Page 102 of Hard Rock Love

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Seth had asked me to come along with him when he told the band.

“For moral support,” he’d said.

It was the first time I’d seen a rock band rehearsal room. Or at least, one that wasn’t just Everly and her friends making noise in our mother’s garage.

The other members of Cherry Lips were already there, tuning their instruments and warming up. Cerise was singing a series of tongue twisters while Julian played complex scales on his keyboard. The others fiddled with the strings of their guitars or bass, strumming every so often as they adjusted the sound.

The only member of the band who wasn’t already in the room was Seth. He stood outside the doorway, his face pale and his palm clammy as he grabbed my hand.

“You think it’ll work?” he asked me for the hundredth time. “You think they’ll agree to it?”

“It’ll be fine,” I soothed him. “They’re your friends. They’ll understand. It’s not like you’re quitting for good or something. You’re just missing one performance.”

“A very important performance,” he reminded me. “A potentially career-changing performance.”

“Then it’s a good thing I’m here,” a man said from behind me.

I turned and came face to face with piercing ice blue eyes. Or, face to chest was more like it. The man behind me was tall and slim. His blond hair was long, falling over his shoulders and framing his handsome face. I almost would have called him pretty, but his jawline was too strong for that. This must have been August Summers, the infamous drummer of Darkest Days.

“Have you talked to them?” he asked in low, calm tones.

“Not yet.” Seth’s hand trembled in mine.

“Don’t be nervous,” August said. “With me on board, they’ll have no reason to protest.”

The confident way he held his head high reminded me of the way Seth would puff his chest out proudly whenever he bragged about something. But this guy didn’t look like the bragging type, or the arrogant type. He was simply self-assured, although well aware of his talent.

“Shall we?” August asked easily, then strode through the door without further discussion.

Seth visibly gulped but followed him. I lingered outside the doorway, only peeking in, not wanting to draw attention to myself.

Cerise looked up when they walked in. She cut her singing off abruptly.

“Hey, August,” she said with a tilt of her head and a small frown. “What are you doing here?”

“I’ll let Seth explain,” he demurred, leaving the floor open.

Seth’s pale face was now green. The others stopped playing with their instruments and looked at him curiously.

“What’s up?” Gael asked when he didn’t speak.

“Um. So. I don’t know if Everly told you anything…” he started with a stammer.

“Told us what?” Nathan asked, resting his hand on the neck of his guitar.

Julian stayed silent, as always, not giving anything away.

Seth inhaled a deep breath.

“I’ve been taking a college course,” he said.

The others looked confused, but waited patiently.

“The final exam is on the same day as the audition,” he said in a rush.

Understanding dawned on their faces. Cerise was already opening her mouth, outrage on her face.