Page 21 of The Drummer's Heart

“It’s some of the cash I’ve made babysitting over the years. I’ve been saving it for nothing in particular. Just a rainy day, I guess. But I don’t need anything.”

“You’re gonna need this cash for school.” I put the envelope back in her hands.

She shook her head. “There’s a good chance I’m gonna get a scholarship. I probably won’t need it.”

“You’ll always need spending money, even if your tuition is paid.”

“Atticus…” She pleaded. “I’ve told you this before. You’re so talented. I don’t mean to be cruel to the other guys, but they’re just playing around when you all practice together.Youhave real skills on those drums. You can go somewhere with this. It made me so sad to hear you say you’d have to give up this opportunity because you don’t have the sign-up fee. You never know. You could make an important connection there.” Nicole shook her head. “Anyway, I won’t take it back.” She shoved the envelope of cash into my hands. “I’m not taking no for an answer.”

Then she threw open the door and ran off before I could say anything else. Literallyrandown the street.

What the heck?

I debated chasing after her, but I was still frozen, in a state of shock. My heart was bursting with an unidentifiable feeling. Gratitude couldn’t even begin to describe it. I’d thought this girl was incredible before. But this? I was speechless.

Up in my room, I paced with the envelope in my hands for the next hour. There was no way I could accept this money. I’d done nothing to earn it. That wasn’t up for debate. But I was stillbaffled as to what to say, how to thank her, whether to go to her house now to give it back.

Was it tempting to take it? Sure. But more than anything, it was the meaning behind this that mattered the most. She believed in me. When we’d first met, I wasn’t sure if she was just pulling my chain being so complimentary. But we’d gotten to know each other since then. She’d seen me perform countless more times. Nicole’s opinion mattered more to me than anyone’s.

Finally done deliberating, I grabbed my jacket and hopped into my beat-up car, heading straight to her house. It was the first time I’d ever visited her there, and I hoped her dad wouldn’t want to kill me if he got the wrong idea about me stopping by. But as I was pulling up, I saw another car pulling out. Not just any car—Julian’s.

My blood started pumping. There weren’t any other cars in the driveway, so it didn’t look like her parents were home. She’d been alone with Julian?

After he pulled out of the driveway, Julian took off in the other direction. So he didn’t notice me parked outside the house.

For a few minutes, I sat in the car, unsure what I was gonna say to her, especially now that I’d seen him leave.

Forcing myself to get out, I walked up to her front door. This was no longer just about the money. Now Ihad to knowwhat the hell was going on with Julian. As I knocked, I felt my heartbeat accelerate. I had to be careful. I didn’t want to come off as jealous, even if that was the damn truth.

After a moment, she opened. “Hey,” she said, surprise on her face.

“Can I come in?”

“Sure…”

I looked past her. “Are your parents here?”

“No. They went to church for a holiday bazaar planning meeting. My mom is on the board, and she dragged him along.”

I kept nodding. “Did I just see Julian leave?”

“Yeah. He came by.”

I tilted my head. “Just a visit or…?”

“Well, yeah.”

I swallowed hard. “What did he want?”

Her face turned beet red. “He asked me out, actually.”

Clearing my throat, I willed myself to remain calm. “Really…”

“Yeah.”

My stomach was in knots. “What did you say?”

“I…told him I’d think about it.”

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