Ta-Da!!!!
At long last!!! Rock Prodigy update!!! I guess now's about time to give you guys a little warning; IT'S ALMOST DONE.
Maybe you already knew, you little psychic individuals...
Anyway, hope you like it my little friends who must be MAD at me for never uploading.
I have brain issues.
Enjoy!!!
Chapter 37
I floated on a cloud down the narrow hallways, taking us towards the back of the arena where our bus waited. The whole band was a mess of barely contained energy and nerves thanks to the amazing performance.
Even the sight of Francis and Dom just inside the set of doors that would take us out to the parking lot didn’t lessen my high. Right now, it didn’t matter that Dom was less than pleased with me or that Francis’ eyes were lit with greed, obviously seeing dollar signs instead of people when he looked at us. All that mattered was that I was with my band, my family, and we’d put our everything into that performance.
“Great show guys,” Dom said, leaning against the wall. I grinned harder, the smile having never really left my face since I’d come off the stage. “Loved the energy and the crowd adored you. But some shows aren’t going to be this easy, you’re going to be tired and sick of the bus but you need to make every performance like that one, got it?”
“No problem,” Troy said, giving Dom a thumb’s up and a confident grin, his body practically vibrating with energy.
The rest of us just nodded as his eyes shifted over each of us, settling for an extra long moment on me before moving over to Francis. “Good. Francis will be around for a few of your gigs so if you need anything ask him. Other than that, you’ll have your road crew who will be in the other bus and Mike will be with them. The bus outside,” he gestured to the doors behind him, “belongs to you guys and Jenna. It’s brand new so be nice. If I find any damages, it’s coming out of your paycheque.”
Francis and Dom shared a look before Francis opened the door and waved a hand at us, gesturing for us to follow him. “Come on, I’ll give you the tour.”
I shared a look with the rest of the guys, seeing the star struck looks on their faces, knowing I was wearing a similar expression. We all moved towards the doors together, Dan and Mac fighting to get on the bus first while Troy raced behind them.
I laughed, unable to help myself because all three of them managed to cram themselves into the doorway before finally breaking through.
I had to hold my side because I was laughing so hard which slowed me down a bit.
Obviously, Dom saw this as an opportunity. “Rose,” he said, his tone no longer as open and friendly as it had been moments before. “Can I have a word with you?”
I blinked at the guys, seeing Mac glance over his shoulder at me, his steps faltering as he realized I wasn’t following. “I’ll be right there,” I said, giving him a reassuring smile and letting the door close with me still inside. I turned towards Dom, feeling some of my excitement from the night flow from me at the hard look on his face.
“You were incredible tonight, Rose.”
“Thank you,” I said politely, his tone of voice somehow taking the compliment out of his words.
“The way you play is truly breathtaking and as a fan of music, I can honestly say, I’ve heard very few who can play the way you can.” His eyes met mine squarely and even though his words were entirely complimentary, I heard a ‘but’ in them. “I’m not an easy man to impress.”
I nodded, feeling a frown wrinkle my forehead.
“But that doesn’t mean you aren’t replaceable.” I gritted my teeth at his blunt words. “There are other musicians out there, talented ones, who would love to take your place now that you guys are starting to get famous.” He crossed his arms over his chest, his expression softening slightly but it was still hard, still uncompromising. “The truth is, I like you and I like Mac and right now, this whole ‘I love you’ thing is good for publicity but if it gets in the way of your playing, I will not hesitate to replace you. This is a business, it’s my business and I won’t stand by while your puppy love destroys it.”
My heart pounded hard in my ears, my mind instinctively rebelling at his words, wanting to rail at him for being unfair, to shout at him that he had no right to insult me like this but something stopped me.
Dom was not a man that people argued with. He was the owner and operator of a successful record company and you didn’t get there without making a few hard decisions. If I wanted to stay with Burn to Shine, I had to prove my worth.
So I would.
“Okay,” I said, my tone low and steady, my eyes meeting his straight on. “Threaten me all you want but I’m not backing down. You want good shows and amazing performances, then you’re going to get them.” I flashed him a grin, seeing his eyes light with surprise, “If you think I’ll mess up just because you’re putting a bit of pressure on me, you’re wrong. I’m going to prove to you just how irreplaceable I am.”
The corners of his lips twitched. “You do that, Rose.”
With a nod, I turned and opened the door, seeing Mac pacing in front of the tour bus. When I stepped onto the pavement, his head shot towards me and he altered his path to meet me halfway, frowning.
“What was that?” he asked when we were in front of each other, his hands resting on my shoulders and his eyes darkening in concern. “What did he want?”
“He was just giving me some advice,” I said, leaning closer to him helplessly, needing to feel him against me because he was Mac and I loved him.
