by Shona Husk
Out of Place
Shona Husk
www.escapepublishing.com.au
Out of Place
Shona Husk
Every band is desperate for that first big break – but what happens after that?
Ed Vincent, front man of Selling the Sun, has a really bad case of second album jitters. Nothing he writes measures up to the expectations placed on him after the success of the first album. The tensions between band members are rising and everything seems to be falling apart just as they get started. Perhaps it wasn’t meant to be: not every band gets to write their name on the pages of history. But the band has always been Ed’s dream, and if Ed gives up, will he have any dreams left?
Chasing dreams is something that other people do. Olivia Doyle put her life on hold after a car accident killed her fiancé and nearly claimed her life. Now with a three-year-old son and a part-time job, she knows she is stuck in a rut, but has no idea how to climb out. Then she meets Ed.
He can’t have the distraction of a relationship, and she has no time for anything casual. On the surface, they’re in completely different places, but love has a way of finding middle ground.
‘With fun, authentic characters, sexual tension that leaves you on tenterhooks, and wonderful world building, Shona Husk is an awesomely talented Australian writer and it’s fantastic to read rock star romances set here at home.' - Kylie Scott, author of the Stage Dive series.
About the Author
Shona Husk lives in Western Australia at the edge of the Indian Ocean. Blessed with a lively imagination, she spent most of her childhood making up stories. As an adult she discovered romance novels and hasn’t looked back.
With stories ranging from sensual to scorching, she writes contemporary, paranormal, fantasy and sci-fi romance. You can find out more at www.shonahusk.com, www.twitter.com/ShonaHusk or www.facebook.com/shonahusk
Newsletter: http://mad.ly/signups/119074/join
Acknowledgements
I’d like to thank Kate Cuthbert for seeing the potential of this series and giving me a chance to write contemporary romance, and the team at Harlequin Australia who got behind it.
My readers who usually read my paranormal romances for joining me on this journey…and my new readers who don’t know about my goblins and fairies, without you I wouldn’t be able to share the stories I create. Thank you!
Contents
About the Author
Acknowledgements
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Bestselling Titles by Escape Publishing…
Chapter 1
The waves weren’t flash, but being out on the water when most people were hauling their asses out of bed was a good feeling. Ed dangled his legs on each side of his surfboard as he watched one of the guys he’d gone to school with catch a wave, before tumbling.
Ed’s smile broadened and for a few moments it was as though nothing had changed since high school. This was the same group of guys he’d always hung out with. He should’ve asked Mike if he wanted a paddle, but it was nice to get away from his band mates. He needed to get away as they had spent far too much time together over the last year.
Now that Gemma was staying with his parents too it was like being on the road again…except Gemma was sleeping in his sister’s room. He was still getting used to that.
“So, have you put any thought into the Bali trip?” Luke came up alongside him.
Bali. He’d thought about it. They’d all gone when they were eighteen and had just finished their exams. It had been a messy week with more alcohol than he cared to remember. Now Luke and the other guys were organising another trip for around the end of March.
Part of him really wanted to go, but this time it wasn’t a cheap backpackers they’d be staying at, it was a resort. His mates had developed expensive tastes. Ed glanced at Luke. He no longer had long hair, and he didn’t get around in ripped jeans. Once they got out of the water Luke would be slipping on his suit and heading off to the office.
Everything had changed.
He glanced at the other guys. Two engineers, a brickie and a teacher. And him. He technically wasn’t unemployed. The band was signed to a record label, but he wasn’t making any money. One album didn’t make a whole lot of money in Australia. It opened doors for sure, but money…Selling the Sun needed a kick-ass follow-up to confirm their place in Australia before tackling the rest of the world. Unless they got lucky and one of their songs broke through in the US. It happened. But not to them. Not yet. All they had was a case of burnout from the constant touring to promote their first album.
“Yeah, I’ve been thinking about Bali.” He knew they’d gone two years ago without him because he couldn’t get away…and he’d had no money. They expected him to go this time. “I don’t know.”
“You should be flying us in your private plane.” Luke flicked water at him.
“Ha.” He was sick of travelling. He’d spent most of this year on the road with Gemma, Mike and Dan as they lived the dream. From the outside it looked like they had it made. His friends thought he worked a couple of hours a day and spent the rest of it surfing, watching TV or drinking. It wasn’t worth the breath to correct them. He’d tried a couple of times and given up.
He let his gaze slip to the car park. While he couldn’t make out the cars from where he was, he knew they’d noticed that he was still driving the same piece of crap that he’d been driving for the last seven years. While they’d all gone on to get real jobs and earn real money after university, he hadn’t. He was holding on to the dream of making it as a musician.
Performing was a buzz, but he loved creating music.
Or he had. Now it seemed every time he picked up his guitar all he had was a whole lot of nothing. Perhaps he’d only had enough in him for one album. Plenty of bands managed one, then put out a second one that no one heard and vanished with barely a ripple. He didn’t want to follow that path. He wanted to be one of the success stories.
