Carla comes to check on us, asking if we want to lock up any personal items or clothes. Sam stuffs an extra T-shirt and shorts in my backpack before she takes us down a trail.
“Those nasty flip-flops aren’t going in here with my clothes.” I pull my bag away from him before he can shove them in.
“Why not?”
“I could smell them before I saw them. No way. You’re carrying those.”
“Meanie.” He pouts.
“They smell like rotten feet!”
Carla looks back at us and laughs. “Y’all are worse than siblings.”
“Yep,” we say in unison, making her chuckle again.
She takes us past a picnic pavilion and a gazebo to a small cabin, where she punches in a code.
“This little cabin is mostly used as the staff break room. There’s just a couch, kitchenette, table, and bathroom. The code for today is one, two, three, four. I’ll change it tomorrow, but that’ll be easy for you to remember.”
“Air-conditioning!” I squeal.
“Yes!” She laughs. “I thought y’all might be more comfortable in here for now. Help yourself to the snacks and sodas in the fridge. You can leave your backpack if you want. Just use the code if you need to get back in tonight.”
When she leaves, I walk over to the box air conditioner humming in the window and shamelessly raise my arms to dry my sweaty armpits, lifting my hair so the chilled air can reach my neck, when a finger pokes the upper left side of my back behind my shoulder.Crap.
“Sooo,thiswas a surprise. When…?”
“In Kentucky. Before I moved back to my parents’ house. Before I ever moved here. Before I knew any of you.” Okay, that was a little aggressive.
“Sensitive about something, Smalls?”
“Nope.”
“But it’s kinda ironic, ain’t it?”
“No idea why it would be.” I hedge.
“Okey dokey, Smokey.”
Sam plops on the plush green sofa, tapping on his phone again, which is unusual for him. I glance at mine, a little disappointed not to have any more messages. He starts humming an old country song, and this time it’s me who’s about to make a last-minute change to the lineup.
“Do you know the old and new versions of that?”
He winks and blows me a kiss.
“I’m your musical crush for a reason.”
Chapter 26
Heads Carolina
Sam swings our hands between us as we walk back—probably because my body language screams flight risk when I see the number of people gathered at the stage. He’s got a guitar and his tablet ready to go. Carla meets us at the steps on the right side in a small area hidden from the audience’s view. She’s in on our opening song and knows what to say to get it started.
“Carla?” I swallow hard. “This looks like more than a hundred people.” I hope we’ve become good enough friends today to express the betrayal I feel without sounding rude.
“I know. I didn’t think this many would stay. A lot of them are from out of town. I thought most of them would skip out and get on the road.”
Luis waves to let us know he’s ready. Before I come out, Carla will greet everyone and lay down the behavior rules. I peek around the corner and see teenagers and their familiesspreading out blankets to sit on, several scanning the code on Sam’s sign, pointing and talking excitedly. I have my notifications silenced, but comments are already pouring in.
