Page 65 of Doc Rock
“Thereare amps in the shed.”Donnie’s voice broke through her musing.
Mai blinked, aware that her eyes were wet. She wasn’t sure ifit wasfrom the memories that assaulted her or the fact that Ford walked away from her. Maybeit wasboth.
“That’s great.”Mai pulled herself together.“Do you guys mind if I go and play for a few minutes?”
Scotty and Joel shook their heads, and the drummer added,“If you play, we play.”
Tears gathered again in Mai’s eyes.They still wanted to play with her.She had assumed they would take one photo, and that would be it.
Her fingers itched for the guitar, and she didn’t hesitate in saying,“Yes. Please.”
Donnie led them out of the house to a large wooden shed out back. He pulled a key out of his pocket and unlocked the padlock before sliding the door open.
Mai couldn’t help but laugh; their scheming manager—shit, she corrected herself, he wasn’t her manager—had set up a full rehearsal space for them.
It wasbright and airy with the door open, and the dust motes danced in the rays of sunshine.It wasthe kind of place that would look amazing in a music video.
Her eyes swung to Donnie and narrowed.“Nice set-up.”
He shrugged, his face blank.“I wasn’t sure how long Ford would be here, and figured if the guys came up to visit, they might want to jam.”
“Uh-huh.”Mai didn’t believe a word he said.
This was a total setup to make her play with the band again. And at this moment, she didn’t care. She wanted tofeelwhatit waslike to perform with other people.Would it be musclememory? Or was sixteen years of only ever playing solo going to make her rusty?
Without thinking, she walked over to the amp on the right side of the microphone that was positioned in the centre. Stage right had always been her spot. Plugging her guitar into the amp, she strummed it and then leaned down to fiddle with the amp, strumming it again until she was satisfied.
Her fingers hovered over the guitar.What was she going to play?
The decision was taken off her when Scotty tapped his drumsticks together to count them in, and Joel launched into the bassline forThunder Nights, a song off their first album. A song she wrote with Ford between make-out sessions in her old room.
She nodded her head, getting herself on beat, then played the first guitar riff. She didn’t even have to think; her fingers flew over the frets of the guitar as she synced herself effortlessly to the band.
Closing her eyes, she lost herself in the music.
They flew open when Ford’s raspy voice growled out the lyrics to the chorus. She couldn’t stop herself; a grin broader than anything she'd smiled for a long time spread across her face. She locked eyes with Ford and played as if her life depended on it.
Chapter 24
Ford
“Fuck,”Ford growled as he stormed out the front of the house.
What the fuck was wrong with him?As soon as Scotty and Joel laid their hands on Sie, hefeltrage. A rage deep inside that told him no one, but him, was allowed to touch her. All they were doing was hugging her, heknewthat, but instinct made him want her all for himself.
Fuck, he needed her back.He couldn’t live the rest of his life without her.
Ford marched up and down, running his hands through his already tousled hair, trying to let his agitation settle before he rejoined them, until heheardmusic and his mind stilled.
He needed music like he needed to breathe, and he turned, heading straight for the shed.
When a lead guitar kicked in, he stopped walking.
Was that Sie?
It had to be.It washardly going to be Donnie.
Ford made himself move again, rushing to the open door of the wooden shed.
