“No, tell me about you and Daddy.”
“That one again.”
“Yes, it’s my favorite.”
“I know it is.” Mommy smiled.
Helen smiled back just as brightly. “Everyone knows real love stories are the very best.”
If you enjoyed The Right Man, you are in luck. I am writing Camaro’s story next.
Text ROCK BOOK to 345345 for a cover reveal and a release alert.
And if you enjoy rock star romance with fairy tale underpinning, I suggest trying my Tempest Rock Star Series. It is a completed six book series, and it is binge priced in a boxed set.
The Complete Tempest Rock Star Series, books 1-6
OTHER BOOKS BY MICHELLE MANKIN
* * *
Michelle Mankin is the New York Times bestselling author of the Black Cat Records series of novels.
Fall in love with a rock star.
Love Evolution, Love Revolution, and Love Resolution are a BRUTAL STRENGTH centered trilogy, combining the plot underpinnings of Shakespeare with the drama, excitement, and indisputable sexiness of the rock 'n roll industry.
Things take a bit of an edgier, once upon a time turn with the TEMPEST series. These pierced, tatted, and troubled Seattle rockers are young and on the cusp of making it big, but with serious obstacles to overcome that may prevent them from ever getting there.
Rock stars, myths, and legends collide with paranormal romance in a totally mesmerizing way in the MAGIC series.
Get swept away by temptation in the ROCK STARS, SURF AND SECOND CHANCES series.
Romance and self-discovery, the FINDING ME series is a Tempest spin off with a more experienced but familiar cast of characters.
The ROCK F*CK CLUB series is a girl-power fueled reality show with the girls ranking the rock stars.
When Michelle is not prowling the streets of her Texas town listening to her rock or NOLA funk music much too loud, she is putting her daydreams down on paper or traveling the world with her family and friends, sometimes for real, and sometimes just for pretend.
BRUTAL STRENGTH series:
Love Evolution
Love Revolution
Love Resolution
Love Rock’ollection
TEMPEST series (also available in audio):
Irresistible Refrain
Enticing Interlude
Captivating Bridge
Relentless Rhythm
Tempest Raging
Tempting Tempo
Scandalous Beat
The Complete Tempest Rock Star Series, books 1-6
The MAGIC series (also available in audio):
Strange Magic
Dream Magic
Twisted Magic
ROCK STARS, SURF AND SECOND CHANCES series (also available in audio):
Outside
Riptide
Oceanside
High Tide
Island Side
FINDING ME series (also available in audio):
Find Me
Remember Me
Keep Me
ROCK F*CK CLUB Girls Ranking the Rock Stars series (also available in audio):
ROCK F*CK CLUB (Girls Ranking the Rock Stars, Book #1)
ROCK F*CK CLUB (Girls Ranking the Rock Stars, Book #2)
ROCK F*CK CLUB (Girls Ranking the Rock Stars, Book #3)
ROCK F*CK CLUB (Girls Ranking the Rock Stars, Book #4)
ROCK F*CK CLUB (Girls Ranking the Rock Stars, Book #5)
The Right Man A Cinderella retelling with a pretty woman and a rock star
Stay connected. For cover reveal and release alerts: Text ROCK BOOK to 345345 or follow Michelle Mankin on Bookbub
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ROCK THE HEART
MICHELLE A. VALENTINE
To my little rocker.
I’ll always be your number one fan.
Love, Mom
CHAPTER ONE
* * *
I’m in the most uncomfortable seat in the entire world. The stiff, high-backed leather chair nearly swallows me whole, and my legs stick to the seat. If I didn’t know better, I would say someone left on the heat. A bead of sweat trickles down my spine, and I reach across the table to pour a glass of water. I can’t believe I’m this nervous. It’s only a board meeting, for crying out loud. The glass meets my lips, and I gulp down a drink.
My best friend of four years, Aubrey, pats my wrist. “Sweetie, it’s fine. This is no biggie.”
