Addison nods slowly, unconvinced. “Right,” she murmurs. “You were just hanging out in her suite all night long with no shoes, no socks, your shirt unbuttoned, and your fly wide open?”

  I look down, her description of my current appearance… more than accurate.

  “Yes,” I say.

  They all glare.

  “Okay, fine,” I say, caught red-handed. “I spent the night with her. We totally banged. You happy?”

  One-by-one, I watch them react. Jordan deflates, the weight of so much potential damage control coming her way. Katrina takes a quiet breath, her eyes tinged with worry. Addison just chuckles. Bronson silently presses his lips together, just as amused.

  Jonah says nothing. He doesn’t even look at me.

  “Then you are dating again,” Katrina says.

  “No. Well…” I pause, biting my cheek. “Actually, I don’t know. Probably? The conversation hasn’t gotten that far yet.”

  “Have you guys said ‘I love you?’” Addison asks.

  I hesitate. “Well…”

  They all shift in their chairs, their faces sinking deeper into their judgments.

  “Okay. Look, guys,” I say, trying to control the room. “It’s okay! This isn’t a big deal.”

  “Not a big deal?” Katrina repeats. “Knox, she destroyed you last time.”

  “Hey, I wasn’t that great for her, either,” I say, ready to own up to it now. “Last time was… two stupid kids jumping into something they didn’t fully understand.”

  “And this time isn’t?”

  “No,” I say. “It’s not. It’s different this time.”

  “That’s what they always say,” Addison mutters.

  “Yeah, and I’m saying it now.” I look at all of them again, but Jonah still doesn’t meet my eyes. “It’s different this time. We’re different this time. We made mistakes before⁠—”

  “Understatement,” Katrina says.

  “And we know how to avoid them now,” I say. “I mean… guys, we went on a date last night.”

  I pause for effect. They’re slow to react, their eyes merely narrowing in confusion. Except Jonah’s. He gets it.

  “We never did that before,” I say in their silence. “We… I didn’t treat her right before, but I’m ready now. Last night was important to me. And I’d appreciate it if you guys could get on board with this.”

  Addison scoffs. “No.”

  “Well, then, chill the fuck out a little,” I say. “And, hey! Since we’re really back together now, you don’t have to lie about it anymore. Eh? No more publicity stunt! We’ve got our integrity back. Hm? That’s a positive, right?”

  Bronson nods, happy with it. Jordan seems relieved to hear it as well.

  Addison shrugs. “I don’t really care what you do as long as you show up for shows,” she says.

  I nearly flinch. The blow, admittedly, hit its mark. “That’s fair,” I say. “And I will. You have my word.”

  She nods, satisfied. For now.

  That leaves two.

  “Kat? Jo?” I say, their silences heavy.

  After a moment, Katrina sighs. “Are you sure she’s not talking to Logan Shock?” she asks again.

  “Yes,” I answer. “She was with me all night, and she never once touched her phone.”

  “And before the date?” she asks. “How about then?”

  “She didn’t know where we were going until I told her,” I say, thinking back over the night. “And… okay, she was alone for an hour before I picked her up. But she didn’t tell him anything. She wouldn’t have.”

  Katrina exhales hard. “I hope you’re right.”

  “I am.” I look at Jonah. He’s looking at me now, his eyes full of concern. “What’s on your mind, Jo?”

  “Are you hearing music?” he asks pointedly.

  My gut clenches. “No,” I say. “I’m not.”

  He nods once, then clears his throat. “Then do whatever you’re going to do. If this is happening, then it’s happening. Not much we can do about it.”

  I recoil. “Come on, Jonah.”

  “If we asked you to break it off, would you do it?” he asks.

  I let the question simmer for a second, but the answer is obvious. “No,” I say. “I wouldn’t.”

  “Then that’s that.” Jonah stands up and looks at Jordan. “We have rehearsal today, right?”

  “Uh, yeah,” she says, quickly glancing at her clipboard on the table beside her as if she didn’t have it totally memorized. “We’ll bus over in an hour.”

