Page 3 of Dare to Rock

Avery bit down on her lower lip, not surprised by the mention of the band but always dismayed by the accompanying painful twist of her stomach.

Grey Kingston, Tangled Royal’s lead male singer and guitarist, had been Avery’s high school boyfriend and first love. And up until five months ago, she hadn’t heard from him in seven years. Then one day, a letter had arrived from Grey, telling her he was leaving her concert tickets and backstage passes. He’d ended with,Love to see you again. G.

After a lot of consideration, because Avery always thought things through, she’d gathered her courage, invited her sister, Olivia, and decided to attend. Memories of that night still haunted her.

She wasn’t naïve or stupid. She understood the magnitude of the kind of life a rock star like Grey Kingston led. Even if she hadn’t known, she’d been force-fed pictures and snippets of information over the years by the same online sites she read to keep her blog current. And she’d be a liar if she didn’t admit to setting a Google Alert to Tangled Royal and buying their albums and listening to them in secret, where her family and friends wouldn’t know or judge her. But the on-screen photos and gossip columns had nothing on what she’d seen with her own eyes.

She’d walked into the room to find a half-naked, bleached blonde wrapped around Grey like a second skin. The other female fans in the room had been dressed equally skanky, and they’d surrounded the band members, serving to remind Avery of how different she and Grey’s lifestyles were. And how they each had always wanted opposite things.

She’d left the VIP room before she and Grey could do much more than look into each other’s eyes. A long, history-filled stare that threatened all the defenses she’d built up against him after he’d left town... and left her behind. One look at the handsome face she used to love had hit her hard, and she’d known then and there that she would need to protect herself. And she was right.

Grey hadn’t given up. Every time she posted something meaningful on her blog, like a hot new handbag or a delicious-smelling perfume she’d sampled and adored, the same product ended up being sent to her doorstep, gift-wrapped beautifully, with a short card attached.

I’m sorry—G

Give me another chance—G

Can’t wait to see you—G

Missed you all these years—G

Yeah, that last one got to her most. Because she’d missed him too.

Then, as routinely as the presents had arrived, they’d stopped. He had sent a note telling her he’d call when he was back in town, but that had been weeks ago, and she’d stopped holding her breath. No doubt he’d decided she wasn’t worth the effort, not when he had all those easy conquests and female groupies at his disposal.

She’d tried to put him out of her mind, not all that successfully. Now this band breakup notice stared back at her from the screen. Her finger hovered over the keyboard before she finally gave in and opened the e-mail alert and read the article in its entirety.

Grey Kingston has been sighted in and around Miami and South Beach over the last week while bassist Danny Bills has been settling into LA, adding fuel to the rumors that the band is going their separate ways.

So Grey was back in Miami and had been for a week. So much for his promise to contact her when he returned to town, she thought, her chest tightening not with her familiar anxiety but with true pain.

Though she knew she shouldn’t be all that surprised. It was just another letdown by another important man in her life. This one had once stolen her heart. Only recently had she come to realize she’d never truly gotten it back.

“Hey.” Ella, her roommate and best friend, stood in the doorway of Avery’s bedroom.

Avery pushed her chair back and forced a smile. She’d met Ella Shaw when they were both at Miami Children’s Hospital, donating bone marrow. Avery was nine; Ella had just turned ten. They’d bonded, shared summer and holiday visits, and claimed each other as best friends. When Avery’s sister, Olivia, had moved out and married Dylan Rhodes, Ella had moved in.

“You okay?” Ella asked.

“I am awesome,” Avery said, turning her back on the screen and alert, grateful a photo of Grey hadn’t accompanied the message. She didn’t need to see his handsome face on her screen. Bad enough he occupied so much of her thoughts.

Ella plopped down on Avery’s bed, curling her legs beneath her. Her damp, light-brown hair hung around her face in silky strands. “And I don’t believe you.” She pinned Avery with a knowing stare.

“Okay, I’m not awesome.” Avery had never been able to lie to Ella, not since the day they’d met.

On top of Avery being easy to read, Ella had an intuitive sense, in addition to her warm, giving personality, and Avery adored her. Meeting Ella was one of the good things that had come of that painful time in Avery’s life.

“I’m guessing Grey Kingston has something to do with you being distracted andnot awesome?” Ella asked, making air quotes with her fingers.

Avery pursed her lips and nodded.

Though she hadn’t told her family what had happened when she’d gone to see Grey backstage, it was obvious to them all she’d been upset and not herself afterward. But she had confided in Ella. It wasn’t that Avery didn’t want to tell her sister, but the time had never been right. Olivia’s life had been in upheaval. First, Dylan’s old friend Meg had been in the hospital, and they’d been busy with her troubles. Afterward, Olivia’s life had fallen into place. She and Dylan were in love, and Avery hadn’t wanted to burden her sister with her own issues.

“Still no word from him?” Ella asked, bringing Avery back to thinking about Grey.

“No. And I shouldn’t care. I mean, I’m the one who told him to stop texting me and to focus on his tour.” Avery settled herself on the edge of her bed.

“And you only told him to leave you alone because you’re scared to start something with him again. Besides, it’s not like he listened to you.” She gestured to one of the many gifts he’d sent... and she’d placed around her room.

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