My hands rested on his chest and his eyes jolted down, going a little unfocused before he resolutely met my gaze again. “Tell me what he said.”
“He said that I’m amazing.”
He frowned as I let my fingers drift up his chest, trailing over his neck and sifting in his hair. He blinked several times, his eyes darting down to my lips as his expression became distant. “What else?” he asked, his voice hoarse.
“He said he’d be an idiot to kick me out.”
I stepped closer, leaving less than an inch of space between our bodies.
His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard. “And?”
“You looked incredible out there tonight. I had trouble tearing my eyes off of you.”
His lips stretched into a crooked grin. “He didn’t say that.”
I shook my head, pressing our bodies together fully, going on my toes so I could reach him better but still his lips were too far from mine so I settled on kissing his jaw instead. “That’s what I’m saying.”
“You’re trying to distract me,” he growled but not in irritation.
“Mm,” I replied, my lips trailing across his jaw and down to his neck.
He made a sound low in his throat, dipping his fingers into my hair and pulling back. Our eyes met and my heart skipped such a long beat that I had time to wonder if it was going to start again. The way he was looking at me made my toes curl in shoes, made my skin tingle and a shiver race through my body all at the same time. A girl could get used to looks like that.
Then he was kissing me and I forgot about everything besides the feel of his lips on mine and the fire they ignited inside of me.
“Mac!” Troy shouted, startling us enough to break us apart. “Seriously man, I called your name four times.” Troy shook his head, a smile tugging at his lips. “Come on you need to see this.” He motioned for us to get on the bus, his smile stretching until it practically encompassed his whole face.
“Not now,” Mac said, barely glancing over his shoulder at his friend.
I chuckled and went on my tiptoes to give him a quick kiss on the lips before pulling back. “Let’s check it out,” I said, slipping my hand into his and grinning, loving the fact that we could do this now and not have to worry about anyone finding out. Because the whole world already knew.
I had to tug a little harder to get him moving but eventually he did and we climbed the steps onto the bus. My eyes widened as soon as I caught sight of the interior. This was not a bus, this was a house on wheels. The first section of the bus was the kitchen which was done in blacks and stainless steel complete with a sink and a microwave. The next part was the dining room with a long table along one side, a bench and chairs that were attached to the floor. The next area was the living room with a huge TV against one wall and benches on either side of the vehicle. There was a partition for the next part and while we were taking in the living space, Dan popped his head through the doorway. “I call the private room.” Someone smacked him on the head from behind. “Ouch,” he grumbled, letting the partition close as he rubbed his head. “Jenna, what’s your problem?”
Mac reached out to open the sliding door to see Jenna and Dan facing off in what was our bedroom. There were two sets of bunk beds on either side of the space and our stuff from the hotel was piled into a corner near the doorway to what was probably a private bedroom.
“Obviously the private room is mine,” Jenna said, planting her hands on her hips and glaring at Dan who narrowed his eyes at her. “Do you really think you guys would have such an awesome bus if you weren’t touring with the daughter of the record label owner?” She rolled her eyes and turned on her heel, opening the door to the private room which I could see already had her stuff in it. She glanced over her shoulder and with a pinched expression on her face said, “You guys were really good tonight,” before turning her back and shutting the door, blocking the rest of us out.
“I didn’t even want the private room,” Dan said, grinning as he faced us. “I just like annoying her.”
“You like annoying everyone,” Mac said.
Dan grinned at me, taking a step closer. “I don’t annoy you, do I Rose?” His lips stretched into charming smile as he reached out as if to touch my cheek but his hand was slapped down by Mac before he could make contact.
“So touchy,” Dan said, sending a teasing glance at his brother before focusing on me again. “One day she’s going to see that I’m the better brother.”
“I’m going to be the only brother if you don’t back off,” Mac muttered, crossing his arms over his chest and sending Dan an exasperated look.
“God, I missed you guys,” I said with feeling, my heart swelling with happiness that I was here and that my family was with me.
“It’s good to have you back, Rose,” Dan said seriously, his lips tilted into a soft smile that was destined to melt the hearts of preteens everywhere.
“Guys!” Troy half shouted, sticking his head into the bedroom area, a wide grin still on his face. “I’m not sure if you knew this but we’re freaking rock stars!”
The next few weeks were a blur of shows, music, crowds, stadiums and instruments. One day tended to mix with the next but I never once slipped up, never once put anything less than every little piece of me into a performance and each time I came off the stage feeling energized and exhausted at the same time.
Each time we performed, the number of people in the audience there for Burn to Shine seemed to multiply and I started to practice even more whenever we were traveling, not only to show Dom but to show the fans what I could do. I wanted Dom to know that I wasn’t replaceable and every time I got a little tired or my fingers were sore all it took was one screaming fan to make it all worth it. That one person yelling my name was one more person who would miss me if Dom kicked me out, one more person who made me want to fight harder to put more of myself into the music.
