The crowd whooped and whistled, and Bristol could see Annie smiling from ear to ear. She kicked the set off with a faster song, and most of the crowd paid attention. Bristol knew the opening act could keep the crowd’s interest for only about twenty minutes. After that, fans left to replenish their drinks or go to the restroom.

The first two rows were reserved for VIP. Half of the people hadn’t made it to those rows, but some of those people were backstage watching the concert from the wings, a perk of backstage passes. Across the stage, Bristol saw Charley, a little girl wearing an eye patch, who she assumed was Annie’s niece, and an attractive woman holding the little girl’s hand. The woman looked like Annie, only she wasn’t as crisp and fresh. Bristol waved to Peyton, and once Peyton saw her, she jumped up and down, waving back with excitement. Her mouth and nose were covered in a mask, but her excitement was unmistakable. Seeing children appreciate music always made Bristol’s heart soar. If she could make a difference in just a few children’s lives with her music, she would consider herself a success.

“Look at the crowd. Most of the time they don’t give a shit about the opening act,” Lizzy said.

“It helps that she’s from here.” Bristol knew local people helped keep the concert flowing. Her Instagram post of her and Annie blew up. Ninety-nine percent of the comments were positive. Bristol had her social media manager delete all comments that weren’t kind. That was a full-time job. Bristol had access to the accounts but rarely engaged. It sucked the energy from her when she did, so she hired someone else to do it. “How many songs is she doing?”

Lizzy looked at her list. “Five, with the last one being the duet. She’s on number three now.”

“They’re pretty impressed with her. Mostly everyone in their seats is paying attention.” Bristol was far enough away that fans couldn’t see her, but she could see them. All eyes were on Annie. She wasn’t cocky, but she was sure of herself, and that was sexy. Her music was good even if it was a little slow for Bristol’s taste, and her comfort level in front of the crowd improved with each passing minute.

“This is my last song. I want to thank you all for being so nice to me. I’m Annie Foster, and if you like my music, please subscribe to my YouTube channel.” She tuned her guitar while a roadie quickly set up another microphone.