Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 76759 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76759 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
“Maybe… Time is running out, though.”
Rory sighs. “Yeah, you’re right. But I could sing a third above or a sixth below you. We could make it work.”
“If it means that much to you.”
Rory pauses a moment. “No. We have better songs that you and I sing together. Cross off ‘Three’s a Crowd.’”
I do exactly that, and I write down the names of a few more of our original songs that I think will work and hand the list to Rory.
She scans and nods. “That should do it. We only need five or six numbers. Really only three or four. We just need extra for encores.”
“Which we may not get,” I remind her.
Rory cocks her head. “When have we not gotten an encore?”
“These people are paying to see Emerald Phoenix. Every encore we do keeps them from seeing Emerald Phoenix, Ror. This is a different situation. I don’t think we’re going to be doing encores.”
“Yeah, you’re right,” she says.
“Send me the final numbers for the merch—” Brock’s phone buzzes in his hand. “Sorry. Just got a text.” He scans his phone quickly. “It’s from Bree. She says she needs to talk to us, Ror.”
“We’re almost done here,” I say.
“How much longer do you think we’ll be?” Rory asks.
“Not long. Tell her to come over here and meet you. We’ll be done by the time she gets here.”
“Sure, that works.” Brock taps on his phone. “She says she’ll be over in about twenty minutes.”
“Great. The rest of the band is coming over in half an hour to practice music without vocals in the garage, so you don’t need to be here, Rory.”
“I’m happy to stay if you need me.”
“Well…maybe. You and I are the only two of all of us who actually have degrees in music, and yours is advanced. Having you here might be good.”
“Sure. Brock and I can see what Bree wants to talk to us about, and then I’ll join you.”
“Sounds good.”
Chapter Nine
Brianna
I walk into the Pikes’ family room. “I hope you don’t mind. Your mom let me in.”
“Not at all,” Rory says.
“So what’s up, baby cousin?” Brock asks jovially.
I scoff at him. “Baby cousin? I’m only two years younger than you are.”
“Still, the four of you—the awesome foursome—are the babies of the family.”
“Okay.” Better not to give Brock too much crap. After all, I need his and Rory’s support if I’m going to go on the tour.
“So, I was wondering…” I look around the Pikes’ family room. A lot smaller than ours but homey. “You know I graduated early, right?”
“Yeah, that’s amazing,” Rory says with a smile. “Congratulations.”
I return her smile with a broad one of my own. “Thanks. Anyway… I would love to see Europe. And you know I’m a big fan of your band, Rory.” I pause for a split second but then decide to rip off the bandage. “I’ve already made arrangements to go to England with Donny and Callie for the two weeks that they’re going to be there. But I’d like to stay on. Go with the band. So I was wondering if maybe you needed an assistant or something?”
Rory scrunches her forehead. “I haven’t really thought about that. I’m not sure we have it in our budget to pay you.”
I raise my hands in front of me. “Oh my God, you don’t need to pay me. You know we all have plenty of money.”
“Bree,” Brock says, “if you want to go on the tour, just ask Rory. You don’t have to make up some baloney about being her assistant.”
“Well…I’d like to be helpful.”
“Nonsense,” Rory says. “We’d be thrilled to have you along. Maddie will be coming along with Donny and Callie as well. Mom thought it would be a great opportunity for the four of us siblings to see the UK together.”
I clap my hands together. “That’s wonderful. If Maddie goes, she and I can room together.”
Except…then I won’t have a place to be alone with Jesse. But I’ll worry about that later. Having Maddie along on the tour will give me some leverage. She’ll want someone her own age around to hang out with. Or she will, once I tell her how fun it will be.
“Yeah, of course you could.” Rory smiles.
“But,” Brock says, “Maddie didn’t graduate early. She has to get back by the end of January to start her second semester of her last year of college.”
“Right… Well, if you just tell me all the places you’re staying while you’re on tour, I’ll book a room at the same places.”
“You’ll have to have your own room,” Rory says. “I’m the only woman in the band, and of course I’ll be bunking with Brock.”
“Right.” Brock gives her a sultry stare.
I hold back a sly smile. That works just perfectly for me.
“So you’re okay with me coming along?” I ask.
“Sure I am,” Rory says. “But I’ll have to ask the guys.”