My guitar, which had already been pretty much my best friend was now permanently attached to me and whenever paparazzi managed to snap pictures of the band, it was always strapped to my back or in my hands.
For the most part, the press left us alone. After a week of constant badgering about my relationship with Mac and some pretty irritating comments about my cheating ways and Sheldon’s broken heart, they seemed to lose interest.
But there was one exception. After being on the road for two weeks, Bonnie Jenkins finally released her web article about Burn to Shine which turned out to be a three page tell all that wasn’t always favourable particularly towards me.
And can Rosemary Keen ahem, Adams manage to stick with the band this time until the end of her contract or will she bail as soon as the pressure gets to her?
Well, I’ll admit, the girl had even me convinced at Olivia Reece’s benefit concert on New Year’s Day. She played with her trademark passion and grace, infusing her haunting melody with emotion that even a hardened music journalist like myself was hard pressed to ignore.
Then she’d disappeared just days before her tour was scheduled to begin.
Add that to the fact that she’s in a relationship with fellow band member, Mac Parker, I’m left wondering if Rose was really the best choice for the band? Granted, she knows her way around a guitar but now that Hereafter Records has another band seemingly about to hit it big, is it really wise to put so much faith in a girl who has shown herself to be a little unsteady under pressure?
Rage was making it hard to read the rest of the article but I managed to get through it. The only thing that kept me from tearing the magazine in two was the fact that she’d pretty much left the rest of the band alone and focused instead on our music which she’d given favourable reviews to.
So her only beef was with me.
Okay, so what? I could handle one more person against me. I’d just show her too, show her that a little bit of pressure wasn’t going to make me crack, no way.
When I reached the bottom of the article, my conviction hardened and my eyes narrowed on the last paragraph of her article.
Maybe I would be more convinced of Rose’s spot in the band if she hadn’t run away from me the last time I saw her. Maybe she missed the memo but being famous requires being interviewed by journalists like myself and if she can’t hack it, then she should go back to high school.
I gritted my teeth in anger and frustration, hitting the close screen button on the internet window as hard as an electronic button can be hit.
It was the middle of the night and we were driving west towards Atlanta after having spent the day and played a show in Charlotte, North Carolina.
My high from performing was long gone now and thanks to Bonnie’s article, I was finding it hard to concentrate on my playing. I must have been holding my wrist too stiffly or something because it was starting to ache until I had to stop.
Frustrated that I’d let her article get to me, I set my guitar aside and picked up my phone, moving towards the front of the bus just in case the guys could hear me.
After I dialed the number, I listened to it ring and when the answering machine picked up, I dialled again.
“What?” Francis’ groggy voice said in my ear.
“I want to arrange an interview with Bonnie Jenkins,” I said, knowing it was right as soon as I said it.
“Great, let’s talk about it tomorrow.”
I blinked, realizing that it was almost three in the morning and most normal people would be sleeping right now. “Oh. Sorry.”
“Yeah, no problem.”
We hung up and feeling a little better, I picked up my guitar, strumming softly, focusing on keeping my wrist loose and my fingers light. It helped and soon the music swept me under and I forgot about the pain.
A smile tugged at my lips as I moved from song to song, sometimes melding two together, sometimes creating an entirely new melody.
When I finally came back to earth, the sun was rising and I couldn’t keep my eyes open anymore. I let out a sigh and rested my cheek on the smooth wood of my acoustic, wishing that I could forgo sleep entirely but it was impossible and already, I was slipping under.
I woke up when I felt my head hit a pillow, my body stretched out on a soft bed.
“Would it kill you to sleep an entire night, Rose?” Mac said softly, close to my ear and I felt his arms shift around me as he stretched out on the bed next to me.
I tried to open my eyes but they wouldn’t budge. “Love you,” I mumbled, wanting to be closer to him.
He must have read my mind because with his hand wrapped around my waist, he pulled me to him until our bodies were aligned, our legs twined together. “I love you too, Rose,” he whispered, planting a kiss on my temple and smoothing my hair away from my face. I was nearly asleep again when he said quietly, “Why are you pushing yourself so hard?”
I wanted to reply but my mouth wasn’t cooperating. If it was I would’ve told him that this time, I wasn’t giving in. I was going to fight to keep everything and everyone that I loved by my side. Last time I’d lost someone I didn’t even have a chance to fight and this time I was going to do everything in my power not to lose this, not to lose him.
“She can’t see this.”
My half asleep ear quirked at the sound of Troy’s voice coming from the living area.
