Music of the Heart

  “You aren’t?”

  “No.”

  The corners of his lips turned up. “Is that because of his epic douchery or because you might be interested in someone else?”

  I stared at him in disbelief for a moment. Sweeping my hands to my hips, I asked, “Do you always talk in circles when you’re not man enough to make your intentions known?”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “You really have the nerve to stand there and ask me that?” When he didn’t respond, I practically growled as I took a step towards him. “You blow so hot and cold with me that I’m not sure which way is up. It’s a wonder I don’t need a chiropractor from your emotional whiplash. One minute you’re telling me you want a girl like me to be interested in you and the next you’re coyly asking how I feel about Garrett.” Finally toe to toe, I glared up at him. “You’re really good at charming the panties off girls at ten paces, but you can’t even tell a girl how you really feel when she’s up close and personal!”

  Jake’s eyes bulged while his mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. “Abby…I…wow,” he finally murmured.

  “Excuse me?”

  A sheepish grin curved on his lips. “I don’t think a girl has ever talked to me like you just did.” A shudder rippled through him. “Damn, that was hot.”

  I shoved him against the kitchen counter. “You’re impossible!”

  “And you’re everything I could ever want.”

  My mouth, which had opened to lay into him with more insults, instantly snapped shut. Crossing his arms over his chest, Jake chuckled. “Don’t tell me I’ve rendered you speechless, Angel?”

  “You keep me in a state of confusion, so I don’t know why you would be so surprised,” I countered.

  “Fine. You ready for this?” He pushed himself off the counter to stand in front of me again. “I like you, Angel. I like you a lot. It’s been a whole thirty-six hours, but I like what I see, and I want more. But I’m clueless how to do this, so you’re just going to have to be a little patient with me, okay?”

  My heart fluttered both at his words and in the way he delivered them. “So we just keep getting to know each other?”

  “Yeah, I think so.” He scratched his chin thoughtfully. “So I guess normal people go on dates to get to know each other, right?”

  “Yeah. Like dinner and a movie.”

  He bobbed his head. “Well, we sorta had dinner. So how about a movie?”

  I grinned. “That sounds great.”

  “Can I count on you being down for inane comedy rather than a chick flick?”

  “If you guys actually have a chick flick movie on this bus, I think we have to watch it.”

  Jake grimaced. “Yeah, well, Lily might’ve left a few DVDs behind.”

  “Oh really?”

  “Yeah, but there’s Disney shit for Jude too.”

  “Hmm, let me see what we’re dealing with here,” I replied before I went over to the entertainment center. It was stuffed full of DVDs along with video games.

  As I perused the contents, Jake made a pained noise in his throat. “After the dick way I treated you, you’re going to punish me with the video choice, aren’t you?”

  Glancing over my shoulder, I threw him an innocent glance. “Me? How could you possibly think such a thing?”

  “Whatever,” he grumbled, collapsing on the couch.

  I turned around. “Okay, how does Dodgeball sound?” I asked.

  His eyes lit up. “Fanfuckingtastic!”

  Shooting him a wicked grin, I replied, “Good. We’ll watch that after Tangled.”

  “Seriously?”

  I bobbed my head. “Must I remind you that you puked on me earlier this evening?”

  “You’re never going to let me forget that, are you?”

  “Nope. But besides that, you have a lot of work to do to prove to me you’re worthy of my time.”

  “So I have to watch fucking Disney to prove it?”

  “It’s a small start.”

  I eased the DVD into the player and grabbed the remote. Without even hesitating, I plopped down beside Jake on the couch. “I still can’t believe I’m letting you make me watch a fucking Disney movie,” he grumbled.

  “You don’t have to watch it. You can always do your own thing. But if you really want more from me, than you’re going to have to work for it.”

  He mumbled something under his breath. Although he may have hated the idea, he gave the movie his full attention when it came on. I think something about it having music in it peaked his interest as much as he hated to admit it. When I snuggled closer to him, he glanced down at me in surprise. “I’m cold,” I admitted.

