“They’re guitar picks silly. They’re not sexual favor chips!”
“I know what they are!” I say, sitting back in my seat and putting the car in the drive. Then glancing over at her I ask, “Did you give these to me as a present?”
Her lips purse in that adorable way she has when she’s trying to explain something. “Yessss”
“Well then, they can be whatever I want them to be.”
She just shakes her head at me. “Okay, Loverboy.”
We’re driving down the highway listening to music when The Mighty Storm’s Through it All comes on the radio. Dahlia is quiet as she listens to the lyrics. It’s like she’s absorbing the great sound, almost as if trying to memorize it. Once the song finishes, I turn down the volume and look over at her. “Did I ever tell you we opened for Jake Wethers a couple of years ago?”
“Before Johnny died? No fucking way! You knew both of them?” she responds immediately, practically jumping out of her seat.
“Yes fucking way,” I direct right back, but without any of her enthusiasm. I don’t apologize for using the F-word since I consciously decided to use it to make my point.
“Wow, you really met Jake Wethers? That’s amazing! I would love to meet him. I think he’s a musical genius. I am so sad to hear about his problems now, but I’m sure he’ll pull through it.”
“Yeah, the whole situation sucks. He had it together when we met him and his band and I’m sure he’ll pull it together again.” I stop to think how hard it would be if I lost someone.
Shaking my head to rid those thoughts I go on. “We even hung out after the show. All of the guys were pretty cool. We actually learned a lot from them just playing with them the one time.”
“I’m impressed. Jake Wethers. Hmm . . . Who else have you met? Any of the guys from One Direction?”
“No,” I laugh. “Their music isn’t exactly my type of music, but do you like the D-bags?” I ask her, knowing what I’m about to tell her will definitely freak her out if she does.
“Of course I do! I love Kellan Kyle! You know him too?”
I nod my head. “I met him once before we went on our first tour. He was in LA with his friend Evan, you know the drummer in his band?”
“Of course I know who Evan is! Kellan met him on his way to LA while passing through Oregon.”
“Oh I have no idea how he met Evan. Anyway, they came to Smitten's to jam with us, but that was the last I saw of them. They met a few guys here in LA and I think that’s when they formed the D-Bags. I never heard of them again until they went on tour last year.” I look over at her again as I tell her, “Bell met Kellan too. She spent most of the night he jammed with us talking to him in between sets and then met up with him later after we were done.”
“Your sister went on a date with Kellan Kyle?”
“I wouldn’t call it a date, and please don’t ask me for the details because I never did.”
“See, you are famous,” she says, smiling over at me and finally sitting back down.
“No, I’m really not. I’ve told you this,” I tell her again. I’m not jealous, of course. I think it’s cute actually that she loves music so much, and certain artists get her so excited. The excitement dies down, and we talk about other artists I’ve met and she’s met.
As I pass the exit that leads to our house, she points to the sign as I zoom by it. “Wait a minute, where are we going?”
Looking over at her, I say, “It’s a surprise. You’ll see, but we’re not sleeping at home tonight.”
“So, where are we sleeping on Valentine’s Day? Please don’t tell me we’re sleeping on an air mattress.
Laughing as I turn the music up, I answer, “In a bed.”
She pouts her lips and reaches her long slender arm to turn the volume back down. “In a bed—where?
I love when she pouts her lips like that. She looks so hot.
Using the word she always uses on me, I say, “Yesss . . .”