Rock Candy

  Rock Candy Rockstar Romance

  Jane Stain

  The Dark Horse Rockstar Romance Series:

  Rock Candy (Gunnar)

  Rock Out (Brandon)

  Rock Bottom (Levi)

  Rock Steady (Max)

  Rock the Boat (Jack)

  Rock On (Zeke)

  Copyright © 2019 by Cherise Kelley writing as Jane Stain

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Contents

  1. Diner, Tracy

  2. Backstage, Tracy

  3. The Song, Gunnar

  4. The Bets, Tracy

  5. Paul’s Idea, Tracy

  6. Los Angeles, Tracy

  7. Fairfax Apartment, Tracy

  8. Minerva, Tracy

  9. Ava, Tracy

  10. Bill Donald, Tracy

  11. Murmurings, Gunnar

  12. Three Designers, Tracy

  13. Gig, Tracy

  14. Nothing I Want More, Tracy

  15. Levi, Tracy

  16. Date, Tracy

  17. Jessica, Tracy

  18. The Music, Gunnar

  19. Wax Museum, Tracy

  20. Question in the Limo, Gunnar

  21. Going Pro, Tracy

  22. Reporters, Tracy

  23. The Pop Charts Show, Tracy

  24. Scarves, Gunnar

  25. Choice, Tracy

  26. Single, Gunnar

  27. Pull My Hair Up and Relax, Tracy

  28. Less than friendly Reception, Tracy

  1

  Diner, Tracy

  I never dreamed I’d have a date with a rockstar. I'm just an ordinary girl, trying to make ends meet by waiting tables at Marge’s roadside diner. The day he came in started like any other, with me trying to keep smiling at the travelers taking a break for a hot meal.

  It’s tiring for me, being around people. All their excitement and chatter wears on my nerves, let alone the stray fingers of the guys who think it's okay to goose the waitress. All that makes me weary after just an hour, and I work 8 hours a day, five days a week.

  If you're reading this, then maybe you’re like me. Most people I’ve met who love to read are.

  It's not that I'm shy, far from it. I enjoy meeting new people and have no problem introducing myself and striking up conversations. I can be the life of the party, telling jokes and getting people to mingle. That's not the problem. I can be outgoing, but after a while, I just get the urge to go off by myself awhile.

  About the time a party really gets going, I feel like moving outside for a break.

  I almost started smoking, just to give myself a good excuse to duck out of all the noise and interaction. I'm glad I didn't. Not because I'm some health nut or anything. No, I’m glad I don’t smoke because cigarettes are expensive.

  No way could I afford cigarettes and save up to move away from here someday. Not on top of my share of the rent and bills, plus all the expenses of having a car. Insurance costs a fortune when you’re 19.

  At least Tiffany and I can eat at the diner for free. Marge is like a mom to us, settling all our squabbles and making sure we share. She divided our sections fair. It's not like I have the counter and Tiffany has the tables, like at some places I’ve heard about. I have the left side of the diner and she has the right side, as you come in.

  So anyway, I'm in the middle of pouring coffee for this lady at my front table when some Dark Horse tour buses pull into the parking lot. Dark Horse! Yeah, they’re that boy band who sing that song where it goes “Jump up, jump up!” and you feel like jumping up with the music. It's catchy and cute, and whenever I see their homemade video in my Twitter feed, I just want to cuddle them. Especially the bass player, Gunnar Smith. It was their first tour that summer, opening for Rogue. Yeah, it was a huge break for them.

  Seeing the tour buses, I gasped out loud, only to look down and notice the coffee had overflowed her cup and spread across the table. It nearly ran off the table onto her skirt.

  I had to grab the towel I kept in my apron and wipe it up in a hurry. "I am so sorry. Your dessert’s on me, okay?"

  The lady glanced over at the buses. "Don't worry about it. To tell you the truth, I'm a little distracted myself."

