“Wait…” Andrea walks into my field of vision. “Are you the woman from the photos?”
Jackie looks at me with a confused expression as Andrea reaches into her backpack and pulls out the Celebrity Conspiracy magazine. She flips through the pages until she finds the article about Gabe.
“Oh my god, you are!”
Jackie’s mouth drops. “What?”
I look at them and shrug innocently.
“Oops.” I smile. “Can I trust you two to keep it a secret… at least for now?”
The girls nod but I can tell by the sparkles in their eyes that they’re biting back their excitement over this juicy piece of gossip. Excusing myself, I make my way over to Gabe. Unable to hide his smile, he looks up at me. He looks casual and cool as he usually does.
“Oh, hey there, rock star,” he says in his effortlessly sexy voice. He smells just like his usual delicious woodsy scent. His wild hair is poking out from under his hoodie just like it always does.
“I thought you left,” I say.
“Leave without talking to the legendary Amber Sweet? No way. Besides, I wanted to let you have your moment with your fans.”
Looking up, I see Jackie and Andrea who are watching us from a safe distance. They giggle and look away.
“Fans.” I laugh and shake my head. “Isn’t that crazy?”
He looks back at the girls who are now turning a bright shade of pink.
“Well… not that crazy.” He smiles as he looks back at me. “Who wouldn’t want to be a fan of yours? I mean, I was a fan from day one.”
I watch him with an appreciative stare. This is what I love about him—his support, his ability to lift my spirits and give me hope. I look down to avoid turning the same shade of pink as the other girls. I distract myself by brushing my fingertips across the smooth cedarwood.
“So, this is what you were making out in the backyard these past few weeks?”
He nods. “Do you like it?”
I admire it for a few seconds before looking up into his eyes. “It’s perfect.”
He smiles. “That first night I heard you play, I knew you deserved a guitar worthy of your talent. Marigold tried to keep you busy so that I could make it in secret… but you still managed to interrupt me every day. You just couldn’t keep away from me… right, Phoenix?”
Hearing him call me Phoenix sends butterflies fluttering in my belly.
“Okay,” I say, “but who constantly eavesdropped on me in an attempt to listen to me practice? And who lured me out to the river to go skinny dipping?”
It’s insane how hot he is as he smiles down at me. He doesn’t try to hide the deviousness in his expression.
“At least I don’t deny being a huge flirt,” he says.
I smile. “Thanks again for the guitar.”
“Replacing your guitar is the least I could do after everything that happened…”
“To be honest, I think Sophie did me a favor by finally getting rid of that ugly thing.”
Gabe shifts uncomfortably when I mention Sophie’s name.
“About that…” He fixes his hair under his hood. “I’m sorry about everything that happened.” He looks down and shakes his head. “It was stupid of me not to tell you everything.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“I mean, out here everyone knows me as the guy on the cover of the magazine. But in private, it’s such an insignificant part of my life. I didn’t even know how to start explaining it to you. And… I liked the way you treated me. Like I was a normal person. I didn’t want to lose that.”
“Gabe, you are a normal person.”
“That’s not true.”
“Yes, it is. I know the real you.” I place my hand on his chest. “I at least know you more than those dumb magazines do. I mean… you’re insufferably cocky and occasionally worthy of a hundred eye rolls, but you’re simultaneously humble and talented. You’re tough on the outside but sweet and sensitive inside. You’re a complete oxymoron.”
He furrows his brow. “Umm… thanks?”
I laugh and so does he. There’s that familiar spark between us.
“You probably know me better than I do,” he says.
“That’s not true. I still have some questions…”
“Like?”
“Are you…” I pause. “Never mind.”
“Not what?”
“Are you still fake engaged to Sophie Dawson? I mean, should I avoid leaving my guitar unattended?” I look around, pretending I’m looking for Sophie.
Gabe laughs. “No. I had a long talk with both Victor and Sophie. They won’t be bugging me for a while.”
I furrow my brow. “How did you do that?”
