Chapter 15
Ky sat at the lit dressing table backstage with her sister, the cute little stuffed purple octopus Rock had won for her in front of the brightly lit mirror next to the pale pink kitty he’d won for Kierra.
“You have your song list?” Kierra asked.
“Yep, I have one right here, one on stage taped to the floor by the amps, and Rock always has an extra in his pocket.”
“I’m so excited!” Kierra did a little dance behind her. “I’m so happy I got to come to this show, especially. But, Sis, it’s your first one without your manager. Are you nervous about that?”
“Nope,” she said, leaning into the mirror to touch up her pink lip gloss. “Rock always did take better care of me, anyway.”
It was true. Without Richard there she felt so much freer to be herself. There was no one she had to walk on eggshells around, and it felt amazing. And she knew the happiness she’d found with Rock as her Daddy was going to shine through in her songs tonight.
She looked up to see him walking into her dressing area. He was so handsome and tall and strong, and it made her heart flutter. How had she gotten so lucky?
“Everything looks good out there. How are you feeling? You do your warmup yet, baby?”
“Yep. Kierra helped me. At this point I just can’t wait to get out on stage.”
Rock glanced at his cell phone. “Five minutes.”
Kyra took a deep breath. Her system was jangling with nerves and excitement, like all the fluids in her body were sort of rushing around. It was the feeling she always got before performing, but it was so much better tonight.
Kierra turned from where she’d been peeking through the tent flap. “There are so many people out there, Sis! Ooh, I can’t wait to hear you sing!”
Brock strode over and bent so he could whisper in his girl’s ear. “You doing good, babygirl? Do you need anything?”
She turned to smile up at him. “I’m so good, thank you, Daddy. All I need is my guitar.”
A big smile spread across his handsome face. “Babygirl, you’re going to be incredible. I can feel it.”
There was a small rumbling, then the crowd began to chant her name, and the feel-good sensations welled up in her chest. She was ready.
She nodded her head, and Brock leaned in to kiss her. She grabbed his face to kiss him back, then she pulled away.
“Oh no! My lip gloss!”
“Here, Sis, I can help,” Kierra said, placing herself between her sister and Brock to help her touch up. “Okay, good as new.”
Kyra got up. “I’m ready! Let’s do this!”
The chanting grew louder as she moved toward the side entrance to the stage with her twin and her Daddy at her side. Kierra gave her hand a quick squeeze, and Brock brushed a quick kiss across her cheek.
“Go get ‘em,” he told her.
She walked out onto the stage and the crowd went wild, their cheers filling her ears and her heart as she grabbed her acoustic guitar and stepped up to the mic.
“Good evening, Rawhide Ranch!” she yelled.
She strummed her fingers across the guitar strings, getting the feel of them, then leaned back into the mic.
“How’s everyone doing on this Happy Fourth of July?”
There was more cheering, and someone yelled, “We love you, Kyra!”
“I love you all! Ready to get this party started?”
She didn’t wait, just strummed the first chords of her opening song, a raucous, fun piece to get the celebratory mood started off right.