  He nods and walks toward the door.

  “Hey, Jonah,” I say. “You had something to play for me, didn’t you?”

  “Maybe some other time,” he says, barely turning back.

  “Jo…”

  He leaves. The others slowly follow, each promising to be on the bus in various ways.

  Once we’re alone, Jordan exhales hard. “Knox.”

  “Jordan,” I say.

  She holds up her hands. “I’m not gonna lecture you,” she says. “Lord knows I know fuck-all about nurturing healthy personal relationships. But I do know what’s going on with Harmony.”

  “You do?”

  “I’m in charge of backstage passes.” She shrugs. “That, and Chrissy filled in some blanks, so… Yeah, I know.”

  “She’s devastated,” I say.

  “I would be, too,” Jordan says. “Heck, I was. I lost count of all the things my dad didn’t show up for back in the day.”

  I nod. “Parents suck.”

  “It’s a theme around here. Harmony is…” Jordan pauses, choosing her words. “She’s lucky to have someone to lean on when her mother’s not there. And if this time really is as different as you say, then you can be really great for her. I’ve seen the good things your heart can do.”

  “Damn.” I blink, touched by her words. “Thanks, Jordan.”

  “But…”

  I laugh. “You couldn’t just leave it there, huh?”

  Jordan exhales as a little authority returns to her spine. “Knox, normally I wouldn’t have an issue with this. What you guys do with your private time is your business, but when you mix it up with people on tour with you…”

  “I know,” I say.

  “We have these rules for a reason.”

  “I know.”

  “If I were to go by the book here, you two either have to break up or she has to leave the tour.”

  “I know.”

  “So…” Jordan turns up her hands. “How would you like us to proceed?”

  I review my options, and I hate both of them. Well, I like Door Number Two more than Door Number One. It’s tempting to boot her off the tour, to kneecap Harmonymania before it truly begins, but Harmony would never forgive me for that. I’d lose her. Again.

  “I don’t know,” I say. “Thinking I might break the rules on this one.”

  “Yeah,” Jordan says with a sigh. “I probably would, too.”

  I smile. I knew I always liked Jordan.

  “But if you fuck up this tour, Knox, I swear to god…”

  “I’ll take full responsibility,” I say.

  “Damn right you will.”

  I give her a salute. “Good talk, Jordan. I’ll be on the bus in an hour,” I say.

  “Fifty minutes!” she shouts as I close the door behind me.

  I creep down the hall, not really wanting to get anywhere too quickly. My thoughts move just as slowly. I hate letting my band down. I especially hate letting my little sister down. And I really didn’t like Jonah’s eyes during that conversation, either.

  But I can’t help how I feel about Harmony.

  I can’t help the butterflies that attack my insides at the mere glance of her.

  I can’t help the tickle I feel deep inside when I hear her voice.

  And let’s not forget the music. The muse at play.

  My phone vibrates in my pocket. I check it outside my door and read a brand spankin’ new text from Paul Monroe.

  Asshole

  Not sure where you’re going with this, but I’m willing to be surprised!

  He helpfully includes a link to the latest Gossipa article about our dinner date last night for context.

  My thumbs get to work.

  WHY THE FUCK WEREN’T YOU GUYS AT THE SAN FRAN SHOW YOU UGLY SON OF A

  I stop myself, deleting it all before I accidentally send it. Telling him off would feel good for a minute, but it’ll only complicate things. This situation is already a little too complicated for my liking.

  I ignore the text, dropping my phone back into my pocket as I quicken my stride back to Harmony’s room.

  44

  HARMONY

  My pen barely stays within the college-ruled bounds of my notebook. I write without stopping, without thought, desperate to get the words out now before they disappear forever.

  They came to me this morning, before I even woke up. A dream, perhaps. But somehow more vivid. It lingered in me even after I woke up. Strange. Unusual. But very welcome.