“Sophie will put out a statement about the end of our relationship. It should be already. Meanwhile, I told Victor to give me one year to try and get a business off the ground. During that time, he’ll leave me alone and won’t expect anything from me. If I don’t succeed by the end of next summer, then I’ll work for him.”
“Hmm… that sounds like a familiar plan.”
He smirks. “I had inspiration.”
I look down at the guitar. “Is this what you’re gonna do? Make guitars?”
He nods. “And cabinets, chairs, doors… whatever I can sell.”
I hold the guitar closer to me. “Does that mean I’m your first customer?”
“Technically, Marigold was my first customer. But we can keep that between you and me.”
I laugh gently. “Sounds like an ambitious plan.”
“Well… someone once told me that you can’t succeed unless you take a risk.”
I smirk. “Sounds like a wise person.”
We stare at each other for a few moments. As I look at him, I momentarily forget that I never made it on the stage for the Rock Heart Festival. And although I still got to play, it’s unlikely that any recording agents were watching me. Chuck’s hideous music fills the air, distracting me from Gabe’s handsome smile.
“What’s wrong?” He asks.
I shake my head.
“I took the risk to get here. But I didn’t succeed.” I let out a gentle sigh and look up at him. “I didn’t get a recording contract.”
His smile fades. I can see the guilt in his eyes as he shakes his head. “This is all my fault. I should have helped you get to New York City sooner. I had the power to, I just… I couldn’t…”
“Gabe, stop.”
He looks up at me.
“It wouldn’t have mattered anyway,” I say. “Chuck was in the lineup and I wasn’t. That’s the reality of the situation. There was nothing I could have done to get on that stage other than rejoin Dirty Laundry, and there was no way I was doing that. You helped me figure that out.”
His lips tranform into a subtle smirk.
“And look at me,” I add. “I made it to New York City on my own. I played at the fucking Rock Heart Festival in front of a crowd! Sure, it wasn’t on the stage, but I’ve still got fans. I’m a freaking rock star!”
He smiles. “Yeah, you are.”
“It’s a nice memory to have before conceding.”
He raises his eyebrows in surprise. His smile disappears. “You’re conceding?
“I didn’t get a recording contract. What else am I supposed to tell my dad?”
“Well, you still have a few weeks before college registration begins. You’ve got me, and your fan club.” He looks up and waves at Andrea and Jackie. They blush and giggle as they wave back excitedly. “If you can’t get a recording contract, you can at least record something. You’ve got the internet, don’t you?”
I smirk. “You’d help me with that?”
“I’d support you until the very end, Phoenix.”
All sorts of emotions bloom inside me.
I place my hand on his chest. “Before you get all knight-in-shining-armor on me… I hope this serves as a powerful lesson for you. I can do stuff on my own. I don’t need you or any other man to do anything for me.”
A cute and cocky smile slowly forms on his lips. “Well… you might not need me. But maybe there’s another verb we can use? Want? Desire, maybe?”
I try to suppress my attraction for him but he’s just so damn charming. He gets closer—close enough so that I can feel his heat.
“I mean, I certainly want and desire you.” The deep timbre of his voice rolls easily off his tongue. “And I know I don’t deserve you after what I’ve put you through but you’re the coolest person I’ve ever met. And this has been the best summer of my fucking life. I don’t want it to end. I don’t want my time with you to end. Now or ever.”
His hand finds mine. Butterflies flutter in my belly.
“Well… maybe you can make it up to me somehow,” I say coyly.
“Whatever you want.”
“You’ll have to take me out on a hot date.”
He laughs gently. “Is that it? Because I’ll take you out on hot dates for the rest of your life if you let me.”
Smiling, I bite my lip as I look into his beautiful dark eyes. He slides his hand around my waist and pulls me closer against him. I feel his breath on my lips.
“Phoenix…” He stares into my eyes. “You know, after you left yesterday morning, I was left wondering if I’d ever kiss you again.”
