by RH Tucker
“Oh my God,” I spit out. “You seriously think you’re God’s gift to women, don’t you?”
His smile is still in place. Is that thing superglued on his face?
He leans closer, whispering, “I don’t think. I know.”
“Cece!” Sebastian yells and runs over to us, along with an employee for the shop walking over with a mop.
“Hey, Sebs.”
“That was crazy,” he exclaims. “You were all running in, and then boosh! Soda everywhere!”
Maddox chuckles, stepping back into the restaurant. With my little brother next to me, I turn back to Maddox, expecting another line. Or a comment. Something from him that proves he’ll stop at nothing from hitting on me. But surprisingly, he doesn’t. “And who’s this?” he asks.
I don’t want to tell him. Not for any particular reason besides he doesn’t need to know, and I’m still a little annoyed, even though the soda incident was my fault. Before I can tell him he’s no one, Sebastian waves to him.
“I’m Sebastian.” He smiles, then his eyes immediately widen. “Whoa! Are you Maddox Barkley?”
I roll my eyes. This is exactly what I need. Maddox not only still trying to hit on me, but now lording it over me that my little brother knows him.
There’s that stupid, cocky smirk again. Only … this time he doesn’t seem so arrogant. He actually seems subdued. More friendly and less Casanova. Then he does something that truly shocks me. “Aw, man, I wish!” Maddox tells him. “I get that all the time, I guess we look alike.”
My brow scrunches up, confused.
“She’s actually my boss, little man. Got any tips for making her smile? You seem to do the trick.”
“Cece? My sister smiles all the time.”
“Is that right?” He quirks an eyebrow, and the conceited grin returns.
“Wait, boss?” Sebastian stares up at me. “You’re a boss, Cece?” he asks. He knows I work with our father, but that’s about the extent of it. “How much money do you make? Wait!” he shouts, turning back to Maddox. “You work for my sister? How much money do you make?”
Maddox laughs, waving off the question. “She pays me in video games.”
“What’s your favorite? Overwatch? Minecraft? Do you play Fortnite?”
“I rule at Fortnite,” Maddox tells him.
“Awesome!” Sebastian gives a fist pump. “We gotta play. Want to come over and play? I bet I can totally take you.”
Maddox smiles at me, and I honestly can’t believe what I’m seeing or hearing. Maddox Barkley is having a normal conversation with my seven-year-old brother, acting like a regular guy. Not like some douchebag in a nightclub, trying to hook up with the next girl for the night. What is this?
“Maybe next time, little man. I’ve gotta get back to my friends. I was out getting lunch for everyone.”
“Okay,” Sebastian says, paying him no mind and turning to run away. “We’re sitting over here, Cece!”
“All right, Sebs,” I call out to him. Following his direction, I find my mom sitting at the table, and she waves at me. “Thank you,” I whisper to Maddox.
“For what?”
My nerves are finally at ease, and I give him a small smile. I think it’s the first genuine smile I’ve offered him and not a smirk laced with condescension or annoyance. “For not being … Maddox Barkley.”
He frowns, and I almost want to apologize. Almost. “Hey, I know when to lay it on and when to not rock the boat.”
And just like that, the genuine smile I had is gone. “And that’s your problem. You know, if you’d just been …” I shake my head, trying to find the right words, “not Maddox Barkley the first time you came up to me, I might’ve given you a pass for not remembering me. I may have even given you my number.”
“Is that right?”
I shove a finger into his chest. “But that’s not you, is it?” I whisper. “You can’t help being the rock star who wants girls to throw themselves at him. Sorry, DJ. That’s not me.”
Walking away, I grin at my composure and resolve. He stays where he is, and when I look back, his smile is finally gone. He’s staring at me, perplexed.
“Sorry about the drinks,” I call over my shoulder.
11
Maddox
“Five minutes, Maddox,” Frank tells me as I get ready for my first set of the weekend.
“Thanks, Frank,” I call back to him, staring at my phone.
As soon as the door closes, there’s a knock, and I look back up to see EJ opening it. “Yo, Maddox.”
