Rocker Boy

by Wendy Knight

  No. She didn't care.

  She had Levi all to herself for four hours. They went all over Atlanta and into the outskirts, pretending to be nothing but tourists all day long. They ate hot dogs. They bought lunch for homeless people. They got lost.

  They talked.

  About nothing.

  About everything.

  And she remembered how much she missed him.

  Meanwhile, every cell in her body was screaming to touch him, threatening mutiny if she didn't bend to desire soon. But she couldn't. She wanted to, oh heaven, how she wanted to. Even just to hold his hand, or brush an eyelash from his cheek, or ask him if she could see his newest tattoo. But this — whatever this was they were doing — it was precious. And precarious. And she didn't want to mess it up with their past and their present and their future all clamoring for attention. For right now, she just wanted to be with this guy she couldn't get enough of.

  "How are things with the boys? Are they loving the rock star life?" she asked, nibbling on a cookie as big as her face.

  He sighed, running his hand through his hair. "Yeah. Dorian and Colin are great. They're loving this life. But Graham…"

  She peered up at him, bumping him with her shoulder when he didn't continue. "What's up with Graham?"

  "I think he's on something. He looks bad, Sunshine. Really bad. Like my mom did the last time…"

  "Oh no," she moaned, so eloquently. "I thought you guys had that contract?"

  "We do. I don't know." He kicked at a rock with his expensive, professionally scuffed shoes. "I don't know if we're just sticking our heads in the sand because we don't want to deal with it, or if we're overreacting…"

  "Levi—" She put a hand on his arm, and he turned to look at her, dark eyes tortured, while electricity seemed to shoot from his skin and race right into her heart. "It's a hard thing to deal with. You've dealt with it enough. Let him be someone else's problem. Like your manager's." Slowly, she peeled her fingers away from him, envisioning screaming nerve-endings furious at being torn away from him.

  He was like a drug. She'd spent her whole life trying to stay clean, only to find out she was addicted to this rocker boy who kept breaking her heart.

  But today, that wasn't a factor. She would go home tomorrow and start over on letting him go.

  But not today. Today was her guilty pleasure.

  And he was still talking. "I just don't know what to do. We can't lose a drummer. Do you know what kind of publicity that'll bring us? The drama?" He ran his hand through his messy black hair and looked down at her, a slow smile lighting his eyes. "You don't wanna hear about my music problems."

  I want to hear everything. And she was caught in his eyes, in the sexy little grin. Her heart hammered in her ears.

  Kiss me. Kiss me, kiss me, kiss me.

  "Are you Levi Vasi?"

  Harli's heart slowed to a stop as Levi's dark eyes left her face to land on another girl. "No. Sorry." He shrugged. "I get that a lot."

  The girl squinted, like that would make it all clearer. "Are you sure? You look an awful lot like—"

  Levi pulled his sleeve up. "Levi Vasi has tattoos, right? Lots of them. See me? No tattoos."

  Harli had to blink several times before she saw the skin colored sleeve hiding the tattoos she loved so much. But Levi didn't give the girl enough time to study his arm and look for sleeves. "It's okay. It happens all the time."

  "Sorry," the girl mumbled, turning away.

  "Time to go," Levi whispered in her ear, grabbing her hand and pulling her to her feet. They fought their way to the front of the bus and down the stairs.

  "That was brilliant." She grinned up at him.

  He's still holding my hand. What do I do? What do I do?

  "You walk down the street and look at the pretty old houses."

  "Okay. That I can do."

  "What?" Levi asked, raising an eyebrow.

  She reached up and smoothed his eyebrow back into place. "Nothing. And back to your problem, don't they say any publicity is good publicity?"

  He groaned, tipping his head back to stare up at the trees with their overhanging branches swaying in the breeze. "I don't want to be like that. I want to be one of the good ones."

  She laughed. "Levi, kicking your drummer out for getting hooked on whatever he's doing isn't going to make you a bad band."

  "I've missed that laugh," he said softly, bringing her knuckles to his lips.

