Page 5 of Hard Rock Love

“Just some light reading,” he said smoothly.

I gave him a doubtful look. He slumped over on himself, just as I had done.

“I’m studying,” he admitted.

Why had he looked so startled? Why was he trying to hide his books? And why did he look so embarrassed at being seen in a campus library?

“Mind if I take a seat?” I asked him, now intrigued.

“Go ahead.” He waved a hand to the empty chair next to him.

I sat down gingerly and set my backpack on the carpeted floor. I made sure to angle my knees away from his. If we touched for even the briefest of moments, I was afraid I would spontaneously combust.

“I had no idea you went to school here,” I said. “Everly never mentioned it.”

“I don’t,” he said. “Well, I do, sort of,” he amended.

“How do yousort ofgo to school?” I asked.

“I’m not getting a degree or anything,” he replied. “I’m just taking a night class.”

“One of those continuing education or professional development things?”

“Kind of,” he hedged.

“What kind of class does a rock star take, anyway?” I asked.

Seth stared at me, unblinking. He looked vaguely shame-faced.

“Can you keep a secret?” he asked in a hushed voice, even quieter than we’d been speaking.

“Of course,” I said.

“I’m taking an English class.”

I looked down at his half-hidden books. Sure enough, one of them was a textbook on comparative literature.

“My major is English.” It was exciting, having this one thing in common with Seth, even though I didn’t know why. “Which class are you taking?”

His cracked a small smile.

“It’s a course on the Harry Potter books viewed through the lens of classic literature.”

My mouth popped open.

“Lucky!” I blurted out. “That class is always the first to fill up! I wanted to get in and was five seconds too late when registering.”

“Yeah, well…” he let out an embarrassed laugh. “I sort of had special permission.”

“So you’re taking it just for fun?” I asked.

Seth’s mouth twisted, looking down and almost grimacing.

“This is where the secret part comes in,” he said.

He went silent. I leaned in.

“What is it?” I whispered, now beyond intrigued. What was so important he didn’t want anyone knowing?