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  Gabe tilted his head to one side and the light caught his eyes. It was like the sunlight casting a ray of sunshine across the clouds. “I don’t know. Is it?”

  Before I could make sense of his response, he threaded his fingers through mine and tugged me away from the group.

  “Hey Drumsticks, get back here!”

  It was too late and he pulled me further backstage to where it was dark and the air felt stuffy. My eyes took a moment to adjust before I realized we were standing next to a grand piano.

  Gabe dropped my hand and his palms came up to cup my elbows. “So can you?”

  “Huh?” I couldn’t comprehend the situation. I was vaguely aware the rest of the group had followed us and were listening to our conversation, but I was too entranced. The light filtering through the gap in the curtains was continually changing the color of his eyes and I’d never considered the skin on my elbows sensitive before now . . .

  “Can you play the song?”

  “Oh. Yes, I think so.”

  “From beginning to end?”

  “What now?”

  “Tonight.”

  I blinked a few times because none of this seemed to be making sense. “You want me to play piano tonight. For everyone?”

  “Only if you want to. Johnnie will sing and then we’ll wheel the piano onstage during the instrumental and that will be your big entrance. You can sing backing vocals too if you want.”

  “I . . .” I glanced at the piano.

  “Too much?”

  “No, I’m just surprised.”

  “A good surprise though, right?”

  I sucked in my breath. It was the first time I’d seen him smile—in person, anyway. I’d seen all the publicity shots. OK, I may have studied a few of them quite closely. But this was completely different. In person, his smile was less manufactured, as it should be, but it was more than that. This smile was just for me.

  I was more dumbstruck than I cared to admit so I slipped from his grasp and went to stand by the piano. I closed my eyes and hummed the melody softly to myself. My eyes flew open as a deeper voice floated then merged with mine, the way a feather might catch the breeze.

  I’d never heard Gabe sing solo before. He regularly sang backing vocals and harmonies to support Johnnie, but right now I wanted nothing more than for him to sing for me. The need was so deep it was an ache.

  Instead, I sat on the piano stool and softly played the chorus. One, two, three, four. Four chords. Don’t. Stop. Me. Now.

  And I didn’t want to. I began playing from the beginning, slowly, so the tune sounded labored. It was both a warm up and an act of memory.

  When I got to the chorus, I paused and looked up from the keys. “How did you know?” I asked for the second time.

  He tapped out the rhythm of the chorus on the edge of the piano before responding. “It was the look in your eyes on that video when you played those chords. I recognized that look.”

  I could still remember sitting next to my dad at his old beat-up upright piano like it was yesterday. The familiar smell of him sitting so close. That mixture of old spice and mint, which always reminded me of toothpaste, and the aroma of wood and leather from the piano. I remembered the way my fingers struggled to hit the right notes, but when they did the sense of achievement at it all coming together was heady. Had that old, poor quality YouTube video floating around the internet really captured all that?

  “How did I look?” I didn’t hide the curiosity from my voice. I’d seen the video but it was hard to see yourself through the eyes of others.

  “Same way I did when I picked up a pair of drumsticks. Like you’d discovered a whole new world.”

  Chapter 5

  Everything happened quickly after that. We started rehearsing the song together and Gabe sang along with me for the first chorus until Johnnie shoved him out of the way and took over. It was all very amicable but I couldn’t help one last gaze in Gabe’s direction before he walked away.

  Oh my goodness. His voice. It was like liquid gold, all warm and smooth, and I could feel the deep bass of it to my core. Why on earth didn’t he do more with that voice?

  I didn’t have time to contemplate it further because being around Johnnie was like being subjected to the pull of a magnet. I had a great time running through the song with him and figuring out some harmonies. He really was a tease but I could see why everyone loved him. He made the whole thing so much fun and I didn’t think he had an ounce of self-consciousness in his entire body.

  Then the guys were onstage and I was sitting at the piano, hidden by the long black curtain, and we were ready to go. I heard a ripple of excitement go through the crowd. A few people called out Johnnie’s name while others cheered and clapped.