“EJ-BJ!” I happily call out. “What’s up, man?”
“Yeah, still hate that nickname,” he replies. Skye walks in behind him.
Smiling, I wiggle my eyebrows. “Oh, yeah. Bow-chika-bow-wow,” I tease.
“That too.” He laughs. “You know, I thought I was being a good friend showing up unannounced tonight, but maybe I was wrong.”
“Shut up.” I pull him in for a hug. “What are you guys doing?”
“Not much,” Skye answers. “We thought we’d come down and see how you were holding up. Your first month is almost over.”
“Yeah, it’s getting there. And it’s been awesome. Adam has been hanging around, and you guys know how we get sometimes.”
“Yeah, no need to remind me.” EJ grins. “Where is the movie star?”
“He had reshoots to film down in Texas. Supposedly he’ll be gone for a week, but we’ll see. You guys sticking around for a while? Want to party after?”
“Maybe,” Skye says. “The girls are swinging by in a little bit. Roxy is on the hunt for new meat.”
We all start laughing, and my phone chirps. Pulling it out, I discover Jenny’s sent me a text message asking if I want to do something this weekend. I sent her an apology, telling her I was sorry for blowing her off last weekend, but I had reservations doing it. Not that I don’t feel bad about what happened, I do, but I knew apologizing meant she’d probably go back to thinking we might be starting something serious. And here’s the proof.
Me: Sorry. I think I’m catching the flu or something. Probably just gonna finish my sets, go home, and try to get better. I’ll text you when I’m feeling up to it.
I know, I know. It’s a flimsy, not to mention cowardly, way out of seeing her. But she’s a nice girl. I don’t want to be a complete ass, especially after last week. Easing the distance between us should work. After a while, she’ll probably get the hint.
“You guys can hang out back here if you want, or head up to the second floor,” I tell them, sliding my phone away.
“Yeah, we’ll probably wait out there until Leah and Roxy show up,” EJ says.
“Cool.” I give EJ another bro hug, and then head out to the stage.
The crowd cheers when I get up there, and I slip on the headphones over an ear, starting up the music. I’m already glancing up at the reflective glass window that lines Cece’s office. I shake it off and refocus on my control board, playing my music. I have got to get that chick out of my brain. Unfortunately, ever since the soda-spilling incident, that’s become infinitely harder.
The interaction was almost like all of our others, especially with her shooting me down yet again. But there was a moment there that I saw a glimpse of her I hadn’t seen before. Especially when she thanked me for not being … me.
I know I’m forward, and some people call me an asshat for how cocky I can be, but as I told her that day, I do know where to draw the line. Her little brother was funny, especially about the video game stuff. I’ve been telling myself that I played it cool to come off as the cool guy in a band, even though he had no idea who I was. And maybe there was a little bit of that there, but everything about that interaction was real. Messy but real. She wasn’t with her friend or acting like the boss. I was on my way out, getting one of the many lunches I still owe the band for losing the bet. And for a moment, I wasn’t a rock star. I was just Maddox.
Stop it. Don’t be an idiot. You’re Maddox freakin’ B
arkley.
Ugh. “The Voice” has appeared all too often since I had those lyrics in my head.
All guys have “The Voice.” Some of them are louder than others. Mine has usually stayed in the background since the Kings exploded on the scene. I listen to it here and there, but there’s never been any real need for him to get loud and tell me to man up already. Until recently.
You’re going to forget her because not only is she technically your boss, but you don’t need to chase her. Girls chase you, not the other way around.
There he goes again. The thing is, he’s right. I am Maddox freakin’ Barkley. I’m a rock star, and I don’t chase girls. Even as I’m trying to convince myself of that fact, I turn a dial on my table, then glance back up at the mirrored windows.
Stop looking up there! She’s not into you!
But if that’s true, then why did she say she might’ve given me her number that first time I tried talking to her?
You’re walking a dangerous line, buddy. Maddox Barkley doesn’t fall for chicks.
