Wylder clutched her ugly Christmas sweater around her adorable Christmas party dress as she barked orders to the caterers and decorators late Saturday afternoon. With the AC on full blast, the house was freezing, but it also looked like Christmas exploded in their living room and spilled out onto the back lawn. Becks was going to love it. Everything was ready, and the guests would be arriving soon.
Adjusting a glittery red bow on the twelve-foot Christmas tree in the living room, Wylder couldn’t believe they’d pulled it off. A cheery fire burned in the fireplace with stockings hung for all those who lived there. A beautiful red velvet skirt lay draped under the tree where she’d placed her carefully wrapped presents for Becks and Nicky.
Tables were set up in the dining room for the buffet and a Christmas village complete with snow ran down the middle of the table set for sixteen. More tables were placed on the lawn for their guests, and a hot chocolate and fudge bar took up the far end of the back yard.
“I can’t believe you did this, Wylder.” Nari came up behind her and draped an arm around her waist. “It couldn’t be more perfect if you’d arranged a snow storm for the occasion.”
“I may have thrown myself into party planning as an escape.”
“Did it work?”
“Not really. But Becks will be happy.”
“Heartbreak sucks.” Nari squeezed her in a hug. “I’ve been lucky with Avery, but we’ve had our fair share of separations and misunderstandings. It gets better with time, though.”
“This whole putting your heart out there thing really sucks.” Wylder wiped at the tears in her eyes.
“But it’s better than never putting yourself out there, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, maybe. I don’t know, ask me again in a few months.” Wylder pasted on her fake smile in preparation for the other guests arriving.
Pretty soon, the house was full of unfamiliar faces, laughter and plenty of compliments on the spectacular Christmas tree.
“Quiet, everyone!” Wylder called to get her guest’s attention. “Becks and Nicky will be here any minute. You’ve all done a fabulous job of making him think he wasn’t invited to the party of the year. He’s hopelessly devastated, so let’s give him a surprise he won’t forget!”
With the lights off and everyone quiet, they waited in near silence with the occasional giggle until they heard Becks and Nicky on the front porch.
“Nick-Nick, I’m losing my mojo.” Becks sounded forlorn.
“You’re not losing your mojo, babe.” Nicky fumbled with the key in the lock.
“I’ve never struggled to write a song in my life, Nicky. And we didn’t get invited to the party everyone is talking about. Something is off with me. I think the label might dump me if this album isn’t good. And why is there smoke coming out of our chimney?”
“The album is great, Becks.” Nicky opened the door and shoved Becks in first just as Wylder flipped on the lights.
“Merry Christmas!” Everyone yelled, and Becks screamed, lunging in front of Nicky to guard him with his body.
“It’s a party, Becks, not a robbery.” Nicky crept out from behind Becks.
“Christmas in July?” Becks stared around the room. “It’s more beautiful than I imagined.” He walked right up to Wylder and hugged her. “Thank you.”
“How d'you know it was me?” She hugged him back.
“Only my sister could pull this off without spilling the beans. I had no idea this was actually happening.” Becks pulled back with a huge grin on his face. “I have so much to do! Presents to wrap and an ugly sweater to find. Be right back, everyone! Carry on.” He raced up the stairs exactly like a kid on Christmas morning.
Wylder sipped on chilled cider as she made her way around the room, determined to be a wallflower tonight. This was all for Becks, and she wanted him to enjoy it with all his favorite people.
“You did an amazing job, kid.” Skye came to join her on the outskirts of the crowd. “Like, spectacular.” She lifted her hot buttered rum in salute. “You want a job when you finish high school? I could use someone with your skills.”
“Ugh, party planning for my brother full time? I don’t know, Skye. Maybe. I do enjoy it.”
“Not just for Becks. He’s not my only client, you know.”
“Really, he doesn’t suck up all your time?”
