by Lisa Suzanne
I glance around the table, and everyone’s nodding. “We have our decision, then.”
“You sure you can’t come back?” Brody asks Kane.
He shoots us all a sad little smile, and he doesn’t have to follow that up with any words.
I text Camille, who makes an announcement over the intercom for the contestants to gather in the family room, and then we head up to make the announcement.
CHAPTER 39: LEXI
“We first want to thank Kane for being a guest judge today. Having the person here whose spot you’re all competing for has been both enlightening for us and a great way to spend time with someone who’s a brother to us,” Dax says. “And now, we’ve mutually decided which two of you will be going home. But before we do that, first I want to tell you who is safe from going home.”
I glance over at Gage, but he’s focused on Dax.
“It’s a little different this time because there’s a prize involved,” Dax says. “The two of you who wrote the winning song will get to perform it with the four of us backing you up on the stage at Ashmark’s practice facility tonight. Not only does that mean you’ll get to leave this house for a few hours, it also means you’ll get two-on-four time with the four of us. You’ll perform in front of an audience of Ashmark executives and a few fans who have won their way in, and it’ll be excellent exposure regardless of whether you’re the eventual winner of this competition.”
My heart races.
We’ll get to leave this house?
But more importantly, we’ll get to perform for Ashmark executives?
Even if I don’t win...that could be potentially life changing.
I suck in a breath. We have to win. I need the chance to play on that stage.
Dax glances at the men standing beside him, and then he looks at each one of the six of us. He’s schooled not to give anything away, and I’m impressed every single time that he can look right at the person who’s going home without letting it slip ahead of time.
Maybe it’s because I’m so dang nervous every time I’m standing here awaiting my fate.
“And now for the winners. You wrote the best song, the best lyrics, and a melody I can’t get out of my head...but more than that, your performance of it proved you can handle a big stage. You both have the kind of appeal that demands your audience stops to listen.”
Oh my God, I can’t take this.
Say my name. Please, please say my name.
“Congratulations to the winners of this competition, Gage and Lexi.”
A little squeal drops out of me, and I can’t help when I turn to Gage and toss my arms around his neck. He squeezes me back, and holy hell if my heart doesn’t start racing even faster as I’m back in his arms where I belong.
Where I belong.
I breathe him in as deeply as I can, memorizing his scent, but I can’t focus on it because we freaking won.
We’re leaving the house tonight, and we’re playing our song for executives, and I could not be more excited...even though someone’s going home.
“Congratulations,” Tyler says on my other side, and I detangle myself from Gage’s arms for a quick hug with my fake boyfriend even as I realize that he has a fifty-fifty shot at going home.
And I’m essentially going out with Gage tonight.
We pull ourselves together so Dax can make the announcement.
He looks between Blaze, John, Tyler, and Decker for the longest few seconds of any of their lives, and then he says, “We’re sorry to say that Blaze and John, you lost this battle. Neither of you will be MFB’s replacement bassist.”
I think I’m a little relieved that Tyler will be sticking around. He’s my best friend in the house, the one person who really knows what’s going on in my head apart from Ben, so it’s nice that he’ll still be here.
Except I realize as I hug him in celebration that while he’s that person for me, I’m not sure I’m that person for him. To be honest, I don’t feel like I’ve gotten to know him very much at all.
And I don’t really know if I want to, either. Regardless of who wins this thing, once it’s over, we won’t be living in the same house day after day with literally nothing else to do except write music or talk to each other. He’ll either become MFB’s bassist or run back to Capital Kingsmen, and where does that leave me?
We’re faking it. It’s not like once this whole thing ends that I’ll be his actual girlfriend. Sure, we share a bond because of this competition, and maybe we’ll share a friendship outside of the show...but I doubt it.
That realization leaves me a little sad.
Because it means I won’t be around Gage everyday anymore, either.
We say goodbye to Blaze and John, and then Dax tells Gage and me we have an hour until we leave.
I use that hour to fix my hair and put on some make-up. I spend half of it just figuring out what to wear, and then I’m ready to go. Gage is already on the couch in his signature jeans and a black t-shirt, and he looks delicious sitting there.
I knew that was what he’d wear.
And that’s why I chose jeans and a white t-shirt.
I’m light to his dark.
His eyes edge over toward me, and they seem to ignite when they meet mine. His travel down the length of my body, searing me and branding me with every inch.
A wave of heat washes over me, and I get the sudden feeling that I am the one holding us back.
Except I’m not. He’s hooking up with Kat on the side—or, at the very least, he’s making it look like he is—and even though we haven’t actually talked through anything at all, he’s made it pretty clear that he hates me.
I don’t hate him. I just hate what he said, and I hate how I reacted to it, and I hate how we’ve treated each other since I walked into this house. I hate that things changed so drastically after the way we spent the weekend together, and I really hate that I don’t see a way to get past it.
I hate that when this is over, I won’t get to walk into a room and see him sitting there. I won’t get to think of ways to drive him crazy.
