Page 56 of My Rock Star Neighbor
He totally knows.Those are the lamest excuses ever.
“No.”I kick them under the table.“I did my laundry already.I’m good.”
Nick must totally think I like him.
“I’ll text my friend and find out where it is.”He texts his friend and then chuckles.“The Laundry Room.”
“What?”I ask.
“The new club is called The Laundry Room,” Nick says.“Are you guys sure you’re not coming?”
“Not unless they actually have washing machines,” Iris says with a straight face.
Chapter fourteen
Nick
IclaspMaddie’shandand pull her into the side of the crowd by the DJ booth at The Laundry Room, which is literally in a former laundromat.My eyes are still adjusting to the dim light, but the laundry machines that line the side walls look like they might still work.But I’m not planning on calling Iris and Jing to join us.The club has a good feel, and this song has a great beat.How have I never been dancing with Maddie before?But then, we’ve gotten so much closer in these last few weeks.I’ve seen her dancing in the audience at my concerts at Craic and Laughs.She’s a good dancer.
Crimson curtains block any light from the front windows, and a disco ball twirls above the dance floor.
“Thank you again for coming to the mini show with me,” she says, swaying to the beat.
Yesterday, Demoraux threatened her.Did she really think I was going to let her take a bus to New Jersey by herself and be at some public show?
Okay, given that a significant percentage of the population was over fifty, I might have overreacted.Apparently, a mini show might be the safest place she could be.But at least Maddie seems to believe that I’m doing this because we need to be together for publicity purposes.I don’t want to lead her on when I can’t commit to a relationship because of my career.
I spin her around and then dip her, holding her in my arms.Our gazes meet, and that flare of attraction simmers, making my breath catch.I know that we can’t be more than friends, but I wanted an excuse to touch her, to reassure myself that she is going to be okay.And if whoever is behind this corrupt scheme is watching, I want them to believe that we are dating and that they will regret it if they harm one hair on her head.
The music changes to a slow song.It helps to know the DJ.I pull Maddie tightly against my chest and hold on to her.She rests her cheek against my heart.A light flashes, but I’m not mad about it.At this point, being seen together in public is a good thing if it will make any foes think twice.
Maybe.
I wish Maddie would look up at me.Then again, maybe it’s good that she doesn’t.My eyes would probably reveal too much.
Another flash of a camera.I turn so that my back protects us from the location of the flashes.It’s probably friends taking photos of each other, but I want to protect our privacy as best I can.
The beat picks up.My friend said he thought he could only get away with one slow song.But that’s all I needed.I hug her tightly and feel her relax against my chest.
Bubbles float over from bubble blowers on top of the washing machines.
The next song is “I Gotta Feeling” by Black Eyed Peas.We break apart and start jumping up and down, waving our hands.Maddie smiles at me.This is what I needed—to release the tension from yesterday and the emotional roller coaster of the past months as I worried that we wouldn’t sign the record deal.
Maddie follows my moves, and that feeling of satisfaction from dancing in sync comes back three-fold when it’s the two of us who are in rhythm.I move closer, and Maddie shimmies right up to me, just out of reach, inches apart.Her gaze meets mine, and the simmering heat flares up between us.Kissing Maddie would beso good.
My phone buzzes.I ignore it.
It buzzes again.It could be an emergency.I pull it out of my pocket.My mom.She’d be proud of her timing.The song switches to “Pink Pony Club” by Chappell Roan, and I whisper to Maddie that it’s my mom and I have to take it.We leave the dance floor and go into the back hallway, where it’s a bit quieter.I call my mom back.
“Were you planning to tell me that you were dating someone, or did you feel like I should learn it from the news?”my mom says.
I didn’t think to tell her because I’m not actually dating anyone.
“I’m sorry,” I say.“It’s been a whirlwind.And I know how you feel about my dating.”
“Is this serious?”she asks.
Maddie is standing right next to me, but there’s no way she can hear my mom’s question.Especially with people now singing along to the lyrics in the room next to us.Still.What I want to say is that this is the most serious dating of my career—that I need this to be a success so the record label believes me.And so, since Inspector Demoraux said it’s not safe, whoever is behind this also believes this is real so Maddie will be protected because they know I will come after them.