“He’s my biggest client, but I’m nurturing a few other rising stars. I’ll manage Becks’ career for as long as he’ll have me, but I’ve hired a few assistants to help me with new clients who want to work with me.”
“Skye, you’re a company?” Wylder beamed a proud smile at her cousin.
“Looks that way.” She handed Wylder a business card for Skye’s the Limit Management Group. “Come be my event planner if you’re not doing the college thing. That is, if you decide not to become a superstar yourself.” Skye walked away as Becks made his second grand entrance of the night. Complete with a reindeer sweater with lights and sleigh bells.
He also had a bag of presents and his guitar.
“Nick Nick, can you put the presents under the tree for me?” He lifted his guitar over his head and settled it in front of him. "Where’s Wylder?” He turned around in a circle, looking for her. “Anyone seen my little sister?”
“I’m right here, Doofus.” Wylder stepped through the crowd, glaring at him. He’d better not pull her into a duet again. She let that happen once. Never again.
“Relax, I have a surprise for you. Trust me, I think you’ll like this one.”
“Nari? Where’s Nari?” He scanned the crowd again.
“Right here, Becks.” She called him over to the grand piano situated under the large front windows.
“Perfect.” He pulled Wylder behind him as he went to join her at the piano. He grabbed a cup of chilled cider from a passing waiter and tapped his guitar pick against the glass to get everyone’s attention—not that he didn’t already have it. “If I could have a moment of your time, I have a song I’d like to share with you all. My Christmas gift to a very special person.”
Becks wasn’t serious about most things, but when it came to his music, he was a professional. The uncharacteristic flush in his cheeks told Wylder he was really nervous about this song.
The crowd grew quiet as Nari played the intro to the soft ballad. As Becks joined her with his guitar, Skye produced a microphone stand from somewhere and placed it in front of him so the guests outside could hear.
Becks’ clear sweet voice carried across the room, but he couldn’t seem to look up from the floor.
Three years old
Wyld fearless eyes
She looks at me like I’m a hero…
Something burned the back of Wylder’s throat as her brother sang a song that was clearly about her.
…Brave young girl
In this big blue world
She looks at me with eyes on fire…
Wylder couldn’t take her eyes off her brother. Part of her wanted to melt into the floor and disappear. The other part hung on his every word.
Brave young girl
Screams she’s not made of glass…
That thing in her throat still burned, but it was moving to her eyes now. She struggled to keep up with the song. But Becks’ voice lifted as the beat of the music increased from a sweet ballad to his usual country with a rock star twist that was Beckett Anderson’s signature style.
…somehow she still has faith in me…
This brave Wyld Child
Heart full and free
Who’s the hero now…
Seriously, her eyes were leaking.
…Wyld Child
Bold and reckless
Her fire burns bright…
…never forget my Wyld Child…
The applause startled Wylder out of her trance. Skye shoved a tissue in her hand, and she looked at her dumbly, not understanding what it was for.
“You’re crying, honey,” Skye whispered.
Wylder dabbed at her face as
the last of the music played out, and the crowd went wild.
She lunged at her brother the moment he set his guitar down.
“Wylds, you’re shaking,” Becks whispered, wrapping his arms around her and holding her tight.
“I can’t believe you did that.” She buried her face against his hideous Christmas sweater.
“You helped me write it.” He chuckled into her hair. “I’ve been watching you all summer and most of the lyrics came naturally, but you gave me the lines that really brought it home.” He pulled her back, searching her face. “Is it okay I used Wyld Child? I can change it if it’s too painful.”
“It’s perfect, Becks.” She smiled. “Bash will always be a happy memory for me.”
“Well, let’s hope he thinks so too because that’s my new single.”
“A song about your little sister is going on your album? You’re such a dork.” She shoved him playfully.
“I swear Wylds, you’re so mean.” Becks managed to pout and nod at all his guests as he tugged her over to the Christmas tree.
“A toast!” Becks lifted his glass of cider. “To my sister, Wylder.”
