Page 77 of Rockstar Next Door Neighbor

“Yeah, I hear it.” Sam’s already adjusting. “Vince, follow my lead on the harmony.”

They launch into the section again, and this time it clicks. The music swells, building to a crescendo that makes my skin tingle. Cass’s voice soars over the instruments, raw and powerful.

“They’ve nailed it,” Kendrick mutters. “That’s it. That’s the one.”

Emily is already marking something on her clipboard. “Got it. Let’s run it again from the top.”

“She’s good at this,” I say to Kendrick, nodding toward Emily.

Kendrick smiles. “She has to be. Between managing the band and being a new mom, she’s pretty much a superhero.”

“How is Presley?” I ask, thinking of Emily’s sweet baby girl.

“She’s doing great,” Kendrick says, her smile softening. “Cassidy loves babysitting her. She’s been over the moon about it, honestly. I think it makes her feel like a grown-up.”

“That’s sweet,” I say, picturing Kendrick’s daughter doting on her little cousin.

“She’s a natural with her,” Emily adds, having heard us. “Unlike her father, who still looks terrified every time he holds her.”

“Hey, babies can be scary!” Sam protests through the intercom.

Luke chuckles into his microphone. “You faced down twenty thousand screaming fans at Madison Square Garden, but you’re afraid of a baby?”

“Those fans don’t throw up on me.”

The easy banter continues as they start another take. I watch, fascinated by how they work—professional one moment, teasing the next, but always in sync. There’s so much affection in this room, so many different kinds of relationships woven together by music and time.

Cass signals something to Luke, who nods and adjusts his headphones. The opening notes of a different song startup—something slower, more intimate. When he begins playing, his eyes find mine through the glass.

“Oh boy,” Kendrick murmurs. “I know that look.”

“What look?”

“The ‘I’m playing this for you’ look. Trust me, Cass and I have both given it to the other enough times to know.”

Heat creeps up my neck, but I can’t look away from Luke. The melody wraps around me like a caress—the sound soft, loving, and filled with unspoken promises.

My heart threatens to burst right out of my chest.

The band’s taking a break, and we join them when Nate’s phone starts buzzing. He glances at the screen, and his eyes go wide. The whoop he lets out makes everyone jump.

“Holy shit! Holy actual shit!”

“What?” Cass lowers his water bottle. “You okay there, man?”

Nate’s practically vibrating. “Remember that tech startup I told you guys to invest in? The one with the new breakthrough technology?”

“The one you wouldn’t shut up about until we all bought in?” Vince grins. “Yeah, what about it?”

“They just got acquired. By one of the big boys.” Nate’s grin threatens to split his face. “We’re talking ten times our initial investment. Ten. Freaking. Times. Each!”

The room erupts. Vince drops his guitar pick. Cass spits out his water. All eyes are staring at Nate in growing amazement.

“You’re serious?” Luke steps closer to Nate, peering at his phone. “That’s not a typo?”

“Dead serious. Check your accounts—the shares and money are already there.”

There’s a scramble as everyone pulls out their phones. The next moment is filled with shocked exclamations and creative cursing.

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