couple more songs, Star totally opens up. She’s swaying her hips back and forth, and I find myself mesmerized. I shake my head and keep my mouth up against the microphone so I don’t miss my cue. Through the remainder of the set I try not to look at Star. I need to stay focused on the music.
“What a rush,” Star says the minute our final set is over. Her face is flushed, her eyes bright. She runs a hand through her hair and walks toward me. “Do you ever get used to it?”
I grin. “It never gets old, if that’s what you’re asking.” Clattering sounds behind us as the guys put away their equipment.
Star glances around. “Do you need help with anything?”
I want to tell her yes to keep her up here with me, but I look down and see the girl she’s always with sitting at a table near the stage. “Nah, it’s okay. Go hang out with your friend. You’re done for the night.”
She looks a little disappointed, which surprises me. I assumed she wanted an out. “Are n’t you taking me home?” The vulnerable expression on her face causes my stomach to twist.
“Can’t your friend take you? Ryker said she’s your roommate.”
Her face falls. “Um…yeah, I’m sure she can.” Star fidgets with her bracelets. “I just thought…well, never mind.”
“What?” I stop her. “What did you think?”
She shakes her head. “Nothing. It’s fine. We still on for tomorrow?”
I know I should say no, but it kills me to see the disappointment in her eyes. I don’t want to do that again. “Yeah. I’ll text you my address.”
She bites her lip, and it’s so damn cute I have to look away. When she leaves the stage, Ryker approaches me. “You giving Star a ride home?”
“Nah, she’s going with her friend.”
“Oh.” Ryker narrows his eyes. “I was kind of hoping for a little alone time with Lola, but that’s cool.”
My gaze lingers on Star as she heads over to her friend. I’m looking forward to tomorrow night a little too much, and it makes me wonder what the hell I’m doing.
My chest tightens when I notice the time. Star will be here any minute and the place is a disaster. It’s pretty obvious that this is a bachelor pad. I snatch a couple of empty soda cans off the coffee table. When I race into the kitchen to throw them away, I bump into Tate.
“Whoa, what’s going on out here?” He cocks his eyebrow like he’s impressed. “You cleaning?”
“Just picking up. Star’s coming over to write lyrics with me.”
“You invited the new girl in your band over here to write with you?” His eyes widen.
“Yes.” I sigh exasperated.
“Are you serious? Wow, I’ve got to meet this girl.”
I straighten the rock n’ roll magazines on the end table. “It’s not that big of a deal.”
“Oh, I beg to differ, bro. You hate writing with other people and you’ve never invited a girl up here for an y activity that doesn’t take place inside your bedroom.”
“That’s not true,” I scoff.
“It isn’t? Name one then?”
I rack my brain for a second and then realize that he’s right. Shame fills me.
“See? What did I say?” Tate grins. “This girl must be something.”
“It’s not like that, Tate. She’s just a girl in my band. We’re working on songs. That’s it.”
“Sure.” He nods slowly, that stupid grin still on his face.
A knock on the door interrupts us, and my heart stops.
“You gonna answer that, bro?” Tate flashes me a bemused smile.
I point at Tate. “Look, Star isn’t like the girls I normally bring around, so be on your best behavior.”
“Man, you really like this chick.”
I glare at him. “And don’t say things like that.”
He throws his hands up in surrender. “Okay, okay. I won’t say anything stupid. Now answer the door.”
I swing it open. Star stands in the hallway, a notebook pressed to her chest. She’s wearing jeans and a t-shirt, and her hair is pulled back in a messy bun. A few strands have already fallen out
“What a rush,” Star says the minute our final set is over. Her face is flushed, her eyes bright. She runs a hand through her hair and walks toward me. “Do you ever get used to it?”
I grin. “It never gets old, if that’s what you’re asking.” Clattering sounds behind us as the guys put away their equipment.
Star glances around. “Do you need help with anything?”
I want to tell her yes to keep her up here with me, but I look down and see the girl she’s always with sitting at a table near the stage. “Nah, it’s okay. Go hang out with your friend. You’re done for the night.”
She looks a little disappointed, which surprises me. I assumed she wanted an out. “Are n’t you taking me home?” The vulnerable expression on her face causes my stomach to twist.
“Can’t your friend take you? Ryker said she’s your roommate.”
Her face falls. “Um…yeah, I’m sure she can.” Star fidgets with her bracelets. “I just thought…well, never mind.”
“What?” I stop her. “What did you think?”
She shakes her head. “Nothing. It’s fine. We still on for tomorrow?”
I know I should say no, but it kills me to see the disappointment in her eyes. I don’t want to do that again. “Yeah. I’ll text you my address.”
She bites her lip, and it’s so damn cute I have to look away. When she leaves the stage, Ryker approaches me. “You giving Star a ride home?”
“Nah, she’s going with her friend.”
“Oh.” Ryker narrows his eyes. “I was kind of hoping for a little alone time with Lola, but that’s cool.”
My gaze lingers on Star as she heads over to her friend. I’m looking forward to tomorrow night a little too much, and it makes me wonder what the hell I’m doing.
My chest tightens when I notice the time. Star will be here any minute and the place is a disaster. It’s pretty obvious that this is a bachelor pad. I snatch a couple of empty soda cans off the coffee table. When I race into the kitchen to throw them away, I bump into Tate.
“Whoa, what’s going on out here?” He cocks his eyebrow like he’s impressed. “You cleaning?”
“Just picking up. Star’s coming over to write lyrics with me.”
“You invited the new girl in your band over here to write with you?” His eyes widen.
“Yes.” I sigh exasperated.
“Are you serious? Wow, I’ve got to meet this girl.”
I straighten the rock n’ roll magazines on the end table. “It’s not that big of a deal.”
“Oh, I beg to differ, bro. You hate writing with other people and you’ve never invited a girl up here for an y activity that doesn’t take place inside your bedroom.”
“That’s not true,” I scoff.
“It isn’t? Name one then?”
I rack my brain for a second and then realize that he’s right. Shame fills me.
“See? What did I say?” Tate grins. “This girl must be something.”
“It’s not like that, Tate. She’s just a girl in my band. We’re working on songs. That’s it.”
“Sure.” He nods slowly, that stupid grin still on his face.
A knock on the door interrupts us, and my heart stops.
“You gonna answer that, bro?” Tate flashes me a bemused smile.
I point at Tate. “Look, Star isn’t like the girls I normally bring around, so be on your best behavior.”
“Man, you really like this chick.”
I glare at him. “And don’t say things like that.”
He throws his hands up in surrender. “Okay, okay. I won’t say anything stupid. Now answer the door.”
I swing it open. Star stands in the hallway, a notebook pressed to her chest. She’s wearing jeans and a t-shirt, and her hair is pulled back in a messy bun. A few strands have already fallen out
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