Page 63 of Wylder & the Rising Rockstar
And still, he hadn’t been able to make himself reach out to her.
She flopped onto her bed, coming to a realization that sent a stabbing pain through her.
She had to let him go. This was one hurdle Logan couldn’t jump. It shouldn’t be so hard. They’d only had one real date. Right?
But what if what Killian said was true? What if she’d had these feelings for far longer than she’d realized?
Wylder had always been seen as trouble, but now she knew that was in the eye of the beholder. Because to her, the greatest trouble was a boy with piercing eyes and a heartbreaking voice.
The one who wrote beautiful lyrics and played the keyboard like it was what he was born to do.
A boy who kissed her like she was the air he needed to breathe.
But she was wrong. It was Wylder who was suffocating now.
18
“I still don’t get how this is going to get Logan talking to me again.” Wylder tucked her drumsticks under her arm after their soundcheck. She couldn’t deny it, performing with Luke Cook as her back up was kind of a kick. He was insane on guitar. The crowd was going to go wild for his solo when they realized how much he’d been holding back on them. His label had some stupid notion that country music fans didn’t buy concert tickets to hear a guitarist who could also sing.
They only wanted the voice—Logan’s voice. She wondered how that must have affected Luke’s confidence as a singer and guitarist. He was cocky for sure, but she was beginning to realize he was extremely vulnerable under that thick facade.
“Trust me, I know my brother.” Luke set his guitar on its stand backstage. The Winter Review crew were running around like maniacs, finishing the last minute details for tonight’s show.
“You keep saying that.”
“Logan is loyal to a fault.” Luke turned to face her, arms folded across his chest. “If he feels you’ve betrayed that loyalty, he’s as stubborn as they come, and there’s no getting through to him.”
“And you want me to fix that by performing a song I wrote with him… with you?” It made zero sense.
“Exactly.” Luke clapped her on the back. “It’s all part of my—“
“Evil master plan, yeah, I got it.” Wylder nodded. “Except your plan sounds stupid.”
“Trust me. I know how to show my brother when he’s being an idiot. It happens a lot.” Luke gave her his patented superstar smile. “Just go back to your dorm to put some funky color in your cool hair, and change into your most epic Wylder outfit. I’ll see you on stage in a few hours.”
“Fine, but I hold you responsible for whatever happens when this is over.” Wylder headed toward the backstage exit.
“I’ll be sure to remind you of that when we’re a smashing success on that stage,” Luke called after her.
Wylder turned, walking backward for a moment. “Oh, I have no doubt we’ll kill it in the performance tonight. It’s after I’m concerned about.”
* * *
Wylder sorted through her closet, looking for something stage-worthy. She had her own style, that was for sure. It was just a very comfortable style of jeans, t-shirts, hoodies, and the slightly-more-than-occasional ridiculous outfit. She was Becks’ sister, after all.
Her hand hesitated over the rainbow dress she’d worn to last year’s winter formal when she’d gone with Killian and Kenny. She couldn’t pull that look off again. Not at Defiance Academy. She needed something no one had seen her in before.
“Devyn!” She called, hoping her roomie was home. “Hey, Dev, I need you!”
“I highly doubt it.” Devyn stepped into her room, her eyes widening in horror at the state of Wylder’s bed.
“It’s everything I own that isn’t good enough to wear on stage.”
“Do you have anything left in your closet?”
“Yes, but nothing that looks remotely cool and epic.”
“Are you kidding me?” Devyn held up a pair of ruby red sequined shoes. “I really hate to admit this, but you wear a lot of epic clothes. Even the pants that have tails. Only you can pull that off, by the way. Just don’t wear any of your lazy clothes.” She shoveled through a pile of sweatshirts and yoga pants.
