Read Online Gypsy Hearts by Lisa Mondello - Free Book Online Page B

both do together when they
arrived. Brock was grateful he didn't have to hear
another petty squabble between Miles and Roy, or the
phone ring and Will offering him up for another
appearance for some radio show. The DJ's he'd met
didn't have a clue who he was or what he was about.
His excitement over doing the radio spot soon waned
when he felt their lack of enthusiasm or had to answer
the same question over and over, or listen to another
lame joke about his new clothes.
    Brock sighed as frustration made its way up his
spine. He put his guitar down, placing it into the case
and snapping the locks shut. He always wrote his songs
in private. That's when his thoughts were his own and
the noise of the world didn't intrude. But none of his
thoughts were on his music now.
    Dexter meowed as he prowled along the edge of
Josie's bunk and made his way up to the front of the bus
where Brock was reclining on the sofa. The cat rubbed
his face against Brock's leg in a gesture of friendship.
Without any thought, Brock obliged the cat by stroking
its fur.
    "You miss her, don't you boy?" he said quietly.
Dexter lifted his head and gave a plaintive cry, as if he
really knew Brock was talking about Josie.
    "I miss her too." Sighing, he closed his eyes and
leaned back against the cushion. There'd been no time for them at all, even though his mind always seemed to
wander to Josie. There was a lot of idle time on the bus,
even at the gigs, but never time alone. Today would
have been a good day for them to connect. He was
beginning to see why Josie felt a relationship between
them wouldn't work on the road.

    She'd calmed his nerves with a simple squeeze of the
hand and a warm smile. In all his life, the only thing that
had ever eased his anxiety was playing his guitar. It
wasn't always possible to do that here on the bus, especially when he was never alone. But a simple touch
from Josie's hand had done the trick when he felt his
heart starting to race and his palms sweating. He'd been
able to face the reporters when all he'd wanted to do
was hide from their flashbulbs and barrage of questions.
    But there was never time alone. No time for them to
connect on any level other than business.
    Unfettered, Brock stood up, walked to the kitchenette, and pulled open the refrigerator door. Grabbing
the carton of milk, he poured himself half a glass and
put an inch of milk in a plastic cereal bowl, offering it
to Dexter. The cat immediately jumped to the counter
and began lapping up the milk.
    "This will be our little secret, okay?" he said with a
chuckle, recalling how Josie had worked overtime to
make sure the cat didn't jump on either the dining table
or the counters. He stroked the cat's long, silky back and
felt an ache in his heart that rose up and choked him.
    Brock missed Josie. She'd been here on this bus the
whole time, sleeping in a bunk not far from his, looking at him from beyond the spotlights every night as he
sang, yet she felt far away, so unreachable. She'd kept an emotional distance from him ever since he'd
reached for her and kissed her that first day.

    What an idiot he'd been.
    Somewhere in the back of his brain, he knew there'd
be girls hanging about at every stop, after every performance. Miles and Roy were in seventh heaven. And
Brock had to agree that Josie had been right about their
every move being watched. He'd felt the stares at his
back whenever they'd talk. He hated the feeling that he
couldn't just reach for her again and let her know what
he'd been feeling. He didn't want those other girls. He
wanted her.
    That empty ache in his gut began to grow and burn.
He'd lived in a house as big as Texas growing up, but
he'd always felt alone. His brothers were much older
than him and had their own lives to live. As much as he
knew they loved him, they'd never been close. He'd
always been on his own and for most of his life, that
had been fine with Brock.
    He wasn't so sure