Rocking His FAKE World: A Fake Boyfriend, Opposites Attract Romance (Love You Forever Book 3)

by Alexis Winter

  We spend Sunday apart. I meet up with Calvin and Preston at the new office to help them with repairs. Luna stays with the girls at the house, helping with the baby and hanging out.

  Then we all meet back up for another home-cooked meal, I stuff my face until I can’t handle any more. After dinner, we sit around and shoot the shit, enjoying each other’s company. Luna and I are set to leave first thing in the morning since we’ve taken Monday off, then it’s back to our real lives where we never know what’s going to happen.

  Before we know it, we’re saying our goodbyes before we head out to the car. Riley, Piper, and Luna all exchange numbers. It seems they’ve really bonded over their time together. It makes me happy that we’re fitting into a nice friend group I hope will last a lifetime, but on the inside, I’m a little jealous that we’ll never get what they already have. I push those thoughts away as I climb behind the wheel.

  “Ready for a good night’s sleep before your crazy week starts?” I ask as I steer through the darkness.

  She shrugs. “I guess. I’m a little nervous about the song release. What if people don’t like it and everything gets canceled?”

  I pick up her hand and hold it in mine. “People are going to love the song. And you. There’s no doubt about that.”

  She offers up a smile. “I am excited about it though. I can’t wait to be on that platform with millions of people in front of me—watching me and being there for me and my music. Going to different countries and places I’ve never seen before. It all seems so big—a lot bigger than I am.”

  I pull into the hotel parking lot and shift into park. “This is big. It’s crazy to think that the little girl who was working in a music shop in order to buy her first guitar is about to go on tour, and that millions of people will be listening to a song you wrote! They’ll be singing along with it all because of you.”

  The rest of the night is spent making love, talking, giggling, kissing, touching, and repeating the sequence all over again. I know when she leaves in a few short weeks that this is going to be the time I look back on. This is going to be the time when I’ll wish I could’ve stopped the clock and stayed locked inside forever.

  It’s hard being in love with a person who’s meant for bigger things than you. If that’s even what I am. Am I in love with Luna? I’ve never been in love before, but if I had to guess, I’d say that that’s exactly what I’m feeling. This doesn’t feel like the other relationships I’ve been in. This feel different, bigger, better. Everything feels fresh and new and out of control. I’d say that’s exactly what love must be. It’s just a shame she’s already slipping out of my grasp.

  We make it back to the city and go our separate ways. She has some catching up to do with the band and I need to swing by the office to check my messages. As I’m driving to the gym, I turn on the radio. I have a feeling I’ll be doing this a lot in the weeks to come—listening for any sign of her. Instead of playing music on my phone while I work out, I listen to the rock station the gym plays. I listen for any sign of her song, but I’m left feeling let down. I drive back home, shower, then make something for dinner with the radio on. Still nothing. Then finally, as I’m drifting in and out of sleep on the couch, I hear the DJ say, “Guys, this one is brand-new from a band right here in Chicago called The Wonder Kings. Take a listen.” The song starts up. Excitement fills my body like this is my song—like I’m the one who’s about to get famous. I grab my phone and call her immediately.

  “Are you listening to it?” she asks the moment she answers the phone.

  “I am. It sounds amazing,” I say, feeling sadness taking over me. This is the moment I’ve been dreading all these weeks.

  She squeals. “It sounds so good. Better than it did in the studio!”

  “I knew it would. I just wanted to let you know I heard it and that I’m so proud of you. Congratulations! Now you can get back to celebrating with the band.”

  “Okay, thanks again. Bye!”

  The phone disconnects and suddenly, the loneliness I’ve been putting off for weeks hits me like a freight train. This is finally the start of it all. The start to her fame. The start of us falling apart. The start of my loneliness.

  The next few days for her are jam-packed with radio meet-and-greets, shows, and filming their first music video. We meet up when we can, but it’s getting harder and harder with everyone demanding her time. I hang around in the back at her shows, but usually end up having to leave without her because her manager or label is always wanting them for something. A few nights, she surprises me by showing up out of the blue, and when that happens, it’s like nothing has changed.

  The music video drops a week after the single, and I pull up YouTube to watch it as I eat my pizza for dinner. The video is cool—switching back and forth from color to black and white. It’s loud and fast-paced and I’ve never seen Luna look more beautiful. Her hair is wild and her eyes are dark against her olive skin. She’s wearing a ripped-up shirt that shows her hard stomach, and it makes my body tighten as I watch her dance and move around on the screen.

  I make sure I like the video and subscribe to the band’s page before closing my laptop and grabbing my phone. I send her a text.

  Saw the video. You looked sexy as fuck. Coming by tonight?

  Just got to my place. Going to take a shower. Come here?

  I finish up my pizza and push myself off the couch to get dressed. Thirty minutes later, I’m knocking on her door. She pulls it open wearing nothing but a pair of black panties and a cropped white T-shirt. Her hair is wet and hanging around her, the ends starting to soak her shirt. She offers up a smirk and I step inside.

  “What’d you think of the video?”

  I slip out of my jacket and toss it down on the table. “I thought you were beautiful,” I say, walking closer. She knows what’s coming and she looks up at me with a smile.

