The Hardest Set (Willow Son #4/Brothers of Rock #19) by Karolyn James

things
from me. ”
    Natalie was mortified.
    “ Uh,
okay, ” the woman said. “ Can I take a picture with you? ”
    “ Clothes
on or off? ” Van asked.
    The woman giggled and her face
turned apple red. “ Uh …”
    Van stood up. “ Come here, darling. ” He slid his hand around the
woman ’ s waist and pulled
her close. His eyes, however, stayed right with Natalie.
    Is he trying to make me jealous?
    The woman took out her cell and
took a picture with Van.
    “ Have
a good night, ” Van said.
    “ I
can ’ t believe this, ” the woman said. “ I ’ m
such a big fan. ”
    “ Okay.
Go break some hearts, darling. ”
    Van sat back down.
    The waiter returned with two
drinks. One for Van. One for Natalie.
    “ Sorry, ” Van said. “ That happens a lot. I gave her
up for you, sweetie. So I could sit here and not hear you talk. ”
    “ I
don ’ t get it, ” Natalie said. “ What do you want from me? I ’ m a waitress, caterer, artist
person. There is nothing interesting about me. You were drunk and mean and I
helped you because I was worried you were going to end up hurt or in jail. Then
you invited me to dinner …”
    “ You
text me, ” Van said. “ You couldn ’ t let me go, Natalie. ”
    “ That ’ s what you think? ” Natalie asked. “ Hardly, Van. Just because you ’ re some rockstar doesn ’ t mean you own everyone. Sorry. ”
    “ I
got you here, didn ’ t I? And
I ’ m just asking you who you
are. I look at you and I can see right through it all. So who did you hurt? I
know you have a story waiting. Just to prove me right. ”
    Natalie pushed away from the table. “ This was a mistake, Van. I
wanted to just thank you for what you did. I ’ ll
pay you back then. I don ’ t
want your money. I don ’ t
care if you ’ re rich. You ’ re an ass. I ’ m sorry for what happened to
you. That she hurt you. ”
    Van pointed at Natalie. “ What did I say to you about it? ”
    “ Nothing.
You don ’ t want to hear
about yourself. ”
    “ Dammit, ” Van growled. “ Don ’ t act like this because you ’ re trying to be tough around someone famous. Take
your fucking story and leave then. ”
    Natalie grabbed her drink. Part of
her wanted to slam the entire thing back. But then she wouldn ’ t be able to drive. So she did
the next best thing …
    She threw it Van ’ s face.
    “ Have
another drink, ” she said.
    That caught the attention of
everyone in the restaurant.
    Natalie turned and left, trying to
hide her face as people were pointing, staring. A few even had the nerve to
take their phones out and try to snap a picture or two. Of course, this had to
be a big deal, right?
    It couldn ’ t ever just be two people meeting and talking.
Trouble had to be everywhere.
    Natalie drove away, her heart
racing. She gripped the steering wheel tight and thought about what to do next.
    Flirting with trouble was one
thing, but flirting with demons was another.
    Don ’ t do it … don ’ t text him …
     
    **
     
    Van wiped his face and gritted his
teeth. He knew he should have chased after her. Maybe even offered a little
apology for being a jerk. He liked the way Natalie made him feel. She chased
stuff away. But Van didn ’ t
want that. Maybe he liked the pain. The suffering. The old memories just
rolling around in his mind, back and forth, with nowhere to go.
    Standing, Van threw money on the
table and finished his drink.
    All eyes were on him. A few people
shouted his name.
    “ Damn, ” he whispered.
    He quickly turned and darted out
the back of the restaurant. He got into a car and the driver took him wherever
he wanted to go.
    Which is where? Where do I want
to go?
    Van felt like there was no true
home. His dream of being on the road was the closest thing to home. Seeing the
fans, traveling, keeping distance between today and tomorrow. That was comfort. That was home.
    Sitting on a couch with a beer and
some mindless TV show, Van couldn ’ t
take much more of it. The memories were riding