Snared(30)

“She’s gorgeous and is from an affluent family. She’s got an important job. She’s successful. I’m . . .”

“One of the best drummers in all of rock music? Successful? What does she have that you don’t?”

“She’s so . . . pure. I’m . . . not. I’m not the kind of guy you take home to your parents. I’m the type of guy you hide from your parents because they would never approve.” I flipped the visor down and regarding my reflection, trying to understand what she might see in me.

“Because you have tattoos and piercings?”

Because of who and what they represent. “Because of who I am, Johnny. Inside, outside, the whole package. I’m not good enough for someone like her.”

“I’m not sure she would agree.”

“It doesn’t matter, anyway,” I said, flipping the visor closed and leaning back against the seat. Visions of April’s beautiful face watching me across the restaurant filled my memory. “I don’t want her.”





April

“LET’S SET UP the visit to the group home the day after the Orlando concert,” Natalie said. “Does that work?”

I clicked the email icon on my computer and brought up the contact information for Trent, the director of the group home’s, contact info. “I’ll verify it with them, but it should be okay. We’ll do promo pics and have them play a few things with the kids.”

“Sounds great. Just as a warning, Bex hates the thought of Jaded Regret getting promo for things like this, so let’s not focus on the band as much as we concentrate on the band wanting others to realize how many kids are in need of homes in our state and our country.”

My heart soared. “Got it. Thanks again, girl.”

“Heard you saw Beau and Johnny the other day.” Natalie laughed. “Talk about good promo. Good Lord, they were trending on Twitter for days after that. People posted videos and pictures all over.”

I thought back to my hand on Beau’s and the look in his eyes when I’d said something about kids like him. I’d been so stupid to say that. I hadn’t meant it the way it had come out, but of course, I had to stick my damn foot in my mouth. We hadn’t even gotten to say one more word to each other after that. All I’d been trying to do was get him to open up to me. I was so stupid to think he’d trust me enough to tell me something so personal.

The way he stared at me as if he could see straight inside me was unnerving. He was the most serious person I’d ever met. The most I ever saw from him was a small smirk, almost like he refused to let himself be happy enough to smile. The only time I’d seen him somewhat happy was around Bex’s kids. When our eyes locked, it was an experience like I’d never had in my life.

And he wanted nothing to do with me.

“April?” I realized Natalie had been talking, and I was daydreaming.

“Yeah, I saw them. It was quite a scene after they were found out. I had to go back to work, so I didn’t get to see all of it.”

“You like Beau,” Natalie said, shocking me into silence. We’d become friends. Dare I say, good friends, in the weeks since we’d met. We talked almost every day, and most of the time it was no longer about the band. But I’d been terrified to speak to her about her brother for fear I’d jinx any chance I might have at getting through to him.

“He’s a great guy.”

Natalie laughed. “I think he is, yes, but you haven’t seen that side of him. You’ve tried, but he’s not opening up. How close am I?”

I blew out a breath. “Hit the nail on the damn head.”

“Why didn’t you talk to me about it before now? I could tell the night we met you that you were into him.”

“I didn’t want you to think I was just talking to you to get information on your brother.”

“I’m a good judge of character. I knew you weren’t a groupie just trying to get him into bed. Even if you were, you’d be barking up the wrong tree.”

“He doesn’t sleep around.”

Natalie coughed. “As much as I don’t want to think about my baby brother and doing that at all, no. He’s only had one girlfriend his whole life, if you want to call her that. I still don’t know what happened there, but he isn’t into being with anyone. Not for lack of them trying, of course.”

“He doesn’t like me anyway,” I said, fidgeting with my necklace as we spoke. My stomach felt like I’d swallowed a couple rocks with my lunchtime salad.

“April, let me tell you something about my brother. You know he’s serious. There are reasons for that, reasons I can’t get into because it isn’t my story to tell. However, I watched my brother around you both times we saw you. His eyes never left you, no matter where you went. I’ve never seen him do that to anyone. Anyone.”