  I saw Johnnie give them a seductive smile and the sense of anticipation heightened, the crowd growing louder and more demanding.

  Oh wow. He was flirting with my guests and they were enjoying it. He strutted around the stage like a panther and it occurred to me the crowd were his prey. His dark eyes flashed in my direction and there was no hint of the tease now. His expression was one hundred per cent business and that was my cue.

  My fingers flew across the keys with the same sense of business. My body was buzzing with adrenaline but it only spurred me on and made me more determined to make this a great performance.

  There was a startled pause when the audience realized we weren’t playing a Gypsy Hour song. Then, when they recognized the melody, a roar broke out.

  I grinned to myself. This was definitely the perfect song to start the night. I glanced over at Gabe. He was sitting behind the drums quietly waiting for his cue to start playing.

  At the end of the second verse we all sang the backing vocals, don’t stop me now. Gabe’s eyes locked onto mine, knowing and calm. It was the exact opposite of how I felt. My heart was beating an unfamiliar rhythm and I almost messed up the tune.

  The rest of the band started playing and it jolted me back to reality. After that I focused on Johnnie prancing around the stage and I was grinning again. A mad, crazy grin because this was seriously the best fun I’d had in forever and Johnnie was such an attention seeker.

  Before I knew it, the guitars stopped playing and it was just Johnnie’s vocals and the drums echoing around Mama’s estate. I gripped the edge of the piano seat as the platform I was sitting on started moving and I was wheeled out onto the stage.

  For a moment all I could see were the painfully bright stage lights, and the cheers from the crowd filled my ears like a roll of thunder. We were singing in unison, don’t stop me, while Johnnie circled the piano as I made my big entrance.

  He flashed the wickedest of grins and exclaimed “I like it!” The crowd roared again and my fingers somehow found the right keys while Levi’s guitar solo rang out into the night. I heard some of my female guests squeal at Levi’s performance. The way he stroked the strings made it seem so easy and it wasn’t hard to guess what the women were thinking.

  I looked away and caught Gabe watching me again. Some part of me had sensed his eyes on me the entire time but I hadn’t let myself believe it to be true. My wide smile slipped a bit.

  Seated behind the drums it was like all his energy finally had a focus. Everything about the way he played was fluid and efficient, like he knew exactly the right amount of power to release with each beat.

  My gaze was drawn back to the front of the stage as Johnnie started crooning the final bars of the song. Now it was just me and him, singing the outro with my piano accompaniment. I saw some of my guests link arms and start swaying. The happiness that filled me was so strong, so full, that I felt ready to burst with the joy of it.

  When we were done, Johnnie came over and took my hand, helping me to step down from the piano while applause and cheers rang out into the night.

  “Hey, birthday girl!” he called out, more for the crowd than me.

  My guests continued clapping and cheering.

  “Doesn’t she look sex
y as hell tonight?” Johnnie asked them, and whistles pierced my ears.

  Johnnie’s arm slipped behind my waist and I was secretly glad for the support. I was feeling giddy with excitement and pleasure.

  “We are seriously honored to be playing tonight for Miss Chloe Kemp’s twenty-first birthday celebrations, let me tell you. Right now the birthday girl is going to come down and join you but you have to promise me something, alright?”

  The noise from the crowd dropped away as they all wanted to know what it was they could promise Johnnie Walsh, drop-dead gorgeous front man of Gypsy Hour.

  “I want you to promise me”—he said it like he was having a personal conversation and not talking to around five hundred people—“that you are going to show this beautiful young lady an absolutely amazing time tonight . . . yeah?”

  Cheers and another round of applause broke out and Johnnie raised a fist in the air.

  “Yeah! Alright! That’s what we want to hear! Now go have one hell of a night, Chloe, and we’re going to rock this party!”

  He released me and I stumbled forward as the band started playing Pacific Sun. To my relief, Faith appeared beside me and guided me toward the edge of the stage.

  “Nice performance.”

