Chapter 25 #2
He drops to sit on the side of the stage with his long legs dangling nearly to the ground.
I lean over his shoulder, hooking my arm around his neck, and squish his face, sticking out my tongue while he crosses his eyes.
We take a few together, but I manage to get one good teenage heartthrob pose without me in it.
Somehow, I fight him off and make a collage with the focus on him.
He doesn’t care, but we can’t look like a couple.
I might be protecting myself out of habit, but for marketing purposes, he needs to appear single.
I caption it, welcoming everyone to the show, and add my name as special guest at his insistence without my last name or tagging my own accounts.
I don’t really know what I’m doing here but keeping all eyes on him is the goal.
I post the instructions for our game, offering a giveaway for winners to receive a signed picture and guitar pick if they play along.
I send Annie a screenshot letting her know what’s up so she can monitor the activity.
We have about an hour left to make adjustments, and I’m scribbling out a rough outline while Sam tells me about upcoming events he’ll be doing in this area.
We could’ve done this yesterday, but that’s not how Sammy time works.
What the heck have I gotten myself into?
The heat has taken pity on us, remaining one degree short of hell’s pepper patch, but the underside of my hair is dripping down my back. I’ll have to burn this outfit if it doesn’t disintegrate first, but the misty overcast skies will get no complaints from me.
“Sam, what do you do if it rains?”
“It ain’t gonna rain. This mist is all we’re gettin’, and the stage is covered. Everything’ll be fine.”
“But what if it does?”
“Remember Goo Goo Dolls? Fourth of July, ’04.”
“Ohh, ‘Iris’ in the rain. I love that video! Think we’d have that kind of magic?”
“Of course not!” He erupts into childlike giggles. “They probably lost thousands of dollars in equipment. I ain’t doin’ all that. But we’d have fun pretending. Tell ya what. If it rains, I’ll play ‘Iris’ for you.”
The mention of that band reminds me of the drive yesterday.
Jude’s better on that song. I chew a fingernail feeling a little guilty that I’d rather sing with him while I zone out looking over the stage.
They have wooden box risers at three levels, probably award medal podiums. I should be able to climb them and get some height next to the jolly blond giant.
I notice he’s texting someone when he looks at me.
“I ain’t your first choice to sing that song, am I?” He stands and pulls me up, forcing me to look him in the eyes. “I bet I’m not even your favorite drummer.” He tilts his head, examining my expression. “Girrrrrl, you got it bad.”
“Shut up. Just why?”
“I said I’d play ‘Iris,’ and your face said ‘Meh.’ Your face is louder than you think. I thought I was your musical crush!”
“You are but maybe not that song.” I shrug apologetically.
“Ooh, I know one that’ll put me back in the top spot. I’ll earn it. You watch.”
Carla comes to check on us, asking if we want to lock up any personal items or clothes. Sam stuffs an extra T-shirt and shorts in my backpack before she takes us down a trail.
“Those nasty flip-flops aren’t going in here with my clothes.” I pull my bag away from him before he can shove them in.
“Why not?”
“I could smell them before I saw them. No way. You’re carrying those.”
“Meanie.” He pouts.
“They smell like rotten feet!”
Carla looks back at us and laughs. “Y’all are worse than siblings.”
“Yep,” we say in unison, making her chuckle again.
She takes us past a picnic pavilion and a gazebo to a small cabin, where she punches in a code.
“This little cabin is mostly used as the staff break room. There’s just a couch, kitchenette, table, and bathroom. The code for today is one, two, three, four. I’ll change it tomorrow, but that’ll be easy for you to remember.”
“Air-conditioning!” I squeal.
“Yes!” She laughs. “I thought y’all might be more comfortable in here for now. Help yourself to the snacks and sodas in the fridge. You can leave your backpack if you want. Just use the code if you need to get back in tonight.”
When she leaves, I walk over to the box air conditioner humming in the window and shamelessly raise my arms to dry my sweaty armpits, lifting my hair so the chilled air can reach my neck, when a finger pokes the upper left side of my back behind my shoulder. Crap.
“Sooo, this was a surprise. When …?”
“In Kentucky. Before I moved back to my parents’ house. Before I ever moved here. Before I knew any of you.” Okay, that was a little aggressive.
“Sensitive about something, Smalls?”
“Nope.”
“But it’s kinda ironic, ain’t it?”
“No idea why it would be.” I hedge.
“Okey dokey, Smokey.”
Sam plops on the plush green sofa, tapping on his phone again, which is unusual for him. I glance at mine, a little disappointed not to have any more messages. He starts humming an old country song, and this time it’s me who’s about to make a last-minute change to the lineup.
“Do you know the old and new versions of that?”
He winks and blows me a kiss.
“I’m your musical crush for a reason.”