Changing the Key: A Detrimental Rock Star Romance (Book 1)

by April Michelle

  “There he is” I laughed, as men crowed and drank up in celebration.

  Anna

  Climbing the steps to Natalia’s bus, I was caught off-guard to find her wrapped in Shawn’s arms. He was shirtless, as he usually was for a show, and had her pressed up against the closed hallway door. They were going at it hot and heavy, clueless to my arrival. So, I ducked back down the steps to give them some privacy. The update I’d gotten from Indigo about the band’s tell-all article could wait.

  Halfway across the parking lot, Pops came jogging up to meet me.

  “Where were you?” I teased.

  “Walking Molly to her car. Abby convinced her to stay with them for a few days.” He stuffed his hands in his pockets and grinned like a teenager. Love was in the air.

  Or maybe not. We rounded the corner to find Callie outside of Detrimental’s bus, unloading her luggage from the storage compartment.

  Pops stepped in to help. “What’s going on, Cupcake?”

  “Natalia invited me to travel on her bus, and I’m tired of riding with stinky boys. No offense to either of you.”

  “Okay. Let me go grab a cart so we can wheel it all over,” Pops offered before heading off.

  As soon as Pops was out of sight, I pulled her into a hug. “I promise not to fight you on this if you promise to tell me what’s going on.”

  “I will. Right now, I just need to do this. I can’t be here. It’s too hard.” Her voice cracked as her arms tightened around me. She pulled back and turned to gather her belongings, fighting to keep her composure.

  “I’m available whenever you want to talk. I mean that. And maybe I’ll crash Natalia’s bus and we can have a girl’s night.”

  “I’d really like that.”

  “Then let’s do it.”

  Once her belongings were loaded and Pops led her away, I boarded the bus to find Derek on the sofa, his head in his hands. As I stepped towards him, Jaxon came out of the bunk hallway with Lance and Eli.

  “Hey, beautiful,” he said, wrapping his arms around me. “There’s a surprise for you in the back lounge. It’s something Pops and Callie worked on.”

  At the mention of Callie, I turned back to Derek, but he was already bounding down the steps.

  “He’ll be okay,” Lance assured me as he and Eli followed him off the bus.

  Jaxon turned to give me his back. “Hop on.” Feeling silly but willing to play along, I let Jaxon piggyback me down the hall. “It’s too narrow to carry you over the threshold the proper way,” he explained.

  Curiously peeking over his shoulder, my breath caught as he slid the door open to the back lounge. The room had been transformed. Setting me back down to explore, I turned in a slow circle. The queen bed had been made with new sheets, my pink, fuzzy blanket, and Gerry lazing on a pillow beside Marty the Meerkat. All of our belongings were there. My laptop sat on the built-in desk, and my nameplate had been mounted on the wall above it.

  Jaxon hugged me from behind, his cheek resting against mine. “Pops insisted on moving to a bunk to give us the bigger space. He and Callie did this during the show tonight.”

  I shook my head in disbelief. Everything I had ever wanted was summed up in this tiny room. I was touring with my rock star fiancé, had a perfect job that allowed me to balance all of my dreams, and was surrounded by the best friends and family. What more could a girl possibly ask for?

  THE END

  I hope you enjoyed reading my debut novel as much as I enjoyed writing it! Please take a minute to leave a review on Amazon. Reader reviews make a huge difference for authors and are always greatly appreciated.

  NOT THE END…

  Don’t want to leave the Detrimental world? Me neither! While I’m hard at work on the next book, be sure to sign up for my newsletter to receive a bonus epilogue, updates, and more.

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  Acknowledgment

  My heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported, encouraged, or just plain put up with me during this journey. I am forever grateful for my family and friends, who exhibited immeasurable patience and understanding while I was lost in a fictional world.

  Special thanks to my beta readers/cheerleaders, Amanda Demarest and Laura Vega. Your time, feedback, and encouragement were more appreciated than you will ever know.

  Also, thank you to the authors and publishing professionals who willingly and openly share their wisdom to help others navigate the self-publishing process. Any unheeded advice was my personal choice, and any errors are my own. Or we can blame the cat that always insists on walking across my keyboard at the worst possible times.

  Finally, to everyone reading this book, thank you for being here and taking a chance on me. Your support is truly appreciated.

  About The Author

  April Michelle

  April is a contemporary romance author who lives in Florida with her husband and two grown children. They have a dog and several cats that adopted them. She was an elementary teacher before pursuing writing as more than a hobby. Her two addictions are romance and sweet iced tea. She also has a mild obsession with recycling. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, listening to music, gardening, and visiting Walt Disney World.