  Despite the difficulty I was having moving my feet, I met her eyes, surprised by the genuineness of her comment.

  “You rocked. And so did they.” She glanced back at the stage. “I’m beginning to think I might have me a rock star tonight if you’ve got no problem with that?”

  I giggled and it came out more hysterical than I intended.

  Faith patted my hand. “Let’s get you a drink, shall we?”

  BY THE TIME THE BAND finished two hours later, I’d had more than one drink. Actually, I had no idea how many drinks I’d had. Under normal circumstances I’d have been worried—I was a good girl, always professional and sensible. But you only turned twenty-one once, right?

  I’d danced the night away with my guests and basked in their compliments about my performance, about my dress, about what a great party it was . . . Everything about tonight was great, great, great.

  And I was quite possibly drunk, drunk, drunk.

  But who cared, right? It was my party and I just wanted to have a good time and . . .

  And to thank Gabe. I saw him disappear with the others backstage. They were done for the night.

  I grabbed Faith’s hand; she was standing next to me chatting to a friend of my mother’s. “Come on!”

  “Jesus, Chloe. What the hell?” she muttered as I dragged her away.

  “We need to thank the band!”

  I felt Faith’s resistance relent and she shook off my hand and walked beside me. “Oh, we do, do we?”

  “We do,” I replied firmly, ignoring her innuendo.

  “So you have no problem if I thank Johnnie personally?”

  I shot her a sly grin. “Thank him? You can make him your own personal rock star for all I care.”

  Faith let out a short, sharp laugh then caught my wrist. “How much have you had to drink?”

  “Who knows exactly? Two, three? Five?” I was surprised how little I cared.

  Faith’s grip tightened on my wrist. “You got protection?”

  “What? No! Far out, Faith. Just because you’ve got your eye on Johnnie doesn’t mean I’m going to do anything.” I wasn’t that drunk.

  Faith dropped my arm and shrugged. “Was just asking. In case.”

  I waved a hand around my face. “That’s very responsible of you and I appreciate you looking out for me, but as you can see, I’ve had a lot to drink and I don’t plan to . . . ” I’d been about to say lose my virginity, but thought the better of it. “Go there tonight. I’d rather be sober for that.” For my first time. I cleared my throat and kept walking.

  Faith gave me a doubtful look. “If you’re sure. Sober’s not always better.”

  “I’m sure.” I had a feeling sober would be much better with a man like Gabe, but kept my mouth firmly shut.

  We made our way into the backstage area and stood there for a moment looking around. The crew were already packing things up despite the guests still milling about outside.

  “Well, that’s disappointing,” Faith muttered. “Looks like they haven’t stuck around to party.”

  “What’s that? Party’s over? Damn shame.”

  Faith’s frown transformed into a winning smile as she turned toward Johnnie’s deep voice. “Party’s just starting, Rock Boy. You ready?”

  It was like I wasn’t even there. Johnnie closed the distance between him and Faith in a few long strides but didn’t touch her. “I’m always ready.”

  I refrained from rolling my eyes when I realized it hurt. Maybe I’d had more to drink than I thought. Six champagnes, perhaps?

  “Let’s see about that,” said Faith, not taking her eyes off him. “Where’s the rest of the band?”

  “Why?”

  “Chloe would like to say thank you.”

  Johnnie blinked like he was coming out of a trance. “Oh hey, Chloe. Did you enjoy the show?”

  I hid a smile. “Hi, Johnnie. I loved it. Especially the first song.”

  He nodded, his eyes lingering on Faith. “Hey, that’s great. The rest of the guys were just getting cleaned up after the show. My guess is they’ll be loitering in the kitchen. We always get hungry after.”

  “Oh, do you?”

  I covered a cough with my hand. Good grief, Faith was a force of nature.

  “I sure do,” Johnnie shot back smoothly.

  I shook my head but neither of them noticed because they weren’t looking at me. “Well, have fun you two. Thanks again for an awesome show Johnnie.”

