I stand up, too. “Oregon awaits.”

  37

  KNOX

  “Congratulations!” Jordan says as she raises a glass of what I assume isn’t just orange juice. “You guys get a day off.”

  No one questions it. I raise my juice while Jonah, Bronson, Addison, and Katrina do the same.

  “Sweet,” I say.

  “Be sure to get some rest on the way to Portland,” she adds. “It’ll take about eleven hours to get up there, so there will be plenty of time to relax. The evening is yours, but don’t get too wild. We need to get in some practice time tomorrow… seeing as how we now have an extra song in our set that we haven’t played in a few years.”

  “I thought we did well enough with it last night,” Addison says.

  “It was fine. Sloppy, but fine,” Jordan says, just being honest.

  Katrina frowns. “My muscle memory pulled through in the end, but I missed a cue. Or two,” she admits.

  “All right,” I say as a touch of pink catching my eye across the hotel restaurant. Harmony walks through the door, her gaze quickly finding us as she stops by the hostess, who promptly lets her through. “We’ll put in some extra practice…”

  Jonah follows my eye silently.

  I stand up as Harmony approaches the table, instinctively opening my hands to her. “Hey,” I say.

  She smiles and takes my hands. We let them entwine between us comfortably. “Hey,” she says. “Good morning.”

  “Good morning, Harmony!” Jordan says. “Join us for breakfast? The mimosas are delicious.”

  “Yeah,” Addison chuckles at Jordan, “be sure to eat something with that mimosa, too, eh?”

  Jordan snorts. It’s her day off, too.

  “Oh. No, thank you,” Harmony says. “I just wanted to swing by and say hi before heading out. Chrissy has some family in the Portland area and wants to meet up with them for dinner tonight, so we’re leaving a little early.”

  I smile, my heart pulsing slightly. She’s standing tall and getting on her bus. Good girl.

  “Drive safe,” I say.

  She smiles back, her cheeks as pleasantly pink as her lips. “We will.” She releases my hands and turns to address the table. “I also… I already spoke with Harvey, but I wanted to apologize for last night to you all as well,” she says. “I was supposed to perform with Harvey, but I had to cancel at the last minute for a family matter.”

  “Is your mother okay?” Katrina asks.

  “Yeah. She’s fine,” Harmony says. “It was just… well, it’s a long story, but it was unprofessional of me and I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

  Addison offers a friendly shrug. “It’s all right,” she says. “Shit happens.”

  The rest of them nod in agreement.

  “Thank you,” Harmony says before turning back to me. “Well, I’ll see you in Portland.”

  I nod. “See you in Portland.”

  She pushes up to kiss my cheek, the edge of her mouth playfully grazing mine.

  We let go. She leaves, walking out of the restaurant the way she came.

  “Wow,” Addison says as I sit down.

  “What?” I ask.

  “You guys almost made that look real.”

  “Yeah,” Jonah says, glaring at me. “Almost.”

  I sit back casually as my stomach clenches deep down. “Well, we’re getting used to each other again.”

  Katrina leans forward. “Is her mom really okay?” she asks me.

  “She’s… Harmony’s mom,” I answer vaguely. “Now more than ever.”

  My sister nods, understanding. “That was really mature of her,” she says. “She’s come a long way.”

  “Yeah,” I say. “She’s doing all right.”

  I dodge Jonah’s prying eyes as I finish my juice.

  There is no Botsford Plaza Hotel in Portland, Oregon.

  Not that we mind. Luxury is great and all, but going on the road is all about being among the people and one of our favorite places to do that is the Lamplight Hotel in Portland.

  It’s a quirky place. A bit on the small side but surrounded by local dives that make the nightlife here as fun as anywhere else.

  We arrive in the evening, just in time to see the last rays of the sun disappear. Sluggishly, we check into our rooms, collectively deciding to do our own things for dinner after spending nearly twelve hours together on a bus. Typical band on tour behavior.