Success meant money in the bank, not screaming fans.
“When I get a private plane I’ll let you know.” If he had a private plane, he wouldn’t be using it to go to Bali. He’d be going to Hawaii. Now that would be a surfing holiday.
Something caught his eye and he glanced down; keeping an eye out for sharks was a habit but he was glad the government hadn’t put the drum lines back in. They hadn’t made him feel safer, and the number of small sharks and other species killed had made him sick. After a couple of shark attacks down south though, he wasn’t going to get complacent. The threat wasn’t going to stop him from getting in the water either. Life was too short for that kind of thinking.
“I don’t think I’ll be able to make Bali.” He should go. By the end of March the album would be recorded. The timing was perfect. He could make the money work.
“Come on, a few days off, Vinnie.” Luke grinned.
Once Ed would’ve changed his mind and agreed to join whatever trouble they were about to get into. These days what money he did have in the bank he didn’t want to piss up against a wall in Bali.
Of course, to record in March would mean they were writing. So far that wasn’t happening. They needed to knuckle down. Studio time cost money. Not meeting the deadlines would burn their reputation and they couldn’t afford that. It was his responsibility to get the band over the
line.
The band was his project, it always had been and he’d roped some of his friends in. Luke had been part of it in year seven before moving on to girls. Then it had been him, Mike and Dan for years, until Kirsten’s best friend Gemma had joined. Things had clicked and suddenly they were signing contracts.
Where had that magic gone?
He needed to find it. They needed to find it or they’d all be looking for nine to fives. He shivered despite the sun on his black wetsuit. He glanced down again, sure that there was something down there. A fish? Seaweed?
He should move in and catch a few more waves before packing it in for the day. Once the pre-work crowd had gone, the old boys would be out with their longboards. And while he didn’t have any plans for the day, he didn’t fancy hanging out with guys three times his age.
Ed shook his head. Bali wasn’t on his list of priorities right now. “I can’t do it, mate.”
Luke looked at him. “We all dreamed of sex, drugs and rock and roll when we were thirteen. You got to grow up, man. Get a job and have a life. You going to live with your folks until you’re forty?”
That was below the belt. It was a sore spot that Ed was well aware of, and so was Luke. It had been pressed so often there was a permanent bruise that he could never forget. He was sure his father’s hints about getting a real job were becoming more frequent. That, or he was overly sensitive about the situation.
Ed couldn’t decide if Luke was needling him to be a prick or telling him what he needed to hear, so he didn’t respond. He glanced at the guy he’d known for over a decade. Luke had once had the nerve to joke about getting rid of the chick and rejoining the band when they’d first started getting some gigs. He’d wanted the glory—such as it was—without the work. Ed had said no and their friendship had been cool for a while. Was there a lingering jealousy?
If there was, it wasn’t his issue. Ed lay down and paddled closer into shore so he could catch the next wave in. Luke called after him, but Ed was already focussed on the swell of the ocean. He tuned out everything else, determined to ride the wave for as long as possible and hopefully not stack it. That pretty much summed up his life.
He needed a better plan.
He didn’t have one. All he knew was that Selling the Sun had managed to catch a break many would kill for and they had to make the most of it instead of cocking it up. There wouldn’t be another chance.
Unlike surfing, there would be no next wave.
He glanced over his shoulder. While Luke had pissed him off, that was no reason to ruin a perfectly good morning of surfing. He’d stay out until they were done to rub it in their faces that he wasn’t a corporate slave.
His smile reformed and he paddled back out.
The Indiana Swan was already busy with the bustle of breakfast and coffees for the pre-work crowd. Olivia didn’t usually wait tables, but if asked she helped out. Today she’d come in early because one of the regular waitresses was sick. As always, she’d agreed. The extra money was welcome, and she felt she owed Frankie for giving her a job. She was sure she’d gotten it because Frankie and her mother went way back. So letting down Frankie was like letting down her mother and she couldn’t do it.
She was always careful not to overload her weak arm. And while she wasn’t the most efficient waitress on the floor, at least she wasn’t stopping to stare at the surfers the way some of the younger girls did. The mornings were made up of guys fresh out of the ocean and grabbing a bite before heading into work. Some weren’t bad to look at, but she never paused for long enough to take a second look, no matter how tempting.
There was no point in looking and longing when she knew it wouldn’t go any further. It was definitely her, not them.
Gradually the rush subsided as the office workers left, and Olivia went into the small office to start her actual job. The next influx would be the mums and babies. They’d sit there and sip their lattes and buy their kids babycinos. They’d laugh and flash their big diamonds and talk about their husbands latest pay rise or their next overseas holiday.
Olivia glanced at the small diamond ring on her finger. Miles could never have afforded anything any bigger. It hadn’t mattered, as they’d had each other. The one time she’d taken the ring off and had attempted to date had been disastrous.
