Hard Lessons: (A Wild Minds Prequel Novel)

by Charlotte West

  I hung my head. More tears fell.

  Jett’s hand landed on my back, rubbing circles. “It’s bad, Addy. I think your dad would’ve rather found you doing lines of coke off a stripper than with some dude from a band.”

  I hiccupped and swiped at my red cheeks.

  Jett patted my back and stood. “You should try to get some sleep. Don’t think Billy’s going to be back soon.”

  I did as he said and climbed into my bunk, rolling my body into the fetal position. Everything was my fault. I couldn’t imagine how things could get worse. I fell asleep wishing my dad wasn’t so mad, and wishing I could see Warren one more time.

  I woke to the sound of hushed voices in the main cabin.

  “You know I don’t want her to go,” Daisy whispered.

  I edged from my bunk. The lights were low, the rest of the band asleep in their cubbies. The bus was moving. We were scheduled to make a “jump,” an all-night drive to get to the next venue, tonight. No matter what family drama was occurring, the show must go on. Creeping forward, I froze behind the curtain, eavesdropping.

  “I don’t know, flower.” His nickname for Daisy. It was kind of sick how much he adored her. “I can’t imagine the tour without her,” Billy said.

  “Me either.” Daisy laughed low. “Hell, if she goes I’m out of a job.”

  “You know that’s not true. You’re part of our family. Little bird loves you. I love you.”

  “That’s good to know,” sighed Daisy.

  “She’ll hate me,” said Billy.

  “She won’t hate you,” Daisy said, her voice placating. Billy made a sound of disbelief. “Well, she’ll say she does, and maybe it will feel that way for a time, but she’ll come around. Addy is bright and sensitive, she’ll understand your decision eventually.”

  “We still keep in touch with that cop who found her, Pete Daniels. He always asks after her, asks for her to come for a visit. He has a son around her age. A good kid, plays football or something. Probably wears a fucking purity ring.”

  I grimaced. Billy wanted me to live with Pete’s family?

  “That sounds like a good option. It’s not forever, Billy. Have her go for the summer. It might do her some good to hang out with kids her own age. She’s growing up too fast here.”

  “Fucking Warren Price and Wild Minds,” Billy said, tone distinctly pissed.

  “Give the kid a break. He’s young too, only nineteen. You heard him, he thought Addy was a groupie.” Wow. That didn’t hurt much. Kind of like a knife tearing through my side. Warren had thought I was a groupie? A girl who dealt in rocker sexual conquests?

  Billy inhaled noisily. “One summer?”

  “While you’re on the U.S. leg of your tour.”

  “What would I do without you, flower?” Billy murmured followed by kissing sounds.

  I crawled back into my bunk. Beating my fists into my pillow made me feel a smidge better. Billy, my father, was going to send me away when he’d promised he never would. And for what? For making out with a guy two years older? Before Daisy, I’d seen Billy with girls nearly half his age. There was a double standard at play. I didn’t like it. Not at all. I’d never forgive him for this. Never.

  One year later

  My phone chirped with an incoming text. I smiled at Pete, Officer Daniels, and held up the phone. “I’ll just be a minute. It’s probably Billy.”

  Pete let go of the restaurant door he’d been holding open for me. “He still mad you didn’t let him come for graduation?” After spending the summer with Pete’s family, I’d decided to stay for my senior year, a decision my father didn’t understand and still wasn’t happy about.

  “I think he’s coming around,” I said. Billy had wanted to attend my high school graduation. But the thought of my famous father in small-town Beaverton, Oregon, near all my friends, figuratively made me break out in hives.

  Pete nodded. “All right, but don’t take too long. We’re excited to celebrate with you.”

  “Got it.” I smiled brightly. My gown fluttered in the early summer wind, I’d left my cap in the car. “Tell Gabe to save me a seat next to him.” Pete and Mel’s son Gabe had graduated with me and was set for a full-ride football scholarship to OSU. As for me, I’d be off to New York in a few weeks to attend college. Strolling the sidewalk, I peeked at my phone. It wasn’t my father.

  Mystery number: Hi.

  Me: Hi. Who’s this?

  Mystery number: Warren Price. Remember me?

