Free Summer of Secrets by Cathy Cole

kiss him so badly she could hardly breathe. “Thanks,” she said, swallowing. “You know – for your faith in me. I hope I won’t let you down.”
    They stared at each other. This should be so easy , Rhi thought hopelessly. The way he looks at me…
    Brody broke eye contact. “I guess we should move the still life backstage,” he said, looking back at the bowl of fruit with its glasses and plates. “Give me a hand?”
    And just like that, the moment was gone.
    By the time they returned from stowing the still-life table, Rhi’s father was behind the bar, wiping glasses. Before Rhi could speak to him, the doors banged open and her friends streamed inside.
    â€œI hope you’ve got some good tunes tonight, guys.” As usual, Ollie’s arm was draped around Polly’s shoulders. “I need something to take my mind off my terrible German oral this afternoon. It was about health and I totally forgot the words for hospital and doctor. I just kept saying ‘hospital’ and ‘doctor’ in my best German accent and hoped for the best.”
    â€œGerman is such an ugly language,” said Eve with a shudder. “French is so much better. Chanel, Givenchy, Dior…”
    â€œKarl Lagerfeld is German,” Polly said. ‘You know, the Chanel designer.”
    â€œI know who Karl Lagerfeld is, Polly,” said Eve. “I saw him once in Paris.” For a moment, Eve looked wistful.
    â€œWhat’s everyone got tomorrow?” asked Ollie, looking anxious.
    â€œMore art,” said Josh happily. “My favourite.”
    â€œUrgh,” said Lila, unwrapping herself from Josh for long enough to press her hands to her ears. “We haven’t come out to talk about exams, have we? I thought we were here for a good time.”
    â€œAnd some good music,” Polly added, smiling at Rhi.
    The café was filling up already. Wednesdays at the Heartbeat had developed a reputation, and the place was usually full. Rhi felt a flutter of nerves as she settled down at the table with her friends, aware of the way people looked at her now – like she was a little bit famous. She and Brody would be singing in an hour, and she would showcase her new song. A mixture of excitement and terror swirled in her belly at the thought. She had been singing her song about Ruth a lot this week, locked away in her room, playing softly so her mother wouldn’t hear. The words and the tune brought her sister back to life in a way Rhi had never dared to hope for.
    â€œReady?”
    Rhi took the hand Brody was holding out to her, trying to ignore the loaded glances of her friends, and followed him backstage. She was determined to sing well tonight, and do Ruth proud.
    The room went crazy for “Fast Lane Freak ” as usual. The song had become a Wednesday night tradition, but somehow it never got stale. They sang several of the covers they’d done at the hippy wedding, and a new one they’d been working on for a couple of weeks called “Seagull Blues”.
    â€œThe last song tonight is a surprise,” said Brody into the microphone when their set finally drew to a close. “At least, it’s a surprise to me. But not to Rhi. Hopefully.”
    Several people laughed.
    â€œThey’re all yours,” said Brody, turning to Rhi with an encouraging smile. “Knock ’em out.”
    Rhi hoped she wasn’t going to mess this up. She tuned her guitar and closed her eyes, summoning Ruth to her side as she leaned into the mic.
    â€œThis is a song called “With You By Myself ” . I wrote it for my sister. Ruth died two years ago now, but she’s right here in the song. At least, she is to me. I hope she is to you too.”
    Rhi glanced at the bar. Her father looked as if he had been turned to stone.
    â€œFly with me,” she began bravely. “To the blue air beyond…”
    She’d spent a long time