  Once I’m alone, I search for Harmony.

  I don’t have to look for very long.

  There’s a small family gathered at the back of the lobby near the doors to the courtyard; two smaller girls in little pink bathing suits and their parents with their phones excitedly pointed at them.

  Kneeling between the girls is Harmony, her smile as wide and genuine as theirs.

  “Thank you so much!” the mother says after they snap a few photos, their day thoroughly made.

  Harmony gives the girls a hug and rises, politely insisting she was happy to do it. It’s not a lie, either. Harmony only has so many smiles, and this one is bright and pure. They made her day far more than she made theirs, that’s for sure.

  I get it, though. I’ve met a lot of fans, but it’s rare to meet ones so young. I guess that’s one thing bubblegum pop has over rock.

  The family leaves. Harmony watches them go, her smile dug in so deep, before making her way toward the elevators. When she finally notices me, it slips a little, and she looks at the floor, clearly embarrassed.

  “That… was adorable,” I say, following her.

  “Shut up.”

  “What? It was.”

  “The pretty little pop princess and her teenybopper fans,” she teases as she taps the elevator call button. “Right?”

  “No,” I say, then… “Okay, yeah. That’s exactly what I was thinking, but it looks good on you!”

  She rolls her eyes as the doors open. “Sure.”

  “No, really. You…” We step onto the empty lift together and I smile. “You looked really happy just now. It was nice.”

  Harmony presses her lips together. She looks away again, her cheeks blushing in that adorable way that always makes me grin like an idiot.

  The doors close, and we begin the brief climb to the third floor.

  “Have dinner with me,” I say.

  She blinks, looking genuinely shocked. “Excuse me?”

  “Have dinner with me.”

  “Uh…” A moment of quiet, then she chuckles.

  “What?” I ask.

  “I’m just a little weirded out.”

  “Why?”

  “In all the time we spent together, I don’t think you ever asked me to dinner.”

  “What? That can’t be true.”

  “It’s very true.”

  “I asked you to dinner, like… every night.”

  “Come up to my room, I just ordered a pizza was not asking me out to dinner.”

  The elevator stops on the third floor and we step off.

  “Well, fine,” I say, letting her lead the way toward her room. “Have dinner with me tonight, then.”

  “Knox,” she says, nervously.

  “What? What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. I just thought we said we were going to take this slow.”

  “What’s slower than a nice dinner in a nice restaurant? Mm?” I study her eyes. What I can see of them, anyway. “What’s up?”

  Harmony hesitates, her lips still curled, as she stops in front of her door. “Are we going alone?”

  “Yeah. It’s the band’s night off, so we’re doing solo things. Why?”

  “I think other people might have something to say about it, that’s all.”

  “Like who?”

  “Like… your sister.”

  I frown. “Did Kat say something to you?”

  “No. Not exactly. But she is concerned about you. And us. And I can’t say she’s wrong to worry.”

  “We don’t need a chaperone to go to dinner,” I say, drifting in close. “And it’s not like we had eyes on us last night. We behaved!”

  She arches a brow.

  “Sort of,” I add.

  Harmony blushes, the last of her resolve crumbling under my voice. “Fine. Fuck it.” She looks up at me. “Sure. Let’s do it. Let’s have dinner.”

  I stay close, unable to pull away just yet. Her scent lingers in my nostrils. Her voice echoes in my ears. She doesn’t pull away, either, her eyes big and expectant.

  I kiss her. A small kiss. Just a tease.

  Harmony smiles. “No cameras here,” she says.

  “I don’t care,” I say. “I just really wanted to do that.”

  Harmony takes a step back into her room. “I’m going to go get ready,” she says. “Come get me in an hour?”

  I nod. “I’ll be here.”

  She closes the door slowly, her eyes playfully peeking out the whole time until it finally latches.

  I bite my bottom lip as a warm sensation fills my chest. A dangerous sensation, sure, but a warm one.

