Rock and a Hard Place - By Angie Stanton Page 0,2
got was more like it. Anything to get away from the confines of the house.
“So you must live around here,” he looked around for nearby homes.
Libby didn’t want him to notice the rundown farmhouse in the distance. She didn’t associate herself with the house, its owner, or even the town.
“So what’s with the uber bus? You on vacation? Or just like to drive a gas guzzler?” She twisted her pendant on it’s thin leather cord.
“We live in it when we’re on tour. And yes, it’s a major gas guzzler.” He raised an eyebrow, aware of her not so smooth change of topic.
“What do you mean tour? Like a vacation tour of the country?”
He laughed. “No, we’re on tour promoting our album, Triple Threat.” He said with pride in his voice.
“Your family is in a band?”
“Actualy it’s not my whole family, just my brothers and me.” His demeanor changed, but she couldn’t put her finger on why. She looked across the way to his brothers and furrowed her brow. “You are not! You’re making it up.” She could tel he was trying to impress her.
“No, realy, we’ve had the band for over two years now.
“Sure you have.” She eyed him, not believing a word. They were too young. They must al stil be in high school. Plus, they looked nothing like members of a band. She didn’t know exactly what guys in a band would look like, but not like these guys.
“I’m teling the truth.” He sat back and laughed again, that she refused to believe him.
“So where do you play?” She pierced him with a stare. She’d catch him in his own lie. “You look too young for the bar scene. Do you play weddings?”
A coy expression covered Peter’s face. “Uh, no nothing like that. It’s more public places.”
“What, like parks or fairs?” That she might believe.
“Yeah, something like that.”
“Okay, if you say so.” She shrugged. “Then you get to drive around and see lots of different places? I’d do that in an instant, if I could.” Anything to escape life here. She wanted to ask if there was room for one more.
“The sights are great, but it can get claustrophobic with five people crammed in one giant tin can for days at a time. You’d hate it.”
“Maybe, but I’d be wiling to make the sacrifice to get outta here.” A tightness in her chest occurred whenever she thought of her trapped existence.
“What’s wrong with here?” He twirled a long blade of grass between his fingers.
“Everything.” Where to begin? Nothing about this place fit. It was al wrong. She didn’t belong here and never would. She wasn’t about to explain her screwed up life to Peter. “Just everything.”
“Okay, that tels me a lot.” He smiled, gazed straight into her eyes and didn’t look away. Her stomach turned upside down. “You want to elaborate?”
“No.” She swalowed and looked away. His life sounded much more interesting. “So what’s the name of your band?”
“You like to change the subject.” He grinned.
She noticed how his eyes sparkled each time he smiled. “Yes I do,” she said with no apologies. “So?”
“Jamieson. Our band is caled Jamieson.” He watched for her reaction then asked, “ever heard of us?”
“Should I have? It doesn’t sound familiar.”
“Realy? You’ve never heard of us?” He wore a look of disbelief.
“No, do you play around here? We have a park pavilion that has groups sometimes. Is that why you stopped in Rockvile?” Libby had to admit she never listened to music anymore. It al ended up sounding like sad songs.
“No, we haven’t played around here.” The corner of his mouth turned up. “Don’t you listen to the radio?” She sighed. She didn’t want him to think she was an idiot.
“Listen, I know it sounds strange, but, no, I don’t listen to the radio.
In fact, I don’t even own one.” Anymore.
“Seriously?” His jaw dropped open.
“Let’s just say I live an unconventional life without al the modern trappings of society.” She watched for his reaction.
“How about a computer?” He asked.
“Nope.”
“A TV?” He offered. She could tel that now he was the one having trouble believing her story.
Libby shook her head no. “Let’s just say I get realy good grades. And I love nature. That’s why I come here so often. What’s your reason for stopping?”
“We come here because my Mom likes how private it is. You know how Moms are. Anytime she can find a spot that’s surrounded by nature and not al highway, she puts it on the schedule.”
Libby glossed over the Mom