaction. I remember Dusty saying he didn’t have any siblings, but if I didn’t already know, I would have thought he and Charlie were brothers just from how they acted. “You’re close, then?”

“Oh, yeah. All of us in the band are. It would be fucking miserable on the road if we all hated each other.” He chuckles. “We’re a family. We take care of each other.”

His words tug on my heart, especially the sentiment about family taking care of each other. I know my parents mean well and only want what they think is best for me, but it’s been a long time since I’ve felt taken care of—supported—by them.

“Where’s your head at?” Dusty asks, his voice low and rumbling.

“Just thinking about my family.”

“Do you miss them?”

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