I instinctively wet my lips. “Well, here’s your chance.”
Smirking, he leans in. Closing my eyes, I prepare myself for the most anticipated kiss of my life but he stops at the last second.
“Umm… Phoenix?”
“Yeah?” My eyes are still closed as I wait for my kiss.
“Phoenix!” He whisper-hisses.
This grabs my attention. Opening my eyes, I notice that he’s not looking at me anymore. He’s looking at someone behind me.
“Excuse me?” A familiar Australian voice asks.
I freeze in place. Holy shit. Pulling away from Gabe, I slowly turn around. I know exactly who I’m about to see. Sure enough, there’s the famous beard, the bright blue eyes.
“No effing way…”
The tall thin man is wearing fitted jeans and a white tank top under a red flannel shirt. He puts his hand out. “I’m Henry Sinner.”
29
A REAL ROCK STAR
Amber
Excitement swells inside me like a balloon.
Stay cool, Amber, I tell myself as I shake his hand.
“I’m Amber Sweet,” I manage to say. I exchange an excited glance with Gabe.
God, I hope I sound normal.
“Nice to meet you Amber Sweet,” Henry says in his smooth voice.
Henry Sinner is touching my hand! He said my name!
“That was you playing just now, wasn’t it?”
I nod. “You heard it?”
“Well, I was sitting in my trailer and this stream popped up on my phone. I thought—that’s just outside, isn’t it? And sure enough, here you are.”
I shake my head in disbelief. “I can’t believe you listened to my song.”
“So, it’s yours then? You wrote it?” He asks.
“Wrote and produced it in the last few weeks.”
Sinner’s eyes grow wide. “Wow, that’s mental. It takes artists years to write a keystone song like that. Trust me, I should know.”
“You liked my song?” I share another excited glance with Gabe. He gestures for me to keep talking to Sinner.
“Oh, absolutely,” Sinner says. “You’re a great singer, your melodies are tight, and your guitar work… you manage to sound perfectly clumsy. I mean that in the best way possible.”
Is this real life? I realize I’m staring at him and smiling like an idiot for just a little too long.
“And that guitar,” he adds. “Can I see it?”
“Oh! Of course.” I hand him my new guitar.
“She’s a beaut.”
“Her name’s Phoenix,” I say. I can feel Gabe smiling behind me.
“Now you’ll just have to tell me where you got her so I can get one for myself.”
“Actually… this guy right here made it for me.” I gesture at the incognito man behind me. “He can make one for you too. They’re pricey though. One of a kind.”
“Right on.” Sinner hands me back my guitar. “So, he’ll make me a guitar. How about you? Do you have an album I can listen to?”
My heart jumps in my chest before dropping down to my stomach.
“Oh, shit… no, I don’t. Not yet. But I’ve got two songs online and a video out. More songs are on the way, I promise.”
“Who signed you?”
“Excuse me?” I furrow my brow.
“Producer-wise, who signed you? That’s why you’re here, right? To be signed?”
I shake my head. “Nobody.”
“Seriously?” There’s disbelief in his voice. “Nobody signed you?”
“Actually, I didn’t even get a spot onstage.”
“Well, that’s just plain stupid. You’d be a thousand times better than this trash.” He gestures toward the stage where a terrible shrieking sound is blasting through the speakers.
I laugh knowing this is Chuck’s attempt at keeping Dirty Laundry alive. His rhythm is off and he’s getting half the lyrics wrong. A chorus of boos is coming from the audience. If he knew Henry Sinner was missing his set to talk to me, he’d be livid. I look back at the real rock star standing in front of me. Sinner exudes an effortless and casual rock star vibe that I can only hope to emulate one day. Sinner is deep in thought as he watches me. His arms are crossed and his fingers are stroking his lips as he thinks.
“Nobody signed you?” He asks.
I shake my head. There’s a sparkle of interest in his eye.
“How would you like to record an album on my label?”
“You… you want to sign me?” My mouth instantly goes dry.
