Page 4 of The Cowboy's Cabaret

“Murder hallway,” she mumbles as a light above us flickers. It feels as if any second a masked killer could jump out and pick us off like we’re the leads in an eighties slasher film.

“Agreed.” I nod.

Wes and his friend take long strides in front of us, Drunk Guy is hanging on by a thread—aka he’s smashing into the wall at this very moment.

“Alright, since he’s visibly intoxicated”—the short security guard points to the source of this mess—“and has insulted me no less than three times on the walk back here, I’m going to assume he’s the instigator,” he says, sighing. “Look, I have shit to do after this gig, so if it’s all the same to you guys, let’s drop this andgo our separate ways.” Stan, evident from his frayed name patch, seems to understand our predicament.

“You”—Drunk Guy barely looks up as he turns a sickly green color making us all grimace—“get the hell to the med room down the hall. They’ll make sure you get home. Lucky the mountain of paperwork isn’t worth banning your ass.”

Drunk Guy blessedly waddles down the hallway before the Terminator-shaped security guard has to instruct him to actually turn the knob to open the door. Returning his focus to Wes, he lectures him on knowing better in a familiar way.

“My bad, Stanley. You know we love you.” Wes grips his shoulder and Stan softens.

“Be good, ya hooligans.” He nods at Wes and his friend before turning to leave.

In the light, I get a much better look at Wes’ friend. He is equally tall and broad, but with lighter, maybe green eyes. His blond hair feathers out of his camouflage hat and dark brown cowboy boots complete his look. He’s staring at Daphne like he’s trying his hand at pyrokinesis. A confused look passes Wes’ features before he realizes. “This silent giant is my cousin, Jasper. Jasper, this is Dahlia and Daphne.”

Jasper nods before looking anywhere other than at me and Daphne. Ookay.

“I’m sure the greenroom is still open and they’ll be offstage soon. Y’all can meet Jade too, she’s super sweet.” Wes motions to the end of the hall.

My eyes nearly bulge out of my head and Daphne’s choking mirrors my own shock. “Jade? Jade as in Jade of Fata Morgana? As in the concert we are currently at? How in the hell do you know Jade?” Daphne’s vibrating with glee as she inundates the two men with questions.

“Jade is a family friend. We grew up with her—knew her when she was only a little menace, and now she’s the singer inmy favorite fucking band.” Wes beams with pride. His friend, Jasper, has yet to say actual words, speaking only in nods and grunts.

“Lead the way, cowboy.” Daphne gestures at Jasper in a mock bow and he huffs before walking away.

“Daph, do not harass the nice cowboy before we even get a chance to meet Jade.”

“Nice, my ass. He’s a caveman.”

The doorto the greenroom is cracked open and the inside glimmers with rockstar vibes. Or what I assume to be rockstar vibes—a big, plush couch, table full of sandwiches and cheeses, and every beverage known to man. “Make yourself comfortable. I’m sure they’ll be in soon.” Jasper’s tone is full of sarcasm.

Blissfully unaware of his ire, Daphne pushes past. “Don’t mind if I do.”

Wes is sitting in the middle of the sprawling couch, arms across the back and legs spread in that manly way that would piss me off on an airplane, but makes me want to crawl to him right now. I mentally chastise the horny demon in my mind and sit beside him.

“I’m really sorry about all that. Thank you for helping us though. It means a lot.”

“No apology necessary. He was a disrespectful dick. I did what anyone would’ve done to a guy getting aggressive with a lovely little lady.”

I’m lost in his gaze and my brain is pounding the alarm.Danger, danger. His flirting and my poetic mental description of his soulful brown eyes is a problem, considering a romantic relationship would be hazardous to my health at this point.

“It was kind anyway. Hopefully it didn’t ruin your night?” I hedge. While I don’t think he’s a douchebag, stranger things have happened.

“Not in the slightest. We’ve seen Fata a ton, and again, I was just doing what needed to be done to keep you safe.”

I’m blushing at his words when the door bursts open and Fata Morgana pours into the room in all their rockstar glory.

“What’s this shit about a fight in the crowd, you guys? Starting brawls and coming in here to ransack my sandwiches, the nerve,” Jade says, grinning.

I fight the nerves begging to be unleashed. She is so tall and devastatingly gorgeous, the kind of woman Daphne and I would gladly joke to be stepped on by. Her long black hair is tinged blue in a half-up half-down style. For tonight’s show, she’s rocking platinum blonde eyebrows, a sharp contrast to the dark metal piercing shining through her eyebrow.

“Hi guys, so good to see you.” She bends down to hug Wes before slinging an arm around Jasper in a side hug.

Jasper rolls his eyes, but returns the hug regardless. “That would be Wes’ fault, playing knight in shining armor.” He untangles himself from Jade’s lithe arms before heading to talk with the bassist by the drinks table.

Like a nymph, Daphne appears, fully heart-eyed over Jade. Wes introduces us, “This is Dahlia and Daphne, our new friends.”