Dare to Rock (2 page)

“We do,” he agreed. “But afterwards? I’m coming home.” And he was going to get his girl.

Chapter One

Five Months Later

“A
nd always remember to be your best self!” Avery waved at the computer screen and hit the stop button on the recording. Another video
in the can
, she thought wryly. She’d re-watch later and do her editing before putting this one in the queue with the others.

She taped ahead, and she felt good about the upcoming weeks’ worth of material. In between videos, she interspersed her blog with written stories, photos of clothing and makeup, and the celebrities who wore them well. Those she also wrote ahead of time. And she had plenty of future ideas, she thought, glancing at the yet-to-be-organized piles of free product that had been sent to her for testing.

One of the perks of being a professional blogger—vlogger—with a huge online social media presence, she received packages from companies looking for her to pimp their goods. She also relied on her personal favorite products and looks for which she did online tutorials. It’d begun as a cool hobby she’d somehow turned into a career, and she loved it. She supported herself, supplemented by a trust fund courtesy of her maternal grandparents. She was lucky and she knew it. She never took her life for granted.

The irony of her online persona compared to her real-life one never failed to amuse her. She was far from the extrovert she portrayed herself to be. When she was nine, she’d experienced her first panic attack after the scandal had broken about her father’s second family. The paparazzi had wanted more information about her family, and they hadn’t been above targeting a child to do it. She still had nightmares about the flashing camera lights and the crushing hordes of people coming at her. That incident and the ensuing ones had caused her to withdraw, preferring the comfort of friends and family to large outside crowds and intrusive strangers.

With those closest to her, she was comfortable and outgoing. To Avery, vlogging was still the equivalent of being behind the scenes, and she had no problem portraying that side of herself on camera. She provided her viewers with advice and how-to instructions on wearing the newest fashions and current makeup styles. She was twenty-five and played to her age group and younger, and her perky persona worked, making her a success. As a result, her fans looked at her as their
friend
, someone to whom they could relate.

Her brother Ian might be president of the Miami Thunder football team, and her father owned a renowned hotel chain, but Avery never flaunted her family name or wealth. She’d had enough of public scrutiny to last her a lifetime, and she never sought attention outside her small channel on the Internet.

A familiar
ding
alerted her to incoming emails, and she clicked back to her mail program. An email notice from a local gossip blog caught her eye, and she read the subject.

Reports of Tangled Royal breakup confirmed.

Avery bit down on her lower lip, not surprised by the mention of the band but always dismayed by the accompanying painful twist of her stomach.

Grey Kingston, Tangled Royal’s lead male singer and guitarist, had been Avery’s high school boyfriend and first love. And up until five months ago, she hadn’t heard from him in seven years. Then one day, a letter had arrived from Grey, telling her he was leaving her concert tickets and backstage passes. He’d ended with,
Love to see you again. G.

After a lot of consideration, because Avery always thought things through, she’d gathered her courage, invited her sister, Olivia, and decided to attend. Memories of that night still haunted her. She wasn’t naïve or stupid. She understood the magnitude of the kind of life a rock star like Grey Kingston led.

Even if she hadn’t known, she’d been force-fed pictures and snippets of information over the years by the same online sites she read to keep her blog current. And she’d be a liar if she didn’t admit to setting a Google Alert to Tangled Royal and buying their albums and listening to them in secret, where her family and friends wouldn’t know or judge her. But the on-screen photos and gossip columns had nothing on what she’d seen with her own eyes.

She’d walked into the room to find a half-naked, bleached blonde wrapped around Grey like a second skin. The other female fans in the room had been dressed equally skanky, and they’d surrounded the band members, serving to remind Avery of how different she and Grey’s lifestyles were. And how they each had always wanted opposite things.

She’d left the VIP room before she and Grey could do more than look into each other’s eyes. A long, history-filled stare that threatened all the defenses she’d built up against him after he’d left town … and left her behind. One look at the handsome face she used to love had hit her hard, and she’d known then and there, she would need to protect herself. And she was right.

Grey hadn’t given up. Every time she posted something meaningful on her blog, like a hot new handbag or a delicious-smelling perfume she’d sampled and adored, the same product ended up being sent to her doorstep, gift wrapped beautifully, with a short card attached.

I’m sorry — G.

Give me another chance — G
.

Can’t wait to see you — G
.

Missed you all these years — G.
Yeah, that last one got to her most. Because she’d missed him too.

Then, as routinely as the presents had arrived, they’d stopped. He had sent a note, telling her he’d call when he was back in town, but that had been weeks ago, and she’d stopped holding her breath. No doubt he’d decided she wasn’t worth the effort, not when he had all those easy conquests and female groupies at his disposal.

She’d tried to put him out of her mind, not all that successfully. Now this band breakup notice stared back at her from the screen. Her finger hovered over the keyboard before she finally gave in and opened the email alert and read the article in its entirety.

Grey Kingston has been sighted in and around Miami and South Beach over the last week while bassist Danny Bills settles into L.A., adding fuel to the rumors that the band is going their separate ways.

So Grey was back in Miami and had been for a week. So much for his promise to contact her when he returned to town, she thought, her chest tightening, not with her familiar anxiety but with true pain.

Though she knew she shouldn’t be all that surprised. It was just another letdown by another important man in her life. This one had once stolen her heart. Only recently had she come to realize she’d never truly gotten it back.

“Hey.” Ella, her roommate and best friend, stood in the doorway of Avery’s bedroom.

