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She gives me one last glance, one last chance to stop her.
But the words are stuck in my throat.
I watch as her shoulders drop, and she turns to open the door. Kurt Cobain is shielded from my vision, but I hear his gravelly voice as he greets her. I can feel her smile when she answers even though I can’t see it with her back to me. And a second later, I’m alone in the apartment with food that I no longer have an appetite for.
And Madison’s out on a date with a guy who isn’t me.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
MADISON
“How long have you been playing in a band?” I ask Johnny, cutting a portion from the lava cake that we’re sharing for dessert. The chocolate oozes down my spoon, and a couple of drops land on the plate. I add a bite of vanilla ice cream to the cake and shove the gooey concoction in my mouth.
Johnny follows suit, loading his spoon from the other side of the plate. A candle flickers in between us, creating shadows on his face.
“For almost ten years now, but I was so young when we started it that we weren’t allowed in the bars at first.”
“Where did you play then?”
“Birthday parties, school dances, talent shows …” He chuckles, flashing me those irresistible dimples. “Most of the time, we just practiced in my garage.”
“Are you from here?” I ask.
He shakes his head while loading his spoon again with more dessert. “I’m from a small town about an hour north of here.” He glances over at me right before he takes the bite. “Where do you call home?”
“I grew up in the city,” I answer, but I’m not sure I would consider that my home now.
Truly, I don’t know where I belong anymore. I wonder if everyone feels like that when they leave for college or if it’s my upbringing that created the displacement. An only child from a broken home.
He chews for a few seconds. “A city girl, huh?”
“I guess.” I smile.
We volley questions back and forth as we eat the sweet treat and get to know each other better.
Johnny is easy to talk to. He’s charming and flirtatious. Music and the band are his life. He’s never wanted to do anything else, and he has no interest in attending college. I admire his passion and drive and the fact that he’s pinpointed exactly what his gift is. He can play multiple instruments. And I already know he has an amazing voice from listening to him sing onstage.
We finish the meal, and Johnny insists on paying for it. I’m surprised by how traditional the date has been. I wouldn’t have expected it from a future rock star like him. But I like it. Especially when I consider that Connor never even officially took me out. And Ollie will barely acknowledge my existence most days. Dating has become somewhat obsolete in the college scene. You usually meet at a party or during a night out on the town with friends, and then you hang out in the same setting. It’s all very informal and laid-back. It feels nice to be taken care of for once. To be wined and dined, so to speak.
Johnny places his hand on the small of my back when we walk through the restaurant. And he opens the door for me when we reach it.
“Do you have anywhere else you want to go?” he asks when we arrive at his car. It’s an old, restored black Mustang, and it suits his rocker vibe.
I pause to face him over the roof. “I have to work tomorrow. So, I think I’d better call it a night.”
He nods, and we climb into the car.
I’m not lying; I do have to work. But I don’t have to be there early. And I’m not trying to blow Johnny off. I’ve had a good time with him tonight. But I find myself wanting to go home and let everything digest.
I keep ruminating on Ollie’s reaction to my date earlier tonight. With the way he’d been acting toward me lately, I had no idea what version of him I was going to get when he came home to find me getting ready for a date. But he seemed angry and possessive. Territorial. He seemed jealous. I hadn’t expected that. And something about it stirs excitement in my gut even though I know I shouldn’t let it.
Johnny drives the short distance back to the apartment, and I pretend not to notice that Ollie’s Bronco is still in the lot or the way my heart rate speeds up when I see it.
He might not be here. He could’ve taken a rideshare or been picked up by one of his friends. Or by a woman.
I try to prepare myself for that possibility as we’re walking up the stairs to the apartment. I don’t want to be disappointed, though I know I will be if I find an empty place when I go inside. I pull my attention back to Johnny.
He shuffles when we stop in front of the door to open it. I have my keys ready, and I unlock it, but pause before turning the handle. I face the handsome rocker.
