Love Rock'ollection: The Brutal Strength Rock Star Trilogy, books 1-3 (31 page)

Sam rolled her eyes. “Ah, now the situation becomes clearer.”

“Mmmm,” Sara murmured noncommittally. “How long do you think it takes him every day to style his hair so that those bangs of his fall across his forehead just so?”

Sam’s grey eyes twinkled. “His hair does always look nice. So do his blue eyes.”

“They’re light brown.”

“Ah-ha!” Sam said, pointing an accusing finger at her older sister. “You don’t notice a guy’s eye color unless you are seriously attracted, Sara.”

“Yeah, yeah, ok. I admit it. The guy is fine...and he totally knows it.” Sara distractedly pulled on one of her sister’s corkscrew curls as her expression turned thoughtful. “The problem with him is that big ego of his. He’s a real cocky bastard. But then I guess so are half the guys I meet. Either that or they’re married.” She shrugged. “I don’t know why I let him get to me so easily. Maybe it was the jet leg.”

The time difference between Texas and British Columbia was only two hours. Sam bet there was more to the situation with Chris Alex than Sara was admitting to, but she let it go for now. Leaning forward, she impulsively threw her arms around her older sister and hugged her. “I’ve missed you like crazy. I haven’t seen you for real in ages. Skype’s not the same. How long have you been on the road?”

“Six months.”

“Gad, Sara. I bet you’re sick of it.”

“Yeah, I am. I was hoping to see Grams during this break, but Mary showed up.” She ruffled Samantha’s curls. “Which is great because I get to see you, Munchkin.”

Samantha’s face broke into a teasing smile. “I hate that nickname. Five foot four is average height for a woman. You’re the freakishly tall one.”

“Ok. Alright. Truce! Tell me, how are things at Black Cat? Is working with Beth all that you expected it to be?”

Samantha rocked back, her silver eyes bright with excitement. “Oh-my- gosh! Black Cat is wonderful. I’ve got every nook and cranny of that historic place memorized now. It has so much character, just like the Kitsilano neighborhood. And the creative vibe...” She glanced at Sara. “You were there today. Didn’t you feel it as soon as you walked through the doors and saw all the gold records and awards lining the walls?”

Sara gave her sister a soft smile, admitting, “Yeah. I felt it. Black Cat has quite a reputation for recognizing and developing talent.”

Sam nodded. “Beth is wonderful, too. It’s all been great. Beth knows everything about everyone at the label. Working with her is a dream come true, like getting a PhD in PR. It’s only been four weeks, but I think I’ve learned more with her than I did the entire time I was getting my degree at TWU.” She twirled one of her chestnut curls between her fingers and glanced up at her sister. “I can’t thank you enough for helping me get the internship at Black Cat.”

“Hey, your transcripts already had you in the running.” She patted Sam’s knee. “The phone call I made was more of a formality.” Her sis could do with a little more confidence. “So, who’s the cute guy you texted me about? And where’d you meet him?”

Sam blushed, a detail that put Sara’s protective big sister radar on instant red alert. Sara couldn’t remember the last time Sam had blushed over a guy, any guy, not since middle school for sure.

“His name is John Raymond. I met him in the break room at work…”

“John Raymond?” Sara interrupted. “
The
John Raymond, as in JR, the drummer from Brutal Strength? Oh, hell, no.” She took a deep breath and placed her hands on her sister’s shoulders. “Sam. I told you about dating guys in the business. It never works out. They’re all players working some angle. Especially that one.”

Sam thought back to her run in with JR, remembering the kindness in his green eyes. “I don’t think he’s like that, Sara,” she said, looking down, unwilling to meet the scrutiny of her sister’s gaze.

Sara didn’t know how to let Sam down gently. She knew for a fact that JR ran with a pretty fast crowd. In fact on the flight up to Vancouver, she had seen a spread of pictures of him in
Star Magazine
. The headline had been about JR and some pop diva at a wild after party. Although she knew as well as anyone that sometimes the press didn’t bother to get their facts straight, she still didn’t want her little sister involved with a guy like him. He wasn’t right for her at all. “Let’s Google him and see,” Sara said rubbing the back of her neck.

“No, let’s not,” Sam protested, shaking her head and causing her heavy mass of curls to cascade around her shoulders.

Ignoring her, Sara clicked open another window on her computer. After a couple of seconds, she swiveled the laptop around, showing Sam the screen. The TMZ page was filled with photos of JR. Several pages worth. In almost every single picture, he had a drink in his hand or some pretty girl on his arm, and in a lot of cases, both.

Sam reached over and slammed her sister’s laptop closed. She stood and crossed the room, blinking away the quick tears to hide them from her sister’s overly perceptive view. She didn’t want Sara to know just how much seeing the pictures of JR had bothered her.
Get it together
, she chastised herself.
You only just met this guy
. A curtain of disappointment descended over her thoughts. Staring vacantly out the sliding glass windows at the back of the suite, she didn’t really notice the beauty of the lit up Vancouver skyline. It was JR’s smiling face that preoccupied her mind.

Sara came up behind her, an image of the two sisters reflected in the glass. One tall, one short but both expressions were melancholy. Throwing her arm around Sam’s shoulder, Sara told her, “I’m sorry Sam. I didn’t mean to hurt you. It doesn’t make me happy to be the bearer of bad news, but don’t you think it’s better knowing now before you’d gotten involved with him?”

Sam glanced up at Sara and nodded. “I know. You’re right. I don’t like it, but I get it. And I appreciate you looking out for me. I couldn’t ask for a better sister. I love you, Sara.”

