Page 36 of Shattered Chords

Seeing that I couldn’t be persuaded to return him his phone unless he stopped torturing himself, Harper changed the subject. “Bug killed it, huh?”

“She did.” My lips formed a smile.

Harper scrambled out of the car and handed me my keys. “Here. Amps are back in the trunk. I’m gonna find the restroom.”

“You want me to go with you?”

“I think I can manage.”

“Okay, but come back as soon as you’re done.”

“Can I have my phone?”

“No.”

Harper frowned. “What if I trip and fall?”

I heaved out a sigh. He had a point. Sort of. “Can you promise not to call Lucas?”

He mustered a crooked half-grin. “Scout’s honor.”

“You weren’t in the Scouts.”

“I swear on my hair.” He raked his hand through his disheveled strands. “I won’t call my asshole ex.”

I returned his phone and watched him stride back into the club. Breakups sucked and Harper obviously wasn’t coping as well as he’d lead everyone to believe.

Yet again, Dante sneaked up on me like a wildcat while I was plowing through the trunk to make sure Ally’s amps were back in place and nothing was missing.

“I went backstage to congratulate the band on their debut and you weren’t there,” he explained with a smirk on his face.

“It’s too hot inside.”

“Sorry about disappearing earlier.” A chuckle. “Fans.”

“That’s okay. I suppose it happens to you quite often when you’re in public.”

“Not necessarily, but this crowd”—he motioned at the club—“is actually pretty rock’n’roll adept. I kinda knew what I was getting myself into.”

“And yet you didn’t bring a bodyguard?” I joked, slamming the trunk closed.

“Don’t need one.” He shook his head and inched closer. “Are you hungry?”

His question caught me off guard. Goosebumps prickled the back of my neck.

“I was thinking about checking out that pizza place.” He jerked his chin toward the assembly of teenagers crowding the entrance of the shop.

“Oh.” I glanced at the sign above the glass double doors, contemplating. Ally and I had never been here. We weren’t huge fans of Italian food. We both preferred sushi. “I’ll have to ask Harper when he gets back.”

Dante nodded. “Who can say no to pizza?”

“A person who’s had too much to drink.”

“Ah…” Awareness came into his eyes. “That’ll do it.” He gave me a nod.

“I’m sorry…” I’d forgotten Dante Martinez had just checked out of rehab. Suddenly, being around him felt uncomfortable. What if I’d said the wrong thing?

“That’s okay. You can totally joke about booze and drugs in front of me.” The corners of his mouth lifted as if he’d just read my mind. “I’m not a snowflake who gets offended over every single thing. As a matter of fact, I don’t get offended at all.” His smile had turned into a full-blown megawatter. “Bring it on, darlin’.”

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