  If it’s possible for your heart to fall straight out of your chest, mine did.

  Me: Yeah. How’d you get my number?

  Warren: I know people who know people.

  Me: Huh?

  Warren: It’s the digital age, babe. Not hard to find someone’s phone number. The right YouTube video and I could give myself a vasectomy.

  Me: Would you really do that?

  Warren: What?

  Me: Give yourself a vasectomy?

  Warren: Hell, no. But I could.

  Warren: You still there?

  Me: It’s been a long time.

  Warren: Sorry about that. Been thinking about you, though.

  Me: Yeah?

  Me: I don’t think this is a good idea, you and me talking. Billy doesn’t want us to be friends.

  Warren: I disagree. I think this is the best idea I’ve ever had. Besides, last time I checked we were a little more than friends. What you been up to?

  Me: In a nutshell? Billy sent me away to live in BFE. Since then… Went to school dances. Drank my first bottle of peach schnapps. Saw Twilight four times.

  Warren: Damn. That’s a lot of living for a small town.

  Me: I know. Mind blown, right? How about you, what have you been up to?

  Warren: Got booted from Billy’s celestial limelight just like you, working the dive bar circuit again.

  Me: Ouch. Sorry.

  Warren: Not your fault.

  Warren: Shit. Got to go. About to the take the stage at a honky-tonk in Nashville. This should be interesting. We don’t play country.

  Me: All right.

  Warren: Okay if I text you again?

  Me: Thumbs up.

  Warren: Did you just text me the words: thumbs up?

  Me: Yep. My emoji button is broken. Sad face.

  Warren: Okay then.

  Me: Okay.

  Me: I think I just saw you or someone who looks just like you. Are you wearing a green turtleneck today?

  Warren: Hell, no. I don’t own any fucking turtlenecks.

  Me: Are u sure? Send me a pic of you right now to prove it.

  Warren: See. No fucking turtleneck.

  Me: Oh, my bad.

  Warren: You’re so obvious.

  Me: Come again?

  Warren: If you wanted a pic of me, babe, just ask.

  Me: I’m offended. This was all purely evidence-based.

  Warren: Ha.

  Warren: Fair is fair. Send me a pic of you.

  Warren: What the fuck is that?!

  Me: Those are my toes. Don’t they get you all hot and bothered?

  Warren: Sexiest toes I’ve ever seen.

  Warren: Hi.

  Me: Hi.

  Warren: What r u doing?

  Me: Eating pizza. Naked.

  Warren: Really?

  Me: No. I’m lying.

  Warren: I hope it’s about the pizza.

  Me: Prepare to be disappointed.

  Me: Where are u these days?

  Warren: Don’t know. Somewhere in North Carolina, I think.

  Warren: What you doing tonight?

  Me: Going out with a friend.

  Warren: A guy?

  Me: Define guy.

  Warren: ?

  Me: Like do you mean does he have a penis? Or just identify as male?

  Warren: A dick.

  Me: Oh.

  Me: I’m going out with my friend Lily. My very female friend Lily.

  Warren: Oh.

  Me: Yeah.

  Warr
en: Can I tell you something without you freaking out and thinking I’m crazy?

  Me: Sure.

  Warren: I can’t stop thinking about u.

  Me: Me either. Phone call?

  Warren: Dialing.

  Me: I have some new song lyrics for you.

  Me: Don’t frown. It just went down. You’re the clown.

  Warren: Wow.

  Warren: You sure you don’t want to keep hold of those? Could be worth big bucks.

  Me: Money and fame doesn’t interest me at all.

  Me: I have more.

  Warren: I can hardly wait.

  Me: I like your style. I like your class. But most of all I like your ass.

  Me: Wanna hear more?

  Warren: No. I want to hear your voice.

  Me: K.

  Warren: We’re going to be in Portland next week. Can I see u?

  Me: Shoot. Will be visiting Billy in Florida.

  Warren: Cancel.

  Me: Can’t. He’ll blow a gasket. The whole state of Florida might explode.

  Warren: I’d pay to see that.

  Me: I’ve seen it. It isn’t pretty.

  Warren: I’m in Portland. You’re in Florida.

  Me: Yes.

  Warren: What are u doing?

