Ransom(36)

Then the band kicks back in, and Daltrey looks down at his piano, his hands flying across the keys as the drums and guitar ramp up behind him. Karen and Paige are screaming next to me, their voices melding with those of the other fans around us.

Ransom goes straight into their next hit, “Sunshine Girl,” without pause.

“How are you not screaming?” Paige asks, clutching my arm. “They’re fucking incredible!”

I can only nod. I’m too busy drinking them in, and I want to hear every note, watch every action on stage. By the third song, I realize that this concert is going to blow all the other performances I’ve seen out of the water. The boys are putting on an amazing show, better than I’ve ever seen them. I can’t tell if they’ve gotten exponentially better in the months I’ve been away, or if the adoring crowds push them to new heights. Daltrey alternates between his piano and guitar, sometimes abandoning both to stride across the stage with only a microphone, his voice so perfect it’s almost painful. Reed is a mad man behind his drum kit, his arms flailing so fast they’re little more than a blur. Lennon keeps his head down a lot, but every time he looks up, a huge grin stretches across his face; whether at the sight of the crowd or from the sheer enjoyment of playing, I don’t know. And Cash, gorgeous, cocky Cash, is a veritable sex god singing soulfully to the crowd, driving the girls wild. I can only laugh when I look at him doing his thing. This is the boy I once teased mercilessly for still sleeping with a teddy bear at age twelve.

They complete three full sets and an encore before the lights go up for good. Karen and Paige, along with the rest of the crowd, are still screaming. They’ve been dancing and jumping around for most of the night and look slightly disheveled and sweaty. Somehow, it only adds to their beauty. They look happy, energized, and a little bit wild.

“That was amazing!” Paige yells, grabbing Karen’s arm. “I can’t believe how good they are!”

The crowd finally starts to disperse as the roadies hit the stage to break down the equipment. I feel a brief dip in my stomach as I realize Levi is not with them. Does that mean he’s coming to get us?

I wait for the nerves to set in. I’m going to be seeing the Ransome boys up close, probably any minute now. But the nerves don’t come, even when I see Levi smiling and waving as he makes his way across the balcony.

I picture Daltrey on stage, the haunting sound of his voice, the flash of blond hair as he ducked his head over the piano, the lithe movement of his body as he played, the energy as he joined Cash at his microphone, the two of them jumping in tandem, huge, goofy grins on their faces. Then I picture the look in his eyes when they locked with mine before he started playing.

I’m not afraid. I’m not scared or anxious. All I feel is desire, deep and strong. I’m going to see Daltrey again. And I can hardly wait.

***



“Well if it isn’t Miss Daisy Harris.” Cash accosts me first, picking me straight up off the ground in a huge bear hug.

“You’re all sweaty!” I squeal, forgetting for a moment that he’s now an internationally known rock star and not just my slightly annoying but totally loveable next-door neighbor. “Cash!”

When I start to hit his shoulders, he puts me down, laughing. “My brother said you might be here. What the hell, Daisy? Where have you been?”

I remember where we are and that Paige and Karen are next to me, their eyes bugging out of their heads. “I’ve been busy,” I say, feeling stupid.

He’s watching my face too closely. Was he hurt, too, when I disappeared from their lives? Were the rest of them?

“Too busy for family?” he asks, his voice a little sharp.

I hear Karen’s intake of breath next to me and realize how serious his words must make our relationship seem to her—more serious, probably, than I had let on. I need to figure out how to lighten this up.

“Well, yeah,” I say, flashing him a smile. “I’ve been way too busy to follow a bunch of sweaty, stinky boys around the country.”

His eyes are intent on mine, as if searching for something. Drop it, I beg in my mind.

After an awkward moment, he smiles again. “Fair enough. Get in here.” He starts to move back into the dressing room when he realizes I’m not alone. His eyes flick across the girls, and his grin grows more sincere. “And who would this be?”

I try not to roll my eyes. He’s always been such a player. “Cash, this is my friend Karen. And this is my friend Paige.”

It’s kind of hilarious, watching them react to him. They are both wide eyed, their mouths slightly gaping, as he leans in to kiss them each on the check. When he pulls back, I’m pretty sure Paige is about to have a heart attack. I can practically hear the words screaming in her head: Cash Ransome kissed me!