Wade took it but looked confused. “We were only practicing,” he said uncertainly.
“And it’s only a little something,” she replied. “But you sang those first songs so beautifully you made me cry,” she spoke to me.
“I’m sorry.” Was that a good thing? I wasn’t sure.
“You sing like an angel. Wade, you just got every Thursday night regular, and Sunday afternoon paid as well.”
Wade’s eyes were wide as he tried to hide his delight. “You serious? Every Thursday?”
Sheryl pointed at me and nodded. “You bring this little songbird every week, you get every Thursday.”
Wade hesitated as he looked at me, and I stepped forward. “We’ll see you Thursday.”
The four of us left the bar laughing at our good fortune. Shane and Wade talked set lists while I listened to Sticks telling me how good my butt looked in a short skirt, but that I should try leather pants to really give him something to look at. He was teasing, though, as he kept glancing at Wade to get a reaction from him.
I wasn’t expecting Ava, Jett, and Ash to be waiting at the van around the back of the bar.
“Ava, my sweet, sweet friend,” Wade cried as he scooped her into a warm hug. “Guess what?”
“Mee’s singing with Atticus Dawn,” Ava said as she looked at me, and I saw her expression was one of delight and sadness.
“Mia is not singing with Atticus Dawn,” Wade crowed. “Mia issingingwith Atticus Dawn.”
“That’s amazing, Mee,” Ava said as she stepped out of Wade’s hold, and it wasn’t lost on anyone when Jett reached out and pulled her back to his side. I doubted he even knew that he did it. He really was so incredibly possessive.
“It was fun,” I told her as Wade realized there was a tension he hadn’t expected.
“Did you come in?” he asked them as Shane and Sticks packed the van.
“No.” Ava shook her head sadly. “Didn’t want to put you off your stride,” she admitted, and I appreciated that she knew that it would have thrown me. “You sounded amazing.”
“You listened?” I asked, self-conscious of who was standing to my left.
“You were really good,” Ash spoke for the first time. “Much better than when you sing for me.”
What?
“What?” I asked him as I looked at him for the first time. His hair was pushed back, his blue eyes fixed on mine, his zip-up hoodie was open, showing his black T-shirt, and his jeans fit him just right. He saw my quick appraisal of him, and that smile that made me lose my intelligence teased around his mouth.
“Yeah, you were really good, Red.” He reached out, and his fingers trailed over my arm in a soft caress.
I saw Wade stare and then look at Ava, the question clear in his eyes. Which was understandable, as I’m sure the same question was in mine.
“Um . . .”
“I guess you guys have our songbird and are taking her away from us?” Sticks said sourly from the van, and when Jett nodded, he waved at me half-heartedly. “See you for practice.”
“Wait!”
“It makes sense we take you . . . you and Ash need to go to housing together,” Jett spoke casually. Wade, looking between us all, picked up on the weirdness, but knowing Ava was my best friend, merely hugged me, and then the boys left me.
“What in darnation is happening?” I demanded as I stood there, and the van drove away.
“The apartment is still blocked off, so the college will give you visitor accommodation, because we know certain members of the board very well.” Jett smirked at Ash.
“I can’t go home?” I asked Ava incredulously. “I mean, I know it was boarded, but I assumed it would be fixed.”
“No, they’re being dicks about it,” Ash grumbled.
