Read Online Out of Rhythm (Face the Music Book 1) by Shona Husk - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Shona Husk
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nice way to say it and he wasn’t ready to hear it. When he was, he’d work that out for himself. ‘Have fun tonight.’
‘You too.’
Despite the nerves, she was looking forward to seeing Kirsten and staying over. She wanted to be able to share that excitement. The thrill of seeing someone new. Kirsten might have been her best friend for years, but they’d be stepping off the edge and changing what they had. Hopefully for the better.
‘And if you girls get bored, give me and Mike a call and we’ll help you out.’ Dan grinned and stepped out of range so she couldn’t punch him in the arm.
She settled for flipping him the bird before getting into her car.
He waved, but he wasn’t smiling anymore. Gemma had no doubts that he and Mike would be having a big one. Usually she’d have joined them, but tonight she was hoping for some wine and a quiet evening in. As she drove, she tried not to think about all the ways it could all go wrong. Dan didn’t hold all the cards in the disastrous relationships deck.
Chapter 6
Inviting Gemma had been easy and dinner was almost feeling like old times, except Kirsten was wondering about what would happen afterwards and kept losing track of the conversation. Ed and Gemma were busy regaling them with stories of life on the road — the awful bits that were only funny in hindsight.
When her father asked how they were going with writing new stuff, things got awkward.
‘Nothing is grabbing us in the right way.’ Gemma said as she twirled her wine glass.
Ed nodded. ‘There seems to be more riding on this one. It should be easier but it’s harder.’
‘Trying too hard?’ Kirsten teased, trying to lighten the mood. Her effort fell flat.
Gemma’s wineglass stilled and she glanced at Ed. ‘Fear of failing.’
Was Gemma talking about the music or letting Ed down? Kirsten knew Ed had kept his friends away from her, the over-protective elder brother. He’d made sure the guys in the band knew she was off limits — did that mean Gemma too? Was she having doubts and feeling off kilter? Kirsten looked at her brother. Was Gemma one of the guys in this case?
No. She’d known Gemma for longer than Ed. She’d been Gemma’s friend long before she’d joined the band.
Ed shrugged. ‘I got as much nothing as you. We’re all dry.’
‘Kirsten has a point. You need to stop thinking about it and trying to force it,’ their father said.
‘The studio time is booked. We have to get it done.’
‘Or give up and get a real job.’ Silence followed their father’s reminder.
It was an ever-present threat. Until Ed moved out for good, it would always be there. It made her career choice of hairdressing look good. But today there was no joy in being the sensibly employed child. Ed and Gemma both looked grim and she was about to prove to herself that she wasn’t as boring and sensible as everyone thought by sleeping with Gemma.
Was she using Gemma to rebel?
It was a bit late for teenage rebellion. Besides, when she looked at Gemma her heart pumped a little harder, the way it did when she was with a guy that she wanted to jump. It had been before the kiss that she’d realised Gemma had an effect on her. Maybe it was when Gemma had first started travelling with Selling the Sun, and Kirsten went weeks without seeing her. But she’d always squashed the feeling. The kiss had changed that, and then she’d panicked because it had changed everything she thought she knew about herself.
Imagine if she hadn’t freaked out?
Gemma poured herself another glass of wine. Kirsten held out her glass for more, but Ed and her parents declined.
‘You’re staying tonight, Gemma?’ Kirsten’s mother asked — because of how much alcohol Gemma had consumed? Or because of the conversation she and Kirsten had earlier in the week?
This was the wrong time to be bringing that up. Kirsten was suddenly too hot and, while no one was staring at her, it felt as if they all knew. She sneaked a peek at
‘You too.’
Despite the nerves, she was looking forward to seeing Kirsten and staying over. She wanted to be able to share that excitement. The thrill of seeing someone new. Kirsten might have been her best friend for years, but they’d be stepping off the edge and changing what they had. Hopefully for the better.
‘And if you girls get bored, give me and Mike a call and we’ll help you out.’ Dan grinned and stepped out of range so she couldn’t punch him in the arm.
She settled for flipping him the bird before getting into her car.
He waved, but he wasn’t smiling anymore. Gemma had no doubts that he and Mike would be having a big one. Usually she’d have joined them, but tonight she was hoping for some wine and a quiet evening in. As she drove, she tried not to think about all the ways it could all go wrong. Dan didn’t hold all the cards in the disastrous relationships deck.
Chapter 6
Inviting Gemma had been easy and dinner was almost feeling like old times, except Kirsten was wondering about what would happen afterwards and kept losing track of the conversation. Ed and Gemma were busy regaling them with stories of life on the road — the awful bits that were only funny in hindsight.
When her father asked how they were going with writing new stuff, things got awkward.
‘Nothing is grabbing us in the right way.’ Gemma said as she twirled her wine glass.
Ed nodded. ‘There seems to be more riding on this one. It should be easier but it’s harder.’
‘Trying too hard?’ Kirsten teased, trying to lighten the mood. Her effort fell flat.
Gemma’s wineglass stilled and she glanced at Ed. ‘Fear of failing.’
Was Gemma talking about the music or letting Ed down? Kirsten knew Ed had kept his friends away from her, the over-protective elder brother. He’d made sure the guys in the band knew she was off limits — did that mean Gemma too? Was she having doubts and feeling off kilter? Kirsten looked at her brother. Was Gemma one of the guys in this case?
No. She’d known Gemma for longer than Ed. She’d been Gemma’s friend long before she’d joined the band.
Ed shrugged. ‘I got as much nothing as you. We’re all dry.’
‘Kirsten has a point. You need to stop thinking about it and trying to force it,’ their father said.
‘The studio time is booked. We have to get it done.’
‘Or give up and get a real job.’ Silence followed their father’s reminder.
It was an ever-present threat. Until Ed moved out for good, it would always be there. It made her career choice of hairdressing look good. But today there was no joy in being the sensibly employed child. Ed and Gemma both looked grim and she was about to prove to herself that she wasn’t as boring and sensible as everyone thought by sleeping with Gemma.
Was she using Gemma to rebel?
It was a bit late for teenage rebellion. Besides, when she looked at Gemma her heart pumped a little harder, the way it did when she was with a guy that she wanted to jump. It had been before the kiss that she’d realised Gemma had an effect on her. Maybe it was when Gemma had first started travelling with Selling the Sun, and Kirsten went weeks without seeing her. But she’d always squashed the feeling. The kiss had changed that, and then she’d panicked because it had changed everything she thought she knew about herself.
Imagine if she hadn’t freaked out?
Gemma poured herself another glass of wine. Kirsten held out her glass for more, but Ed and her parents declined.
‘You’re staying tonight, Gemma?’ Kirsten’s mother asked — because of how much alcohol Gemma had consumed? Or because of the conversation she and Kirsten had earlier in the week?
This was the wrong time to be bringing that up. Kirsten was suddenly too hot and, while no one was staring at her, it felt as if they all knew. She sneaked a peek at
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