Frankie stops singing abruptly when he sees her and slips the mic back in the stand.“I’m sorry, Ms.Gilmore.The band said I could.”
Bayleigh walks over to him with a soft smile.“It’s okay, Frankie.It’s nice to see how passionate you are about your music.”
Kelly stands next to her and grins.“Maybe you should hire him for the band.”
Bayleigh looks from Frankie to Kelly with a knowing look.“No, he’s destined for more than a backup singer.”
She smiles at him again before ushering Cassie over, and I watch the two of them have a private conversation.Bayleigh hands Cassie her phone, and Cassie reads something on the screen.Then Bayleigh looks over at me and our gazes meet.I can’t tear my eyes away from her.I desperately want to apologize to her, to make things okay between us again.She’ll be gone after the show tomorrow night, and I can’t let her leave like this.
She turns back to Cassie and pockets her phone, and turns to me.I drink her in dressed in her tight denim jeans, floral shirt, and dark brown cowgirl boots.
A strand of her curly blonde hair falls on her face, and my hand itches to brush it away for her.
“Chase, I ...”She swallows before continuing.“I’m sorry about last night.I was having a really bad day.I never should have involved you.”
I take a step closer to her so we aren’t overheard.“I’m sorry too.I reacted badly.Can we talk?”
She looks at the crew standing around, waiting.“After rehearsal?”
I nod and she offers me a tight smile before taking her position in front of everyone and speaking loudly.“I want to add a new song to the setlist, if that’s okay with everyone.”
My eyes widen, and I hear murmurs of surprise from the others.
“I know it’s last minute, but I only need one accompaniment.”She looks at me.“Chase?You already know some of it.”
I tilt my head.Does she mean Harper’s song?
She nods as though reading my mind.“Do you remember the music?”
It is a tune I will never forget, no matter how hard I might try.Even though we haven’t finished it, I can follow her lead and improvise.It’s how we work best, after all.
With the guitar still in my hands, I join her at the front of the stage.“Let’s do it.”
I strum a chord on my guitar, and Bayleigh positions herself in front of the microphone.Her voice shakes with emotion as she sings the first words of the song.The melody is slow and simple, allowing her powerful lyrics and vocal range to take center stage.
I can’t tear my eyes away from Bayleigh as she pours her heart out through her singing.The song takes me on a journey of love and loss, heartbreak and surrender.She has added new parts that are vulnerable and raw, and I can feel the healing in her voice.This is no longer just Harper’s song; it’s transcended into something greater, as if Harper herself is there with us.
It is the most powerful song I have ever heard.When Bayleigh hits the final note, I release a trembling breath, completely moved by her performance.
Silence falls around us, and she looks over at me with a questioning raise of her eyebrows.
“That was amazing,” I say quietly, so only she can hear.
That’s when the applause breaks out behind us.Kelly rushes over and hugs Bayleigh first and then me.“I knew you could do it.”
“We did it.”Bayleigh reaches for my hand and I take it in mine.
“And Harper.We all did it,” I say, and I watch as a single tear slides down Bayleigh’s cheek.
CHAPTERTWENTY-SIX
Bayleigh
Everyone’s riding high afterwards.Especially me.Writing and performing that song has done more to heal my heart than years of therapy ever could.
We run through the set one more time and go over the last-minute details.Tomorrow morning, we will be going to the outdoor stage for sound check then to the big show.I’m nervous and excited and scared, but knowing Chase will be beside me makes me surprisingly less anxious.He has a strange, calming effect that I’d forgotten about.
I tell Kelly and Max I’m going to hang out with Chase.“I’ll call if I need you,” I say.“We’ll be fine.”