On paper, I suppose he’ll just be a blip on my otherwise perfect record. But the stamp he left on my heart even after just a few short days together definitely spells more than that.
We’re in the back of a car with Dax, Adam, Rascal, and Brody, and I can hardly believe I’m actually here.
I try to imagine what it’d be like if Gage wasn’t here, if it was just me and four of the men I’ve admired for years. But it’s hard to imagine when I see Gage cracking dirty jokes with Brody, and when I see him asking Adam about his pregnant wife and their house on the beach, and when I see him talking to Rascal about what it’s like to play with Ruby versus with MFB, and when I see him talking to Dax about producing Rock on the Road.
In fact, as I watch him with them and I sit rather quietly as I don’t know exactly what to say, I can clearly see how well he fits in with them.
He’s one of the guys. He’s the fifth man in their poker games, the one who brings an extra case of beer and grabs a cigar to join in when he sits at their table. He’s not a replacement for Kane, and he understands that. He’s simply a new member who already fits with these guys like the brother they were missing all along.
And then there’s me.
The sweet, innocent country girl who’s probably in over her head.
I wish I could be more present here in this conversation, but I feel like a sixth wheel. This is my chance to get to know these guys outside of the competition on a more personal level, and I’m blowing it because I can’t stop watching Gage interacting with them.
“You have feelings for him,” Dax says quietly beside me. It isn’t a question.
I smile wryly at him. “It doesn’t really matter.”
“Maybe, maybe not. I’m not supposed to tell you this, but you two are the frontrunners. Does that change things?”
I chuckle. “We are?”
He nods. “How do you feel about competing one-on-one a
gainst the man you’re in love with?”
I press my lips together. “I want it, Dax.” I glance out the window. “I want it so bad. It would be an honor to be a part of what you all have built, and I’d play my heart out for you every single day.”
“I know you would.” He’s still speaking quietly so we can’t be heard over the quiet din in the back of the car.
“But look at him.”
Dax glances over to where I’ve been staring since we got in the car. He’s cracking up, and Brody and Adam are laughing beside him. Rascal’s typing something on his phone, seemingly oblivious to the fact that there are other people around him.
“He fits with you guys,” I say. I let out a heavy sigh.
Dax nods. “He does. He’s a perfect fit. But, Lexi, come on. You wouldn’t still be here if we didn’t think you had qualities that would fit with us, too.”
I glance over at him, and he looks sincere.
“Let it go for tonight,” he advises. “Whatever’s up in your head, put it aside. Go have fun on that stage. And regardless, remember who’s watching. I’m not saying that to make you nervous. I’m simply reminding you that even if it isn’t you in the end of this competition, other opportunities might await.”
I give him another wry smile and nod. “Thanks, Dax.”
He elbows me playfully in the arm, and it’s an easy gesture that makes me feel like while Gage might fit in as a brother with these guys, maybe I could fit in as a little sister.
CHAPTER 40: GAGE
I glance over at Lexi. I keep looking at her, and it seems like every time I do, she’s just looking away from me. We’re playing a strange game and I can’t tell who’s on top.
I want her on top of me, though. That’s for damn sure.
She’s talking to Dax, and I wish I could hear what they’re saying.
Once we’re on the Ashmark practice stage, I look out at the crowd.
The seats are all empty.
“I thought we were playing for executives,” I say.
Dax nods. “We are.”
We are.
Like I’m already part of the band.
“We just got here early so the four of us could run through the song with you a few times,” he says.
“So you want us to teach you how to play our song?” Lexi asks.
Dax nods. “Yeah. It’s your song, the two of you, and as we play, you give us notes and tweaks and we’ll do what you say.”
Lexi’s eyes get real round and I can’t help but laugh. She almost looks like a Disney princess for a second—just without the animal sidekick.
I play the song on Rascal’s keyboard first so everyone can get a feel for the music, and he’s able to immediately duplicate what I just did. Dax and Adam both play guitar, and Brody keeps the beat on drums while Lexi and I play bass together and sing the words we wrote separately together.
I adjust a few things with Dax and Adam, and she has some notes for Brody, and Rascal keeps the same melody we wrote on the piano just yesterday.
Our hour is spent much faster than I expected, and we head backstage while the audience members take their seats.
I peek out from the side stage.
I recognize several of the people sitting in the crowd, including the four members of Vail and what looks to be their wives and kids, Kane and a woman who must be Ruby along with a couple other guys, and a bunch of people in suits.
It’s a small theater, but the seats are mostly full.
It’s the most important stage I’ve ever taken, and I need to prove it’s a stage where I belong.
I ignore the pounding of my heart in my chest. I ignore the rush of anxiety in my ears. I draw in a deep breath and breathe out the nerves. And then, I focus on one thing: the music.
Because that’s why we’re here.
That’s what matters.
We walk out when Dax gives us the signal. We pick up our instruments, and Lexi and I hit the first note along with Adam’s guitar. The others join in, and we sing the words, and we fucking kill it.
