Page 30 of Rocked: The Price of Dreams

After checking in and two days of medical and physiological assessment, William was advised to spend five months in rehab. He’d cursed at the length of time, but alcohol wasn’t his only problem. He had to get sober, and deal with his mental health and anger-management issues. His work colleague, Marsha, had helped find a facility, lodged his leave with the force, and had driven us and William to the center in New Brunswick. She’d never questioned why or asked what had happened to Kyle, even though he looked like he’d been used as a punching bag, but concern had hovered in her eyes. I had a hunch she knew what had gone down and was only too willing to help.

Relief from the ordeal didn’t set in until she dropped us off at Kyle’s place after William’s final admission examinations. I sank onto the sofa beside Kyle, exhaustion seeping into my bones. I prayed we never had to go through anything like that again.

Hunter grabbed sodas out of the fridge and handed them to us. Cracking the top open on his, he sat on the adjacent seat to me. He held up his can. “Here’s to your dad getting better, bud.”

“Thanks, dude.” Kyle chinked his drink against Hunter’s, then mine. “This rehab shit better work or Gem, I’ll be moving in with you.”

“Fine by me.” I patted his knee and took a sip of my cola. It really would be nice to have someone to talk to other than my bedroom walls. “I’d like the company.”

He held out his bruised hand. “I hate that we missed playing at the festival. But now, I just want to get better so I can jam with you guys again.”

“Hell yeah. Me too.” Hunter downed his drink, then grinned. “All fucking summer long and beyond.”

With only three weeks of the school year left, I counted down the days until summer vacation. I wanted the horrors behind us. The best thing about William being in rehab was that it gave Claire and Kyle a reprieve from living in fear every day. For five months anyway.

Two days later, Claire came home from hospital, a shell of her former self. She flinched at every loud noise, jumped out of her skin if we accidentally dropped something on the floor, and constantly looked toward the front door with anxiety flickering in her eyes.

I hated seeing her like that.

We all needed a vacation.

After my seventeenth birthday, and struggling through our end-of-year exams, we finally got a well-deserved break.

At the start of summer, Claire took the three of us to her family’s beach house at Amagansett on the outreaches of Long Island. The old, shingled home had been in Claire’s family for generations. It had been her great-grandad’s dying wish to never sell the property. To date, no one had broken that promise. Kyle had spent many vacations or quick getaways out here, but this was the first time he’d invited Hunter and me. Nestled between multimillion-dollar mansions, the little rundown three-bedroom shack was a private sanctuary, tucked away on two acres behind rolling sand dunes and an endless stretch of beach.

Out here, past the Hamptons, was a world beyond my wildest dreams. Seeing how the elite lived made me hungrier than a kindle-fed fire to succeed.

On the back deck, the guys and I sat cross-legged on big comfy cushions. We strummed our guitars, playing around with a new song. The sun warmed my skin, the rays twinkled off the ocean on the other side of the dunes, and the gentle breeze teased my long hair. Fresh ocean air filled my lungs. We’d been working on a new tune for more than an hour, unable to nail the melody. Partly because my mind kept wandering—to my future, to the life filled with music that I craved, playing alongside these guys.

I zigzagged my gaze over Kyle, from his legs to his shirtless, toned stomach, to his broad chest and ripped arms. Every inch of his bronzed skin glistened in the sunshine. Damn! He’d grown and filled out over the past year.

Me? I hadn’t changed a bit.

“Gem? Focus.” A smile curled at the corner of his lips. “On the song.”

“I was.” Not.

Playing around with the progression of chords, we tinkered with the bridge. But within minutes, Hunter stole my attention. Now six-foot-two, he stood a head taller than me. Every muscle on his body was taut and trim. He’d started shaving and his azure eyes had grown more stunning and electric.

“Whatcha doing, Gem?” He raised a questioning eyebrow. “You checking me out?”

I scrunched my nose and shook my head. “Ew! No.” God no...but kinda. But not in an I-want-you way. I could appreciate his handsome looks...and Kyle’s. But even with my lack of worldly fashion sense, I did know one thing. I’d been meaning to mention this to Hunter for a while. “I think it’s time you did something with your hair. You need to kill the goofy curls. What do you think about cutting it shorter or growing it out? Long would be cool. Like a real rock star.”

He jerked his chin back. “You don’t like my hair?”

“I do...but nope.” I pursed my lips to contain my smile as I plucked some notes.

“Well, shit.” He raked his fingers through the mass of curls. “Why didn’t you say something?”

“I just did.” I shrugged. “You guys are good-looking. Own that.”

“My parents would hate long hair.” A wicked glint flickered in his eyes. “So...long it is.”

“What about me?” Kyle ran his fingers over the frets as he struck the strings. “What should I do with mine?”

“Nothing.” My tone remained flat, neutral. “It’s perfect.” I loved his new hard line and floppy blond bangs. The combination suited his jawline, and highlighted his beautiful brown eyes and gorgeous smile.

Kyle play-punched Hunter in the arm. “Ha! Suck it. I’m perfect.”

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