  I turn to head toward my room down the hall and startle at Bronson’s imposing shape hovering outside his door across from mine.

  “Jesus,” I say, reaching for my key. “How long have you been standing there?”

  Bronson clears his throat and smirks. “Boom boom,” he simply says before disappearing into his room.

  Well, he has a point.

  38

  HARMONY

  Iam over-dressed.

  Or am I under-dressed?

  Knox gave no hint where exactly we’re going for dinner, nor do I have any historical data to pull from, but I figure a simple sundress and a denim jacket would be enough — at least for anywhere within walking distance of the Lamplight.

  As I lean closer to the bathroom mirror with a mascara brush in hand, my phone vibrates on the counter. Peeking down, I nearly stab myself in the eye as I read Mama on the notification.

  Mama

  Hey, honey! No signal in paradise! Will catch up sooner or later!

  She sent a photo, too. It’s of her standing on a beach bathed in moonlight, obviously taken by her wonderful new rich and powerful hubby.

  I set the mascara brush down while my heart squeezes too tightly. It pounds achingly in my ears so loudly I almost don’t even hear the knock on the door across the room.

  I stride over and answer it.

  Knox stands in the hallway. My heart performs another tight squeeze; an insanely different type of squeeze. He looks me over with a devious smile while I do the same, taking in his outfit. No leather jacket tonight.

  Damn, he’s serious about this date, then.

  It’s not that uncommon to see Knox in a casual suit, his costume for many a live show, but it is strange to see him sporting a tie along with it.

  “Under-dressed,” I say definitively.

  “Hm?” he asks, looking at himself. “Me?”

  “Not you. Me.”

  “You?” His eyes ride downward again. “Nah.”

  I step back, peeling off my jacket as I beeline for my suitcase. “Give me a second,” I say. “I can class this up.”

  “You don’t have to,” Knox says as he steps in and closes the door behind him.

  “Where are we going?” I ask as I rifle through my things in search of something more stylish to wrap myself in.

  “Harmony, it’s fine. You’re beautiful.”

  “Where are we going?” I ask again, not listening.

  “Harmony.”

  He snaps his fingers twice in my eyeline, forcing me to look at him.

  “What?” I ask.

  “You look beautiful,” he says, making sure I hear it this time. “You don’t have to change.”

  “But where are we going?”

  “Some super casual Italian place down the street called Larry’s.”

  “An Italian place called Larry’s?” I repeat.

  He shrugs. “It’s got good reviews. What’s wrong with you?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Harmony…” He squints his pretty eyes. “What’s up?”

  I release a heavy sigh before walking back into the bathroom for my phone. I hand it over, showing him the message and photo.

  “Ah,” Knox says. “Baba Yaga strikes again.”

  “She’s having a great time,” I say. “I’m happy for her.”

  He snorts. Admittedly, even I didn’t buy that.

  “This is what she’s always wanted,” I say.

  “Still. It’s no excuse for breaking a promise.”

  “Technically, she never promised to come to the show.”

  “When a parent says they’ll be somewhere to support their kid, that’s a promise,” he says. “Stop making excuses for her.”

  I shrug. “So, Larry’s?”

  Knox pauses. “Actually, let’s stay in,” he says. “We’ll order something up.”

  “No, I want to go.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes,” I say. “The last thing I want to do is sit around and mope. No, tonight I want to go out on a super normal date and eat questionable Italian food made by some guy named Larry and not think about this… stuff.”

  Knox nods. “Okay. But will you do me a favor first?”

  “What?”

  He cups my face, taking me by surprise as he pulls me in for a kiss. I breathe in his warmth, his comfort. A spark kindles deep within me, and for a second I think about taking him up on his offer to stay in. If I do that, something bad will happen.

  Wouldn’t want that.

  “Relax,” Knox whispers, his lips still so close.

  I take another deep breath, letting it expand my lungs. “Relax,” I repeat, amused. “Totally possible now.”

