Page 2 of Wylder and the Almost Rockstar
The surprise showed on her face. She hadn’t expected him to know that, but what she didn’t know was Logan had followed Luke in his career. Until leaving to attend Defiance Academy, he’d been at his brother’s side for everything, always in the background, but never left completely behind.
As the thought came to him, some of his anger at Luke dissipated. Had he done what he did because he felt left behind?
Marigold smiled. “Well, tell us, Luke, when will we hear some new music? It’s been almost a year since your last album was released.”
That was a good question. Logan hadn’t gone back into the studio to record Luke’s music since starting at the academy. “We’re working on it.” He leaned back, trying to appear relaxed. “Art takes time. My fans understand that.”
She laughed. “I’m sure they do, but it doesn’t make them any less impatient.”
“Impatience isn’t a bad thing, Marigold.” He channeled Luke’s cockiness. “It only means they’re impacted by my words. There’s no greater compliment than that.”
“You’re right about that. So, we’d miss an opportunity if we didn’t ask you about the rumors going around the gossip sites about your brother.”
“Logan?” Logan laughed, his throat tight. “He’s busy with high school in Ohio.”
“But that’s not all he is, right? Some even say the true voice behind Luke Cook belongs to his brother.”
Sweat dampened Logan’s palms, and his eyes flicked to Wylder once more. She didn’t meet his gaze as her death glare focused on Marigold. If looks could kill… Seeing her anger loosened something in his chest.
He curled his fingers in before pressing them flat on his knees. “No one sings my songs but me.”
Something sparked in Marigold’s eyes like he’d just confirmed everything to her. If she knew he was Logan, why hadn’t she revealed the fact to her audience?
She wasn’t deterred. “I’m going to play a clip of Logan in his school performance a few months ago. Our audience can make a determination for themselves.”
Logan’s voice filtered through the soundstage, and his leg bounced as he struggled to remain in his seat. He wanted to run, to get out of the spotlight and go back to just being the rock star’s brother at the academy.
But he couldn’t. Not this time.
The clip ended, and the silence that descended was louder than the music had been. Finally, Marigold turned to him again. “We’ve spoken to experts about twin voices. It’s nearly impossible for them to sound the same. So, is there anything you’d like to tell my viewers?”
As Logan focused on keeping oxygen coming into his lungs, only one thought entered his mind.
Luke was a dead man.
Because all of this was his fault.
1
Six Weeks Ago
Hockey was a beautiful sport.
Okay, Wylder would amend that. Hockey players were beautiful, not the game itself. She still barely understood half of it, despite two friends being destined for professional hockey greatness. Kenny and Killian would one day take the NHL by storm. Her biggest fear was that they’d end up on different teams and she’d have to choose one when they played against each other.
Well, maybe it wasn’t her biggest fear. But it would suck. How was she supposed to choose between her favorite lovable douchy gay and her favorite lovable loner gay? One thing was for certain. The NHL would never be the same.
“Go Killian!” Diego jumped to his feet, waving his arms in the air.
“D.” Wylder yanked him down. “He just got scored on. Not the time to cheer for him.”
People around them glanced their way, and she knew what they looked like. Wylder wore blue wax in her hair in honor of the Defiance Academy Knights hockey team—in honor of Killian, goaltender extraordinaire.
And Diego… with his crooked glasses and cheering at the wrong moments obviously belonged more at a mathlete competition or coding convention than a hockey game. The rebel and the nerd. It was the start of an epic story. Just not a love story.
Red crept into Diego’s cheeks as he straightened his glasses. “The screen thing zoomed in on Killian. I thought that was good.”
“The screen thing is called a Jimbotron.” Wylder smiled. “I think it’s named after the guy who invented it. They’re a lot bigger in the NHL.” Most high schools didn’t even have them, but Defiance Academy wasn’t most high schools.
