I stop playing and unplug the cable. He takes off the headphones and hands them back. “You’re really good.”
I smile. “Thanks. I’m actually in a band.” I bend down and turn off the amp.
“Really?” He seems impressed.
I laugh and nod. “Yeah. Now, with an electric guitar, you’ll need an amp and a guitar cable. Does she have any of that or will you be adding it to your order?”
He shrugs. “Might as well get the whole setup,” he breathes out.
I grab a cable for him and move on to our rows of amps. “What’s she going to be using this for?”
He looks over them and opens his mouth, but no sound comes out because he has no idea.
“You could go with this smaller personal amp if she’s just going to be practicing in her room. But if she wants to start up a garage band, she’ll need something a little bigger—like this.” I place my hand on a larger amp and he agrees.
I grab what he needs and start our journey to the counter before going back to grab the amp.
Behind me, he follows along until he says, “I hope this isn’t too forward, but you wouldn’t be offering guitar lessons, would you?”
I stop and turn back to face him. My brows draw together as I bite on my lower lip. I could use the money. “What does the job pay?”
He shrugs as he closes the couple of feet between us. “I don’t really know. What does an hour a week run?”
I scoff. “An hour a week? How about an hour a day, three days a week?”
He smiles but looks down at the wallet he’s holding in his hands like he doesn’t want me to see his smile. He’s a lawyer. I’m sure he’s used to the constant back and forth when negotiating terms. “Three hours a week it is.”
I smile. “A hundred bucks a week.”
“It’s a deal,” he agrees and I turn to head to the counter. “I can arrange for her to meet you here tomorrow afternoon if that’ll work for you.”
I set down his things and write my number on a piece of paper, sliding it over to him. “Sure! Text me her info?”
He nods once, smile still in place as he slips it into his wallet.
“So, what’s the name of your band?” he asks, putting my number into his wallet and pulling out a card.
“The Wonder Kings,” I reply, typing my employee password into the computer to unlock it.
He steps up to the counter to pay. “I’ll have to look you guys up sometime.”
I smile as I scan his items into the computer. “We have a show tonight at The Ol’ Pub. Come check it out. But I have to warn you, our shows can get a little crazy sometimes. Not to brag, but we’re sorta local celebrities.” I flash him a flirty smile—the kind I usually give to the guys in the crowd to get them going.
He swipes his card. “Then I’ll definitely have to check you out. I can’t be the only one in Chicago who hasn’t seen a Wonder Kings show!”
I laugh as I hand him his receipt. “Then I guess I’ll see ya there.”
“I guess so.” He grabs his things and heads toward the door. He spins around to face me as he pushes the door open with his back. His eyes linger on mine a little longer, but he finally walks out the door, ending our connection.
The moment he leaves, I pull up Instagram and type his name into the search bar. He pops up immediately and I can’t help but scroll through his pictures. He’s some kind of fancy lawyer. There are pictures of him sitting at his desk and another of him shaking hands with some tall guy in front of a sign that reads Young & Smith. I look up the business and see that it’s a local law office owned by someone named Calvin Young.
The door opens, causing the bell above it to ring. I pull my attention away from the phone and set it down, heading over to help a customer as he picks out the strings he needs.
Two
Daniel
“Dude, you would not believe this girl who sold me the guitar,” I tell Calvin when I walk back into the office after my lunch break.
“Yeah? Was she cute?” he asks, grabbing a file out of the cabinet and taking it back to his desk.
“Cute? No, that’s not the word I’d use to describe this girl. Cute means rosy cheeks, blonde curls, and a peaches-and-cream complexion. This girl has gorgeous brown hair with flowing waves I’d kill to run my hands through. She has blue eyes that had more black shit around them than I’ve ever seen anyone use. She’s in a rock band. Well, I guess it’s a rock band. She didn’t exactly say, but she’s in a band and I’m going to check them out tonight.”
He laughs. “You and some rocker girl? I don’t see that ever happening,” Calvin says, running a hand through his neatly styled dark hair.
