Page 77 of Jonny’s Redemption

“Evie’s gonna rock the hell out of this!” I shouted.

“Don’t know how she can top her last song,” Jonny returned.

“You ain’t seen nothing. I told you she was magnetic. She feeds off the crowd.”

Colored lights flashed and the stage turned a hazy red as the strains of Heart’s chart-topping song, Barracuda filled the venue. Then Penny Cash came in on the drums and I got a small taste of what Evie felt. The sounds, the lights, the beat of the music flowing all around like a living, breathing entity.

Evie had handed off her guitar and now that the instrument wasn’t obstructing her stomach her huge baby bump was clearly visible as she yanked the microphone off the stand and strutted center stage.

I glanced over at Chasin and he was smiling so big I know he saw it, too. Every so often the strobe hit her belly like a spotlight.

Oh, yeah, hell yeah, Evie was kicking serious ass. Tonight she wasn’t feeding off the crowd. Tonight she was all about Chasin. Tonight her man was watching her and she was showing off big time. Her hips were swaying, she was stomping, she was in the groove.

Then suddenly she stopped singing.

The band kept playing but Evie’s head was tipped back, both hands were on her belly, and Chasin was on the move. Jonny followed and I was right on their heels.

Evie righted her head and smiled.

Not her I’m-a-kickass-country-superstar smile. Oh, no—it was her I’m-a-woman-in-love-mom-to-be smile.

“Sorry, everyone,” she said to the crowd laughing. “You see, my boy in here, he loves music.” Her hand went to her stomach and her gaze caught Chasin. “And he loves rockin’ with his mamma. Chasin, darlin’, I think he’s gonna be a drummer, he’s got the rhythm and the energy.”

At that, the decibel level rose to deafening as people cheered, shouted, and went berserk. Jonny guided a near-frozen Chasin back into the wings and Evie picked the song back up like she never stopped.

When the song came to a close, Chasin was laughing and shaking his head.

“When the high wears off, how mad do you think she’s gonna be she slipped and announced to a few million people we’re having a boy?” Chasin asked.

“At least she didn’t say his name,” I returned.

“Only because I haven’t told her what we’re naming him.”

“What? You’re naming him?”

“Yep. I get this one, she gets the next one.”

That was a good idea.

“What’s his name?”

Chasin shrugged but I didn’t have time to pressure him into telling me before a kick-ass drum riff hit and a second later the bass joined in. Evie started the vocal arrangement, coming in first this time. Then Sean Lovette came back on stage and picked up the refrain.

“Holy shit, here she comes.” I bounced on my toes and held my breath.

Jonny fitted his front tight against my back, his arms went around me, and his hand rested on my stomach.

“Breathe, baby. She’ll do fine.”

“Holy shit. Wait for it.”

“Very superstitious…”

And with those two raspy words, Penny Cash made her world premiere. Evie stepped to the side, dancing and swaying to Penny. Sean freaking Lovette country megastar was jamming with a girl so fresh on the scene the stage manager had to pull her aside and give her a quick lesson on the equipment.

“Damn, she’s good.”

Penny Cash was better than good.