Page 3 of Rock and a Hard Place

“It’s not my whole family, just my two brothers and me.”

His demeanor changed, but she couldn’t put her finger on why. She looked across the way to his brothers and furrowed her brow. They seemed pretty average. “You are not. You’re making it up.” She could tell he was trying to impress her.

“No, really, we’ve had the band for over two years now.”

“Sure you have.” She eyed him with a smile, not believing a word. They were too young. They must all still be in high school. Plus, they looked nothing like members of a band. She didn’t know exactly what guys in a band would look like, but certainly not like these guys.

“I’m telling the truth.” He sat back and laughed again.

“So where do you play?” She pierced him with a stare. She’d catch him in his own lie. “You look too young for the bar scene. Do you play weddings?”

A coy expression covered Peter’s face. “Uh, no, nothing like that. It’s more public venues.”

“Like parks or fairs?” That she might believe. “Yeah, something like that.”

“Okay, if you say so.” She shrugged. “Then you get to drivearound and see lots of different places? I’d do that in an instant, if I could.” Anything to escape life here.

“The sights are great, but it can get claustrophobic with five people crammed in one giant tin can for days at a time. You’d hate it.”

She doubted that. “Maybe, but I’d be willing to make the sacrifice to get outta here.” A tightness in her chest occurred whenever she thought of her trapped existence.

“What’s wrong with here?” He twirled a long blade of grass between his fingers.

Where to begin? Nothing about this place fit. It was all wrong. She didn’t belong here and never would. But she wasn’t about to explain her screwed-up life to Peter. “Just . . . everything.”

“Okay, that tells me a lot.” He smiled, gazing into her eyes. Her stomach turned upside down. “You want to elaborate?”

“No.” She swallowed and looked away. “So what’s the name of your band?”

“You like to change the subject.” He grinned.

She noticed how his eyes sparkled each time he smiled. “So?”

“Jamieson. Our band is called Jamieson.” He watched her closely, then asked, “Ever heard of us?”

“Should I have? It doesn’t sound familiar.”

“Really?” He wore a look of disbelief. “You’ve never heard of us?”

“No, do you play around here? We have a park pavilion that has groups sometimes. Is that why you stopped in Rockville?”

“No, we haven’t played around here.” The corner of his mouth turned up. “Don’t you listen to the radio or watch TV?”

She sighed. She didn’t want him to think she was an idiot. “Of course. Mostly country music, though. I don’t recall ever hearing of a band called Jamieson.”

“We’re not country. Not even close.” He shook his head. “And TV?” he asked.

Libby shook her head no. “I don’t watch TV too often. Let’s just say I get really good grades. And I love nature. That’s why I come here so often.” That was only part of the reason, but she hated talking about herself. “What’s your reason for stopping?” She could tell that now Peter was the one having trouble believing her story.

“Whenever we drive through Wisconsin, we stop here because my mom likes how private it is. You know how moms are. Anytime she can find a spot that’s surrounded by nature and not all highway, she puts it on the schedule.”

Libby glossed over the mom comment. She didn’t want to think of her mom. She missed her so much, her heart hurt. “You’ve been here before?”

“Quite a few times, actually.”

Of the dozens of times she’d come to Parfrey’s, she’d never seen them. How odd that today they would meet.This news warmed her insides. She wondered how many times in this last lonely year they’d just missed each other coming and going.

“Hey, Petey, who’s your girlfriend?” one of Peter’s brothers yelled as he moved toward them with a cocky walk and hooded eyes. He appeared older, a little shorter than Peter, and not nearly as good-looking. He stared at her as if she was intruding on them.

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