“Ready to rock?” he asked, handing me a tambourine. The way his eyes narrowed and the corners of his mouth curled gave me goosebumps. Apparently, they’d reached all the way down through my skin into my voice box, because I opened my mouth to answer, but nothing came.

I was rescued from the awkwardness by Tommy, who laughed and punched Red in the arm. “Oh, shut the fuck up, man.” A smile spread across Red’s face as he took the half-empty bottle of wine Tommy was offering him and took a long swig.

“Don’t let Red get to you, Jacky. He’s really not always a twat; he just likes to tease the new girls.”

Red took the bottle away from his mouth long enough to smile at Tommy, and then back at me.

“Well, how else am I supposed to have fun around here?”

From behind them, I saw one of the roadies whose name I hadn’t memorized yet come to the doorway. He knocked as he said, “Five minutes, gentlemen!” He walked away, but ran back, just to smile and add, “And ladies.”

I smiled back. It was going to be a good summer.