  She sucked in a breath and held it, everything spinning but Levi. Levi was there. Steady. Keeping her grounded.

  He cleared his throat, and lowered her hand, but didn't let it go. "Anyway, I think we're lost. You have the map?"

  "I have a GPS app on my phone." She dug it out of her pocket, peeking up at him. "Who carries a map, Levi?"

  "I thought you did. So… the bus seat back there is probably carrying my map right now." He turned to a random stranger wandering down the sidewalk. "Excuse me, do you know which direction to the Margaret Mitchell House and Museum?"

  The guy looked at Levi like he was insane.

  "Please? We only have a few more minutes and then we have to go to a concert rehearsal." Harli leaned closer, whispering, "This is Levi Vasi."

  "Who?" The man looked far less than impressed.

  "Maybe you've heard of her, then. Internet sensation known as Rocker Girl. The musical prodigy that can play any instrument and memorizes music?"

  "That is you!" The guy pointed.

  Harli just blinked stupidly.

  Levi grinned.

  "I didn't recognize you with the hat. I've watched your video a thousand times."

  "My—my video?"

  "Yeah. Yeah, I'll show you the way." He motioned excitedly.

  "My—video?"

  "Oh yeah. All three of them, actually. You know, the one of you as a kid playing Metallica covers with all the different instruments?"

  "You saw that?" Harli's voice hurt her own ears. "Where on earth—?"

  "Yeah. They're all over the Forums. You're famous, lady!"

  Again with the blinking stupidly. Levi draped his arm over her shoulder, leading her after the man who was hurrying down the street, talking excitedly and texting on his phone.

  "You're famous, lady," Levi said, close to her ear, his breath against her skin sending shivers down her spine.

  Delicious, delicious shivers.

  "Selicia is going to kill me."

  He paused, pulling her to a stop with him. "You don't even see her anymore, do you?"

  "I—yeah. No. I mean no, I don't see her."

  "Are you back at her house?"

  She kicked at a stone and watched it clatter down the sidewalk. "Sometimes."

  "What's wrong with the apartment? Too small? Haunted?"

  She fought to hide a smile, because clearly he didn't find that as amusing as she did. "Everything is haunted, Levi. That doesn't make it scary."

  "Aren't you a clever one."

  "Honey, that didn't even make sense. What's wrong with the apartment?"

  She pulled him along after their impromptu guide. "Nothing's wrong with it."

  "Then why are you still where that devil woman can find you?"

  She'd forgotten the relief it was to talk to someone who actually knew her secret. Knew what an awful influence Harli was and still accepted her. Loved her, even.

  Once.

  "Harli."

  "I just—It reminded me of you. And it hurt too much."

  Both eyebrows shot up this time. "Why did it hurt, Harli?" His voice was low, intimate. "I got that damn apartment so you would be safe. And not sleeping in the janitor's closet."

  She was saved having to answer by the guide, who was pointing and grinning. "There it is. Right there. Margaret Mitchell's house. Where she wrote Gone with the Wind."

  "Thank you," Harli said. For the interruption and for the directions.

  "Are you playing here tonight then?" he asked as they passed him.

  "Yeah. With JoAnn Lee tonight. I
t's a charity event. You should come!" Harli said, glancing at Levi. This was new territory.

  "Do you have free tickets?" the man asked.

  "We'll leave a ticket for you at Will Call. What's your name?" Levi asked, trying his best to hide a smile.

  "Ross White."

  "Got it. See you tonight then." Levi nodded and steered Harli away from him, pulling out his phone with his free hand. "Michael, I need a ticket reserved for a Ross White tonight. Yeah. Thanks." He hung up.

  Harli attempted to raise just the one eyebrow, but it didn't happen. "Very well handled, Rocker Boy."

  He grinned. "I get around. And don't think you're off the hook about the apartment discussion, Sunshine." He raised his chin, sniffing. "But there are a lot of things to see here, so it will have to wait."

  Harli giggled, clapping a hand over her mouth when he scowled at her.

  Holy heavens, she loved that boy.

  "YOU TWO ARE AMAZINGLY late." JoAnn's assistant met them as they came racing through the stadium.

