Page 95 of Hard Rock Tease
"For sex?"
"No! To apologize."
"Did he get down on his knees and grovel for forgiveness?"
"I wouldn't call it groveling. He seemed sincere, though."
"Are you going to take him back?" Ivy asked.
"How can I? I'll accept his apology, but all the issues that make him keep pushing me away are still there. I'm tired of banging my head up against a brick wall."
A flurry of squeals and shouts interrupted me before I could continue.
"Oh my god it's Noah Fucking Hart!" shrieked one girl at the table next to us.
"Great," I muttered. "He just had to make a scene on his way out."
"I don't think he's on his way out," Nat said with a nudge and a grin.
I turned to find Noah speaking with the DJ situated on a small stage in the corner of the dance floor. Money changed hands and the DJ gestured to a microphone stand before going to set up a large keyboard at the front of the stage.
Noah stared out at the crowd, microphone in hand. He looked oddly uncomfortable, considering he was the front man for one of the biggest rock groups around and had played to audiences hundreds of times bigger than this one.
He positioned himself in front of the keyboard and arranged the mic stand. My heart began beating wildly. What the hell was he up to?
Noah began speaking, the microphone amplifying his voice throughout the club.
"Hey. I'm Noah Hart, as I'm sure you all know."
I couldn't help but snort at his ego. But then again, from the squeals and cheers in the crowd, he was probably right.
"The song I'm going to play has never been performed in public before. It's a rough draft." His eyes scanned the room. "But I want to dedicate it to someone." He took a deep breath. "She helped me compose the song. I was having a hell of time trying to write it. I didn't want to ask for help. I didn't want to rely on anyone. I wanted to do it myself."
Natalie tugged at my sleeve. "He's doing his grand gesture!" she hissed.
I batted her hand away and shushed her. I didn't want to miss one second of Noah's announcement.
"She's the one who made me realize that it's okay to ask for help. It's okay to show your vulnerabilities. It's okay to open up to people. She made me want to trust again."
My heart melted in my chest as I was filled with a warm, pleasant glow. Noah looked out at the crowd, scanning the room until he found me. My pulse jumped erratically as our eyes met.
He placed his fingers over the keys. "This song is for the woman I love. This song is for Jen."
My heart thumped madly in my ribcage, a pleasant ache searing through me. I'd been longing to hear those words. I would have given anything to hear those words.
Noah began to play our song. Even though I'd heard versions of it a million times as we worked and re-worked it, Noah had never played it like this before.
Truths I cannot say
Reflected in your eyes
It soundednothing like the terrible mess he'd played in front of the band. This song was moving. Heartfelt.
Like wide opengates
So pure and divine
The song tookthe audience through a bevy of emotions, wringing both sorrow and joy from the hearts of every listener.
