Rock my world - By Cindi Myers Page 0,48

when I got out. Carl gave me a chance.” His eyes met hers. “So you see why I can’t mess it up.”

“I see.” She looked at her lap. She loved Adam partly because he was hardworking and a straight-arrow and…and decent. But those same qualities were also the ones keeping them apart.

Adam didn’t want to screw up. Which left her…screwed.

11

SILENCE STRETCHED between Erica and Adam like a high tension wire about to snap. He struggled to come up with something to say to get them back to the easy friendship they’d known. This was why he hadn’t told her this part of his past before. She’d never look at him the same way again. He understood, but that didn’t make it any easier to take.

She pushed her chair back and stood, not looking at him. “I think I’ll go freshen up before we go back on air.”

He watched her leave, a sick feeling in his stomach. He’d wanted to put some distance between them, and revealing his past had done the trick. But he hadn’t imagined how much her rejection would hurt. He’d wanted to think she was different, that what he did or what he’d been didn’t matter as much as who he was inside.

No such luck.

He wrapped up the uneaten quarter of his burger and took it to the trash. He wouldn’t be surprised if Charlie didn’t try to call off the rest of the gig. Carl would go ballistic. Adam would be lucky to keep his job.

His lips formed a tight smile. Wouldn’t that be ironic? If Carl let him go, he’d be free to date Erica. Except that after today, she probably wouldn’t want anything to do with him.

Mason sent a note that it was time for them to go back on the air. Adam put on his headset and prepared to wow the audience with classic Hawk persona—the trivia God, the thinker, the man for whom music was his life.

“Welcome back to this special edition of the Hawk and Honey show on KROK. We’re broadcasting live from Outback Charlie’s Bar and Grill. Bombshell Bonnie is here with me and Erica, so stop by and say hello. Enjoy the great food and drinks from Outback Charlie’s and participate to win some prizes.”

A rowdy group of five men entered and took a table near the stage. They waved and called to Bonnie, who made her way to their table. “Hello, boys,” she drawled in her best Mae West imitation. “Did y’all come out to see me?”

“We sure did, gorgeous.” One of the men stood and began dancing to the music. “Let’s dance.”

Bonnie obliged, doing an exaggerated bump and grind that had all the tables around her cheering. Erica joined Adam on stage. “How long before she does a table dance?” she asked.

He shook his head. “I never put anything past Bonnie.”

She leaned closer, her voice low. “Hey, you okay?”

Why was she asking? Did he not look okay? “What do you mean?”

“You seem kind of distracted.”

Who wouldn’t be? But maybe she thought he was supposed to be Mr. Cool all the time. A hard case. Nothing ever affected him. “I’m fine.”

“I thought maybe what happened at dinner upset you.”

“Why would it upset me?” I only spilled my guts, shocked my so-called friends into silence and jeopardized my job.

She shrugged. “You know, brought back bad memories or something.”

She didn’t know the half of it. But it wasn’t memories that dogged him. It was frustration about the future. Was his past always going to affect the rest of his life? Without a record hanging over his head, would he have risked an affair with Erica? He might have. Maybe he’d have faced down Carl and told him his no-dating rule was stupid and unfair. Or maybe he’d have had the confidence to get a job at another station if Carl fired him.

Now that she knew Adam was an ex-con, was Erica even still interested in him? Her sudden coolness at the dinner table after his revelation told him she probably wasn’t. “I’m fine,” he said again.

She gave him a puzzled look and turned away. “That was Jack Johnson,” she announced. “Happy hour’s in full swing here at Outback Charlie’s, so come on down and join us. We’ve got two-for-one margaritas, Foster’s beer and appetizers. And the KROK crew will be here until seven o’clock giving away prizes and playing music.”

“I’m going to take a break,” he told her, and headed off the stage. Ray stopped him outside the men’s room.