Joy Ride by Desiree Holt (bill gates best books TXT) 📗

one place in your mind. You never expected to see him as part of your world. Come on. Confess. I’m right, aren’t I?”

Emma frowned. “So what do I do now? It’s been a week since this all happened. Maybe I’ve let it go too long and he’s just written me off as a rude idiot.”

The crowd had swelled in size and the noise level rose accordingly. Emma had to lean closer to hear her friend.

“Depends on you. Do you want to see him again?”

She thought about this for a long minute and the answer was very clear. Yes, absolutely. Without a doubt. “More than I can possibly tell you.”

Annie grinned. “Hooked you good, did he?”

“Uh huh. Is that terrible of me?”

“Not a bit, sweet cheeks. I like seeing you embrace life a little. Has he called you?”

Emma shook her head. “He can’t.”

Annie frowned. “Can’t? Why not? Doesn’t he have a phone?”

If she called him out of the blue and he had Caller ID…. No, she couldn’t do that. She needed to keep her anonymity in case it all turned into disaster. God, what a weak-kneed idiot she was. She wanted to be with him again but couldn’t expose who she was to him. Just in case. Was she being stupid or smart?

She looked down at her hands and blurted out, “I didn’t give him my name.”

“What?” Annie froze in shock. “Didn’t give him your name? What’s the matter with you?”

“I…was afraid to. What if I could only do this once? We’re so different. I don’t even know if we have anything else in common.”

“Well, you’ll never find out if he doesn’t know who you are. Anyway, the first thing you have to do is go back to Aftershock. Find a way to talk to him. You probably hurt this guy’s feelings. You have to make it right.”

Emma tore little pieces off her cocktail napkin, squirming as she recalled the way she’d run from his house like a frightened mouse, barely saying a word to him except she had to go. And then that incident in the grocery store. He probably thought she was a real nutcase. An image flashed in her mind of all the screaming females in the club who she was sure wanted him as badly as she did. And weren’t as stupid about it. Had she damaged her chances permanently?

“What if I hurt him to the point he doesn’t want to see me again? Or be with me?”

“You won’t know unless you go to the club and make an effort to patch this up. Go for it.”

“What if you’re wrong in your opinion of him and he’s just another horny musician?”

“I may not know him personally but if that’s the kind if guy he is, the buzz would have made him for it.”

Emma fiddled with her glass, staring into the remnants of her drink. “Would you go with me?”

“Go with you?” Annie repeated.

“Yes.” Emma pulled out her swizzle stick and licked the edges of it.

“You’re keeping him a big secret but you want to drag me along with you?”

“I’m not hiding him from you. Come on, Annie. I don’t think I have your kind of courage. I can’t do this by myself. You know your way around this scene and besides, I need you for moral support. If you’ll take pity on me, I’ll be your slave for life.”

“Be careful I don’t hold you to it.” Annie sighed. “Okay, okay. And what am I supposed to do while you send hot signals back and forth with this guy?”

“Just make sure I don’t pass out from anxiety and humiliation.” She sipped the rest of her drink. “Oh, and one other thing?”

“Yes?” Annie’s lips curved in a smile as if she knew what was coming.

“Would you mind if we drove in separate cars?”

Chapter Six

“I can’t believe I’m here.”

Emma took in the parking lot at Aftershock, jammed even on a Tuesday night.

“Well, you are.” Annie grinned. “Ready?”

Drawing in a deep breath, she let it out. “As I’ll ever be.”

Annie, who knew what she was doing, had called Aftershock to find out what times Lightnin’ played. Emma didn’t want to arrive too early but she didn’t want to wait until the end of the evening, either. The band had just started their third set, which meant she had an entire hour to listen and watch Marc before trying to catch him before the last set of the evening.

“This is one of the few bands I’ve heard of capable of pulling in a crowd like this in the middle of the week,” Annie noted.

“You’ve heard of them but never heard them?”

Her friend shrugged. “The few times I’ve tried the place where they were playing was too packed and my so-called dates didn’t like standing in line.”

“Well, then. Wait until you hear them. I never thought I’d fall in love with music like this.”

Annie chuckled. “I don’t think you’ve been in love with anyone or anything before now. It’s about damn time, you know.”

Emma paused at the door, a wave of anxiety gripping her. What if he ignores me? Or doesn’t want to talk to me? What if he won’t give me a chance?

Annie nudged her. “Go on. I’m not letting you chicken out now.”

Her hand trembled as she pulled the club door open. When she walked in, it was just like Saturday night. The sound of the music blasted out at them. The same man was at the door and leaned closer so she could hear him when he spoke.

“I see you came back again. And brought a friend.”

“Yes.” She handed him the cover charge, then was surprised when he held out change to her.

“Only five bucks Tuesday and Wednesday,” he explained.

“Then keep the whole thing. I’ll pay for my friend.” It was the least she could do for dragging Annie into this.

She clutched Annie’s arm and tugged her along as they worked their way into the main room, the intensity of the music and excitement of the crowd surrounding