When the kids arrived she pushed the door to so she wouldn’t have to listen to them and their pretentious mothers with their perfect lives. Her mother’s group had given up on café meetings years ago and no one bothered with the veneer of perfection anymore.
Frankie knocked on the door and then came in without waiting for a response. The older woman smiled and then sat. “How’s it going?”
“Fine.” Olivia looked up, wary. Frankie didn’t chitchat with her.
“And Ethan? Your mum is always gushing about him.”
He was a handful, as all three year olds were. “Good, he’ll be starting kindy the year after next.” And she wouldn’t know what to do with herself. He was growing up so fast. While he was growing up she was turning in circles, her life going nowhere in a hurry, which had been fine at first. Now she wanted more even if she wasn’t quite sure what that was, or how to get it.
Frankie smiled. “I’ve found a buyer for the Swan. Now that everything has been signed I can finally talk about it. Didn’t want to jinx it.”
“That’s great!” Olivia relaxed a little. Ever since her husband had had a heart attack three months ago Frankie had been trying to sell the café. Time to retire, she’d declared.
Frankie nodded and her smile tightened. “I wasn’t able to guarantee the staff jobs in the sale.”
That wasn’t so good. The tension returned, grabbing hold of her gut. “I’m sure they won’t make any sudden changes, after all, we know the locals and how the place runs.” The excuses sounded hollow in her ears.
“I hope so.” But there was something in her voice. “I just wanted to let you know that nothing is certain.” She gave Olivia a pointed look. “The sale will be finalised the week before Christmas.”
That gave her three weeks with a guaranteed job. After that…she was already mentally crossing her fingers. She needed one more year out of the place before she was ready to move on. Once Ethan was at school it would be easier for her to work more hours and finish her accounting degree. That Frankie was warning her didn’t bode well. She wasn’t ready to start looking for a job.
She couldn’t afford to be jobless.
For Frankie’s benefit she kept her smile fixed. “I bet you’ve been busting to tell Mum that news.” And Mum would’ve told her straight away. Secrets didn’t last long.
“You have no idea.” Frankie stood; the burden of owning and running the café had been lifted from her and her movements seemed lighter. “I’d best get out there again. Grab a piece of cake on the house. To celebrate.”
Olivia nodded but Frankie was already bustling out the door. Celebrate or commiserate? The moment Frankie had said she was going to sell the place Olivia had developed a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. She’d learned the hard way to listen to them. That feeling grew like sticky dough. If she started to look for new jobs, was she overreacting and asking to be let go, or being practical?
Who was going to be employing over the Christmas holidays? Plus there would be more qualified uni leavers looking for their first job. She stared blankly at the computer screen. She didn’t need this right now.
And if she did manage to get another job, and it was full-time, what was she going to do with Ethan? Her mother looked after him while she worked, but she couldn’t expect her to look after him all the time. If she was working full-time, she wouldn’t be able to fit in study on top.
Her mind was already racing away with all kinds of worst-case scenarios.
Olivia forced herself to breathe. Nothing was final or decided until the new owner took over. Until then she could have a look online to see what was out there. She didn’t have to apply for the full-time jobs, let the uni leavers go a
fter them.
She pulled out her phone and added job search to her to do list. Booking a car service was at the top and had been for a while. She hadn’t booked it in yet. In part because she wasn’t ready to hand over several hundred dollars, plus any repairs. There would be repairs. There were always repairs.
At least there were some extra hours coming up as she prepared the café’s BAS statement. She closed the list and went back to work. She’d have the cake with her coffee when she finished work.
Ed had lingered in the water for as long as he could, enjoying the perks of not being nailed to schedule. Now his stomach was growling enough to scare off any shark.
The sand burnt the soles of his feet and the day promised to be another hot one, but not January hot. No heatwaves yet. He made his way to the outdoor shower and rinsed off, scrubbing his hand over his hair to get out the salt and sand. It needed cut again if he was going to keep it short. He’d run the clippers over it tonight.
On the other side of the road, the white and green building of the Indiana Swan beckoned. It would be cheaper to head home and scrounge around the fridge for food, but he was starving now and it had been a bloody long time since he’d sat and enjoyed a meal at Cottesloe Beach.
Usually it was beer with the sunset.
He checked his watch. It wasn’t past twelve, and unlike Dan he had standards.
Coffee and breakfast. He might even read the newspaper. Whoa. He was sounding like his father. Perhaps he should’ve stayed out with the old boys on their longboards.
After shoving his board into his station wagon and throwing on a dry t-shirt, shorts and flip-flops, he grabbed his bank card from its hiding spot and went across the road. He almost went straight back out as it looked like some kind of mothers’ meeting was in progress.
A few glanced at him then looked away. Yeah, he wasn’t their type. He didn’t have a big enough wallet or the right credit card.
One woman was sitting on her own and reading. Her coffee and cake almost untouched. Near her was a spare table. While it didn’t have a great view of the ocean, at least it was away from the kids—which is obviously what the single woman had been thinking.