Avery pushed her chair back and forced a smile. She’d met Ella Shaw when they were both at Miami Children’s Hospital, donating bone marrow. Avery was nine, Ella had just turned ten. They’d bonded, shared summer and holiday visits, and claimed each other as best friends. When Avery’s sister, Olivia, had moved out and married Dylan Rhodes, Ella had moved in.

“You okay?” Ella asked.

“I am awesome,” Avery said, turning her back on the screen and alert, grateful a photo of Grey hadn’t accompanied the message. She didn’t need to see his handsome face on her screen. Bad enough he occupied so much of her thoughts.

Ella plopped down on Avery’s bed, curling her legs beneath her. Her damp, light brown hair hung around her face in silky strands. “And I don’t believe you.” She pinned Avery with a knowing stare.

“Okay, I’m not awesome.” Avery had never been able to lie to Ella, not since the day they’d met.

On top of Avery being easy to read, Ella had an intuitive sense, in addition to her warm, giving personality, and Avery adored her. Meeting Ella was one of the good things that had come of that painful time in Avery’s life.

“I’m guessing Grey Kingston has something to do with you being distracted and
not awesome
?” Ella asked, making air quotes with her fingers.

Avery pursed her lips and nodded.

Though she hadn’t told her family what had happened when she’d gone to see Grey backstage, it was obvious to them all she’d been upset and not herself afterwards. But she had confided in Ella. It wasn’t that Avery didn’t want to tell her sister, but the time had never been right. Olivia’s life had been in upheaval. First, Dylan’s old friend Meg had been in the hospital, and they’d been busy with her troubles. Afterwards, Olivia’s life had fallen into place. She and Dylan were in love, and Avery hadn’t wanted to burden her sister with her own issues.

“Still no word from him?” Ella asked, bringing Avery back to thinking about Grey.

“No. And I shouldn’t care. I mean, I’m the one who told him to stop texting me and to focus on his tour.” Avery settled herself on the edge of her bed.

“And you only told him to leave you alone because you’re scared to start something with him again. Besides, it’s not like he listened to you.” She gestured to one of the many gifts he’d sent … and she’d placed around her room.

“But he did say he’d be in touch the next time he was in Miami.” Avery picked at a nonexistent piece of lint on her silk pants.

“And?” Ella pushed, never allowing Avery to escape into herself as she was prone to do.

She swallowed over the surprisingly painful lump in her throat. “I just read he’s been back in town for the last week or so.”

“And he still hasn’t been in touch.”

“No. And I shouldn’t care! I don’t want to care.”

“But you do.” Ella patted the space beside her.

Avery crawled up the mattress and curled against her pillows. “I’m being ridiculous. I should be relieved he’s forgotten about me. I saw him with those groupies, and I ran from everything his lifestyle represents, didn’t I?”

“You did,” Ella agreed.

“So why do I care that he decided I’m not worth it?”

“That’s not what he decided!” Ella exclaimed, shaking her head in frustration. “If I could wrap my hands around your father’s neck for all the insecurities he caused you, I would.”

Insecurities were probably an understatement, Avery thought. And truly, only her sister, mother, and brothers could completely relate to the belittlement they’d felt on discovering their father’s betrayal. They’d always believed their hotel magnate father, Robert Dare, was away from home, traveling extensively on business. And he’d always made up for what he didn’t provide in time and presence with gifts.

They’d thought he worked hard to support their family and had accepted his absence as routine. Until the day he’d informed their mother, Emma, that he not only had a mistress but another four children on the side. And one of those children, the youngest, Sienna, needed a bone marrow transplant in order to live, and he wanted his legitimate kids tested as potential donors. Bless her mother, she’d always been kind and caring and, despite her own pain, had agreed.

Avery had been the match, the child her father had used to save one in the family he’d devoted his time to. The family he clearly loved more than Avery’s. To say she’d felt used and abandoned was an understatement of extreme magnitude.

Ella pulled her in for a brief hug. “I’ve known you for a long time, and you’ve told me things your siblings don’t even know, right?”

Avery nodded. Ella had always been her safe place. Grey had too … once. She pushed the thought aside.

“Then trust me when I tell you, you can’t let the feelings of inadequacy your dad left you with rule your life. I know it didn’t help when Grey left you to find fame and fortune, and you’ve convinced yourself you’re not enough, not worthy. I’m here to remind you that you are.”

At her friend’s true and telling words, Avery trembled. As hard as she’d tried to overcome it all, some days, the inadequate feelings came rushing back.

Ella grasped Avery’s hands. “Mr. Tangled Royal would be lucky to have you in his life. Not the other way around.”

Avery blew out a deep breath, replaying her friend’s words in her mind. They helped. “You’re right. Dealing with Grey after all this time has made me feel like I’ve been abandoned all over again. Except it’s not the same. And I’ve moved on.”

Ella eyed her with amusement. “Now I don’t know if I’d go that far.”

Avery smacked her with the nearest pillow, and her friend laughed.

“But I would go so far as to say you’ve grown up a lot since you two saw each other last. With a little luck, so has he.”

Avery rolled her eyes. “Ever the optimist?”

Ella shrugged. “Can’t hurt to think positively, right? So if he does get in touch and he wants to see you, I think you owe it to yourself to meet up with him. Think closure, if nothing else.”

“When did you get so smart?” Avery asked.

“The day you became my best friend. Remember it’s easy to give advice to someone else about their love life.”

As open as Ella was with most things, she didn’t talk much about her own guy situation. She claimed there wasn’t anything to discuss, which made no sense, because Ella was pretty, sweet, and she outshined everyone around her. She deserved a great man in her life.

“Anything
you
want to talk about?” Avery asked, hoping for once her friend would open up.