Abby and the Cute One (Backstage Pass) (2 page)

He turned toward her, eyes wide. Everything she said sounded so familiar, as if Nathan had said or thought the exact same thing many times before but had never been able to vocalize it in that way. “I get it. You just want to share your little piece of the world with everybody.”

She beamed. “Exactly.”

“Well, what does your label say? When are you going to start recording?”

Abby shrugged. “I don’t know. I mean…my take on the whole thing? I’m not sure they know what to do with me. All I’m known for now is covers of really great songs other people have written. But I’ve been up front with them from the beginning that I want to write my own stuff.”

Nathan knew from experience that was a difficult battle to win. Ryder was a great example of the end result if you didn’t get your way. “You should stick to your guns. If you record something you’re not one hundred percent behind, it’ll weigh on you.”

Abby gazed at the river and, after a moment, she nodded once, almost as if she’d made up her mind to go down fighting. Maybe his words would help her in the struggle she likely had in front of her.

“So, can I ask you about the tour? Is it all work and no play? What do you guys do for fun?”

Nathan’s brain went on autopilot. “Well, we play a lot of—”

She pointed a finger at him. “Do not give me your rehearsed answer, either. I’ve read too many S2J articles to know what you’ve already told everyone else. I want the real answer.”

Nathan laughed. He hadn’t even realized he had a rehearsed answer, but when so many of the same questions were asked day in and day out, it was easy to have a go-to answer that pleased everyone. “Truth is, we
do
play a lot of video games. We’re together a lot, but we also find time to do our own thing, too. Like earlier today, we got stuck in traffic. I read some fan mail while Trevin and Miles played video games. Ryder was talking to Mia, and Will was…well, not sure. Whatever he was doing he was quiet about it.”

“So, you have downtime to call home and stuff?”

Nathan hesitated. It was that word again…downtime. Nathan Strong would say: I always make time for the people I care about. But for some reason, he wanted to be honest with her. Real. “Yeah…I wouldn’t say we have tons of time to do that, but you just have to squeeze it in when you can. It might mean you’re calling home at midnight after a show, but as long as you have a cool family, it should work out.”

She asked him about his daily routine and nodded the whole time he explained. She was probably asking in case she got the gig, so he went into a lot of detail about everything
except
his pretend dates. That he was keeping to himself. He didn’t know a lot about impressing girls, but he figured that was one way to get turned down real quick.

He talked longer than necessary, half selfishly to keep them talking and half actually trying to be helpful. He loved the way Abby listened as if she were actually interested in the answers. He was so used to talking to reporters who were always three questions ahead of him in their heads, or to his blind dates who really only loved to talk about themselves. But Abby was different. She wanted to know him.

“And do you have any days off in a row when you could go home? Take a break?”

Nathan laughed. A break? With his full schedule? “Not on this tour. We were supposed to have time off, then we added the international leg. It’s cool to be headed overseas, and I’m excited, but it’s a long time to be gone.”

Abby nodded. “That’s what I’m afraid of. I know I’ll miss my mom. I mean, if I happen to get the job.”

Nathan didn’t know how to help her in the loneliness department except to tell her to keep busy. He should probably get more homesick than he’d been lately, but LJ was always talking to him about the band in the spare moments he did have that he never had the chance to even think about feeling lonely.

As if she read his mind, she asked, “When do you think you’ll be seeing your mom and sister again?”

That was one thing he’d never get used to. People he’d never met before knew almost everything about him before ever meeting him. It was unfair. That knowledge put them a step ahead of him.

He shrugged. “Since we’re on the East Coast leg of the tour, I think they’ll try to at least come to one show.”

Abby frowned. “Just one?”

He waved her frown away. “They’ve been with me since the beginning. I don’t think S2J is all that exciting to them anymore.”

Truth was, he didn’t want to talk about his family. His mom was about to head home after being on a yacht with some new guy for most of the summer, and his sister was spending her break with college friends. Even if he
did
have time to think about going home, they wouldn’t even be there.

It was time to change the subject—after all, he’d unintentionally let her ask most of the questions. “I feel like I’m doing all the talking. Tell me something about you.”