  "I'm so sorry. We were touring Margaret Mitchell's home, and then we got lost—" Harli was talking too fast, her cheeks pink, her hair chaos down her back.

  Levi couldn't look away.

  He'd forgotten how amazing she was. How beautiful. How hilarious. He'd forgotten her.

  It wouldn't happen again.

  "It was my fault," he said when it looked like the woman was going to reprimand them. "I dropped our map."

  Harli smothered a grin.

  "Well, come on then. We'll have a few minutes to rehearse before we have to start getting ready." She turned and stomped away, and Harli's smile died.

  "She's going to be so mad."

  "I thinks she's already mad, sweetheart," Levi drawled.

  Harli shook her head, shoving her hair out of her face, and he noticed her hands were shaking. "JoAnn. Not that woman. Why don't we know her name?"

  "She never told us her name. Assistants are supposed to blend. You're not supposed to notice them. Also, JoAnn will be mad at me. Not you."

  "This is all Kim's fault. We've been late to class all year."

  Levi snorted and she sent him an impish smile.

  He could have drowned happily in that smile.

  "I was wondering if you were coming." JoAnn was in the middle of the stage, looking more at home than any place Levi had ever seen her. And, thankfully, she didn't look mad.

  But Harli had said Selicia never looked mad, either. So he still held his breath.

  "I'm sorry. We were touring Atlanta and lost track of time."

  "Well, Levi knows his way around the stage. I think we'll be fine there. And Harli, all you have to do is play. Just like on The Last Chord. Think you can do that?"

  Harli nodded. "Drums are my favorite."

  "Good. Let's run through a couple songs, and then we'll go get ready." JoAnn signaled to the rest of the band, who all picked up their instruments.

  "You're—you're not mad?" Harli asked, timid and hopeful all at once.

  It broke Levi's heart.

  "No. I was young once." JoAnn smiled, and he could see the relief wash over Harli like a wave of warmth.

  "I haven't seen you play in real life, Harli. My band thinks your videos are all edited. Why don't you prove them wrong?"

  Harli grinned, pulling her sticks out of her pocket and twirling them easily across her fingers. "That, I can do."

  "ARE YOU NERVOUS?" LEVI asked as Harli bounced on her toes, drum sticks securely in her white-knuckled grip like a lifeline. She looked up at him, wide-eyed, and he had his answer.

  "It's just like The Last Chord, Sunshine. Go out there and blow them away."

  She sucked in a breath. "On The Last Chord, if I messed up, we lost points. It sucked, but we weren't doomed, you know? This, if I mess up… there's no backup, Levi. These people paid money to be here. I don't want them to leave angry!"

  "Hey." He took her chin and gently turned her face until she was staring at him instead of the stage in front of them and the many, many people. Her lip quivered. "When I get nervous, which is — well, always — I think of you."

  Her mouth opened in a silent 'O'.

  "I pretend we're back in Colin's garage or the Muse-ik store, and it's just me and you. I can sing to you. Doing that not only calms me, but it makes my songs more real. Because they're all about you, Sunshine."

  "You—you sing to me? Always?"

  "Every. Time."

  "Even—even the song on the Forums."

  "That was only for you, Harli. I'm not going to record it." He shook his head. "If I could have gotten it to you without the rest of the world seeing it, I would have been happier."

  "But it's amazing. People need that song, Levi. I need that song." Her shaking slowly subsided. He wondered if she noticed.

  He shrugged. "We'll talk logistics later. Ready?"

  Her face paled and her eyes flew wide open again. "No."

  "This is where you say, 'I was born ready.' If anyone was made to be a rock star, it's you, Harli."

  He took her hand and led her onstage, in front of thousands and thousands of screaming people. JoAnn was out there, talking to the crowd, warming them up. She belonged there, was in her element there. She glanced behind her and smiled when she saw them appear through the smoke. "Maybe you know these two. One, a Forums sensation with videos gone viral throughout the world, each one with millions of hits. Oh, and she's also my granddaughter." She held an arm out and Harli lifted her chin, squared her shoulders, and went to her, waving at the crowd.