“To Wylder!” the crowd echoed around her.
“Thank you, everyone.” Skye swept in to take the spotlight. “Dinner is served buffet style in the dining room!”
“Thank you,” Wylder whispered to Skye as the guests turned their attention away from her and onto the food.
“You don’t hate it?” Becks took her hand.
“I love it, Becks. Really.”
“Merry Christmas, Wylds.” He turned her toward a huge gift-wrapped package sitting under the tree.
“This is mine?” She looked up at her brother. “The song was more than enough, I’m not sure you could ever outdo that.”
“Just open it.”
“Where’s Nicky?”
“I’m right here.” Nicky dabbed at his eyes. “That was so beautiful.”
“Oh no, he’s blubbering.” Wylder took a step back.
“I am not.” Nicky sniffed. “It’s just so sweet. Becks wanted Christmas in July so he could give you your gift, and you went to all this trouble to shut him up.”
“I have presents for you too, Nick Nick.” Becks took his hand.
“Me first.” Wylder bent to rip the ribbon off her gift, tearing through the paper like she did when she was a kid. “Becks,” she whispered, kneeling down beside the box.
“Don’t be mad.” He crouched down beside her. “I know you haven’t played in a long time, and I know you have reasons for that, but music is in your soul, Wylds. Try to find your way back to it.”
“You bought me drums.” She stared at the box. “Electronic drums.”
“So you can play at school. Take some time to get back into it.”
“Can I give Devyn your number?”
“Who is Devyn?” Becks glanced at Nicky.
“Her roommate.” Nicky shrugged.
“She’s going to want to kill you for giving me drums.” Wylder ran a hand over the box. It would take some adjusting to get used to the electronic set, but it would be so easy to take it with her wherever she went. Her hands were already itching for a pair of drumsticks.
“You gotta give me something, Wylds. Good or bad present?” Becks looked nauseous.
“Good present. Great, actually.” She grinned. “I’ve been wanting to play lately.”
“I’m so glad.” Becks breathed a sigh of relief. “This set has everything. Even Harrison was a little jealous when I showed him and he’s a total drum snob, so you know it has to be good. It even has a portable amplifier with sub woofers—whatever those are.”
“Seriously, my roommate is going to hate you.” Wylder grinned. “Definitely going to need some headphones.”
“Can we eat now?” Nicky asked. “The food smells wonderful, but there’s not much left of it.”
“There’s plenty.” Wylder stood. “I had them bring enough for leftovers for next week. There’s never any food in this house unless Nari comes over when she feels sorry for us.”
“This party, Wylds.” Becks draped a hand over her shoulder. “It’s so perfect.”
“You haven’t seen everything yet. Let’s eat, and then we can check out the fudge bar.”
“Fudge bar?” Becks patted his flat belly. “Let’s go there first.”
Chapter 10
One month later
Wylder rolled into her dorm room with her new drum set perched on top of her cart. She’d spent the last few weeks of her break getting back into music, and she was getting pretty good with the electronic set.
“No. No. No. Why are you here?” Devyn stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at Wylder. “I requested a new roommate for this term.”
“No way, Dev. You’d be so bored without me.” Wylder dropped her suitcase on the couch, and her shoulder bag on the coffee table. They were seniors this year, and they’d scored a deluxe suite with two bedrooms and a shared living space.
“Take that stuff to your room. If you leave it here now, it’ll be there till Christmas.”
“Missed you too, Devyn.” Wylder pushed her move-in cart into the hall between their rooms and plopped down on the sofa, putting her feet up on the coffee table. “It’s going to be an epic year.”
“What is that?” Devyn pointed to the drum set sealed up in its travel bag. “You brought way too much stuff with you, Wylder. This suite isn’t that much bigger than what we had last year.”
“That’s the drum set Becks gave me for Christmas in July.”