  Johnnie gave me a half-hearted wave and I left them to it.

  The staff kitchen was busy when I entered. The alcohol was still flowing freely so the caterers were under instructions to keep the cocktail food coming for as long as required.

  Levi spotted me first. “Hey, Chloe! Over here. Man, this is a seriously big kitchen.”

  I felt myself sway slightly as I made my way over to the remaining three band members standing in the corner of the room. I wasn’t sure if it was on account of the alcohol or Gabe leaning against the bench beside Levi.

  Levi didn’t seem to notice. “Does it take you half an hour to make a cup of coffee in this kitchen?”

  “What? Why?” His strange question brought me back to reality.

  Levi pointed down the other end of the room. “So if you kept the mugs down that end and coffee maker is up this end, the travel time would take about half an hour. And that’s not taking into account where you store the sugar.”

  I laughed. He really was likable. “This isn’t our regular kitchen. It’s the staff kitchen we use for events like this one.”

  Levi appeared relieved. “Oh, right. This is the staff kitchen.”

  I didn’t have the heart to tell him our regular kitchen wasn’t that much smaller than this one.

  “So you grew up here?” Levi asked.

  “Since I was about seven or eight. We moved here when my parents split up.”

  “So your mom owns this? Jesus, I’d hate to see your dad’s place.”

  “Dude.” Emilio backhanded Levi’s chest. “Stop with all the questions.”

  “It’s fine,” I told them and meant it. “I guess this place is kind of huge.”

  “Kind of? It’s like a palace.”

  Emilio shook his head. “Forget about him. He’s new to all of this.”

  “How do you mean?”

  “Fame and riches,” said Emilio.

  “Huh,” I said. I guess I’d kind of forgotten that fame was still new to Gypsy Hour. The band had been together for almost a decade but had only hit it big two albums ago, which was around three years ago. I looked at Levi. “I thought you bought a place in Malibu recently?”

  “Yeah, a house, not a palace.”

  I smiled. “Yeah, my mom does have extravagant taste. And to thi
nk I’d been nervous about meeting you.” I snapped my mouth shut and my cheeks immediately grew hot. Dammit! Note to self: no more champagne until I’d had something to eat.

  Levi’s lopsided grin was disarming. “You were nervous? Hell, we were terrified.”

  “Of me?” I darted a glance at Gabe. He still hadn’t said anything and was reclined against the counter watching our exchange while one leg danced up and down.

  “You bet,” said Levi. “You’re Chloe Kemp.”

  I laughed again. “And you’re Gypsy Hour! Although I’ve got to say Johnnie didn’t seem nervous.”

  “Johnnie’s not human.” Gabe’s voice was soft against the noise of the kitchen and I couldn’t tell if it held a note of cynicism or if he was just joking.

  “Where is he anyway?” asked Levi.

  I gave Levi a sheepish look. “I left him with Faith.”

  Emilio raised a dark eyebrow. “Well, we won’t see him again tonight.”

  My cheeks felt hot again. “No, I doubt it.” I inhaled a deep breath. “Anyway, I wanted to come and thank you all personally for a fantastic night. You were awesome.”

  Gabe’s thumb thrummed out a beat onto the counter. “It was our pleasure.”

  Oh gosh. The word ‘pleasure’ coming from Gabe’s mouth was doing strange things to me. I suddenly felt so hot I wondered if it was possible to spontaneously combust.

  “So, ah, anyway, you’re more than welcome to join the party—that is if you can handle all the attention.”

  Levi and Emilio shot each other a look as if to say why not?

  “I’m up for that,” Levi said.

  “Great!” Oh wow, could I be any more overenthusiastic? It was definitely time to ease up on the bubbles. “Anyway,” I said again. “I’m just off to track down my little brother and then I’ll join you.”

  Levi and Emilio pushed away from the counter and started making their way across the kitchen.

  I cleared my throat awkwardly and tried not to look unsteady on my heels as Gabe stayed where he was, watching me.

  “What’s your little brother look like?”

  “Um, why?”