Page 79 of Hard Rock Temptation
Finn tipped his head back in an uproarious laugh and Zain smirked with wicked amusement. Chris and Anya returned my grin, while Kay…
The beaming smile Kaylee gave me was enough to make my heart soar. It didn’t solve all our problems of course, but for now I reveled at the love and admiration I saw in her eyes.
“That’s not everything, though,” I said.
Everyone went somber, waiting for me to continue.
“We all said some stuff to each other during our last argument,” I said. “We can’t just ignore that. I know it’s got to be weighing on everyone.”
“Anya and I made up,” Kaylee piped in, giving Anya a beaming smile. Anya returned it.
“Zain and I talked it out,” Finn spoke up, and his best friend nodded. “We both agreed we were being dicks.”
“I’m sorry,” Zain said, turning to Anya. “I was a dick to you, too.”
“You were.” Her eyebrows drew down into a frown, before her forehead smoothed. “But how’s that any different from normal?” she asked, her eyes crinkling at the corners in a teasing smile.
“I don’t hold any hard feelings against anyone,” Chris said, his usual easy-going self. “We were all pretty worked up. These kinds of fights happen in bands. It doesn’t need to break us up. Especially not now that we have a plan. Right?”
The rest of the group made murmurs of agreement. So the cracks in our group were already healing. Good.
There was still one unresolved problem, though.
Kaylee and I still hadn’t talked alone since I’d confronted her.
THIRTY-FIVE
KAYLEE
With Micah’s plan ready to be put into action and the band’s relationship beginning to repair, I should have been overjoyed. Everything was going to work out. Everything was going to be fine. I should have been able to breathe a sigh of relief.
But it wasn’t over. I still had one problem that hadn’t been taken care of. The most dangerous problem of them all.
And I knew I needed Micah’s help with it.
He had come up with a plan to fix the band. When the rest of us were moping and secluding ourselves, Micah had gone out and worked up a way out for all of us, just like the leader he always felt he had to be. I should have trusted that he would find a solution.
I should have trusted him, full stop.
“Micah.” I said his name and tried not to let my voice waver. “Can we talk?”
“Oooh, famous last words,” Finn teased.
Anya poked him in the chest.
“Quiet, you,” she said. Then she said to the rest of them, “Fries?”
“Sure, I’m in,” Zain said, and Anya ushered the rest of the band out of the basement studio.
Then it was just me and Micah. He looked at me expectantly. Just like with Anya, I knew I couldn’t stop to think or I’d chicken out.
“I’m sorry,” I told him. “I’m sorry about the contract. I’m sorry I didn’t trust you enough to come to you with it. I didn’t want to worry you on top of everything else, but I still shouldn’t have gone ahead without telling you. I should have trusted you with my problem.”
Micah stared at me long enough that my stomach began to churn. Was it not enough? Was he not going to forgive me? Was what I’d donetoounforgivable? Had I ruined things with us for good, with that one decision I’d made all those years ago? Had the consequences of my actions finally caught up with me?
Sour acid rose up my throat, choking me, as if vicious hands were wrapped around my neck, squeezing tight. I couldn’t take in a single breath.
What would I do if Micah couldn’t forgive me?
