Page 92 of Bayside Heat
“Control freak,” Rick hollered back. “Just go with it. Live in the moment.”
He led Drake around the back of the stage to where their buddy Caden Grant, Evan’s father, who was a police officer, was standing guard alongside several other members of Wellfleet’s finest. The Suburban parked, and a tattooed guy stepped from the vehicle. The crowd went wild, pushing forward and shoving Drake into Rick.
“Holy fuck,” Drake said with awe. “Is that who I think it is?”
“Boone Stryker,” Rick confirmed, holding his phone up as he videotaped Drake’s reaction. Boone was the lead guitarist in Strykeforce, Drake’s favorite band. “You can thank your girlfriend for this one. She pulled some major favors with just about everyone connected to him.”
Drake’s chest constricted. He pulled out his phone, then realized Serena was at that damn company event. “She’s going to miss it!”
“That’s why I’m videoing it!” Rick hollered over the noise of the crowd. “Wow. She really did knock the wind out of you with this one.”
Drake looked into the video camera, his emotions bowling him over. “Baby! What have you done? You should be here!” His gaze coasted over the sea of people, and his heart swelled. “I love you, Supergirl, and I will thank you properly when I see you!”
“That’s what I’m talking about,” Rick said with a laugh.
Drake couldn’t shake the awe inside him. “Baby, how did you do this?” he hollered into the video as the crowd pushed him toward the barricades. He’d read in a magazine that Boone and his wife, Trish, an actress, were both on hiatus and spending time with their son. That was just a few weeks ago. How had she managed this? “I wish you were here! Babe, there are no words! Thank you!”
Rick and Drake barreled through the crowd, catching sight of Boone helping his wife out of the vehicle. She carried their little boy, J.R., in her arms. Drake had read that he was six or seven months old now and was named after Boone’s father, Jeremy Rykerts, which Drake remembered because he hoped to one day honor his own father in the same way.
An entourage surrounded Boone and Trish as they made their way up to the stage with the rest of his bandmates. Stagehands were busy setting up equipment and mics. Whoops and cheers filled the air as Boone stood centerstage, his arm around Trish. Their baby wore a black-and-white onesie and a bandanna around his head.
“Drake!” Caden waved them toward the barricades. He said something to the officer next to him, and then he made his way over to Drake and Rick and told them to come through.
They climbed over the barricade while Caden and several other officers kept the rest of the crowd back.
“What’s the plan?” Drake asked, feeling like a fanboy, gawking at his hero on the stage. Boone had come from nothing, literally, and had taken the music world by storm. Drake’s idol was standing before him, his brother was by his side, and they were surrounded by loads of people he knew—and hordes he didn’t—and all Drake could think about was the absence of the only woman he wanted by his side.
Rick shrugged, but his smirk told Drake he knew exactly what Serena had been planning all along.
“How did all these people know he was coming and I didn’t?” he asked Rick.
“Boone tweeted earlier today.”
Tweeted. Jesus. Serena had long ago hired a social media assistant to handle their social pages for the store and the resort. He’d forgotten they even had them.
“Thank you. Thank you so much.” Boone’s deep voice cut through the din of the crowd, and more cheers rang out. “Thank you! My beautiful wife and I are so happy to be here to celebrate the opening of Drake Savage’s Bayside Music and Arts!” The crowd went crazy. “That’s right, so make sure you head inside before you leave and show your appreciation. Buy something from the man who brought this show to you! And just to make it even more enticing, I’ll be autographing purchases for thirty minutes after my set.”
More applause and shouts rang out.
“Before we get started,” Boone said as he gazed out over the crowd, “I’d like to bring Serena Mallery and my man Drake to the stage. Let’s hear it for Serena and Drake!”