“You just said a bunch of ridiculous things, but all I heard was drums. I’m going to kill your brother, I don’t care how many fans he has now.”
“He’ll be on tour soon, so you’ll never catch him.” Wylder stood up. “Great reunion, Dev, but I’m guessing you’re headed to the stables for practice, so I’m going to go find Killian and Diego. See you for dinner.”
“Wylder Anderson, you come back here and put your stuff away, right now!” Devyn called behind her, but she was already halfway down the hall. “I’m not living in a pigsty again this year!”
Wylder made her way across the alley to the boy’s dorm. This year was going to be different. It was her fifth year of high school. She’d spent most of last year feeling crappy about that. But now she had friends at Defiance Academy. She had music back in her life and a sweet summer romance behind her. This year was going to be epic. She would see to it.
“Where’s my favorite tech geek?” Wylder let herself into Killian’s dorm room and stopped in her tracks.
“Are you looking for Killian?” A familiar face frowned at her. “He didn’t strike me as a geek so much as a jock. Oh, you mean his boyfriend, Diego. That I can see.”
“You don’t get to make fun of my friend. Only I get to call Diego a geek.”
“Noted.”
“What are you doing here, Luke? Don’t you have a tour to be getting ready for?” Luke Cook was the last person she’d expected to see at Defiance Academy. And she didn’t want the reminder of Sebastian hanging over her head all year.
“Hey, I know you.” He frowned back at her. “Wylder Anderson, right? You’re the one that yelled at Luke for being a jerk.”
“Wait, you’re Logan?”
“Yeah, sorry to disappoint. I get that look a lot. Most people—especially girls—expect me to be Luke.”
“So he’s on tour, and you got stuck here?”
“Pretty much.” Logan returned to unpacking a box of books. “But you would know what that’s like having Beckett for a brother, right?”
“Yeah.” Wylder nodded, not looking at him. She wasn’t sure if Bash ever told his brothers they’d dated, but she really hoped Logan and Bash weren’t all that close.
“Killian and Diego went to get coffee. They should be back in a few minutes if you want to hang here.”
“Uh, sure.” She moved to sit on the sofa, wondering how her luck always landed her in these situations. How was she g
oing to get through the year with Logan Cook as her best friend’s roommate?
“There she is, Wyld Child!” Killian crashed through the door with Diego at his side.
Wylder blushed. “Don’t start that.” Becks’ single had hit iTunes last week, and Wyld Child had soared up the charts.
“What? It’s adorable,” Killian insisted. “My little sisters have played your song on an endless loop. They think I’m a big shot because I know you. I’m supposed to ask for your autograph.”
“It’s a great song,” Diego said. “I didn’t get it at first. Killian had to explain it to me.”
Poor sweet, logical Diego didn’t get most pop culture things. It was her favorite thing about him.
“I missed you guys.” She wrapped her arms around them. “So much!” She gave Diego an extra squeeze. “This year is going to be amazing.”
“I’ll settle for normal. Last year was a bit tumultuous,” Diego said, taking Killian’s hand.
“I have plans, guys. Big plans. So, I just wanted to say hi. I better go unpack before Devyn has a conniption. I’ll see you at dinner.” She waved over her shoulder. “See you around, Logan. Good luck wearing your brother’s face.”
“How are we in the same English Lit class?” Diego asked in his blunt way.
“You mean how am I in the smart class?” Wylder elbowed him.
“Well, yeah.” Diego hid his smile behind his ever-present coffee mug.
“I happened to have done really well in my English Lit class last year so they put me in with the smarties this year.”
“Good for you, Wylder. Better hurry, we’re almost late.” Diego held the door to the classroom open for her.
“Come in, come in,” the teacher said, facing the white board. “We were just getting started, so take your seats.”
Diego rushed past her, but Wylder stood frozen in place, her books falling to the floor as the teacher turned around.
“Bash?” Her mouth went dry as she stared at the man she’d spent the summer with.
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