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Smart. They weren’t just talented, they were intelligent and savvy and managed well. He’d seen way too many bands who were missing one of those ingredients flame out.
It wouldn’t be Warning Sign, assuming they didn’t implode from inside. That was always a concern, and even more so for that contentious bunch.
Tonight, though, they were going to be on fire. He wished he could tell Juliet that in person, but a text would have to do. She would be going on in not too long, and he didn’t know enough about her pre-show routines to risk throwing her off.
Yanking out his phone, he typed out a quick message.
Randy: You’re going to slay them tonight.
She didn’t answer right away. When she did, he was behind the board, doing one last sweep of the perimeter illumination. Tonight’s concert featured a song with fire-like lights that popped up around the edges of the stage, almost like mini-torches. It was a new effect for Warning Sign and required more checks than usual. Along with all the trouble they’d already had that day, he wasn’t taking any risks.
Everything had to be perfect. For the band, for the show.
For her.
The low series of beeps in his pocket that signaled Juliet made him grin and tug out his phone.
Juliet: Thanks. God, I’m starved. My stomach may growl on the mic.
Randy: Didn’t you eat?
Juliet: No, 2 nervous. This is a big concert for us, 1 of our biggest yet. Did u see that crowd? The Grunge practically sold this place out. Now we have to prove we’re worth their money.
Randy: You are. I’ll be out there with them. I’m switching off with one of my techs at the board tonight.
Juliet: It only counts if you’re wearing a Warning Sign T-shirt.
He glanced down at his plain black T-shirt and motioned over one of the younger guys in the crew. “You know where I can get a band shirt?”
“Yeah, try the merch table. The box back here is already empty.”
“Merch table, huh?” Randy scratched the back of his neck. That meant venturing out into the masses. Not that anyone cared about him. The crew was only useful if they helped a fan get closer to fucking the band.
Randy: I’m on it.
Juliet: Come back here and let me see you with our name on your chest.
It was a skill she had, the way she could make even the most innocuous thing seem dirty.
Randy: You sure? I don’t want to mess up your pre-show deal.
Juliet: There is none, other than watching Molly preen & pick scarves. The boys squabble & show off. Elle & I roll our eyes a lot & drink a ton of Red Bull. So yeah, come…help me take the edge off.
There was no missing her winky face emoji. Or the immediate stiffening in his pants.
He could so do that.
God, could he ever.
Chapter Eighteen
First, he needed a T-shirt.
After making sure the board was covered by Derek and another tech, Randy made his way down to where they were selling band merchandise. He grabbed a red tee with the band logo splashed across the front in slashing black letters and a bumper sticker. On impulse, he snatched a gray hoodie off the pile too and pushed all the stuff at the giddy teen manning the table.
“Oh, look at that.” A brunette with a bouncy dark ponytail leaned over to snatch Randy’s bumper sticker from the teen. “It’s like a target.” She had a smoker’s rasp, the kind that sounded oddly musical. “That’s fucking cool. Wish they’d spraypaint that shit on the windows of the bus.”
Randy gave her a polite smile, wondering if she planned on giving back his damn bumper sticker. It was the last one.