“We just won’t show it to her,” Dan said, his voice hushed. The bus wasn’t moving so we must have been in Atlanta. Soft sunshine was filtering through the blinds, throwing the bunk beds into a mix of light and shadows. I cracked my eyes open, already knowing that Mac wasn’t next to me anymore, that everyone was in the other room conspiring against me.
“We’ll ask her to write a retraction,” Mac said, his voice low and vibrating with anger even though it was hushed. “She thinks she can just write anything─”
“Shh, you’re going to wake her up,” Troy said, his voice even louder than Mac’s had been getting.
I felt my lips twitch with humour, loving those idiots even though there was no way they could protect me from Bonnie’s article. Besides, I’d already seen it.
I rolled towards the edge of the bed, letting my feet drop onto the floor as I pushed myself up with my right hand but I winced as soon as I put pressure on it, the sharp pain taking me by surprise and sending me tumbling silently back into the sheets.
I frowned down at my wrist, my strumming hand, and noticed that it was slightly swollen, as if I’d sprained it lightly.
I shook my head, dismissing it as a trick of the light even as a shiver of unease ran through me. If there was something wrong...
No, it was just sore from being overworked. I’d practiced all night and I was feeling it. Nothing more.
I pushed myself into a sitting position using both hands this time and there was no pain so I pushed the thought to the back of my mind.
“We just won’t let her go on the computer today. We’ll take a tour of Atlanta instead, check out the sights and by the time we’re back, it’ll be time to go onstage anyway,” Dan was saying as I quietly slid the partition open keeping my grin in check.
Troy was sitting at the computer his shoulders stiff as he scrolled through Bonnie’s article. “She’s clearly gunning for Rose. She can’t do this.”
“I know.” Dan said, shaking his head as he ran a hand through his short, messy hair, still wearing the batman t-shirt and the plaid pyjama bottoms that he’d worn to bed the night before. I briefly wondered how much his screaming preteen fans would pay for a picture of him like this. He looked adorable.
Mac was staring out the bus window as if he were trying to come up with a working equation for time travel. I had an undisturbed view of his profile lit by the sun flowing in the window, falling lovingly on his handsome features.
Mine.
I couldn’t stop the grin as the thought settled into my heart and I barely resisted the urge to go up to him, sink my fingers into his too long, sleep tussled hair and kiss him until his frown was gone.
Instead, I watched as his frown turned into a scowl, throwing his cheekbones into stark relief and making my heart skip a long beat. His hand clenched into a fist as it rested on the wall of the bus making his forearm muscles jump appealingly. He was wearing a plain white t-shirt that hugged the contours of his chest and a pair of old sweat pants that hung low on his hips. He looked incredible and before I realized what I was doing, I had taken a step forward.
Coming back to earth, I forced myself to look away from him, focusing again on Troy who was still contemplating the computer screen, his long blond hair pulled back into a short ponytail. He had forgone the shirt entirely and his impressive chest was bare. He completed the look with a long pair of basketball shorts. I looked from one of them to the other and realized that they were going to be responsible for a lot of school girl crushes.
“Hey guys,” I said cheerfully, revealing myself.
Troy leapt up from his seat, slamming the screen of the laptop down so hard I was afraid that it was broken.
And it was my laptop.
“What’s going on?” I asked innocently, moving closer to Troy who looked the guiltiest though not by much.
“Nothing,” Dan said brightly, his smile just as smooth and charming as always. He had a good poker face but he was the only one. Mac never bothered to hide what he was feeling and Troy was hopeless. “I was just going to make breakfast. Want anything?”
“You should sleep some more,” Mac said gruffly, stepping towards me and wrapping his big hands around my arms, making my skin tingle. “It’s barely eight in the morning. You hardly slept at all.”
“I’m fine,” I said, going on my tiptoes to plant a kiss on his lips because I couldn’t help it. “What’s for breakfast?”
“Omelettes,” Dan said, moving into the kitchen area.
“Sounds great,” I said, flopping down on the couch next to Troy, nudging him with my shoulder. He was stiff as a board, his eyes glued directly ahead of him, trying desperately not to give anything away. “I already know about the article,” I said, making Troy’s head whip towards me.
“You do?” Troy said, relief mixing with concern in his eyes.
“When did you see it?” Mac asked crossing his arms over his chest and narrowing his eyes at me.
“Last night.” I thought about it, tilting my head to the side. “Actually this morning. Around three am.”
“Are you okay?” Dan asked, holding a tomato and a red pepper in his hands.
“I’m fine.” They didn’t look reassured. “Guys, I’m serious. I’m okay. She was harsh but all I have to do is prove her wrong.” I shrugged, looking down at my hands in my lap. “Which is why I’m doing an interview with her.”
“No,” Mac said immediately.
I scowled at him from my position on the couch. “Yes, I am.”
