Snapshot (15 page)

“Do you want us to come with?” Haley asked.

“Nah, I’m good. Go on ahead, I’ll be right behind.”

“Okay,” Kyle said as they took off.

Adam headed back toward the lodge listening to the muffled piano music. He knew there was a piano in the main lodge, but they’d just left from there. He didn’t see any buildings with lights on.
 

The music grew louder as he neared the nature center, and he remembered the piano inside. Maybe Kayla was right that it was a recording, but the intense power of the performance drew him in.
 

Quietly, he took the steps and entered the dark room. Because of the lack of moonlight from outside, his eyes needed a minute to adjust. Intense, passionate music filled the air. He stepped further into the room and spotted a dark figure at the piano. The person swayed as they played the most amazing piece he’d ever heard. As his eyes grew accustomed to the low light, he realized it wasn’t Tony or even a guy.
 

A quick flip of the piano player’s long hair caught his attention. Like a slap of cold water, he realized the musician was Marti. Momentarily stunned, his jaw dropped. This girl continued to surprise him.
 

His eyes adjusted to the dark shadows, and he spied like a voyeur as she passionately pounded the keys, her hands moving at lightning speed up and down the keyboard. The music escalated with the increasing tempo. She swayed to the masterpiece, oblivious to the rest of the world. Clearly, she was as lost in the music as he was lost watching her.

The piece built in tension and energy until it transported Adam to another place and world. He could tell it did the same for Marti as she took her aggression out in the form of a pulsing, pounding, musical masterpiece.
 

And then, with slow gentle chords, she caressed the keys to a whisper and then, silence.
 

Adam didn’t know if he wanted to applaud or cry at the beauty of her playing. Marti slumped in her seat, clearly spent. He wanted to embrace and kiss her and beg her to let him back in her crazy world.

He approached the piano. “I thought you didn’t like musicians, and here you are rockin’ it out.”

Marti jumped and jerked around. “What are you doing in here?”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. I heard the music and had to check it out. I didn’t realize I’d get a concert from a virtuoso.”

“Not hardly.” She pulled her hands away from the ivory keys.

“You never mentioned you play piano.” He sat next to her on the tiny piano bench. His leg brushed against hers.
 

“Like you never mentioned you play guitar for Jamieson.” She scooted to the far edge of the bench.

“That’s different.” He really didn’t want to start that whole argument again. “Who taught you to play?”
 

She cringed, and he knew the answer. “Your dad.”

She nodded and then seemed to sigh in defeat.

He waited, hoping she’d continue.

She trailed her fingers across the smooth ivories. “When I was super little, every once in a while he would sit me on his lap and teach me songs. They were never children’s tunes, more like some super simplified version of a classic.”

“Like Brahms’ lullaby?”

“Exactly.”

“He taught you well. You’re amazing. Seriously.”

“Not really, I swear the man is bipolar. He used to scream if he heard me practicing. Said it made him want to,” she mimicked her father’s cruel, low voice. “Gouge his fucking ears out.”
 

Adam grimaced. “That’s horrible. I can’t believe he’d talk to you like that. You were a kid.”

“He used to say a lot of things like that when he was drunk or high on coke. He’s a lot more than the rehearsed sound bites people hear in interviews. That was only one example of who he is. Anything less than perfection he considered a piece of... well, you know what I mean. But it drove me to practice harder and play the best I could.” She lightly pressed one piano key and then another.

“You sure succeeded there. I’m sorry he treated you so bad. You deserve so much better.” He couldn’t get past the horrible story she told him. He knew of Steven Hunter’s amazing accomplishments in the music industry. He was known as eccentric and unpredictable, but Adam never realized how cruel he was to others, particularly his own talented, beautiful daughter. What was wrong with the man?

Marti reached for a music book laying on the piano and tapped her finger on it. “It’s thanks to my grandma that I play well. She found me the most amazing instructor and encouraged me to play.”

“With talent like yours, you probably didn’t need an instructor.” Adam figured she inherited the genius musical gene from her dad, but knew she wouldn’t want to hear it.

“Oh no, I do! I mean, playing does come easily, but I have to work hard to rein in my careless approach.”

Adam understood how playing came naturally. He felt the same way with the guitar. It just clicked. He could play as easily as he could breathe.

“My instructor says I play like someone riding a motocross bike. Wild and dangerous.”

He leaned his elbow on the piano frame and angled toward her. “That’s funny. I have to admit, I love wild and dangerous.”

Marti smirked. Adam was happy to see her fighting back a smile. The light from the turtle tank cast a golden glow on her face. She looked vulnerable and open. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure,” she said, sounding guarded.

“Why do you dislike me so much? I’m not whatever kind of horrible guy you think I am. I’m not a drug addict, and I never will be! I’m not a loser. I’m like everyone else.”

She shook her head and silky strands of hair fell forward. She pushed it back behind her ear and answered. “Not to hurt your feelings or anything, but you’re not like everyone else. You are overpaid, coddled and given every opportunity you could ever dream of. You live an entitled life.”

“Wow, tell me how you really feel,” he said, but didn’t back away from her words. He wanted to get inside her head so he could show her who he really was.

“You asked.” She laughed. “When’s the last time you waited in line at the movies for popcorn?” She raised an eyebrow and drummed her fingers.

He grimaced. What could he say? The only movies he’d seen the past three years were when the theater manager snuck them in the side entrance after the previews started. Someone on staff always brought them whatever they wanted to eat, because, hell, he couldn’t exactly walk into the lobby area. If someone recognized him and started making a big deal, it could ruin the movie for everyone.

“See.” She cocked her head.

