She still wasn’t used to the profusion of equipment and people needed for the live tapings ofAmerica Sings!After the past three rounds, she should’ve been used to the bustle.But trying to navigate boom mics and heavy amps and the staff from other bands was nothing if not overwhelming.
She sidestepped two grips moving special effects gear for the contestant from Montana.
If only she could find some peace and quiet.Just for a moment.The last few weeks had been an enormous whirlwind.
A notification popped up on her phone with a staccato buzz.Her stomach lurched.Hurricane Timothy gathers steam over the Gulf.
She tapped the back of her phone repeatedly.The last text she’d had from her family had been two hours before.They’d told her not to worry, that they’d be in touch after the power was back up.The main impact wasn’t supposed to be around their island, but farther south, closer to Cuba.
If only she could talk to them now.If only they had been able to leave earlier to come to the taping, then they wouldn’t even be there.But back-to-back hurricanes had stranded little Hermosa Key.
“Ellery.”Logan appeared out of nowhere like a hellbeast.“You ready?Last night.Go big or go home.You’ll be great.”
Inwardly, Ellery sighed, but she kept her composure.A few more hours and she could fire Logan.Maybe then Dante would come back.He had signed a contract with the cruise lines, but his tour didn’t start for another week or so.Contracts could be broken, right?Her dad would help.She was exhausted after making concession after concession to get to this place.
“I’m fine, Logan.”
“That’s my girl.”Logan set a hand on her shoulder, and Ellery braced against the unexpected softness.He didn’t touch her often, which was one hundred percent fine by her, but there was a sweetness about him all of a sudden.It probably should’ve put her on edge, but she was already so wired she wasn’t sure she could handle more.“El, you’ve done a fantastic job.I’ll be shocked if you don’t win.Break a leg tonight.”
“Thanks.”It wasn’t as though she could say more.His unanticipated gesture softened the frizz of her energy.
He nodded, almost shy, and moved away.“You’re up in five.”
Adrenaline gushed down her throat and coursed along her spine, thrusting aside the dim worries over her family and the approaching hurricane.They had said they would be fine.The worst was meant to pass them, and they had boarded their windows “like the old-timers,” or so her dad had joked.
Her family would want her to do well tonight, especially since they couldn’t be there.They’d want her to make them proud, the only way she could.She texted them a quickI love youand went to meet her fate.
She found Selene and Lorraine without much difficulty.Both huddled together behind the thick velvet curtains of the wings.Lorraine’s fingers flew over an invisible keyboard and Selene’s drumsticks rotated so quickly it was impossible to see their definition.
She understood why they were nervous.The song from the Arizona contingent, “Firewalk,” was incredible.Upbeat and edgy, Imagine Dragons vibes.Plus they were all men.
Fucking patriarchy.
Self-doubt clawed at the back of her brain, but she couldn’t let it in.Not now.She’d fought it for years, and this was her chance.This wastheirchance.
If only Dante were here.
Selene turned and found her gaze.“Damn it, those guys are amazing.”
Ellery forced a bright smile.“So are we.Their drummer isn’t half as good as you, and put their keyboardist against Lorraine in a duel?She’d wipe the floor and make him drink the mop water.”
“That’s disgusting.”But Lorraine’s nervous aura dissipated as she smiled.“Have you heard from Dante?He texted us earlier.”
Ellery still had the texts up on her lock screen.
Dante Baker (rock god):Kick ass, El.
“Yeah.I wish he were here.”
“Us too.”Selene linked her arms with Lorraine and Ellery.“We’ve made it a long way, right?”
“We’ll make it a little further.Together.”
Tears sprang to her eyes but she pushed them aside.No tears tonight.“Tonight, we are going to rock.We are going to be glorious, like the badass bitches we are.Then we are going to fire Logan and go back to being the Vendetta.”
Lorraine grinned.“I don’t know, Ellery and the Vendetta from Wisconsin have been doing all right.”
“Yeah, but that’s not who we are.Let’s go out there and show them what we can do.”
