The Rockstar Chronicles

Three out of Five ain't bad...

I was the last off the elevator, trying my best to remain unnoticed. I gasped with delight at the source of the magnificent light filling the hall. Huge windows lined the walls, framing a gorgeous view of trees and distant hills.

“Downtown Nashville,” Grant said, pointing to high rises in the distance. He smiled, his eyes softening at my excitement, and for a moment appeared almost human. Then his phone buzzed, he glanced at it, and when he looked back up, the familiar hard exterior was back in place.

Long glass walls lined the hallway, each room empty. A beige wall guarded by a tiny brunette with impeccable styling loomed just ahead. A nameplate on her desk read Kandee Campbell.

She smiled at us, her teeth impeccably straight. Her mouth was wide, but she was still one of the most perfect people I had ever seen in my life. She looked like a model.

She rose from her desk, leading us through yet another doorway. It felt as if we had been transported to another world. Everything, from the light fixtures to the carpeting, looked expensive. I tried not to look too amazed as I followed them, but it was easily the richest environment I had ever been in.

“Here you are,” Kandee announced as she opened a door and walked through, gesturing for us to join her. “Let me know if you need anything.” Due to her appearance, I had expected her to sound somewhat like an airhead. She surprised me. She didn’t sound unintelligent at all. In fact, she sounded… smart. As she exited the room, the smell of her perfume lingered on the air behind her.

“Hello,” Grady said, introducing himself to the two other boys in the room. “I’m Grady Madison. This is my mom, Diane, and my sister, Lindy.”

I stepped forward. As soon as I saw him, I froze, gaping in shock. Luckily, he was shaking hands with my mother and I regained my composure before he noticed.

His bright blues eyes met mine and I blushed. He smiled as he took my hand. “Hi, I’m Ryder.”

“I know who you are,” I said. Ryder Rhodes was one of the most famous child actors around. Known for his good looks, dark hair, and striking blue eyes, he had been in more movies than I could count. His talent ran in the family, with his brothers also well-known actors.

He laughed. “Yeah, I get that a lot.”

“But what are you doing here?” I asked.

His face fell, a troubled expression stealing over it. “Reinventing myself, I suppose,” he said bitterly before smiling once more, ruefully this time. “Nah, just trying something new.”

I nodded, releasing his hand.

“Hardyn Vinyard,” a boy said from his seat at the huge boardroom table dominating the room, not even bothering to rise to greet us. He shifted immediately to stare out the window. I could see the familiar sun-streaked brown hair, exactly like it was on the cover of every magazine, but not much else. He drummed his fingers restlessly on the table.

Ryder made a sour face and I couldn’t help but giggle.

“Ryder,” Mom said, laying her hand on his arm, “I’m just so thrilled your going to be a part of this. I can’t believe it. We’re so lucky to get to work with you.”

Ryder’s eyes shifted to both mine and Grady’s, an understanding expression on his face as he read the embarrassment on ours.

“Mom,” I hissed, but she ignored me.

“So,” Grant said, clapping his hands together. He turned to face Mr. Kane, his stance challenging. “We have three here now. Who else is in this mysterious band of yours?”

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