  This got my attention. The lady was twice my age. "You like Dark Horse?"

  She gave me a sly smile. "Yep, and that's Gunnar Smith walking over.”

  "Can I get you anything else?" I asked her automatically as I stared, mesmerized, at my rock idol.

  Her voice sounded conspiratorial. "You know what, I will have that complementary pie. I'm not ready to leave just yet."

  I couldn't help but laugh at that. "What kind do you want?"

  The customer laughed too. "I'll make it easy, because I can see you're distracted. Bring me some apple. And I don't mind if you take the long way over to the pie counter, if you catch my drift."

  My smile was all guilty teeth as I pulled away from the table and indeed took the long way around the diner to the pie case, making a show of checking all the tables to see if they were set, but really getting as good a look as I could at Gunnar Smith.

  His long auburn curls framed a face that was ruggedly handsome, and his lithe frame moved gracefully through the diner that had been empty a few moments ago, but was filling up fast from the three buses and all the gawkers who were slamming on their brakes and pulling into the lot.

  The sign at the front said ‘Seat yourself,’ and he had, choosing the back corner booth, which sat next to the back door. It was a good choice, I thought, just in case a hasty exit should be necessary, due to Dark Horse fan overload.

  He was just as good-looking in person as he was on his video, and those dexterous bass guitar playing fingers were on the table, playing with the place settings.

  I was just turning toward the pie case when he gave me a knowing smile that turned my knees to jelly and made my brains scramble.

  I swear, for a solid minute, I just stood there and stared at him, those gorgeous dark eyes, and all that gorgeous hair. I was lost. Totally lost.

  He spoke to me across the room in that deep voice that matched his instrument. "Coffees for six, please."

  "Sure thing,” I tried to say, but I had to clear my throat. “Coming right up." There, that came out better. Where had I been going, again? I'd better find an order pad, quick.

  Usually, the diner was so slow at this time of day that I didn't need one. Hardly anyone wanted food at 3 PM. Ooh, and that gave me an idea for a conversation starter with Mr. Sexy, over there.

  Before I could talk myself out of trying to chit chat with Mr. Rockstar, I grabbed the coffee pot and six coffee cups and went to his table. "Unusual time of day to stop for food, isn't it?" I was so glad I had.

  Gunnar gave me his million dollar smile and leaned back against the booth, accentuating his chest muscles through his T-shirt. "This place looked really good. We stop when that happens. Besides, it's best to arrive at the venue on a full stomach, because there's always tons of stuff to do once we get there."

  I was on the last cup of coffee, so I thought I’d make my next comment count, showing him I was a fan without being overly exuberant about it, you know. "Oh yeah, you're playing Marymount Stadium tonight, right?"

  He gave me that smile again. "Right. You know what, though? I think that lady over there is trying to get your attention." He nodded, making his hair sway in that sexy way it did in their video.

  I felt my face go red. “Oh yeah, I do have other customers.” Why had I said that out loud?

  His bandmates were arriving now and sliding
into the round booth with him, smiling hello to me.

  “Be right with you,” I told them, fanning out the menus on the table. And looking everywhere except into Gunnar’s beautiful blue eyes. When I could stop myself. They really were gorgeous: expressive of an old soul.

  I tried to think of something to say to Gunnar as I walked away, but came up with nothing. So I just smiled at him, then cursed myself the whole way over to the pie case. Mom had been right. It was always a good idea to store up some conversation gems for such a time as this.

  I brought the lady her pie with an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that. I just plum forgot."

  The lady shook her head fast, putting up her hand. "Don't worry about it. He was talking to you like he was interested. If I were you, I’d go over there and make some more small talk while you take the rest of their orders. Look straight into Gunnar's eyes and let him know you see his interest. An opportunity like this doesn't come around twice." She winked in a saucy way that made me a little uncomfortable.

