“Already got three kids,” Levi says. “Way to keep up. You know what’s as awesome as a science blog? A bookstore. It can get any science you want in book form. And that’s what my wife does. She runs a bookstore. Has romance novels too. Y’all like romance novels?”
I am where I belong, because once again, the crowd loses its mind.
“If we’re comparing,” Tripp says, “might I point out that my wife runs the most successful baseball team in the world and manages baseball players with big egos.”
He doesn’t have to say which baseball team.
This is a hometown crowd.
They know.
And the Fireballs might not have brought home top honors this year, but they did each of the two years before.
“And speaking of, did you all hear our favorite newlywed player is staying on for one more year to bring us home another championship?” he adds.
“Gag me,” Tillie Jean yells.
“Is that really Cooper’s sister?” someone behind us says.
“Yes, but she bites,” Annika replies.
“Oh, wow, it is. That’s Tillie Jean. Tillie Jean. TJ! Did you bring the goat?”
“Can we get back to bragging on our significant others?” Cash says up on stage. “Because you all wouldn’t be here tonight if my girlfriend hadn’t let you crash her show. Can we hear it for Aspen?”
Oh, yes.
This crowd is here for Aspen.
We love her.
I’ll be hoarse before tonight is over.
And it’ll be worth it.
But the buzzing is starting in my ears again, because all four of his bandmates are now looking at Davis.
“Welp, that’s what we’ve been up to,” Beck says.
“How about another song?” Levi adds.
“A good one this time,” Cash says. “Without the manbun stealing all of the vocals.”
“Is he really the manbun anymore though?” Levi says. “I don’t see a manbun.”
“Neither do I,” Tripp adds.
“It’s there metaphysically,” Beck says.
“Metaphorically?” Tripp corrects.
Beck grins at him. “You and your big words. Maybe we should take a poll from the crowd.”
“Can the manbun speak?” Davis says, which is so wrong, since clearly, he doesn’t have his manbun anymore.
I suspect it’ll come back.
Eventually.