I snort. “Why not? I can rock out with the best of them.”
He laughs. “Really? What was the last rock concert you went to?”
I try to think back on it, but I probably haven’t been to a concert since high school. Once I got to college, I was too busy studying to have time for that shit.
He sees my face and says, “Exactly my point. She’s wild and crazy and you’re a lawyer who handles more divorces than anything else.”
I sit back in my chair and think about it. “But they say opposites attract. It could work out. And if not, at least I could have a little fun for a while.”
Calvin shakes his head but smiles. “You could have that,” he agrees.
After work, I get home and take a shower. I look in my closet to find something to wear. I can’t exactly wear a suit to a bar to meet up with some rocker chick. I pull on a pair of jeans, the only pair of tennis shoes I own and use only for running, and a black T-shirt that fits a little more snugly than what I’d normally wear. I put some product in my hair to make it stand up in a messy way, and I don’t bother shaving.
It’s going on 8 p.m. when I finally eat dinner, and another hour passes before I’m leaving the house. I didn’t want to get there too early anyway. I call a cab and tell her where to take me. It’s a good thing I did, because I’d never heard of The Ol’ Pub before. When we pull up, I see why.
It’s just some run-down hole-in-the-wall bar. I don’t usually frequent dive bars—at least not since my college days. Walking into the venue, the smell hits me: body odor from the dozens of people piled inside the small building, mixed with the stench of stale alcohol and cheap weed. It’s dirty, and honestly, I’m afraid to even sit on a barstool, but I do because I remember what Calvin said about her lifestyle compared with mine, and I’m determined to prove him wrong. I can fit into her world. I’ll make him see that.
I sit at the bar and order a glass of scotch. I don’t know what I’m given, but it must be the cheapest scotch known to man. I choke it down while people are bumping into my back and shoulders, then I order a beer for safe measure. The beer tastes much better, but that’s probably because I’m not expecting much from a Budweiser.
As I sit alone and drink my beer, I look around the bar, hoping to catch her. In the far back corner, I spot a couple who might be having sex against the wall. There’s a large group of people already on the dance floor, crowding the stage and waiting for the show to begin. And the bar is lined to the max with people grouping around it, but I don’t find her beautiful face or flowing waves anywhere.
Around 10 p.m., the room gets dark and multicolored lights come on. A bright light gets pointed at the stage and Luna walks out. The bright spotlight lights up her eyes, making them sparkle. Her chocolate hair is nearly shimmering. She takes in the large crowd before her and smiles wide, making my heart pound even harder in my chest.
I turn my barstool so I can watch the show. My jealously flares when I see she’s in a band with a bunch of guys. I wonder if she’s seeing any of them, but I push away the thought. She’s not my girl and I don’t have any right to be jealous.
“Hello, everyone!” Luna says into the mic and the crowd goes wild. “Everyone having a good time?” They scream even louder, making my ears ring. “Awesome! Let’s crank this party up, shall we?”
&nb
sp; The music starts and I’m immediately surprised by how good they are. They don’t sound like some small garage band. They seem like real rock stars. Luna rocks the guitar just like she did at the store today, but then she opens her mouth and the most beautiful sound comes out. The drummer puts on a show all his own the way he twirls the sticks in the air. The bass player keeps the beat and makes it vibrate in my chest. And there’s another guitar player who also sings backup. His rasp is the perfect complement to Luna’s sweet voice.
“You ever seen them play before?” the bartender asks me.
I shake my head and yell back, “First time. They’re really good!”
He nods with a smile. “Yeah, word has it they’re about to be signed!”
I order another beer and decide to try pushing my way to the front of the stage. It takes some time to get there, but I finally make it with only a few dirty looks. I stand right in front of her as she sings and moves around the stage. She’s wearing a short black jean skirt with combat boots. Her top is more like a bikini, and I imagine what would happen if one of those little ties just happened to come loose.
