Timmy looked at her, his eyes accusing and angry. “You said you’d be here.” He spun on his feet, slipped his costume coat off and flung it on a chair. He climbed off the stage and rushed out the door.
The other children stood there in silence.
“You’ll be great. Really. It will be fine.”
The kids slowly walked away, shedding costumes and props in their wake.
She turned from the stage to see Dylan standing midway down the aisle. Her look was met with an icy stare of disbelief.
No, this wasn’t going as planned. Not well at all.
Dylan turned and walked away.
“Dylan, wait,” she called to him but he kept walking. She hurried after him, snatching her jacket from a chair and racing out the door.
“Dylan.” She called his name again and ran to catch up to him. When she caught up she reached and placed her hand on his elbow.
He turned to her, his eyes blazing. “You’re leaving.” It wasn’t a question, more of a statement.
“I got the backup singer gig with Keith Harper. I have to take it. I’ve waiting so long for a break like this.”
“I see. All that talk about staying here in Comfort Crossing? You were just biding your time until something better came along?”
“That’s not fair. You know it’s been my dream.”
“Part of your well thought out plan. The plan that I’m not part of.”
“Dylan, we could still see each other…” But she knew that wouldn’t really work. Not for either of them. Dylan wanted someone here, someone to share time with. Her schedule would be crazy with travel all over the states, and maybe the world.
Dylan stood silently looking at her, then bobbed his head once. “Go do what you have to do. Follow your plan. I wish you the best.” He spun on his heels and walked away down Main Street.
CHAPTER NINE
Missy left before daybreak to make it to Nashville for the afternoon practice. With every mile that she sped away from Comfort Crossing her spirits plummeted. Which was crazy because she was finally getting a chance to sing with a famous country singer. She should be ecstatic, crazy happy, joyful. It was all she had planned for, dreamed of.
She pulled into Nashville, realizing she needed to find a place to live now, too. Her roommates had rented her room out as soon as she left. She’d have to figure that all out now.
She walked into the sound stage and saw a crowd of singers and musicians standing around talking. She saw Keith Harper talking to his manager. She walked over to the men, squaring her shoulders, ready to start this stage of her life.
“Missy, darlin’, you made it.” Keith’s manager reached out and shook her hand. “Keith, this is the new backup singer I was telling you about. Missy Sherwood.”
Keith scrunched his face. “That name sounds familiar.” He shook his head. “Anyway, nice to meet you. We can always use another backup singer.” Keith flashed his well-known charming smile at her.
Not exactly what she had been expecting, but okay. What had she expected? That he’d be gushing over her and how great her voice was? Had he even heard her audition, or did someone else pick the backup singers?
The manager pointed across the room. “See that redhead over there? That’s Jackie. She’ll show you the ropes.”
The two men turned and started talking again, oblivious to the fact she was standing there next to them feeling lost and dismissed.
She crossed the room and introduced herself to Jackie. “I’m the new backup singer. Missy.”
“Hey, Missy. Heard we were getting some more backup. Why don’t you sit over there?” She pointed to a chair in the corner. “You’ll need to learn the music, too. I’ll send it home with you tonight. For today, why don’t you just listen.”
Missy crossed the room and sat in the chair while the musicians and singers got ready to practice. Practice went on for hours, and she sat patiently listening. With each minute that went by her heart wobbled in her chest. She glanced at her watch and realized the kids would be practicing the play now without her. Without her. And just like that, she knew she had made the wrong decision. She’d been blindly following her plan. Because she always followed her plan.
But maybe, just maybe, her plan was wrong.
“Let’s take a fifteen minute break.” Keith set his guitar down and crossed the room towards her.
Now was the time to tell him. Tell him she’d made a mistake.
“I finally remembered where I’d heard your name. It was on a demo of a song I really liked. It was called My Town. That was you, right?”
She stood up. “It was.”
“Darn good song. Good melody, great words.”