“You had big shit happening in your head and you dealt with it how you knew how. You didn’t fuck up. Not with me. You did what you had to do to protect yourself. Now that I know what’s going on, I’m not hurt. I get it. I sort of got it before. So don’t be down on yourself. It is what it is and now it’s something different. And if a friend is any friend at all, they’ll get what it is, and be by your side when you move on to something different.”

The tears started welling; I even felt my lip tremble.

“Oh shit, she’s gonna blow again,” Ryn muttered.

“No, I can get a lock on it,” I said shakily.

“Cry, who cares?” Pepper asked.

“I care, I have to rehearse and you’re already rehearsing. We have jobs to do,” I told her.

“‘What a Feeling’ is tonight,” Ryn declared.

I looked to her. “Pardon?”

“Black leotard, black leg warmers, I’m kicking out and pointing to everyone in the crowd with some twirls. It’s gonna be sick.”

“Ohmigod, your ‘What a Feeling’ is gonna rock,” I breathed.

I knew this because I’d seen her rehearse it, standing back in the shadows, where I’d been for ages while I avoided my friends as we all polished our varied routines to start the Revue.

“I know. I’ve been waiting for her to pull out ‘What a Feeling’ since we started,” Pepper said.

“That’s my first dance tonight,” Ryn said, eyes on me. “Ian’s putting me on first. I hope that’s okay with you.”

“Of course it is! You’ll knock their socks off. Tips will be primed for all of us,” I replied.

“Totes,” Pepper agreed.

“Okay, important shit, Axl kissed you?” Lottie asked.

I gave her big eyes.

“Was it hot?” Ryn asked.

I gave her bigger eyes.

“Right on,” Pepper whispered.

“He was really, really mad when Brett showed in the middle of it,” I shared. “Or, at all,” I added.

“I bet,” Ryn muttered.

“I don’t think that’s good. I’ve been, uh…messing with his head for a while,” I admitted.

“Not to give the impression I think messing with a man’s head is okay, but you have your reasons, and they’re not about intentionally jacking him around,” Lottie put in. “And these boys crook a finger and bitches fall at their feet. You don’t appreciate something if you don’t have to work for it. It’s not a bad thing he has to work for it.”

Well then.

That was sure something to think on.

“You fell at Mo’s feet,” Ryn said to Lottie.

“I didn’t. I stalked him across my living room,” Lottie corrected. “But Mo’s different. He’d been jacked around by chicks. It was me that had to do the fixing.”

“Oh, right.” Ryn grinned.