Page 50 of Thirsty Bodyguard Summer

“Then show some gratitude.”

The rehearsal restarted.

I moved along the stage perimeter while Shane ran the opening again. The second jacket cue landed cleanly. He made it through the chorus, changed formation during the dance break, then stopped the band with one raised palm.

“The second camera is crossing too early,” he said. “It’ll catch the dancer line before they clear.”

The camera operator checked the floor tape. “I can delay two counts.”

“Do that. The audience should see them finish the turn.”

The dancers turned toward him.

One of them nodded. “Thank you.”

Shane answered with a quick smile, then moved to the acoustic section.

A crew member passed him the guitar. He adjusted the strap, checked the tuning, and played the opening progression while the sound engineer balanced the instrument against his vocal.

I’d watched celebrities use charm to make a room revolve around them.

Shane listened when he worked. He corrected what mattered, gave the dancers their moment, and gave the band room to play. When a young stagehand stepped in front of a rolling keyboard stand, Shane pointed. “Watch your ankle.” The stagehand jumped back before the equipment reached him.

Musicians trusted his cues. Crew members waited on his decisions. By nightfall, enough people would fill those seats to make Friday’s breakfast crowd look small.

The guitar section ended. He handed off the instrument and crossed to the piano at stage right.

I checked the time. “You have twenty-two minutes.”

Shane sat at the bench. “That sounded almost affectionate.”

“It was a number.”

“You say numbers with feeling.”

“Play the song.”

He placed his fingers on the keys.

The opening chords quieted every conversation near the platform.

His voice dropped with the arrangement. The ballad had been stripped to piano, bass, and a soft guitar line. He held the quiet notes without crowding them and let the silence carry between the words.

The final chord faded.

A phone vibrated against the piano.

Shane read the screen and went still.

I climbed the stage stairs.

“What is it?” I asked.

He turned the phone toward me.

VINCE:

Take the stage for yourself tonight. You earned this one. I’m glad you’re back.