Chapter 25
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Chase
As I make my way towards the hotel entrance, I spot Frankie waving at me from across the street.
I wave back and wait for him to catch up as he jogs towards me.
I received a message this morning that we will be starting rehearsals after lunch today.
Though the text didn’t say it explicitly, I have a feeling it’s because of what happened yesterday with Bayleigh.
She’s probably nursing a massive hangover right now.
Once again, I consider quitting. But I made a commitment, and I’ll stick to it.
There’s also a chance that her show won’t go on now that Bayleigh has had a relapse.
I feel terrible; maybe I made the situation worse than it already was.
That girl still has a hold on me and drives me insane.
“Hey, I thought I might come watch rehearsal,” Frankie says as he catches up to me.
“Did the boss say that was okay?” I ask with a frown. Bayleigh doesn’t seem to have any strict rules, but at the same time, I haven’t seen anyone but the crew show up before.
“Kelly said it would be okay,” he says, and we turn to head inside.
“So, how is it going with the assistant?”
“It’s good. I mean, we’re keeping it casual, obviously, but that chick is incredible in bed. She’s lined up a meeting for me with Bayleigh’s manager . . .”
I half listen as Frankie talks. I’m excited for him, but my mind is still full of what went down with Bayleigh yesterday.
Just when I thought we had begun something new, she went and did something stupid, like drink.
Maybe she has been doing it all the time and I have just been too blind to notice.
Maybe she’s been lying this whole time. She isn’t the same girl I used to know.
We enter the ballroom, and I lead Frankie to where the instruments are set up. I wave a hello to Cassie and the other band members and introduce them to Frankie.
“We hear you’re a bit of a rising star,” Andy says, and Frankie grins proudly.
“That’s the plan,” he replies.
Cassie hands him a mic. “Show us then. We’re a pretty good judge of talent.”
Frankie chuckles and throws me a glance.
I nod encouragingly and he takes the mic.
Frankie is a natural-born performer, and he’s always ready to give it his all.
He starts singing his favorite cover of a popular country song and before he gets too far in, the rest of the band joins in.
I pull on my guitar and strum along, too.
I know our band sounds good when we play at Monty’s, and I can’t tell if it’s these top of the line instruments or the talent playing them, but this song sounds the best it ever has. I can tell from the look on Frankie’s face that he’s thinking the same thing.
I’m so carried away in the music that I almost miss the side door opening. But, like a sixth sense, I know the second Bayleigh lays eyes on me.
She looks tired. Like, truly exhausted, down to the bone. It must have been a rough night.
Frankie stops singing abruptly when he sees her and slips the mic back in the stand. “I’m sorry, Ms. Gilmore. The band said I could.”
Bayleigh walks over to him with a soft smile. “It’s okay, Frankie. It’s nice to see how passionate you are about your music.”
Kelly stands next to her and grins. “Maybe you should hire him for the band.”
Bayleigh looks from Frankie to Kelly with a knowing look. “No, he’s destined for more than a backup singer.”
She smiles at him again before ushering Cassie over, and I watch the two of them have a private conversation.
Bayleigh hands Cassie her phone, and Cassie reads something on the screen.
Then Bayleigh looks over at me and our gazes meet.
I can’t tear my eyes away from her. I desperately want to apologize to her, to make things okay between us again.
She’ll be gone after the show tomorrow night, and I can’t let her leave like this.
She turns back to Cassie and pockets her phone, and turns to me. I drink her in dressed in her tight denim jeans, floral shirt, and dark brown cowgirl boots.
A strand of her curly blonde hair falls on her face, and my hand itches to brush it away for her.
“Chase, I . . .” She swallows before continuing. “I’m sorry about last night. I was having a really bad day. I never should have involved you.”
I take a step closer to her so we aren’t overheard. “I’m sorry too. I reacted badly. Can we talk?”
She looks at the crew standing around, waiting. “After rehearsal?”
I nod and she offers me a tight smile before taking her position in front of everyone and speaking loudly. “I want to add a new song to the setlist, if that’s okay with everyone.”
My eyes widen, and I hear murmurs of surprise from the others.
“I know it’s last minute, but I only need one accompaniment.” She looks at me. “Chase? You already know some of it.”
I tilt my head. Does she mean Harper’s song?
She nods as though reading my mind. “Do you remember the music?”
It is a tune I will never forget, no matter how hard I might try. Even though we haven’t finished it, I can follow her lead and improvise. It’s how we work best, after all.
With the guitar still in my hands, I join her at the front of the stage. “Let’s do it.”
I strum a chord on my guitar, and Bayleigh positions herself in front of the microphone. Her voice shakes with emotion as she sings the first words of the song. The melody is slow and simple, allowing her powerful lyrics and vocal range to take center stage.
I can’t tear my eyes away from Bayleigh as she pours her heart out through her singing.
The song takes me on a journey of love and loss, heartbreak and surrender.
She has added new parts that are vulnerable and raw, and I can feel the healing in her voice.
This is no longer just Harper’s song; it’s transcended into something greater, as if Harper herself is there with us.
It is the most powerful song I have ever heard. When Bayleigh hits the final note, I release a trembling breath, completely moved by her performance.
Silence falls around us, and she looks over at me with a questioning raise of her eyebrows.
“That was amazing,” I say quietly, so only she can hear.
That’s when the applause breaks out behind us. Kelly rushes over and hugs Bayleigh first and then me. “I knew you could do it.”
“We did it.” Bayleigh reaches for my hand and I take it in mine.
“And Harper. We all did it,” I say, and I watch as a single tear slides down Bayleigh’s cheek.