Page 20 of Revival

Another little girl, all decked out in costume and face paint, approaches us, handing Daniel a piece of hearted stationary paper. "Read it!" she yells.

"Uncle Rome. Please have tea with me. Love, Stevie-Ann." Looking across the campground, a little girl sits waiting for her favorite uncle to join her for birthday tea.

"Well, ladies, looks like I'm off to have tea with the queen."

Her little face lights up like a thousand suns when Daniel sits across from her.

"Where did all these kids come from?" I ask.

"They're mostly the kids of bandmates or other artists here at the festival."

"Lucky kid." I laugh.

Lindsay and I grab another beer and make our way to an empty cornhole board. I make sure to position myself facing Daniel.

"I see what you did there," she teases.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." I laugh.

"You like him, don't you?" Ugh, this girl can be relentless sometimes.

"I just met him this morning. I haven't even had a chance to get to know him. How could I possibly like him? Now, shut up, drink your beer, and throw your sacks in the hole."

After thirty minutes, I'm up four to one. "How do you get better at this game the more beer you drink?" Lindsay asks.

"Talent," I proudly exclaim.

After I win two more games, she quits.

"So, best friend…" Lindsay strides over to the cornhole board closest to me and puts her arm around my shoulder.

Frowning, I ask, "What do you want?" I've known her long enough to understand this ploy.

"Can Jacob and I use your R.V. tonight?"

"Um, isn't there a huge ass tour bus right there you can use. Why do you need my R.V.? I haven't even gotten to break it in yet."

"Jacob's bus has Stevie-Ann's slumber party with her friends. Please?"

"Where am I supposed to sleep?"

Lindsay nods in the direction of Daniel, who is now talking to Jacob.

My eyes widen. "You’re joking."

She presses her hands together in prayer and mouthsplease, please, pleaserepeatedly.

I look again at Daniel, whose eyes are locked with mine. His eyebrows quirk up in question, his lips twitching on a smile as though he too has just been presented with the same absurd request. He motions toward his truck and gives a little shrug.

The fact that he isn’t telling Jacob to fuck right off sends a little thrill down my spine, but Lindsay doesn’t need to know that. I swivel my head toward her and feign annoyance. "You better remember this when I need you to take one for the team."

Chapter Ten

Rome

Andrea hops in the bed of my truck and crawls onto the air mattress next to me. She props herself up on one elbow and stares at me with those incredible amber eyes.

"What?" I ask with an embarrassed chuckle.