“I love you too, Munchkin.” A fierce wave of emotion washed over her. Sam and their grandmother were the only two people she allowed access to her heart. She would go to any length to keep her sister safe and her sweet spirit from being destroyed…as hers had been so long ago.

THROUGHOUT THE MEETING in the second floor executive conference room, JR watched Samantha. She sat next to Beth, Black Cat’s attractive middle aged Vice President of Public Relations, typing notes into her laptop, a wave of reddish brown curls obscuring her face. Several times he’d tried to catch her attention without success. She was obviously ignoring him.
What the hell?
He thought they’d really hit it off the other day. Why was she playing hard to get now? His long fingers drummed impatiently on the reflective surface of the large ebony table.

Mary shot him a sideways glance, before turning to Beth. “Could you run through the album launch schedule again? I’m not sure that everyone is paying attention.” She focused a narrow glare at Marcus and Avery.

Avery’s cheeks blushed almost matching her auburn hair. She elbowed Marcus in the ribs. Brutal Strength’s temperamental front man lifted his head from her neck, ran a hand through his shoulder length brown mane, and gave her a questioning look.

“Sure, Mary,” Beth said, shuffling through her notes. “Like I said, there’s not much left to do, especially PR wise. Since the recent
event,”
she paused for emphasis
,
“media interest in Avery and Brutal Strength has been at a fever pitch.”

Avery visibly winced. “Sorry.”

“Hey you don’t hear me complaining, Avery. A girl guitarist disguising herself to get into a rock band…” Greyish green eyes twinkling, she smiled with genuine affection. “I couldn’t have dreamed up better publicity if I tried. It’s gonna be one hell of a tour. All we really need to do is put the album out there and the fans will go wild.”

Marcus pulled Avery’s wheeled conference chair closer until there wasn’t an inch of space separating them and whispered something in her ear. Her face reddened again.

Watching the interaction, JR smirked. The two of them had been disgustedly off the charts affectionate with each other since returning from a week on Vancouver Island. He saw Sam watching them with a wistful expression. He could relate. It was hard not to be envious of the bond the couple obviously shared.

Beth regained Sam’s attention by asking her to email an itinerary to each of the band members. She nodded and bent her head back down over the keyboard. Beth went back to addressing the group. “This week we’re all set to do a performance at the Rickshaw. It’ll be the official debut for the album. It’s going to be very limited seating, one guest for each of you, no exceptions.” She paused and glanced at Dwight, Marcus’ brother and the bassist in the group. “Will Lisa be ok with an aisle seat?”

“Sure. Thanks, Beth,” Dwight replied.

She nodded. “No worries. Where was I? Oh yeah, I’ve scheduled a couple of radio and television spots after that, but that’s it until a VIP party at Blue Water the night before you guys leave on tour.

“Ok that’s it then,” Mary said, gathering her papers. “The meeting is adjourned.” She glanced over at Samantha as everyone stood. “Sam, I need you to stay a minute. I want to have a word with you.”

“Sure,” Sam replied, chewing nervously on her bottom lip.

JR frowned in frustration as he slowly filed out with the others.

Mary glanced up at the young intern. “Sit,” she ordered.

Samantha immediately complied, pulling out a chair and taking a seat next to the formidable executive. Her stomach fluttered.

Mary turned and studied her for a long moment before patting her hand. “So, how are things going? Everyone treating you alright?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Mary smiled. “And how do you like working with Beth?”

“Oh, it’s wonderful. She is so knowledgeable. I am so grateful for the opportunity to learn from her.”

“Good. Good. Beth tells me that you’re ready to handle being her full time assistant. Any reason you’d have a problem with that?”

JR immediately came to mind but Sam pushed that errant thought aside. She could do this. “No ma’am. Thank you. I won’t disappoint you,” she replied in what she hoped was a confident professional tone.

Mary gave her a curt nod. “Ok, better hop to it then. Head on over to HR right now. They have the paperwork ready.”

Samantha dipped her head and scurried out of Mary’s presence, both elated by her good fortune and grateful to have survived a run in with the Queen unscathed.

“Oh!” She immediately collided with someone in the hall. By the way her body instantly flooded with warmth she knew exactly who it was without even bothering to look up.

“Ah, Sam, we’ve gotta stop meeting like this.” JR chuckled as his hands curled gently but firmly around her upper arms.

Sam’s face flushed to match the heat rushing throughout the rest of her body. “Yeah, very funny.”

He parried by flashing a lopsided smile that appeared to be part bravado with just a dash of vulnerability, a potent winning combination.

She took a step back. This was how she’d gotten into trouble downstairs in the break room. It would be so very easy to fall for him.

JR’s eyes narrowed underneath the fringe of his blond bangs. “What’s going on Samantha? You didn’t reply to my text last night. And now… are you ignoring me?”

“No…nothing’s going on,” she swallowed. “I just changed my mind about going out is all, ok?”

His smile fell. “I guess,” he said hesitantly.

Samantha turned away quickly before he had a chance to protest and headed down the hall. JR had looked so disappointed, and she hated to hurt anyone’s feelings. But there was no way a man like JR would think twice about a girl like her turning him down. She was just too big of a softie for her own good.
Keep walking girl
, she told herself.
Remember the pictures.
John Raymond is just a heartbreak waiting to happen.

CHRIS JANGLED HIS car keys as he came in from the parking garage and walked down the hallway to the reserved recording room. He was pissed as hell at Mary for forcing him to work with this country chick. Fine, he’d do it, but no one said he had to play nice.