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My gut tells me this is going to be the start of the music career Kelley has been dreaming about since he was a kid.
“You’ll do great, Kel. Don’t think about the band and the crowd. Just sing like you always do. If they didn’t believe in your talent, they wouldn’t be putting you in front of all their fans. Especially for a tribute concert.”
He tips his chair back on two legs and drums his fingers on the table. “Yeah. I hope you’re right. I just don’t want pissed-off fans throwing shit at me on stage.”
“That ain’t gonna happen. Trust me, you’re gonna nail it and the fans are gonna go wild.”
“Fingers crossed. In the meantime, I’ll be rehearsing with them. It’s surreal.”
I smile. “I’m really proud of you.”
“That means a lot.” He rights the chair and stands. “I gotta get going. I just wanted to check in on you.”
“I’m fine. Really.”
“Text or call me if you want to talk. And stop being a weird plot twist,” he yells over his shoulder as the back door shuts behind him.
What he said reminds me of a poem Penny wrote a few years ago. It’s pinned to the wall in her little space in my studio:
You think I can’t see you
But I do
A lingering ghost
Peeking from the corners
There in the shadows
You think I can’t feel you
But I do
Haunting my dreams
With my name on your lips
Chapter 24
PENNY
“You look beautiful,” Alex comments, slowly shaking his head in awe.
Lily immediately blushes but smiles from ear to ear at the compliment.
“Thanks, Dad.” She turns to me. “I don’t know why I let you talk me into a dress. I don’t like my legs out. I feel naked.”
“But it’s prom,” I laugh, spinning in my three-inch heels until my champagne-colored tulle gown billows around my legs. “Everyone should wear a dress at least twice—for their prom and their wedding.” I don’t miss the double take Alex lands in my direction as I twirl across the room like a ballerina.
“Great,” Lily says. “Then this will be the last dress I ever wear because I don’t think I’ll ever get married. I can’t even find a boyfriend.” She pulls the hem of the off-shoulder black gown. Earlier, she let me style her hair and makeup and Alex is right—she looks absolutely beautiful. The black silk dress and smoky makeup make her unique eyes pop.
“Music to my ears,” Alex teases. “Before you were born, your mom and I agreed you couldn’t date until you were twenty-five.”
I raise my eyebrow playfully. “Are you sure Brianna agreed to that?”
He grins in response. “Yup.”
“You might get your wish at the rate I’m going, Dad.”
Lily and I are going to the prom with twin brothers, as friends only.
“Can you two stand in front of the fireplace so I can take some pictures?” I ask, pulling my phone out of my tiny purse. I notice a glimmer of tears in Alex’s eye as I’m snapping the photos. It makes me happy to see how much he loves being in Lily’s life.
Alex takes my phone from me. “I promised your mom I’d take some pictures of you for her.”
“She’ll love that.” I put my arm around Lily, and we smile as Alex taps at the screen. He’s horrible with phones, so I silently hope we don’t end up headless in the photos. I want to hang a few of our prom pictures in the shed. Alex has been letting me and Lily add to Brianna’s collection.
Snatching the phone back from Alex, I say, “I’m going to video chat my mom so she can see us.”
“Look how gorgeous you are!” My mom exclaims as soon as the video connects.
“Thanks.” I turn the phone toward Lily. “Look how beautiful Lily looks. I did her hair and makeup.”
“You both look stunning. Wow, Lily, your eyes are mesmerizing.”
“Thanks, Mrs. Rose. As you can see, Penny is forcing me to wear a dress and I already can’t wait to take it off.”
“Aww, you look so pretty. But I hated dresses when I was young, too, so I totally get where you’re coming from.”
I turn the phone camera back toward myself. My father appears in the background behind my mother.
“Penny, I barely recognize you,” he says, smiling. “You look like you’re in your twenties.”
“You’re just not used to seeing me in makeup.” Lily did my look tonight in bolder colors than I usually use, and I have to admit, she made me look like a runway model.
“Where’s these boys you’re going with?” My father asks.
“They’re not here yet.”
He leans toward the camera. “And you say they’re just friends?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, well, make sure he doesn’t get handsy with you.”
Only my father would say handsy. “I’m sure he won’t.”
“Don’t worry about it, Mr. Rose. If either one of those kids touches them, I’ll break their fucking fingers,” Alex yells from behind me.