“Yeah, why not? My label has too many garage band acts anyway. You’re different—you blend electronic and acoustic. Plus, you’re on your own. It’s different and edgy. Besides, you’re a producer’s dream. You sing, write, produce. What don’t you do?”
“Don’t ask me to dance,” I say. I hear Gabe laugh behind me.
“As long as you’ve got a guitar strapped to you, you won’t have to dance,” Sinner says.
I smile.
“Sinner onstage in five!” The pink-haired lady calls out from the entrance to the backstage area.
Sinner looks back at me. “So, what do you say? Join my label and I’ll help you produce eight tracks for your first album.”
“Ten tracks,” I say.
He grins. “Even better.”
The sound of feedback squeaks through the speakers. Everyone raises their hands to their ears.
Sinner shakes his head. “I can’t believe this crap is still going. Let me go put this guy out of his misery.”
I’d feel bad for Chuck if the karma weren’t so juicy.
“Carrie? Cut the speakers!” Sinner calls out to the pink-haired lady as he makes a neck-cutting motion with his hand. He looks back at me. “Stick around after the concert and we can discuss the details.”
“Okay, cool,” I say, trying to act casual as if this happens all the time.
“You too.” He points at Gabe. “I want a guitar.”
Gabe nods.
“Great.”
“Thank you, Mr. Sinner,” I say.
“Call me Henry.” He pulls away and disappears beyond the gate toward the backstage area.
Turning to Gabe, I touch my heated cheeks as reality sinks in. “What the hell just happened?”
“I think you just became a superstar,” he says.
“Oh. My. God. That was fucking incredible!” I shake my head in disbelief. “Even in my wildest dreams, I didn’t imagine this. Henry Sinner likes my music. He wants to sign me! That was the coolest moment of my life!”
“Only a day and a half after leaving Miss Marigold’s and you already have a job.”
“And so do you, Mr. Guitar.”
H
e grins. “Marigold would be so proud.”
We laugh.
Gabe raises his eyebrows. “Should I be worried that Henry Sinner wants to spend lots of hours singing with you?”
“Why, are you jealous?”
He laughs. “No, but I know how irresistible you can be when you start singing.”
I smile as I pull him in close. “You’re the only man for me.”
A Dirty Laundry song ends abruptly. To add insult to injury, there’s applause and it’s clear that the audience is clapping because they’re glad it’s over.
Gabe looks back at me. “So… you named your guitar Phoenix?”
I nod as I touch the cherry-colored guitar. “I thought it was fitting. After all, right when we both thought everything was over, she brought us both back from the dead.”
He stares longingly at the guitar. “I like it.”
His eyes slowly move up to meet mine.
“You know, I never did get that kiss…” He leans in but I stop him with a hand on his chest.
“Maybe it’s time to pull off your hood,” I say.
“And have everyone recognize me?”
I laugh. “Are you sure this is your crowd?”
“Every crowd is my crowd.”
I roll my eyes. “Don’t tell me you’re some conceited rich snob out here.”
He smirks. “I’m just popular. That’s all. And rich, obviously.”
“So you are some conceited rich snob.”
He laughs. “That’s why I’ve been living in the middle of nowhere with broken air conditioning all summer.”
I let out a soft laugh. For some reason, it didn’t click that he’s rich until just now. Obviously, he’s rich. His mom was rich and that money must’ve gone somewhere.
“Are you scared to reveal yourself to the world?” I ask. “You said that Sophie was releasing a statement… you don’t have to pretend anymore.”
“That’s true.” He gets closer. “I just didn’t want to pull attention away from you on Rock Heart Festival day.”
I laugh. “Henry Sinner just shared my music with millions of followers. I’m pretty sure if I check my account, I’ll have thousands of new followers. I think I’ve demonstrated that I’m capable of getting attention on my own.”
“Who’s conceited now?”
I playfully push him before pulling him closer. I reach under his hood to play with his hair.
Chase: A Secret Millionaire Romance Novel Page 22