Page 142 of King of Country

Harper swears and digs her phone out of her pocket. She taps on the screen for a few seconds and then holds it out to me.

A video of Kyle onstage earlier is playing.

I expect to hear him talk about his mom.

Instead, he’s saying, “…wrote this song about a girl—”

Loud cheers drown out his voice for a minute.

“…promised myself if she ever came to see me perform, I’d play it for her. Last time, I chickened out. This time, I won’t.”

I look up at Harper, who’s glancing back and forth between me and the screen, her bottom lip tucked between her teeth. She looks nervous and giddy, and I can’t figure out why.

On-screen, Kyle starts playing the guitar, a slow melody that gradually speeds up into a quicker tempo. “This is called ‘Blue Rain Boots.’”

“Bet you wish you had those rain boots now.”

My heart squeezes.

Then, he starts to sing.

I thought I knew what I was looking to be mine,

But then I saw you and still think about that time.

Everything I’m wondering is a haze.

You spin me into a never-ending daze.

Because you’re ready for rain on sunny days,

Tell a country singer’s twang to rephrase.

Unfamiliar with second-guessing,

Let that red hair do the expressing.

And I don’t remember what the search was for.

Seems like second best after watching you pour.

The clip ends abruptly.

I cover my hand with my mouth, then pull out my own phone and typekyle spencer blue rain bootsinto the search bar.

It was released three years ago.

I skim the lyrics.

“He left, Piper.”

I look at Harper. “What?”

“I didn’t realize…he came over to me after he performed, asking where you were. I said you’d left since that’s what Linda had just told me. I figured you guys could talk at the after-party, but then Mia told me he was gone. I came to find you as soon as I could.”

I exhale. “Okay.”

“Okay? Piper, you should at least call him and—”

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