Page 96 of Hard Rock Heat
Jessie snickered. She patted her boyfriend's chest consolingly. "It's okay, you're still myfavorite."
Gaelgrumbled.
I handed Jessie a folder. "This is for you. Maps, schedules, phone numbers, everything you might need toknow."
She took it, wide-eyed. "Wow. You really thought ofeverything."
"I'm just making sure this event goes off without a hitch," I said. "I've got copies for every band member who's going to beperforming."
Gael nodded over my shoulder. "My sister Cerise is over there if you needher."
His sister. My heart clenched. The young woman Damon flirtedwith.
I shook my head inwardly, chastising myself. It had just been Damon acting like his usual annoyingself.
When we got closer, I recognized Cerise from the long, dark, cherry red hair that she'd had at the party. Cerise. Cherry Lips. I snorted to myself. It seemed like a certain someone was a narcissist, naming their band after themselves. Her brother had certainly been full of himself. Maybe it ran in thefamily.
Then again, Damon was pretty arrogant himself. It was probably just a rock starthing.
"Excuse me," I said. "Sorry tointerrupt."
Cerise paused her conversation with a tall, handsome youngman.
"Oh, you're Faith," she said. "The one who's running the event. I wanted to thank you for thinking of Cherry Lips to perform. We're excited to show everyone what we've got. We're going to blow the roof of this place." She grinned, confident and self-assured.
"Thank you for agreeing," I said. "I know we can't pay because it's a charityevent."
She shook her head. "No, I'm more than happy to help out. Me and my brother used to hang out at The Impact Youth Center all the time when we were kids. That's how we got started with ourband."
"And are you helping run the event, too?" the guy next to Cerise asked Katherine. He scanned her up and down slowly, a teasing look slowly crossing his face. "I'd be more than happy to show you what I'vegot."
"Um." Katherine flushed, staring at him in an almostswoon.
"Shut up, Nate," Cerise said with an annoyed purse of her lips. "Ignore him," she told us. "Nathan flirts with everything thatmoves."
I eyed him warily. I didn't need any more flirty, cocky rock stars in mylife.
"Here." I held out a pile of folders to Cerise. "Can you hand these out to everyone in your band? It's got schedules, maps, things likethat."
She took them with a nod ofthanks.
"Come on, Kat." I pulled her away. She stumbled a few paces before righting herself. "I thought Darkest Days was your favorite?" Iasked.
She flushed and didn't sayanything.
Next on the list were the kids from the youth center. I knew they were going to be backstage, practicing before their performance. I found the kids huddled in a circle, worry on their faces. A tall, barrel-chested man stood with them. He had his hand on Micah'sshoulder.
"That's the drummer of Feral Silence," Katherine murmured to me. It really did help to have a fan on myside.
"You guys aren't nervous are you?" I asked with a smile as I approached. "You guys are going torock."
"I hope so," one of the boy guitarists said fervently. I couldn't remember whether this one was Zain orMatthew.
"You will," the tall man said confidently. He held his hand out to me. "Morris," was all hesaid.
"I'm Faith. You're the one who taught these kids? You should be reallyproud."
He nodded silently. A man of fewwords.
