Page 139 of Broken Bridges

Flint continued, “As a result, we’ll be releasing it as our official fourth single next week. Y’all okay with that?”

The crowd hollered, whistled, and waved their hands above their heads.

Tears prickled my eyes. My head spun. My song is a hit? It will be released as a single? Oh wow! My thundering heart was about to escape my chest. Playing with these guys was a dream come true. Having my song included on the album had been mind-blowing. But for it to become one of our bestselling tracks was beyond anything I could’ve ever imagined. Life just hit a new high.

“Lewis?” Flint swiveled toward me as he hovered his lips against his mic. “In honor of your amazing song, I’d like you to step over here, take the lead, and sing it for us.”

I gaped. I actually gaped. “No. Dude, you sing it.”

“Nuh-uh.” Flint waved me forward. “The stage is yours.”

Slip started to chant and clap. “Lewis. Lewis. Lewis.”

The crowd joined in. “Lewis. Lewis. Lewis.”

Shit! I trembled all over. My stomach knotted. Me? Sing lead? I glanced at Slip, then at Cole, then back to Flint. They waved me forward. Damn. They’d all been in on this.

Humbled, honored and shocked, I placed my hand over my heart, grinned and shook my head. There was no way out of this. So, I’d own it. Taking a deep breath, I stepped over the cords and cables snaking across the stage floor and made my way over to Flint. I gave him a hug. “Thank you.”

“No. Thank you for a fucking awesome song.”

Slip dashed over to me and gave me a fist-pump. “Well done, man. Let’s rock.”

“LEWIS!” Cole cheered from behind his drum kit and clapped his sticks together. “Woohoo!”

I stole a glance in Tia’s direction. I couldn’t see her, but I threw her a huge smile, and tapped my chest. This wouldn’t have happened if she hadn’t encouraged me to play my music to the guys all those months ago. Now...here I was.

“You ready to back me up?” I asked Flint as I stepped behind his mic.

“Just this once.” Grinning, he winked, tapped my shoulder, then headed over to my mic.

My chest swelled as I scanned the jostling audience. This was freaking awesome. I’d never sung lead. I wasn’t going to waste the opportunity.

I sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

I spoke into the mic. “Evening all. Anyone out there ever been hopelessly in love? I’m talking about the kind of love that keeps you awake at night, go a little stir crazy when you’re apart and has you counting down the minutes of every day until you can see that person again. Anyone had that kind of love?” A wave of whistles and yeses drifted across the audience. “Yeah, you know what I’m talking about.” I plucked my bottom string. “When you find the one that turns your world upside down, it’s fucking awesome. I hope y’all find a love like that. I have.” I pointed toward the mixer. “Tia, I love coming home to you. Every fucking day.”

I strummed my strings. Cole thudded the intro beat on his bass drum, then galloped his sticks across the tom toms and hit the snare. Flint and Slip ripped into the vibrant track on their electrics. I added the groove with my heavy bassline.

Each note reverberated through my chest. I took a quick breath and sang:

Another day breaks over the horizon,

Another bed I wake up alone in.

Another city I am seeing,

Different air to you I’m breathin’.

But now there’ll be no more dreamin’.

I’ve been away for so damn long,

I’ve lost track of the hours and days.

But the difference about this morning,

I’m gonna pack my bags, be on my way.

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