Bobby glared at Dani as she laid into the opening solo of "Hit the Door Running." Basil had begrudgingly consented to allow them to follow their opener with a pair of Inferno's originals. Dani felt the rest of the band holding their breaths, waiting to see how the crowd would react. She dropped to her knees, bending the strings till they almost popped, allowing the last note to invade the space. The crowd erupted as she leaped to front center stage, the band kicking into the groove behind her, the front row reaching out, grasping at the fringes on her jeans as she strutted, teetering across the edge. She tried to breathe, drinking in the adulation.
Is this what it's like to be high?
She closed her eyes as Jon jumped into the opening lyrics:
"Momma always said I was a crazy child,
Daddy always said that boy has gone buck wild,"
The undeniable chemistry she'd felt the first time they played together coursed through her veins, her heart fluttering, beating time for his voice. Don't look at him, Dani. Don't do it.
"Get in my way, I'll knock you to your knees
If you're gonna come along, we're gonna do what I please
And when I've finished with you
And it's time to leave…
I'm gonna hit the door runnin'
Got no time to stop
Gonna hit the door runnin'
For all I've got
Gonna hit the door runnin'
And I won't bother looking behind…"
As the band hit the last note, coming to the cold close, Dani ventured her first look at Jon, hoping despite herself he'd be looking back. He has to miss me a little, right? His back to her, he poured every ounce of energy into the crowd. That's OK. All part of being the front man.
She kept her eyes glued to him through the next song, watching every sway, every slide as he worked the crowd. She knew he could feel her in the music, knew it with every note she dragged out of her Strat. Knew it even though he never looked at her. Once, twice, she thought he was going to. He looked far enough stage left she could see the blue in his eyes but turned away before she could make eye contact.
Dani tried moving closer to Jon on the stage, but Cal stepped between them, slapping, popping, and dragging the bass cord into her path. She'd move, he'd move, always keeping himself between her and his brother. Sidling shoulder to shoulder, she stared him down and mouthed, "Move!"
He didn't.
***
"All right, Rock Creek!" Jon's shout carried across the park as the last notes of a searing guitar solo faded. Vic could only imagine how loud it must be in the gated area. "That's Dani Glass, and we're gonna give her the mic for this next song!"
Vic and Kari exchanged open-mouthed looks as a guitar riff crunched and Dani's sultry rasp—the one Kari kept telling not to use in church—beckoned every man in earshot:
"So I'm not the kind of girl
That you think I should be,
Take a second look
You just might get what you see…"
Vic wasn't sure whether his face was pale or crimson, but he felt the blood rush, then drain from it. Almost in a haze, he saw Julie motion for him to sit back down.
"I got my mind in the gutter…
Vic hit his feet running. Kari called, her voice lost in the crowd as Dani's voice soared above it.
"My mind in the gutter…"
Vic pinballed through the crowd. The main gate. Neon yellow shirt. Security guard.
"Move it!"
"Got a ticket, bud?"
"My mind in the gutter and my body ain't far behind…"
"My sister's…"
The guard looked bored. "She can't get in without a ticket, either."
"I got my mind in the gutter…"
I'm bigger than him. Vic blew past.
"And I'm eager to please…"
Vic shook the man off as he tried to grab his shirt.
The security guard yelled something at his back as Vic rushed through the crowd.
"Got my mind in the gutter…"
Some moved. Some pushed back. The crowd pressed forward, arms extended to grope his baby sister. Something hit the back of his head. Again, harder. The last thing Vic heard as everything went black was Dani belting over the erupting crowd:
"C'mon and get a little dirty with me!"
***
The crowd continued shouting, screaming, raising general pandemonium while Dani cornered Bobby backstage.
"Look, thanks for playing." Bobby turned his back. "Now go away."
"Listen, Daddy." Dani grabbed his shoulder and turned him around. "We need to talk."
Bobby gave her a dirty look.
"Get used to it, Daddy." The crowd's volume rose to the point she doubted he heard her, so she repeated herself, louder.
"Sounds like we gotta go back out." Bobby strapped his Les Paul back on and shouldered past her.
"Didn't you hear me, Dadd-y?"
"Been called lots of things by groupies. That one's new. And weird." He headed onstage, calling behind, "But hey, skip the encore. We're better without you."
Bobby pulled back the curtain separating them from the stage but retreated after peeking through, shaking his head in disgust. From the other side, Dani heard along with everyone else:
"Um, yeah, OKokay. I've got one more."
An acoustic guitar strummed slowly, with the mixture of conviction and mediocre musicianship that marked Jon's playing. "Gonna let the band sit it out. Probably should have played this one first. Wrote it yesterday and it might be the only chance I get to sing it to the girl I wrote it for:
When I met you
Oh, I wasn't in your plans,
But your smile, your touch,
Your gentle ways
I'm still tryin' to understand
You looked at me,
I felt a love, girl,
Like I've never known
I'm telling you the truth,
I was afraid to let it show
You said, "Love is patient,"
But I just might need a little help
I'm down here on my knees, begging,
Tryin' to save myself
I'll say a thousand times I'm sorry, girl,
To make you see
I'm daring to dream
You'll come back and walk with me
So, take my hand,
You'll see more than the show,
Lean on me, just lean in close
Doesn't matter where we go
'Cause love protects,
Yeah, true love hopes,
They say it never fails
Don't want to live apart from you, girl…
Don't leave me to myself
And I just want you to know…
This love is patient
But I just might need a little help
I'm down here on my knees, I'm begging,
Tryin' to save myself
I'll say a thousand times I'm sorry, girl,
To make you see
I'm daring to dream
You'll come back and walk with me
***
When Vic opened his eyes, haze covered everything. Someone had plopped him in a lawn chair. He could make out Jon Ryder singing over the ringing in his ears. A few steps away, a fuzzy Julie talked with three, four… no, just two blurry police officers. His head felt like he had whacked it on an undercarriage. Repeatedly. He felt the knot throbbing on the back of his head. Big mistake. Pain shot clear to his toes, and everything started getting blurrier again.
