Incidental Happenstance by Kim Desalvo Page A

the Dyart sounds good. What’d you have in mind?”
                “I thought we’d hit Sing-Along Cassidy’s .”
                She looked him up and down and laughed. “Yeah, your mullet’ll probably fit in there. Actually, though, I do have somewhat of a reputation to uphold in this town. Any chance you have another disguise in your pocket? One a little less…obnoxious?”
                “Nah,” he smiled. “I’m sportin’ this look tonight. Deal with it, sister.”
                She’d deal with it. Absolutely she’d deal with it. She was surprised that he seemed like such a nice, normal guy, and she was completely taken aback that she felt so comfortable with him right off the bat. That was part of being famous, she guessed. Everyone thought they knew you. “Oh, alright,” she said with mock disappointment in her voice. “Let’s do it then,” she laughed, and threw the car in gear.
                “So, if you’re a fan, you know some of my music, right?” Dylan asked as they were seated in a corner booth a good distance from the main stage.
                “Only all of it,” Tia replied. “I’ve been a fan for a lot of years.”
                “Then tell me this, Tia—are you a sing-along kind of girl?”
                “Well actually,” she paused, not knowing how much she wanted or needed to give away at this point. She certainly didn’t want any sympathy about Nick—the whole purpose of this night was to get away from the sympathy and just be a normal person. Someone who didn’t lose the love of her life a year ago to the day, she thought.   “A few of my friends play guitar, and know a lot of your songs. Sometimes they play at this pub I hang out at a lot, and once in a while I’d do harmony if they needed someone.” She realized that she’d spoken the last part of the sentence in past tense. It had been a long time since she’d sung at the pub; sometimes it seemed like a lifetime ago. Dylan didn’t seem to notice.
                A huge smile crossed his face. “Seriously? Well that’s just perfect! Do you know harmony for “ Lost in You ?”
                “That’s one of my favorites, actually, but…”
                “Hold that thought.” Dylan slid out of the booth. “I’ll be right back.”
                “Dylan, wait!” she called as he walked toward the reception table pulling his wallet from his back pocket. He wasn’t seriously signing them up to sing karaoke, was he? She was at once mortified and thrilled. She’d sung in front of crowds before; that wasn’t a big deal. And like Last Stop , she didn’t think anyone who ran in her social or professional circles was big into karaoke, so she wasn’t too concerned about making an ass of herself. But having the chance to sing, on a stage (albeit at a strange venue) with Dylan Miller? Especially to sing one of the songs she and Nick had loved so much? She knew he would want her to do it—if he were here, he’d push her onto the stage if he had to. And yes, Dylan was returning with a song sheet in his hand—not that either of them would need it.
                “We’re all set. I entered us in the duet contest. Looks like we have some stiff competition, too. See that couple over there?” He tipped his head toward a table aside the stage where an older couple dressed in full country-western compliment were pouring over a song sheet and squeezing lemon into their water glasses. “They’re doing Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers.”
                “Oh God. Not “ Islands in the Stream .”
                “The very one. And, Candy at the reception table tells me that they’re regulars. They’re big winners—kind of an institution around this place. She wasn’t going to let me enter so late in the game, but apparently not too many people are willing to cough up