The Rockin' Country

Chapter 1

The crowd screamed loudly, causing her palms to sweat and her heart to race. Harmony Stewart inhaled deeply and then exhaled, letting the breath flow through her. The relaxation technique worked. Shoulders that had been so tight she couldn't even roll them were now loose. It was always like this, she realized. Right before she went on stage, the nervous energy started, causing her to tense up - not fully being able to appreciate the life she was living. Closing her eyes, she breathed again, feeling her muscles loosen up even more.

"Harmony, you're up next."

She nodded, glancing at the production tech. "Thanks." Her voice was thin even to her own ears. This was just something that she went through, no matter how many millions of albums she sold or awards she garnered.

Looking out onto the stage, she saw the rock group, Black Friday, finishing up. A fan of the band, she tried to still the heart that threatened to beat out of her chest as they finished their song and walked towards her. The lead singer was the personification of hotness in her opinion. She had always wanted a meeting, but had never been able to approach him when they had been in the same space. This time he would have to walk right by her - not that she had deluded herself to think he would know who she even was. Pulling her shaking hands to her body, she gripped them hard as the group approached.

"Good job, guys," she smiled as they passed her. One by one, they nodded and accepted her smile until she came face to face with Reaper, the lead singer. She only knew his stage name. What she wouldn't give to know his real one.

"Thanks. Good luck out there, sweetheart," he smiled widely. His teeth were white and straight, the dimples that she had caught glimpses of in pictures deepened widely in his cheeks. He was tall, much taller than she had originally thought. He towered over her 5'6 frame (with heels, thank you very much), and the tattoos that traveled down his arms were a feast to her eyes. They were intricate, and she wished she had the time to study them all.

Harmony opened her mouth to tell him something else, but he was already gone. Disappointment hit her stomach hard and fast. But at least it had been a start. With any luck, she would see him at some other awards show. She heard her cue as she looked back to where the rock band stood, debriefing with some of their management. For just a split second, her eyes met Reaper's and goose bumps appeared on her arms. If only they'd had more time.

* * *

Reaper sat with his head back, eyes closed. The night had been long. He never really liked doing these awards shows, but their fans were amazing. Even though they didn't have what others called "crossover" success, they had some of the most rabid fans in the music industry. That, however, didn't change the fact that he was lonely and tired of not having someone besides the members of his band to share his life with.

"Who was the cutie that smiled at us as we walked by?"

"That was Harmony Stewart," he answered, moving only his lips.

"Country singer?"

"Yes, dude," he sighed. "The country singer."

"She's cuter than I imagined. I've only seen her on TV a few times."

Reaper sighed again, throwing a glare at his best friend, better known as Train to the rest of the world. "Seriously Jared, you're getting on my fuckin' nerves. Do you have to talk all the time?"

"What's your problem? Do you need to get laid?" Train asked, having a seat next to his friend.

"Do you ever get sick of all this?" He lifted his long arms and big hands up; gesturing to the backstage green room they sat in.

"Sick of what? The free p***y, the free booze, the amazing trips overseas and around this great nation? Playing the music we love every night? I'm ready to do this the rest of my life. Why aren't you?"

Reaper lifted his head up and opened his eyes, staring into the eyes of his friend. "I'm burnt out. Not with the music, but with the lifestyle. I need a change, something different to shake things up."

"Burnt out? How can you be burnt out?"

"It's just..." he ran his fingers through his hair. "We've been on the road for a year. I need something new and exciting in my life. I'm sick of the same girls, the same bus, and the same hotel rooms."

"You're bein' a moody f*****g pansy is what you're being. Do you know how many guys would give their left nut to be where we are?" Train slapped his friend on the shoulder, the disbelief showing on his face.

Reaper realized he would get nowhere with his friend. Train dealt with his demons in unhealthy ways and perhaps tonight wasn't the best time to approach him about this. He couldn't rightfully explain his feelings if he didn't fully understand them himself. Better to just pretend that everything was peachy. "You're right. I'm crazy. I just need some good alcohol and a cigarette. Let's get to the after party."

"Now that's what I'm talkin' about," the lead guitarist said, grabbing his friend by the arm and ushering him out of the room.

Reaper realized that nobody seemed to care what he thought, how he felt, or just how lonely he was. He might as well make the best of what to him was an unbearable situation.

* * *

"Harmony? Are you changing into the dress that new designer sent you for the after party?"

"I think so," Harmony answered her best friend and assistant, Shell.

"You need to change now, then."

Harmony rolled her eyes and grabbed the hanger from Shell's hand. "Yes ma'am."

Used to bossing her friend around, Shell had a seat while Harmony changed. "So tell me, did you meet anybody interesting at this awards show?"

"I did. Did you see any of the show?"

"I didn't get a chance to, no. I wish I had, but there was a lot going on back here," Shell answered from behind the door that Harmony had closed to change.

"I'm so sorry, Shell. I know how hard you work, and you'll never fully know how much I appreciate it. You'll be excited to hear that I finally met the guys from Black Friday."