  I was still pretty inexperienced with men. Not that I wasn't interested, just that I was only interested in something serious. Too many of my friends’ hearts had been broken after being casually intimate with men. But this customer didn't need to know that, so I gave her an amused smile. "Hope you love your pie. And the view."

  That worked. The customer laughed and winked again. “What better view could there be than all six boys in the cutest boy band around?”

  The lady was right about one thing. I needed to go back over to their table now —with an order pad— and find out what they wanted to eat.

  Fortunately, Tiffany had returned from her break, so there were enough waitresses for all the tables without having to hurry.

  "Glad you’re back, Tiff."

  She gave me her ‘are you kidding’ face. "I’d have come back a lot faster if I'd known Dark Horse was coming in. You’re so lucky, having their table. Just wave if you want me to take a couple of your tables so you can spend more time over there." Tiffany gave me the same saucy wink as the lady had.

  It was on the tip of my tongue to say ‘Don't worry about it. That's not going to happen.’ But something made me just smile at Tiffany as I headed over, pad in hand, to take the orders of Dark Horse.

  Gunnar’s gorgeous smile was waiting for me when I got there. “Glad you’re back, Tracy.”

  I couldn’t help but be pleased he’d noted my name, and I rewarded him with my best smile. Until I realized all his bandmates were looking at me expectantly and dropped my eyes to my order pad.

  Putting on my waitress persona, I turned to the keyboard player, who was on the end. “What can I get you, Levi?”

  “I’ll save you some time,” he said with charm. “We all want Marge’s famous cream cheese and spinach omelet, from the billboard outside.”

  “That so?” I asked the rest of them while meeting Gunnar’s eyes again. I knew I was holding his gaze for a bit too long, but I couldn’t look away.

  “Sure is,” Gunnar told me, his blue eyes sparkling while he gathered up the menus.

  Good thing I had my pen and pad in my hands, because the sparkle in his eyes was truly distracting. “Six Marge specials, coming right up!” I told them, curbing my excitement as best I could, so as not to scare them away.

  “Looking forward to it,” Gunnar told me.

  The hunger in his eyes made my knees weak, and I had to brace myself on the counter as I smiled and turned around to put the order up. Still, turn around I did. They needed a waitress, not a useless fangirl.

  Joe the cook ‘just happened’ to be at the window when I pinned their order to the wheel. “Gonna sell me your car yet? You know you can’t fix it.” This was his usual greeting for me.

  “You know I can’t afford to replace it on what you’ll give me.” This was my usual reply, but it was only half the truth. That car was one of only a few mementoes I had from my parents.

  My knees were only a little better as I made my way around to take orders from the rest of the tables. Because every time I glanced Gunnar’s way, his blue eyes twinkled at me.

  I didn't notice my ex sitting there in the diner until I almost fell in his lap, I was so busy stealing glances at Gunnar. "Whoops, sorry, Mike. I wasn't looking where I was going."

  "I can tell," Mike snorted. "You’ve got some real tipping customers over here, Tracy. I don’t see why you’re wasting your time pining over Gunnar Smith, of all people. He’s a rockstar. He can have any girl, or three at once."

  I raised both my eyebrows at Mike and his two friends while I poised my pen over my order pad. "Oh, so you're going to tip this time? That’ll be a first."

  None of them laughed.

  Sammy chimed in with, "Better get back to work, Tracy. I hear you really need this job."

  "Yeah," Danny added. "You should be doing less gawking and more waitressing, don't you think?"

  I felt tears coming to my eyes, they were being so mean. I was about to put my pad into my apron and tell them I'd come back when they were ready, when Marge stepped up.

  "Gentlemen, you’d better not be giving Tracy grief, or you’re not going to be welcome in here. Don’t let me hear any more attitude." She didn't wait for a response, just patted me on the shoulder kindly and stepped away to the next table, seeing if they needed anything.

  I had to fight back tears. At the same time, I missed Mom so much in this moment and I was so grateful to Marge for being like a mom to me.