  “You didn’t get bored watching it?”

  I shake my head once. “I could never get bored watching you.” I take another step and my hands finally find her body, pulling her against my chest where our lips meet.

  She’s completely naked and lying in my arms in her dark bedroom when she says, “Hypothetical question: Would you ever consider giving up your life here to come on tour with me . . . like if we decided to stay together?”

  I’m not sure how to answer. It’s not something I’ve seriously considered. “I know that I would never let you give up your hopes and dreams to stay here with me, but as far as coming on tour with you . . . I don’t know. I don’t know if I have it in me to just travel constantly with no real destination in mind. Why do you ask?”

  I feel her shoulder shrug against me. “I was just thinking . . . well, trying to think of any way this could work between us. I can’t stay. We know that for sure. But I didn’t know if you’d want to go or if you’d want to stay here. But another part of me doesn’t want you living that way—always waiting for me. I want you to be able to live your life to the fullest. If you’re here waiting for me, then that’s all your romantic life would be—waiting—and you deserve more than that.”

  I take a deep breath and squeeze her a little tighter. “I think our first choice is the one we should stick with for now. You need to experience what this new life is like before deciding to lug me around with you. I want you to get on that bus happy about not knowing where life will take us. I want you to embrace it—every part of it. I want you living the rock-star lifestyle and seeing what it has to offer. Then, when we end up together in the end, you won’t have any regrets about not doing everything you could have.”

  She twists in my arms to look up at me. “You think we’ll end up together?”

  I scoff. “Don’t you?” I ask, rolling until I’m on top of her, my hands cupping her cheeks. “This doesn’t feel like some fleeting romance that’s going to be over in a week. This, to me, feels like the real deal.” I lean forward and press my lips to hers. She kisses me softly and slowly—a kiss that awakens every nerve
ending from the top of my head down to the tips of my toes. It’s easy to see that my blood pumps for her. In fact, I’m pretty sure I was made with her in mind. The way our hearts, bodies, and souls connect perfectly like lost puzzle pieces tells me we were created to be a pair.

  I pull back and watch the emotions on her face change. “What are you doing tomorrow?” I ask her.

  She smiles and shrugs. “Nothing most of the day, though I have a show at 9 p.m.”

  “Then we’re spending the whole day together.” I press my mouth against hers, hoping and praying that I’m right and we’ll be together in the end.

  In the morning, we wake up and get dressed to head out and enjoy our day together. First stop: a local diner for breakfast. We take a seat in the corner booth and the waitress brings over two cups of coffee. I order eggs, bacon, pancakes, and biscuits and gravy. Luna chooses to have something a little lighter and goes with fruit, yogurt, and whole wheat toast. We hand off our menus and I look at her, confused.

  “On a diet?”

  She smirks. “No, just trying to stay in shape for the tour. I’ll probably be eating so much crap on that bus, and I don’t want to gain any more weight than I have to.”

  Our attention is stolen away when a couple of teenage kids sitting across from us begin whispering very loudly and fighting over something.

  “You go ask,” one of them whisper-yells.

  The other one rolls his eyes. “Fine.” He makes eye contact with Luna. “You’re Luna from The Wonder Kings, right?”

  She smiles and nods, looking a little surprised and nervous.

  They both lose their shit now. One of them is saying, “I told you so!” and the other is saying, “Shut up, I knew it too.” They both get out of their seats and move over to my table, crowding around Luna, both of them talking faster than I can even process.

  “Your new video was so awesome! When’s your next show?”

  “Can I have your autograph?” One kid shoves a napkin her way.

  She smiles and nods and signs anything they put in front of her while answering as many questions as she can. Lastly, they ask to take a photo with her, and of course, I’m handed their phone. I snap the picture and they both stand back, looking at it as our waitress is making her way over with our food.

  She stops and looks at the boys. “Are you bothering these kind people?”

  “No, ma’am,” one says, making me wonder if he’s somehow related to this woman.

  “Go sit back down at your table and leave them alone. They came here to eat, not to be bothered.” She shoos them away then starts unloading the tray of food before us. “I’m sorry about that, folks. That’s my son and his best friend. Just let me know if they bother you again.”

  “It’s fine,” I reply, wanting to ease her mind. I probably would’ve done the same thing if I were in their shoes.

  “You two need anything else?” the waitress asks, stepping back.

  When we tell her no, she walks away, leaving the boys staring at us while we eat. Suddenly, I feel like a monkey in the zoo.

  I lean toward Luna. “I don’t know how you deal with constantly getting stared at.”

  She laughs and rolls her eyes. “You’ve just gotta be a little self-absorbed so you don’t notice. Who’s staring?” She looks around, noticing the boys right away. She smiles and waves. “They’re harmless. Eat up so we can go on our next adventure.”

  We eat while being watched and Luna talks about the gig tonight. It’s at a local festival in the center of town. They’re playing on the main stage, opening for a band called The Shallow Waters—some country rock band from Georgia that’s rising in popularity. She talks about the tour she’s about to start and how this one will be short in comparison to the major headlining tour they’ll embark upon after that.

