One Night Only (Season 1: Deni's Story)

Chapter Thirty-Nine

I don't know who's more surprised about getting the green light to perform my first concert back in Thunder Bay. Is it me, because I expected pushback from my label to have something more extravagant in a larger city? Or is it Mom, since I accidentally-on-purpose forgot to tell her I was initiating the conversation about performing again at all, and went around her? In my defense, once my band convinced me it was an idea worth exploring, I didn't want to risk being talked out of it and figured I would deal with the consequences later.

It turns out the person most taken aback isn't me, and it also isn't Mom. It's actually Sawyer, because he and his band are booked as my opening act and it means he's returning to Thunder Bay with me. I also neglected to share my plans with him and was going to reveal all once things were finalized, but his people beat me to telling him.

"I was just there. Do you think anyone in the city wants to see me perform again?" Sawyer asks when he calls me to find out what's going on.

"The label thinks they'll love it," I say. "Your popularity there soared after people realized you tried to stop what Bowie was doing at the festival and then rushed over to help Hunter get me to the safety of your bus when I fainted."

The publicity plans are to market the show as my thank you to the city that helped me heal, since it's now public knowledge I was staying in the area for over a month. Paisley swears the information didn't come from her, Hunter, their parents, or Brooke, and it doesn't matter anyway. My label can market the show any way they'd like to, as long as it gets me there.

The one thing I do insist on is if it's being promoted as a thank-you concert, then ticket giveaways are a must and other events in the city should be set up for the days immediately following the show. I might have an ulterior motive for wanting to stay there for more than one night, and there's no question that Mom is on to me, but she doesn't bring it up. It isn't just because I want the chance to spend time with Hunter if he's open to reconnecting, although this is a huge part of it. I also want to have a meet-and-greet with fans there, and to take part in anything else that can be arranged.

I send a group text to Hunter and Paisley the night before the concert announcement. Paisley is sure to respond. Maybe some of her enthusiasm will rub off and Hunter will say something, too. If nothing else, he'll know what's going on, that I want to see both of them, and that there will be front-row tickets waiting for them at the box office.

Hey! I wanted both of you to hear this from me before the announcement tomorrow. I'm playing a show at the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium in a couple of weeks. It would mean the world to me if both of you, your parents, and Brooke are there. I'll have tickets and passes for backstage for all of you. I hope you'll come!

Paisley's first reply is five rows of smiley-face emojis. Then she sends a second text, telling me they'll be there and how she can't wait to see me. When Hunter hasn't answered by the next day, I send a separate message just to Paisley, breaking my vow to myself to not check in on him through her.

Did Hunter seem okay with the news? I haven't heard from him at all and am wondering if he even wants to come to my show.

He'll be there, Paisley replies. Trust me on this.

Without hearing from Hunter himself about how he feels, trusting Paisley is all I can do.

* * *

The next two weeks pass by in a blur of rehearsals with my band and phone interviews with radio stations in Thunder Bay. The DJs who interview me have instructions that questions about Hunter are off-limits, and none are asked. It doesn't stop the online chatter about him and me, though, and the location of my upcoming show gives the subject of our relationship new life just when it had started to taper off. I pray the paparazzi decides against making the trek there in hopes of a photo op.