That’s enough to rattle me, and I shake my head, refocusing on the music. No. No way. I’m not falling for her. I haven’t even had a date with her. I’m just … Damn it, I need to get my head back in the game. The rock star game. The party-all-night, drink-my-face-off, and find-some-hot-models-to-have-fun-with game.
That’s what’s up.
Bobbing my head to the rhythm, I keep the music going and redirect all my energy to having a great set. The lights flash, the bass is loud, and everyone dancing in front of me is having an excellent time. I try to focus on the music and only the music. As the time to my first set starts to come to a close, I see Leah and Roxy, Skye’s friends and bandmates, enter the club, and I nod over to them. When my session is finally over, I head backstage and grab a water bottle, downing it quickly, then head up to the second floor to hang out for a bit before my next session. Motioning to the bartender, I ask for a round at the table and plop down next to EJ.
“Sounding good down there, Maddox,” Roxy calls out to me.
Roxy and Leah are both cool girls. Their band, The Electrocutes, played the same music festival we did this past summer. Leah’s their guitarist and lead singer, while Roxy is the drummer. Roxy had a boyfriend a while back, but they fizzled out, and now I feel like I have a kinship with her, since she likes to party herself.
“Thanks. You find yourself any strays yet?” I tease.
“I just got here,” she comes back at me. “Give me a little time.”
A waitress stops by and sets down a tray of Crown Royal shots, my usual liquor of choice. Giving her a thankful smile, I nod, then look back at Roxy. “Girl, we’re drummers. Five minutes and you should have three numbers already.”
“Okay,” Leah scoffs, pushing me as she sits on my other side. “I think that bass you’re playing down there may have damaged your brain.”
“Naw, that’s from all the whisky,” I joke. “You know what, why haven’t we ever hooked up?”
“Maddox!” Skye yells at me, reaching over EJ to slap my chest. “No! You do not hit on my band.”
“I’m not hitting on anyone, it’s an honest question.”
Leah eyes me suspiciously with a small smirk across her lips. They all quiet down, waiting for a response, and I lift my brow, eager to see what she says. “Oh, I don’t know,” she answers. “Probably because I have standards.”
“A-oh!” EJ yells out, pushing me, and eliciting shouts from everyone else.
With the laughter circling around us, I finish another water bottle, and then reach over for a shot of whisky. “Okay, let’s do this, guys.”
EJ groans, but leans over and grabs two shot glasses, giving one to Skye. The girls grab one of their own, and I lift my glass up. “To good friends, family, and living the life of rock stars,” I call out.
Everyone downs their drink, and just before I take my own, I see the guy with glasses that Cece was talking to last week step onto the floor. I might not remember who he is, but I see Cece is walking next to him. Her eyes meet mine, and I nod, motioning the shot glass to her. She smiles.
It’s that damn smile that’s confusing the hell out of me. If she didn’t like me, she would ignore me, right? But she’s not ignoring me. Sure, she’s not talking my ear off, but she’s paying attention. And then she smiles. It’s not a “Hey, how are you?” smile. It can’t be. It’s something else.
Taking the shot, EJ leans over to me. “Baby Mavin,” he whispers with a snicker.
“Shut up.” Derrik must’ve told him about my screwup.
Cece points to a table, and the guy walks back to it, with a few other people, but she stays by the bar. I shouldn’t be paying this much attention to her. I damn sure shouldn’t be flat-out staring at her and those curves that are unavoidable in the black dress she’s wearing. But I am.
“Is that a new target, Maddox?” Skye jokes.
“Oh, no,” EJ tells her. “That’s his boss. And believe it or not, she seems to be the first girl I’ve ever heard of who’s resistant to his charm.”
“Charm?” Leah starts laughing. “Oh, is that what you call it, Maddox?”
I hear them all, along with the accompanying laughs, but my eyes are still locked on Cece. My brain is in overdrive, trying to think of something—anything—I can say or do to break through to her. To find that tiny piece of a real conversation we had that last time we were face-to-face. But I’ve got nothing. I can’t believe it. I’ve hit on girls using every lame pickup, cocky look, and stupid joke there’s ever been for a guy to use on a girl, and I’ve got zilch.
