“Yes, ma’am, let’s rock and roll.”
Wade’s band was playing in Cardinal tonight, so it was a ten-minute drive in the cab, and Mia talked to the driver the whole time while I checked my flyers, admiring the new design.
When we got to the bar, I told the bouncer our names, and he tagged us as underage with pink wristbands. We were early, and Wade and the guys were still setting up. “Hey, I have them. Where do you want them?” I asked as I held up the flyers and assessed the tables.
“One on every table, then they said we can put them on the shelf over there,” Wade said as he pointed to the shelf that ran the entire length of the bar. We’d been in this bar before. It was bigger than some of the ones at campus, and the floor was always sticky from years of people spilling their drinks when they were dancing. Sheryl, the lady who owned the place, was nice, and she always gave Mia and me free soda when we were here.
“Holy shit, you both look hot,” Wade blurted when he finally looked at us. “You are staying here, aren’t you?” he asked me worriedly.
“Yeah, but there’s a party at the basketball team’s house later,” I told him as I looked over at Mia, who was talking to Alex, the new singer. “Mia wants to party.”
“Cool, got that invite too. I’ll tag along with you,” Wade told me. “Posters are the shit, Ava. Love them.”
“Aww, thank you.” I batted my lashes at him, and he laughed. “Looking very JC tonight, Mr. Gordon,” I complimented him.
“Did you just tell Wade he looked like Jesus?” Shane asked me in confusion as he looked at the faux-mohawked, tattooed bass player.
“JC. Johnny Cash.”
“Oh,” Shane laughed self-consciously. “’Cause he’s all in black?”
Wade grinned as he called Alex over. “First song tonight, as inspired by our poster girl, ‘Man in Black,’” Wade told him, and Alex nodded.
“Sure, it’ll take us right into the new song too.”
“Agreed,” Wade said as he squeezed my arm before they went back to the stage area.
“You look good,” Shane said as he looked me over appreciatively.“For someone? Or do you have plans later?”
“Party at the Orchard later.”
“Basketball guys?” He grinned at me slyly. “They told me football was your game of choice.”
“So? I can’t party?” I teased him, and he smiled at me in good humor.
“Okay if I join you later?” Shane asked as he looked over to the stage where Sticks was calling for him.
“Yeah, Wade’s coming too.”
His smile lost some of the shine, but he turned before I could clarify that I was aware of what he was asking me. I started putting the flyers on the tables and strategically placing them along the shelf on the wall.
“Why does the hot guitarist look like you threw up in his shoes?” Mia asked me curiously as she handed me a soda.
“He asked if he could come to the party later, and I said yes and that Wade was already going.”
“Oh.” Mia took a sip of her soda. “Maybe it could have gone smoother,” she said with a small smile my way. “You can make it up to him later.”
“How?” I pulled out one of the stools at the wall, sat and crossed my legs, and leaned on one of the flyers as I stared at her.
“Tell him he played well and he’s a great addition to the band.” Mia shrugged as she swayed her hips to the music coming from the jukebox, oblivious to the fact that she had Alex’s full attention from the stage.
“You okay here or do you want to move closer?” I asked her as I looked around the bar. “They won’t mind if we get closer. They’d probably prefer us to be further from the bar,” I added ruefully.
“We can move nearer the time.”
Nodding at her plan, we spoke quietly as we watched Wade and the guys make the finishing touches to the setup, and then Wade was scribbling in a notebook, and I knew they were making up the set list. I shook my head at his casualness to the set, but he had explained to me before that he didn’t like selecting the music too far in advance. He needed to feel his vibe on the night.
More people started arriving, and as they did, Mia and I left the comfort of our wall and started mingling and handing out flyers. Pretty soon, the band started, and that made my job harder as everyone seemed to unconsciously move forward as one. Wade had a good college following, and they were loyal supporters, mostly always showing up when they had an off-campus gig.