Mac scowled right back and I had to ignore the way my heart flipped in my chest in order to win this argument. “You’re not doing an interview with a woman who clearly has it out for you. She’s just going to try to get a rise out of you to get a story. Why put yourself through that?”
“Because!” I half shouted, rising from my seat to stand in front of him with my hands on my hips. “She was right!” All three of them opened their mouths to argue but I cut them off with a wave of my hand and a shake of my head. “Not about me belonging in the band. She was right that I ran from her, that I avoided confrontation because I did. I was so focused on not letting anyone find out about us,” I gestured to the space between me and Mac, “that I got to the point where I literally ran from a reporter.” I shook my head, trying to make them understand. “This is part of the business and I want it to be part of my life because I’m not giving up on you guys so there’s really no point in arguing with me.”
“Then we’ll go with you,” Dan said from the kitchen, now nonchalantly chopping an onion as if the argument was already settled and he was ready to move on to breakfast.
“Go with me? To the interview? To what? Drop me off?”
Dan shook his head, sending a glance over at me before focusing on his chopping again. “We’ll go to the interview with you. Sit next to you, talk to Bonnie if she asks us a question.” He set down his knife and turned to face me squarely. “We’re a band, Rose. You included and if she doesn’t think you fit, then we’ll just have to show her, won’t we?” He sent me a crooked grin before his eyes turned serious and I had to stop myself from arguing with him. I didn’t want to put them through an uncomfortable interview for no reason. “There’s something I don’t think you understand about us. We want you here just as much as you want to be here. If you’re going to be fighting someone like Bonnie then we’re all going to fight her, okay?”
I opened and closed my mouth a couple times, feeling a warmth in my chest as my heart whispered one word that filled my entire body with that same warmth.
Family.
These guys were it, my family and I couldn’t have asked for a better one.
Without a word, I lunged forward, launching myself at Dan and wrapping my arms tightly around him.
He let out a light chuckle, easing his arms around me, giving me a tight squeeze. “I knew you’d pick me eventually.”
“Don’t make me hurt you,” Mac grumbled half-heartedly.
I laughed when I felt Troy’s big arms wrap around the two of us. “Come on, Mac, join the group hug.”
“Dude, you’re not wearing a shirt,” Dan said, trying to escape from the hug.
“Are you intimidated?” Troy asked, flexing his bicep around Dan’s shoulders.
“Not a chance,” Dan denied easily.
“I’ll pass on the group hug,” Mac said but he gripped my hand and tugged until I managed to extract myself from the other two and was wrapped only his arms, a smile pulling at my lips. “This is much better,” he said, his voice going a little hoarse as he leaned closer to me, brushing my hair back to whisper in my ear. “This bus is starting to feel a little crowded, Rosemary. What do you say we go for a walk?”
“Sounds good,” I croaked, my brain moving at a slow crawl thanks to Mac’s touch.
He brushed his finger over my upper cheek, just under my eye and frowned. “Or maybe you should try to get some more sleep.”
“I’m up now.” I shrugged. “We should ask Jenna if she wants to come.”
“She’s already gone. She left the bus as soon as we stopped to go shopping. I think she’s having withdrawals,” Dan said, grinning.
“I’m going to get changed,” I said, heading to the bedroom that we all shared but Mac’s hand on my shoulder stopped me.
“Though I hate to agree with my brother on anything, he’s right. The band is going to be with you for the interview and every other interview you do in the future. You need to remember that you’re not alone, Rose.”
I blinked, feeling my eyes burn a little at his heartfelt words. “I’m still getting used to it,” I said softly.
“I’ll keep reminding you,” he replied, stepping forward to wrap his arms around me once again, and I let out a sigh wondering if there was anywhere more perfect that in his arms.
“Well this was a bust,” I mumbled, eyes on Mac and the small crowd of girls gathered around him, waiting for his autograph. I was hiding behind a hot dog stand with Dan, our recently purchased ball caps tugged low over our faces.
“This is so weird,” Dan said, his eyes following the girls as they walked away, giggling in excitement. “When did we become famous?”
“A little while ago now,” I said, leaning against the wall behind me, narrowing my eyes at the girl who’d just ran her hand down Mac’s arm suggestively. My anger was quickly doused when he stepped to the side, making her arm drop to her side.
“I know, I guess...well, back home everyone was used to seeing us around and I guess everything is just starting to sink in now.” He shook his head
I nodded, watching as Mac patiently signed autographs and talked to his fans. Considering how often he tended to scowl at me, I was impressed that he managed to keep such a peaceful expression on his face while dolling out autographs to screaming fans.
I watched him for a long time until I felt the weight of Dan’s gaze on me. I turned my head to see his vibrant blue eyes focused on me with a contemplative expression in their depths.
