Free Truth or Dare by Sloan Johnson Page B

dreams.
    Music has always been the one thing that keeps me sane, but right now, it’s tearing me apart. How many artists dream of hitting it big in Music City, only to become a statistic? Being one of the best at home isn’t going to mean shit to anyone once I get down there. I’m going to have to play until my fingers bleed in order to get someone to notice me, and even that might not be enough.
    My phone vibrates across the cheap desk in my bedroom as I play the last measures of the song again. Soon, it will be polished enough to record for Lea, but I have a lot of work to do if I plan to try and sell this to anyone. The number is one I don’t recognize, so I let it go to voicemail.
    Once I’m satisfied that the song doesn’t sound like total shit, I pick up my phone, dialing into my messages as I dig through the fridge for something to eat.
    “Colby, this is Aaron Donaldson. Something has come up and I need to know if you can get down here sooner. Steven Coy assures me that you’re a hard-working, dependable kid and I need that right now. If you can get down here by Wednesday, I think I might have the perfect position for you that’s going to benefit both of us. Call me back when you can to let me know.”
    Fuck, now what do I do? Mister Coy really went out on a limb for me. I’m not sure he’s ever even done something like this for Robby, but he’s given someone his word that I’ll be a good employee. And Aaron knows why I’m coming down there, which makes me even more curious about how this is going to be something that benefits both of us. It seems to me like there’s no choice other than to pack my shit in a duffel bag and go. In a city like Nashville, turning down an opportunity or putting someone off is probably about as acceptable as spitting on them. And there will be a hundred other starving musicians all too eager to take the slot I’m being offered.
    The problem is that the bus ride is over twenty hours, which means I’ll have to leave tomorrow, late in the morning. While she’s supposed to be at school, I’ll have to jump in a cab to the bus depot and turn my back on home. Just the thought has me scared shitless. With one thirty second voicemail, life has suddenly become very fucking real to me and I’m a big enough man to admit that I’m shaking in my boots, self-doubt creeping into my mind.
    **
    “Honey, I’m home,” Lea says, doing her best Ricky Ricardo impression as she walks through the door. As soon as the door is closed, her backpack hits the floor with a thud. “Wow, you look nice tonight. I thought we’d just head down to Jetty’s for a burger or something.”
    “Nope, I told you I was taking you out to dinner. Go get changed.” I swat her on the ass as she passes me, resisting the urge to follow her into the bedroom. Now, that I know when I’m leaving, there’s a sense of urgency about everything. I have to find a way to make every minute count, and I want the majority of those to include her naked while I worship her body so she’ll remember me while I’m gone. Taking our time no longer feels like an option to me because if I leave without leaving an imprint on her heart and mind, the memories of the past few weeks will fade over time.
    There must be some sort of magic hidden inside Lea’s closet because less than ten minutes later, the co-ed wearing tattered jeans and a camo tank top saunters out of the bedroom wearing the tightest black jeans I’ve ever seen and a sinfully sweet yellow top. She has let her hair down so there’s a stark contrast between the bold sleeveless top and her shocking red hair. And again, it all seems like she simply pulled something out of her closet and threw it on.
    “Fuck, you make me not want to leave the apartment,” I sigh as she walks over to me on dangerously high heels. I’m not even sure where she got something like this because I’ve sure as hell never seen it on her before. “You look beautiful, babe.”
    As we walk the