Page 2 of Her Rock Star's Dark Secret

When five o’clock rolled around and Lauren left the salon with Rita in charge for the evening, she was half tempted to get Penny from Maggie’s so she could feed her dinner, but Maggie insisted on keeping her so Lauren would have ample time to get ready for her date. Penny wouldn’t mind. She liked to play with her two cousins.

Lauren grumbled to herself as she trudged up the stairs to the apartment above her salon, where she lived. Why hadn’t she been able to think of an excuse as to why she wouldn’t be able to make it tonight? She wondered if she wasn’t too nice for her own good. She unlocked the door to her place and pushed it open.

The dishes were still piled in the sink from last night’s dinner. She rolled up her sleeves and set to work, getting them cleaned up. She knew she was procrastinating getting ready, but she didn’t care. She looked around her place. Couldn’t she think of something to get her out of this thing tonight? Completely out of excuses, she went into her bedroom and opened her closet. The teal dress hung in front of her, taunting her. She sighed and pulled the dress from the closet.

Thirty minutes later, she was dressed with her hair swept back into a loose bun, golden tendrils escaping to frame her face. She’d done her makeup in soft, earthy hues. She slipped on her favorite pair of nude pumps that made her legs look longer.

She pulled out her phone to text Alexis

Lauren: How am I supposed to know what this guy looks like? You never told me what he would be wearing tonight.

Alexis: He’ll have on a black blazer and a red tie. Dark hair.

Lauren: What’s his name?

Lauren waited for Alexis to respond, but she never did.

Chapter 2

Chase drove up to Ravioli’s and parked the Camaro he’d rented in the spot next to the building. He was lucky to find a space so close. The restaurant was packed, just like he remembered it always being—especially on a Friday night. He hadn’t been there in years. In fact, he hadn’t been to his hometown in years. Not much had changed.

Maple Creek still held that magical, timeless quality of an era long gone. After the whirlwind of being on the road for his last tour, visiting one big city after another, Maple Creek seemed to move in slow motion. Little old ladies stopped to greet each other on the street, and kids skipped down the sidewalks with their pockets full of change as they visited Mr. Redd’s store for some candy.

Chase leaned against the headrest and sighed. How had he let Alexis talk him into the blind date? He’d gone to a lot of lengths to avoid dating. He didn’t do the long-distance relationship thing, and he wasn’t interested in a fling either. As the lead singer of Remington Sound, he’d had plenty of opportunities. He always had some female groupies following him around, desperate to throw themselves at him. He loved his fans. He just wasn’t interested in any of them romantically. It had never felt right.

Maybe one day, he’d settle down with someone, but with a new album to write and record, he didn’t see how he’d fit a relationship into his busy schedule.

He checked his watch. Five minutes until six.

He decided he’d better go inside and get their table before she showed up, and he wasn’t there. He’d only been settled at the table long enough for the server to bring him a glass of water when Lauren Parker showed up wearing a teal dress and heels that made her legs look miles long. He looked away. Why was he checking out her legs? And what was she doing here?

She must have seen him because a range of emotions crossed her features. Curiosity, shock, and then anger. She strutted to his table with a look of fury on her face.

“Do you think this is some kind of joke?” she snarled.

He almost choked on his water but was able to get it down before answering her. “Hi, Lauren, it’s nice to see you too. It’s been a minute.” Like ten years. “Is something wrong?”

“You’re my blind date? Chase Remington?”

A jolt of shock flew through him. Lauren? She was his date? His eyes took in her teal dress, and something clicked into place in his mind. Alexis had said that she would be wearing a teal dress.

He flashed his most charming smile. The one that usually got women to melt into a puddle at his feet. Not that he ever did anything about it. But he’d learned that his charming smile tended to get him out of the stickiest of situations.

But she didn’t seem charmed at all. If anything, his smile had made her even more angry. Her eyebrows rose, and for a moment, he thought she was going to punch him. But then she rearranged her features into a semblance of calm and pulled back the chair across from him.

He would have paid ten thousand dollars to know what she was thinking at that minute. Instead, he said, “So you’ve decided to stay?”

“Yes. I’ve decided to stay.” She pulled the menu toward her and opened it, scanning the contents.

“Ok,” he said, pulling open his own menu. “I hear the fettuccini is great here.” He knew it was a lame attempt at conversation, but the words were out before he could take them back.

She dropped the menu to scrutinize him. “Why are you here, Chase?”

“Alexis told me she had a date lined up for me. But I’m assuming you know that.”

“No,” she shot back, venom lacing her words. “I mean, why are you in Maple Creek? It’s been ten years, and you haven’t bothered to come home once.”

“You’ve been keeping track?”

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