Page 76 of Hard Rock Muse

“And I care about you,” I said. “That’s why I’m not going to pry.”

Julian blinked at me, surprised.

“Whatever happened before, it doesn’t matter now,” I said. “I understand it can be hard to talk about certain things. So I won’t push you on it.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to tell you,” he said. “It’s just—” he hesitated, looking troubled. He opened his mouth to try and speak, but nothing came out.

“It’s okay,” I said. “When you feel ready to talk about it, I’ll be here to listen.”

Julian’s eyes softened with relief. He brought my hand to his lips and kissed my fingertips, one at a time.

My skin tingled, the gesture making my heart swell and glow.

I knew I’d said the right thing.

Now I just had to be patient.

“There’s a face I haven’t seen in a long time!”

Julian dropped my hand and we turned toward a voice that was letting out a cackling laugh.

Frank Howell, the owner of the music shop, walked through the front doors with a large box in his hand.

“Julian Woods, you little asshole, is that you?” Frank set the box down on the counter, his wrinkled eyes widening. “Still got that same damn girly haircut?”

I suppressed a laugh. Julian’s hair was a little long, but nothing like a girl’s hair. Frank had always liked to give him shit, which was amusing because Frank also had long dark hair, greying in sections, that he kept in a low ponytail at the back of his neck.

“Good to see you, old man,” Julian said with a barely hidden smirk.

“Who you calling old, punk?” Frank came over and shook Julian’s hand while slapping him warmly on the back. “So it looks like you’re some kinda big shot now.”

“Suppose so,” Julian replied.

The teen at the counter gaped at both of them.

“You can go take your break now, kid,” Frank told him. He nodded and slowly edged his way out from around the counter and headed to the back room. I caught his face peeping out behind the door.

“I’m surprised you’re allowing some whippersnapper work the counter without you watching over his every move,” I teased.

“Yeah, well, I’ve got to think about retiring and letting go of the reins sometime.”

Frank turned to me and gave me a beaming smile while holding out his arms.

“Come here, kid,” he said, pulling me into a big bear hug and nearly lifting me up off the ground.

I’d first started working at Frank Howell’s music store when I was sixteen, so I didn’t mind when he called me that. I’d probably always be a kid in his eyes, no matter how old I got.

“It’s been too long,” Frank said as he pulled back to look at me. “You been avoiding me?”

Truthfully, I sort of had. This place held too many memories, most of them memories of me and Julian. I’d spent a good few years avoiding anything that reminded me of him.

“Sorry, Frank,” I said. “I’ve been busy.”

“Does this visit mean you’re less busy?” Frank asked.

“No, actually,” I replied. “I’ve got some songwriting work right now. I just wanted to visit this place with Julian. Nostalgia and all that.”

Frank pursed his lips and looked between me and Julian. All Frank knew was what the rest of the world knew. Julian and I had been together, and then we weren’t. The band had broken up and we’d gone our separate ways.