  I listen while she talks, but I also think about the question she asked me last night. Could I give up my life as I know it to be a groupie? Could I live on the bus with the guys? Could I travel day in and day out? I don’t think it’s something I could do constantly. But if we do work out, I could see myself joining her on the road for short periods of time. Maybe take a week off and tour with her, then fly back home from wherever I am. I don’t say anything about it yet, because it’s something I need to give more thought.

  “Ready to get out of here?” I toss some money down on the table to cover the check, then stand, holding my hand out for her.

  Eleven

  Luna

  Breakfast was good, but I could see how uneasy Daniel was when those boys stared at us. He didn’t eat much of his food—pushing most of it around on his plate. His side of the conversation seemed to drop off more than usual too, with only mmm and hmm as responses to what I had to say. He kept looking at the teenagers, and I could tell by the way he was flexing his jaw that he wasn’t happy with the unwanted attention. But that’s always been a part of my life. When I was younger, I wanted all attention on me, and even though I’ve outgrown that now, it’s not something I can change. They’re either staring because I’m on stage and entertaining them, or they’re staring at my purple highlights, tattoos, and heavy makeup. I’m used to it, but it’s something that Daniel will have to adapt to if he wants this to work out.

  When we leave the restaurant, he seems to relax. His shoulders fall back into place and his muscles seem to loosen. As we walk down the street hand in hand, I bump my shoulder against his. “What do you want to do now?”

  He shrugs. “Whatever you want to do. We have all day.” He stops and spins me into his arms, my chest bumping off of his. We’re eye-to-eye now, lips only an inch apart. “We could walk through hell and I’d be fine as long as I had you there with me.” He closes the distance between our lips and gives me the sweetest, softest kiss.

  When he pulls away, I’m breathless and I’m sure my face is pink from the intimate moment between us. Suddenly, a phone camera flash goes off out of the corner of my eye and we both turn to look.

  “You’re Luna, right? You’re in that band that’s about to go on tour! You’re going to be famous,” the girl says as she walks up to us. Daniel sets me on my feet and pulls me away from her.

  “Sorry about that,” I say as we walk away.

  “I guess this is just how things are going to be from now on. I’ll adjust,” he says, but keeps us walking in the opposite direction. The girl who took our picture seems to have drawn the attention of others, and before I know it, everyone’s staring at us. They all have their phones out, snapping pictures as we pass by them. At the last second, Daniel pulls me to the side and we duck into a bar. No one follows us in, and thankfully, most of them lose interest and walk off. A few gather by the doors and windows, talking to each other. We grab a seat at a booth and the bartender comes over to take our orders.

  “I’ll have a beer,” Daniel tells her.

  She looks down at me. “Screwdriver,” I say, unsure of why we’re drinking so soon after breakfast.

  When she walks away, Daniel places his head in his hands, his elbows resting on the table. He rubs them over his head, looking stressed.

  “What’s going on, Daniel? I mean, I know we’ve had a few people come up to us, but that’s nothing compared to how things are going to be.”

  He looks at me and his eyes are bloodshot from rubbing them. “We’re supposed to be staying quiet about our relationship. Now those photos will probably be splashed all over social media,” he points out.

  Oh. I didn’t think of that. Almost on cue, my phone rings and I pull it out of my back pocket to see Van’s name flashing on the screen. I show Daniel the screen so he’ll know to keep quiet.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, what’s going on?”

  “What do you mean?” I ask, mouthing the words thank you as the bartender puts my drink in front of me.

  “Lane was just sitting here fucking with his phone and he found a picture of you and Daniel together. Someone tagged it with the band’s name. Are you guys messing around again?�
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  I roll my eyes. “No, we’re friends, Van. We’re having a meeting. That’s it.”

  “A meeting? Does the rest of the band need to attend this meeting?” The way he says it annoys me. He obviously doesn’t trust me.

  “No, Van, it’s nothing like that. We’re just talking about the tour and what he’ll be doing for the band while we’re gone. It’s cool.”

  “All right, I just wanted to make sure that everything was okay. I know I probably sound like a jealous ex-boyfriend or something, but that’s not it at all, okay?”

  “Sure, Van. I’ll see you at the show tonight.” I hang up the phone and slip it back into my pocket.

  “So am I allowed to go to the show?”

  “Of course. Please come. And now that the band knows we’re cool, we can be seen together without raising suspicion.”

  We have our drinks and only stay long enough for the small crowd to disperse. We leave the bar and walk through town and go in and out of stores. We browse books, antiques, and random stores that sell body jewelry, records, and music merch. I find a cute silver bracelet with sparkly black beads but put it back down, not wanting to spend more until I’m actually making money. We leave the store ready to end our day. It’s going on 5 p.m. and I need to get ready for the show.

  When we walk out, Daniel pulls me back by my hand. “I saw you looking at this and thought you’d like it,” he says, pulling the bracelet out of his pocket.

  I gasp. “Did you steal this?” I ask, taking it from him. It’s not in a bag or anything, so what else am I supposed to think?

  He laughs and takes it back. “No, I paid when you weren’t looking.” He places it on my wrist and clasps it.