As I watch her move around the stage, singing and playing the guitar, her eyes lock on mine and she flashes me a smile and a wink. I lift my beer and nod, trying to play it cool, but honestly, I’m anything but. It’s like I’m falling for this girl who’s a real rock star. I almost feel giddy inside—like my celebrity crush noticed me in the crowd. I know it all sounds stupid, but it’s easy to get wrapped up in the whole package of loud music, a rowdy crowd, and screaming fans.
After several songs, the band takes a break. They head toward the side of the stage, but Luna looks back at me, then walks over. She kneels down in front of me. “Wanna come backstage?”
“Yeah, sure,” I agree, hopping up on stage and following her off to the side.
She leads me into the back and opens the door to a small room. I step inside but can’t even close the door. The room is too small and it already has four other people in it.
“So, what did you think?” Luna asks, spinning around to face me.
I give her a smile. “You sounded really good. I knew you could play from the taste you gave me at the store today, but I had no idea you could sing like that!”
She laughs and her cheeks turn the slightest shade of pink. “Thanks. Oh, let me introduce you to the guys,” she starts to point them out. “That’s Van, Ridge, and Lane.” She says their names as she points at them. Each one looks up and gives me a wave.
“Ridge. That’s different. You’re awesome on the bass.”
He laughs. “Ridge is my nickname. It’s actually Trevor, and thanks. Is this the first show you’ve been to?” he asks, stepping up to me to shake my hand.
I nod. “Yeah, I just met Luna at the store today and she invited me to come out and watch. Glad I did. The crowd is crazy out there. Are all your shows like this?”
He laughs and nods. “Yeah, all of them we’ve played in Chicago anyway. We’ve gone out of state, but no one knows us anywhere else. So the crowds are pretty subdued until we manage to win them over.”
“I can’t imagine that taking long.” I lift my beer to my lips and take a swig. Out of the corner of my eye, I watch Luna lean into a mirror, fixing the makeup she sweat off during the show.
The guys gather around and talk about the band, the bar, and the crowd out there. They try including me in their conversation, but I’m not worth much because I can’t keep my eyes off her. I’m hypnotized by the way she applies her dark lipstick. Her eyes find mine in the mirror and she smiles before turning around to face me.
“Time to get back out there, boys.”
The guys take off toward the stage, but she lingers a little longer.
“You want to grab a drink when you finish up?” I lean against the doorframe, looking down at her.
She looks up at me through her impossibly-long, dark lashes and gives me a smirk. “Think you can hang until then?”
I chuckle and shrug my shoulders. “I guess we’ll have to wait and find out.”
Her smile finally comes out to play. “All right, I’ll save you a drink . . . if you’re still here at midnight, that is.”
Midnight? That’s easy.
She slips past me and I can’t help but turn and watch her ass as it gets farther away. It’s thick and plump and round. Perfect. I’ve always considered myself an ass man and I know hers is perfect. I bet it would look amazing in a lacy pair of boyshort panties. I swear I could bite into it like a peach. In fact, I nearly have to bite my fist to hold myself back. I don’t want to come on too strong, but damn.
Once she’s no longer in my line of sight, I head back out to the bar and grab another beer to sit and watch the show. The way she moves on stage is mesmerizing. She’s absolutely breathtaking up there. She doesn’t just walk across the stage—she glides with grace and purpose. She doesn’t just sing the lyrics—she belts them out at the top of her lungs and she’s perfectly on key. Her long, thin fingers move across the strings, plucking the perfect note time and time again. How is it I can be so turned on by someone so different? She isn’t my usual type: blonde hair, model-like body, and a better-than-you attitude. Luna is different. Don’t get me wrong, though. Her body is just as perfect as an Instagram model or centerfold, but in a different way. There’s ink on her ivory skin. Her makeup is darker and heavier than most, and her hair isn’t a pretty blonde but a shiny chocolate with subtle hints of caramel peeking out. Instead of a structured style, hers is in full waves flowing effortlessly down her shoulders and back. She casually runs her slender fingers through it and flips it to one side of her head.
