Before I could even begin to process what he’d said, he stood up and checked his phone. “Listen.” He leveled me with a serious look. “Do I think you should rush into something with August and Camden? No. All’a youse need time to think and whatever. And you need to come home with us on Monday and clear your head. But don’t tell me there’s no way to make compromises. August and Camden aren’t Charles—they’re not asking you to give up everything and move across the country.” Then he gestured toward the others waiting offstage. “We have twenty minutes before we gotta box everything up again. Think you can pull yourself together enough to sound decent, at least?”

Ouch.

With a quick shake of my head, I filed away his mind-numbing rant for now and stood up. “I was nicer to you when you were hugging your pillow and crying into your ice cream, thinking Gideon didn’t want you.”

He scowled. “I didn’t cry.”

“Sob.”

Let the music guide you, Nonna always said.

It didn’t guide me as much as it centered me. It helped me find focus and sort through my thoughts.

It was what I needed today, so I didn’t tag along on any sight-seeing. I didn’t drive back to the ranch either. I texted August, telling him I was staying at the festival to get into the right mood and that I’d see them after the show. And once we’d rented all the cars we needed for the day, Nicky drove off in my truck, and I got on the bus.

For several hours, it was just me, earbuds in my ears, a pen and notepad, a pack of smokes, and some food and soda I’d bought on the way back from the rental place.

Before coming down to Nashville, I’d complained about the monotony of my life. How my existence had become predictable and dull. Now it was suddenly the opposite, and I was finding a way to bitch about that too.

I shouldn’t. I should let the uncertainty shake me up and keep me in suspense for a while.

We got bored so easily, and yet, as soon as something unfamiliar happened, we did everything to work things out as quickly as possible. For what? So we could get bored again?

It was okay not to know where we were headed.

I left my seat somewhere in the middle of the bus and grabbed my duffel near the front. After changing into a pair of new jeans and a black tee, I started pacing the narrow aisle and thinking about the first song on our setlist. Everyone would be back soon, and I wanted to make some changes. Maybe add a chorus to highlight the message?