  An expected knock on the door jolts me out of the trance. I stand up, shaking out the cramp in my wrist as I walk to answer it.

  The sight of Knox standing in the hall sends a flutter through the base of my neck, reminding me of the dream. “Hey,” I say.

  He sighs. “Hi.”

  “Oh, no.” I step to the side to let him in. “I take it the band meeting didn’t go well?”

  “No, it went…” Knox shuffles inside and I close the door behind us. “Well, it went.”

  I hug him, comforting myself as much as him. “What did they say?” I ask.

  “They’re… concerned,” he says, his hands lingering on my arms as he looks at me. “Their memories work just as much as ours do.”

  I nod. “Right.”

  “But they’re open to it!”

  “Yeah?”

  “Kinda. They don’t like lying to people.”

  “I don’t either.”

  “If we’re really together, then they don’t have to do that.”

  “That’s good.”

  “Are you talking to Logan Shock behind our backs?”

  I lean away. “Excuse me?”

  Knox doesn’t let go, his eyes fixed on mine. “Are you?”

  “No,” I answer. “Of course not, Knox.”

  “Then how did he know where we were last night?”

  “Because he’s following us?” I say. “He checked our mentions on social media? He hired a private investigator? Who knows?”

  “Why would he do that?”

  “Why would I be talking to him behind your back?”

  “Because…” Knox pauses. His grip loosens on my shoulders and he looks down.

  He doesn’t have to say it. It’s written all over his face.

  “Knox,” I say. “I’m not going to leave you for Logan Shock.”

  He looks up, his breath held in tight. “I know…” he says, looking away.

  “Knox.” I cup his face. I nearly laugh, the idea itself ridiculous. “You’re number one.”

  “For now,” he says. “Only a matter a time before they outplay us.”

  “I’m not talking about the charts,” I say, smiling. “I’m talking about you and me.” I lean in closer. “Logan Shock means nothing to me.”

  He cracks a smile. “Yeah?”

  “And hey…” I curl my arms around his neck. “Don’t forget who kept my bed warm last night.”

  “Me.” He chuckles. “That was me. I did that.”

  “That’s right.” I kiss him, delighting in the way his lips curl with mine. “I’m not talking to Logan Shock, Knox.”

  “I know,” he says. “The others, though…”

  “I have my work cut out for me in convincing them still.”

  “We’ll get you there.”

  “You think so?”

  Knox kisses my forehead. “We have to,” he says. “Because I’m not giving you up so easily this time.”

  I raise a brow. “Last time was you giving up easily?”

  “Shut up.”

  “Mama had you arrested.”

  “Shut up.”

  He silences my laugh with another deep kiss. I cling to him with closed eyes, feeling safe and sound in his arms.

  “What’s with the notebook?” he asks after a moment.

  “Oh,” I say, shifting away from him to close it quickly. “Just journaling. Doodles and scribbles.”

  He looks at me, concerned. “Is it?”

  “Yes,” I answer.

  “You’re not…”

  “What?”

  “You’re not listing out all the things you’ve done wrong or anything?” he asks.

  “No,” I say, not surprised his mind went there. “No, I don’t do that anymore.”

  He nods, his arms curling around my waist again. “Good.”

  There is another knock on the door, but Knox doesn’t let me go. He kisses me, holding me tightly, sending even more shivers through my body. I try to wiggle free and a brief, playful battle ensues, ending with him finally releasing me and letting me open the door.

  Harvey Moon stands in the hallway with his guitar case in one hand.

  “Hey, guys,” he greets.

  “Hey, Moondog,” Knox says. “What’s up?”

  “We were going to practice some more today,” I say. “Prep for the next show.”

  “Oh.” He pauses. “Right. Of course.”

  A familiar look passes over Knox’s eyes; a look I saw so many times before. Knox’s jealousy. His possessiveness kept my voice locked away last time.

  For a moment, I fear what he might do now.

  But the look lingers no longer than a second before he smiles and nods. “All right,” he says. “I’ve gotta get ready for practice myself.”