“What is it?” I asked.
I was just thinking...” he shrugged, hesitating before continuing. “I thought I’d stop being jealous by now.”
My spine stiffened at his words and I straightened from the wall. “Dan─”
“I know,” he said calmly. “Everyone knows. I’m not angry I just...wish it could’ve been me.”
I shook my head slightly, turning my gaze to Mac in time to see Troy walk up to him and wave at the crowd. What was I supposed to say? I’m sorry I fell for Mac? Because I wasn’t.
“Does your wrist hurt?” Dan asked, making my head whip back towards him. I followed his gaze to where my left hand was cradling my right wrist, rubbing along the tender muscles as if to sooth them.
“No,” I said, pulling my arms apart and shoving my hands into my pockets.
He narrowed his eyes, stepping closer to me and squaring his shoulders. “Are you lying?”
I gave a nonchalant laugh. “What’s with you Parker brothers and being overprotective? I’m fine. My wrist is just a bit tired because I’ve been playing so much lately. It’s nothing.”
His forehead wrinkled into a deep frown. “You’ve been pushing yourself too hard lately. Ever since Mac opened his big mouth on Ferrari’s show you’ve been stressed out.”
I shrugged, turning to look at Mac and the crowd that only seemed to be growing. “Everyone would’ve figured things out eventually anyway. Mac just took the mystery away.” I said it without heat and I felt a small smile stretch my lips. “It’s not so bad, having everyone know.”
“But when you guys weren’t official I still had a chance,” Dan said lightly.
I chuckled and shook my head, bumping my shoulder into his and sending him a grin. “No you didn’t.”
“Hey,” he said, planting his hand on his chest and rubbing as if he’d been hit there. “I’m still tender.”
I smiled and gave him a considering look. “I think you’ll survive.”
He shrugged. “Probably.” Slinging his arm over my shoulders, he leaned close to whisper, “But make sure you let me know if you come to your senses.”
I laughed helplessly and tried to shrug out from under Dan’s arm as Mac managed to extract himself from his adoring fans and began walking over to us. His gaze took in Dan’s arm with a raised eyebrow but his gait was relaxed and his shoulders were loose when he finally made it to us, Troy trailing a little behind him.
“Trying to move in on my girl?” Mac asked, giving his brother a mild look as he bent towards me, planting a quick kiss on my lips.
“Yeah, is that okay with you?” Dan retorted, his arm still stubbornly attached to my shoulders.
Mac shrugged and grinned down at me, making me lose my train of thought. “You can try all you want, she’s still not going to go for you.”
“Don’t be so sure,” Dan said but his voice lacked conviction.
“Oh, I’m sure,” Mac said, reaching out to gently touch my cheek with the tips of his fingers. “She’s mine.” His eyes hardened slightly as he turned his head to look at Dan. “Now, hands off.”
Our short lived expedition into Atlanta was the last time we tried to go for a casual stroll about town. Navigating the streets of a foreign city while trying to avoid dozens of fans was not our idea of a good time.
So we spent one more week locked in the tour bus or at the venue we were playing at, messing around with our instruments and doing sound checks dutifully.
Finally, after three weeks of solid touring, we’d be spending two nights and the better part of three days in New Orleans.
Which worked out great because Bonnie Jenkins was meeting us there.
Our show was on the first night and Bonnie seemed determined to ruin the next two days of free time for me so she’d scheduled our interview for right after the performance.
I was unusually jittery before the show but as soon as I was onstage with Jenna, the nerves in my gut faded. I even spotted Bonnie near the front of the crowd, her eyes not missing a thing as she watched us like a hawk, every once in a while saying something into a tiny recorder she had in her hand.
I just closed my eyes and played, letting Jenna’s voice and my piano blend together and weave through me until there was no one in the crowded hall anymore, just Jenna and I and soon even that faded until it was just music.
The crowd roared and I grinned at the signs people were holding up proclaiming their love for Jenna who assured them that she loved them back, blowing them kisses and bowing before we headed off the stage.
Burn to Shine was up next and I barely had a second to grab a drink and sling my guitar over my shoulders before I was back onstage. We opened with Counterfeit, making the crowd go nuts and I noticed that there were a lot of fans there for us considering we weren’t even the headliners.
I grinned, unable to help the smug look I sent in Bonnie’s direction before I let the music sweep me under.
When we finished our last song, I looked down at Bonnie, seeing the way her eyes were gleaming in excitement, clearly anticipating tearing us to shreds in her interview.
“Come on, Rose,” Mac said as the crowd continued to cheer and I noticed that the rest of the band was already off the stage.
I frowned, looking out at all of them and I wondered what they’d read, what they’d believed about Bonnie’s previous article.