  “Here,” he said, digging in a drawer beside the couch. He pulled out a blanket and wrapped us in it. “How’s that?”

  “It feels wonderful. Thank you.”

  “No problem.” He then slung an arm around my shoulder, drawing me closer to him.

  Halfway through the movie, my eyes grew heavy, and it wasn’t long before I nodded off. I don’t know how long I was asleep before loud voices and laughter, not from the movie, startled me awake. Rubbing my eyes, I looked up to see Jake begin to come back to life as well.

  Back from their evening out, the boys were clambering up the bus steps. At the sight of me and Jake wrapped up in a blanket together, they froze. “What the…” AJ began.

  He and Brayden then barreled forward like they were about to protect me from Jake’s unwanted advances. I snaked my hand out from under the blanket and held it up at them. “Guys, calm down. Everything is fine.”

  Brayden glanced between Jake and me before cocking his eyebrows. “Seriously?”

  I laughed. “Yes, it is. Jake’s apologized for his previous bad behavior, and we’re fine now.”

  With a wicked gleam in his eyes directed toward the guys, Jake added, “Oh we’re more than just fine. We’re sorta dating.”

  A collective gasp of shock rang through all the guys. “That’s not entirely true,” I replied.

  Brayden threw his hands up in disbelief. “Excuse me if my mind isn’t able to process such a thought. I mean, just how the hell do you make the quantum leap from banging Bree earlier in the day to dating our Angel?”

  “We’re not really dating—we’re just getting to know each other better. He’s going to have to prove himself to me before I’ll date him,” I explained.

  Jake bobbed his head. “And I plan on working my ass off to do it.”

  Rubbing his hands over his face, Brayden replied, “I’ll be damned.”

  AJ’s gaze swept from the TV over to us. “He apologized and he’s watching Tangled. I think Abby brainwashed him while we were gone,” he joked trying to lighten the mood.

  Jake and I laughed at his assumption. “Nah, there was no brainwashing involved,” Jake replied. He winked at me. “She just helped me to see the light about what a complete and total jerkwad I was.”

  Rhys stood staring at us with a dumbfounded expression on his face. “Dude, I’m not gonna lie and say this doesn’t surprise the shit out of me.” He then stared at me. “Are you sure you know what you’re getting yourself into?”

  “No, not really, but then again, does anyone really ever know?” I countered.

  “I guess not.” He winked at me. “I guess that’s why I steer clear of any relationships.”

  “Sure it is,” Jake snorted.

  When Rhys opened his mouth to argue, Brayden cleared his throat. “Okay, okay, I think we oughta call it a night. It’s been a helluva long day with way too much crazy shit going down, not to mention we gotta show tomorrow night.”

  “Yes, Daddy,” AJ teased.

  “Douchebag,” Brayden muttered under his breath as he headed to the bedroom.

  I unraveled myself from the blanket before making a quick bathroom break. When I got out, Jake was waiting outside my roost. He held the curtain back like a gentleman would a door. “There’s that good side showing through again,” I c
ommented.

  He grinned. “Goodnight, Angel.”

  “Goodnight, Jake.”

  Leaning in closer, he whispered, “Thanks for giving me another chance.”

  “You’re welcome. Just make sure you toe the line from now on out, and I’m sure we won’t have any more problems.”

  He chuckled. “You’re going to be the death of me.”

  I blew him a kiss before shutting the curtain. “Sweet dreams, Angel,” he murmured. Drawing the covers around me, I fell asleep with the goofiest grin on my face.

  ***

  The next morning we crossed over into Indiana—the next stop on Runaway Train’s tour. As we sat around the table eating breakfast, the electricity in the air was palpable. It was amazing seeing the change come over the guys the sooner they got to their next performance. As we got closer and closer to Indianapolis, the more restless they became. The bus could barely contain the four of them. AJ drummed relentlessly on a smaller, plastic version of his real drum set. Rhys’s Ivy League background showed through as he focused on playing golf on the Wii. Although Brayden was usually the one who was most level-headed, he paced the floors like a caged animal, occasionally stopping to text back and forth with Lily.