She turns back around, and I tense up. Damn it, I actually tense up as her eyes meet mine, and she walks over to us. I glance over at EJ, and he stares back at me, confused.
You’re done. I can’t help you anymore. Rest in peace, Maddox freakin’ Barkley.
“Hey, guys,” Cece calls out to us. She offers me the faintest of smiles, but then looks at EJ with an honest one. I’m jealous. Son of a motherless goat, I’m actually jealous of the real smile she gives him. “I’ve seen Derrick Tyler hanging out a few times, but it seems we’ve become the unofficial hangout for the Kings of Karmichael.”
“Yeah, well, someone needs to keep him out of trouble,” EJ jokes.
I scowl at him, not only because of the joke but because he gets a giggle out of her. “And my best friend loves The Electrocutes.” She offers a small wave to Leah.
“Oh, thank you!” Leah says.
“So, please, bottle service is on the house tonight. Just let the bartender know.”
“You’re the best!” Roxy tells her.
No. No, it is not going down like this. She is not befriending my friends and band, then ignoring me while I’m sitting right in front of her.
“That’s awfully kind of you, boss,” I tell her. She finally locks eyes on me. “Just, please, don’t spill any soda. I’d hate to have another mess on our hands. Especially in that dress you’re wearing.”
Biting her lips, she smirks, but a line crosses her brow. “Well, sometimes people need to be cooled off. The universe provides even if you’re not ready for it.”
“Really? I guess it does. It brought me to you right when you needed me.”
She lets out a scoff, her smile growing wider. “Believe me, there’s nothing I need from you, Maddox.”
“You sure about that?”
Her eyes narrow, and a confident grin crosses her lips. She’s not wearing a bright lipstick tonight. It’s more of a subdued pinkish. Her dress comes down below her knees, but I’m literally fighting with my eyes to stay above her shoulders and not roam her entire body.
Yep. You’re a goner.
“Actually, there is something I need from you.”
“I’ll bet there is.”
I hear the snickering around, but neither of us are paying attention. She leans an inch closer, keeping her brown eyes on mine. “I need you to get on that stage for your next set, DJ.” Straightening out, she flas
hes a bright smile to everyone else. “Thank you, guys. Have a great night.”
I take a deep breath, watching her turn around and strut away, knowing I’ve been bested yet again.
“What the hell was that?” Leah calls over to me.
I’m annoyed and shake my head. “Nothing.”
“Like hell it’s nothing.”
“She’s just power hungry.”
My words force everyone to start laughing. EJ’s busting up so hard he leans into me, shaking my arm. “Oh, man. Derrik was right. That was awesome.”
“Whatever,” I spit out.
Before I get up to leave, Leah grabs my arm. “You like her?” she whispers while everyone else continues to laugh.
I shake my head, but can’t bring myself to voice the rebuttal.
“Maddox, that was classic third-grader teasing. You like her,” she repeats, and I know she’s looking for a confirmation or at least a response.
But I get up, trying to ignore the words, and make my way back down to the stage. I can’t answer her, and now I know it’s all because of The Voice. Even if I didn’t want to believe it, I have no choice now. I am a goner. And I have no idea what that means or what to do.
12
Cece
“Do you think he’ll show up?” Leslie whispers to me.
I lift my shoulders because I honestly don’t know. “Who knows what Maddox Barkley is thinking? I know people say there’s such a thing as rock star time, but I always thought that was just a silly expression. I didn’t think rock stars really showed up whenever they want.”
She giggles, and my father walks into the conference room we’re meeting in. This weekend will be the end of the first month of business for Luxe. He wanted to go over the figures to make sure we’re in the black and not leaking money anywhere.
I’m a little disappointed that he still hasn’t come to see the club, but then again, Chester Mavin isn’t known for frequenting clubs and social parties. Sure, he’ll keep things in his portfolio as long as it’s making money, but he’s got much bigger fish to fry than visiting every venture he backs. Even if his daughter is the one running it.
