Page 44 of Wylder and the Secret Rockstar
She bit back a grin. “We’ll see. Are you still mad at me?”
He shook his head. “As I was puking up my guts—”
“Nice visual.”
“—I realized you were right. I followed you into the lake. I’m just not used to getting in trouble.”
“I’m going to need you to say that again.”
“Say what?”
“I was right. I never tire of it.”
He reached out and shoved her shoulder with a laugh.
“No talking.” It wasn’t quite a bark from Sebastian, more of a tentative yip, as if he didn’t quite know how to reprimand his brother and the student he’d had a torrid summer affair with. Okay, maybe not torrid.
Wylder hid a laugh behind her hand, meeting Logan’s eyes. He offered her a genuine smile.
She slid her notebook to his desk and pointed at a new line for the chorus she’d come up with.
“I like that,” he whispered. “How about if the music tapers off here.” He pointed to a word. “And doesn’t come back in until here.” His finger tapped another.
She could hear it in her head. “You’re good at this.”
He shrugged. “When you’ve been around it enough…”
But it was more than that. He wrote music like he had experience crafting songs for big impact, like he too was an artist, not just his brother. As they worked together, trading whispered words, she glanced toward Sebastian, finding him watching them every time. He didn’t even bother to pretend he wasn’t.
There was something sad in his gaze, a feeling she’d experienced right after seeing him in the classroom for the first time. A desperation to return to what they’d had.
The four hours flew by as she worked on the song with Logan, made headway on some other homework, and experimented with how far they could take their talking before Sebastian would chastise them.
For once, detention was actually fun.
* * *
Wylder walked out of the building in need of something to make her Saturday better. She wasn’t sure she wanted to risk sneaking off campus after this week. Ms. Jones had security watching her like a hawk.
Her phone rang, and she smiled when she saw who it was. “Hey, Nick Nick.”
“Wylder.” Her friend’s excited voice always made her feel better. “Guess what.”
“You decided to leave my brother for a rodeo clown?”
“No, I—”
“Dropped out of college to follow Becks like a little puppy?”
“Wylder, I’m trying to say I—”
“Came down with an incurable disease that makes you allergic to Becks, and you’ve decided to finally profess your love for me as your consolation prize.”
“I’m in town!”
“Oh.” She laughed. “Well, that’s better. I’ve gotta say, Nicky, I don’t really like the thought of being with someone who thinks Beckett has ever been cool.”
“Then I’ll take the ring back, and you can’t join our thruple.”