I take a sip of my beer as I think over the conversation I had with Calvin today. He’s right and I know it. Luna and I are different. Too different. It could never work out between us. I know it, and I think deep down, she knows it too. But as long as we’re both aware of the problem, we can have a lot of fun together while it lasts. Call me crazy, but I have every intention of enjoying every minute of it.
I sit in a booth and slowly suck down beer until she wraps up the last song at midnight. The band tells the crowd goodbye and leaves the stage as the people on the dance floor are left hungry for more. They’re all chanting Luna’s name and declaring their love for her. It’s nice to know I’m not the only one bewitched by her. I want to get up and go to the back, but I also want to play it cool. Instead of running to her, I’ll see if she comes to me.
She finally enters the bar and I watch as she heads to get a drink from one of the bartenders. This bartender must know her well, because the moment she stands at the bar, a drink is handed over without her even having to order. She smiles at the girl as she takes her drink, then spins around to look over every face in the place. Right before her eyes leap over to me, I direct my attention away from her. I don’t want her to know I’ve been watching her since she entered. I take a sip of my beer and the moment I pull it away from my lips, she’s directly in front of me.
“Hey, you made it,” she says with a smile as she slips into the booth beside me.
I return her smile and nod. “Yup, still here. You were amazing up there.” I motion toward the stage. The guys are taking down the equipment but there are two new guys with them. “Did the band get some extra members?” I ask.
She glances over her shoulder, then her eyes are back on mine. “One of them is our roadie, Jack. He helps with setup and teardown. The other . . . well, he’s a different story. He’s my ex-boyfriend and he’s a part of our PR team and management. His name is Wesley and he’s a total asshole. I’m sure he’ll be over to bother me soon enough. I booked it out of there before he showed up.”
“Don’t you know not to mix business with pleasure?” I tease, referring to her dating a colleague.
She rolls her darkly-lined eyes. “Now more than ever. Every time he sees me, it’s just another attempt to get me back. The guy doesn’t take no for an answer.”
I move closer to her and put my
arm around her. “Well, we’ll see if we can’t run him off for good, huh?”
She looks over at me and her dark eyes find mine. Her lips part before slowly turning up into a small smile. Just being this close to her has my lungs doubling their pace.
“You were beautiful up there, you know,” I say quietly as we’re both lost in this trance.
Her cheeks flush with my words and her tongue comes out, gliding across her bottom lip and making it glisten with the neon lights of the bar.
There’s a pull between us and it’s getting stronger. I find myself leaning in to kiss her, to taste her, but just as we’re only centimeters apart, a man’s voice cuts through our moment.
“Luna, there you are! How’s my most beautiful girl?” A guy slams himself down across from us in the booth.
We both pull out of our closeness and look over at him. She offers up a fake smile and reaches for her drink. “I’m good, Wesley. How about you?”
He gives her a smirk and nods his head as he spins his glass between his hands. “Great! Just thought I’d swing by and see if you were still working at the music store. I’m in need of some private tutoring, if you know what I mean.” He wags his brows at her as a disgusting smile stretches across his face. It kills me that he knows her in ways I don’t . . . yet. But it’s my personal mission to know her in ways no one else does.
“Wesley, this is my boyfriend, Daniel.” She glances over at me. “Daniel, this is Wesley. He’s a member of my management team.”
I offer up a smile—wanting him to know that his presence doesn’t bother me—and I reach across the table to shake his hand. “Nice to meet you, Wesley.”
He shakes my hand but looks at her. “Boyfriend, huh? Wow, that’s a first.”
She frowns at him.
“I just mean, other than me. I’m her boyfriend too. Or rather, I was,” he says, now looking at me, wanting me to know exactly where he’s been.
Rocking His FAKE World: A Fake Boyfriend, Opposites Attract Romance (Love You Forever Book 3) Page 2