Abby picked at the hemline of her dress. “I—” She caught her lip between her teeth. “I don’t know. I guess I’m kind of boring.”

“That’s not possible,” Nathan said. She’d been the most interesting person he’d spoken to in a while. “I can tell there’s so much more to you, Abby Curtis, you’re just not sharing.”

The line could’ve passed as a corny heartthrob line, but it was the truth. It was nice to sit and talk with someone about things that actually mattered—and not just business, either. Sharing his voice—his music—was why he wanted to do this in the first place. Why he spent time after school rehearsing instead of joining the neighborhood kids in a basketball game.

“Well, there is one thing.” The corner of Abby’s mouth turned up. “I’m really into
The Vampire Diaries
. Do you watch that?” She didn’t even give him time to respond before launching into a spiel. “It’s so good. I’m more of a Stefan girl myself, but most everyone else I know is in love with Damon. Then there’s the spin-off,
The Originals
. I was hoping it would be all about Caroline getting with Klaus, but unfortunately it’s not. The show’s good, though. It takes place in New Orleans. I would love to go there one day.”

Nathan smiled as Abby’s eyes lit up. He’d been to New Orleans and loved it. Even though he didn’t know her all that well, he hoped she’d be able to go one day. It was too bad the tour had already passed that part of the U.S., because he’d take her there himself if he had the chance. “I’ll have to check those shows out.”

“You’ll have to tell me if you like them. I mean, if we get the chance.”

Abby sulked back on the bench. Was she thinking what he was thinking? Would they ever get to talk like this again? He wanted to tell her how he liked watching
The Tudors
whenever he
did
have a bit of spare time. How he loved getting to live in someone else’s world for a change. But Beau wasn’t going to sit back and let them talk all night long.

Abby tapped a rhythm with her fingers on her leg.

Curious, Nathan asked, “When did you start singing?”

“I was late, I guess. I mean, that’s what everyone tells me. I really didn’t get interested in it until I was about ten or so.”

“Really? I guess that isn’t the answer you normally hear. What was it about music that got you started?”

If he thought Abby’s cheeks were red before, he must’ve been colorblind—they were now fire engine red. She thought for a while before answering. “It takes you places, like reading a great book. I can have so many emotions in just one song. Add myself singing and playing guitar and the emotion can be overwhelming. I’m sharing my soul with whoever will listen.”

Her words sunk deep into his pores, lighting his limbs on fire with energy.

And then—an idea. He stood and offered her his hand before he chickened out.

She glanced at it and then up to him, questions in her eyes.

“How do you feel about dancing to music?” he asked.

Abby straightened. “There’s no music.”

“Baby…I’m a pop star. You don’t think I can make music?”

She giggled into the back of her hand.

Proud of himself for actually flirting without messing up, Nathan turned his phone on and scrolled through his music library. He decided on an oldie but a goodie.

Otis Redding’s smooth, beat-perfect voice poured through the speakers as he sang “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay.” Not only were their surroundings perfect for this song, but it also reminded him of what he’d been through to get here. Leaving home, following a dream…it was as if Otis had written the song for him. Now that he knew more about Abby, he might as well have written the song for her, too.

Abby slid her hand into Nathan’s palm, and he pulled her up. After a few awkward moments, they both fell into the rhythm and lull of the music. She laid her head on his shoulder and he pulled her closer, aligning their bodies.

When he reached around her back, his fingertips brushed bare skin. He had to swallow; cotton mouth dried up his throat. With his height advantage and the way she curled into him, Nathan had a perfect view of the back of Abby’s dress and his hand lying against her creamy skin. The exact opposite of the front, the back revealed her shoulders and some of her spine. He’d never seen anything so stunning before—at least, not in person.

She might not have an angel’s feathers, but she was as radiant as one.

He pressed the small of her back toward him, and she shifted forward. She adjusted her head on his shoulder and sang quietly into his ear. A thrill shot through him when he recognized Otis Redding’s lyrics in her voice. Half of him couldn’t believe she actually knew the words to this song.