  I smile. “You sure?”

  “Oh, yeah.” He steps over and kisses my cheek. “You guys have fun. We’ll get together tonight?”

  “We’ll get together tonight,” I confirm.

  He bows out, giving Harvey a friendly goodbye before closing the door behind him.

  I keep smiling amid a rush of butterflies.

  Well, that’s new.

  45

  HARMONY

  Ishould be asleep. I need to sleep if I’m going to perform well tomorrow. But I can’t.

  I never could get any rest the night before a pageant. The stress of competition is a horrible sleeping pill.

  But there’s no competition this time. Unless you count the judging eyes of thousands of Criminal Records fans who would like nothing more than to watch me fail.

  A knock taps lightly against my door. Curious and happy for the distraction, I slide out of my bed in the dark and make my way across the room. I look through the peephole and smile. Of course, there’s only one person who would call on me at this hour.

  I open the door. “Hello, Knox.”

  He glares tiredly, his naked chest exposed above a pair of flannel slacks. “I can’t sleep.”

  “Neither can I.” I say, stepping back and leaving the door open for him. “I can’t stop thinking about tomorrow night. Why can’t you sleep?”

  “I can’t stop thinking about last night.”

  I chuckle. “So, your insomnia isn’t performance anxiety like mine. Yours is for⁠—”

  “Performance excitement.”

  We laugh. “Nice,” I say.

  Knox steps forward, his hands coming to my hips. “You want to come back to my room?” he asks. “Fool around?”

  I bite my cheek. “No.”

  “All right. We’ll fool around in here.”

  He playfully plops down on the edge of the bed, tugging me along with him.

  “No, Knox,” I say, resisting the urge to mount him. “We said we’d take it slow, remember?”

  “Oh, are we still pretending to do that?”

  I raise a brow.

  He grins. “I’ll go slow,” he teases. “Slow, fast. Hard, soft. I’ll break the damn headboard. I don’t care.”

  I don’t fight it when he kisses me. “That’s tempting, but…” I sigh. “I doubt I’d even enjoy it tonight,” I say, nerves tickling the back of my ears. “I barely touched my dinner. I’m so nervous.”

  “You’re going to be great, Harmony,” he says, gazing at me in the dark. “You and Harvey have practiced so much his fingers bled. Seriously. He showed me earlier.”

  “I know we’re prepared,” I say. “I’m just worried that they…”

  “They?”

  I take a deep breath. “What if they hate me?”

  “They won’t.”

  “But what if they do?” I ask. “What if they boo me off the stage? Or, even worse, what if it’s just… silence?”

  “There won’t be silence,” Knox says. “No one’s going to boo, either.”

  “But what if they do?”

  “Then you quit,” he says, the edges of his lips ticking upward. “You pack it in and go back home to San Francisco.”

  My stomach rumbles. “Knox.”

  “Become a florist or something.”

  I glare.

  “You keep going,” he answers seriously, his arms slowly crawling around my waist again. “You wake up the next morning, you get on your bus, and you go to Seattle because⁠—”

  “The show goes on,” I say with him.

  “Harmony, everyone has haters. Even us. Especially us. Might as well do what makes you happy.”

  I smile at him. So wise. So handsome. “What makes you happy, Knox?” I ask, curious.

  “You do,” he answers immediately.

  For that, I happily lean forward and kiss him. His touch falls down my sides, warm fingers coming to caress my bare thighs beneath my oversized T-shirt.

  “Sing to me,” he whispers.

  “Sing to you?”

  “You don’t have to, obviously,” he says. “But I was thinking about how you used to sing me to sleep sometimes, and I always really liked that, so…”

  He lets his voice fade off with the silent request.

  A rush of happy nostalgia tickles my chest. “Boom boom, our hearts entwine⁠—”

  “Not that song,” he says.

  I chuckle. “Okay, okay,” I say, thinking of another. “Down down baby, all the way...”