And would the next one improve anything or make it worse?
“Could I play a song for you guys? On the piano?” The words slipped out of my lips and into the microphone without thinking about them and the crowd cheered again, solidifying my resolve.
“What are you doing?” Mac asked as a stage hand rushed to push the piano to the centre of the stage, adjusting a microphone to the right level that I could speak into it.
I smiled softly at him, thinking he looked cute when he was confused. Taking a seat on the bench at the piano, I leaned forward to speak into the microphone. “This one requires a bit of singing on my part. I’m not a great singer but hopefully I won’t make anyone’s ears bleed.” The crowd cheered and laughed and I sent them a grateful smile.
Mac moved to where Troy and Dan were standing, all of them giving me identical looks of confusion as I started playing the soft piano chords of Colorblind by Counting Crows. “This song is for my band mates because they opened my eyes when I was too scared to do it myself.” I grinned over at them, turned my mouth away from the mic and said, “I love you guys.”
My slightly shaky, unpolished voice cut in with the lyrics, singing them with everything inside of me, everything I felt spilling into the microphone and filling the large room, making everyone go completely silent.
As I sang, lacing every word, every note with my conviction and passion, I silently dared Bonnie to tell me this wasn’t where I belonged, that I wasn’t a safe bet. I would walk through hell for those three boys. They’d given me more than I’d ever dreamed of having when I’d walked into that high school. I was so lost, so blind until Mac, Dan and Troy had took me in and showed me what it could be like, what music was meant to be like and now, together, we were going to show everyone else.
I finished the song gently, my body vibrating with the tension, the passion flowing through me and once the final strains of the last note faded from the room, the crowd erupted and when my eyes caught on Bonnie’s, I saw a stunned look on her face.
I barely had time for the smug grin that stretched across my lips before three pairs of arms were wrapped around me, tugging me up from the bench and hauling me off the stage.
“Not that it wasn’t awesome,” Troy began, alternately grinning and frowning at me, “but what was that all about?”
I looked from one of them to the other, wondering what my life would be like if I hadn’t met these guys. “I just,” I shook my head, trying to find the words. “I saw Bonnie there, looking like she had some devious scheme to take us down a peg or two and I wanted them to see...to know that whatever anyone says, I’m invested in Burn to Shine. In you guys.”
“We know,” Mac said, scowling at me. “You don’t have to prove yourself, Rose.”
I shrugged, not wanting to argue with him because even though I wanted to believe him, I still felt like he was wrong. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it but it wasn’t just Dom or Bonnie that made me think I had to tread carefully. There was this niggling at the edge of my brain telling me to watch out, that things were getting a little too good, a little too perfect, that everything comes with a price and if I just worked harder, got better, maybe I wouldn’t have to pay.
“Rose,” Bonnie said, flashing her all access pass at the security guard just inside the door between backstage and the crowd. “Boys,” she gave a tight lipped smile to the other three, her eyes raking over them before settling on me once more.
“Miss Jenkins,” Mac said frostily, stepping a little closer to me and angling his body almost as if he were preparing himself to jump in front of a bullet.
Dan and Troy stood up a little taller, crowding around me and giving Bonnie hostile glares that didn’t seem to faze her.
“I was hoping I could get a minute alone with Rose. There are a few things I want to talk to her about.” I frowned at the look in her eyes, the way they lingered on me with a quiet contemplation that was worlds away from her usual journalistic greed.
“No,” all three of them said in unison.
“C’mon guys, I’m not going to eat her, I just want to talk to her.”
Mac rolled his eyes. “Yeah, we all know exactly how harmless you are.”
“This is off the record.”
“Guys,” I said, stepping away from them, towards Bonnie. “It’s okay.”
“Rose...” Mac said, reaching out to grip my wrist and I almost winced at the pain but managed to ignore it.
“I’ll be fine,” I gently pried my wrist from his hand, sending a grin over my shoulder. “If I’m not in our dressing room in twenty minutes, send a rescue squad.”
He clenched his jaw but nodded and after a brief hesitation the three of them left me alone with Bonnie Jenkins.
“So,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest once the guys were gone. “What is it this time? Want to know how my relationship has progressed with Mac? Maybe you want to suggest I’m having a torrid affair with the bus driver?”
She shook her head, her lips stretching into a quick grin that was gone in a second. “If I were going to suggest an affair it would be with young Dan Parker. The way that kid looks at you...But it’s obvious that you’re completely in love with the older Parker brother.”
“What do you want then?”
She glanced around, seeing the stage hands milling about, preparing for the main event. “Let’s take a little walk, shall we?”
I shrugged and followed her as she led the way through a cement lined hallway, taking us further into the building and away from the workers until we were alone, secluded from the band, from everyone. “Should I have brought my mace?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at the less than glamorous surroundings.
