Page 43 of Playing the Backbeat

“I was thinking of signing us up for some kind ofFear Factorgroup as a thank-you.”

“Hard fucking pass. You will have my support from the sidelines in all future fandoms.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” She winks at me before turning, walking backward a few steps ahead of me, facing me with a huge grin. “Let me feel wealthy and treat us with my hard-earned reward.”

I follow her, and it feels like I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.

Chapter eighteen

Dylan

“Ican’t believe you got us these tickets, dude,” Emi says, jumping up and down on the balls of her feet while we wait for the headliner to begin their set.

“I told you he hasconnections,” Dee says with a wink. She leans over, brushing my shoulder with her arm, her words meant for me. “I didn’t realize they were on the schedule until you told me last week.”

“They were a last-minute addition,” I say, checking my watch.

“That’s pretty last minute,” Dee says, accusation in tone. Her stare is heavy even though I refuse to meet it until she grabs my chin, forcing me to face her. “Dylan, why were they added to the schedule with such little notice?”

I bite my lips and she watches the movement before arching a brow at me.

“Holy shit. You did this?” she asks.

“I made a call. I got lucky.”

Her eyes soften as her lips part. Her fingers slip from my chin as she shakes her head slowly.

“Dylan, I don’t know how to thank you.”

“Thanks aren’t needed. You and Emi spent her entire visit listening to their music. It was easy to put the pieces together.”

We’re in the pit. Our shows usually attract the rowdiest crowd, and several of our security guards have to monitor the area closely, but this is a teenage artist with a mostly preteen audience. How rowdy can it get?

I’m immediately humbled by my own stupidity when the curtain separates and the roar of a billion nine-year-olds shakes the foundation of the Bridge. Dee and I are shoved together by the shifting throng of bodies as they rush the gates at the front of the pit, all trying to get closer to the stage. Dee wraps her arms around Emi’s shoulders and pulls her close as we work our way toward the back of the swarm.

“I think we’re better off back here where there’s a bit more breathing room, don’t you think, Emi?” Dee shouts.

“Yeah, I need room for all my moves,” Emi yells back as she starts rolling her shoulders. Then she’s swinging her arms side to side, all loosey goosey until they’re slapping her belly and back.

“That’s right, we stretch before we fuck up—I mean tear up—the dance floor. Just like at my place.” Dee nods at her then leans into her own side lunge, arm stretched out overhead before she gives me a solid five seconds of high knees, then nearly keels over at the waist. “Okay, Emi. Enough with the warm-up. Let’s do this.”

“Dylan, you didn’t stretch. We don’t need you pulling your old man muscles here,” Emi says with a seriousness I wasn’t prepared for.

I bury my laugh at the thought of Dee and Emi having dance parties in her apartment. “I would need to stretchifI were going to dance. My moves are far too embarrassing to show off today.”

“Aunt Dee Dee says embarrassment is something someone made up to make other people feel bad for being human.”

I catch Dee looking fondly at her niece before she squeezes her shoulders. “That’s right. What do you say, Dylan? Feel like letting loose? Being a little more human today?”

“I’m afraid Robot Dylan is here. Human Dylan can’t come to the phone.”

“Eh, that’s all right, Ems. More room for us on the dance floor.” And with a devious twinkle in her eye, Dee grabs Emi’s hand and pushes her shoulder gently, spinning her until they both break into what can only be described as a shimmying, shaking, jumping, spinning, vortex of chaos. Yep, they’re definitely related.

But their unbridled joy must be contagious because I can’t take my eyes off Dee’s face. Her smile, her laughter breaking out over the music, and her enthusiasm for life itself. I tap my toe to the beat, finding the rhythm alongside them.

***

“Okay, surely you have to go to the bathroom by now,” Dee wheezes, exasperated.