“Okay,” she says and starts shaking out her arms and legs like she’s preparing to run a marathon. “Let’s do this.”
“You ready?”
She nods, game face intact. “You bet your diva ass, I’m ready.” She makes a show of jogging in place for a few seconds and then stretching out her arms and legs. “I’m not even going to use the script this time.”
A soft chuckle escapes my lips. “All right, Rocky Balboa. Let’s do it.”
Birdie flashes a grin in my direction but quickly schools her face in preparation for the scene.
One big breath in and out of her lungs and she dives right in.
“Cal, this is crazy,” she says, staring down at her hands. “I can’t just leave Memphis and go on the road with you. What am I supposed to tell my uncle Joe? What am I supposed to tell my band?”
With two gentle fingers, I reach down under her chin to lift her eyes back to mine. “Darlin’, it’s simple. Tell them you’re going to be a star.”
She searches my eyes for a good ten seconds. “You really think I have what it takes?”
My response doesn’t require any thought. “I don’t think, Arizona. I know.”
“You don’t know anything about me,” she retorts on a shocked laugh. “And yet you’re so damn confident I can make it.”
“Darlin’, trust me. I know,” I respond, and a soft smile crests my lips. “It’s a miracle you’ve been able to hide that talent of yours inside this fucking dive bar. You don’t belong here anymore. You belong out there, on the road, with me. You belong onstage. Big stages. With big crowds. It’s high time you realize you have what it takes. It’s time for you to get out there and take what’s rightfully yours.”
“You act like it’s so damn easy.” She shuts her eyes and leans her head back on a sigh.
“Because it is that easy, Arizona.” I step closer to her. “All you need to do is say yes.”
She stays quiet for a long moment, but eventually, those big brown eyes of hers are staring back into mine. “Yes.”
“You’re coming with me?” I ask, and mentally, I start to cheer Birdie on. She’s getting so close. So damn close to making it through this entire scene.
C’mon, sweetheart, keep going.
“I’m coming with you,” she says, her voice the exact right softness for this moment.
“Thank fuck.” I let out a relieved breath and smile down at her. “Darlin’, you’re not going to regret this.”
“You promise?”
“You have my word.”
This is your last line, Birdie. The last fucking line. You got this.
“Your word better be made of steel because I feel like I’m putting everything on the line right now.”
Thank fuck!
I bring the scene on home with the very last line. “Look out, world. Here comes Arizona Lee.”
And the instant the last word leaves my lips, Birdie’s eyes brighten with victory.
“Holy shit,” she says, her voice quiet at first, until her excitement has the chance to completely take over. “Hallelujah! I finally did it! I finally freaking did it!”
“You did it,” I say, grinning down at her. “And you fucking nailed it.”
Her enthusiasm spurs her to jump into my arms and hug me tightly. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me. That was all you.” I chuckle and hug her back.
Her giddy giggle vibrates her chest against mine. “Thank everything! I’m not a total failure!”
“Proud of you, Birdie.”
“You know…” She leans back and looks into my eyes. “I think you were right.”
“Right about what?” I quirk a brow. “That you would eventually nail the scene?”
“No.” She shakes her head, and her pretty brown eyes turn serious. “That you’re not as big of an asshole as I thought you were. Thank you for helping me tonight. I’m starting to feel like that’s becoming a recurring theme with you.”
“Is that right?” I ask, and I can’t stop my gaze from drifting to her lips.
“Uh-huh,” she whispers back, but she makes no move to disentangle her body from mine. “You’re actually incredibly sweet when you want to be.”
Her words take me by surprise. Honestly, I don’t know what’s changed, but for some reason, I’m finding it hard to be anything but nice to Birdie.
I don’t want to see her mad or angry or frustrated.
I loathe seeing her embarrassed or vulnerable.
I just want to make her smile. And laugh. And happy.
Her gaze flits down to my lips and back to my eyes before making the circuit two more times.