“I’m not going to assault you,” she said, her eyes flashing with irritation. “Was I really that bad?”
“In your last article you said if I couldn’t hack it I should go back to high school.” I shook my head, narrowing my eyes at her. “Before that you accused me of playing the piano without any heart. So yeah, you’re not my favourite person.”
She grinned as if she were proud of her accomplishments. “I was just doing my job, Rose.”
“At my expense.”
Guilt flitted across her eyes before they hardened into her usual unflappable journalist gaze. “Which is kind of what I wanted to talk to you about.” She cleared her throat and that guilt appeared once more. “For the past week I’ve been doing a lot of research about you, preparing for this interview because I’d gotten a lot of interesting feedback from my last article. You have a lot of fans.” I nodded, feeling some of my trepidation lighten at that. “Anyway, I was digging into your past and managed to get the contact information for your step parents, Ben and Sarah Keen.”
My stomach plummeted at the mention of Ben and Sarah. “Did they...” I couldn’t even spit out what I was trying to say but it pretty much amounted to, “Did they ruin my life one more time?”
“They agreed to talk to me quite easily actually.” I winced, clenching my teeth together at the thought of what they may have told her.
“What did they tell you?” I croaked, avoiding her gaze. Great, now the whole world was going to know just how unwanted I had been as a child.
“They told me that they’d always supported you, always fostered your talents as best they could and that giving you up had been the hardest thing they’d ever done but they’d done what was best for you.”
Rage made my blood boil but I tried to hide it. This could all be a trick, a way for Bonnie to get the story she wanted.
“The thing was, they didn’t seem very sincere and my suspicions were confirmed when, as I was leaving, I met their biological daughter, Savannah.” Her eyes were burning into my skin but it wasn’t with her usual thirst for answers. No, there was something like...pity in their depths that was making me almost as uncomfortable. “She told me that they hadn’t been very nice to you in the past, that when she was born, they’d given you back to the orphanage. That couldn’t have been easy on a nine year-old girl.”
I shrugged, wishing I’d never agreed to this. Was I going to have see my whole sordid tale written on her webzine? Did everyone need to know this?
“So, I’m going to skip the interview with Burn to Shine.”
“What?” I asked, my eyes shooting to hers.
“Honestly, I was anticipating tearing you apart, proving that you weren’t fit to play with the band, that you’d tarnish the name of Hereafter Records but once I met your step family...” she shrugged. “I figured it was about time you had a little bit of happiness. Then you played that song and...well, keep playing like that and no one will ever accuse you of playing without heart. You had the whole crowd in your spell and we loved every minute of it.” She shook her head and gave me a rueful smile. “And you’re not even a singer.”
“Is this a trick?”
She chuckled and shook her head. “No trick. You’ve lost a lot, Rose and I don’t want to be responsible for any more pain in your life. I’m going to do a review on your performance but I have it on good authority that it’ll be favourable.”
I just stared at her in shock, wondering what alien being had taken over her body.
“Besides,” she continued with a shrug. “There are other musicians to scorn.” She wiggled her fingers at me and turned on her heel then she was gone.
I walked to the dressing room in a daze and ended up just standing outside the door, contemplating what had just happened until Mac yanked it open and ran right into me.
His arms came around me automatically, an apology on his lips. “Sor-Rose! You’re back, what did she do?” His eyes darkened with concern as he cupped my face in his hands.
“She was...nice,” I said, my voice filled with disbelief.
“What?”
I nodded. “She said she’s going to give us a favourable review, that she doesn’t need to interview us.”
After a moment, he grinned and tugged me into his arms. “That’s great, Rose! You convinced her tonight with the way you played, how could she not see that you were made for Burn to Shine.” He leaned back and his eyes softened as they traveled over my face, taking in my features. “You’re pretty amazing, Rosemary Adams.”
“So are you,” I said, knowing that Bonnie had been right, it was time for me to have some happiness, to let go of the past and to have a future filled with music and love and Mac.
Now I just had to convince Dom.
Just so you know, this is NOT the last chapter so no worries.
Also, my good friend Kelsey (aka chooseitwisely) and I now have a twitter! It's called KelseyandJulia if you wanna look us up and watch us tweet about...stuff. Okay, I haven't gotten used to twitter yet but I'll put a little effort into it.
AND I started a new story which is a spin off of a spin off I guess lol
Graceful Deception. About a girl, her famous singer father and how she gets coerced into touring with a man who more or less abandoned her when she was younger. Of course there is going to be a dreamy guy and lots of drama and laughter. Check it out! I posted the first chapter :)
LOVE YOU GUYS.
Oh Kels? If at some point we all succumb for goodness sake let us be young......READING