  Me: Lying in bed in my hotel room.

  Warren: And?

  Me: And what?

  Warren: Just lying in bed? Nothing else?

  Me: Oh. I get it. Kinky. I’m lying in bed and eating Milk Duds.

  Warren: What would you do if I was with you?

  Me: I guess share my Milk Duds.

  Warren: Jesus. You suck at sexting. And still I’m hard.

  Me: Milk Duds make me tired. Sleepy time. Night.

  Warren: Night. Thanks for the blue balls.

  Me: Anytime.

  Me: Sorry I missed your call. What’s up?

  Warren: I’d rather do this over the phone.

  Me: Oh, no. Sounds ominous. Call me now.

  Warren: Can’t, we’re in the middle of a local radio interview.

  Me: Tell me. Tell me. TELL ME.

  Warren: Hell. Got some good news today. We booked an opening gig for Miss Americana.

  Me: Miss Americana? They’re huge. That’s great. Congrats.

  Warren: It’s for the European leg of their tour.

  Me: Europe. Like the continent Europe?

  Warren: That’s the one.

  Me: So far away.

  Warren: An ocean.

  Me: When do u leave?

  Warren: A week. This could be really big for us. We’d be able to build a whole new fan base.

  Me: Yeah.

  Warren: I know we made plans to meet up in New York when you started school.

  Me: Yeah. Big plans.

  Warren: Come with me.

  Me: What?

  Warren: I want you to come with me. The hotels will be shitty, the pace grueling. But we’ll be together.

  Warren: Addy?

  Warren: You there?

  Warren: C’mon, party girl, Peace, Addison Wanks—what do you say?

  Me: Can I bring a friend?

  Warren: You can bring anyone you want. Except for Gabe. Or Billy.

  Me: Okay.

  Warren: Okay?

  Me: I’ll come.

  “Last call for boarding to Frankfurt, Germany, flight 6124,” a woman with a clipped accent announced over the intercom.

  “You ready?” Lily, my best friend-slash-secret soul sister, asked. I’d met her senior year in high school. We’d bonded over our love of Twilight and tequila. We’d been inseparable ever since. Pete used to call us the gruesome twosome.

  I picked up the carry-on at my feet and hoisted it over my shoulder. “Yeah, just texting Billy.”

  “Let’s go then.” She twisted her long blonde hair into a bun, her face bright with excitement. “I can’t believe we’re doing this! A whole year on tour with a band. In Europe! I’m going to eat so much pasta, I shit noodles.” Looping her arm through mine, she began to lead me to the ticketing agent.

  Furiously, I tapped out a final text to Billy.

  Me: Hey! Made it to New York. Registering for school tomorrow. Busy. Busy. Will call when I have time.

  Although I’d matured during my senior year, my penchant for bending the truth was hard to shake. I considered these good lies. Good lies benefited all sides. For example, Billy would have been worried sick knowing his daughter just skipped the States to chase after a rocker. And I got to follow my heart guilt-free.

  Well, not entirely guilt-free. A tiny splinter of remorse jabbed its way into my side. Billy and I used to be so close. He used to say: You and me, we’re hair and gum, we stick together, got it? Only we hadn’t. Billy had sent me away at the first sign of trouble. As I boarded the plane, I ignored the emotional pangs. Impulsivity. Brashness. Throwing caution to the wind. That was very rock ’n’ roll. I was following in my father’s footsteps. What could possibly go wrong?

  As always thanks to Mr. West for the unconditional love and support. Love you. Always.

  Thanks to my team: Taryn, Sarah, Stacey and Chasity. It truly takes a village to publish a book and my village rocks (no pun intended).

  And the biggest thanks to the romance lovers and readers! Without you, I wouldn’t have a job I love. You make everything worth it.

  Charlotte West writes romance about strong heroines and the sexy alpha males who love them. She lives in Washington state with her husband and very large dog (think miniature pony size). She spends way too much money on books, and way too much time reading. When she’s not reading, she’s feeding her reality television addiction, eating chocolate, or traveling. She’s been known to eat her weight in Girl Scout cookies.

  She has a degree in Science and a Master’s in Education, neither of which she is currently using but is still paying for. Occasionally, she moonlights as a YA author.