Tempt My Heart(13)

Roxie is on recording duty, so she’ll be in the front row. I told her if I get too nervous I’ll just focus on her, or pretend the entire crowd is in their underwear, whatever the hell works! I’ve emailed my last two performances to Cane. He freaked out when I told him Holden called asking me to come jam with them. I was so nervous the first night walking into Holden’s basement to sing for them, but after the first twenty minutes I relaxed and felt like I’d been singing with them my entire life. We all just blended together perfectly.

I’m still trying to get used to the fact that I’m actually the lead singer of a band that pretty much everyone in Miami loves. It doesn’t hurt every guy in the band is drop dead gorgeous, which I think is a good reason why the club is filled with gorgeous women tonight. After our first performance at Ocean Side Dive almost two weeks ago, they told me the verdict was in, and I was stuck with them. I can’t wait for Cane to come home so he can stand in the front row and watch me on stage in person. It’s going to suck going back to school and to have to focus on homework and school crap. I have a blast chilling with the band every night and rehearsing. We’ve been working overtime to get me prepared for tonight.

Levi and Nash, our bassist and drummer, are cousin’s and fight like an old married couple, its quiet entertaining. They’re sitting on the couch across from me right now, fighting over who’s going to get more phone numbers tonight. With this place bursting at the seams, I doubt they’ll leave with less than twenty each, and I think it’s safe to say they won’t be leaving alone. They almost look like brothers with similar facial features and jet black hair that’s cut short on the sides and styled into a high faux hawk. The only difference between the two is Levi wears large black glasses, and Nash has huge one inch black gauge earrings.

Holden and Casper are our lead guitarists. But Holden has a voice like Three Days Grace lead singer, Adam Gontier, and sings back up for me and any duets with me. His voice is amazing, and if they weren’t looking for a female singer to head their band, I don’t doubt for a moment they would do just fine with him as a front man. They’re out in the hall talking with some friends who came to help set up their equipment.

As I go through my final round of vocal warm ups, I hear my phone ringing from my purse on the floor beside the couch. I quickly lean over, retrieving it from the floor and burst with excitement the moment I recognize the international number. It’s ten fifty-five; we’re on in five minutes so it won’t give me much time to talk with Cane, but I’ll take every second I can get.

“Hey, babe!” I shout into the phone as Nash and Levi stop bickering and stand up from the couch and head towards the door.

Nash flashes me a big smile, “We’re going to get ready to go on, meet us out there in three.” With those words, he and Levi disappear into the chaos unfolding outside the green room door.

My stomach flutters with a swarm of butterflies as Cane’s thick raspy voice caresses my ear, “Happy New Year, baby.”

I forgot, in Iraq, it’s already 2006! Damn time zones.

“Happy New Year! Just think how amazing 2006 is going to be; we’ll finally be husband and wife.” Just hearing the words wife come out of my mouth makes me giddier than a kid on Christmas morning.

Cane’s laughter fills the phone; there is nothing I love more than hearing him laugh…it’s the most amazing sound ever. “That it is; I can’t wait to marry you Brittan. I wish we would’ve eloped before I deployed. I hate not being able to call you my wife. Having to wait is almost unbearable. This tour can’t be over soon enough.”

Lying back against the couch, I kick my feet up onto the coffee table that are donned in 6” fire red stilettos, “Believe me, I wish the same thing every day, but before we know it, you’ll be back and then we can have our dream wedding.”

I hear voices in the background; someone is speaking to Cane, “Sorry babe, I gotta go. I love you and I can’t wait to see your performance. You’re going to be awesome.”

Letting out a nervous laugh, I chew the inside of my cheek and glance towards the door; I hear the band that was just playing making their way towards the green room. Sitting back up I let out a shaky breath, “I love you too, and I can’t believe I’m ringing in the New Year singing with Beyond Redemption, it just doesn’t feel real!”

“I told ya babe, you have the most amazing voice and one day you’ll be performing in arenas around the world. I’ll try to call you again in a few days, until then, keep the emails coming.”