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“Is she?” Branna asked as they reached the stage.
“I’m nervous,” Faith said softly.
“I usually throw up just before I go onstage,” Ryan said.
“Really?” She shot him a look. “I mean, you always look so calm and controlled.”
“Appearances are deceptive.”
“The first time Mr. Hope dragged me up here?” Branna said. “I was terrified.”
Faith remembered that night. Branna had been pale and shaking.
“And here they are!” Mr. Hope called.
The crowd roared as they appeared, and Faith knew most of that would be for Ryan. Rubbing her sweaty palms down her shorts, she looked at the crowd and saw the woman he’d called Shelly. She was giving Ryan a look that suggested she’d like to lure him into her web and never let him go.
Not happening, lady.
The group all gathered around. Ryan was handed a guitar.
“What songs do you know well?” he asked her.
They came up with three they all knew.
“Want a prop?” Annabelle asked.
“Ah, sure.” Faith took the tambourine she was handed.
“Just whack it against your thigh. You’ll get the hang of it.”
“So this band you played in when you went away to study. How did that work out for you?” Ryan asked.
“It was okay. We just practiced, mainly. It was fun.”
“You sing in it?”
She nodded, her eyes going from him to the crowd. It seemed to have multiplied. What the hell was she doing?
“Okay, well, you stand right here between me and Branna, and you can move between our microphones. If you’re really bad, we can drown you out.” Ryan nudged her with his shoulder.
She managed a tight smile.
“It’s okay, Faith. We’re here. Now you take a deep breath in and out for me.”
She did as he asked.
“And another.” He was strumming the guitar. “You guys all ready?” He looked at each of the band members. They nodded, and Faith saw their excitement that they were getting to play with Ryan Lawrence.
“You do the talking, Ryan. They’re not interested in us,” Branna said.
“I find that hard to believe, seeing as the three hottest women in town are up here.”
“Aww.” Annabelle planted a loud kiss on his cheek, and the audience clapped.
“Hi, everyone. Thanks for turning out to watch us take apart the Brook Ballbusters,” Ryan said into the microphone.
The crowd roared.
