AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I don’t kid.”
Brianna laughs at that one, though I’m not sure why.
“Something funny, Bree?”
Brianna shakes her head, still chuckling. “No. Go ahead.”
“Yeah, I played in high school. I was all-state, and just a hair short of making all-American. Got a scholarship to the University of Wyoming and went there, played football, but majored in music.”
“How fascinating.”
Fascinating? There’s not really anything fascinating about my life. Or is there? I’m about to go on tour with a famous rock band. Maybe thatisfascinating.
“So then what did you do?” Sadie asks, her eyes wide.
“Once I got out of college, I thought about going to grad school and getting a master’s degree in music. By then my sister Rory was starting college, and she wanted a classical career in opera. But I’ve always been a rocker at heart, and I didn’t think a master’s was worth the time and money. I got my undergrad for free while I played football, but I was going to have to pay for a graduate degree. So I said no, returned to Snow Creek, partnered up with my cousin Cage, and we recruited Jake and Dragon.”
“When did Rory join the band?”
“Only recently. She tried for an opera career, but New York didn’t know what was good for them, so she ended up back here and taught music. She would sing with us every now and then, but she never joined the band officially until recently.”
“The two of you together are like a dream,” Sadie says.
“I agree.” Brianna steps between Sadie and me, forcing my arm out of Sadie’s grasp. “Seriously, you two are. I’ve always loved your voice, Jesse, and though I’m not a huge opera fan, I’ve always loved Rory’s too. When she sings with the band, lets her inner rocker out? She’s amazing.”
“I have to agree,” I say. “It was actually Rory’s idea for us to share lead vocals, and for me to leave the guitar to Jake. That’s what drew Emerald Phoenix to us at a recent engagement we had. First half of the night, I played guitar, and we rocked so hard. Then Rory wanted to switch things up. So I said what the fuck? We tried it, and it was amazing. Jett said that was what convinced him that we should be his opening band.”
“Wow.” Sadie’s eyes are dark-blue circles. “What an amazing story. How did Jett Draconis happen to be at your performance?”
“His agent told him about us. She had seen the previous performance. She wasn’t signing any new acts at that time, but the opener for the Emerald Phoenix tour had dropped out, so they needed a quick replacement. Selena, the agent, sent Jett and Zane to see us. I guess the rest is history.”
Sadie smiles. “So you’ve been discovered.”
“Seems,” I say. “Of course, none of us are counting our chickens before they’re hatched.”
Sadie bursts into giggles. “You guys and your ranching clichés.”
I want to roll my eyes, but I resist. That’s hardly a ranching cliché. It’s as old as the hills.
“Did you ever think of giving up?” Sadie asks.
“Are you kidding me? Only about a thousand times. There were years where we eked out a living. Then there were years when we didn’t make a penny. All of us have day jobs, of course. I work on my family’s ranch. So does Cage. Jake drives for Uber when he has to, and Dragon…”
Dragon works at a dispensary and sometimes takes his pay in weed, but he may not want me to say that.
“And Dragon?” Sadie prompts.
“Odd jobs.”
Brianna lifts her eyebrows at me. She knows where Dragon works. There’s a dispensary in the next town over, Barrel Oaks. Snow Creek doesn’t have one, and they won’t as long as Donny Steel is the city attorney. He’s sworn to keep the town clean. Most of us in town don’t care one way or the other. Those who want weed go to Barrel Oaks and get it. I’m not sure Donny cares either, but his mother, the former city attorney, does. Different generation, and all.
In truth, Dragon shouldn’t be smoking weed or drinking. He had a problem with narcotics earlier in his life, but somehow, he’s managed to stay away from the hard stuff even though he still uses alcohol and marijuana. Unusual for an addict, but I don’t give him any guff about it because he stays sober for rehearsal and performances. He’s a genius on percussion.
Besides, he needs an escape. He’s had a damned rough life.
He almost took my sister Rory to bed a month or so ago. Luckily, Brock phoned her, and she called it off. Dragon spilled his guts to me about it a week after.
I almost popped him one that night.