  With ear buds jammed in his ears, Jake was the least restless of the guys. I guess he needed the music to tune the others out. He sat across from me at the kitchen table coloring in some sketches that Brayden had made for the band’s next album cover.

  As for me, I stayed the hell out their way and studied for my nursing exam. It was a little after two when we rolled into the parking lot of the Klipsch Music Center. I’d been reading and trying to tune out the guys’ antics. But then Jake appeared in front of me, bouncing on the balls of his feet and held out his hand. “Come on,” he instructed.

  I cocked an eyebrow at him suspiciously. “Just where are we going?”

  He grinned. “You’ll see. It’s a surprise.”

  “I’m not real big on surprises. The last one had me getting on the wrong bus and falling into the bed of the notorious Jake Slater.”

  With a smirk, he replied, “That sounds like more of a dream come true than a surprise gone wrong.”

  I laughed. “You would say that.”

  “Come on. Trust me on this one.” His tone had become almost whiney.

  Pursing my lips, I couldn’t help the tremor of excitement that went over me at his hopeful expression. “Okay. Wow me then,” I replied, putting my book down.

  “Ha! I knew you’d cave. No one can resist my charms.”

  “Such an egomaniac,” I muttered under my breath as I put my hand in his.

  As we started down the aisle of the bus, Brayden grabbed Jake’s arm. “Where are you going? We got sound checks and rehearsal in an hour.”

  “I need to do something for Abby.” He glanced over at me and smiled. “You know, make up for being such an unimaginable bastard and asshole yesterday.”

  Brayden’s brows lifted in surprise, but he didn’t argue. “Okay, man, whatever.”

  After pounding down the bus steps, Frank was waiting for us along with a beefy African American guy who looked like he could bench press me and Jake at the same time.

  “Abby, this is Lloyd,” Jake introduced, motioning to the guy.

  Lloyd glared at Jake. “That’s LL, thank you very much.”

  Jake laughed. “I love to tease him about his real name.”

  “Yeah and one day, I’m gonna make you pay for it, you little tool,” LL threatened menacingly.

  I hesitated for a moment before I held out my hand. “Um, nice to meet you.”

  His dark expression lightened, and he gave me a smile. “Likewise.”

  With LL trailing behind us, Frank led us into the arena. Once we got inside, Jake held up his hand. “We got it from here.”

  “I’ll hang back, but I ain’t leavin’,” LL replied.

  “No problem.”

  As we wound around through the darkened back of the arena, I snickered. “Hello Cleveland,” I murmured under my breath.

  “What?” Jake asked.

  “I was just thinking that we seem kinda lost, and I was totally having a This Is Spinal Tap moment.”

  Whirling around, Jake’s mouth dropped open. “You actually know that movie.”

  “Of course I do. I used to watch it with the boys all the time.”

  He shook his head slowly back and forth. “How is it that you’re actually real?”

  “Huh?”

  Jake smiled. “You’re like a guy’s wet dream.”

  Wrinkling my nose, I replied, “Ew, thanks for the compliment.”

  “Okay, that didn’t exactly come out like I wanted it to.”

  “I’d hope not.”

  He winced as he ran his hands through his hair. “I just meant that you’re a musician’s dream girl—a complete and total package. You understand what it’s like to deal with the industry and what a gift and a curse the muse can be. Plus you know all about music and singing. To top it all off you’re someone a guy could just hang out with and watch stupid comedies. Do you know what it’s like to have a beautiful girl in front of me that totally gets you?”

  “Thanks,” I murmured. My cheeks instantly flamed at his words. When he stood there just staring at me, I finally admitted, “By the way, that was much better on the compliments.”

  “You’re welcome.” He took my hand. “Now come on. I have a big surprise for you.”

  “Once again, I really, really don’t like surprises,” I protested as he dragged me further back stage.

  “You’ll like this one.”

