She flashes me the cheesiest grin before she squeals with excitement as she heads toward the door, leaving me alone for a second before I go onstage.
I close my eyes and bow my head to my chest. “Please, Lord, be with me as I take this journey. If this is the path you chose for me, please guide me in your wisdom so I can be the best you see in me.”
I nod my head slowly, inhaling a deep breath, then open my eyes and take the first step toward what might change my life forever.
9
Silas
I lean backon the bar, waiting for her to enter the stage, taking in all the people who are here. I know I said I’d fill this place up, but even I’m shocked that so many people showed up. Putting that QR code on the flier, which led to a video of Kara, was brilliant of my sister. People knew exactly what they’d be getting, and it’s obvious they liked what they saw, or they wouldn’t be here.
When she walks onstage, my entire body lights up. I knew she was beautiful, but up onstage, she just radiates this aura that makes her beyond gorgeous. She truly is an angel up there.
“Hey, everybody. Thanks for coming out. I’m Kara Parsons,” she says, and the crowd cheers. “Tonight, I’m going to play some originals, some covers, and some songs you know but with my own twist. I hope you enjoy.”
The crowd cheers some more as I sit here like a goofy fool with a huge smile on my face, taking it all in.
She strums her guitar, and I swear it’s magic—the way I watch the crowd light up as she sings the first song. Everyone isenthralled by her, giving her their full attention and dancing to the sounds she produces.
Myles comes up to me and says, “Dang, when you go all out, you go all out.”
I point toward her. “You can see why though, right?”
He nods. “I see. She’s gorgeous, and she has a good voice.” He looks at me, then her, then back at me. “Yeah, you’re fucked,” he says with a laugh.
“Ha! Why am I fucked?”
“That girl is going to do a number on you. No doubt. You did all of this for her, and you’ve, what, been on one date?”
I blow him off. “Doesn’t matter.”
“I just hope she likes you as much as you like her.”
I take a smooth inhale, feeling secure about where I stand with her. “She does.”
He slaps my arm. “Whatever, you cocky son of a bitch. We’ll see.”
We start nodding our heads to the faster song she’s playing as people move around the makeshift dance floor, which is already more crowded than I’ve ever seen before.
Her set is on fire, and the more she plays, the more the audience jives with her. When she finishes another song, she thanks the crowd and pulls up a stool that’s sitting onstage.
“Okay, we’re going to slow it down a bit—give me time to catch my breath and give you time to grab that person who’s special to you and thank God that you’re here with them tonight. This is a cover song that speaks to me on so many levels, and I hope it does the same for you. This is ‘Where I Find God’ by Larry Fleet.”
A few who must know the song cheer out loud, but I just sit back and listen to the words, knowing if it speaks to her, then it will tell me a lot about who she is on the inside.
The song starts off sad—about hitting rock bottom, sitting on a barstool—which surprises me. I don’t see her as a big drinking kind of girl. The next stanza talks about going fishing and how they aren’t catching anything. It’s not until the chorus that I get it, especially when I think about the title—“Where I Find God.” It doesn’t matter if she’s looking for him or not; he’s always there with her.
When she sings the line about being on an interstate back to Nashville, the entire crowd yells out, making me laugh. They obviously love the song and are fully engaged with the version she’s presenting.
She sings the last line, and everyone claps, a few whistling, showing their appreciation for a job well done.
“Thank you,” she says as she stands and positions her guitar a little better.
She looks absolutely stunning up there with her hair pulled up, but little strands have fallen all around her face, making her look like the angel I called her the night we met.
“I wasn’t sure how that song would be received, so it means a lot to me that you guys enjoyed it.”
More people clap and holler out, letting her know it was more than well received, and she smiles.