Lexi is amazing. Her voice is on point, gorgeous and haunting, and I pour all of the heartbreak I feel into my own words as my eyes meet hers.
In fact, we kill it so much that we get a standing ovation from the crowd when we’re done.
Dax glances back at Brody and nods, and he hits the snare to dive into one of MFB’s songs. As much as I want to revel in the glory of what we just did, I don’t have time.
I pick up the bassline of the song they’re playing, one of MFB’s biggest hits, and the crowd goes wild. I’m focused on what I’m doing, so I don’t see whether Lexi has joined in.
I hear her, though.
She’s taking the opportunity to back up on vocals, and I don’t let her get away with it on her own. I dive into back-ups, too.
I look out over the crowd, and instead of feeling nervous about who’s watching us, I forget about it. I see them dancing and singing along with Dax. I see them having a great time. It’s making me have a great time, too.
And that’s really what this is all about. We’re here to entertain, to help people forget about their troubles and to help them celebrate their wins. We’re here to provide a soundtrack to their events and their lives.
I find myself really getting into it. I swing over and share a microphone with Lexi on one section of back-ups, and then I move across the stage in the same way I did with Sin City Crue, when I was a part of that band and we owned the stage like nobody’s business.
I fucking just have fun.
We slide into a couple more MFB songs, and even though they hit me with one I don’t know as well, I’m able to fumble my way through pretty well. It doesn’t matter, anyway, because this isn’t a competition. This isn’t a challenge. It’s a prize, and I take full advantage of the time I have on this stage with them.
Because as I glance over at Lexi and see her smiling and keeping the beat, too, I realize that only one of us will get the chance to permanently share their stage.
And, as I see Dax look over at her with a huge smile, I realize for the first time that it might not be me.
The house feels empty when we get back. We say goodnight to the MFB guys, who head out without coming in, and Lexi goes right for the stairs while I contemplate heading to the food room to get a drink. I’m too amped up to just go up to bed.
I open my mouth to invite her to come with me, but all that comes out is a little croak of a noise before she disappears around the corner toward Tyler, the guy whose arms she slept in and probably the guy who she wants to tell about our magical evening.
I just wish I was the guy she wanted to talk to about it.
We get a rare day off from the competition, and I spend most of it alternating between swimming and relaxing by the pool. I haven’t seen Lexi or Tyler, and instead Decker hangs with me. We have a few beers after dinner and I find myself bored without the threat of an impending challenge.
And when MFB returns the next day with a new challenge, I don’t feel the same fire I’ve felt through this whole thing.
More and more I’m realizing that I have nothing to go home to if I don’t win this thing, but at the same time, I don’t know if I’m as deserving of it as Lexi.
And if Lexi and I are both still here after this competition, I only pray Decker is, too. Because if I have to sit in this house with Tyler and Lexi while they lie in bed together, I don’t know how I’ll handle that.
“Today’s challenge is to choose a different instrument to play,” Dax tells us. “We’ll be judging you based on versatility and talent. You can choose any MFB song to perform, and by the end of the day, we’ll know who our top three contenders are. You have one hour to practice and we will see you in the basement to perform at that time.”
He unleashes us, and I’m confident I’ll be fine on this one. I’m also confident Lexi will be.
We all head down to the basement since that’s where the instruments are located, and I pull on some noise-canceli
ng headphones. I pull up the MFB song I want to play, one simply called “Trust,” and I grab an electric guitar. I don’t plug it, but I mimic the sound I hear through the headphones and memorize the music.
I glance over and see Lexi at the piano, and I see Decker behind the drums. Tyler is on another electric guitar. I wonder what songs they all chose. I picked this one because of its technical difficulty and a long guitar solo so I can prove my worth on more than one instrument—not that MFB needs more guitarists. In fact, I think Lexi might have the right idea choosing something more versatile. They have Rascal as their keyboardist, but that doesn’t mean they couldn’t use a piano in certain situations as well.
We practice, and we do our best to ignore one another and stay focused, and then it’s time for the competition.
Tyler’s up first, and he does fine. Decker is second, and honestly choosing drums was a mistake. It’s hard to tell what song he’s playing even though he’s a decent drummer. I’m third, and I do my best. Lexi’s last, and she fucking kills it like she does every damn time. The woman is maybe the most talented musician I’ve ever watched. She’s got this element to her voice that’s both unique and sweet, and I feel like I could listen to her sing forever.
I wish I could.
But I screwed the pooch on that front.
The men deliberate, and they call us up to the family room a little before dinnertime for the announcement.
“This gets harder and harder with each competition. There are fewer of you to choose from, and all four of you standing there are deserving to win. You each have unique talents that would mesh well with what we have going on here, and we’re sorry to have to see one of you go.” Dax is calm as he starts the introduction, and I think the point of him droning on each time is to make those of us standing here waiting for the announcement so damn nervous we can hardly stand it.
Each of us has a one in three chance of making it to the next round, but one of us has to go home.
My fingers are crossed for Tyler, but I don’t really believe it’ll be him.