I muster up a smile and nod. Of course it’s no big deal to her. She’s been through countless marketing meetings. This is my first one. Sure, I’m only an intern, but proving myself could earn me a spot at Center Stage Marketing. I’ve wanted that since my freshman year in college.
Aubrey and I earned degrees from the University of Texas, and she somehow landed an assistant position to one of the top executives in the well-known New York company. They actually pay her to be here, while I’m just the annoying tagalong in training.
Diana Swagger, one of the most respected female marketing executives in New York and the president of the firm, strides in and sits at the head of the long table. She’s put together from head to toe—not one red hair out of place on her well-groomed head. Her black suit screams money, and from what I’ve heard about her in the staff lounge, she’s a no nonsense type.
Aubrey clicks her pen, ready to jot notes for her boss. Even though I’m only here to observe, I mimic her actions and do my best to pretend as though I belong.
“Can anyone read the goals we discussed two weeks ago?” Diana asks while she unbuttons her jacket.
A middle-aged man to Diana’s right rattles off a list that might as well have been said in a foreign language. None of Center Stage’s current projects involve products or companies I’m familiar with, but I keep my eyes trained on him as if he’s the most interesting person in the world.
“…And we received the go ahead from Black Falcon’s people to proceed with the children’s campaign,” he says.
That automatically catches my attention. Black Falcon hits a little too close to home for me. Most people know them for their music, but I know their front man, Noel Falcon. The star-studded rocker is a huge part of my past. He’s in every one of childhood memories.
Diana makes a note on her yellow legal paper. “Good. We need a volunteer to wine and dine Noel Falcon for a few days. We need him to know we’re serious about his charity.”
Everyone at the table busies themselves with paperwork. All of them avoiding Diana’s stare.
Diana peers around the table. “No one is interested? Harold?”
The man to Diana’s right looks up and adjusts his glasses. “Sorry, Diana. Rock stars aren’t well known for working well with us boring ad types. Last time I tried working with one, he blew me off then became irate that his marketing wasn’t what he had envisioned. No offense, but this isn’t the type of account I’m willing to take on. It’s a time suck.”
Diana leans back in her chair, steeples her fingers together, and presses them to her lips. “Is no one interested?” Her eyes scan her employees—all of them avoiding her stare—before they land on me. “How about you? You seem to be the only one interested in this account.”
Shit. Eye contact is a pain in the ass. I swallow hard, and my hand clutches my throat. “M—me?”
She leans forward. “Mr. Falcon would surely give a young, pretty thing like you the time of day. All you have to do is get him to spend some time with you and find out exactly what his vision is for the children’s charity Black Falcon is heading up.”
My throat goes dry. How can I face Noel again? I want to scream that I can’t, but if I want a job at Center Stage, I need to be a yes woman until I get my foot planted firmly inside the door. I can do this—talk with an old friend on a professional level. It might be a piece of cake. I take another huge
gulp of water, trying to calm my nerves, while Diana stares expectantly at me. If I let my history with Noel slip, she might yank the opportunity away, and I can’t let that happen. Not when I’m so close to landing my dream job.
Aubrey nudges my leg under the table. She knows why I’m stalling. She’s heard the stories about Noel.
I set down the glass and nod. “I would love to take on this job for you.”
Diana smiles and leans back in her chair. “At least someone is willing to go the distance for this company. What did you say your name was again?”
“Lanie… Lanie Vance.”
Diana makes another note on the paper in front of her. “Does anyone have Black Falcon’s tour schedule? We need to get Ms. Vance to their next show and get things rolling on this.”
Harold types something into his tablet. “Black Falcon’s next show is tomorrow night in Houston, Texas. Then it appears they have a break until Rock on the Range in Columbus, Ohio a few days later.”
Tomorrow? I scrunch my nose. That’s a hell of a lot sooner than I expected. I figured I would at least have a few days to mentally prepare myself. What in the hell will I say to Noel? “Sorry for stomping on your heart four years ago. Oh, and by the way, I’m only here to land my dream job.” I resist the urge to bury my face in my hands. What have I gotten myself into?
