Chasing the Music: For the Love of Music Book 0.5 by Mia Josephs Read Free Book Online

more. He’d been right. He just needed some time away, and he’d feel solid with her again.
     
     
    Lita’s arms and legs shook as she stepped back from the mic after encore number two. Every muscle in her body ached and begged for bed instead of the high she used to feel after a show. Was it that she’d done this so many times before? Or was it something else?
    The crowd went nuts and she yelled into the mic with them, licking the edge because that had somehow become a thing. The stuff people thought was cool baffled her, but whatever… She let her eyes half close before bowing her head down. The lights shut off.
    She threw her arms up in the air again before walking backstage and she let out a breath. “That could have been worse.”
    But what would the world say?
    The guys from the band smiled and each of them grabbed her in a sideways hug, but was it real or were they just humoring her because they had a job to do? She had no way to tell and so she assumed the latter. She always did. Much easier to not be disappointed that way.
    Her hair felt like a helmet on her head, still immovable even after all the sweating, jumping and singing.
    “Bridget said to bring this to you.” Chandler smiled as he held out a venti iced coffee, stepping over cords and around the guys from the band.
    “Well aren’t you my hero?” She grinned and gave him a half hug, hoping she hadn’t come off too forward or weird since they’d really only met a couple times. Her throat ached, and it was only the first night. She’d have to be careful with her words.
    Lita slid the guitar over her head and was just about to carefully set it in the stand when Griffin jogged out and reached toward her. “I can take it.”
    She was sure there was something she should say after his first show, but he was one of a lot of new crew so she had no idea what. Lita stood there between the two guys, both looking at her with too wide smiles, and her mind blanked before words formed.
    “No black jeans?” she asked, realizing three words too late that it probably wasn’t the right thing to say.
    Griffin glanced down. “Sorry. Haven’t shopped yet.”
    She took her coffee from Chandler and started off the stage with him in tow. Maybe her words were harsh. She’d never thought so much about what she said. “What size do you wear?” she called back.
    “Uh…” He glanced between her and Chandler, who seemed slightly less handsome with Griffin in the room. “Thirty-two waist, thirty-four leg.”
    She nodded once and let Chandler lead her off stage.
    “Where to?” Chandler asked. “I hear the band is living the highlife in the back room at Denny’s of all places.”
    She ignored the Denny’s comment. They didn’t want her around. And she didn’t understand the Denny’s thing anyway. “You have a car?”
    “Of course.”
    “Let’s just drive.” That felt safer, and a million times better than pretending to enjoy a party or sitting in her hotel room unable to sleep. She tucked her arm into his, gave Apelu the “all’s good” sign and wished that Chandler smelled like Griffin because if the attraction were that simple, it would be that simple to fix.
    Chandler let out a breath, his too perfect blue eyes softened. Maybe she would be able to find some kind of spark between them. “Sounds perfect.”
     
     
    Two hours and an empty coffee cup later Chandler stopped them somewhere up the PCH to look over the black ocean. Neither had spoken much, and the silence wasn’t awkward but it also wasn’t relaxing like it was with Bridget. Why didn’t she know what to say? Why hadn’t his perfect looks given her butterflies? Guy. Girl. Same business (sort of), close in age...
    “This thing…” Chandler gestured between them. “This is okay as friends right?”
    Lita put on a fake smile. Being around him should feel like more, especially if she was considering moving him from fake boyfriend to real boyfriend. But still... Having him tell her what