  He chuckles before leaving a peck on the tip of my nose. “And put the jean jacket back on,” he says as he releases me. “It’s cute.”

  “It clashes with your tie.”

  Knox pinches the knot and slides it free. He tosses the tie on the bed, his collar ruffled from the movement. “Better?”

  “Much.” I reach out and fix it. “Thank you.”

  “More rock and roll without it?” he asks with a teasing smile.

  “So much more,” I say, returning the grin.

  Knox grabs the denim jacket and holds it up. I turn around, sliding my arms into it, and he pushes it up over my shoulders.

  “Beautiful.” His hands linger on my shoulders as I turn to face him. “Very beautiful,” he whispers.

  “Stop that.”

  “Stop what?”

  “You’re being charming again.”

  “If I could turn it off, I would.”

  I try to scold him, but my smile cuts too deep.

  I’m not sure why I ever thought I could have a normal date night out with a rock god.

  We were recognized within a minute of us stepping outside the hotel. A group of teens rushed up as we walked by a park, asking for selfies. We happily obliged as passing cars honked excitedly on the street. One rolled down their windows to show that they were blasting Boom Boom at that very moment.

  Knox rolls his eyes.

  “What?” I ask accusingly.

  “People really love that song.”

  “You sound surprised.”

  He shakes his head, but says nothing more.

  By the time we reach Larry’s Fine Italian, my cheeks hurt from all the smiles. As we head inside, I see my worries from before were unfounded. The two of us fit in just fine among the locals. Just two normal people on a date night in Portland, Oregon. Nothing to see here.

  “Holy shit! I mean—” The hostess auto-corrects, swallowing her gasp as we approach her podium. “Welcome to Larry’s!” she says, her voice shaking. “Table for two?”

  “Yes, please,” Knox says.

  “Okay.” She grabs two menus with shaking hands. “Right this way, please.”

  He and I exchange another smile as we follow her toward the back of the restaurant. It’s a small place with about fifteen tables total, each sporting red and white checkerboard tablecloths. The lights are dim, but not too dim, and every table has a thick white pillar candle in the centerpieces. It’s a pleasant atmosphere, quiet and romantic.

  I smile at Knox, happy he found this place.

  The hostess leads us to a secluded table in the corner, the surrounding tables empty for the moment. “Your server will be right with you,” she says, her voice more focused now, though she avoids eye contact at all costs.

  “Thank you,” I say.

  Knox rounds the table quickly and pulls out my chair for me.

  I chuckle as I sit. “You really can’t turn off that charm, can you?”

  “Nope,” he answers as he sits down across from me.

  A server enters from the kitchen, his jaw dropping as he makes eye contact with Knox. Obviously, his co-workers didn’t warn him beforehand. His surprised eyes bounce between us, his grin stretching wide before he reaches our table.

  “Good evening, folks!” he says. “My name is Bobby. I’ll be your server tonight. First time at Larry’s?”

  “How’d you guess?” Knox jokes.

  Bobby laughs. “Well, we’ve got some great specials tonight. Can’t recommend the salmon enough, but we also have half-off ziti until nine.”

  “What happens to it after nine?” I ask.

  “It gets too embarrassed and covers itself up.”

  I grin. What an adorable man.

  “I’d like to scan the menu for a minute,” Knox says, “but we’ll start with your finest bottle of wine.”

  “Red or white?” Bobby asks.

  “Surprise us,” Knox dares, his eyes full of mirth.

  “Will do, sir.”

  Bobby leaves with a subtle bow.

  “Okay,” I say as soon as he’s out of earshot. “I love this.”

  “It’s definitely amazing,” Knox says, glancing around.

  “I haven’t been to a place like this in so long.”

  He chuckles. “I’ve never been to a place like this.”

  I meet his eyes. “Thank you.”

  “For what?” he asks, an obvious challenge.

  “For tonight,” I say. “For last night, too. You… you don’t have to be so nice to me. I’m not sure I deserve it.”