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“Love you too!” he shouts.
Laughing, I turn back to the crowd and raise my arms over my head. “Thank you so much! How y’all doing tonight?!”
I pull the microphone from its stand and pace a few steps to the left. “Phew! It feels good to be here!”
A wave of shrill whistles and screams from the audience enthusiastically agrees.
After I banter a little more with the crowd, the band launches into “Big Lies.”
This time, I don’t miss my cue.
We run through my short set list and by the end, my cheeks ache from smiling so much.
I’m okay. I did it! I survived.
Waving to the crowd, I run off the stage, right into Rooster’s waiting arms.
“You were amazing!” he shouts.
“I almost choked.” I bury my face against his chest.
He wraps his arms around me and rests his chin on the top of my head. “Couldn’t tell. Just sounded like you were giving the band an extra-long intro for the song.”
I pull back and stare at the hard line of his jaw. Teasingly, I jab my finger in his stomach to lighten him up. “So you could tell.”
His serious expression doesn’t shift. “Only because I know you and I’ve watched you perform the song. No one in the crowd noticed. And if they did, fuck ’em. I’d like to see any of ’em get back on stage so soon after what you just went through.”
“Good show.” Murphy walks over to us and gently pats my back. “Atlanta loves you.” He points toward the sliver of the crowd visible from back here to a group of people holding up a huge sign proclaiming, “Atlanta’s got Shelby Morgan’s back.”
Between the bright lights and the anxiety over screwing up the show, I’d been blinded to everything in the crowd. Now, I’m able to stop and observe the little details I missed. “That’s so sweet.” I duck my head, heat stinging my cheeks. My gaze swings between Murphy and Rooster.
“Thanks for sticking around. I felt so much better knowing you guys were here.” Working for free, I add to myself. But Rooster’s said over and over, it’s a non-issue, so I won’t bring it up again.
Wrath ambles up to our small group, holding Trinity’s hand. Heidi runs up to Murphy, excitedly sharing her experience in the “pit.”
Rooster checks his phone. “I need to go check out the meet-and-greet room.” He glances up at Wrath and then Murphy. “Stick with her?”
They agree. Rooster gives me a quick kiss on the cheek before taking off with Jigsaw and Dex.
“Can I ask you something, Shelby?” Wrath rumbles. I crane my neck and study his serious expression. Depending on the situation, I’ve noticed he’s either full of humor or so terrifying, I want to pee my pants and run away when he settles his scary eyes on me. Tonight, he seems more thoughtful than fearsome.
“Sure. Shoot.”
“Empty Room. You write that?”
I swallow hard and drop my gaze. That song is so intertwined in the deepest parts of my soul. I should probably stop playing it live. Every time, it drags me back to losing Hayley and leaves me raw. I don’t think I can stand to have one of Rooster’s brothers ridicule something so personal. “Yes,” I answer carefully, bracing myself.
“What’s it about?”
My expression hardens as I tip my head back and meet his questioning eyes. “My little sister. Why?”
“It’s hard to get all the words with everything going on.” He tugs on his earlobe. “But I thought it was something like that.”
“I probably shouldn’t even play it. It’s too personal.” My way of warning him not to give me any snarky feedback.
A flash of sympathy creases his brow. “No, you should.” He taps his chest. “It’s honest. And it probably helps people more than you realize.”
“Oh.” I blink and glance away. Honest. I like that. “Thank you.”
“Must be hard for you to play night after night.”
“Yes and no.”
“Shelby! Oh my God, I love you!” A shrill voice screams, interrupting our conversation.
Moving quick for someone of his size, Wrath turns, blocking me from view. Trinity squeezes in behind him, flanking my other side.
“Shelby will be signing down there in a few minutes,” Murphy says, smoothly pointing her down the hall.
“But I don’t have passes for that,” she whines.
I tap Wrath’s arm and he peers at me over his shoulder. “I can sign something for her.”
He nods and nudges Murphy aside. The two of them provide a narrow passageway for me to say hello, sign a T-shirt, and take a quick selfie.
“Thank you so much, Shelby.” She flashes some serious stink-eye at Murphy before taking off.
“Sorry. Rooster didn’t tell us what he wanted to do if that happened,” Murphy says.
“It’s fine. We’ll get the hang of it.”
Wrath grumbles something I can’t quite catch.
Rooster returns, holding out his hand to me. I curl my fingers around his gratefully and he pulls me into the middle of a circle of protection. I doubt anyone can even see me but people sure move out of the way.