  Holy hell, he loved that girl.

  "This is Harli's first concert, so let's be kind to her. She's doing this as an urgent favor to me."

  Harli grinned and jogged away, back to the drums. She settled on her stool and twirled her sticks.

  The crowd screamed its appreciation.

  Levi grinned.

  "And this guy, well…"

  The roar got louder as Levi went to the front of the stage and picked up his guitar.

  "You might have heard of him, too. Lead singer of one of the fastest rising bands in the world. Made it to the Forum's top 50 hottest guys this year. Levi Vasi, say hi to the people."

  Levi turned on the mic, pulling his rocker self on like a stiff shirt. "Hey."

  The crowd exploded.

  "Levi's here as a favor, too. For charity, and for a one night event. Televised live all over the world." JoAnn grinned at him, patting him on the shoulder. "No pressure."

  Levi glanced behind him at Harli, who seemed to have forgotten how terrified she was and winked back at him.

  No pressure.

  He swallowed hard and closed his eyes, picturing Harli, asleep in his arms while he sang her lullabies. Harli, slowly and patiently showing him where his hands went on the guitar. Harli, laughing in delight when he got it right and helping him figure out what had gone wrong.

  How had he ever thought he could make it without her?

  JoAnn had introduced the song, and he had completely missed it. And they'd been late to rehearsal, so he had no idea which song they were in.

  And he was supposed to lead it.

  But Harli seemed to read his mind, and her drum started low and sultry, lightly bringing in the song. The bass started in, and finally, finally, Levi figured out what he was supposed to do and started playing.

  JoAnn sent him a relieved smile and started singing.

  For the first several songs, Harli was content to play the music given. But halfway through, Levi could feel her getting antsy, and with three songs to go, she let it go and started really playing. The smoke whirled around her like she was her own force of nature. Her sticks moved so fast he was surprised they didn't spontaneously combust. She could play one-handed, she could flip her sticks and hit the drums with her hands, and all of it was effortless and beautiful. Like watching art.

  The crowd was stunned, momentarily, into silence, and then it erupted, cheering her on. He caught proud tears rolling down JoAnn's cheeks as
she raised her hands, asking for more noise, more approval. The audience wanted more, and Harli gave it to them.

  It was the performance of her life, and Levi had been with her for it.

  She caught his eye and winked again. Taking a cue from her impromptu additions, he grabbed his guitar and jogged back to her. JoAnn ended the song, but the band kept playing, Levi feeding off Harli's rhythm, their instruments weaving together, creating something Levi could only call magical. Even that word didn't do it justice.

  The crowd was on its feet, screaming so loud the rafters shook and Levi was afraid the roof was coming down on all of them. Harli stood up and waved, bouncing like a little girl. Then she ran to the front of the stage and threw her arms around her grandmother.

  Levi couldn't remember ever feeling so alive.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  "I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU EVER sleep! I feel like — I don't know what I feel like. I feel like I have wings!" Harli squealed and spun in a circle, hands out and head tipped back, dark hair tumbling down her back. "I feel like I'm never going to sleep again."

  Levi chuckled. "Yeah. It'll last a while. Then you'll crash."

  "That was amazing. I can't—I don't even—that was amazing!" And she squealed again.

  "Yeah it was," he said softly, watching her, memorizing every movement, every smile, every sound.

  The concert was over. That meant he went back to real life in six hours. Real life without her in it.

  He wasn't sure he could survive it.

  "You did so well, Harli! I don't think I've ever had so much fun!" JoAnn appeared, last to leave the stage. The crowd still sounded like an atomic bomb on the other side of the curtain, but they'd already done a last call and then another last call.

  "Me either. You were amazing, Sunshine," Levi said. Harli stopped spinning and grinned at him. Then she spun on JoAnn and threw herself into her arms.

  "Thank you for asking me to do this. Thank you so much. I can't even—I just—"

  JoAnn patted her gently on the back. "Thank you for coming on such short notice. You saved us tonight."