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I inhale, taking a brief moment.
“If you’ve followed my career at all, you’ve likely noticed I like to keep my personal life private. But I want you all to know this loss hits home for me. Six months ago, I lost my mom in a drunk driving accident.”
There’s a wave of whispers in the crowd, which I ignore.
“Unlike Jason, she was the one making bad decisions. It became a fatal one, getting behind the wheel of a car when she shouldn’t have been driving. And it could have cost someone else their life, the way Jason lost his. I hope you’re here, enjoying the music. But I also hope y’all remember that life is short and precious and that you hug your loved ones a little tighter tonight. And on a lighter note…I have a special treat for y’all tonight. A song I’ve never performed live and wasn’t sure I ever would.”
The whispers start up again, a quiet hiss in the background.
“I wrote this song about a girl—”
Immediately, there’s a cheer that drowns out my voice.
“And I promised myself if she ever came to see me perform, I’d play it for her. Last time, I chickened out. This time, I won’t.”
I smile, then start strumming the opening chords to “Blue Rain Boots.” I glance to the right before I start singing, but Piper isn’t watching from the wings.
Maybe that’ll make this easier. No matter where she is backstage, the sound crew did an incredible job with the acoustics. If she’s in a mile’s range of the stage, she’ll hear this song.
The first two lines are the hardest. I keep singing, surprised by how many people in the crowd know the words since this isn’t one of my biggest hits.
I launch right into a hit to continue my set, the rush of being onstage replacing my nervousness now that the song is over.
However Piper feels about it, it’s out there. I can’t take it back, and nothing in me wants to. If she had any doubts about how invested I am in us—in her—this is my answer. I’minthis even if she isn’t. And I hope it’ll mean more, offered in the medium we both appreciate.
I finish my third song, wave at the crowd for a final time, and then head offstage. Catch up with a few other artists I haven’t seen in a while until I spot Harper standing off to the side, talking to a middle-aged man, and I make my way over toward her.
“Have you seen Piper?”
Harper’s expression is unsure. “Um, she left.”
It’s a million times worse than when I thought she didn’t watch me on the bull. My stomach drops, sudden and abrupt.
Harper’s expression shifts to sympathy as she takes a step closer. “I’m sure that she—”
I’m already walking away, the rest of her words lost in the commotion backstage. Shrugging off the few other people brave enough to approach me. I’m guessing my expression resembles a thundercloud right now.
Brayden appears. “That was incredible, Kyle!” my manager says. “The crowd loved—”
“Book me a plane ticket. I’m going home.”
I keep walking, past his surprised expression and everyone else who’s now looking this way.
Away from the stage for the final time.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-FOUR
PIPER
Linda rushes over to me right as I’m heading toward the stage. Sutton is on her third song, which means Kyle is about to perform.
“Piper! I need you to grab the backstage passes out of my closet.” She presses a cold metal key into my palm. “I forgot to grab them last night, and I just realized. We need to hand them out before the after-party so security can keep track of who’s granted access. The crowds are crazy, and we can’t take any chances.”
“But I—”
I glance toward the stage. Sutton’s last song is over, the male announcer’s voice echoing through the park.
“If you go now, you’ll make it back before the end of the show. Kyle Spencer is up next, and we all know how you feel about country music.” Linda smiles. “I’m sparing you.”