He closed his eyes and picked up at the chorus. Together, they sang about sitting next to the ocean and watching the waves. With Otis’s beautiful melody, Nathan had no problem picturing him and Abby on a dock, their legs swinging over the water as they peered out over a beautiful blue bay.

When they got to the bridge, Abby stopped singing and pulled away just enough to watch him sing. Her stare roamed all over his face.

He was too into the music to be embarrassed. That was why he loved songs so much— the emotion just a few notes and lyrics could rain down on you…he agreed with Abby wholeheartedly on that point.

Otis singing about being tired and on his own resonated with him the most at this moment. Actually having Abby in his arms made him realize what he’d been missing. Responsibility had torn Nathan into pieces. The longer he sang for Abby, the more those pieces melded together. By the time Otis’s whistling played, Nathan and Abby weren’t dancing anymore—instead, they were frozen in each other’s arms. Hell, Nathan had barely taken a breath. One wrong move and this moment would disappear in a heartbeat. One right move, though…

Nathan swallowed the gigantic lump in his throat and tilted his head. He slanted his mouth over Abby’s and met her soft lips. He kissed her gently, passionately, the only kiss an Otis Redding song would call for.

She melted into him, their bodies instinctively lining up. His heart hammered in his chest as he thanked all the other guys for hooking up with their girlfriends. If they hadn’t, he wouldn’t have been in this exact spot with this exact girl in this exact, wonderful moment.

“JEREMIAH WAS A BULLFROG.”

Abby jumped back.

Nathan gasped, silently cursing Otis’s short song and stupid Three Dog Night’s loud intro to “Joy to the World.” When he rounded up the courage to look at Abby, her fingers were on her lips.

Distracted, he pressed down on his phone several times, but the music still blared from the speakers. She giggled and he laughed as he kept tapping the stupid screen until the song paused. “There. That’s better.”

She smiled, then her gaze drifted to his left and she frowned. Beau was strolling toward them—and he didn’t look happy.

No. That wasn’t enough time. They’d barely spoken, let alone started the good part. There was still so much more he needed to know besides that Abby Curtis was perfect for him and one hell of a kisser. Not that he had much experience to go on, but any girl that could make him feel like that must’ve been an incredible kisser.

Beau’s gaze infiltrated Nathan’s sourness. “You’ve got a full schedule tomorrow, and the guys want to lay down a track tonight. LJ is blowing up my phone.”

LJ. The band. Shit.

He mentally slapped his forehead. He’d broken the one rule he was intent on keeping so he could keep the band together for them all—be available but don’t
be available
. How had Abby made him forget everything for a few moments?

Panicked, he glanced around. The night was still quiet. No sign of paparazzi anywhere. That was a hell of a good sign, considering he’d let his guard down and Abby had no problem seeping right into him within a matter of minutes.

He turned toward her, wanting to apologize for having to leave but also for himself. He shouldn’t have let that happen. “I’m so sorry.”

A small smile curved her lips as she nodded. “I get it. You’re busy. Don’t worry about it.”

Nathan ran his hands through his hair. He couldn’t just leave her here like this—he wasn’t that guy. Turning to Beau, he asked, “Give us one sec?”

Beau looked like he wanted to do anything but that, but he turned and made his way back up the ramp anyway.

“Have you got a ride somewhere?”

Abby pointed to one of the tall buildings close to them. “That’s where we’re staying.”

Nathan’s mind went south quick, but a late night rendezvous at a hotel wasn’t on his schedule. In fact, it was on the Never Do This Unless You Want to Lose All Your Fans in One Night list, so it shouldn’t have even popped into his head.

He had big problems, but Abby couldn’t be the solution.

“Um…” Abby peered at her feet but then met his stare head on. “Thanks for the talk. And for the dance. You have a beautiful voice. It’s not every day a girl gets a dance and a song from Nathan Strong.”

He smiled, too. “No, I guess not.”

She pressed a quick kiss to Nathan’s cheek. “I’ll see you around.”

Shocked, Nathan’s fingers touched his tingling skin as she walked away. He could still feel the press of her lips there, but it was almost as if it were a dream, just an impression of something that hadn’t really happened.