Chapter 2
WYNTER
I regretted the words the moment they slipped out. Instead of being shy or surprised that I’d recognized him, Ross seemed almost angry. His silvery-blue eyes turned dark. I could see the fire lurking there even in the limited pre-dawn light, since the sun hadn’t come up yet, and I mentally kicked myself. I hadn’t been trying to be confrontational, I merely wanted to let him know I understood where he was coming from.
“I’m sorry,”
I said quickly. “I didn’t realize it was a secret. I was trying to be funny, that’s all. I apologize.”
His face was tight. “The past is best left where it is.”
“But you’re… Ross Rocket.”
I whispered, as if someone might hear us. “How has no one recognized you? The video for ‘Shooting for the Stars’ was everywhere when I was a kid. My mom played that album constantly.”
“It’s been nearly twenty years,”
he responded quietly, grinding the cigarette into the concrete with his shoe. “I haven’t been Ross Rocket in a long time. And I want it to stay that way.”
With that, he turned and strode in the opposite direction.
Damn.
I hadn’t meant to upset him.
Hell, I’d come out here to clear my head after another miserable night of insomnia.
I’d left my extremely demanding job as an emergency room nurse at a Los Angeles hospital and taken a job in the private sector, as the office manager for a busy doctors’ practice. I’d thought it would be easy compared to twelve-hour shifts in the ER. Instead, the pressure, along with the insane hours, left me staring at the walls most nights.
The company had sent me to Phoenix for a training conference on some new software, and when I’d seen that Onyx Knight would be in town, I’d reached out to my sister. She’d recently remarried Tommy, Onyx Knight’s drummer, and was on tour with the band, so she’d put my name on the list. I’d hoped seeing my sister and hearing live music would be the perfect way to relax and unwind after the week of training, but so far it hadn’t worked.
Not even yesterday’s spa day had helped, and I’d finally given up on sleep just after four in the morning.
Running into Ross—aka my crush—at the pool had felt fortuitous.
Until I’d opened my mouth and messed everything up.
With a sigh, I headed back inside, undecided about whether I wanted to attempt to get a few hours’ sleep or if I should go to the hotel gym and exhaust myself into a nap. Sleeping pills were always an option, but I’d resisted so far. At some point, I might have to give in, but for now, I was taking things one day at a time.
“Wynter. Wait.”
I turned in surprise to see Ross heading my way.
I averted my gaze, trying not to stare.
I’d had a crush on him as a kid, watching Ross he was just being nice after how abrupt he’d been earlier.
No matter how giddy my pre-teen heart felt, the thirty-three-year-old woman controlling my brain knew better.
“So, what’s your question for me?”
I asked as casually as I could manage.
The way I was feeling made no sense.
I’d been around rock stars for years. My sister had been involved with one since she was eighteen and was married to him once again now. I’d hooked up with a guy in one of their opening acts several years ago, and we’d dated for about a year before I caught him cheating on me.
Celebrities were nothing new to me, but Ross was different.
I’d been eleven years old when the Ross & The Rockets album came out.
My mother had played it nonstop for months.
My younger sister Harley and I knew every word to every song.
But while Harley had always been infatuated with drummers, I’d fallen for Ross.
His posters graced the walls of my bedroom, and no one had cried harder than me when we’d heard about the bus crash. It had been so sad. Now I felt a little guilty for talking about it at all.
“Were you surprised to see Harley and Tommy get back together?”
Ross asked, surprising me with his bluntness.
“No,”
I replied honestly. “They’ve always been in love. They’re just finally figuring out how to make it work. Love is complicated, especially for them. Personally, I don’t think rock and roll is conducive to true love, but what do I know?”
His eyes were suddenly shrouded. “I can tell you with absolute certainty you’re wrong about that, Wynter.”