Page 21 of Down Beat

“We’re getting married,” Em states as though it’s the solve-all for his love fiasco. “I haven’t asked her yet, but she’ll say yes.”

“And I thought I was a suicidal masochist,” Kris mumbles, still engrossed in his phone.

“We all done here?” Rick looks hopefully toward our ragtag bunch, completely unaware of the storm that approaches behind him.

“What’s the end game, Rey?” Tabitha blazes past our manager as though he’s not even there. “Why would you have me opening for you?”

“Hi, Tabby.” I grin at her, thumbs hooked in the pockets of my jeans. “Nice to see you again, too.”

“Fuck hellos.” She thrusts her arms across her chest, enhancing the ladies. “Why are you doing this?”

I shrug. “Seemed like a fair compromise.”

“Was it your idea?” She takes a look around at the group, scowling when her gaze lands on Emery and his goofy grin. “Or did one of these muppets come up with it?”

“Muppet.” Emery dissolves into girly giggles on the floor.

“My idea.” I hook a hand around her elbow, ignoring the buzz it leaves in my palm. “Now hustle. We’re late for sound check.”

“What?” Her boots dig in to the carpet. “Sound check?”

“Yeah.” I wink at Toby as he slings an arm around Café Girl’s shoulders and guides her toward the exit. “You know how it works, babe. You sing, the sound geeks do their shit, and we all come up smelling of roses on the night.”

“I know what a sound check is,” she bites out. “I don’t have my violin, though.”

“Easy.” I give Emery a kick in the shin to get him moving as I walk us by. “We’ll go pick it up.”

“This isn’t why I came here.” Tabby jerks her arm free of my hold.

I catch the warning stare Kris gives me as he sets himself in motion.

“Why are you here, then?” I ask. “Can’t be just to ask me why I’d let you open for us.”

Her eyes stay focused on me, and yet her thoughts seem to be a thousand miles away as she stays mute.

“You don’t know, do you?”

Epic. Girl’s stuck on me already; she just doesn’t realize it yet.