"Looks like your boyfriend's waking up."
Vic's eyes cleared enough to see the playful shove Julie gave the officer as he and his partner walked back out into the crowd. Don't have time for this.
"Whoa!" Julie pushed him gently back into the chair.
"Gotta get Dani."
"Gave my word you'd let it go. C'mon, let's get you home."
He took her hand, taking a step toward the stage area in the general direction the music came from.
"Got the cuffs if I need them."
Was she smiling? Hard to tell with his head spinning.
"Where'd Kari…?"
"Gone." So was Julie's smile.
***
Dani hid behind the band's gear, head spinning and trying to focus on what she'd come here to do. She'd kept up her end with Cal and Marc, and only one thing remained—make sure Bobby understood Shelly carried his baby.
But have you ever heard anything so beautiful? "I knew he still loved me." She dabbed at her eyes. Don't want to be a mess when I see Jon.
She peeked around the corner while the crowd went wild at the emcee announcing Warrant. The band huddled, wrapped in a heated conversation that didn't seem to interest Jon as Warrant fueled the crowd's fire with "All My Bridges are Burning."
His eyes met hers. A half smile.
Am I that obvious? Stop biting your lip, Dani. And make him come to you.
Jon finally broke himself away from the others, over Bobby's lewd objections. Dani leaned over the amp cases, chin resting on the backs of her hands. She lost herself in his eyes as he stopped a step short, smiling ear to ear, eyebrow cocked in an unasked question.
How can I tell him no? Remember what he highlighted? And that song… no way Vic or even Kari could say he's bad for me now.
She tilted her head toward his, closing her eyes as he took the final step, wrapping her in his arms. The world seemed to fade as she waited. Is he teasing me? Not like him to hold back without being told. Firmly. Or maybe he's changing? Maybe this is respect? How's he supposed to kiss you while you're biting your lip anyway? She leaned forward to give him a little nudge.
Whump!
Tom Basil stood beside them, pointing a silver pen at a stack of typewritten pages he'd slammed on top of the cases. Jon held her hand, but his eyes were on Basil. Basil's eyes were on her.
With her free hand, she fastened her top button.
"All standard stuff," Basil said, handing Jon the pen.
Jon's jaw dropped to his knees as the rest of the band gathered round.
"Not you." Basil pointed the pen toward Bobby. "Nobody's using two guitars anymore."
Bobby narrowed his eyes and bit hard on his lip. She was surprised he didn't draw blood as he muttered obscenities directed at her.
"I'm not signing anything." She put her hands up.
Jon looked up from signing.
Dani felt every eye on her. "This was my last show."
Basil picked up the contract and turned to Jon. "No girl, no record, no tour."
"Come on, Dani. These chances don't come every day." Jon's eyes pleaded. "If you love me…"
Dani looked up at him, playing with his shirt buttons. "I have to finish school." She couldn't believe it, but now she was pleading.
Bobby erupted into profanity. Somewhere among the four-letter words, Dani heard, "We don't need her."
Jon looked back and forth between Dani and Bobby. "You're my best friend, but…"
Basil stood firm. "Dani's version of "Mind in the Gutter" goes on the record, or there's no record."
Jon frowned. Bobby made a lewd gesture and walked away, the stacked cymbals crying foul as Bobby kicked his Les Paul into them. Marc added his objection when Bobby shoved over the drum cases.
"How much does this pay?" Dani's voice barely rose above a whisper.
Basil pointed to the number.
"I'm in," Dani said, taking the pen.
"That-a-girl," Basil said. "Sign right there."
Bobby stopped cold in the middle of a tirade that could have made Daddy's Marines blush and picked up his guitar, raising it over his head to smash it.
"But only if Bobby is," Dani said, shock registering on Jon and Basil's faces as Bobby lowered his guitar.
"I'll have to think about it," Bobby said.
Jon grabbed him by his collar and shook him.
Bobby shoved back, toppling the singer. "Thirty seconds ago, we were 'friends, but.' You were gonna throw me away for rent-a-chick."
Dani couldn't believe he'd call her that to her face. Apparently, Cal couldn't, either. He stepped up, taking a wild swing that Bobby dodged, laughing scornfully.
"Stop it!" Dani looked at Cal as Jon picked himself off the ground. Marc held Cal back as she turned her attention back to Bobby. "You're going to need the money, Daddy."
Bobby cocked his head. Dani imitated him, drawing a blank stare. She cradled an imaginary baby.
"It's called child support."
Bobby squinted. "Ain't even kissed you yet."
"Uh… Shelly?"
"Probably not mine."
Dani balled her fists.
He took a step back. "Okay, okay… if it is, couple hundred bucks should take care of it." He pulled a wad of bills from his wallet. "Here, you give it to her."
Dani couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Shelly would never. You need to call her."
"So, about those signatures…" Basil ruffled the contract.