Perfect For Me: Road To Whatever (Perfect for Me #1)(2)
“I guess we’ll all just have to make it on our own,” I hiss defiantly.
“Easy for you to say Nolan, Mandy has a mortgage on her house to think about just like you and Chris do. You guys may figure something out but your sister likes the comfort I provide her,” he says smugly.
“Damn it Dad. I have enough on my plate right now,” I growl.
“Nolan, I am still your father and you will respect me as such. I want to see you in the office more before this tour thing starts. Wendy will be calling you with some appointments I’m requesting your presence at,” Dad finishes as he stands. He rounds the counter and pulls me into a hug.
“Your mother would want more for you, Nolan. Find a nice young lady. Start a career. Start a family. You’re so smart, Son.”
I just hug him back. I don’t have the heart too argue when he brings mom into it. That is a wound I try not to let anyone know is still there. I just let the anger well on the inside as I hug the man who just added the one last nail to the coffin I am trying to ignore.
I have to save my band. I have to find the perfect female lead and get my band to pull off the best summer tour ever. My stomach is churning because for the first time ever I don’t know if I’m going to pull out on the winning side.
I roll my eyes at my sister for the millionth time tonight. She has finally talked me into letting her friend audition for the band. We have been looking for a female lead singer that will give us a little edge for months now, with no promise in sight. I wasn’t so sure about letting one of Mandy’s friends into the band since Mandy has already proved to be a pain in the butt, although she is a great manager.
My brother Chris, or Crush, as he is known to the fans and the band, said I should give this girl a chance. Something in the smirk on his face told me I would regret this, but I am getting anxious that we will never find the right girl. A buddy of Crush’s promised Mandy that if we could find a girl to add to the group he’d pull some strings for us. Not that the guys are not great, but Sam feels we need a little something extra so we are not like the other bands out there.
I for one don’t want to be just the next boy band, so I don’t see the harm in the suggestion. I may be the lead singer, but I am not a stage hog. It may be cool to sing a few duets and add some more ballads. Still I am already super nervous that my little sis and bro are about to stick a knife in me with this girl.
I adore Mandy but she can get something stuck in her head and drive everyone crazy until she gets her way. Sometimes I am happy that I am five years older than she is. I don’t have to put up with half of her hair brain ideas. At the same time she is one of the smartest nineteen year olds I have ever met. Mandy is ambitious. It can drive me crazy, but it also makes me admire her.
“She’ll be here in a few, I promise,” Mandy chimes as she reads her text messages.
“She better be,” I grumble. “I can’t believe I let you talk me into this. She hasn’t come to one practice. If she sucks I’m cutting her set short. I mean it, Mandy.”
“She’ll be great. You guys know the music to her song and she knows all of you guys’ stuff. I promise it is going to be great,” Mandy chimes; as she looks past me her eyes light up.
I turn to see what she is so excited about and see a petite girl that just walked into the bar with a tall guy at her back. She looks like the smallest thing ever standing in front of him. I totally understand his protective stance. The place isn’t packed yet. It is still sort of early, but as small as she is, it just makes you want to make sure she is safe.
She is wearing combat boots with glittery shoelaces, tight blue jeans that show off her curvy hips and legs and a black corset that’s pushing her breasts up in a very inviting way.
When I notice the straps to her backpack I want to run over and tell her she has the wrong place. My eyes travel to her face that is scanning the room looking for something or someone. I have been with Chris to a club about a mile down that has an open mic night for hip hop. It is a cool place and I am sure that’s where she is heading. That is until her eyes meet my table and a smile turns up the corners of her mouth.
“Kitty, Kitty,” Mandy squeals and waves the girl over.
The tall guy steps further into the bar out of the shadows and wraps an arm around her as they start forward toward us. My heart sinks immediately, Mandy has screwed me. I have got to find a lead singer in the next two weeks. I don’t have time for this. I am going to kill her. There is no way I am going to work for my dad.
Mandy hops off her bar stool, runs around me and hugs her friend. As they hug and bounce in each other’s embrace I groan at the disaster this night is about to be. I need a rocker chick, not the next Nicki Minaj or Beyoncé. Mandy pulls back to check out her friend’s outfit and frowns.
“Damn you’re short,” Mandy mutters. “What’s with the boots?”
Kitty looks down and giggles. “Don’t worry. I brought my shoes, I just forgot to change them. Linc needed to borrow my ride so he brought me over,” Kitty smiles as she turns to the tall guy.
I’m six foot four so this guy has to be six one or something. He has brown eyes that look hard and intimidating until he looks at Kitty. That’s when I noticed his eyes go all soft. His messy blonde hair has bad boy model written all over him. It is a look the band and I are familiar with because he looks like he could fit into the band easily and give me a run for my money when it comes to bagging chicks. My own hair is a slightly longer curly brown version of his.