“Okay, but it’s pretty obvious why I can’t do that. It’s not like I have much choice in the matter.”

“When’s the last time you mowed your lawn? Do you even know how to wash a load of jeans?”

Adam opened his mouth to protest, but stopped himself. He mowed the grass once when he was thirteen. After that, the band worked full time to put their first album together. Then they promoted it at practically every school and mall across America. That’s how they got their break. Fans put them on Youtube, and Jamieson went viral. After that, the record label picked them up, and life had been insane ever since.

Marti cocked her pretty little head again. “You haven’t done anything normal in years. Don’t try to tell me otherwise. I know better.”

“Fine, so sue me! I’m not like every other high school guy, but I didn’t go looking for this, my brothers did. I got pulled into it because I played guitar so well.” Better than both his brothers put together was more like it, but he wasn’t about to say that.

“While I may not know how to work a washing machine, I lost out on a lot of things too.” He gazed into her eyes, but she looked stubborn and unconvinced.

She drummed her fingers and pretended to ignore him.

“I used to love soccer. I played in a competitive league in middle school. We were really good, but the first year the band started to take off, I had to quit. Our soccer team went undefeated. All my friends were on the team, and I missed everything. I had to spend that summer squished into a van with my family and our equipment. We stayed at cheesy little roadside motels. We couldn’t afford the kind that had a pool. My mom cooked our meals in the motel room in an electric fry pan. I ate enough Hamburger Helper to last a lifetime.”

Marti rolled her eyes and looked toward the cooling fireplace.
 

“And I haven’t been to a friend’s birthday party since that summer. Not one. The time my friends played laser tag, I was crammed in a van for a six-hour drive to perform at a mall in a town no one ever even heard of.”

“Poor baby,” she cooed.
 

It sounded pretty trivial, but those things had hurt. “And the year they all went to my friend Scott’s cabin, I was stuck in the recording studio for a whole month. It was July and I looked like an albino.”

Marti picked up a music book and brushed her thumb across the edge, peeling through the pages. “Yeah, I guess that would suck, and it must have been hard to give up soccer.”

He pressed his advantage. “Once the band started, I couldn’t do any regular stuff. That’s when I got my first real camera. I couldn’t hang out with kids my age, so I’d take pictures of them instead. It was like I became the boy in the plastic bubble. I couldn’t exactly make lasting friendships, so I would take pictures. Plus, if you have a camera in front of your face, people don’t recognize you.”

She smiled, and his heart jumped. “Now will you let go of this crazy idea that I’m bad news?” He leaned over and gently bumped her shoulder with his. She didn’t move away.
Progress!

“Fine. You’re not a horrible person. Yet.” She grinned. “I just, I don’t know. I would never want to be compared to all those other girls you’ve been with.” She peeled the corner pages of the music book some more.

“What girls?” Had he forgotten about some former girlfriend? Apparently she thought he had.

Marti glared. “Duh! The girls you’re always hugging and kissing. I’m not an idiot! I’ve seen the magazines; my friend buys them all the time.”
 

Adam laughed. “Oh, them! You mean the fans.” For a second he thought she believed he had girlfriends.

“Yeah, the fans! There’s a million of them! They’re always hanging all over you.”

“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re jealous.” He leaned forward to peek at her.

“Oh please.” She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. “Come on. You’ve been kissing all these girls, and I don’t really want to become one on your long list.”

A smirk curled the corner of Adam’s mouth. “Marti, I’ve never really kissed a girl.”
 

He dipped his head in embarrassment. “Except, of course, you, that first night of camp.” And they were the most awesome kisses! And right now, more than anything, he wanted to replay that night.

“Of course, you have! I’m not stupid.” She rolled her eyes. He wanted to laugh. She thought he was lying!

It was complicated. How could he explain it so she’d understand and he didn’t look like a total dweeb? “Sure, I hug fans and kiss girls on the cheek all the time.” Marti rolled her eyes again. “But! It was always at meet and greets and record signings. I’ve never actually talked to any of those girls for more than a minute and a half. I couldn’t tell you any of their names or if they skinny dip, hate loud train whistles, or swear when they get mad.”

“You know a lot of stuff about me.” Her expression softened.
 

“Yup.”
He was making progress
.

“You’ve never even kissed a girl while playing Truth or Dare at a party? Or on the bus coming back from a football game?”
 

Adam cocked his head and raised an eyebrow. He watched realization wash over Marti.

“Oh! You don’t go to parties or football games.” She nibbled her lower lip, which reminded him of its softness.

“Nope. You were my first real kiss,” he said softly and hoped he didn’t sound too pitiful.

“That’s kind of pathetic.” She peeked at him from behind her long, dark lashes.

Adam chuckled. “That’s an understatement! I’m supposed to be some sort of teen idol, and I never even had a decent kiss until three days ago.”

Marti smiled in a satisfied way, and he could tell she really liked that she’d been his first. He realized this was his moment, and he better not blow it. He placed his lips on hers. An instant rush rocked him as he tasted the same soft mouth from the other night. He felt her tense but refused to stop.
 

He placed his hand on her neck and caressed her cheek with his thumb. Her body relaxed. She sighed and her sweet breath warmed him. Marti was fast becoming his drug of choice. Everything about her made his body tingle. She was beautiful, sassy, strong and her kisses transported him to a place he never wanted to leave.
 

Their kiss deepened, and he knew she was putty in his hands, oblivious to the outside world. And then the worst thing happened.
 

The flash of a camera.
 

Marti jumped away; her hand covered her mouth. Stunned, they looked up to find Ryan and Kyle outside the window, laughing.