Melody of the Heart

Brayden kept his arm wrapped around me as we started out the door. It was a tight squeeze, but we made it. Glancing up at him, I smiled. “Think you’re being a little overprotective?”

He grunted. “I just want to make sure Teague doesn’t get the wrong idea.”

“You know, you’re kinda cute when you’re being a caveman.”

“Is that right?” he asked, with a grin.

“Mmm, hmm. It gets me kinda hot.” I ran my hand up his chest. “You think that maybe you and I could christen that dressing room for my birthday?”

A gleam of lust burned in his eyes. “Oh yeah, I think I can arrange that.”

“I’m glad to hear it.”

He gave me a kiss on the lips before he broke away. AJ had already sat behind the drum kit near the auburn-haired guy with the bass guitar had to be Teague by process of elimination. Jake and Brayden took their guitars and then went on stage.

I eased down on one of the bar stools and prepared to hear my very first Runaway Train performance.

LILY

THE PAST

I don’t think I moved from my spot for a full hour. I was that mesmerized by the guys making music. It didn’t hurt a lot of the songs that they were playing were written by Brayden about our relationship. Of course, it was really strange hearing Jake sing lead on Until There Was You. Hearing Brayden’s words of love come out of someone else’s mouth was going to take some time to get used to, especially with it coming from Jake.

The guys bantered back and forth about which songs they should play, and then they finally came up with a list of ten of their own, along with a few covers by Eric Clapton, the Rolling Stones, and Tom Petty. Once they finished rehearsing, they were starving, so we made a quick stop at The Varsity, which apparently was a favorite of theirs too.

“So Lily, besides Brayden, who do you think is the hottest member of Runaway Train?” AJ asked, after we’d made a decent dent in the massive pile of food.

I couldn’t help laughing at his question. “I don’t look at other guys.”

AJ rolled his eyes. “I don’t believe you.”

Throwing up my hands, I said, “I think you’re all very good-looking, okay?”

“Did you hear that, Bray? Your girlfriend is hot for us?” AJ teased.

“You are impossible,” I replied.

“Got any single friends you wanna hook us up with?” Teague asked.

“I have a few who are single. But it depends on what kind of guys you are.”

Jake cocked his brows at me. “I would think it was pretty evident.”

Wrinkling my nose, I replied, “Manwhores?”

The guys laughed at my summation. Jake took a swig of Coke and then winked at me. “I just got out of a relationship a few months back—”

Teague snorted. “What he means is he got his heart broken when his girlfriend refused to take sloppy seconds of his time anymore.”

Jake smacked the back of Teague’s hand. “Shut the fuck up, man.”

With a shrug, Teague replied, “It’s the truth.”

“Whatever,” Jake grumbled. “Anyway, I’m on the rebound, so I’m not looking for anything long term. These two jokers might be up for a relationship if the right girl came along.”

Playing with my straw, I asked, “Why didn’t you make time for your girlfriend?”

Jake glowered at me across the table. I could tell I had hit a sensitive nerve for him. “It wasn’t that I didn’t make time for her.” At Teague’s “bullshit” turned into a cough, Jake once again smacked him.

“We’d dated for two years. We were both busy with school, and then AJ, Teague, and I were trying to work on getting the band to another level, but not having any luck, which led to a lot of stress. Then last semester, I had the chance to play and sing backup with a band we met at the Moonshine Festival up in Dawsonville. So I dropped out of school and went on the road with them. Nothing much came of it career wise other than it showed me that Runaway Train really needed to get on the road and start playing festivals, fairs, and shows. As far as my personal life, it really strained things between me and Stephanie.” He sighed. “In the end, she wanted a bigger commitment. The last thing I want right now is to be engaged or God forbid, married. So she broke up with me.”

“Wow,” Brayden murmured.

“What?” Jake asked.

“I think that is the most open and honest I’ve heard you be with anyone in the last few months.”

With a wry grin, Jake replied, “It’s because of Lily. She brings out the gentleman in me.”

I laughed. “Was that you being a gentleman earlier today when you tried to kiss me?”

AJ and Teague’s eyes widened at my statement. “Holy shit, where was I when this was going on?” AJ demanded.

“You were setting up,” I replied.

Glancing between Jake and Brayden, Teague asked, “Wait a minute, Jake tried to kiss Lily, and Brayden didn’t shed his blood?”

I waved my hand dismissively. “No, no, it was just a misunderstanding.”

Jake chuckled. “It might’ve been a misunderstanding, but he still shoved the hell out of me.”

Brayden narrowed his eyes at Jake. “You had your hands on my girl.”

“I know. And I said I was sorry. I was sorry then, and I’m sorry now.”

The tense expression on Brayden’s face receded slightly. Dropping my hand down beneath the table, I reached out for his hand. When I squeezed it, he gave me a warm smile.

Jake broke our moment by rising out of his chair. “Well, we better get going. We need to get ready for tonight.”

“What are we going to wear?” AJ asked.

Brayden frowned. “Good question.”

Jake’s gaze fell on me. “Why don’t we get Lily to help us?”

A nervous giggle escaped my lips. “You want me to be your unofficial stylist?”

Bobbing his head, Jake replied, “Sure, why not?”

“I’m not sure I’m really qualified to do that.”

Brayden kissed my cheek. “You’ve always picked out my clothes.”

AJ grinned. “Then it’s all settled. Lily is our new stylist.” Scratching his chin, AJ then asked, “Do you do hair?”

In that moment, I wondered what I had gotten myself into. At the same time, I couldn’t help being grateful that the men of Runaway Train were openly embracing me. I just hoped it would last.