Harmony heard the squeal and couldn't help the smile that spread across her face.

"I am so damn jealous. That lead singer - was he as hot as he looks on TV?"

"Even more so. I actually said a few words to him. Top moment of my life this year - for real."

She finished changing and let herself out of the dressing room. Coming out, she turned around in a circle, making sure everything looked okay. For the show, Harmony had wanted to keep it classy and her dress had been very Old Hollywood. This dress, however, was young and fun. Sparkles and glitter reigned. The hot pink color showed off the tan she had been able to get during a short vacation before awards season ramped up.

"Does this look okay?" she asked, turning around again so Shell could see her from every angle.

"You look really good. Hoping to meet anybody at this party?"

"You never know," she shrugged. "Maybe the guys from Black Friday will be there, and I'll be able to say something else to them. I was kind of a blabbering fool earlier. Are you coming with me?"

Shell wrinkled her nose up at her friend. "I don't know. This hasn't been a stellar day for me."

"All the more reason for you to raid my closet, find something hot, and come out on the town with me."

"Why are you trying to corrupt me? Usually it's the other way around. You're the belle of the country ball, and I'm the one trying to get you to do Jager shots," Shell laughed.

"Maybe I'm ready to let my hair down. It's time. I am twenty-four years old, and I'm not gettin' any younger. If I keep goin' at this pace with the music, I'm not goin' to be married before thirty, and that's never who I wanted to be. I'm the type of girl who wants a boyfriend, wants to be in love. I'm gonna have to make that a priority."

Shell knew that Harmony was telling the truth. She was one of those women who were made to be in love, but she wasn't for sure that her friend had ever felt those feelings. Her one serious relationship hadn't ended well and left her feeling disconnected. It was nice to see that she was beginning to look past that time in her life. "Okay, okay. If I need to be there to keep you from asking the first man you meet to marry you, I'll be there to save you from yourself."

"You, Shell, are the best friend a girl could ask for." She reached over, kissing her on the cheek.

* * *

"You sure we can leave in an hour?" Reaper asked as he unfolded himself from the backseat of the limo they had taken to the party location.

"Yes, I'm sure," Train answered with a huff. Reaper didn't miss the way he wiped the back of his hand over his nose. It was a sure sign that some things never changed. He raised his eyebrows as Train admonished him. "Dude, when did you become such a f*****g killjoy?"

"I told you already, I'm just not feeling this tonight."

They got into line with the rest of the celebrities and the other members of their band to walk the red carpet that lead into the venue that housed the party for the night.

"Hey." Train hit his friend's elbow. "Isn't that the little country girl from earlier?" He pointed further up the carpet.

Reaper couldn't see for s**t, so he squinted his eyes together, trying to bring the person in front of them better in focus. "f**k," he mumbled, pulling the wrap-around sunglasses he normally wore on stage up to his eyes. They were part of his persona, but in actuality they were prescription and without them - he really couldn't see. "Yeah, that's her."

"Cute, isn't she?"

"Seriously man, we already talked about how cute she is."

At that moment, they walked onto the main part of the carpet. Flashbulbs went off as they plastered smiles on their faces. Photographers called their names from all around. A little further down the aisle a photographer yelled at Reaper.

"What sweetheart? Didn't hear you." He cupped his hand over his ear.

"Take a picture with Harmony. It'll be a good photo op."

Harmony heard the exchange from where she stood and laughed. "He might not want to be seen with someone like me," she smiled as she glanced back at him.

He couldn't tell if she was flirting with him or not, but he figured he would seize the day. "Nah, darlin' maybe you don't wanna be seen with someone like me."

A blush covered her face, and she turned around so that she faced him. "I'm a fan, seriously. I'd love to take a picture with you."

The smile she gave him made his stomach dance. He had faced huge crowds before overseas. Hundreds of thousands of people he had performed in front of and not been nervous. Approaching this woman with the smile on her face made his legs shake. He strode over to her and easily put his arm around her waist. Even wearing heels she only came up to his shoulder.

"Where do you want us to look?" he asked.

The amount of people screaming at them was so deafening neither one of them could understand what anyone was saying. "Let's just start looking to the left and then look to the right," she said as she gripped his waist.

They stood there for long minutes as everyone got their pictures - and when it was over, the two of them were reluctant to let go of each other.

"Thanks Reaper and Harmony," the original photographer told them.

"You're welcome," Harmony answered. She pulled her arm from around his waist and turned to face him. "Thanks for taking a picture with me. I guess I'll see you inside and maybe, just maybe, I'll learn what people call you besides Reaper?"

"If I tell you that, then I'd have to kill you. It's highly classified." He put his hands in the pockets of the pants he wore and rocked back on his heels.

She wasn't sure if he was flirting with her or not because she couldn't see his eyes, but she knew that they were staring right at her. "Well then, I guess I better figure out how to work on my security clearance." She gave him a flip of her hair as she turned from him and walked towards the entrance of the club.

The pictures were already making their way all over the world.