Chapter 14

Frank nodded as he bit his lower lip. "Okay, but make it quick. We're wasting valuable studio time."

"You got it!" Mason said, and then walked quickly toward the door, motioning for us to follow. He walked out the back of the studio. The sun shone down brightly in the sky, but a warm breeze was blowing. "What the hell were you thinking in there?" Mason asked, turning on Logan. "Man, we have a shot to go on tour "

"As a backup band!" Logan interjected as his eyes flared.

"He said that we could do our originals, too!" Kyle interjected, trying to keep his voice down.

"Yeah, but what do we do when the crowd is chanting her name?" Logan replied.

It felt as if he had just slapped me in the face. "Well, you guys hash it out, but I'm going in." I needed to leave before I said something that I would regret.

"Wait a minute"

"Look," I said, wheeling on Logan, "for one thing, it's a gig. And I hate to say it, but do you think you're going to get another chance like this? To go on a nationwide tour?"

"As your backup band"

"Go to hell!" I said, storming past.

"Whoa, there," Kyle said, catching my arm. "What do you think about this? Would you mind if we did some of our originals?"

"Hell no!" I pulled away. "In fact, I was the one who told Frank that you had originals, or don't you remember? There have been plenty of bands who have done it. Look at Fleetwood Mac. Every one of them was great and could be solo acts, and they utilized the talents of every member!" I took a deep breath as I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to calm down. Then, I turned to face them. "I think we can do the same thing. You guys are talented, and if your originals are half as good as you can play, then I think we'll have something great. There's a lot of songs that you guys can't do because you don't have a female lead singer, and there are a lot that I can't do because I'm not a male. By joining forces, we can do a lot more together."

"So, you want to be a part of our band?" Logan asked, his eyebrows pulling together.

"No well I don't know maybe," I said, taking a deep breath. "I've never sung with anyone else before, but I'm sure that we can make it work." I took a deep breath and turned away, unable to look into Logan's eyes. "We can always come up with a new name if we have to. That way, we're not using your name or mine." I took a deep breath and it gave me a moment to think. "Let's talk to Frank. I'm sure we can work something out if you want. But for now, I'm going in and finishing my recording session. I've been waiting a lifetime for this and I'm not going to blow it."

"We'll be in soon," Logan said in a low voice.

I passed by, not making eye contact as I walked inside. Frank was willing to give all of us unknowns this great opportunity, and Logan was going to throw it all away on pride.

"There she is!" Frank said as I walked back into the studio. "Where are the guys?"

"They'll be in soon." I picked up my guitar and strummed it softly. Then, I put my guitar pick down and finger picked the strings.

"What's that you're playing?" Frank asked from inside the control booth.

"My song, Moonlight." It was slow song and I loved the melody; how it flowed from one rift into another. It was the song I played when I needed to relax, the same song I had played for Logan and the guys the night before.

"Play it," Frank said. "Let's roll tape on this, Sam."

Sam started hitting buttons inside the control booth. "You got it!"

I laughed. "I was just unwinding a bit."

"That's okay," Frank replied, smiling encouragingly. "We'll roll tape on it, anyway. Then, later, we can go through your songs and decide which ones we're going to release."

I smirked. His words were music to my ears. "Okay."

Moonlight was a slow song with a lot of feeling that I'd written the year before, after a date with a hot guy in the moonlight. I had thought I was in love and wrote a song about it, but we only went out on one more date and the relationship fizzled. In fact, it was never really a relationship. I didn't want to admit it at the moment, but I already felt more for Logan than I ever felt for the other guy. But I'd never forget the perfect evening that we shared in the moonlight.

I began to play, plucking the strings of my guitar, and began to sing, pouring my heart out into the empty room, feeling the song more than I had ever felt before. I closed my eyes, letting my heart drift into the words along with the melody as my voice rose and fell until it came to a quiet end. No one said a word at first until I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"That was beautiful," a voice said that shouldn't have been so familiar.

I opened my eyes with a start, and then looked down, but he placed a finger under my chin, forcing me to look into his eyes.

"Alyssa" Logan said.

And I understood. They weren't going on tour with me. I nodded understanding, as a traitorous tear rolled down my cheek. I cleared my throat, forcing the lump down. "You want to back me up just for today?" I looked around, and then back at Logan, and whispered, "I don't have anyone else."

Logan smiled as he nodded, his eyes also filled with emotion. "Sure." Then, he turned to Frank. "We've decided to back her up for today."

"But you're not going on tour as her backup band." Frank looked down, nodding in understanding, and then looked back at Logan. "Are you sure you know what you're doing?"

One corner of Logan's lips curled into his cocky smile as he looked back at me. "Yeah. I think I do." Then, he looked around the studio and the rest of Logan's band was taking their places behind their instruments. He looked back at me and said in a low voice, "Today's about you, and I'm not about to take that away from you." Then, he placed his hand gently on the side of my cheek.

I nodded, forcing a smile. At that moment, I had no idea where it was all leading, but I knew that he didn't want to stand in my way.