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“I’ll start looking for a place to rent outside of Kedrick tomorrow, assuming we get the gig,” Rhaider said, clearing the screen and turning off the tablet.
“Sounds good. Hopefully we do,” Rafe said. He eyed the way Rebel was shoveling the cake into his mouth like he thought it could disappear at any moment. “As soon as he’s finished, we can get on the way.”
“Fingers crossed,” Rhaider said.
“Every single one of them,” Maverick added.
Chapter Three
Rhaider pulled open the door to Tails and held it for his band mates. He was one hundred percent antsy, and he was not a male who got nervous. Something about this bar, about this town, made his bear want to stick around, and it felt like their acceptance as the house band was suddenly supremely important. Like the most important thing he’d ever faced in his entire life.
“You okay?” Rebel asked before walking through the open door. “Your eyes are flashing.”
“Yeah. I guess? I just feel like we need to be here.”
Rebel hummed. “Performance nerves?”
“More than that, maybe.” Rhaider followed him into the bar. “I don’t know. I’m fucking tired of being on the road.”
“We all are,” Maverick said. “But if this doesn’t work out, I’ve got two more bars we can audition for house bands for. We’ll find the right place eventually.”
Rafe stepped next to Rhaider. “I feel the same way. It’s like this place is different.”
Rhaider appreciated that his brother was in sync with him. He looked around the bar and inhaled, sorting through the scents that lingered. Liquor, malt and yeast, sweat, perfumes and colognes.
Lots of lions.
A wolf.
Humans.
“Hey!” a male said as he walked into the bar. “Are you Midnight Grizzlies?”
“We are,” Rafe said. “Are you Titus?”
The male was tall and well built. Grizzlies tended to be more muscular than lean, like lions, but Rhaider could tell by the way he carried himself that Titus was a male that people didn’t fuck with.
“I am.” Titus reached them and extended his hand. They all shook hands and told him their names. “Welcome to Tails. I’ve got you on at eight. If you need help bringing in equipment, I’m happy to lend a hand.”
“We’re good,” Rafe said, “but thanks.”
“The stage is yours,” Titus said. “After you set up, come to the counter and we can discuss tonight’s expectations and what being the house band here entails.”
“All right, thanks,” Rhaider said. He looked at Maverick and nodded toward the stage.
“I’m on it,” Maverick said, then headed to the stage. He was the one who set up the sound system, so while the rest of them would bring in the equipment, Maverick would set up the electronics.
“I’ll leave you to it,” Titus said. “Holler at me if you need anything.”
The male walked away and Rhaider turned and followed his band mates out to the large panel van that held their equipment. He played the piano and wrote and arranged most of the songs their band sang. Rafe was the lead singer and played guitar; Maverick played bass, and Rebel played drums.
Rhaider’s bear made a grumbling complaint when he left the bar, and he stopped and turned to look at the building.
He had no idea why his bear was complaining so much and feeling so antsy.
“Something in the bar, I think,” Rafe said coming to stand next to him.
“Someone, maybe,” Rhaider added.
