“Besides getting your car, what else do you need to get done today?” Garrett asks.
“Do you need to buy new clothes for tonight?” Adrian asks.
“No, I found something to wear.” What I don’t mention to them is that I would actually like to buy a new outfit for tonight, but I don’t want to spend money I don’t have, and I’m already indebted to Duke for the new guitar.
“Is there anything we can help with?” Trevor asks as I take the first sip of my creamy coffee.
“I don’t think so. You’re already helped so much. Today, I just need to find my music and spend time practicing. Would I be disturbing anyone if I played the guitar in my room?”
Adrian and Trevor shake their heads. “You can play wherever you’re comfortable,” Adrian says.
“What time is your show?” Trevor asks.
“Eight, and you don’t have to go.”
“Don’t be stupid,” he says, grinning at me and making a funny face.
Adrian had been leaning against the counter, but he straightens. “First you need to start your day with a good meal.” He lists several options, and I opt for the one that sounds the easiest, Greek yogurt and granola, because I don’t want him to feel like he has to cook for me.
“Is it all right if I get a shower?” Garrett asks.
“Yeah, I’ll get you a towel,” Trevor says.
The two of them head back upstairs, while Adrian gets out the breakfast items for me. “I was looking online for videos of you playing,” he says as he watches me spoon yogurt into the bowl he provided. “I couldn’t find anything anywhere. Do you go by a different name?”
I duck my head and grimace. “No, I’ve never posted anything.”
“What? You don’t have a channel or even a profile for your musical career?”
“Musical career?” I have to laugh at how he makes it sound like I’m famous.
“Yes, your musical career. After tonight, you’ll officially be a professional musician. Someone is paying you to perform. You should have a presence online, so fans can follow you.”
He’s right; I should. But I always worried that I’d only receive a pitiful number of likes and follows, and even when I talked myself into the idea of posting something, I could never decide what exactly I should share.
“Didn’t the person who booked you for tonight need to see a demo?” Adrian asks. “How did you get the gig?”
“They put out a call for musicians, and I tried out in person.”
After I pour a small amount of cereal into the bowl, he takes the box from me and closes the top. “For other venues, I’ll bet you need to show a demo. Do you need any help, recording or posting, or anything?”
“I don’t need any help for the technical side, but I guess I could use a push,” I admit.
“Happy to help. Is anyone recording tonight’s show?”
I shake my head.
“Well, I’m no professional, but I can at least get video with my phone and take some still images for you.”
I smile at him, surprised by his offer. “Thanks. I’d appreciate that.”
“My pleasure.” He returns my smile, and it’s glorious. How could someone be this kind and this good looking?
* * *
The day goesby too quickly. After a shower, Garrett drives me to his place so that I can get my car. We part with a tender, lingering kiss, and a promise that he’ll see me tonight at Rusty’s.
Back at Duke’s house, I borrow an iron and prepare the clothes I selected, basic black pants and a black blouse with a subtle red pattern. They’re nothing special, but they’re flattering and contrast well with my hair. With only a quick stop for a sandwich, and a mental note to replace the food items I’m eating from the men’s refrigerator, I spend the rest of my available time practicing.