London Harmony: Roctoberfest Read Online Free Page B

competition is in twenty.  Ours is the next hour.”
    I nodded. “That sounds great.”
    Matt looked around.  “We should leave someone with the equipment.  There are guards, but all the other bands left someone.”  Then he looked over to Animal.  “Darin.”
    I exhaled, we really needed to have that talk with him.  I said, “I'll stay, but you get the next shift after we play.”
    He started to open his mouth to argue, but Mick stepped in front of him.  He blanched and shrugged. “Fine.”  Then he marched off.
    Mick gave us all a silly look and we laughed.  Then she turned to our keyboardist. “Come on Animal, you're with me.  I need some arm candy.”  He nodded shyly and she dragged him off.
    I watched them go then cocked my head.  “Hmm... you notice how little Animal speaks when Mick is around?”
    Caroline watched them go and squinted an eye.  “You're right.  He's shy but usually a jabber box once he finally knows you.”  Then she shrugged.  “You sure you're okay here?  I can stay with you.”
    I crinkled my nose.  “No, I'm right.  Go see what kind of competition we have today, it is just going to get worse from here.  Besides, I'll hear two bands playing from here.”
    She nodded and said, “Okay, see you in a bit.  I'm so bloody nervous.”  I smiled and nodded in agreement and she nodded back as she skipped off.  Well fine, she didn't skip but you know what I mean.
    I sat with my back to the stage and pulled out my sticks and started air drumming as I looked around.  Matt was right.  There was at least one person with each group of equipment.  I smiled at James, who had finished his soda and was rocking again, staring off into space.
    Across from me was a woman sitting on a small monitor amp that had a pearl black Fender beside it.  I tried not to stare but what little I could see of her profile was begging to be admired.  She had straight black hair and a decidedly Asian look to her face with it's delicate features and large almond shaped eyes.  I couldn't tell if it was Chinese or Japanese heritage.  But her slight figure and modest breasts were highlighted by the tight band tee she was wearing.  Her makeup was done darkly and it only drew your eyes to hers and her lips.
    I looked away as she started to turn toward me.  I felt like a creeper staring and didn't want to get caught.  I continued to drum the air and then lowered my hands to drum on my thighs as I played the drum part of J8's ‘Thursday Nights’.
    I heard someone humming the vocals beside me. I glanced over and James was still rocking, but his face was very animated now with excitement.  How had he known what I was playing?  It is extremely hard to identify songs with just the drums.
    I smiled at James and moved from my leg to one of my drum cases and played louder.  His voice rose to match, from a murmur to a clear falsetto.  He sang ‘Thursday Nights’ with a smile on his face, and excitement in his eyes that were focused somewhere in space.
    I started getting into it and lent backup vocals to James.  I glanced over and saw that cute gal had sat up straighter and was looked between James and me, studying us.  She cocked her head at me then she shrugged into the guitar strap.  I blinked because that's when I realized she only had one arm... her left, which had a fingerless knit glove on it, like a sleeve.  She adjusted a knob on the little monitor amp and she started playing the guitar... with one hand.
    She shot a shy smile my way and looked down when I smiled at her.  It was cute!  Good lord, the woman was barely simplifying J8's chord progressions.  I didn't know it was even possible to play a guitar with one hand until now.  I was fascinated.
    We sounded pretty good.  I pulled down my snare from the top of the stack and put it in my lap so I could play better.  She chimed in on the backup with a strong alto.  I don't know why I expected a soprano, but it was like warm honey in the