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Mandy shrugs, and I can almost see her skipping toward the two band members—surely her high heels are the only thing stopping her. I still can’t believe she wore those shoes on Bonnie. I had to hand it to her, the woman was committed to her high heels.
It is a little tempting to go meet the band now that I have a better understanding of what they do, but they are so outnumbered by fans, I imagine any real conversation likely won’t take place.
Instead, I decide to take my seat once again and text Joe about how to access the safe and get the change he needs. Joe and I are in the middle of that text conversation when someone sits next to me, but assuming it’s Mandy again, I don’t pay much attention.
“Why aren’t you tripping over yourself to meet Karl?” a husky voice says.
“One second, please,” I say without looking up.
Me:Were you able to get into the safe?
Joe:Yeah. Got it. Sorry to have bothered you. I got it from here.
Me:Are you sure?
Joe:Yeah. You’re distracting me now.
Me:I have every faith in you.
Whoever sat next to me clears his throat, grabbing my attention for real this time. “Um, sorry about that. Work.” I shrug apologetically as I tuck my phone in my back pocket and turn my attention to the man speaking. I have to do a doubletake to realize who is sitting next to me.
Brenner Reindhart.
I look around the room, and the groupies are all still huddled around Karl, plus a few around Fritz, along with Mandy. Had no one noticed Brenner walk into the room? I sure hadn’t. But he would be hard to miss, being the tallest person in the room. Or did they just not care?
“So?” Brenner asks.
“Um—so what?” My heart starts to race, and I can’t believe I’m having a hard time forming words.
I always imagined that if I ever met someone famous, I wouldn’t be a fumbling moron like everyone else seems to be. I also am not the super-fan ofIndustrial Novemberthat Mandy is, so it catches me by total surprise when my brain stops working in front of Brenner Reindhart. His chocolaty-brown eyes bore into me, and I melt under his gaze. Brenner exudes a virility that overtakes my senses, and I decide it is that—and not his rock-god status—that attracts me to him.
He asks again, “Why aren’t you over there with the other groupies dying to meet Karl or Fritz?” His voice carries the slightest hint of a German accent that sounds so sexy from his lips, I almost liquefy into the couch.
Words come out chopped, and time slows around me. “Oh, I’m not really a fan . . .” Crap. That’s not what I meant to say. My eyes widen with panic, and I clasp my hand over my mouth.
Brenner throws his head back with laughter. “Well, this is a first.” He rubs his fuller bottom lip with his thumb, keeping his eyes locked on mine. “So, if you’re not a fan, what are you doing backstage?”
“That came out wrong,” I offer. “I guess I’m a new fan of the band, but tonight’s the first time I’ve been to one of your concerts.”
“Oh?”
I point to Mandy. “That girl over there, Mandy, she won tickets from a radio station and invited me.”
“So she’s the fan?”
“I really didn’t mean to say I wasn’t a fan. I, um—I like your music.”
My phone dings again. I close my eyes and count to ten. I am going to kill Joe. “I’m so sorry. Really, it’s work.”
I barely have my phone in my hand when Brenner speaks again. “You Americans are so rude. Always glued to your phones or work—or both.”
My jaw drops, and I can only stare at him. What the hell? “Excuse me?” I say, my voice clearly laced with disdain.
“Get back to yourwork.” Brenner stands and walks over to where Fritz and Karl are standing as Mandy runs over to my side. What an arrogant ass. To think I found him handsome and talented. Though, from what stereotypes I hear about musicians, especially front men, they are all arrogant. I shouldn’t have expected anything less, not even after he basically serenaded me in front of thousands of people.
His rude comment and prompt dismissal cure me of any celebrity-induced blindness I may have had.
“Ohmygawd, ohmygawd, ohmygawd,” Mandy whisper-screams at me and squeezes my forearm like a boa constrictor. “You aren’t going to believe this!”
