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"This is real. For me." I cut off her concern before she airs it. "She's a special woman."
"Who you telling? She performed backup on my debut album. Me, a nobody."
I laugh. "I get that." I battle the same impostor syndrome. Ariel is a famous, top-selling musical artist. I'm an unemployed musician from Indiana. "I know why I kissed her, but I'm not sure why she kissed me back."
"Don't think like that, Adam. You have the biggest heart of anyone I know. That's what she sees. She's the lucky one." Hailey shifts on the couch, and I can tell she's about to change topics. "You guys ready for the start of the music festival? Calvin told Marshall that Ariel has a couple of placeholders on the music festival schedule. She and a couple of guitarists in a workshop session on the first day of the festival." She tilts her head from side to side with a smirk. "I wonder who that could be."
"Really? We get to perform with her in public?" This night keeps getting better. "She hasn't mentioned a word. It must be a surprise."
"Awww, I'm sorry for messing it up. I thought you knew and were going to surprise me with the news. Please don't let her know I've told you."
"My lips are sealed." My feet tap with the news. When I asked her about the song, she changed the topic. "I wrote a song for her," I blurt out, and the wide smile on my sister's face grows even wider.
"I'm so proud of you, Adam. I've always known you could do whatever you set your heart to. You've been ready for some time." Hailey always knows what to say. Her affirmation settling the concerns I felt when I returned to the studio only to find Ariel's note. "When do I get to hear it?"
I run my hand through my hair. "Not sure. I'm still waiting to hear it myself." I laugh to myself. "I left it with her in the studio so she could get comfortable with it. It's kind of an emotional song."
"All the best ones are." Like I said, she always knows what to say. "How great would it be if she performed it at the workshop? That's what those sessions are for, to try out different material and see how crowds react."
Hailey makes the connection I had failed to see. Was this part of her plan all along? To showcase a different sound? "Ariel Tyler performing a song I wrote on stage is a bucket list item I never knew I had. And now it's all I can think about." How is any of this happening to me? I'm just a quiet kid from Indiana.
Hailey's light laugh fills me with joy. "Yeah, we both are learning to dream bigger these days." We pause and let our imagination run free for a moment. When she speaks again, I notice the shift in tone. "And how is Laredo taking all of this? I know he had kind of a thing for Ariel, too. I may have been focusing on my album back in Boston, but he was hard to ignore."
"He's actually good. I'm not sure he had a thing for Ariel as opposed to him feeling it's his lot in life to hit on any attractive woman who comes within ten feet of him." A soft snicker escapes. "He let me borrow his speaker for my grand gesture and actually was nice to me for more than thirty seconds tonight."
"That's good to hear. So, if you guys are staying for the full festival, I can reschedule your appointment with Mia at the Forever Lodge on Saturday."
"Why?" With Hailey on tour, I'm set to meet Mia Marshall, the property manager for the former bed-and-breakfast where Hailey's Girls music program will be held. I volunteered to be Hailey's eyes and ears as they formalize the contracts and the final details. "Even if we perform at the workshop, it's on the first day of the festival, which is Wednesday; the appointment isn't until Saturday."
Hailey bites on her lower lip, and I brace for another surprise. "I really shouldn't…"
"Out with it," I bark.
"This must definitely be a surprise. Please don't—she may kill me."
My pulse kicks up and races with possibilities.
"Ariel is holding a spot on the Sunday schedule for Devil May Care."
"The band? They're performing here?" My mouth hangs open. Devil May Care performed at last year's festival, so it's not out of the realm of possibilities. Yet, Ariel hasn't said a word. They've just wrapped a nine-month tour. Everything I've read said they were on an extended break with some bloggers hinting they may have performed together for the last time.
"I could be wrong. They're placeholders. Maybe they have fifty of them on the schedule for all I know. I'm sure most of them don't pan out. Yeah, that's it. Don't read too much into it." Hailey backs away from the news, but it's too late. I can't unhear it.
"Any or all of that may be true." I try to make sense of the news. "But we've spent nearly every hour with Ariel the last few days, and she's never mentioned any of this. Isn't that a little strange?"
Hailey shakes her head. "A few days ago, she didn't know you and Laredo. If she dropped that news at your first day, what do you think Laredo would have done?"
She talks me off the ledge. "Probably posted it on social media."
"Exactly."
I nod. My concerns ease. Then I think of the rehearsals. Hours and hours of us playing Devil May Care songs. Ariel doesn't need practice. Her tour has just ended. Her band is as fine-tuned as they ever will be. What am I missing?
I wish my sister luck on her upcoming concert and hang up. I stare out at the crescent moon. Only a few hours of darkness remain. I had hoped my doubts would take a night off tonight.
New ones now nibble at me. I understand why she wouldn't tell Laredo. Or even me the first days.
But I'm not my brother. We've spent two hours at the bonfire tonight talking about anything and everything. At any point in time, she could have mentioned it, could have shared. Yet, she didn't.
