Backstage Pass (Sinners on Tour 1)

Malcolm grunted.

“Is it that hard for you to be proud of him?” Trey asked.

“Trey, stay out of this,” Brian said. “He doesn’t have to support everything I do.”

“But he should,” Myrna murmured. She wondered how it was possible to produce words with her entire foot in her mouth.

“You don’t want to watch the show either?” Brian asked Myrna.

“Of course I want to watch the show.”

“I never said I didn’t want to be here,” Malcolm added.

“It’s settled then. Everyone has to suffer through my solos for the next hour.”

Myrna reached for Brian’s hand, but he threw her off and stalked out of the dressing room. Before she could start after him, Trey caught her arm. “Thanks for saying something,” he whispered. “He’d have kicked my ass for that.”

“I should have kept my mouth shut.” Now she had to fix things. She didn’t want to be remembered as Brian’s crazy ex-girlfriend who’d cal ed Malcolm O’Neil a has-been.

Trey grinned. “You just showed how much you care. Brian wil be stoked when he cools down and realizes it.”

“I don’t think he’s stoked that I made an ass of myself in front of his parents.”

She glanced at Malcolm and Claire who were talking with their heads close together as they fol owed Eric out of the dressing room.

“The name-cal ing was a bit much,” Trey said.

“And who instigated the entire thing?” She jabbed Trey in the chest with her finger. “You. I wouldn’t have gone off if you hadn’t alerted me to the situation.”

“I’ve been wanting to tel off Brian’s father for years.”

Trey started after the rest of the group and Myrna fol owed, her mind racing. “How can I make this up to him?”

“Do you want my honest opinion?” Trey asked.

“No, Trey, I want you to lie to me.”

He grinned at her crookedly. “If you can get Malcolm to admit Brian is a great guitarist, I think he’l forgive you.”

“That should be easy enough. Al he has to do is listen to Brian play.”

“Good luck with that.”

“Do you think I can talk Malcolm into joining Brian on stage while he’s soloing in the middle of the show?”

“Doubtful.” Trey paused and took her by the arm, a thoughtful expression on his face. “Unless…”

“Unless what?”

“Maybe if the band plays a tribute to Winged Faith. Malcolm’s problem is he’s stuck in the seventies. He’s an amazing musician but refuses to change, which puts him out of a job.”

“That might work. Does the band know any Winged Faith songs?”

Trey’s eyebrow arched. “Do you real y have to ask? Every band knows every Winged Faith song ever written.”

She chuckled. “True.” Problem was, she doubted that Malcolm would agree to any suggestion she made. She squared her shoulders. She just wouldn’t take no for an answer.

Trey laughed and tugged her into motion again.

She glanced up at him. “What?”

“The look of determination on your face. Papa Sinclair won’t know what hit him.” He hugged her against his side. When they entered the backstage area, Myrna and Trey went in opposite directions. She spotted Brian near the stairs behind the stage. He always had preshow jitters, but tonight he looked physical y il .

She considered going to talk to him, but figured she’d probably make things worse and he didn’t need the added anxiety right before their set. Trey, now equipped with his yel ow and black guitar, approached Brian and pounded him on the back vigorously. He leaned close and said something in Brian’s ear. Brian smiled, seeming to relax slightly, and whispered something back. Trey was so good to Brian. She loved Trey for it and was jealous of him at the same time. She didn’t quite understand that jealousy part. Trey had always been there for Brian. She should be happy that he had that kind of friend. And in a way she was. In another way, she wished she was the one who Brian depended on.

Brian’s eyes met hers across a sea of sound equipment. He sucked his top lip into his mouth and lowered his eyes to inspect his shoes. Her heart twisted and tears prickled her eyes.

He couldn’t even look at her.

Was this the end? God, she hoped not.

But even if he never forgave her, she wanted to patch things up between him and his father. She’d put her psychology degree into ful operational mode.

She continued around the stage, hurting more than she should. Why did she care if Brian no longer wanted to be with her? She never expected him to be a permanent fixture in her life, but this was too soon. She wasn’t ready to give him up. Their three months weren’t over. She stil had six more weeks of data to col ect for her project.

Myrna stood next to Malcolm on the floor to the side of the stage. He had his arms crossed over his chest and a look of tried patience on his face. Myrna bit her tongue and turned her attention to the stage. A camera crew stood ready to film a live video the band would be releasing soon. They’d chosen their hometown for the video because the crowd was guaranteed to be pumped up. When the stadium lights went down, the roar of the crowd was so deafening Myrna covered her ears with both hands. Knock ’em dead, guys.

The curtain dropped and blinding white streams of fireworks fel behind the stage. The bril iant light-curtain silhouetted Brian, who stood on a platform behind and above the drum kit wailing on the intro to “Gates of Hel .” Myrna’s heart thudded with a mixture of pride and anticipation. Claire clapped excitedly. Malcolm didn’t move a muscle. The crowd erupted in chaos. Plumes of fire shot into the air on either side of the drum kit the instant the rest of the band joined Brian. The crowd screamed their approval.

Sed’s low growl started to build. Myrna didn’t see him at first, but based on their enthusiastic reaction, the fans obviously did. Then she saw what had them so excited. Sed rose from the floor, center stage, the low rumble of his voice increasing in intensity as a platform lifted him. When the platform hit flush with the stage, Sed leapt onto a raised, circular stage section that jutted out toward the crowd. Red and blue fountains of sparks shot up around him on al sides, concealing him in a circle of colorful light. As soon as the display went dark, he started singing the lyrics.

The pyrotechnics display impressed Myrna with its perfect synchronicity to the song. The crew had outdone themselves for the live recording.