Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 78227 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78227 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 391(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
“We’ll get to that. For now…” He motions to the blond man—Zane Michaels—who’s talking to a few women on the other side of the bar.
Zane ends his conversation and comes over. “Hey,” he says. “Man, you guys were great.”
I’m about ready to faint, but at least my lips have unfrozen.
“Zane Michaels,” I say. “I’m a big fan.”
“Likewise…” He grins. “This is where you tell me your name.”
“Rory. Rory Pike.”
“And I’m Cage Ramsey, keyboard and bass.”
“Damn. That was some fine playing.”
“Thank you.”
“So yeah, Jett, have you asked them about our idea?”
“Not yet. I want to talk to the whole band.”
“Yeah, awesome. Where are the others?”
“Dealing with adoring fans,” Jett says, “according to Rory here.”
“Yeah,” Cage says, “and don’t expect them to be out here anytime soon.”
“Why aren’t you back there with them?” I ask.
“Because I saw you here at the bar with Jett. I wanted to see if I was right.”
“You were.”
I hop off my stool. “I’ll go get the rest of the band. I know they’ll want to meet and talk to you guys.”
I head backstage, where indeed, I find my brother, Dragon, and Jake talking to a group of six women.
“Hey, guys,” I say. “You need to come to the bar.”
“We’re kind of busy here, sis,” Jesse says.
“Trust me,” I say to him. “You want to come with me. Now.”
“Guys, I’d like you to meet Jett Draconis and Zane Michaels,” I say. “Gentlemen, this is my brother, Jesse, our lead guitarist, Jake Michaels—no relation, I’m sure—and our drummer, Dragon Locke.”
Jett raises his eyebrows. “Dragon Locke? Seriously? The band’s name?”
“That’s right,” Jesse says. “It was too cool of a name not to use.”
“Is that your real name, man?” Zane asks Dragon.
“Says so on my birth certificate,” Dragon says in his dark voice.
“Fantastic,” Jett says. “Zane and I need to talk to you guys about something, but it’s kind of noisy in here. It’s a little chilly outside. Is there anywhere else we can talk?”
“Sure,” Jesse says. “We can go backstage. It’s a little quieter back there.”
“Let’s do it.” Jett hops off his stool.
We head backstage, and my heart has finally quieted down to its normal rhythm.
What on earth do they want to talk to us about?
I’m almost scared of the possibilities.
“Okay,” Jett says when we’re all seated in a circle of folding chairs.
“Yeah?” Jesse says.
“Here’s the thing: Emerald Phoenix is going on tour in January. Right after the holidays. It’s an overseas tour. UK, France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Plus a homecoming tour hitting twelve major cities in the States afterward.”
“Yeah,” Jesse says. “I read about that.”
“The band that was supposed to open for us, Potato Soup, had to cancel. Two of their members were in a car accident.”
I swallow. No way. He’s not about to suggest—
“Zane and I have been scrambling, trying to come up with a band who can fill in. We think we may have found them.”
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
BROCK
Damn the traffic!
A semi overturned on the highway to Grand Junction, and we’re down to one lane. It’s slow going, but I’m determined to get to the Dawn.
At this rate, I’m going to miss the show.
Oh well. I’ve heard Rory sing with the band before, and I’ll hear them again. The most important thing is getting a room at the hotel so Rory and I can be alone tonight.
I have so much to tell her, but that can wait until after we’ve had some fast and furious fucking.
Damn.
Who the hell is Dyane Wingdam?
Whoever she is, apparently she was once either married—or at least had a kid with—William Steel.
Unless she’s Pat’s grandmother from the other side.
I suppose I should’ve asked him that, but I’m not sure he would even know.
I still don’t trust the asshole.
Minutes tick by, and I finally get past the blocked lanes.
I gun it into Grand Junction.
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
RORY
None of us say a word.
Seriously, you could hear a fucking pin drop in here.
“So… Are you at all interested?” Zane asks.
Jesse’s jaw drops. Then Cage’s. Then Jake’s. Then my own.
The only one who doesn’t look surprised is Dragon. The expression on his face almost never changes.
“So I take that as a yes?” Jett says.
“Wow, that…” I say. “We all… What a surprise.”
“We came here at the request of our agent, Selena Campbell,” Jett continues. “She heard you guys the other night and thought you might have something. We didn’t expect you to be as good as you are.”
“Thank you,” Jesse says.
“Who’s your agent?” Zane asks. “We should talk to them.”
“We’re self-managed at the moment,” Jesse says.
“I already told Jett we’re not represented,” I add.
“We were hoping to be represented by now,” Jesse says, “but we had to cancel some major gigs in California because of a fire that destroyed Rory’s and my family’s property.”
“I get it. You need to be there for your family,” Jett says. “I’ve been there, man. You’ve probably read all about my brother’s troubles. Let me tell you this. If you sign with us, go on tour with us? You’ll be able to help your family a lot.”