  Every single table was full, and people were standing along the wall just to be near Dark Horse. People were standing out front, too, not so much to get in as just gawking through the big plate glass windows. Almost everyone had their phone out and was taking video of Gunnar and his bandmates. Several were trying to get themselves in the shot as well.

  And then Dark Horse’s omelets were up.

  I got to bring hungry men food. I was laser focused on the table as I set each plate down. No way did I want to make a mess.

  After I was done but before I got a chance to ask if I could bring them anything else, Gunnar raised his arm and beckoned me over to the wall beside him, right next to the back door. "Tracy, you're just the gal we need. You can settle a bet for us. Have a look at this."

  My eyes were glued on his as I sauntered over. Okay, I didn't saunter. I took baby steps, expecting at any moment for it to be a mistake and for them to tell me to get lost. Finally, I arrived by Gunnar’s side and leaned over to see what he was pointing at.

  It was a video on one of their phones. Two dogs walking on stilts.

  "What is that?" I asked before I remembered I was fangirling.

  Gunnar leaned in right next to me, his hair touching mine as he pointed to where one of the dogs’ paws rested on one of the stilts. "I think this is fake. See right here? I think this has been Photoshopped."

  His bandmates chimed in with various versions of ‘No it hasn't,’ and ‘Dogs are in circuses doing stuff like that all the time.’

  Acutely aware of his head right next to mine and his hand holding the phone, I leaned in and took a good look where he was pointing. "You're right. I see where they cut out the human foot that was on the stilt and Photoshopped in the dog’s paw. But wow, they did a great job other than that one place, don't you think?"

  Gunnar smiled at me. "Thanks, Tracy. Yeah, I do think they did a good job.” Then he raised his head toward the other guys in triumph. “But that doesn't change the fact that I win the bet! Pay up!"

  His bandmates dug into their wallets and filled his hand with 20s, which he stuffed in his pocket with a big grin before tearing into his omelet. Between his first and second bites, he gave me a big grin again.

  Him thanking me for my help and using my name validated the feeling I'd had the whole time he'd been here: he thought of me as more than just a waitress. I was a stranger, but he saw me as a person.

  I looked over at Mike before I thought about it, just to see his reaction to men treating me the way a person ought to be trea
ted.

  But Mike was pointedly looking at Sammy and Danny, avoiding my glance.

  I wasn't even thinking about getting my phone out right now and taking a selfie of me and Gunnar. Something told me he wouldn't object if I did, but no. I was going to treat him like a person, too. I bet he felt like a piece of meat, with all these strangers taking selfies with him. Maybe he knew a little of what it was like to be a waitress when men got grabby.

  I circulated with the coffee pot, stealing glances at Gunnar and hating that my shift was over in five minutes. Gerty would have Dark Horse’s table. Maybe I could stay and help her?

  I caught Gerty’s eye when she came in. She was all set to do whatever I wanted, I could tell by her face, but Gunnar got up and took some cigarettes out of his pocket and made his way out the back door.

  You wouldn’t believe how fast I got that apron off and got myself clocked out. My mind was screaming at me for being foolish. He didn't want to talk to his waitress outside. He just wanted to get a nicotine fix and come back in and hang out with his buddies.

  I didn't care. This was my chance to hang out alone with Gunnar Smith. I wanted him to realize I was off work and could hang out for as long as he wanted, so I raised my voice louder than normal when I called out to Marge my goodbye for the day.

  She knew me too well and gave me a look that said she knew exactly what I was doing.

  But as I said before, it's not like I'm shy. Teasing doesn't get to me, the way it might get to someone with social anxiety. Hanging out with just one guy outside for a few minutes? A hot rockstar guy? Yes, please.

  I saw his smoke drifting up over the dumpster out back and searched for a good excuse to come talk to him. When I finally met those gorgeous blue eyes again, all that came out of my mouth was, "Hi."