  Finally, we walked through the wings. Instead of stopping, Jake pulled me right on stage. I gazed out at the empty, but huge arena. Tilting my head, I spun around and took it all in. “Wow, this place is intense.”

  “I love it when it’s like this,” Jake confided, motioning to the crew who were rushing around with equipment. “It’s like the calm before the storm.” He bounced on the balls of his feet, and his whole body hummed with excitement.

  “The storm that is Hurricane Jake?” I teased.

  He laughed. “That would maybe be Tropical Storm Jake and more like Hurricane Runaway Train.”

  I smiled. “I love the fact you never leave the guys out of the equation. No Adam Levine and those other dudes in Maroon 5 kinda thing.”

  Jake shook his head. “The label tried that bullshit for a while right after we hit. But it’s me and the boys or it’s nothing.”

  Reaching over, I tapped his chest. “Such a good heart in there.”

  His hand closed over mine, and he pressed it flush against his shirt. “You don’t know what it means to me that you’re able to see that through all the bullshit.”

  “I see you a lot better than you’d ever imagine.”

  “And?” he prompted.

  I swallowed hard under the intensity of his stare. “I like what I see. A lot.”

  He then brought my hand to his mouth and tenderly brushed his lips across my knuckle.

  “I’m glad to hear that.”

  My heartbeat thumped like a cannon blast in my ears, and I was sure Jake could hear it. Just when he leaned closer to me, a voice boomed from below the stage, “We’re ready when you are.”

  His eyes momentarily closed. “The worst fucking timing,” he grumbled before turning to the guy. “Thanks Joe. We better get this show on the road.”

  “Show?” I questioned in a squeak.

  Jake turned back to me. “Yeah, last night after your phone conversation with that assmunch—”

  “Garrett,” I corrected.

  “Whatever. Anyway, I thought about how scared and nervous you were at the prospect of not getting much rehearsal time to duet with the douchebag, so I thought I could help.”

  Suddenly Joe was at my side thrusting a microphone into my hand. “Jake, what’s going on?” I asked.

  “You’re going to practice your duet to where you’ll be perfect for Sunday night.”

/>   “But how—”

  He waved his microphone at me. “We’re going to sing it together.”

  “What?” I practically screeched.

  Ignoring my shock, he said, “I know it won’t be the same since we’re going to have to use canned music. I mean, the guys wouldn’t have had time to learn the song, but I know all the words.”

  I thought back to this morning when he’d had his headphones in, and my heart shuddered to a stop. “You memorized the song?”

  “Sure did.” He winked at me. “Lucky for you, I’m a fast learner.”

  “I can’t believe it,” I murmured.

  Jake grinned as he tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear. “Are you ready to rock this arena?”

  If I had any doubts before about the depth of my growing feelings for Jake, they evaporated in that moment. I’d been with him for all of forty-eight measly hours, but somehow I had fallen for him. Wait, how was that even possible? I’d always scoffed at the notion of love at first sight. Stuff like that didn’t happen. Sure lust at first sight, but love?

  Never.

  But now as Jake stood before me, I wondered if it could be true. Well, it was partially true since right after I laid eyes on him it wasn’t love, but anger that I felt, especially when I nailed him in the balls.

  “Angel, did you hear me?”

  “Huh, what?”

  “I asked if you were ready?”

  “Uh, yeah, sure.” I cleared my throat and tried to catch my breath. How the hell was I supposed to sing when my breathing was so erratic?

  Jake appraised me with a skeptical look. “Are you sure? Your face has turned green like you’re about to puke.”

  A giggle escaped my lips, and I covered my mouth. “I guess I’m just nervous.”

  Jake’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Seriously? It’s only me here.”

  You’re exactly what makes me incredibly nervous. “I know, but I haven’t really done any warm-ups or scales either. I might sound like a sick cow or something.”

  He waved the microphone in his hand dismissively at me. “You don’t need to do any of that. I mean, what are rehearsals for, right?”

  “If you say so.” I then bobbed my head. “Let’s do it then before I lose my nerve.”

  Jake winked at me before calling, “Okay, hit it, Joe.”