No, I have to look on the bright side. Houston is only about thirty minutes from my hometown. It’ll be a free trip home for the weekend. I haven’t seen my mom a couple months, and I miss her like crazy. New York is a hard place to get away from. I can do this, right?
“Someone schedule this girl a flight for tomorrow and give her the run down on this charity so she’ll know what information we need from the band,” Diana says.
When I open my mouth to tell Diana I’ve changed my mind, Aubrey says, “Ms. Swagger, I’d like to volunteer to go with Lanie. She’s only an intern, and I could go along and show her the ropes on navigating clients.”
Ms. Swagger nods. “Okay, I’ll allow that. Go ahead and book a flight for yourself and Ms. Vance. Report back to me on Monday after the initial meeting.”
I slump in the chair. This may be the worst decision of my life.
Aubrey leads me into the hallway after the meeting is over. Every nerve in my body zings with adrenaline. This is my big break to show Ms. Swagger I deserve a job in her company, that I’m a marketing slave. The only problem is facing Noel.
Aubrey grabs my wrist and yanks me into the supply closet. “Oh. My. God.” She shakes her head, and her auburn curls bounce around her shoulders. “I don’t even know what to say. On one hand, I’m thrilled you have the chance to show these stuffy assholes some of those mad marketing skills, but on the other, I’m freaked the fuck out. Noel Falcon, Lanie?”
I sigh. “I know, I know, but what was I supposed to do? Tell Diana no because I have a painful history with the lead singer? I can’t admit that to her. This opportunity just fell into my lap. I’d be crazy not to jump all over it.”
Aubrey grabs my hands and squeezes. “You’re right. You can get through this. It’s only Noel Falcon. We go down there and take him to dinner. You’ll be fine because I’ll be there the entire time for moral support.”
I wrap my arms around her slender frame. “Thank you for doing this with me.”
She pulls away and pushes my dark hair back before resting her hands on my shoulders. Her emerald eyes bore into me. “You’re welcome, sweetie. There’s only one thing left to do…” Her lips twist, and she picks at my shirt.
I raise an eyebrow at her mischievous expression. “Oh no, I know that look.”
Aubrey’s grin broadens. “I can’t wait to see Noel’s jaw hit the floor when he sees you.”
I roll my eyes and do my best to look displeased, but deep down, I can’t wait to see that either.
CHAPTER TWO
* * *
The last chord of the song hums in my ears. I can’t believe I’m out in this blistering heat. The sun beats down on my back, and I just know my fair skin will scream at me later. But I have to be here, even if it is the last place I ever want to be—front row of my high school boyfriend’s concert. God knows where he gets the inspiration for his music.
The lead singer from the opening act, Embrace the Darkness, walks back onstage in his tight, black leather pants and ripped T-shirt. The crowd is predominantly women because my old boyfriend is a rock-sex icon. They scream even louder when the rocker grabs the microphone off the stand. Two fights broke out during the opening band’s set, so I’m a bit nervous to find out what will happen when the main act goes on, but I’m not leaving this spot. I’ve waited out here since the gates opened at noon. I want the best view possible to lay eyes on the first boy I ever really kissed.
“You guys are awesome. Thank you so much.” The singer smiles, and the rampant crowd of horny women shove one another even harder to get closer to the stage. “Are you ladies ready to drop your panties for Black Falcon?”
That gets them pumped up again. I look behind me and watch the waves of people scream. My ears ring, but I don’t want to look like a total wuss by stuffing my fingers in them in the midst of all these hard-core rocker chicks. That might get my ass kicked. The middle-aged woman behind me screams Noel’s name followed by “I love you” at least ten octaves higher than her normal voice. The woman shoves into my back, and I crunch into the iron fence in front of me.
“Give it up for BLACK FALCON!” the rocker screams, and my insides jitter.
I’m not sure why I’m nervous. It’s not like he’ll even remember me. He sees tons of women every night, and after a while, faces probably all start to look the same. My gaze glues to the stage. Noel Falcon enters from the right and looks just like I remember him—tall and lean with shaggy, dark-brown hair. He’s not the goofy boy I knew anymore. The past four years have been good to him. Really good. He wears twenty-two well. The dark, scruffy hair on his jaw brings out the blue in his eyes, and for a second, I kick myself for the night we broke up.
Noel stops center stage, wearing a sexy grin, and takes in the arena packed with his adoring fans. He’s close. I can practically reach out and trace the intricate tattoos on his arm. The spotlight beams down on him, and he points out to the throngs of people in the upper deck. The crowd goes nuts, but I stand there awestruck. Not because Noel Falcon, one of the hottest rockers on the planet, is five feet in front of me. He’s Noel Falcon, the first boy I ever loved. He used to be my best friend. The guy I thought at one time was my forever.
Noel pulls the microphone off the stand. “Wow!” He laughs as he stares around. He looks unbelievably hot in his jeans and tight black T-shirt. “I can’t tell you how great it feels to be back in my old stomping grounds. I grew up not far from here, so tonight—”
“I LOVE YOU, NOEL!” shouts the lady behind me again, practically right in my ear.
Noel flicks his gaze down and makes eye contact with me. Surprise registers on his face, and he pauses for what feels like an eternity to me.
“So tonight,” he says, still staring at me, “is a very special night. It gives me a chance to revisit my past. See people I haven’t seen since high school. The good and the bad.” Noel’s gaze leaves me, and he glances back out at the crowd. “Are you guys ready to rock?”
Noel’s band starts off with a fast song. Every person in the arena thrashes, pumping their fists and jumping like crazy Mexican jumping beans.
“Oh my God, Lanie, he totally recognizes you!” Aubrey squeals while grabbing my arm.
“No, he doesn’t.” I attempt to blow off her words. She has no clue how intense my and Noel’s relationship was. She’s only heard stories.
“Hello? Are you kidding me? He even just said ‘high school’ when he looked at you. We have to put these passes to use and get backstage.” Aubrey bounces in time with the beat.
Tonight for her is all about fun and meeting one of the hottest bands around, but for me…I’m not really sure what I expect. No
el’s always been the “what if” for me. The one who got away. Noel straps his guitar around his neck and haphazardly slings it over his shoulder. He grabs the mic with both hands and brings it to his full lips, reminding me of the way he used to kiss. He’d always put his entire soul into everything he did, including the way he loved me.
“Look at me. I see you now. The way we used to be…” Noel sings in perfect rhythm.
His smooth voice fills my ears, and it takes me back. I close my eyes and listen to his words. I remember all the times we sat on the old boat dock overlooking the lake that separated our childhood homes. That was our spot. The place we met in secret so many nights. The first place he sang to me. The first place we made love. It was also the place our love ended—where I told him to give up on his foolish dreams to become a rock star and do something sensible, like me, and go to college. I broke his heart when I said I could never be with a dreamer because dreams don’t pay the bills.
Look at what I knew.
He’s totally made it, and I’m struggling to land my perfect job in this tough economy with my “sensible” degree. Life without him has been lonely. A tear rolls down my cheek. How silly I was to listen to people who said that Noel was a loser going nowhere just because he loved music. We could’ve been happy. We could’ve beaten the odds. But I guess I’ll never know. Just another chapter in my life I need to walk away from because it’s too late.
I open my eyes to take one last look at Noel. His eyes close as he belts out the chorus. Sweat beads his face under the spot light. He’s truly beautiful. But he’s a stranger now. Someone I used to know. It’s time to quit torturing myself and move on. I’ll just have to kiss the job at Center Stage good-bye. “Aubrey, I need to get out of here. I can’t do this.”
Rock Star Romance Ultimate Volume 2 Page 139